Use rice flour instead of all-purpose flour at 1:1 in blends; use alone only with a binder. All-purpose flour and rice flour do similar work in a recipe, but they are not identical, and the ratio is what makes the swap succeed. This guide gives the exact ratio, an equivalence table for every amount you will need, what changes in the finished dish, and when you should not make the swap at all. All ratios on this page come from the CookScale substitution data, and every result is approximate; taste the dish before serving, and adjust the seasoning if the swap changes the flavour.
All-purpose flour to Rice flour: equivalence table
The table below scales the ratio — 1:1 in blends; use alone only with a binder — to every amount you will need, from a quarter of a cup up to three cups. Use the row that matches your recipe, and do not guess the scaling in your head, because a small error in the ratio grows with the size of the recipe.
| All-purpose flour | Rice flour | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 1/4 cup | In a blend |
| 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup | In a blend |
| 1 cup | 1 cup | In a blend |
| 2 cups | 2 cups | In a blend |
| 3 cups | 3 cups | In a blend |
When a recipe calls for an amount that is not in the table, scale the ratio proportionally: work out how many cups of all-purpose flour the recipe needs, then multiply the ratio by that number. For a single cup, the ratio is exactly as stated; for half a cup, halve it; for two cups, double it. Keep the recipe scaler open while you cook, and you can scale the whole recipe, including the substitution, in one step.
What changes when you use rice flour instead of all-purpose flour
Rice flour gives a light, crisp, slightly gritty bake, because it contains no gluten and the grains are harder than wheat. In a blend with other flours, it adds lightness and a delicate crunch, which suits a shortbread or a tempura batter. On its own, it gives a crumbly, sandy texture that falls apart, because there is nothing to bind it, so it needs a binder such as xanthan gum or an extra egg. The flavour is neutral, so the bake tastes clean and plain, which suits a delicate cake, but the texture is the main change: a rice flour bake is lighter and crisper than a wheat bake, and it dries out faster, so it does not keep as well. In a sauce, rice flour thickens smoothly without the starchy taste of wheat flour, which is why it suits a gluten-free gravy.
When not to substitute all-purpose flour with rice flour
Do not swap flours 1:1 in delicate cakes or yeasted breads without adjusting liquid and expecting a different crumb. That rule is the most important part of this page, because a substitution that works in one recipe can fail badly in another. All-purpose flour does a specific job in each recipe, and the swap only works when the substitute can do the same job. In a recipe where all-purpose flour is the main structure — where it holds the bake together, or where its flavour is the point of the dish — the substitute will not do, and it is better to wait until you have the real ingredient, or to choose a different recipe. In a recipe where all-purpose flour is a supporting ingredient, where it adds moisture, richness or flavour but does not carry the dish, the swap usually works well. The test is simple: if removing the all-purpose flour would ruin the recipe, do not substitute it; if the recipe would still work without it, the substitute is probably safe.
Why this swap works
Flours differ in protein and absorption; swapping changes texture, so start with the ratio and check the dough. That is the principle behind the swap: the substitute does the same chemical or structural job as the original, even though it looks and tastes different. The acid in an acidic substitute activates baking soda, the fat in a fatty substitute shortens a dough, and the liquid in a liquid substitute hydrates the flour. When the substitute does the same job, the swap works; when it does a different job, the swap fails. The ratio on this page is the amount that makes the substitute do the same job as the original, and it is worth following exactly, rather than guessing, because a small error in the ratio changes the job the substitute does.
Worked examples: all-purpose flour to rice flour in real recipes
1. A gluten-free shortbread with rice flour
A shortbread needs a cup of all-purpose flour, so use a cup of rice flour in a blend with a little tapioca flour, and add a pinch of xanthan gum. The rice flour gives the shortbread a light, crisp texture that melts in the mouth, which suits a shortbread better than the coarser crumb of wheat flour. Cream the butter and sugar well, press the dough into the tin, and chill it before baking, so the fingers hold their shape.
2. A tempura batter with rice flour
A tempura batter needs a cup of all-purpose flour, so use a cup of rice flour on its own, whisked with cold water until just combined. The rice flour gives the tempura a light, crisp coating that stays crunchy, because it contains no gluten and does not go tough when mixed. Use ice-cold water, stir the batter only until combined, and fry the tempura in hot oil straight away, because the batter goes flat if it sits.
3. A gluten-free cake blend with rice flour
A cake needs two cups of all-purpose flour, so use a blend of rice flour, tapioca flour and potato starch, with a teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup. The rice flour gives the cake its structure, the tapioca flour adds chew, and the xanthan gum binds the batter, because none of the flours has gluten. Sift the flours together, let the batter rest for five minutes, and bake the cake in a moderate oven, because a gluten-free cake browns faster than a wheat cake.
How to make the swap
Use rice flour cup for cup in a blend with other gluten-free flours, such as tapioca flour or potato starch, and add a binder if the recipe needs one. A teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour is a good starting point, or add an extra egg, which binds the batter and adds moisture. Do not use rice flour on its own in a cake or a bread, because it has no gluten and the bake will fall apart. For a shortbread or a tempura batter, rice flour on its own works well, because the recipe does not need structure. Sift the rice flour before measuring, because it packs easily, and let the batter rest for five minutes, so the flour hydrates and the crumb turns out less gritty.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is using rice flour on its own in a cake or a bread, which turns out crumbly and falls apart, because rice flour has no gluten and no binder. Use it in a blend, or add xanthan gum or an extra egg. The second mistake is not letting the batter rest, so the rice flour does not hydrate and the crumb turns gritty and sandy; rest the batter for five minutes before baking. The third mistake is scooping rice flour straight from the bag, which packs it and over-measures by a lot; spoon it lightly and level it, or sift it first. Finally, do not expect a rice flour bake to keep as well as a wheat bake, because it dries out faster; eat it the same day, or store it in an airtight container.
Frequently asked questions
Can I substitute rice flour for all-purpose flour 1:1?
Yes, in a blend, but not on its own. Rice flour replaces all-purpose flour cup for cup in a gluten-free blend, but on its own it gives a crumbly, sandy bake that falls apart, because it has no gluten. Add a binder such as xanthan gum or an extra egg, or use it in a blend with tapioca flour or potato starch.
Why is my rice flour cake gritty?
Because the rice flour did not hydrate fully before baking. Let the batter rest for five minutes, so the flour absorbs the liquid and the crumb turns out less gritty. Sifting the flour also helps, and using a finer rice flour, such as sweet rice flour, gives a smoother result than coarse rice flour.
Can I use rice flour on its own in shortbread?
Yes, shortbread works well with rice flour on its own, because the recipe does not need structure: the butter binds the dough, and the rice flour gives a light, crisp texture. For a cake or a bread, rice flour on its own does not work, because the bake needs a binder to hold together.
Does rice flour need xanthan gum?
In most baking, yes. Rice flour has no gluten, so it needs a binder to hold the batter together, and xanthan gum is the usual choice: a teaspoon per cup of flour is a good starting point. An extra egg also works, because the egg binds the batter and adds moisture. For a tempura batter or a shortbread, no binder is needed.
How should I store rice flour?
Keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. Rice flour goes stale faster than wheat flour if it is left open, and damp makes it clump. If it smells stale or has formed hard lumps, replace it, because stale rice flour will spoil a bake.