If you’ve ever rolled up your sleeves to bake a killer baguette only to find that you’re all out of bread flour, I feel your pain. Here’s the good news: You can still carry on with everything from a sourdough loaf to cinnamon rolls without any. If you’re looking for the best bread flour substitute, the ideal swap is simpler than you may think. Read on to find out how to make it work in a pinch.
Bread Flour Substitute: What to Use Instead
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Published Jun 7, 2024
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What Is Bread Flour?
The main difference between bread flour and other types of flour is the protein content. Flour’s protein is what makes bread dough strong and helps it rise as it bakes. Bread flour that’s high in protein (12 to 14 percent) is great for recipes that need sturdy dough and texture, plus lots of gluten production.
The protein in bread flour also helps it absorb more liquid, which makes dough stiff and solid. High protein bread flour is the ideal choice for any bread that uses yeast for leavening, as it gives loaves, buns, pizza dough and beyond height, strength and elasticity.
Your Best Bet:
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Use All-Purpose Flour as Your Bread Flour Substitute
While your dessert, pizza crust, bread or other project may come out a bit less chewy, you’ll barely notice a difference. If you’re making loaves of bread, all-purpose flour may cause the top of the bread to mushroom over the pan a bit instead of causing it to rise straight up. But it’ll still taste essentially the same and have similar height. The crumb (aka those tiny holes in slices of bread) will be practically identical, too.
The Difference Between Bread Flour and All-Purpose Flour
All-purpose flour is meant to be just that: all-purpose. Its protein content is typically between 10 and 12 percent, so it's a bit less than bread flour (hence why recipes with AP flour instead of bread flour may be a bit less chewy and have less height). While AP flour is super versatile and has no true substitute, bread flour is the better choice for recipes that specifically call for it (duh) and any baking projects that would benefit from extra-sturdy dough, like English muffins.
Cake flour is on the other end of the spectrum, with a lower protein range of 6 to 8 percent. This results in a tender, fluffy, crumby, light mouthfeel and texture that’s best for more delicate treats like cupcakes, meaning you likely won’t get the results you seek if you used it in place of bread flour.
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How to Substitute All-Purpose Flour for Bread Flour
For a basically seamless bread flour substitution, just swap in all-purpose flour 1:1. The only caveat is that the results may not be as chewy or rise as high.
While We’re Talking Bread Flour...
Can I Substitute Cornstarch for Bread Flour?
No. Cornstarch is great for breading fried foods, like chicken and fish, but it shouldn’t be used as a substitute for flour in baked goods, according to Bob’s Red Mill.
How to Store Flour
Do you have a bag of flour currently rolled up in your pantry? Same. But it turns out that’s not the best way to extend its shelf life. The USDA considers flour shelf-stable and non-perishable. While refined flours (meaning white flours like bread, AP, cake and self-rising) will stay at peak quality for one to two years, air, heat and light exposure will speed up its expiration over time.
Any type of refined flour is better off in an airtight container stored somewhere cool and dark. Use a container with an airtight seal made of an opaque material that protects against light, like plastic or stainless steel. If you can’t remember how long the flour has been sitting on your shelf, you may want to freeze it for two days to kill any potential weevils (those tiny, pesky pantry bugs) or eggs in the bag before transferring it to a container. You’ll know flour has gone bad if it smells off or sour.
Whole-grain flours can oxidize even faster because they contain more natural oils, so always keep those in the fridge for up to six months or in the freezer for up to a year.
Ready to Bake? Here Are Some of My Favorite Bread Flour Recipes:
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