Knowing which gluten free flour to use for baking completely depends on what you’re making. Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour is a cup-for-cup swap for wheat flour, ideal for making your favorite non-yeast recipes gluten free. For yeasted breads, Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour is the one to reach for. And Gluten Free Oat Flour works well in recipes that benefit from its naturally sweet, nutty flavor. You can rest assured that our gluten free flours are processed in our dedicated gluten free facility and tested to meet strict gluten free standards.

Thanks to these and our wide variety of other gluten free flours, sharing your gluten free breads and sweet treats has never been easier. But they’re not all interchangeable. While some gluten free flours are incredibly versatile, what bakes up soft and chewy cookies may produce a dense cake. And not every gluten free flour is suited for creating lofty yeasted breads.

In this guide, we'll walk through the best gluten free flours for baking, explain when to use each one and share some of our favorite gluten free recipes to help you bake with confidence.

What Does Gluten Do in Baking?

Understanding the role gluten plays in baking can be helpful when choosing the right gluten free flour for your baked goods.

Gluten is a protein found in certain grains like wheat, barley and rye. In flour, gluten is activated by adding water, then mixing and kneading. The gluten traps gas bubbles, acts as a binder and gives dough stretchy elasticity, providing breads, cookies and cakes with rise, structure and chewiness.

Because gluten plays so many vital roles in baking, it can be tricky to find a perfect replacement in every recipe. Without it, baked goods can turn out dense, crumbly, dry or gummy if the flour isn't designed for the type of baking you're doing.

That's why choosing the right gluten free flour is one of the most important steps to successful gluten free baking.

So…How Do Gluten Free Flours Work?

Gluten free flour options range from pre-mixed blends to single-ingredient flours. Gluten free baking blends can replace all-purpose flour in many recipes, while single-ingredient flours, whether used on their own or in blends, contribute their own unique qualities to baked goods. When shopping, look for products labeled gluten free that are tested to meet strict FDA gluten free standards of less than 20 ppm of gluten.

Gluten Free Flour Blends

Gluten free flour blends combine several ingredients such as flours, starches and binders to provide structure, texture and moisture similar to all-purpose flour for a variety of baked goods. Some blends include ingredients like xanthan gum or guar gum to help create the elasticity and stability needed for cookies, cakes, muffins and other baked goods, while others leave out added binders so you can customize recipes that call for a specific amount.

Specialty Gluten Free Flours

Single-ingredient gluten free flours, made from gluten free grains, seeds, nuts and other ingredients, work a little differently. Rather than trying to replace wheat flour on their own, each contributes its own characteristics to a recipe. Some provide structure, others add softness, moisture or flavor, and many work best when paired with other gluten free flours or starches. Understanding how each one behaves makes it easier to choose the right flour for the type of baking you're doing.

At Bob's Red Mill, our gluten free flours are milled, mixed and packaged in our dedicated gluten free facility using equipment that is never exposed to gluten-containing products. We also batch test gluten free products in our quality control laboratory using an ELISA Gluten Assay test to help ensure they meet strict gluten free standards.

What are the Best Gluten Free Flours for Baking?

Here's a closer look at four of our most popular gluten free baking blends and flours and what they're best suited for.

Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour

Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour is the easiest choice for everyday gluten free baking, from birthday cakes to chocolate chip cookies. Specially formulated as a cup-for-cup replacement for wheat flour, it takes the guesswork out of converting your favorite recipes. The blend of white rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, sorghum flour, tapioca flour and xanthan gum creates reliable results in a variety of baked goods.

Best in: Cookies, cakes, muffins, brownies, pancakes and quick breads
Texture and flavor: Neutral flavor with a soft, tender crumb that's similar to traditional all-purpose flour
Choose it for: Easy cup-for-cup substitutions, converting favorite recipes to gluten free
Skip it for: Yeast breads or recipes that call for a flour blend without xanthan gum

Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour

Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour is a versatile blend that can replace all-purpose flour in a wide variety of recipes. Because it doesn't contain xanthan gum or guar gum, you'll add the binder called for in the recipe or follow our guide on the package. It's an excellent choice for yeast breads and other recipes that benefit from added structure.

Best in: Yeast breads, pie crust, pizza dough, rolls and recipes that call for added binders
Texture and flavor: Neutral flavor with texture that varies depending on the recipe and binder used
Choose it for: Recipes that call for xanthan gum or another binder
Skip it for: Quick cup-for-cup substitutions in recipes that don't call for added binders

Gluten Free Oat Flour

Gluten Free Oat Flour adds a naturally sweet, wholesome oat flavor to baked goods. Finely ground for a soft texture, it's perfect for replacing up to 20% of the wheat flour in many baking recipes.

Best in: Muffins, pancakes, waffles, cookies, quick breads and recipes designed for oat flour
Texture and flavor: Soft, tender texture with a naturally sweet, mild oat flavor
Choose it for: Adding subtle oat flavor and extra tenderness to baked goods
Skip it for: Direct cup-for-cup substitutions, recipes that require a neutral flavor

Almond Flour

Almond Flour brings rich, nutty flavor and a soft, tender crumb to baked goods. Made from finely ground blanched almonds, it's a favorite for grain-free baking and works beautifully in pancakes, cookies, coffee cake and muffins. Use it in recipes developed specifically for almond flour, or replace up to 25% of the all-purpose flour in traditional recipes. Depending on the recipe, additional binders like eggs or xanthan gum may be needed.

Best in: Cookies, muffins, coffee cakes, pancakes and recipes designed for almond flour
Texture and flavor: Rich, nutty flavor with a moist, tender crumb
Choose it for: Grain-free baking or adding moisture and richness to baked goods
Skip it for: Direct cup-for-cup substitutions or recipes that rely on a light, airy structure

More Gluten Free Flours to Explore

Sorghum Flour: A mild, versatile whole grain flour with a subtle sweetness. It adds structure and works well in gluten free flour blends for breads, muffins, pancakes and cookies.
Teff Flour: A finely ground ancient grain flour with a rich, earthy flavor that pairs especially well with chocolate, spices and other bold flavors. It's commonly used in hearty baked goods and traditional injera flatbread.
White Rice Flour: A pantry staple in gluten free baking, white rice flour has a neutral flavor and light texture, making it a common base for flour blends and delicate baked goods.
Brown Rice Flour: Made from whole-grain brown rice, this flour has a nuttier flavor and a heartier texture than white rice flour. It adds whole grain flavor to breads, muffins and rustic baked goods.
Tapioca Flour: Made from cassava root, tapioca flour adds chewiness, elasticity and a light texture to gluten free baked goods. It's most often used as part of a flour blend rather than on its own.
Coconut Flour: Highly absorbent and naturally sweet, coconut flour requires significantly more liquid and eggs than most other flours. It's best used in recipes specifically developed for coconut flour.
Chickpea Flour: Made from ground chickpeas, this protein-rich flour has a savory, earthy flavor and is commonly used in flatbreads, crackers and savory baking, though it can also be used in some sweet recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best gluten free flour for cookies?
Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour is the best choice for most cookie recipes because it's formulated as a cup-for-cup replacement for all-purpose flour. You can also try replacing a portion of the flour with Gluten Free Oat Flour or Almond Flour, or use a recipe developed specifically for those flours.
What is the best gluten free flour for bread?
For yeast breads, Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour is the best choice because it doesn't contain xanthan gum, allowing you to add the binder called for in the recipe. For sandwich breads and other everyday loaves, always follow a recipe developed for gluten free baking.
Can I substitute gluten free flour for all-purpose flour?
Yes, but the right flour depends on the recipe. Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour is designed for direct cup-for-cup substitutions in many cookies, cakes, muffins and quick breads. Other gluten free flours, like Gluten Free Oat Flour and Almond Flour, work best in recipes developed for those flours or when replacing only a portion of the all-purpose flour.
Can I substitute oat flour for all purpose flour?
In many recipes, Gluten Free Oat Flour can replace up to 20% of the all-purpose flour to add a naturally sweet oat flavor and tender texture. It's generally not intended as a direct cup-for-cup replacement unless the recipe is specifically developed for oat flour.

Tips for Baking with Gluten Free Flour

Start with a gluten free recipe. Recipes developed specifically for gluten free baking are more likely to produce consistent results.
Check the other ingredients for gluten. Make sure ingredients like baking powder, oats, extracts and mix-ins are labeled gluten free when needed.
Use a kitchen scale. Weighing flour is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and helps ensure consistent results.
Mix thoroughly, but don't overdo it. You don't have to worry about overmixing developing too much gluten, but excessive mixing can still incorporate too much air or affect the texture of some baked goods.
Choose the right flour for the recipe. Cup-for-cup blends, all-purpose blends and single-ingredient flours each have different strengths, so use the one that best matches what you're baking.
Follow binder recommendations. If you're using Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour, add the xanthan gum, guar gum or other binder called for in the recipe or follow the guide on the package.

Our Most Popular Gluten Free Baking Recipes

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy in the center with perfectly crisp edges. Made with Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and plenty of chocolate, they're so delicious no one will guess they're gluten free.
Gluten Free Chocolate Cinnamon Twist comes together with a soft yeasted dough made from Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour, Active Dry Yeast and Xanthan Gum wrapped around a dark chocolate filling for a centerpiece-worthy dessert for brunch or holiday parties.
Coconut Spice Cookies combine Gluten Free Oat Flour, Shredded Coconut, cashew butter and warm spices for soft, cakey cookies with cozy cinnamon flavor.
Magically Moist Almond Cake is light, tender and incredibly moist. Made with Almond Flour, Organic Coconut Flour and a handful of simple ingredients, it’s an elegant dessert for celebrations or everyday baking.

For even more gluten free baking inspiration, browse our complete collection of gluten free desserts, cookies, cakes and sweet treats.

Finding the best gluten free flour for baking doesn’t have to be complicated. Once you understand how different flour blends and specialty flours work, it’s easy to choose the right one for every recipe. From everyday cookies and muffins to homemade bread and special occasion desserts, Bob's Red Mill gluten free flours make it simple to create baked goods everyone will love.