Glossary: Culinary Flour

Flour is a finely ground powder that is made by grinding cereal grains, seeds, and even roots. It is a wonderfully versatile ingredient that is used in both cooking and baking, but we primarily recognize its use for making bread, cakes, cookies, pastries, and pasta.

The most common type of flour is wheat flour, which is made from grinding wheat grains. However, flour can also be made from other grains such as corn, rice, barley, oats, rye, and millet. Additionally, flour can be made from seeds such as chickpeas, almonds, and coconuts, as well as from starchy roots like cassava and potatoes.

The process of making flour typically involves cleaning and milling the grains, seeds, or roots to remove any impurities and then grinding them into a fine powder. Depending on the type of flour and its intended use, it may be processed further to remove the bran and germ, resulting in refined flour, or it may be left whole, resulting in whole grain flour.

Flour’s purpose in cooking and baking range from thickening sauces, gravies, soups, and stews, to coating before frying and sautéing to create a crispy texture, to binding ingredients so that they do not fall apart during cooking. And, of course, flour is a necessity for making pizza dough, pasta, and noodles.

Here is a list of culinary flours that can be used for cooking and baking:

1. Acorn Flour
   • Acorn flour is made from ground dried acorns. It has a slightly sweet, nutty flavor and a coarse texture.
   • Protein Percentage: Approximately 5%
   • Common Uses: Gluten-free baking, pancakes, and as a thickening agent in soups and stews.
   • Recommendations: Acorn flour can be used in bread, muffins, cookies, and as a substitute for wheat flour in recipes.
2. All-Purpose Flour
   • All-purpose flour is a versatile blend of hard and soft wheat varieties. It is finely ground and commonly bleached or unbleached.
   • Protein Percentage: 9-12%
   • Common Uses: Suitable for a wide range of baked goods, including bread, cakes, cookies, and pastries.
   • Recommended Baked Goods: Bread, cakes, cookies, muffins, pie crusts.
3. Almond Flour
   • Almond flour is ground from blanched almonds, resulting in a fine, slightly gritty texture.
   • Protein Percentage: 6-8%
   • Common Uses: Adds a rich, nutty flavor and moist texture to baked goods, gluten-free and paleo-friendly.
   • Recommended Baked Goods: Gluten-free cakes, cookies, muffins, pancakes.
4. Amaranth Flour
   • Amaranth flour is made from amaranth seeds and has a nutty flavor.
   • Protein Percentage: 13-15%
   • Common Uses: Gluten-free and high-protein, suitable for baking and as a nutritional supplement.
   • Recommended Baked Goods: Gluten-free bread, muffins, pancakes, cookies.
5. Barley Flour
   • Barley flour is made from barley grains and has a mild, nutty flavor.
   • Protein Percentage: 7-9%
   • Common Uses: Often combined with other flours for baking or used as a thickening agent in soups and stews.
   • Recommended Baked Goods: Bread (when combined with other flours), muffins, pancakes.
6. Bread Flour
   • Bread flour is high in gluten, made from hard wheat varieties. It has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour.
   • Protein Percentage: 12-14%
   • Common Uses: Specifically formulated for yeast bread recipes, providing structure and elasticity to bread dough.
   • Recommended Baked Goods: Yeast bread, rolls, bagels, pizza crusts.
7. Buckwheat Flour
   • Buckwheat flour is ground from buckwheat groats and has a strong, nutty flavor.
   • Protein Percentage: 10-15%
   • Common Uses: Gluten-free and rich in nutrients, used in a variety of baked goods and pancakes.
   • Recommended Baked Goods: Gluten-free bread, pancakes, waffles, soba noodles.
8. Cake Flour
   • Cake flour is finely milled from soft wheat varieties and has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour.
   • Protein Percentage: 6-8%
   • Common Uses: Produces tender and delicate crumb in cakes and pastries due to its low protein content.
   • Recommended Baked Goods: Layer cakes, cupcakes, sponge cakes, delicate pastries.
9. Chestnut Flour
   • Description: Chestnut flour is made from ground dried chestnuts. It has a sweet, nutty flavor and a coarse texture.
   • Protein Percentage: Approximately 5%
   • Common Uses: Gluten-free baking, pasta, and as a thickening agent in soups and sauces.
   • Recommendations: Chestnut flour is used in cakes, cookies, pancakes, and as a substitute for wheat flour in pasta and gnocchi recipes.
10. Chickpea Flour (Garbanzo Bean Flour)
    • Chickpea flour is made from ground chickpeas and has a slightly nutty flavor.
    • Protein Percentage: 15-20%
    • Common Uses: Gluten-free and high-protein, used in baking and as a thickening agent.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Gluten-free bread, pancakes, socca (chickpea flatbread), savory muffins.
11. Coconut Flour
    • Coconut flour is made from dried coconut meat, ground into a fine powder.
    • Protein Percentage: 16-20%
    • Common Uses: High-fiber and gluten-free, suitable for low-carb and paleo baking.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Gluten-free cakes, cookies, pancakes, breads.
12. Corn Flour
    • Corn flour is finely ground cornmeal, available in both yellow and white varieties.
    • Protein Percentage: 6-8%
    • Common Uses: Used as a thickening agent in sauces, soups, and baked goods.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Cornbread, muffins, pancakes, tortillas, tamales.
13. Cornmeal
    • Cornmeal is made by grinding dried corn kernels into coarse or fine particles.
    • Protein Percentage: 7-9%
    • Common Uses: Used in both savory and sweet dishes, provides a distinct corn flavor and texture.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Cornbread, muffins, pancakes, polenta, tortillas.
14. Durum Wheat Flour
    • Durum wheat flour is made from durum wheat, a hard wheat variety known for its high protein content.
    • Protein Percentage: 12-14%
    • Common Uses: Primarily used for making pasta and noodles due to its strength and ability to hold shape.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Fresh pasta, noodles, couscous.
15. Green Pea Flour
    • Green pea flour is made from ground green peas. It has a slightly sweet flavor and a fine texture.
    • Protein Percentage: Approximately 20%
    • Common Uses: Gluten-free baking, thickening agent in soups and sauces.
    • Recommendations: Green pea flour can be used in bread, cookies, cakes, and as a thickener for stews and gravies.
16. Hazelnut Flour
    • Hazelnut flour is made from finely ground hazelnuts and has a rich, nutty flavor.
    • Protein Percentage: 10-12%
    • Common Uses: Adds flavor and moisture to baked goods, especially gluten-free and paleo recipes.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Gluten-free cakes, cookies, muffins, pancakes.
17. Millet Flour
    • Millet flour is ground from millet seeds and has a mild flavor.
    • Protein Percentage: 9-12%
    • Common Uses: Gluten-free and nutritious, used in a variety of baked goods and flatbreads.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Gluten-free bread, muffins, pancakes, cookies.
18. Oat Flour
    • Oat flour is ground from oats and has a slightly sweet, nutty flavor.
    • Protein Percentage: 12-15%
    • Common Uses: Adds moisture and flavor to baked goods, suitable for gluten-free baking.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Cookies, muffins, pancakes, quick breads, pie crusts.
19. Pastry Flour
    • Pastry flour falls between all-purpose and cake flour in terms of protein content. It is finely milled from soft wheat.
    • Protein Percentage: 8-9%
    • Common Uses: Provides tenderness to pastries while still offering enough structure for shaping.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Pie crusts, tarts, biscuits, scones, cookies.
20. Quinoa Flour
    • Description: Quinoa flour is ground from quinoa seeds, providing a mild, nutty flavor.
    • Protein Percentage: 12-18%
    • Common Uses: Gluten-free and high-protein, adds texture and flavor to baked goods.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Gluten-free bread, muffins, pancakes, cookies.
21. Rye Flour
    • Rye flour is made from rye grains and has a darker color and stronger flavor than wheat flour.
    • Protein Percentage: 7-9%
    • Common Uses: Adds a distinct flavor and denser texture to bread, often used in combination with wheat flour.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Rye bread, crackers, dense loaves, sourdough.
22. Self-Rising Flour
    • Self-rising flour is all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt already mixed in.
    • Protein Percentage: Varies (typically lower than all-purpose)
    • Common Uses: Convenient for quick breads and biscuits, as it eliminates the need to measure leavening agents separately.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Biscuits, pancakes, quick breads.
23. Semolina Flour
    • Semolina flour is coarser than durum wheat flour and has a slightly yellow hue.
    • Protein Percentage: 12-14%
    • Common Uses: Used in pasta making, as well as for some breads and desserts.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Pasta, gnocchi, breads, pizza dough.
24. Spelt Flour
    • Spelt flour is an ancient grain flour with a nutty flavor and slightly sweet undertones.
    • Protein Percentage: 10-14%
    • Common Uses: Suitable for baking bread and other baked goods, often used as a wheat alternative.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Bread, muffins, pancakes, cookies, crackers.
25. Soy Flour
    • Soy flour is made from roasted soybeans and has a nutty flavor.
    • Protein Percentage: 35-40%
    • Common Uses: High-protein and gluten-free, suitable for baking and as a nutritional supplement.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: High-protein bread, muffins, pancakes, cookies.
26. Teff Flour
    • Teff flour is made from teff, an ancient grain native to Ethiopia.
    • Protein Percentage: 8-13%
    • Common Uses: Gluten-free and high in fiber, used in Ethiopian cuisine and gluten-free baking.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Gluten-free bread, pancakes, waffles, injera.
27. Whole Wheat Flour
    • Whole wheat flour is made by grinding the entire wheat kernel, including the bran, germ, and endosperm.
    • Protein Percentage: 13-15%
    • Common Uses: Provides a nuttier flavor and denser texture compared to all-purpose flour. Ideal for whole grain bread and hearty baked goods.
    • Recommended Baked Goods: Whole wheat bread, rolls, pizza dough, muffins.

Other resources like this:

This is not an exhaustive list of flours. More will be added with time. Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments below!