Guide of Bread Flour vs All-Purpose Flour to help you decide which is right for your next project. All-purpose flour and bread flour are two types of flour that are commonly used in baking. Both flours are made from wheat, but they differ in their protein content.
All-purpose flour has a moderate amount of protein, while bread flour has a higher protein content. The higher protein content in bread flour helps to produce a higher rise in breads and gives the bread a chewy texture.
In contrast, all-purpose flour produces a more tender crumb and is better suited for cakes and cookies. When substituting one type of flour for the other, it is important to keep these differences in mind. Using bread flour in a recipe that calls for all-purpose flour will result in a denser, tougher baked good.
⬇️ Table of Contents
🍞 Bread Flour

Bread Flour is a type of flour that is specifically made for breadmaking. It has a higher gluten content than all-purpose flour, which allows it to form a more elastic dough. This makes the bread more resilient to being punched down and shaped. Bread flour can also be made from a combination of wheat and rye flours, which gives the bread a nuttier flavor.
Historically, bread flour was made from a mixture of hard and soft wheat. However, in the early 20th century, scientists discovered that by adding enzymes to wheat starch, they could produce a type of flour that had an even higher gluten content. This new type of flour became known as bread flour.
Today, most commercial bakeries use bread flour that has been treated with enzymes. However, you can still find some bakeries that use the traditional mixture of hard and soft wheat flour.
📋 Substitute Bread Flour
The combination of all-purpose and vital wheat gluten can create a flour substitute flour consistency with equal rising ability, punchiness & elasticity as regular bread Flour.
A simple method to make your own, take one cup of bread flour, remove two teaspoons and replace it with vital wheat gluten.
✅ Pros:
- bread flour is made from hard wheat, which has a higher gluten content than all-purpose flour
- best for breadmaking because gluten forms a strong network that traps the gas created by the yeast, which gives the bread a higher rise.
- healthier than all-purpose flour, as it contains more fiber and protein.
- superior to all-purpose flour for making bread, as it yields a finer crumb and a chewier texture
❌ Cons:
- extra protein also makes bread flour denser and less tender than all-purpose flour
- when substituting bread flour for all-purpose flour, you may need to add additional liquid or leavening to the recipe
🍞 All-Purpose Flour
In the early days of all-purpose flour, it was considered a luxury item because it was a more refined and purer product than other flours that were available at the time.
All-Purpose Flour can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians? They were some of the first people to cultivate wheat and use it to make flour. All-purpose flour is a versatile ingredient that can be used for a variety of purposes, from making bread to coating chicken breasts. It's made up of a blend of different types of wheat flour, which gives it its unique properties.
There are many different types of all-purpose flour available on the market today. Some are made with hard wheat, while others are made with soft wheat. The type of wheat used will determine the protein content of the flour. The higher the protein content, the stronger the gluten network will be.
All-purpose flour can also be bleached or unbleached. Bleached flour has been treated with chemicals to make it whiter in color, while unbleached flour has not been treated with any chemicals.
When baking with all-purpose flour, it's important to keep a few things in mind. First, all-purpose flour is not self-rising, so you'll need to add baking powder or soda if you want your baked goods to rise.
📋 Substitute All-Purpose Flour
The focus needs to be the amount of protein in the flour. Substituting all-purpose flour for your needs will vary depending on the application. Many flours lend themselves to being great substitutes.
Examples: coconut flour, quinoa flour, rice flour, chickpea flour. To fix the perfect combination will take a little experimenting.
✅ Pros:
- the most common type of flour used in baking
- produce consistent results in a wide variety of recipes
- all-purpose flour is versatile
❌ Cons:
- contains a high amount of gluten, which can be harmful to those with gluten sensitivities or allergies
- often bleached with chlorine gas, which can produce harmful byproducts
- has a lower nutritional value than whole grain flour
- can cause weight gain if consumed in large quantities
- can contain traces of harmful pesticides and herbicides
💭 Faqs
How Much Is One Pound of Flour
16 ounces equals 1 pound of flour or 3 ½ cups
How Many Types of Flour Are There?
Guide to: Types of Flour | Photos | A to Z
How To Store Flour
Flour belongs in cool and dark to keep it fresh for months.
Storing flour, make sure to keep it in an airtight container.
Store properly away from light exposure (which can cause spoilage),
Place excessive amounts of flour in dark places.
Nutrition Facts Summary for All-Purpose Flour
Total Fat: 1.22
Sat. Fat: 0.19(g)
Trans Fat: 0(g)
Cholesterol: 0(mg)
Fiber: 3.4(g)
Sodium: 2(mg)
Total Carbs: 95.39(g)
Sugar: 0.34(g)
Protein: 12.91(g)
Calcium: 2(%)
Iron: 8(%)
Nutrition Facts Summary for Whole Wheat Bread Flour
Total Fat: 2.24(g)
Sat. Fat: 0.39(g)
Trans Fat: 0(g)
Cholesterol: 0(mg)
Fiber: 14.6(g)
Sodium: 6(mg)
Total Carbs: 87.08(g)
Sugar: 0.49(g)
Protein: 16.44(g)
Calcium: 4(%)
Iron: 24(%)
Recipes To Try
KETO BREAD Recipe | Only 1g Carb Per Slice
Leave a Reply