Name: Gluten-Free, Rice-Free Flour Blend
Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1¼ c sweet white sorghum flour; ¾ c millet flour; ⅔ c potato starch (NOT potato flour); ⅓ c tapioca starch or tapioca flour; 1½ tsp xanthan gum or guar gum

5 from 2 votes

Why Rice-Free Flour?

Almost all gluten-free flours, baked goods, crackers etc. contain some rice flour. So most gluten-free people eat a lot of rice. Recent research on inorganic arsenic in rice has shown that many rice products contain high levels of inorganic arsenic. The advice coming from this research is that if you eat a large amount of rice and rice-based products, it is a good idea to add variety.

There are many other grains and grain flours that are gluten-free. And it’s always a good idea to have more variety in your diet.

White bowl with gluten-free rice-free flour and wood scoop on round wood board. Beige napkin on right, Milk bottle and sugar bowl in back.

Flour Blend Ingredients

Gluten-free flour blends are usually a combination of grain flours and starches. This combination is what helps to mimic the texture created by traditional wheat flour.

Vitacost.com is an excellent source for gluten-free flours. They have their own line of certified gluten-free flours and have all of the ingredients listed below.

Sorghum flour – Sorghum is a grain that is commonly used in Africa. It has a slightly sweet and neutral flavor that works extremely well in baked goods, especially cakes. This is why sorghum is the main ingredient in this flour blend.

Millet flour – Millet is an ancient grain used in Asia as early as 8300 BC. Its protein content is comparable to that of wheat, so millet flour makes a nice substitute in gluten-free baked goods.

Potato starch and tapioca starch add lightness and some binding ability to this flour. These starches are part of what helps to make up for the lack of gluten.

Most store-bought, ready made gluten-free flour blends include xanthan gum, guar gum or inulin. These are binders that help gluten-free baked goods hold together and allow them to be moist and fluffy. Without them, or any other binder, gluten free baked goods are crumbly and dry. This recipe below calls for xanthan gum or guar gum.

White bowl with gluten-free flour without rice flour and wood scoop on round wood board. Metal measuring cup with flour in front right. Beige napkin on right. Milk bottle, mixing bowl and sugar bowl in back.

How to Use This Flour

This flour blend can be used in any recipe that calls for a gluten-free flour blend. The xanthan gum (or other binders) can be left out if desired. This way you can add the binder when you’re mixing up your cake or other recipe and customize the amount used. There are a few recipes that do better with either more or less xanthan gum than a basic all-round gluten-free flour blend.

For example, crepe batter works best with no xanthan gum at all. If you want your cookies to spread, a lower amount of xanthan gum works well. Pancake batter is usually too thick with an average amount of xanthan gum. So I use a lower amount for pancakes as well.

Here are some guidelines on how much xanthan gum or other binders to add, if you choose to leave it out of the blend:

Cakes, cupcakes, quick breads and muffins – Add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum/binder for each cup of flour used.
Pancakes, waffles and cookies – Add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum/binder per cup of flour.
Pie crust – Add 3/4 tsp xanthan gum per cup of flour.
Crepes – No binder. The binders make the batter so thick that it doesn’t spread in the pan. So none is necessary.