Our Guide to Alternative Flours

Being at home more presents the perfect opportunity to bake, but finding flour can be a challenge. Due to all the #quarantinebaking, the demand for all-purpose flour has skyrocketed, leading to a shortage on many store shelves. Frustrating, yes. But there are plenty of great alternative flours to try. Here are some we love:

 * Almond flour Made of blanched almonds that have been finely ground, this light flour is easy to use for cookies, pie crusts and quick breads. Other nut flours – peanut, cashew, hazelnut – work similarly.

 * Brown rice flour Light and powdery, this high-fiber flour has a mild flavor so it’s a good substitution for wheat flour, but note that it can’t be swapped 1:1.

 * Cassava flour Grain-free, this flour is made from the root of the cassava plant, also known as yuca. We love it for quick breads and cookies.

 * Tapioca Flour Also made from cassava root, tapioca flour (also known as tapioca starch) is much more finely ground and great for thickening sauces or adding crispiness to recipes.

 * Coconut flour High in fiber and made of coconut pulp, this flour absorbs a lot of moisture so it requires more eggs or other liquid components than other recipes.

 * Oat flour Nutritious oat flour is a great way to add fiber to a recipe, along with chewiness and earthy flavor.

 * Alternative flour blends These blends are also a great option for baking. We love Bob's Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour (made from almond, arrowroot, coconut and tapioca flours) and King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour (rice, sorghum, tapioca and potato flours).