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Whole-wheat flour

Grains, rice & flours · Flours

Whole-wheat flour

Flour milled from the whole wheat kernel, bran and germ included; nuttier, darker and thirstier than white flour. Includes atta.

Also called: wholemeal flour, atta, chapati flour, whole wheat flour

A kind of all-purpose flour

53 recipes with it

Photo: Margaret Hoogstrate, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-3.0)

What it is

Whole-wheat or wholemeal flour contains all of the grain, so it is light brown and flecked with bran. The bran cuts through gluten strands, so breads made only with it are denser, and it absorbs more water. Indian atta is a finely stone-ground whole-wheat flour from hard wheat, made for soft, pliable chapatis. White whole-wheat flour comes from paler wheat and tastes milder.

Triticum aestivum

How it’s used

  • Chapati, roti, paratha and puri (atta)
  • Wholemeal loaves and rolls
  • Blended with white flour in bread and muffins
  • Digestive-style biscuits and crackers

Characteristics

Taste
Nutty, wheaty, slightly bitter.
Texture
Slightly coarse, with visible bran.
When cooked
Needs more water and a rest so the bran can hydrate; rises less than white flour.
Sold as
ground
Cooking uses
Suitable for baking

Storage

Refrigerated. The germ's oils can turn rancid, so keep it airtight in a cool place for a few months, or in the fridge or freezer for longer. A bitter or crayon-like smell means it has gone off.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Wheat, Gluten.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains wheat and gluten; unsuitable for people with coeliac disease or a wheat allergy.
  • Raw flour is not a ready-to-eat food and can carry harmful bacteria; do not taste raw dough or batter, and wash hands and surfaces after handling.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
340 kcal
Protein
13.21 g
Carbohydrate
71.97 g
Fat
2.5 g
Fibre
10.7 g
Sugars
0.41 g

USDA FoodData Central: Wheat flour, whole-grain (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • All-purpose flour — Gives softer, paler results; use slightly less water. Not ideal for chapatis, which tear.

Related ingredients

Recipes with whole-wheat flour

See all 53

41 more

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