Running out of oat flour and need a quick substitute for making gluten-free granola bars and snacks? Replace the grain with these oat flour substitute solutions you probably have on hand!
Are you in the middle of making homemade flourless muffins and come to find you have run out of oat flour and oats? Wondering what to substitute for the oat flour in a recipe when baking and cooking? Here's our favorite alternative gluten-free flours to use in place of oat flour!
Quick Look
- ✅ Best All-Round: a gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend made with rice flours, used 1:1
- 🌿 4 Substitutes: gluten-free flour blend, almond flour, brown rice flour, coconut flour
- 🥜 Almond Flour: 1 cup per cup of oat flour, or ½ cup almond flour plus ½ cup coconut flour
- 🍚 Brown Rice Flour: ¾ cup per cup of oat flour
- 🥥 Coconut Flour: mix it with equal amounts of almond flour
- 💧 Watch the Liquid: oat flour absorbs more liquid than some flours, so adjust as you go
- 🍪 Best For: muffins, cakes, cookies, granola bars and snacks
Quick Answer
A gluten-free flour blend made with rice flours, such as a 1-to-1 baking blend, is the best oat flour substitute and can be swapped in a 1:1 ratio in most recipes, adding a little more flour a tablespoon at a time if needed. Almond flour also works 1:1, or use ½ cup almond flour and ½ cup coconut flour for each cup of oat flour. For brown rice flour, use ¾ cup in place of each cup of oat flour. Coconut flour is heavy and absorbs more liquid, so mix it with equal amounts of almond flour. Oat flour absorbs more liquid than some flours, so adjust the texture as you go.
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For tips on how to use these alternatives, keep reading, as we break each flour down! Substitute oat flour with these alternative whole grains and gluten-free flours.
- Gluten-Free Flour - prefer one like Bob's Red Mill 1-1 Baking (affiliate link)
- Almond Flour
- Brown Rice Flour
- Coconut Flour
Why These Oat Flour Substitutes Work
Click to see why it works
- Rice flour blends act most like oat flour. A blend made with rice flours has a similar consistency in baking.
- Almond flour adds moisture. It contains natural oils and makes baked goods light and fluffy.
- Coconut flour is thirsty. It is heavy and absorbs more liquid, so it works best mixed half and half with almond flour.
- Brown rice flour absorbs liquid. That is why you use less of it, ¾ cup for each cup of oat flour.
- Every flour absorbs differently. Oat flour soaks up more liquid than some flours, so play around with the texture and amounts.
Best Substitutes for Oat Flour
Below is a breakdown of oat flour substitute solutions and tips on how to use them in cooking and baking!
1. Gluten-Free Flour Premix
This one is my favorite substitute for oat flour and seems to work great in baking with a similar consistency.
Gluten-free flour blends and oat flour are interchangeable and can be substituted for oat flour in a 1:1 ratio in most cases. Since some gluten-free flour blends are lighter and do not absorb as much liquid, I recommend substituting one that contains no dairy and is made with rice flours (rather than quinoa flour blends). If using gluten-free flour in place of oat flour I suggest Bob's Red Mill 1-1 Baking (affiliate link).
Play around with this one as slightly more flour (a tablespoon at a time) may be needed.
2. Almond Flour
Almond flour is slightly heavier than oat flour as it contains natural oils but makes baked goods light and fluffy and is a wonderful alternative to oat flour!
This sweet nutty flour is made from blanched almonds that are ground down into a fine flour and add lovely natural sweetness to baked goods in gluten-free baking. Try it in my Almond Flour Cookies.
Alternatively, you can use almond flour in combination with coconut flour (which is a heavier flour) for a sweeter treat. For 1 cup of oat flour, substitute it with ½ cup almond flour and ½ cup coconut flour. Or use almond flour in a 1 to 1 ratio to oat flour.
Almond flour is nuttier in flavor and has a different texture than oat flour so the taste and result will be different. Out of almond flour too? See my Almond Flour Substitution.
3. Brown Rice Flour
Rice flours are a commonly used gluten-free flour in baking. Brown rice flour makes a great substitute you can use instead of oat flour but not in an equal ratio.
Brown rice flour is very different than sweet rice and white rice flour. It has its husks and is less processed so it contains more fiber and nutrients and not as much sugary starch like sweet rice contains. More water may be required when using it in baking due to the high absorption of liquids.
In gluten-free baking, brown rice flour mixes best with other gluten-free flours and light starches and works well to thicken soups when used in the beginning of cooking.
To use brown rice flour in place of oat flour use ¾ cups of brown rice flour in place of each cup of oat flour. Check out How to Make Rice Flour here with this rice flour recipe!
4. Coconut Flour
Coconut flour has a beautiful aroma with natural sweetness that adds beautiful flavor to baked goods, granola bars, and desserts. It is also loaded with fiber, which may promote healthy blood sugar levels. Coconut also contains MCT oils and fats that are healthy and known to boost the metabolism. Coconut flour is a great oat flour substitute you can use in its place.
I suggest mixing coconut flour with equal amounts of almond flour. So if a recipe calls for 1 cup of oat flour, use ½ cup coconut flour combined with ½ cup almond flour. This works beautifully for cakes and cupcakes!
To use just coconut flour in place of oat flour, more liquid or less coconut flour might be needed, depending on the recipe. Coconut flour is heavy and absorbs more liquid.
Oat Flour Substitute Ratios
- Gluten-free flour blend - 1 cup for each cup of oat flour, plus a tablespoon more at a time if needed.
- Almond flour - 1 cup for each cup of oat flour.
- Almond flour and coconut flour - ½ cup of each for each cup of oat flour.
- Brown rice flour - ¾ cup for each cup of oat flour.
- Coconut flour on its own - use less, or add more liquid, depending on the recipe.
See the recipe card below for the brown rice flour swap.
What Is Oat Flour?
What exactly is oat flour and how do you use it? Oat flour is steel cut oats or old fashioned rolled oats ground in a food grinder, mill, or coffee grinder into a fine flour. It makes a wonderful substitute for flour in gluten-free baking. Make sure the oats specifically say "certified gluten-free". Some oats when farmed and harvested are cross contaminated with wheat. Here is how to make oat flour at home.
Oat flour is one of the healthiest flours to use with amazing benefits as they contain healthy carbohydrates and are an excellent source of important vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and antioxidants.
How to Swap Oat Flour in a Recipe
1Pick your substitute. A gluten-free flour blend made with rice flours is the closest match. Almond flour, brown rice flour and coconut flour work too.
2Measure the ratio. Use a blend or almond flour 1:1, ¾ cup brown rice flour per cup of oat flour, or half almond flour and half coconut flour.
3Check the batter. Oat flour absorbs more liquid than some flours, so the alternative may not absorb as much liquid. Play around with the texture.
4Adjust a little at a time. Add a tablespoon more flour if the batter is thin, or a little more liquid if you used coconut flour or brown rice flour.
As always, be sure to check out the details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Choose a dairy-free blend made with rice flours, rather than a quinoa flour blend.
- Add flour a tablespoon at a time when swapping in a lighter gluten-free blend.
- Pair coconut flour with almond flour. On its own it is heavy and absorbs more liquid.
- Expect a nuttier flavor with almond flour, and a different texture.
- Look for certified gluten-free oats when you make oat flour again, since some oats are cross contaminated with wheat.
- Need flour that is safe to eat raw? See how to heat treat flour.
More Cooking and Baking Substitutes
Out of something else? These are my go-to swaps: Potato Starch Substitute, Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives, Homemade Baking Powder, Maple Syrup Substitute and Almond Flour Substitute.
For savory cooking: Paprika Substitute, Tomato Paste Substitute, Cinnamon Substitute and Tarragon Substitute.
I hope you find this article helpful on finding the best oat flour substitute!
Oat Flour Substitute FAQs
Oat flour is very healthy containing protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals that are naturally produced in the grain. Oat flour is an excellent gluten-free flour to use in muffins, cakes, cookies and all your baked goods!
Oat flour is made from ground oats or whole oat groats that are ground in a mill. You can make oat flour at home using a coffee grinder, high powered blender or food processor and grinding the oats or groats until it becomes a fine flour.
Oat flour is not the same as all purpose flour. It will not rise equally in yeast bread, but oat flour is a wonderful substitute for regular flour in other gluten-free baking. It has more nutritional benefits than white flour and is not processed or bleached, making it much better than regular flour or all-purpose flour.
Use ¾ cup of brown rice flour in place of each cup of oat flour. More water may be needed because brown rice flour absorbs a lot of liquid.
Yes. Use it in a 1 to 1 ratio, or use ½ cup almond flour with ½ cup coconut flour for each cup of oat flour. Almond flour is nuttier, so the taste and texture will be a little different.
Yes, but mix it with equal amounts of almond flour. Coconut flour is heavy and absorbs more liquid, so on its own you may need more liquid or less coconut flour.
More Gluten-Free Flour Guides
Keep your pantry stocked with How To Make Oat Flour, Gluten-Free Flour and Starch Alternatives, Almond Flour Substitution and How To Make Rice Flour. I hope you find this oat flour substitute guide helpful! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
Oat Flour Substitute
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup brown rice flour
Instructions
- Substitute ¾ cup of brown rice flour for 1 cup of oat flour. See notes below for making homemade brown rice flour.
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