Substitutions

Substitute for All-purpose flour

6 tested substitutions — with the ratio and the caveat that decides whether it works.

Ratio	All-purpose flour	Works in
×1	Bread flour Higher protein — chewier crumb, better rise in yeasted doughs. Kitchen-tested	baking
×1	Whole wheat flour Denser result; add ~10 % more liquid and rest the batter. Reference ratio	baking
×1	Cake flour More tender crumb in cakes; slightly less structure. Reference ratio	baking
×1	"00" flour Fine-milled; ideal swap for pizza/pasta doughs. Reference ratio	baking
×0.5	Cornstarch For thickening only — cornstarch is ~2× stronger than flour. Reference ratio	cooking
×1	gluten-free flour blend Expect a drier crumb; add a binder (xanthan) if the blend lacks it. Reference ratio	baking

Baking is less forgiving than cooking — stick to substitutions marked « baking » and respect the ratio.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best substitute for All-purpose flour?

It depends on the recipe — the table above shows which substitutes work in baking vs cooking.

Can I substitute All-purpose flour in baking?

Baking is less forgiving than cooking — stick to substitutions marked « baking » and respect the ratio.