Oat flour is a healthy flour that can be used as a substitute for wheat flour in baking. It’s low-carb, high-protein, and gluten-free, making it perfect for those with celiac disease or other food intolerances like yeast overgrowth.
Oat flour is a great alternative to wheat flour, but what if you don’t have any?
You can always grind your own, or substitute all-purpose flour, gluten-free baking flour, or almond flour to name a few.
What Is Oat Flour?
Oat flour is made from grinding rolled oats. It’s a good source of protein and fiber and can be used in baking or other recipes. Oat flour has a mild, nutty flavor that works well with other ingredients.
Oat flour is gluten-free and has fewer carbohydrates than wheat flour, making it a popular alternative for people with celiac disease or who follow the Paleo diet plan.
Make sure to only get certified gluten-free oat flour for gluten-free diets. Some oat flour can be cross-contaminated with wheat flour due to processing locations. Depending on your sensitivity to gluten, this can cause you problems.
Oat flour is often used in baking and makes excellent breads, muffins, waffles, and pancakes to name a few. You could throw a toasty coffee cake in there too! It also makes a great thickener for soups and sauces much like your regular flour or cornstarch.
When you’re baking there’s one thing to keep in mind. Oat flour absorbs more moisture than regular flour. So to keep your baked goods the right texture and moist, you’ll want to add more moisture to the dough than you would with wheat flour.
What is a Good Substitute for Oat Flour?
Oat flour is a great option for gluten-free baking, as it can be substituted for regular wheat flour in many recipes with no discernible difference. It’s also much better for you than regular wheat flour, so if you’re looking to cut down on carbs or boost your fiber intake, using oat flour is an excellent way to do both!
So what are some good substitutes? The options are almost endless. Here’s the best ones.
1. Home-Ground Oat Flour – Rolled Oats
There’s always the option of grinding up your own flour and it’s easier than you think. With all the wonderful health benefits of oats, it makes sense to get some rolled oats and grind them up yourself.
The great thing about grinding the oats yourself is you control the texture of the grind. If you want super-fine flour or coarser, it’s all up to you.
Why not use the best substitute for oat flour and make oat flour?
Make sure you use rolled oats to make your flour. You don’t want to use oat groats or steel-cut oats for this purpose.
One cup of rolled oats will make one cup of oat flour.
2. All-Purpose Flour
All-purpose flour is a blend of hard and soft wheat, with a lower protein content than whole wheat flour. It has a neutral taste, so it works well in most recipes. You can use this flour in pretty much anything from cakes to muffins and breads.
All-purpose can be used in place of oat flour for all your baking needs. It’s low in starch so it can absorb more liquid in recipes that use more liquids and that can change the density of your finished product.
It’s best to save all-purpose flour for those recipes that sit in a middle ground when it comes to wet and dry.
All-purpose flour is not gluten-free.
You can substitute 1 cup of oat flour with ¾ cup of all-purpose flour.
3. Almond Flour
Finely ground almonds make an excellent oat flour substitute. The flour itself is a little moist but comes with a nutty flavor that really enhances the flavors of most baked goods.
It’s also a great source of added protein to your diet and fiber. It’s a healthier flour choice compared to wheat and all-purpose flour.
Like others, almond flour can be more absorbent, which is an important fact when baking. Because of this, you’ll have to adjust your recipe by either adding more moisture or adding less almond flour.
When replacing a cup of oat flour with almond flour, start by adding ¾ of a cup and go from there.
4. Coconut Flour
If you’re looking for a grain-free option, coconut flour is a good substitute for oat flour.
Coconut flour contains protein and healthy fats, which can help to keep your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day. It also contains fiber, which helps to keep you full and satisfied so that hunger pangs are less likely to strike in between meals.
It’s also got a low calorie count for those watching their waistlines.
Coconut flour smells great and even can replace the need for vanilla in baking recipes by just using the flour! It is highly absorbent though, so when baking you’ll have to watch the dough’s consistency.
When replacing oat flour, you can use a cup of coconut flour for every cup of oat flour. Simply add more moisture when needed so your lovely cookies don’t end up crumbly.
5. Rice Flour
Made from finely milled rice, this gluten-free flour is popular among those following a gluten-free diet. For those with celiac’s disease or gluten sensitivity, rice flour is an excellent option, even compared to oat flour.
Rice flour is also high in what’s called resistant starch. This is an insoluble fiber and is touted with having a lot of health benefits. Besides this, rice flour is also a great source of iron and B vitamins.
You can substitute oat flour with either brown or white rice flour. Use one cup of rice flour for each cup of oat flour.
6. Gluten-free baking flour
If you’re dependent on the gluten-free status that comes with many oat flours then you might want to invest in some gluten-free baking flour. It’s a blend of gluten-free flours that mix well when baking.
You can get it at most grocery stores with ease (try Bob’s Red Mill). The easiest part is you can use it 1:1 with any flour listed in your recipe.
7. Buckwheat Flour
Buckwheat is a small grain that has gained considerable popularity, especially in Japanese cuisine. It makes a nice, fine grain flour and is naturally gluten-free.
Already popular in foods like noodles, pancakes, and dumplings, buckwheat flour works well as a substitute for oat flour.
It’s a good source of protein and fiber, like many whole grain flours, and carries that same nutty flavor that enhances your recipes instead of harming them.
You can substitute oat flour cup for cup with buckwheat flour.
8. Chickpea Flour
Being made from ground legumes, this flour is high in protein. Don’t let that bother you though. Chickpea flour makes good bread, pancakes, muffins, and even sweet treats.
Chickpea flour is naturally gluten-free, but has a strong flavor. The stronger flavor won’t necessarily work in every recipe as an oat flour replacement. You’ll want to stick with recipes that already have bold flavors or the savory.
You can use ¾ cup of chickpea flour for each cup of oat flour required.
9. Amaranth Flour
This flour is made by grinding Amaranth seeds. It’s gluten-free but can have an intense color and flavor.
While this color and flavor can be off-putting in some recipes, there’s always the refined flour that has been processed a little more, reducing the color and lightening up the flavor a little.
Packed with nutrients, it’s still a good oat flour substitute. It still has those nutty tones that your whole grain flours add.
You can even mix this flour with rice or almond flour and enhance its health benefits.
10. Cassava Flour
The flour is made by grinding up the dehydrated root of the cassava plant. You’ll find this root very similar to the potato or the yucca plant.
With the increased demand for gluten-free baked goods, this flour has gained considerable popularity. Its texture and flavor lend well to so many baking recipes, it’s hard not to consider it as a substitute for oat flour.
You’ll find it’s the main flour used for gluten-free tortillas and tortilla chips.
It has a more neutral flavor which means it can substitute for other flours outside of oat flour.
You can use cassava flour in a 1:1 ratio for oat flour.
11. Barley Flour
For a richer and heartier flavor, try barley flour. This flour will add a rich flavor to your recipe instead of some of the milder substitutes on this list.
The nutty and earthy flavor of barley flour resembles that of oats and brown rice. You’ll find the textures and fiber content almost perfect as well.
You can use it in cooking or baking, but most especially in baking. Oat flour can be substituted with barley flour in a 1:1 ratio.
Which is the Best Oat Flour Substitute on the List?
Homemade oat flour is the absolute best, because it’s still oat flour. But that’s not always an option.
Rice flour, especially brown rice flour, has an incredibly similar texture to that of oat flour. Combine this with the nutty, earthy taste and being gluten-free and it may be the best substitute for oat flour.
Conclusion
In conclusion, many flours can be great substitutes for oat flour.
While you can easily substitute all-purpose flour, you won’t find the same depth of flavor. If you’re looking for something that has more nutrients than regular flour, try coconut flour or almond flour instead!
In the end, your best bet is grinding your own flour from rolled oats or using brown rice flour for the best effect.
