How to Substitute All-Purpose Einkorn Flour for All-Purpose Flour
November 2, 2023
Love the idea of baking with Einkorn flour but not sure how to swap it into your favorite recipes? You’re not alone Einkorn is much more delicious and easier to digest than regular flour, but behaves differently when baking. I will walk you through exactly how to substitute Einkorn flour so that you get light and fluffy results every time!
Why Bake with Einkorn Flour
Einkorn flour is the only non-hybridized wheat available today. It naturally contains more protein than typical all-purpose flour and it carries a similar amino acid profile to whole grain wheat, but is much easier to digest. Einkorn flour is also rich in carotenoids which gives it a slight golden color and adds to it’s nutritional value. Did you know carotenoids help fight cancer?
Click the photo for the Gooey Einkorn Flour Chocolate Chip recipe
While Einkorn flour does contain gluten, it is a different type than modern wheat varieties. This unique gluten structure can make it easier for some people to digest, but if you have celiac disease or a severe gluten intolerance it is still not a safe option.
Mom’s love Einkorn flour because it is an easy way to get more micro-nutrients into the kids bellies. We all know how hard it can be if you have a picky eater and they will never know you have swapped flours. You can even make your same favorite treats if you follow the instructions below for swapping. It is easier than you think and a great option for kids that have sensitive stomachs. A treat is still a treat, but I feel a little bit better knowing the kids are getting at least a little nutritional value with the sugar.
Key Differences between Einkorn Flour and Modern Wheat
Make these delicious homemade Hawaiian Buns
The gluten in Einkorn flour is unique- the molecules are smaller and structured differently than in modern wheat. This gives Einkorn flour a higher protein content, about 15% less starch and more micronutrients than today’s common flours. Because it is lower in starch, it behaves differently in recipes, but the learning curve isn’t steep.
If you have been here a while, you know I am more of a cook than a baker, but I still have my go-to treats I love to share. And if I can get comfortable baking with Einkorn I know you can too.
Einkorn’s higher protein and lower gluten content make it perfect for breads- especially my Einkorn Flour Hawaiian Buns. Once you try them, you will never want store bought version again.
How to Substitute Einkorn Flour for Modern Wheat Flour
There are two ways to substitute Einkorn flour for Modern wheat flour. The first method is to add 1/4 cup of Einkorn flour for each 1 cup of Einkorn flour the recipe calls for. An example is:
1 cup of Modern Flour = 1 1/4 cup of Einkorn flour
The second method is to reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 1-2 tbsp of water.
It is important to mix gently- overmixing can result in tough bread.
Baking Tips for Perfect Results
The most important tip for getting great results when baking with Einkorn flour is to let the dough rest before baking. This gives the liquid time to fully absorb into the flour, which creates a softer more moist texture. Resting also helps develop Einkorn’s unique gluten structure, giving you a better rise, more consistent crumb, and improved flavor in the finished product.
Oven temperature can also make a difference. Because Einkorn browns more quickly you might need to slightly reduce the oven temperature- about 10 – 15 degrees especially if your oven runs hot. My oven tends to run cooler, so this isn’t much of an issue for me, but worth testing in your own kitchen.
Finally, check your recipes a little bit earlier than you would modern wheat recipes. Einkorn flour absorbs moisture differently, so baking times can be slightly shorter. These small adjustments can help you avoid dry baked goods and keep every loaf, muffin and roll tender.
Common Questions About Baking with Einkorn
Can I use Einkorn in Yeast Breads?
Absolutely! Allow the dough to rest in between steps. Einkorn flour absorbs liquid more slowly so before you add more flour let the liquid absorb. Einkorn flour is no knead- if you knead it, it becomes too dense.
Do I Need Special Tools to use Einkorn Flour?
No, in fact you might need less. Einkorn flour should not be over mixed- overmixing can make the baked goods too dense.
Does Einkorn Flour Rise Differently?
You won’t get as much of a rise with Einkorn Flour. It is better to under proof Einkorn flour vs. over proofing the dough.
My favorite Einkorn Flour Recipes
If you love cinnamon rolls, but not how long they take to make this is for you!
Delicious homemade biscuits
Zucchini Muffins perfect for breakfast for a snack
11 Comments
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healthierhomemade.co
Hi Kathryn, thanks for answering! Happy to clarify for you. Yes, basically every 1 cup of all purpose flour you could need 1 1/4 cup einkorn. Even though cookies don’t have ‘liquid’ ingredients there are still wet ingredients and the flour doesn’t absorb quite the same as all purpose! I haven’t baked much with WW Einkorn but I assume based on what I’ve read its similar to all purpose einkorn in measurements for recipes using all purpose.
Hope this helps!
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Rebecca
WW einkorn doesn’t absorb fat well. So you need to let it rest for 15 minutes to see if you need to adjust the liquid or flour.
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Wendy
I want o make the pecan bars. Can I substitute maple syrup for the corn syrup? Corn and all its derivatives are a big no no for me.
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healthierhomemade.co
If you read through the recipe we don’t use corn syrup either! We agree, big no here
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Wendy Shine
I would like to substitute whole grain einkorn for all purpose einkorn in a bread recipe. How would i do that?. It calls for 3 cups All purpose and 3 cups whole grain and 1/2 cups water. What do i change?
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healthierhomemade.co
I wouldn’t sub the entire amount. I would replace 1 cup with ww and the rest all purpose. They would be pretty dense that way but feel free to play around with it if you would like to use more. I just can’t say it would turn out well.
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Julie
Can you explain how to substitute Einkorn flour in a recipe that calls for Almond flour, please?
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healthierhomemade.co
That is really tricky and most of the time it won’t work to sub einkorn for almond flour or vice versa. It could work but depends on the recipe, there isn’t a perfect ratio across the board.
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Carol Fleming
The recipe I want to try calls for 4 cups AP flour and 1-1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup milk. Using your coversion, it would be 5 cups of flour, which seems a lot. Is the conversion for liquid 1/4 cup for each cup of liquid or 1/4 cup entirely? Sorry, for the confusion, I’m new to baking and just learned if I want to have bread without regular flour, I have to make it myself.
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healthierhomemade.co
That’s helpful! SO it’s 2 cups of liquid total. It isn’t a perfect science again, depends on the recipe. But I would start with 4 1/2 cups of einkorn and add 1/4 cup as needed depending on what you are making. The general rule is either an extra 1/4 c flour for every 1 cup all purpose or less 1/4 c liquid and keeping flour measurements the same. Different methods work better depending on what you are making (like muffins, pancakes, cookies, or breads.) Hope that helps! It can take some experimenting but if you start slow and add from there you should be able to get it!
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Kathryn
Hi, I was hoping you’d help clarify for me. If I’m making a cookie for muffin recipe that calls for AP flour, do I add 1/4 cup more AP Einkorn per cup? What about if I want to use WW Einkorn? Cookies don’t have any “liquid” but muffins do.
And same question, if a recipe calls for WW flour, can I substitute WW Einkorn or do I need to add 1/4 cup flour for each cup?
Thank you!