What Is Whole-wheat flour and How Can I Use It?

Whole-wheat flour is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 1,380 recipes to get you started.

What is whole-wheat flour?

Whole wheat flour  is a powdery substance derived by grinding or mashing the wheat's whole grain.

It is used in baking but typically added to other "white" flours to provide nutrients (especially fiber and protein), texture, and body to the finished product.

Whole wheat flour is more nutritious than refined white flour, although in a process called food fortification, some micronutrients are added back to the white flour (required by law in some jurisdictions). Fortified white wheat flour does not, however, contain the macronutrients of the wheat's bran and germ (especially fiber and protein). Whole wheat is a good source ofcalcium, iron, fiber, and other minerals like selenium.

Shelf life

Whole wheat flour has a shorter shelf life than white flour. The higher oil content contained in the bran of the wheat, as the higher oil content leads to rancidity with longer term storage. It is also more expensive, due to its relative unpopularity and the inclusion of the wheat bran and wheat germ, which producers of white flour can sell separately.

To avoid rancidity store your whole grain flour tightly sealed in the freezer.

Typically, whole wheat flour is not the main ingredient of baked goods, as it adds a certain "heaviness" which prevents baked goods from rising as well as white flours.

This adds to the cost per volume of the baked item as it requires more flour to obtain the same volume, due to the fewer and smaller air pockets trapped in the raised goods. Thus, many baked goods advertised as whole wheat are not entirely whole wheat; they may contain some refined white wheat, as long as the majority of the wheat used is whole wheat.

Nevertheless, it is possible to make a high-rising, light loaf of 100% whole wheat bread, so long as one increases the water content of the dough (the bran and germ in whole wheat absorb more water than plain white flour), kneads the dough for a longer period of time to develop the gluten adequately, and allows for a longer rise before shaping the dough.

Some bakers let the dough rise twice before shaping. The addition of fats, such as butter or oil, and milk products (fresh milk, powdered milk, buttermilk, yogurt, etc.) can also greatly assist the rising process.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find whole-wheat flour: Whole-wheat flour is usually found in the baking supplies section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Whole-wheat flour is a member of the Cereal Grains and Pasta US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

全麦面粉

British (UK) term

Whole-wheat flour

en français

farine de blé entier

en español

harina de trigo integral

How much does whole-wheat flour weigh?

Related

Cereal Grains and Pasta

Recipes using whole-wheat flour

There are 1380 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Pumpkin Biscuits (Lacto)

Savory pumpkin biscuits with whole wheat, wheat germ, bran, and a clever clove of garlic to balance the sweetness. Drop biscuits with a spoonbread interior, no butter or eggs needed.

Graham Wafers

These homemade graham wafers are crisp, lightly sweet, and perfect for snacking, crushing into crumbs for pie crusts, or pairing with spreads. Made with wholesome graham flour and a touch of vanilla, they bake up golden and delicious in just minutes.

Gobhi Paratha

Gobhi Paratha: Indian stuffed cauliflower flatbread made with whole-wheat dough and a spiced filling of cauliflower, cumin, turmeric and green chili. Pan-fried in ghee until golden.

Almost Whole Wheat Apple Pancakes

Whole wheat apple pancakes blend half whole-wheat and half white flour with milk, eggs, and grated fresh apples for a hearty, fiber-rich breakfast pancake. Ready in 20 minutes.

Yummy Whole Wheat Waffles

Whole wheat buttermilk waffles with wheat germ for extra nuttiness. Six simple ingredients, crisp outside and tender inside, perfect for fresh fruit and maple syrup.

Old-Style Wheat Biscuits

Old-style wheat biscuits: tender, fluffy whole-wheat biscuits made with canola oil and a quick buttermilk substitute. A homestyle baked good ready in 30 minutes flat.

Best Peanut Butter Chip Brownies

Lighter peanut butter chip brownies use prune puree instead of butter for moisture, with egg whites for structure. Fudgy chocolate brownies studded with peanut butter chips, no oil required.

Whole Wheat Indian Chapatis

Whole wheat Indian chapatis from scratch with just three ingredients: atta flour, water, and salt. The everyday flatbread of North India, cooked on a hot griddle.

Blueberry Muffins with Nutmeg Topping

Bakery-style blueberry muffins with nutmeg sugar topping. Three flours, butter, and buttermilk give a tender crumb and tall domed tops crowned with crackly spiced sugar.

Mom's Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

Mom's whole wheat blueberry pancakes use applesauce and soy milk for a dairy-free vegan-friendly breakfast. Hearty whole-grain pancakes with juicy berries and no eggs.

Dad's Berry Buttermilk Scones

Dad's berry buttermilk scones bake whole wheat dough studded with blueberries or blackberries into wedges with crisp sugar tops. A wholesome breakfast scone made in cake pans.

Whole Wheat Two Seeds Bread

Nutty whole wheat bread machine loaf topped with sesame and poppy seeds. Molasses adds subtle sweetness and soft texture to this high-fiber sandwich bread.

Refried Beans & Cheese Bread

This bread can either accompany or replace the Southwestem breakfast staple of refried beans topped with cheese or wrapped in a flour tortilla.

Mark's Eggless Pancakes

Egg-free, dairy-free pancakes from a whole wheat and white flour blend with wheat germ. Vegan-friendly, fast, and budget-friendly breakfast that needs nothing but water.

Almost Whole Wheat Choco Banana Peanut Cookies

Almost Whole Wheat Choco Banana Peanut Cookies recipe

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Whole wheat oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies pack quick oats, hearty whole wheat flour, chocolate chunks, and nuts into a chewy lunchbox cookie. Wholesome enough for breakfast, sweet enough for dessert.

Aloo Mathar Paratha (Sides)

The quintessential Indian-Singaporean meal accompaniment. Unfortunately, all too often it is made using highly processed white flour and margarine. Here, the parathas are made with whole-wheat flour (you could also try using spelt flour) and stuffed with peas and potatoes, for a lighter but more wholesome take on the original. Serve hot with yoghurt and herbs.

Delicious Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Homemade whole wheat pita bread baked in a hot oven until each round puffs into a pocket. Five ingredients, no special equipment, and ten Middle Eastern flatbreads in under two hours.

Almost Whole Wheat Chocolate Banana Muffins

Chocolate banana muffins built from a homemade whole-wheat-and-bran muffin mix you keep on the shelf. Mashed banana, chocolate chips, and a banana slice on top finish each one.

Awesome Ginger Spice Waffles

Gingerbread-style waffles with molasses, ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, half whole-wheat flour for body. Topped with vanilla yogurt and bright fruit, they taste like holiday morning.

Whole Grain Sourdough Pancakes or Waffles

Sourdough pancakes or waffles made with a 12-hour overnight ferment of whole wheat flour and rolled oats. Tangy, hearty, and the perfect way to use up active sourdough starter for weekend breakfast.

Honey Soda Bread

Irish honey soda bread with whole wheat, golden raisins, and caraway seeds. No yeast, sweetened with honey, ready in just over an hour. Authentic St. Patrick's Day baking.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Kisses (Healthier Version)

Sweets don't have to be always connected with high sugar, high fat and unhealthy. A few healthy twists, now you can enjoy these delicious cookies without feeling guilty at all.

Country Style Buttermilk Pancakes with Berry Sauce

Country Style Buttermilk Pancakes with Berry Sauce recipe

Golden Breakfast Orange Pancakes

Whole wheat orange pancakes use fresh orange juice and zest in a half-whole-wheat batter boosted with wheat germ. Bright, fluffy and high-fiber. Ready in 20 minutes for a healthy weekend breakfast.

Honey-Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

Honey-wheat pumpkin muffins fold pumpkin purée and walnuts into a half-whole-wheat batter sweetened with honey. A wholesome 30-minute breakfast muffin with autumn flavor.

Cathy's Whole Wheat Waffles

Cathy's whole wheat waffles bake up crisp on the outside and tender inside with a nutty wheat flavor and lift from beaten egg whites. A wholesome breakfast that holds up to maple syrup and fresh fruit.

Yummy Pumpkin Biscuits

Vegan pumpkin biscuits use silken tofu and pumpkin puree instead of butter for a tender, whole-wheat morning bake spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. No dairy, no eggs, ready in 25 minutes.

Oatmeal Waffles/Pancakes

Oatmeal waffles or pancakes: hearty whole-wheat batter with quick oats, buttermilk, and a touch of molasses for warm depth. Heart-healthy breakfast made with egg substitute and canola oil.

Marti's Whole Wheat Bread

Bread machine whole wheat bread sweetened with honey and softened with yogurt. Vital wheat gluten keeps this whole grain loaf light and tender instead of dense. Just measure, press start, and bake.

Snowshoe Naan

Snowshoe naan is a hand-stretched, sponge-leavened flatbread baked on hot quarry tiles and topped with nigella seeds. Long oval shape with crisp edges and pillowy centers, dairy-free and rustic.

Chapatis #1

Homemade chapatis made with whole wheat and all-purpose flour, just four ingredients and no yeast. Griddle-cooked flatbread that puffs up light and soft with the right technique.

Pancakes, Ny

These scrumptious pancakes are made with rolled oats, cornmeal and buttermilk.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes with Banana Cream

Whole wheat buttermilk pancakes with strawberries, egg whites, and cottage cheese, topped with mashed banana cinnamon cream. A healthier high-protein breakfast that doesn't sacrifice flavor.

Buttermilk Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

Whole wheat buttermilk pancakes with a quick blueberry-lemon sauce. Honey-sweetened, lighter on fat thanks to egg substitute, and finished with a glossy fresh blueberry pour. A 30-minute breakfast win.

Smith's Banana Bread

Smith's banana bread is a fat-free whole wheat loaf with crushed pineapple, currants or apricots, fresh orange zest, and overripe bananas. A naturally sweet, dairy-free quickbread with no added sugar.

Falafel, Vegetarian Style

Vegetarian falafel with a clever bake-then-fry hybrid technique: oven-baked first to set, pan-crisped in olive oil to finish. Tucked into pita with cucumber, tomato, and yogurt sauce.

Chapati (Phulka)

Two-ingredient Indian chapati (phulka): whole wheat flour and water rolled thin and cooked in a dry skillet. Press with a towel for the puff that makes phulka phulka.

Bread Machine Pepperoni, Olive, & Oregano Pizza Bread

Discover the ultimate fusion of flavors with our Bread Machine Pepperoni, Olive, and Oregano Pizza Bread recipe. Effortlessly bake a savory delight that combines the zest of pepperoni, the briny touch of olives, and the aromatic essence of oregano into one irresistible loaf.

Sourdough Whole Wheat Pancakes

Sourdough whole wheat pancakes with tangy fermented starter and honey-sweetened nutty flour. A great use for sourdough discard, with a feathery rise from last-minute baking soda.

Banana Chocolate Whole Wheat Bread

This banana bread satisfy your sweet tooth and the chocolate cravings at the same time.

Cinnamon-Raisin Breakfast Biscuits

Cinnamon-raisin breakfast biscuits use silken tofu in place of butter for a vegan, dairy-free quick bread sweetened with apple juice and maple syrup. Whole wheat, walnut-studded, brushed with syrup glaze.

Berry Orange Banana Muffins

Berry orange banana muffins made with whole wheat flour and natural bran. Mashed banana and frozen orange juice concentrate sweeten these high-fiber breakfast muffins, dotted with juicy blueberries or raspberries.

Raspberry Streusel Muffins

Whole-wheat raspberry muffins folded with fresh berries and lemon zest, crowned with a brown-sugar pecan-cinnamon streusel. Hearty breakfast muffins that lean nutty and lightly sweet.

Raspberry Streusel Muffins

Whole-wheat raspberry muffins folded with fresh berries and lemon zest, crowned with a brown-sugar pecan-cinnamon streusel. Hearty breakfast muffins that lean nutty and lightly sweet.

Almost Whole Wheat Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Almost whole wheat lemon poppyseed muffins blend whole wheat and white flour for a wholesome but tender crumb, bright with fresh lemon zest and crunchy poppy seeds. An easy, better-for-you breakfast muffin.

Whole Grain Apple Pancakes (Smith)

Whole grain apple pancakes leavened with yeast and packed with bran, grated fresh apple, and apple juice. Thicker than regular pancakes, naturally egg-free, high-fiber, and sweet without a drop of added sugar.

Almost Whole Wheat Bread

Almost whole wheat bread combines whole-wheat flour, bread flour, gluten flour, and instant potato flakes for a soft, fiber-rich bread machine sandwich loaf. The two-thirds whole-grain hybrid that actually rises.

Aluwala Roti

Aluwala roti: whole wheat flatbread stuffed with spiced mashed potato, onion, and cilantro, then griddle-fried in ghee until golden. The Sri Lankan potato paratha for breakfast or lunch.

Hearty Whole Grain Biscuits

Hearty whole grain biscuits use silken tofu and apple juice instead of butter, blended into whole wheat, rye, and wheat germ for a dairy-free, high-fiber breakfast biscuit. Vegan friendly.

All 1,380 recipes