![White Whole Wheat Baking Guide](https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/sites/default/files/styles/hero_lg/public/2019-06/white-whole-wheat-baking%402x.jpg?itok=8aM8U00D)
White Whole Wheat Flour
Our white whole wheat flour offers a fresh new approach.What exactly is white whole wheat flour, anyway?
White whole wheat is a type of wheat — just like Granny Smith is a type of apple. It's 100% whole wheat; not a mixture of white and wheat flours, and certainly not bleached. Packed with fiber, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, it's nutritionally equivalent to classic red wheat. White whole wheat flour is both light in color and mild-flavored, making it the perfect choice for bakers hesitant to add the distinctive color and taste of red whole wheat to their baking.
Let's bake.
Start with some of our favorite recipes —
Yeast bread, rolls, and pizza
Yeast bread baker's tips:
- When white whole wheat flour is substituted for up to 50% of the all-purpose flour, there's no need to make a change in your favorite white-flour yeast recipe — the result should be quite similar to the original.
- When white whole wheat flour is substituted for 100% of the all-purpose flour, adjust the dough consistency by adding 2 teaspoons additional liquid per cup of whole wheat flour used; and allow the dough to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before kneading.
- Try substituting orange juice for a small part of the liquid called for in the recipe. While it doesn't lend any flavor of its own, orange juice seems to temper the potentially stronger flavor of whole wheat.
- Read more in our blog — Yeast bread, rolls, and pizza: from white to wheat, a baker's guide
Cookies, brownies, and bars
Cookie, brownie, and bar baker's tips:
- Most cookie/bar recipes calling for all-purpose flour can be made with 50% all-purpose, 50% white whole wheat without changing their flavor, texture, or look (beyond the slightest darkening).
- Some plain, moist bars (e.g., brownies, blondies) benefit by resting overnight once they're baked, to soften and "tame" the flour's bran.
- For drop cookies whose dough will be chilled before baking, add 2 teaspoons water, milk, or orange juice per cup of whole wheat flour.
- Read more in our blog — Cookies, brownies, and bars: from white to wheat, a baker's guide
Scones, pancakes, and biscuits
Scone, pancake, and biscuit baker's tips:
- Since most scones, pancakes, and biscuits are made with all-purpose flour and are light-colored, expect slightly darker color when substituting white whole wheat flour.
- Substituting white whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour in scones and biscuits won't affect their rise.
- Pancake batter made entirely from white whole wheat flour will be thinner, but the pancakes will rise just as high (and be just as tender) as those made with all-purpose flour.
- Read more in our blog — Breakfast: from white to wheat, a baker's guide
Muffins and quick breads
Muffin and quick bread baker's tips:
- To improve texture, muffins or quick breads made with white whole wheat flour benefit from an overnight rest before serving. This alleviates any graininess that some eaters might notice — particularly kids.
- While muffin batter made 100% with white whole wheat flour may seem thinner than usual, there's no need to make any liquid adjustment; they'll bake up just fine.
- The darker the muffin or bread, the more easily you can incorporate white whole wheat flour and have it "disappear." Ditto baked treats with multiple add-ins: fruit, nuts, oats, etc.
- Read more in our blog — A simple way to add fiber to breakfast
Cake
Cake baker's tips:
- Since the bran in cakes baked with white whole wheat flour promotes a bit of crumbliness, cupcakes are easier to deal with than full-size layer or sheet cakes.
- Cakes made entirely from white whole wheat flour will tend to rise flat across the top, rather than form the typical dome shape.
- Like muffins and quick breads, letting cake rest overnight before serving will soften any roughness or graininess in its texture due to the bran.
- We don't advise baking angel food or sponge cakes with whole wheat flour; the texture of these delicate cakes won't be the same.
- Read more in our blog — Cake: from white to wheat, a baker's guide