Recipe Talk

i need a pie crust recipe that does not use refined white flour. I want to make apple pie. can i substitue whole wheat flour for all purpose flour?

Substitutes:

For general baking

barley flour (This has a mild flavor and works especially well in pancakes, cookies, and quick breads. Replace up to half of any wheat flour in a recipe with this. Contains some gluten.) OR
buckwheat flour (This is especially good in pancakes. It tends to make baked goods heavier and stronger tasting. Replace up to half of the wheat flour in any recipe with this. Contains some gluten.) OR
oat flour (This is especially good in quick breads and cookies. It makes baked goods moister, chewier, and more crumbly. Contains some gluten.) OR
brown rice flour (This is especially good for those with wheat allergies; replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour with this. Baked goods made with rice flour tend to be crumbly, so consider substituting a mixture of one part arrowroot or other thickener plus four parts rice flour. Adding more eggs is another way to reduce crumbliness. Since rice flour absorbs more moisture, you may need to add more liquid to recipe.) OR
corn flour (This is a good substitute for those with wheat allergies.) OR
millet flour (This has a more pronounced flavor than all-purpose flour, and it tends to make baked goods coarse and dry. Replace up to 1/5 of any wheat flour with this.) OR
potato flour (Replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour in a recipe with this. Substitute 5/8 cup potato flour for 1 cup all-purpose flour.) OR
soy flour (This is high in protein, but has a very strong flavor. Replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour with this, then increase the liquid in the recipe and reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.) OR
quinoa flour (This is higher in fat than all-purpose flour, so it tends to make baked goods moister. Replace up to 1/2 of the wheat flour in the recipe with this.) OR
non-waxy rice flour (This is good for those with wheat allergies. Replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour with this. Baked goods made with rice flour tend to be crumbly, so consider substituting a mixture of one part arrowroot or other thickener plus four parts rice flour. Adding more eggs is another way to reduce crumbliness. Since rice flour absorbs more moisture than all-purpose flour, you may need to add more liquid to the recipe or substitute only 7/8 C rice flour for each cup of all-purpose flour.) OR
wheat germ (This makes for a more nutritious product. Replace up to 1/3 of the flour with this.) OR
amaranth flour (This is higher in fat than all-purpose flour.) OR
spelt flour (This tends to make baked goods heavier, so consider increasing the baking powder so that the product rises more. Spelt is tolerated by most people with wheat allergies, and it's great for making pasta and bread.) OR
kamut flour (This is tolerated by most people with wheat allergies, and it works well in pasta and bread recipes. It works best if combined with other flours.) OR
ground Passover matzo (A traditional substitution for Jews during Passover.) OR
potato starch (Another good substitution for Jews during Passover.)
cocoa (Substitute 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for 2 tablespoons flour.)

wheat flour Includes: (from hardest to softest flours) durum wheat flour and semolina flour (typically used for making pastas), whole wheat flour and graham flour (typically mixed with all-purpose or bread flour to make bread or baked goods), bread flour (typically used for making yeast breads), all-purpose flour (can be used for breads and baked goods), pastry flour (typically used for pastries), and cake flour (typically used for cakes). Substitutions: See the all-purpose flour listing.