Found yourself cooking and saw that the recipe had oat flour in it and does not have any of it at home? Well, it can happen to anyone, since oat flour is getting more popular, but it is still not largely consumed and purchased. So, below, we will list the best substitutes for oat flour.
As the name suggests, the oat flour is made of ground oats and can be used to make fluffy waffles, pancakes, breads, cakes, muffins, cookies, etc. And, the popularity comes from the fact that oat flour is gluten free.
By purchasing the “certified gluten free” oats or oat flour you can make gluten free recipes in case you are allergic to it or are simply trying to cut your gluten consumption. The difference of the oat flour with this certificate is that the gluten free is made in a different facility with no contact with other products that may have gluten on it.
Best Substitutes For Oat Flour
But, as mentioned above, the oat flour is still not so commonly bought by everyone and can be a little expensive. That is why we gathered the best oat flour replacements.
1. White Flours or Refined Flours
Let’s clarify: if you are simply following a recipe that has oat flour in it, but you are not celiac (allergic to gluten) or is not trying to decrease your gluten intake, than it is more than fine for you to go back to the good old white or refined flour that you probably already have at home.
If you are celiac, do not substitute the oat flour to white flour!
White flour is one of the bases of many kitchens around the world, the number of recipes that have it are uncountable. White flour is made from the entirety of the grain, the bran, germ, and endosperm and can sometimes be bleached, or chemically treated, or unbleached, naturally bleached.
Just be careful when doing the change from oat flour to white flour, since the white flour absorbs water and other liquids more easily, since there is a texture and density difference, so you need to adjust the other ingredients.
2. Rice flour
Rice flour or rice powder is a type of flour made from ground raw rice and it can be a perfect substitute for the oat flour if you are allergic to gluten or do not want to consume it.
It is rich in many nutrients such as fibers, vitamins, calcium, and zinc. So, it can fit perfectly to your gluten free diet or healthy eating habits.
Although it is popularly made in Asia because of rice production, the rice flour is now also produced in the entire world and it is easy to find. One of the cons is the cost. In some grocery stores and supermarkets, the rice flour can be more expensive than white and refined flours or even the oat flour itself. So, if you are on a tight budget, choose another type or make homemade rice flour with the help of a food processor.
It can be used to make pasta, cookies, fritters, and noodles. But it is not the best recommendation to make bread with oat flour, since the texture is a little different and your bread may not look as fluffy as it should.
The rice flour does not absorb liquids as well as the oat flour, so be careful when adding the liquid and the other powder ingredients on your recipe.
3. Almond Flour
Almond Flour is a nut-based flour made of ground almonds with no skin. It is also gluten free and low-carb substitute for all types of flours.
It is an incredible healthy option since it helps to reduce the bad cholesterol levels in your blood and the insulin resistance.
It is easily found in supermarkets, grocery stores and online. And you can also make homemade almond flour at home, just place the almond in the food processor and pulse until It has flour consistency. You can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and will last for many months.
The almond flour has a finer texture and its color is a little lighter, so it absorbs the liquids on a similar level as the oat flour. They can be replaced on a 1:1 proportion in almost all the recipes.
4. Amaranth Flour
Produced by grinding the seeds from amaranth plant, the amaranth flour is also a gluten-free type of flour, it is filled with proteins and vitamins and were largely used by ancient civilizations such as Aztecs and Incas in the past.
Even though amaranth is not a grain, its flour is nutty, and it is used nowadays as a type of flour. It has incredible antioxidant properties and it is perfect for the gluten allergic persons.
Amaranth flour can be used alone to bake bread or to thicken sauces or can be used mixed with other types of flour, such as rice or almond flour.
Conclusion
Switching the flour type in recipes, sometimes, is a need for many people. Either you are celiac (a person allergic to gluten) or just do not want to consume white and refined flour, the oat flour always appears as one of the main replacements in those cases.
But not everyone likes oat flour, has it already at home or can use it in the recipe of its choices. Since, oat flour has no gluten production this can sometimes not work for recipes that require a little bit of elasticity.
That is why we listed above the best substitutions for the oat flour for all tastes and needs. The secret is to pay close attention to the role that the oat flour has on the recipe you are going to do and search which one will suit better.
There are direct substitutes and some good alternatives that you may have not thought of before and will for sure work well for you.
If you used any of the replacements mentioned on this article, please, let us know if it worked well.
