There is no better smell than a home filled with the aroma of freshly baked goods, and you can create deliciously tempting baked treats with our range of flours.
A baking staple and the principal ingredient in many recipes, there’s more to flour than the plain and self-raising varieties found on supermarket shelves. At Holland & Barrett, you’ll find varieties of flour you may not have known existed before, including coconut flour and almond flour, which taste great in sweet treats!
There aren’t a lot of baked goods that don’t need flour as a main ingredient, so it’s a store cupboard essential for any aspiring baker! Whether you’re looking for flour for your favourite chocolate brownies, a loaf of bread or to whip up a gluten-free birthday cake for your friend, we have you covered.
The different types of flour at Holland & Barrett
Gluten-free flour
If you’re a keen baker who can’t eat gluten, whether that’s because of a preference, intolerance or coeliac disease, finding gluten-free flour is no longer a struggle. Luckily, gluten-free flour is becoming more and more prevalent as a great alternative to normal flour types.
Gluten-free flour is made from alternative starches and plants to remove the gluten that can trigger allergies and intolerances. Similar in appearance to ordinary plain or self-raising flour, you can use it in all gluten-free and coeliac-friendly recipes, including vegan banana bread or delicious chocolate brownies.
Our favourite is the TIANA Fairtrade Organics Coconut Baking Flour, a specialist product that is naturally wheat and grain-free because it’s made from dried coconut. Like many coconut products, coconut flour is delicious in cakes, cookies, and other sweet recipes.
Not all types of flour are gluten-free, like spelt flour, so make sure you always check the label.
Spelt flour
Made from a species of wheat called spelt, spelt flour has a gentle, nutty flavour and a coarse texture, which is often compared to wheat flour. It is often used to make bread, muffins and even pasta sometimes.
There are 2 types of spelt flour: wholegrain and white. Wholegrain spelt flour is made by processing the entire grain, whilst white spelt flour is made by processing the endosperm only. Why not try Dove’s Farm Organic White Spelt Flour for your next baking session?
As spelt is a grain, it means that spelt flour is not gluten-free, so it should be avoided by anyone with a gluten intolerance or coeliac disease.
Almond flour
Another alternative to traditional wheat flour, almond flour is made from finely ground almonds and can be used in baking, cooking and even sauces. Offering a subtle, sweet but nutty taste, almond flour gives food a thicker texture.
Indulge in mouth-watering home-baked treats using the Boostball Keto Almond Flour. The perfect choice for pancakes, cookies, banana bread and more, this versatile flour is made only from ground almonds.
Yes, flour is vegan-friendly! However, it is still important to double-check your product, as sometimes the processing techniques or additives used may not be vegan.
The type of gluten-free flour to use when baking can depend on what it is you’re baking! For sweet treats, substituting coconut or almond flour can work really well. For savoury treats, you may want to use something with a more subtle flavour.
Chickpea flour has many names, including gram flour and garbanzo flour. Made using (you guessed it) chickpeas, its high protein and fibre content make this a popular choice with healthy chefs. Chickpea flour is also used in many Asian dishes, including Middle Eastern falafel and Indian pakoras or poppadoms.