Gluten-Free Oat Flour: Perfect For Baking
November 15, 2013
Several years ago, we found out that my oldest daughter was gluten-intolerant. That discovery brought about a huge change in the way that I cooked and prepared meals. I have always loved to bake breads and desserts and wanted to continue to make them, but I also wanted my daughter to be able to enjoy them as well. In order to make my favorite desserts gluten-free, I needed to start baking with gluten-free flours.
If you aren’t familiar with gluten, it is the thing that gives the breads and baked goods that elasticity and texture we are all familiar with. Gluten-free breads and baked goods have an entirely different taste and texture than traditional flours. Baking isn’t as simple as substituting a cup of gluten-free flour for a cup of all purpose flour in a favorite recipe. There are many different types of gluten free flours including: almond, coconut, rice, tapioca, oat, etc. Some flours taste better and work better when mixed with other types of flours.
Gluten-free flours are also much, much more expensive than regular all purpose flour that contains gluten. I can get a five pound bag of all purpose flour for about $3. A one pound bag of gluten-free flour costs between $3 and $5 depending on which variety you buy. While I have not been able to make all of the gluten-free flours at home, I have discovered that it is possible to make my own oat flour – which is perfect for making cakes, muffins, cookies, and more.
How to Make Gluten-Free Oat Flour
It is very important that you start with gluten-free whole oats. Not all oats are gluten-free. Some are or have been exposed to gluten in the manufacturing process. Read the bag carefully.
You will need to have a blender, food processor, or coffee grinder to make gluten-free oat flour. I just used a standard blender and put the oats through twice. If your blender isn’t as powerful, you may need to repeat the process more than twice for your recipe.
- Measure two cups of gluten-free whole or steel cut oats (not instant) into the blender.
- Pulse the oats on high speed until the oats resemble flour
- Two cups of gluten-free whole or steel cut oats will yield about 1 3/4 cup of oat flour.
It’s really that simple! Have you ever tried to make a gluten-free flour before?
