One of the most common questions I get here on the blog is about using grain free flours. Today I am stopping by to give a quick 101 tutorial on the best grain free flours and how to use them.
So I am going to admit that my journey with grain free baking hasn’t always been easy. There has definitely been a sharp learning curve. Grain free flours just don’t behave like the glutenous flours I learned to bake with as a child.
But after going grain free, I still wanted that feeling of a warm kitchen with sweet fragrant yumminess pouring out of the oven. Growing up in a Scandinavian family, I grew up eating the best breads and pastries you can imagine. If you have never had Finnish Pulla, I seriously feel sorry for you. It’s like heaven with cardamom sprinkled on top.
While I have yet to be able to recreate a grain free version of my grandmother’s pulla (still working on it!), I have learned to create breads, cookies, and muffins from grain free alternatives that are delicious and satisfy my urge need to bake. I have about zero tolerance for the dry, gritty, and just plain not good gluten and grain free desserts and breads that are out there. I mean, if you are going to indulge, it better be worth it. Am I right?
I do want to preface this post by saying that I am a fan of a real food diet consisting mainly of properly-sourced meats and seasonal vegetables. And even though baked goodies and breads are amazingly delicious, they should be consumed in moderation.
So let’s get right to it. Here is a list of the 4 most common grain free flours that I use in my kitchen and how I use them:
1. Coconut Flour
Coconut flour is made from dried coconut flesh which has been ground into a fine powder. It is a natural byproduct of coconut milk production. I have found that coconut flour requires special techniques before it will yield good results as it does not perform the same as grain-based flours in baking…
