Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (that’s never gritty!)

Tired of grinding pasty, gritty gluten free baked goods around in your mouth? I know you’ve been wondering if there’s something better out there and guess what? There is. Get this gluten free all purpose flour blend on hand and your baking world will change, I promise. Never gritty, and generally inexpensive in the world of costly gluten free flour blends, this one is a winner!

When you start a gluten free diet, you do what I did: Ravage that one aisle in the grocery store–sure you’re never really going to be able to eat like a normal person ever again. You grab anything that says “GLUTEN FREE” on it.

You get all the goods. The cookies, the pancake mix, the pasta. (Okay, I’ll admit some of the pasta is delicious.)

Then you go check out and realize that the bill is exactly 2 million dollars and that pack of pancake mix cost as much as your kid’s back to school clothes. And you’re shocked.

Then you grab a cookie in the car on the way home to soothe your sadness and it’s all kind of gritty and odd. The shock and disappointments just keep coming but you try to press through it.

I’ve been there too, can you tell?

And I know how it feels to crave that texture that gluten provides in some foods. But let me give you a big old boost of confidence because I’ve discovered an all purpose gluten free flour blend that delivers all the good things you need with none of that grit that makes you remember you’re eating gluten free.

Be satisfied. Be comforted. Be fulfilled, and still stick to your diet.

We’ll make it the 8th wonder of the world.

How to use a gluten free all purpose flour blend

Unfortunately, the amounts of regular wheat flour and gluten free flours can’t be swapped equally with reliable results. People do it, sure, but what comes out is sometimes a little sad. When you work with gluten free flours, you often have to adjust the amount of liquids in the recipe.

And with so many gluten free blends on the market (I’ve made some that had 10 ingredients!), there’s only one thing I can say for certain: you’ll get a different result with all of them.

This particular blend has been very reliable for me and I’ve used it in some of my favorite traditional recipes with great success.

What flours are in homemade gluten free all purpose flour?

In this case, there are three ingredients. And even though I never do this, I’m telling you that there’s one ingredient you have to have–no swapping in some junky gritty rice flour. That’s Authentic Foods Superfine Brown Rice Flour.

About $14 for a 3 pound bag, you’ll be able to mix several batches of flour with it and make enough cakes, biscuits and bread to leave you in a carb coma. You’ll get your money’s worth out of it.

The other ingredients are potato starch and tapioca flour which you don’t necessarily need to order. You should be able to find those in a health food store or in the gluten free aisle of your local grocery store. They are more affordable than the rice flour.

Then it’s just a matter of measuring and mixing them together and storing the concoction in an airtight container. Store your leftover gluten free all purpose flour ingredients in your freezer so they’ll be fresh when you want to mix another batch.

How do I make self rising gluten free all purpose flour?

To make your gluten free all purpose flour self rising, you’ll need to add leavening agents like baking soda, baking powder and salt. I don’t recommend adding those to your main flour. Instead, add them as directed in the recipe you’re making. If you need leavening agents, the recipe will tell you.

Can I use this recipe to make gluten free pancakes, bread or waffles?

I haven’t tested this version with yeasted gluten free bread recipes because I don’t believe good gluten free bread even exists. I just hate the stuff.

I do use this blend to make waffles, pancakes, pie crusts, banana bread and the best doggone birthday cake I’ve ever eaten.

Do I need xanthan gum in this recipe?

Depending on the recipe you’re using, yes you may need it. Xanthan gum is a thickener used to help gluten free breads hold their shape. I do often add a bit of xanthan gum to my recipe if it calls for it.

If you are using a new recipe from someone other than me, check to see if they are recommending an all purpose flour blend that already has xanthan gum in it (store bought versions often have it included).

If you do need it and aren’t sure how much to add, check out this post for guidelines.