You love to bake, but you have some tricky food restrictions. Ever heard of cassava flour? It’s a miraculous one-to-one substitute for all-purpose flour that’s grain-free, nut-free and, yep, gluten-free. Which means you can ditch that expensive gluten-free flour mix and feed all of your friends who’ve gone Paleo. Read on for all of the deets.
So what exactly is cassava flour? Just like tapioca flour, cassava flour comes from the yucca root (although they’re not the same thing). Cassava flour has a smooth, powdery texture and tastes slightly earthy but imparts a more neutral flavor to baked goodies than either almond or coconut flour.
So can I really swap it 1:1? Yes, especially when you’re baking denser treats like brownies, cookies and cakes. While it weighs less than all-purpose flour, it also absorbs more liquid. So in our experience, it’s not a bad idea to skim off a few tablespoons of cassava flour when making a substitution. Oh, and one more note: Because it lacks gluten, it doesn’t rise well in yeasted goodies—so it’s not the best choice for breads or doughnuts.
I’m sold. How do I get started? Buy it online or in the baking aisle of most health foods stores and give it a whirl in Cassava Flour Brownies, Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies or Paleo Almond Butter Stuffed Soft Pretzel Bites.
