Gluten-free flours compared: which to use for what
A practical comparison of gluten-free flours and starches, from rice, buckwheat and gram to tapioca, cornflour and blends, plus why xanthan gum matters.
Wheat flour does a lot of jobs at once. Its gluten gives dough stretch, traps air and holds crumbs together. No single gluten-free flour does all of that, which is why gluten-free baking usually uses blends. This guide explains what each common flour brings, so you can choose well and adapt recipes.
Coeliac UK lists many grains and flours as naturally gluten-free, but warns that they can be milled where wheat flour is also milled, and that flours made from pulses (such as gram and urad flour) may be contaminated. Always choose flours labelled gluten-free.
Which grains and flours are gluten-free?
Coeliac UK’s grains guide lists these as gluten-free, among others: amaranth, buckwheat, cassava, chestnut, corn/maize and polenta, gram flour (besan), millet, potato, pulses, quinoa, rice, sago, sorghum, soya, tapioca, teff and urad flour.
It lists as not gluten-free: wheat (including spelt, durum, einkorn, emmer and khorasan), barley, rye, triticale, bulgur wheat, couscous and semolina. Oats are listed as “need to check”: only oats labelled gluten-free are suitable. See our oats guide.
The comparison
The cooking notes below are general kitchen guidance from widely used baking practice, not lab testing. Results vary by brand and recipe.
| Flour / starch | Flavour and texture | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| White rice flour | Neutral, slightly gritty if coarse | Blends, shortbread, batters, thickening | Can be sandy on its own; finer milled is better |
| Brown rice flour | Mild, nutty, more fibre | Blends, crumbles, flatbreads | Shorter shelf life than white |
| Buckwheat (not related to wheat) | Earthy, strong | Pancakes and galettes, blinis, dark breads | Strong flavour; use as part of a blend for cakes |
| Gram / chickpea (besan) | Beany when raw, savoury | Bhajis, pakoras, socca, binding fritters | Raw taste; pulse flours have a higher contamination risk, so buy labelled GF |
| Sorghum | Mild, slightly sweet | Breads, muffins, blends | Can be dry; pair with starches |
| Teff | Malty, nutty | Injera, brownies, dark cakes | Pricier; strong colour |
| Millet | Mild, slightly sweet | Flatbreads, blends | Can be crumbly |
| Quinoa | Grassy, slightly bitter | Small amounts in blends, savoury bakes | Bitterness if overused |
| Maize / polenta / cornmeal | Sweet, corny, coarse | Cornbread, coatings, polenta cake | Gritty; the texture depends on the grind |
| Cornflour (UK name for cornstarch) | Neutral, fine | Thickening gravies and sauces, lightening blends | No structure on its own |
| Tapioca starch | Neutral, gives chew and stretch | Blends for bread and pizza, crisp crusts | Gummy if overused |
| Potato starch | Neutral, light | Lighter cakes, blends | Not the same as potato flour, which is heavier and absorbs more liquid |
| Ground almonds | Rich, moist | Cakes, macarons, crumble toppings | Tree-nut allergen; denser, browns quickly |
| Coconut flour | Sweet, very absorbent | Small amounts in specialist recipes | Absorbs large amounts of liquid; don’t swap 1:1 |
| Gluten-free plain/self-raising blends | Designed to be neutral | Most everyday baking, roux, batter | Check whether xanthan gum is already included |
Why xanthan gum (and friends) matter
Without gluten, doughs and batters lack the stretchy network that holds things together. Most gluten-free blends and recipes add a binder. Xanthan gum is the most common, and psyllium husk is popular for bread. They help with:
- stopping cakes and biscuits from crumbling
- giving bread dough some stretch
- holding pastry together when you roll it
Many shop-bought gluten-free flour blends already contain xanthan gum, so read the ingredients before adding more. Too much makes bakes gummy.
Swapping gluten-free flour into a standard recipe
- Start with forgiving recipes. Brownies, crumbles, pancakes, sponge cakes and shortbread convert well with a gluten-free plain flour blend. Yeasted bread is the hardest to convert.
- Expect thirstier doughs. Many gluten-free flours absorb more liquid. If a batter looks stiff, add a splash more milk or water.
- Rest batters. Ten to twenty minutes’ rest lets the flours hydrate and can improve texture.
- Thickening sauces: cornflour, potato starch and rice flour all work instead of wheat flour. Mix cornflour with a little cold water before stirring it in.
Putting it into practice
You don’t need a cupboard full of bags. A sensible starter kit is:
- a gluten-free plain flour blend for everyday baking
- cornflour for sauces and gravy
- one “flavour” flour you enjoy, such as buckwheat for pancakes or gram flour for fritters
Ready to try a blend? Our gluten-free pancakes are an easy first recipe. Looking for meals that need no flour at all? Try our lemon and herb chicken traybake or the sweet potato and chickpea curry. Wondering about whole grains rather than flours? See is couscous gluten-free? Rice, quinoa and other grains.
Sources
- Grains: which are gluten free?, Coeliac UK. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Coeliac disease: treatment, NHS. Accessed 4 October 2026.
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