Denser than usual. Do you have an excess of bread flour? Do you have no other options? Do you have a sweet tooth? Don’t worry, bread flour may be used to make cookies; however, keep in mind that they will be chewier and potentially rougher.
Hi! My name is Shea, and I really adore cookies. Yet, I’ll be honest: I’m not a huge lover of extremely chewy cookies. I like the crunchy variety. My mother, on the other hand, like a thick and chewy cookie. So she was thrilled when I substituted all-purpose flour for bread flour!
Not everything goes as planned when it comes to baking. Even the most meticulous shopping list might leave you short on a critical product, such as all-purpose flour for cookies. If you have bread flour on hand, you may substitute it in a 1:1 ratio. Just add more liquid.
Continue reading to learn why bread flour is a good substitute and how to use it.
Contents
- Can You Use Bread Flour for Cookies?
- What Happens if You Use Bread Flour for Cookies?
- How Do I Substitute Bread Flour for All-Purpose Flour in Cookies?
- What Type of Flour is Best for Cookies?
- FAQs
- Final Words
- FAQs
- How do I substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour?
- What is the best flour for cookies?
- Why do you not use bread flour for cookies?
- Is all-purpose or bread flour better for cookies?
- Does it matter if you use bread flour or all-purpose flour?
- Does bread flour rise more than all-purpose?
- What flour do professional bakers use for cookies?
- What is the best flour for chewy cookies?
- What flour is best for fluffy cookies?
- When should you not use bread flour?
Can You Use Bread Flour for Cookies?
Bread flour may be used to make cookies. But, there is one caveat. Your cookies will be chewy on the inside and somewhat crunchy on the exterior. There’s also the problem of cookies that are too thick, which isn’t necessarily a good thing.
If you want chewy, thick cookies, you may opt to use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour in your cookie-baking adventures. No, really. Try Alton Brown’s Cookie Recipe and see how much of a fan you become.
What Happens if You Use Bread Flour for Cookies?
When you use bread flour in your cookie recipe, you will get chewy, thick cookies. There is no getting around that.
But why is this so?
It’s all because of the bread flour competition. Most bread flours include 12% to 14% protein, while all-purpose flour has 10% to 12%. The additional protein has two effects:
1. Promotes volume
2. Establishes a strong gluten network
In essence, the high-protein flour will perform the same function as if you were making a loaf of bread. It plays around with the other components (eggs, butter) to provide stretch and chewiness.
How Do I Substitute Bread Flour for All-Purpose Flour in Cookies?
The greatest thing is that when making cookies, you may substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour in a 1:1 ratio. You’ll get the same wonderful taste, only with greater volume and chewiness. (Obviously, this isn’t a terrible thing!)
The only possible issue is that high-protein flour may absorb more wet ingredients than all-purpose flour, resulting in a dry and crumbly texture.
If you discover that your cookie dough is drier than normal, add a touch more wet ingredients to bring it back on track. You might also add a teaspoon or two of water.
Everything else remains the same: ingredients, baking time, and so forth.
What Type of Flour is Best for Cookies?
Bread flour is the ultimate shortcut to chewy cookies, but is it the best solution for all cookies? If you’re unsure if bread flour should be used in your next batch of cookies, consider the following flours:
- All-purpose. This is the most popular and widely available flour, and it is always a safe pick for making cookies. Use it if you have it. In fact, you could combine a cup of bread flour and a cup of all-purpose flour to make some fantastically textured treats.
- Cake. If you want a cookie that is enchantingly delicate, light, and fluffy, use cake flour instead. It will not give the needed structure for the majority of people, but some may love the delicate texture.
- Wheat. Individuals on a health kick may want to consider using wheat flour. Although this is OK, you should be aware that your cookies will be extremely thick. If you don’t mind a thick cookie and want to be healthy, use this flour.
- Spelt. Spelt flour is the last choice. Since it is the most comparable to all-purpose flour, it might be a fantastic substitute in your cookie recipe. It might be a little drying, so add some more liquid if necessary.
So, which is the most effective? It depends on the cookies you’re making and the ultimate outcome you want. When everything else fails, there’s always plain old-fashioned all-purpose flour.
FAQs
Bread flour is the finest option for chewy cookies and may be used in cookie recipes in lieu of all-purpose flour. If you’re still thinking about this issue, stay reading and look at the commonly asked questions below.
What else can I use bread flour for?
If you have an excess of bread flour on your hands, don’t throw it away just yet! With that flour, you can create a lot more than bread. Consider bite-sized pretzels dipped in beer cheese, cinnamon buns covered with frosting for a Saturday breakfast, or Zeppole for an Italian-inspired dessert.
Do you have trouble with flat cookies? If you’re thinking bread flour, you’re mistaken! You may make them fluffy again by combining fats, not completely melting the butter, chilling the dough before baking, adding an additional egg, and baking at a higher temperature.
Shortbread cookies are one of those that may not come out nicely when made using bread flour. This is because the protein concentration is much too high for this style of cookie, resulting in unappealingly thick and hard cookies. I wouldn’t use bread flour for shortbread biscuits!
Final Words
Using bread flour instead of all-purpose flour results in chewy, thick cookies with a somewhat crunchy edge. Its flavor appeals to the majority of cookie enthusiasts, making it a perfect substitute, particularly for chocolate chip cookies, which taste oh-so-delicious when ultra-chewy.
Have you ever made cookies using bread flour? What happened to them? Share your thoughts in the comments section!
FAQs
How do I substitute bread flour for all-purpose flour?
Sure, you may do a 1:1 substitution. 1 cup all-purpose flour equals 1 cup bread flour, and vice versa (note that bread and pizza crust made with all-purpose flour may have a little less chew than those made with bread flour, but results will still be good).
What to Expect: All-purpose flour (also known as plain or AP flour) is the gold standard in baking. If a recipe speaks for “flour,” you may fairly assume that it means all-purpose flour. The Research
Since bread flour has a high gluten content, cookies cooked with it will be chewier and perhaps rougher than conventional cookies. Consider what occurs when you eat bread vs typical cookies, and how much more difficult bread is to tear apart than a cookie that readily breaks apart.
Bread flour has more protein and gluten, making it ideal for making an airy, chewy bread that requires time to rise. All-purpose flour has a reduced protein level, making it ideal for non-rising cookies and cakes.
Does it matter if you use bread flour or all-purpose flour?
If you want a tighter crumb and a loaf that retains its form, use bread flour; otherwise, use all-purpose flour for a little more open structure and more softness.
Does bread flour rise more than all-purpose?
Is Bread Flour a Better Baking Flour Than All-Purpose Flour? Breads produced with all-purpose flour will rise just fine, but those made using bread flour will have more structure and maintain their form better.
Pastry flour is an unbleached wheat flour with protein levels that fall halfway between cake flour and all-purpose flour (8 to 9 percent). Pastry flour has the right blend of flakiness and softness, making it great for pies, tarts, and numerous cookies.
When I want a chewy texture, I use bread flour. More gluten is produced when the protein concentration increases.
All-purpose flour is number one.
This protein range is great for creating soft yet chewy cookies. When making cookies, use a lower protein flour like cake flour (about 7-9% protein) to make them more fluffy and “cake-like” than all-purpose flour.
When should you not use bread flour?
Bread flour may be used in lieu of AP flour when you want a chewier outcome, such as in pizza dough, but it should not be used in place of cake or pastry flour, or in baked items that need to be light and soft.
