Gluten-free flours do not contain wheat proteins at all.Īs a rule of thumb, store any specialty or whole wheat flours in the refrigerator or freezer to prolong their shelf life-whole wheat and nut-based flours naturally contain oils, which can go rancid. Wheat flours are milled from hard wheat, soft wheat or a combo: Hard wheat has a higher protein content for strong gluten bonds, ideal for making pasta and loaves of bread soft wheat has a lower protein content that turns out light and tender baked goods, like biscuits and cakes.

Essentially, wheat proteins, gluten is what enables wheat flours to rise, acting like the glue that helps baked goods hold their shape after rising. Should you get bread flour to make Ree Drummond's rosemary-onion bread with blue cheese topping or almond flour for a batch of Linzer cookies? Does the kind of flour you use really make a difference? The short answer is yes: While all types of flour serve essentially the same purpose, they're each a little different in terms of flavor, texture and even nutritional value.īefore we dive down, it's worth understanding the science of gluten.

Not long ago, your only choices for flour were bleached all-purpose or unbleached all-purpose-but not anymore! There are so many different types of flour available these days-including many gluten-free ones-and it can be hard to know what to buy and when to use it. The baking aisle at the grocery store has come a long way since yesteryear.

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