Baking may require a bit of art and science, but buying the ingredients to bake with is easy. You buy all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar and you are all set. Then, mix the ingredients, put the batter and dough in the oven, set the time and you are done.

However, if you are a vegan and you are baking, some rules need to be changed. You must be aware of the ingredients that you are using; they must be free of animal-derived ingredients.

For instance, flour – one of the basic ingredients in baking. What are the best flours that are safe for vegans?

To start with, flour is vegan 99.9 percent of the time. There are times the flour ingredients can get confusing since flour is fortified with certain vitamins and minerals. Here are some flours that are safe for vegans: White Flour, Almond Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, to name a few.

For new vegans, every ingredient may seem like it has the potential for harming animals, but with the right knowledge, you can rest easy that the flour you’ll be using is vegan.

Top 10 Vegan Flour Types

Almond flour

Almond flour is simply made from almonds that are crushed and turned into flour. The almonds are blanched to remove the skins and then ground to make them into powder form.

You will usually see this in gluten-free baking or to make certain baked goodies that have a higher fat content.

Almond flour is known to be vegan because it does not contain animal products, and is highly recommended for gluten-free vegans.

Blue Diamond Almond Flour

Blue Diamond Almond Flour

Fine and flavorful flour made of almonds that can be used wherever you want the taste of almonds without the crunch. It is used in foods like smoothies, hot cereals, and bread crumb coatings.

Though baking with almond flour is easy, substituting traditional flour with almond flour cannot be done cup for cup. Every recipe will be different.

To measure almond flour, scoop and level the cup. Don’t pack down but use a heavier hand than you are used to.

Coconut flour

Coconut flour is a heavy, high-fiber flour made from ground coconut meat. As a gluten-free flour, it is not as popular as rice flour but has a substantial fan base.

Any baked good contains coconut flavor. Perhaps, the most common use of this flour is reserved for cakes and bread, as well as lower-carb foods.

It is 100% vegan safe, and you can buy coconut flour with confidence.

Arrowhead Mills Organic Coconut Flour

Arrowhead Mills Organic Coconut Flour

This versatile flour is the perfect complement to your favorite recipes and can be used to make varieties of cakes, cookies, and bread.

This flour is made from Fair Trade Certified Coconuts, which is an excellent source of fiber and is Certified Gluten-Free. It is USDA-Certified Organic,

Corn flour

Corn flour or known as maize flour is commonly used throughout the world. It is made of corn and coarser varieties called “cornmeal” and the finer products are called “masa harina.”

Take note it is not the same as cornstarch that is made from the endosperm, instead of the whole kernel.

This has been used in making tortillas and Tamales of Mexico and throughout America.

It is used in things like bread and muffins and as a dusting flour underneath pizza to keep it from sticking to the pan. Corn flour is a plant-based grain product just like regular flour.

Bob’s Red Mill Flour Golden Corn Flour

Bob’s Red Mill Flour Golden Corn Flour

This corn flour is the perfect solution for homemade organic tortillas. It is made from dried hominy, corn kernels treated with lime to remove the outer hull.

It is perfect for organic tortillas and tamales. To make corn tortillas at home simply add water to the flour, let it rest, press, and cook on the griddle. It is USDA certified, so rest assured that it has passed quality.

Gluten-free flour

This is the type of flour that does not contain the protein gluten, whereas people with celiac disease and other sensitivities cannot tolerate it.

It is frequently made with ingredients such as nuts, coconuts, starchy vegetables, and gluten-free grains. Any foods marked as gluten-free or wheat-free have gluten-free flour in the ingredients list.

Theoretically, gluten-free flour should be plant-based; however, gluten-free flour nowadays is mixed with products like quick bread and desserts. In any case, watch out for ingredients like eggs and dairy.

King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour

King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour

This gluten-free flour can be a substitute for wheat flour, which is an essential gluten-free pantry staple for vegan bakers.

This flour is fortified with iron, calcium, and Vitamin B that comes in a resealable bag. Also, it is a non-GMO project verified and certified gluten-free by the GFCO.

This flour is a carefully tested blend for bakers who are newbies to gluten-free baking or who wants to enjoy recipes they used to know. Ideal for muffins, cookies, brownies, pancakes, and other baked goodies.

Malted barley flour

Malted barley flour came from hulled, malted barley. The malting process allows the barley to germinate, creating a darker color and heavier flavor.

You’ll see this flour in bread, crackers, and bakery products with rich flavors. If you have some at home, you can mix it with whole wheat flour or use it as a thickener in sauces.

Larissa Veronica Malted Barley Flour

Larissa Veronica Malted Barley Flour

Malted Barley Flour or simply known as Malt Flour is made from barley that has been allowed to germinate and then steam-dried, hulled, grounded, and then sifted into the final product.

This flour can relax the dough and shorten the mixing time, making it ideal for adding a sweet yet subtle taste of malt to bagels, pastries, rolls, soda crackers, and bread such as rye bread, hearth bagels, granary loaves, and many more.

Rice flour

Another gluten-free flour is rice flour. It is made from ground rice and can be produced from either white or brown rice. Also, this flour is one of the top flours in gluten-free mixes.

Whether you are buying a gluten-free muffin, there’s a good chance that it has rice flour in it.

Rice flour is just like rice, so feel free to add it to your shopping list if you are so inclined. It is blended with other flours and binders for better results in baking.

Goya Foods Rice Flour

Goya Foods Rice Flour

Goya Rice flour is what every Latino keeps in their pantry as a flour substitute in their favorite recipes. It is enriched with iron, niacin, thiamine, and folic acid.

Also, it is a non-GMO project verified and certified gluten-free by the GFCO. this flour is a carefully tested blend for bakers who are newbies to gluten-free baking.

It is used for the preparation of the most flavorful and traditional meals.

Non-GMO Project Verified and Certified Kosher. It is a good excellent source of fiber.

Semolina flour

Semolina flour is made from durum wheat, semolina flour, which has a coarser texture than wheat flour. It is produced from parts of the wheat plant that have been removed to make wheat flour.

It includes the germ and bran of the plant. The consistency of this flour makes it ideal for couscous and homemade pasta as well as bread and savory crusts with a denser and more varied texture.

Larissa Veronica Semolina Flour

Larissa Veronica Semolina Flour

Semolina flour is made from a course endosperm grind of durum wheat, which has no additives. It has a nutty, sweet flavor that can add flavor to the mixture.

Semolina Flour is often used to make couscous, Italian pasta, and desserts called Semolina, which is a mixture of Semolina flour and milk.

Sorghum flour

Sorghum flour is known as jowar in India.

It came from the sorghum plant, a gluten-free cereal grain. It can replace glutinous flours in any baked item, like rice flour, which needs binding ingredients like xanthan gum.

This xanthan gum is a substance produced from sugars that have undergone a series of the bacterial fermentation process.

Try sorghum flour if you are looking for other gluten-free flour alternatives in your diet.

GERBS Sorghum Flour

GERBS Sorghum Flour

This product is allergen-free and tested by the CSA, 100% All-natural, NON-GMO, Vegan, and Kosher. It is high in fiber antioxidants, omega fats, and rich in protein.

It has no trans fats, no chemicals, and preservatives. You can use it to sprinkle onto your favorite salad, soups, smoothies, baked goods, cereals, yogurt, and pasta dishes.

All-purpose Flour

All-purpose flour is sometimes referred to as plain flour. It is typically white in color, medium-high in gluten, and can be either bleached or unbleached.

As the name implies, all-purpose flour can be used for any purpose. You can use it for baking or as a thickener in soups and sauces. And since this flour is versatile, it is highly recommended in any vegan kitchen.

Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Flour

Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Flour

This all-purpose flour is a top pantry pick for everything from doughs and desserts to batters and sauces. The major upside of this flour is that it is already pre-sifted for your convenience.

Mixed with a little amount of malted barley flour, this flour is a suitable choice for yeast bread, cookies, cakes, muffins, pie crusts, pizza crusts, and many more.

Self-rising flour

Self-rising flour is enhanced with baking powder and salt to help baked items fluff and rise better. In general, they are called white flours.

This flour is used in bread, pizza crusts, and other baked goodies you want to be airy and soft. Just like white flour, self-rising flour is also vegan.

Baking powder is just a leavening agent, so rest assured that there are no animal products here.

Orgran Gluten Free Self Rising Flour

Orgran Gluten Free Self Rising Flour

This flour caters to individuals who want to improve their general well-being or seek allergen-free diets, including sufferers of IBS, diabetes, celiac disease, lactose intolerance, and other ailments.

It helps you create your favorite biscuits, muffins, and pizza recipes. This flour is certified gluten-free, certified Kosher, Dairy-Free, egg-free, wheat-free, GMO-free, yeast-free, no artificial flavors or preservatives.

Other Vegan-Safe Flours

hands in flour

Bleached flour

Bleached flour is like the enriched flour less nutrient enhancement. It is refined flour that has been modified with a bleaching agent to make it white.

Because bleached flour makes softer, lighter baked goodies than unbleached flour. It is usually recommended for pie crusts and pastries.

Bleached flour is vegan safe because there is nothing added to it from animal byproducts.

Konjac flour

Amorphophallus konjac is a plant from Asia, whereas the flour of this plant is ground from starch-rich corns.

It is typically used in noodles like shirataki noodles, bread, and cakes. It can also be used as thickeners for liquids like soups and sauces.

Cake flour

Cake flour is a type of flour that is often bleached. It is very similar to all-purpose flour but has a low gluten content.

With its minimal protein profile, this flour is perfect for cakes, specifically. Whether you are making a vegan birthday cake or cupcakes, you will get moist, crumbly output.

Chickpea flour

Chickpea flour has so many names like garbanzo bean flour, gram flour, and besan. The source of this flour is the favorite vegan pulse, the chickpea.

This flour is used mostly in flatbread and savory pancakes. It has a deep, beany flavor, making it a great addition for rich meals with strong ingredients.

Buckwheat flour

Buckwheat flour is made from ground buckwheat that is related to rhubarb and sorrel. It is popularly used in noodles like Japanese soba noodles. Since it is naturally gluten-free, you can find it in gluten-free flour blends.

Oat flour

Oat flour is made from dry oats, which is one of the easiest kinds to make at home. Simply toss them in a food processor and let it run until the oats are fine and powdery.

This flour is excellent in making gluten-free pastries and cakes. It can also be added to bread, cookies, and other baked goodies that you’d make with all-purpose flour.

Cricket flour

Cricket flour is one of the reasons why vegans have to be careful about protein supplements and energy bars since it can have this energy-boosting ingredient in them.

Enriched unbleached flour

image of vegan flour

Flour that is enriched is made with added vitamins and minerals to increase its nutritional value. It includes Vitamin B, iron, and folic acid.

Unbleached means it is not processed with bleaching agents to make it whiter. This flour can be bought in the grocery store and used just like white flour. It is frequently flavored in ready-made food items such as cereals, cookies, and bread.

Enriched flour generally does not have added animal-sourced nutrients, so it is a vegan-safe flour.

Enriched bleached flour

Just like the previous one, you already know the meaning of enriched, but what happens when the flour is bleached?

Bleached flour is whitened with chemicals like benzoyl peroxide and chlorine gas. As a result, some people avoid bleached flour. This flour can be used in any ready-made products like other flours, you may check the ingredient labels to confirm.

Like enriched unbleached flour, this one is also vegan-safe.

White flour

White flour or refined flour is the term used to describe the flour of the cereal grain known as wheat. It is made without the bran and the germ of the plant.

The major upside of this flour is its versatility because it can be used in a wide range of baking preparations. The potential drawback is that it is diminished by many original nutrients.

White flour is popularly used with bread, cookies, cakes, tortillas, noodles, and other food preparations that require thickeners like sauces and soups.

Whole Wheat Flour

Whole wheat flour is also known as wholemeal flour, a higher-protein flour than the common all-purpose flour.

Like wheat flour, it is made from ground wheat; however, it does not include bran and germ. You can think of it as whole wheat flour uses whole plant grain.

This flour is commonly used in replacement of white flour to make the product even more nutritious. Leaving all parts of the grain to make higher vitamin and mineral content.

Gold Medal Flour

This brand makes everyday flours like all-purpose and whole wheat flours that can be easily found in an average grocery store.

Any Gold Medal Flour should be used based on the recipes that match it. For example, bread flour for bread, self-rising flour for airy baked goods, and many more.

Wrap Up

Though most of the flours available nowadays are vegan, you must know that the type of flour you should buy must be suited to its purpose.

That is bread flour is suited for bread while cake flour is for cakes. Even if you are gluten-free, there are flours listed, which are naturally gluten-free like chickpea flour and coconut flour. So explore other options.

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