Over the last few months, I have really taken notice of the price that people are paying for gluten-free flour mixes. I was shocked that they are charging $3-$4 a pound on average, sometimes more!
I have been making and using my own gluten-free flour mix for years, and I haven’t found any pre-made mix that compares with it. So, thinking it might save you some of your hard-earned money to make your own, I am going to share the recipe I use with you!
Here’s my cost breakdown for the ingredients (with the average price that I pay)
- Brown Rice Flour $1.56/pound from Amazon (can sometimes get as low as $1.19/pound at local stores)
- Sweet Rice Flour $2.12/pound from Amazon (can get as low as $1/pound from my local Asian Food Store)
- White Rice Flour $1.82/pound from Amazon (can get as low as $1/pound from my local Asian Food Store)
- Tapioca Starch $2.34/pound from Amazon (can get as low as $1/pound from my local Asian Food Store)
- Corn Starch (I can get very cheap when combining a sale with a coupon at the grocery store)
- Xanthan Gum (I get this at the natural food store; it’s expensive, but this mix only takes 4 teaspoons, so if I buy more, it goes bad before I use it up)
Here’s the recipe:
- 2-1/2 cups brown rice flour
- 2 cups sweet rice flour
- 2 cups tapioca starch
- 1-1/2 cups white rice flour
- 2/3 cups corn starch
- 4 teaspoons xanthan gum
Mix it all together and put in an airtight container. You may want to refrigerate this if you don’t use it too quickly, since the brown rice flour can go rancid if left too long at room temperature (I read somewhere 6 months, but not confident about that). 
I hope this is useful to you, and that you can save a bundle by purchasing and mixing up your own ingredients!
Final Cost: Approximately $2.19/pound if purchasing ingredients from Amazon at current prices, or as low as $1.19/pound if you can get the same low prices locally as I can at the Asian Food Store
Note: These are approximate. Math is not my strong point!
Note #2: If you are not comfortable purchasing from the Asian food store, then please don’t! Imported foods are under different laws than those produced in the U.S. We have never had a problem, but please use caution according to your family’s needs!
This recipe was given to me by a friend, Debbie Hair, and is used with permission. Thanks, Debbie!
This recipe has been submitted to:
- Works For Me Wednesday
- Gluten-Free Wednesdays
- Life as Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap
- Full Plate Thursday
- Allergy-Free Wednesdays
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Thank you for the great recipe! Have you calculated what the price per pound would be on your final flour mix?
Gluten Free on a Shoestring recommends Better Batter as a flour blend. Have you tried this brand in comparison to your mix? Just curious…always trying to find ways to trim the budget!
Thank You!
Hi Nichole, you are very welcome
I added my approximate prices to the post after doing a little math, but that will vary (of course!) by person and where they get their ingredients.
I have not used Better Batter flour mix. I did make their brownies, which I thought were good, but not better than my mix, and for the price I was a little let down! I have also used Bisquick, and it was okay, but I wasn’t impressed. I did some comparison of the ingredients, too, and they are basically what are in this mix, although I can’t know exactly how much of each!
If you try this one, come back and let me know how it compares in your opinion
OOHH I’m so excited to try your mix! I have been using the same mix for a couple of years now because it’s easy and I can’t find another mix or recipe with less than a dozen ingredients. I’ve used a mix of rice flour, soy flour, masa harina, and corn starch (and xanthan gum of course). The bread is okay, but I’m not that crazy about it. I get so frustrated when I see a recipe mix and it has a list as long as my arm — totally turns me off and I just don’t have the time, money and energy to get that complicated. Do you have any nice bread recipes too? I’m totally ready for a new and relatively easy bread to make! Thanks!!
Hi Lisa,
I have not yet found a successful bread recipe. Really if we are going to eat bread (which is rare!) we wait for a coupon and a sale, and buy it. I just can’t see wasting the money on the ingredients and then having it flop. I am, however, experimenting with the French Bread recipe here, to see if I can get it to work:
http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/11/gluten-free-french-bread-recipe-easy-easy-easy.html
We much prefer GF muffins to bread. They are so easy to make, and really hard to mess up. A great substitute for bread. Actually I am working on an Ebook of Muffin Recipes right now, so stay tuned. I’m really excited about it!
We use this recipe cup-for-cup for our muffins, pizza, pretty much any other baked goods, EXCEPT bread. Let me know how you like it!
HOw does it work for pizza? What is your pizza recipe? That is one area, that I have been so disappointed in with the pre-made mixes & some recipes I have tried.
This GF flour mix is what we use for our pizza recipe: http://www.glutenfreelyfrugal.com/2011/08/15/homemade-pizza-2/
I do feel that it gets better when I use dough enhancer, though. You can find GF dough enhancer on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Foods-Dough-Enhancer/dp/B00022F2A4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328817122&sr=8-1
I am also experimenting with just using about a tablespoon of soy lecithin as my own “dough enhancer”, instead of paying the steep price for the pre-made ones.
Let me know how the recipe works for you!
you know what my familys favorite “pizza crust is’? Rice tortillas- Super easy, no mess. And if you like thin crust they are perfect!!
jenetta
I have made that french bread recipe a few times already with much success! By far it is the best tasting white bread I’ve made or tasted from any store to date….
Good luck! : )
I have made the french bread.. it’s pretty good.. but not amazing
jenetta
We like the bread recipe from the gluten free mommy blog. It has a good texture and taste, plus it stays good for about four days before starting to get stale. Then we turn it into bread pudding, French toast, or dry it and grind it for bread crumbs (anyone for chicken nuggets?).
We love the gf bread recipes in Healthy Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.. So far we’ve tried four recipes out of the gf chapter in the book, and they’ve all been winners. Best part, one recipe makes three or four loaves’ worth of dough, which you can keep in the refrigerator for about five days, baking a loaf anytime you want fresh bread.
Thanks for the tip!
I too recently read Nichole, from gluten free on a shoe string post on the cost of mixin your own blend and was absolutely baffled at how it was cmoing up more expensive to make her own than buying the blend. I also make my own mix very similar to yours and found it much cheaper to amke my own.
Have you tried this bread recipe? I think you flour mix would plug right it for jeanne’s
http://www.artofglutenfreebaking.com/2010/04/soft-sandwich-bread-gluten-free/
This bread is wonderful. Tastes just like whole grain bread.http://www.thebakingbeauties.com/2009/02/another-wonderful-gluten-free-sandwich-bread.html
I have made the sandwich bread from the Gluten Free on a Shoestring cookbook a couple times now and it always turns out great. It isn’t too dense, doesn’t sink in the middle and tastes great with lunch meat or grilled up for french toast. I’ve tried multiple other recipes and store-bought bread mixes; they’ve all tasted disgusting. In all honesty, everything I’ve tried from that cookbook has been pretty darn tasty. (Not always healthy, but sometimes you just need a good chocolate muffin!)
I did use the Better Batter, as Nicole Hunn suggests, but I can’t wait to try your flour mix! Better Batter has been great for me, but it is so expensive!
Thank you so much for sharing this! You are right the mixes are so costly, so I can’t wait to try this.
You are very welcome
Is there something you can substitute for the corn starch? I have a corn and soy allergy as well (among other things). I tell you it’s hard to find anything reasonably priced that I can eat.
Wow, that must be tough! I have heard that you can substitute arrowroot for corn starch, although I’ve never tried it. Or you might try potato starch. If you try it, come back and let us know how it turns out!
we don’t do corn either.. I might try subbing in equal amounts of the sweet rice flour.
jenetta
You could try that, or maybe arrowroot. I’ve heard it’s a good sub for corn starch, but I haven’t tried it.
So good to see someone else has a hundred and one allergies! I was also going to ask about substitutions for corn and soy. I have to avoid those as well as dairy, coconut, and wheat as well. Eating becomes bothersome and annoying. And we live in rural Nebraska. Fat chance of any speciality food stores being anywhere close!
thank heavens so the Internet!!!
Arrowroot subs for cornstarch rather well.
I think you may be able to use guar gum – it is a thickener – I would look around though to be sure.
Tapioca starch is widely used/substituted for corn starch. Cup for cup. So for this recipe, add the tapioca like it calls for then another 2/3 cup to replace the corn. Arrowroot as well.
You’re so right — gluten-free flours are ridiculously expensive, so I appreciate your recipe.
For those who are carb-sensitive, though, I’ve read that coconut flour is great. Again the price is ridiculously high. Any leads on where to get a deal on coconut flour? Thanks!
We LOOOOOVVVEEE coconut flour! Yes it is a bit expensive, but it goes such a long way (1/2 cup makes a dozen cupcakes!) that it really is quite economical in the long run. I buy mine from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Organic-16-Ounce/dp/B000KENKZ8/ref=as_li_wdgt_js_ex?&linkCode=wey&tag=glutfreefrug-20
But another thing…you can’t use coconut flour cup-for-cup to replace regular flour. You really need a coconut flour cookbook. I love Bruce Fife’s Cooking with Coconut Flour. And you need to use a lot of eggs to get it to bind.
Wow, thanks Janelle for the wonderful coconut flour resources at amazon. And yes, I’ve heard that egg is the key binding agent that make these recipes work. Can’t wait to start my coconut flour journey. Thanks again the inspiration. : )
You will love it!
I LOVE Gluten Free Mama’s Cookbook. It uses Almond Flour and blends in the recipes!
I just calculated the cost of a 5 lb. bag of Meister’s GF flour blend — $2.70/lb. Better Batter is a bit more, regular price.
I have made both GF cheesy crackers and GF carrot muffins this week with the Meister’s blend and both are absolutely delish!
For me, I like the convenience of having it done – and Lord knows I don’t have the space in the cabinets for 5 different bags of flour (right now)! I am going to mark this recipe for the future though.
Thank you so much for this, My little boy is GF and the GF flour is so expensive
You are so welcome
This is great information, Janelle! Thanks for sharing it at Allergy-Free Wednesdays. I trust we’ll see you again next week
Hope you’re having a great weekend.
~Michelle @ The Willing Cook & AFW Host
Hi Janelle,
Your mix looks great with just the right balance to create some wonderful dishes. I will sure give it a try, I am always looking for a better way. Hope you are having a fabulous week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing! I linked to you for my sourdough gluten free, vegan bread recipe!
I saw on one of the gluten free websites and I know with the Wheat Belly book, corn starch is a no no. What do you think about this?
Actually, I think anything rice was too. I know it is not gluten, but they recommend staying away from anything of these things as they say they can cause symptoms. I am new to this gluten free lifestyle so I stay confused with all of this.
There are much stricter diets than just GF for certain health conditions, such as Paleo or SCD. But all beyond my scope since I’m no medical professional. Best to ask a doctor about those, but corn starch is generally considered gluten free.
Hi!
Would you be able to post the weights of the respective flours, please. As in how much would 2 1/2 cups brown rice flour weigh, etc.
Thank you regards,
Gfn
Good golly, no clue! I don’t even have a kitchen scale
I just always measure with measuring cups. Anyone have any ideas for me?
Hi Janelle! I’m not positive about the weights, but Google can convert if need be.
Their little tool works rather well. I’ve also seen on some other sites that 140g of GF flour mix can be subbed for 1 cup of wheat flour in recipes. Maybe this will help those who need weights vs cups. Thanks for the recipe, too! I’m brand new to GF, and the price of mixes have definitely given me some shell shock!
We buy the grains whole and grind them ourselves – this can save even more money in the long run.
I am just starting a dairy and gluten free diet for my son. Can someome explain to me when i would use the above recipe versus just using rice flour bt itself?
Thanks!
Hi! You can use a gluten-free flour mix cup-for-cup in all your regular recipes. The benefits of using a mix over just plain rice flour is that the flours sort of “complement” each other and create a more natural taste and feel. If you look at the ingredients on all the major GF flour mixes, they all contain a combination of multiple kinds of starches/flours.
Best of luck with the little guy!
Let me know if I can help in any way!
This is great! I’m curious, too, about grinding my own brown rice. Is it hard to do? It might help cut down on costs, though I’d have to invest in a grain mill first. Thanks again for this – going to pass it along to a friend who just had to become gluten free (I’m doing it out of choice, not necessity, since I’ve been sick for a while with a yet-to-be-determined diagnosis). Blessings!
Not at all hard, if you have a grain mill! You’d have to buy a new one, though, NOT a used one, because a used one could have residual wheat flour in it, even if cleaned very well. Come back and let us know how it goes!
Just FYI; if anyone has a soy allergy as well (I do) the Better Batter contains soy. I do love her (GF on a Shoestring) cookbook though & just use my own flour.
Quick question to all of you, I have a 5 year old daughter that suffers from stomach migraines and we were told in a few years they would turn into real migraines. I have heard that a GF diet can help with this. Any thought or ideas on this? And where do I even begin? She was tested for celiac and that came back normal.
jody — i also am gluten sensitive AND i tested negative for celiac. my allergist told me that happens a lot. it’s because many people are actually allergic to the pesticides and chemicals used to treat the wheat, barley, rye, spelt, etc.
fortunately there are SO many good gluten free recipes out there now that she will get used to being gluten free.
I would suggest trying a GF diet for her, even if it is a week. I had those stomach migraines (we didn’t call them that back when I was little…just tummy aches) and I ended up with horrid migraines now that I am older. I just kept taking meds to get rid of them…which is not good for a person’s body either. Did the celiacs blood test, upper GI, colonoscopy, genetic test for celiacs…all negative, but went on a GF diet anyhow and I FEEL AMAZING! Good luck! You could also try the FODMAPS diet for a couple of weeks to deflame her body. She is probably pretty enflamed inside! Simply amazing what food can do to your body!
I have never heard of a stomach migraine before but my daughter (8 years old) had really non-specific “tummy aches” all the time before we went GF. I had no idea that we would have such good health benefits from going GF! Turns out that my daughter (and I) have gluten sensitivities and her tummy aches are gone (unless she eats gluten) and she also had recurrent strep before. Now, she has not had strep since being GF. I would definitely try going GF for at least 30 days and see how your daughter does.
Thanks Jamie,
) I have a lot to learn.
We are going to try it. Just need to figure out where to start
As any one tried this? I want to make the mix now I just can’t find the sweet rice flour here in akm was hoping to not order online.
Ener-G brand makes a sweet rice flour.
I am gluten sensitive and dairy allergic. To respond to several of the comments, First there are no test currently for gluten sensitivity but if you try the Gluten free lifestyle and you start to notice a difference in how you feel and think it is a good bet you are gluten sensitive. Second, add juicing to your health experience. Many times juiceing helps boost the immune system and helps the gut absorb the vegtable and fruit “goodies” better. Third, soy has the same DNA as gluten so, I would stay away from Soy. It is a great protein and flour but the risks to your health are not worth it. Flax seed gel can replace the eggs in any GF diet reciepe. Lastly if you purchase a Vitamixer and the grain or “dry bowl” with the Mxer you can process your own Brown rice and Thai sweet jasmine rice
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for this amazing GF flour mix! We have been eating GF for over 5 years (for my husband), and this is the best (and cheapest) flour mix we have found. I made your pizza this week with this flour blend and it was a definite “make again”! My husband and two year old both loved it!
I am so glad you guys liked it. We love it!!!
I am new to Gluten Free Flours. Frustrated because there are so many flours out there and so many recipes with SO MANY kinds of flours. Can I use this flour mix as a replacement in other recipes that call for regular old flour? I understand they may not taste exactly the same, but I am a full-time working mom with a farmer as a husband; therefore, I don’t have the an hour or two to spend making a meal/bakery for my family and can’t see spending the money on all of these flours to get the right combo for a recipe and then have them go bad before they are used up. Any insight for me? Thanks.
YES! That is what we use it for: A replacement, cup-for-cup, for regular flour. The recipes don’t taste exactly the same, but close, for almost everything we’ve tried! The exception: Bread. Pizza is fine, muffins are fine, cookies are fine, but if you’re trying to cook an entire loaf of bread, I haven’t quite found the right recipe yet. Everywhere I look people are attempting it, but in my opinion, bread needs gluten to be bread! I haven’t had great success yet. But still trying…
Is sweet rice flour safe from the Asian section at the store? The packages usually don’t say gluten-free.
THANKS SO MUCH for this recipe. I am new to the GF diet and can’t wait to start using this flour.
A real life saver!
You are very welcome!
Janelle, is there anything you can sub for the sweet rice flour? Maybe another cup each of brown and white rice flours? I grind my own rice flours, so I’d prefer not to have to buy sweet rice flour. Thanks!
I haven’t done it, but I think you could sub either. Come back and let us know how it works!
Thanks so much!
Hi! Does the sweet rice flour make this very sweet?
It’s just called sweet rice flour, I don’t know why. It is actually not sweet at all, it’s just a finer grind of white rice flour. Hope that helps!
Do you have a recipe for using this to make bread in a bread machine?
Thanks so much.
Hi Suzanne, I do not have a bread recipe for this mix. I actually don’t typically make my own bread because it just doesn’t turn out for me! We eat a lot of muffins, banana bread, zucchini bread, pancakes, etc., but not that much bread. You can find some of my muffin recipes under Recipes, then My Recipes.
Hi Janelle!
Do you know if I can subsitute guar gum for xanthum gum?
Thanks for the recipe, I can’t wait to try it!
Yes you can! I think they both work very similarly and should be interchangeable.
Hi! Thanks do much for the flour recipe! I’m currently shopping around to find the best online deals for all of the ingredients! Question for you. Can you freeze this flour mix? The reason I ask is that I live in a small town in ND and if I were to purchase the ingredients here in town ( which I could probably find 2 or three of them) it would cost me at least 4 times what I can get it for online if I buy in bulk. So If I make a huge batch of this mix and freeze it, will it be ok? I’m gluten and corn intolerant so pretty much all premade GF mixes and products are out for me asmost of the time they have corn. Thanks for the help!!
Yes, absolutely! I do it. Buying in bulk is one of the best ways to save!
Thanks, Janelle! Just stumbled on your blog the other day through moneysavingmom and love it!!!
Thanks for this recipe. I have looked in four stores and found everything except the tapioca starch. I saw that someone else said tapioca starch could be subbed for the corn starch. I would prefer to use as little corn as possible. Do you think I could use arrowroot instead of the tapioca starch? Or what do you think I could sub it with? Thank you so much for your advice. I’m just starting going gf for my 7 yr old son.
Hi Jenny! Yes I do think you could sub arrowroot for the tapioca starch and/or the corn starch. I have not personally done it, but have had several readers who have had good success with arrowroot. Come back and let us know how it works for you!
Does this recipe sub cup for cup in regular flour recipes?
Thanks,
Moe
Yes, my GF Flour mix is a cup-for-cup sub for regular flour, so you should be able to use regular flour in the same amounts.
Thank you for the flour mix recipe I just stumbled across it and so far have used it for muffins and french toast. I have a list of allergies and this was perfect. Going to try using it for pancakes!!! I have been using UDI’s breads and they are the best to buy so far!!!
I am alwas looking for good French bread. My favorite is Against the Grain and udi’s just came out with some French rolls that are just Delicious.
I have sometimes purchased flours at an Asian market as well. Should one be concerned as to whether or not the product is truly gluten free? Are the manufacturers required to follow guidelines that reduce the risk of cross contamination?
No you most likely cannot be completely sure, since the products are typically imported and are therefore not held to the same manufacturing laws as in the U.S. That being said, we use them regularly and have never had a problem. It’s up to you and your comfort level, and what you feel is appropriate for your family.
I just wanted to comment on the brand of corn starch, in your photo, I believe that brand may contain GMO!!! I took back an unopened Argo product as I learned it did or could contain GMO. I recently switched from Argo baking powder back to Rumford Baking Powder as it is aluminum free AND it is from NON-GMO corn! Rumford also make a GMO-free corn starch…Bob’s Red Mill may also I’m going to double check before I buy…IF a product doesn’t say GMO-free…I’m going to have to assume it does until the manf. lablels it otherwise.
That is quite possible. I don’t monitor GMO-containing products, I only blog about gluten-free! But thanks for the info, maybe my readers will find it useful.