Learn how to use quinoa flour for baking and cooking. We talk about why quinoa flour is good for baking, how to make quinoa flour not taste bitter and more!
One of the things that really started my love of cooking was actually baking. I've always enjoyed it – as frustrating as it can be sometimes – and it's one of the things that relaxes me. When I first went gluten-free, I struggled to find my groove, but after lots of tests I think I've nailed it.
Today we're talking about one of my all-time favorite gluten-free flours: quinoa flour!
I use quinoa in my baking all the time – not just because of my brand name, but also because I genuinely love it. But since it's a little on the pricey side, I think a lot of people avoid it. So my goal with this post? To help you see a) how to use quinoa flour in your baking (and cooking) is and b) why it needs to be a staple flour in your pantry.
I also get a lot of questions about quinoa flour, so we're going to tackle all of those and then dive into some recipes!
Where Can You Buy Quinoa Flour?
This is the question I get most often. Quinoa flour can be hard to find, especially if you live in a place that doesn't have a lot of grocery stores or natural health markets. My favorite brand is Bob's Red Mill. I've been using their quinoa flour – and tons of other gluten-free flours – for over a decade and it's just the best.
Luckily, many stores in the US carry Bob's Red Mill products, but not all of them carry quinoa flour. So let's talk about the two best places to find quinoa flour!
1. At the supermarket.
When you're looking for quinoa flour in the supermarket, head to either the baking aisle or the Bob's Red Mill display area. The quinoa flour will be in a red bag with the words “quinoa flour” on the front!
2. Online.
If you can't find quinoa flour at your local grocery or health food store, as with most things you can always find it online. Depending on where you live, I recommend either shopping directly through the Bob's Red Mill site or looking on Amazon. The only problem with Amazon is that they don't always have the cheapest price. If you want consistent, standard pricing, definitely go through Bob's directly.
Bob's Red Mill is also sold on other online retailers like Thrive Market and Lucky Vitamin!
Is Quinoa Flour Bitter?
For me, that depends on your taste buds. Quinoa flour can be quite bitter for some people. But for others – like myself – can't taste it at all. So my recommendation would be to make a small batch of something (like half a batch of these coconut oil chocolate chip cookies) and see how they taste to you.
If you do find that quinoa flour is bitter, there's an easy solution. Toast it!
Toasting quinoa is really easy and completely removes the bitter aftertaste. There are a few methods for toasting quinoa flour so make sure to check out the guide I've already created for you on the blog!
How to Use Quinoa Flour
And now to the fun part: RECIPES! Just to show you how versatile of an ingredient quinoa flour is and the bajillion different ways you can use it, I've pulled together a bunch of my favorites.
We've got 11 different “categories” that show you exactly how to use quinoa flour in your baking and cooking. If you're new to quinoa flour, I can't wait to hear which way you try first!
1. Simple Pancakes & Waffles
Quinoa flour pancake & waffle recipes:
- Zucchini Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Savory Zucchini Almond Flour Waffles (pictured)
- Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
- Sweet Potato Waffles
- Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes
2. Easy Quinoa Cookies
Quinoa flour cookie recipes to try:
- Gluten-Free & Vegan Gingerbread Cookies (pictured)
- Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Vegan Gingersnaps
- Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
3. Brownie Recipes
Brownie recipes with quinoa flour:
- Quinoa Flour Tahini Brownies (pictured)
- Vegan Nutella Brownies
- Pumpkin Spice Almond Butter Blondies
- Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Quinoa Brownies
4. Gluten-Free Pizza Crust
Gluten-free pizza crust recipes to try:
- Vegan Almond Flour Pizza Crust (pictured)
- Life-Changing Sweet Potato Pizza Crust
- Gluten-Free Multigrain Pizza with Crispy Prosciutto
- Pumpkin & Spinach Flatbreads with Goat Cheese
- Gluten-Free Quinoa Pizza with Cashew Ricotta
5. Gluten-Free Bread
Quinoa flour bread recipes:
- Blueberry Banana Bread
- Almond & Quinoa Flour Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (pictured)
- Gluten-Free & Vegan Pumpkin Bread
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
- Honey Oatmeal Banana Bread
- Vegan Gingerbread Loaf
- Cranberry Quinoa Banana Bread
6. Homemade Breakfast Bars
Easy breakfast bar recipes to try:
- Raspberry Chocolate Chip Bars (pictured)
- Morning Glory Quinoa Breakfast Bars
- Vegan Carrot Cake Quinoa Breakfast Bars
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Quinoa Bars
7. Savory Snacks & Sides
Savory snacks & sides with quinoa flour:
- Vegan Sweet Potato Tots
- 5-Ingredient Zucchini Fritters
- Vegan Quinoa Broccoli Tots (pictured)
- Baked Eggplant Parmesan Crisps
- One Bowl Vegan Pumpkin Cornbread
- 5-Ingredient Sweet Potato Quinoa Fritters
8. Quinoa Crackers
Easy quinoa crackers to try:
- Gluten-Free Quinoa Crackers (pictured)
- Toasted Pine Nut & Basil Quinoa Crackers
- Gluten-Free Honey Graham Crackers
- Garlic Rosemary Quinoa Crackers
9. Muffins
Quinoa flour muffin recipes to try:
- Chai Spiced Oat & Quinoa Flour Muffins (pictured)
- Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Gluten-Free Banana Bread Muffins
- Mini Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
- Skinny Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
10. Gluten-Free Crumble Toppings
Recipes that use a gluten-free crumble topping:
- Cinnamon Swirl Gluten-Free Coffee Cake (pictured)
- Apple Crumble Bars
- Balsamic Strawberry & Rhubarb Crisp
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Pear & Apple Quinoa Crisp
11. To Thicken Soups & Sauces
Dinner recipes that use quinoa flour:
- Easy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff (pictured)
- Creamy Coconut & Mushroom Quinoa Soup
- Pumpkin Chicken Baked Pasta
Do you use quinoa flour?
We'd love to know what kinds of recipes you like to make using quinoa flour! Feel free to drop them down in the comments below!
My husband and I haven’t been able to eat bread for a long while now, as we eat 90% Organic, and are Gluten intolerant.
So, having found this AMAZING site, can I ask if there is a lovely recipe, using Organic (Bob’s Red Mill) Quinoa flour? As I say, it has to be GLUTEN FREE!
I have read you can use Sorghum flour with Quinoa flour, to make bread! Looking forward to your response, when convenient.
Thank you.
Annette Holcroft.
Australia.
I came here looking for a quinoa flour based gluten free baking blen recipe. I found a ton of info. and yummy recipes, but I was hoping to stream line my baking process and thought for sure you are the “quinoa go to”.
I make my own quinoa flour by grinding it in an electric coffee grinder (that we don’t use to grind coffee!). Very easy! I use quinoa flour mixed with sorghum flour to make quiche/savoury tart bases. Mixing it with another gf flour helps to cut down the potential bitter flavour. Thanks for all recipe suggestions.
Wow. So many healthy options. I have heard about quinoa a lot but never tried. Will try the muffins first. Unfortunately the quinoa you mentioned is not deliverable to our place. Can i try this https://www.mozaicq.com/p/gluten-free-quinoa-flour-graminway
I was excited to find your blog. I am new to this. I have a lot of gut issues. I have tried to find some recipes, but quickly became overwhelmed. Can you recommend which recipes are your absolute favorites, so I can start there.
Happy to help! What type of recipes are you looking for? From there, I can share a list! xx
Quinoa flour is available in many different varieties, from light to dark brown. The health benefits of quinoa flour are extremely promising. Quinoa flour can significantly reduce the risk of chronic disease, including heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Thank ou so much for this helpful info!
I always bake using sourdough. Have you ever make quinoa sourdough bread?
I haven’t, but plan to make a video soon!
Hello Alyssa,
I baked a simple vanilla eggless cake couple of days ago using Quinoa flour, it tasted bitter and was pungent so while searching how to get that fixed I found your blog. I will try toasting it to get rid of the bitter taste, however will it also take away the pungent smell?
Do we have to always toast this flour when we bake anything (sweet or savory)?
Thank you.
– Amrutha
I don’t always toast mine, but if you find it really bitter it might be a good idea. You can also toast a larger batch and keep it on hand. I find that stronger flavors — like chocolate— don’t need toasting but again, we all have different pallets!
I had a recipe using quinoa flour and quinoa flakes for some muffins, and it was horrible. Then I discovered that one should toast the flour to make it less bitter. However, how about the flakes? I see that flakes are sometimes sold already toasted, but mine are not (mine are Natural Grocer brand), and smell just as bitter as the flour. And unlike flour, I haven’t been able to find any posts talking about how to toast them. Does one toast them in the same way as the flour? (I’m using your instructions above on a small amount needed for the same recipe.) Or does their different form require a different way or amount of time for toasting? This time I will probably just toast them in the same way but watch more carefully than the flour. But it would be great if someone could address this.
Thanks for any advice on this!
Just responded to your other comment!