Want to know one trick for nuttier, more flavorful cookies? It's all about the flour.
All-purpose flour It may seem like a blank canvas, but it can be an impressive flavor player. You only have to do one thing to it first: toast it!
When toasted, it takes on a malty aroma and much deeper flavor, elevating flour to dimensions you didn't think were possible. It almost has a campfire-kissed quality – enough to make you ask “why Is This?!” when you try it in a baked good.
Photography and food styling by Liz Neily
“Toasting all-purpose flour brings nutty, caramel notes to an ingredient that's normally mild and neutral,” says Recipe Development and Test Kitchen Manager Sarah Jampel. “It unlocks a greater range of flavors—think about the difference between a raw nut and a toasted nut, or the aroma of raw rice versus toasted rice.”
Sarah used this trick in her new one Toasted flour shortbread. The recipe is intentionally minimalist so that the flavor of the toasted flour can shine against a backdrop of butter and sugar, complemented by some toasted pecans. “I made one batch of cookies with untoasted flour, and another with toasted flour, and we tasted the two side by side. It confirmed that the toasted flour really makes a difference in terms of flavor and texture. The cookies made with toasted flour Not only do they have more complexity, but they are also crumblier and dissolve faster when eaten – more of a 'melt in your mouth' texture. That's because toasting flour isn't just about the flavor Denatures some of its proteins, so when it is mixed into a dough it forms less gluten. As a result, the cookies take on a sandy, super-soft texture.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; Food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
That impact on protein means that toasted flour cannot automatically be substituted in any recipe, as it behaves differently than untoasted flour and can drastically impact the structure of the baked good. But if you want to try toasted flour in more cakes, turn to Claire Saffitz's Trace-baked row cookiesWhich include both toasted rye flour and toasted all-purpose flour. Already boasting a nutty, malty flavor, rye flour in particular is enhanced by a stint in the oven. Like Sarah's Toasted Flour Shortbread, the toasted flour adds an extra layer of caramelly, buttery flavor (which takes rye flour from what to Wow) and also inhibits gluten formation by affecting the starch and gluten molecules in the wheat flour, promoting tenderness even further.
Image of Dissert Man by Claire Saffitz
There is also our Tourte Au Siegle recipe from the King Arthur's Great Book of Bread, A classic French loaf that uses toasted rye flour in the dough. “Similar to eating a piece of bread that isn't toasted versus one that is, (toast) heightens the nuttiness,” says recipe developer Martin Phillips. “It heightens the maltiness, it brings out sweetness, it amplifies the characteristics of the flour.” If you're looking to improve your skills and want to see this technique in action, this recipe is one of the breads featured in our Great Book of Bread companion on-demand class.
Finally, toasting flour is a simple way to add color and dimension to an often overlooked ingredient. As Sarah says: “If white flour is always dressed in neutrals, the moment it is toasted is the moment when it finally pulled out the colorful wardrobe.”
cover photo (Toasted flour shortbread) by Rick Holbrook; Food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.