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This recipe for mock Better Batter gluten free flour blend works exactly like the original classic blend. If you can't buy it, you can make your own.
I developed this blend in 2012 for anyone who can't buy Better Batter's product online, or doesn't want to. It has worked for thousands of bakers since then just like the original product.
my take
Nicole's Recipe Notes
If you've come here looking for all purpose, gluten free flour blends, you've come to the right place. Even though I had long sworn off blending my gluten free flours, I've now come around entirely.
I have even created a bunch of infographics for my best all purpose gluten free flour blends for easy, at-a-glance reference. All the details about those rice-based gluten free flour blends (Yes! Generally, rice is gluten free) are on that page, but here we can spend a bit more time talking about one of those blends: my mock Better Batter gluten free flour mix. The blend is made from brown and white rice flour, tapioca starch/flour, potato starch/flour, xanthan gum, and powdered pectin.
I've tested this blend in many of my recipes, like pizza, cookies, and muffins, and haven't had a single failure. Since I first shared this recipe in 2012, many of you have made this blend your go-to and can use it without worry.
Why most blends fail
The founder of Better Batter has told me that this blend is very, very close to her proprietary blend. However, there is no such thing as a true cup-for-cup replacement for conventional flour in conventional recipes.
I have a gluten free flour blend of my own that I sell online called Nicole's Best—but I don't claim that it's a cup-for-cup gluten free replacement for conventional flour in conventional recipes. That doesn't exist.
Gluten free baking calls for gluten free recipes: they're different, they need different ratios of wet to dry ingredients, different binders, and different methods.
I've dedicated my working life to making everything as “normal” as possible, but it will never be exactly the same. We took out gluten. It's just different.
My Pro Tip
Measure by weight
You will need a simple digital kitchen scale. You don't need anything fancy or expensive. But without the precision of a scale, you simply cannot build a flour blend.
If you find that sometimes your baking is successful and sometimes it isn't without changing ingredients or recipes, but you're measuring by volume, the measurement inconsistencies are likely causing your inconsistent results.
I know that many recipe developers direct you to “scoop and sweep” your flours to measure by volume. I promise that your results will still be inconsistent. Dry measurement containers are not standardized, so your “cup” might hold a little bit less, mine more. Plus, human error is unavoidable, no matter how experienced the baker—including me.
These small differences accumulate, especially when building a flour blend where the ratio of one ingredient to another is all that matters. That's why the ingredients are listed as a percentage of the whole. The individual gram amounts don't matter. The ratios do.
How to use the formula
To prepare each all purpose gluten free flour blend below in whatever quantity you’d like, apply each percentage listed for each individual flour to the total quantity (in grams) of flour that you plan to make, one by one. Add the amounts together, and you'll have the total.
For example, if you wanted to put together 140 grams of flour (which is the proper measurement for “1 cup” of an all-purpose flour blend by volume in my recipes) using the Mock Better Batter Blend, here’s the math:
30% BRF = 30% (or 0.30) x 140 grams = 42 grams superfine brown rice flour
30% WRF = 30% (or 0.30) x 140 grams = 42 grams superfine white rice flour
15% TS/F = 15% (or 0.15) x 140 grams = 21 grams tapioca starch/flour
15% PS = 15% (or 0.15) x 140 grams = 21 grams potato starch
5% PF = 5% (or 0.05) x 140 grams = 7 grams potato flour
3% XG = 3% (or 0.03) x 140 grams = 4 grams xanthan gum
2% PPP = 2% (or 0.02) x 140 grams = 3 grams pure powdered pectin
If you add up all the numbers, it will equal 140 grams (go ahead and check!). So make as much or as little as you like.
Ingredient substitutions
Superfine rice flours
We have had a long discussion about superfine rice flour, and even how to blend your own. There is no substitute for rice flour in this blend. Superfine rice flour is essential to the most basic gluten free baking. If your rice flour has a harsher grind, your baked goods will be gritty and often won't even turn out properly.
Gritty rice flours don't combine fully with the other ingredients in the recipe, essentially changing the entire character of the recipe formula. I always buy Authentic Foods brand superfine rice flour.
I'm also okay with Vitacost.com brand superfine rice flour. In a pinch, I've used rice flour from Nuts.com, and as discussed above, I've made my own by grinding it twice.
Tapioca starch/flour
Tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour) is the starch from the cassava root. Cassava flour is made with the whole root. Tapioca starch is only the starch, and it isn't interchangeable with cassava.
Tapioca starch has a unique quality that creates a lovely stretch and pull in baked goods, and has no exact substitute. I have had some success using superfine glutinous (or short grain, or sweet) white rice flour.
Potato starch and potato flour
Potato flour is a powder made from whole potatoes that have been peeled and ground into a fine powder. Potato starch is simply the pure starch washed out of potatoes and then dried into a fine powder.
Potato starch can be replaced with cornstarch or arrowroot, but potato flour has no substitute. If you can't have nightshades, I recommend you try my mock Cup4Cup or Better Than Cup4Cup blends, which don't use potato flour. You can read all about them on the all purpose gluten free flour blends page.
If you can have but can't find potato flour, you can actually grind potato flakes into a flour and use that. It's the same thing, just in a slightly different form.
Xanthan gum
Xanthan gum is a binder that helps replace gluten in this blend. It is often compared to guar gum, which has similar qualities. Xanthan gum is better to use when heated, like in baked goods. Guar gum is better used when cold, like in a smoothie you'd like to thicken. Since we are using this blend for baking, xanthan gum is the clear winner.
You can often replace xanthan gum is konjac powder, which is easy to buy on Amazon. If you'd like to vary the amount of xanthan gum you use in different types of recipes, which I highly recommend, leave this ingredient out of the blend entirely and then add it in individual recipes as appropriate. The Nicole's Best usage guide can help direct your addition.
In gluten free yeast bread, you may be able to replace xanthan gum with psyllium husk in varying amounts. The usual rule of thumb is about 5 grams of ground blond psyllium husk per cup of flour, mixed with at at least 1/4 cup of water per cup. Use the water in the recipe, though. Do not add additional water or other liquid to an otherwise already well-balanced gluten free recipe.
Pure powdered pectin
I use Pomona brand pure powdered pectin, which comes with a calcium packet which I just discard. You must use a powder that has a single ingredient: pectin.
Pomona pectin typically is sold in pretty blue boxes with packets in them, which you've probably seen in the grocery store. I've bought it in bulk directly from the company's website, and it lasts forever.
You cannot use “Ball” pectin or anything else that has additional ingredients (like sugar) or is in a gel form. Not only do they add ingredients we don't want, but they have less of what we need: pectin. There is no substitute for this ingredient.
make ahead/leftovers
Storage instructions
For storage, place the blend in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark pantry. It will last as long as the earliest expiration date on any of the component ingredients. You can extend its freshness by placing it in the freezer, but be sure to let it come to room temperature before using it in a recipe.
Better Batter Gluten Free Flour Recipe
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale required
Ingredients
- 126 g superfine brown rice flour, 30% of total
- 126 g superfine white rice flour, 30% of total
- 63 g tapioca starch/flour, 15% of total
- 63 g potato starch, 15% of total
- 21 g potato flour, 5% of total
- 12 g xanthan gum, 3% of total
- 9 g pure powdered pectin, (without the calcium packet) 2% of total
Instructions
- Measure using a digital kitchen scale. There aren’t proper volume equivalents for some of the ingredients.
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl, and whisk to combine well. The pectin should be used without the calcium packet. Store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.
- The recipe can be halved or used in multiples easily. Just be sure to whisk fully in a large enough container.
- Use of lower quality ingredients than those to which I have linked in this post (including the xanthan gum and pectin!) will result in a markedly lower quality product, one that does not behave at all like mine. Proceed at your own risk.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQs
Discard the calcium packet that comes with Pomona brand pectin. Or use it for another purpose if you have one. Just don't include it in the blend.
Better Batter's original blend ingredient label lists: rice flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, potato flour, pectin (lemon derivative), xanthan gum.
Find good, well-balanced gluten free recipes, measure by weight wherever possible, and follow the recipe faithfully.
I would like to make the larger batch of this flour blend, I noticed that you always advise to store in a cool dark place, I live in the south & keep out temperature about 72° in our home! Would it be fine to store this in a sealed container in my fridge or freezer?? Thank you for all of the hard work you do for all of us with Celiac disease ❤️
You can definitely freeze flour you don’t intend to use right away, Connie. You’ll need to let it come to room temperature before using it, though. I hope that helps, and thank you for the kind words. You’re very welcome!
Hello. I can’t find potato flour (and potato flakes only with a lot of preservatives). Can I replace with more cassava flour or sweet potato flour?
I’m afraid there is no substitute for potato flour, Fernando. If you can’t find plain potato flakes, like I discuss in the text of the post to grind into a flour, I recommend you try my mock Cup4Cup blend, which doesn’t call for potato flour.