At 12- to 13-percent protein content, bread flour is stronger than all-purpose flour, but it can generally be substituted for all-purpose, and vice versa. On Monday Mia and I went to my great friend Kelsey’s house to bake some Christmas cookies and catch up!  Well, unfortunately we ran our of flour on cup 2. It’s a protein found in wheat and some other grains.  In this particular cookie recipe, it called for 5 cups of flour. // Leaf Group Lifestyle, How to Make Bread That Does Not Crumble Easily. Instead, choose an all-purpose baking flour.  We decided to turn the ‘bread’ part a little bit literal and added 2 1/2 cups leaving 1/2 cup of flour out of the recipe entirely. Everyone is right, but let’s talk about cooking science shall we? but keep the bread flour and make some nice challah! Both these ingredients add tenderness to cookies, but if you use too much, the cookies will fall apart. What Is the Difference Between Cake Flour & All-Purpose Flour? How To Throw Your Own Royal Wedding Party.  Well, unfortunately we ran our of flour on cup 2. Kelsey, Mia, and I put our creative and decorative skills to the test! This high-protein, high-gluten flour produces yeast breads that are chewy and rich in flavor. They'll continue to firm up as they cool. ", Copyright © 2020 Leaf Group Ltd., all rights reserved. I know what you’re probably thinking… “Gingerbread cookies made with bread flour? Bread flour is my go to flour if I want a chewy texture.. We carefully watched our cookies to make sure nothing would go wrong (since none of us had ever substituted flour for bread flour). I've made these many times using cake flour, but since I had leftover bread flour, I used bread flour instead. Unbleached bread flour is specifically made for bread. Bleached flour has a slight chemical aftertaste that can sometimes be tasted in baked goods.  We picked gingerbread to be festive and really get into the holiday spirit! Bread Flour. Bread flour is hands-down the best choice for making yeast breads, but reserve it for bread only. Bread flour is not the best choice for cookies because it makes them tough and extra chewy. It won't make cookies more tender, and will actually make them tougher. bleached flour has been chemically bleached to whiten and brighten it. Differences Between Bleached Flour & Unbleached Flour.

For longer storage, wrap the flour tightly and place it in the freezer. OTOH, for cookies you want TENDER, not springy.  We decorated with green, red, and white icing along with four different kinds of sprinkles!  Then it was time to decorate! It can be used for pretty much any baking recipe- of course cookies. Stored this way, it will stay fresh for up to one year. Bread flour will make a tough cookie--when it is worked once liquid is added, it will develope strands of gluten like lots of rubber bands.

 Once they were done, we all tried them. Unbleached flour is a better choice than bleached flour from an environmental standpoint because it hasn't been chemically treated. To my surprise, the bread flour version turned out to be tastier than the cake flour version. The higher protein content creates more gluten. This flour has less protein than unbleached flour and produces less gluten. Your email address will not be published. Most cookie recipes, such as chocolate chip cookies, naturally have a chewy, dense texture, rather than a fine, tender crumb. All other variables kept as-is. Instead, choose an all-purpose baking flour. Send him back! Unbleached flour has not been chemically treated. For more tender cookies, increase the amount of butter and sugar you use slightly. Bread Flour . More gluten formation means more carbon dioxide will be trapped between the strands of gluten which will help to make that bread or pizza dough rise.  After discussing our options with each other, Courtney, and Kelsey’s Mom, we made the choice to try and use the bread flour. It won't make cookies more tender, and will actually make them tougher.  In this particular cookie recipe, it called for 5 cups of flour. Bread flour is hands-down the best choice for making yeast breads, but reserve it for bread only. Whether you choose bleached or unbleached is a matter of personal preference, since both have potential drawbacks and benefits. Are you taking this ‘gingerbread’ thing a little far?”  Well…. The Test: Replace half of the all-purpose flour with bread flour, resulting in a 50/50 mix of cake flour and AP flour. She's the creator of MarmaladeMom.org, dedicated to family fun and delicious food, and released a book titled "More Than Pot Roast: Fast, Fresh Slow Cooker Recipes.