Best Substitutes For Spelt Flour

Spelt is a timeless grain with relation to wheat. It’s worth noting from the outset that both spelt and wheat contain gluten. So if you’re trying to avoid gluten in your diet, you’ll need to consider a different option entirely.

Because spelt and wheat are so similar, there is one notable difference that separates the two: Unlike wheat flour, spelt flour uses grain that still has its shell. Although low in fiber, spelt grain is rich in protein, making it a good choice for vegans who are trying to increase their protein intake.

Since spelt retains its shell, it is the more nutritious option compared to wheat flour. If for whatever reason you need to find a suitable substitute for spelt flour, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we discuss the best alternatives to use in place of spelt flour.

Brown Rice Flour

Made with 100% ground brown rice, brown rice flour boasts a sweet, nutty taste. This kind of gluten flour works well as a coating for chicken or fish. But you can also use brown rice flour to make quick pancakes and breads. What’s more, brown rice flour works well as a thickener for sauces.

It should be noted that brown rice flour can be difficult to find in grocery stores. Therefore, we recommend checking with health food shops.

As a brief aside, although brown rice flour isn’t technically gluten-free, its gluten count is far lower than many other flour options.

Oat Flour

Here is a nutritious product that is made with whole grains and contains loads of fiber (also known as dietary fiber). It easily stands as one of the best modern flours, thanks to its light texture. Oat flour is ideal for making pancakes and the like.

As you might have guessed, oat flour comes from grinding oats into a super-fine powder. But unlike rice and brown rice flours, oat flour can be gluten-free if the oats used to make the flour are also gluten-free.

As far as taste is concerned, oat flour boasts a somewhat nutty taste and is rather sweet. Texture-wise, oat flour is granular. Many people prefer using this flour in place of white flour for gluten-free baking. Below are some of the foods that oat flour complements:

• Chocolate chip cookies (gluten-free)
• Banana bread
• Pancakes
• Muffins

It’s nice to be able to bake tasty recipes without compromising healthiness. So the next time you run across a recipe that calls for spelt flour, turn top oat flour instead. In doing so, you will benefit from the healthy properties contained in oat flour while still getting a tasty experience.

Furthermore, oat flour is a breeze to make and only takes about five minutes to complete. By making oat flour, you will benefit from high protein and fiber content, which you can then use in recipes that you prefer to have healthier qualities.

Barley Flour

Ground, dried barley is needed to produce this flour alternative. Although it’s not exactly a type of flour that can be used in all recipes that call for flour, barley flour serves as a fine alternative to spelt flour. As such, it’s ideal for making and protein-rich baby food, flatbread, gravy, and sauces.

That’s because it works well as a thickening agent. You will benefit from having a healthier alternative in many of your creations. What’s more, barley flour is a healthier option to use in various pastas that you wish to possess a lighter texture.

It should be noted that barley flour contains as much as 8% gluten. Therefore, anyone who suffers from gluten allergies or has a gluten sensitivity should steer clear of barley flour. Although barley isn’t considered a wheat, anyone who is allergic to wheat should likewise avoid using barley flour.

Wheat Flour

Commonly referred to as all-purpose flour, wheat flour is a product that is universally known. In fact, there’s a very good chance that you have some in your kitchen as we speak. As a grain flour, wheat flour comes from several wheat varieties. You can use this flour for countless cooking and baking needs.

If you’ve been using wheat flour for most of your life, you may find that it’s difficult to transition to other flour options. Wheat flour poses no limitations like some of the other flour types, but it still contains gluten, so please be aware of that when making dishes and recipes.

If you already suffer from digestion issues, wheat flour won’t do you any favors. If you absolutely must use flour in a recipe, consider rice flour, as it is completely gluten-free.

Kamut Flour

Sometimes called Oriental wheat, Kamut flour is an ancient wheat type that contains a lot of nutrients, fiber, and protein. The only real difference when using this in place of spelt flour is that spelt provides a sweet buttery taste not found in Kamut.

As a brief aside, although Kamut flour isn’t technically gluten-free, its gluten count is far lower than many other flour options. Still, if you are sensitive to gluten, it’s best that you steer clear of Kamut flour.

Rice Flour

For all people suffering from gluten allergies or intolerances, rice flour is a totally gluten-free option. Now you can enjoy recipes that normally would have caused you digestive trouble. The only downside to rice flour is that it doesn’t contain the high nutrient content found in other flour options.

Many people think that rice flour is the perfect substitute for all-purpose flour due to its light texture and milky color. It’s certainly the best option if you can’t have gluten in your diet.

Looking for Even More Substitutes?

We hope this guide makes it easy for you to find a suitable replacement for spelt flour. If you are interested in finding even more alternatives, we invite you to explore our food substitutes page.

We highlight a wide variety of ingredients and show you the best options for replacing them. And if you’d like to learn some new recipes, make sure you click here for some exciting dishes.

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