When it comes to gluten-free baking, understanding your ingredients is key to creating the perfect bread, cake, or cookie.

The goal is usually to duplicate the properties of wheat, which means getting the right ratio of starch, structure, protein and fiber. Each gluten-free flour has its own unique properties that can make or break your recipe. Brown rice flour and sorghum flour are both great choices for the bulk of your flour needs, each with their own flavor and texture. But rice and millet flours both require a binder to give them structure and make the dough more elastic. That is where seeds like flaxseed, chia, and psyllium husk come in.

With so many gluten-free flours available, it can be tricky to know which one is best for your recipe, and how it should be used. To make things easier, I’ve put together detailed guides on the gluten free flours I use in my own recipes. Here you will find out about the taste, properties, and traditional uses of gluten free ingredients, so that you can be confident in using a broad range of flours and seeds.