A Guide to Baking With Einkorn Flour

Here’s a quick guide to baking with einkorn flour, milled from an ancient wheat that yields a tender crumb and an appealingly wholesome texture. 

Widely considered to be the oldest grain in the history of agriculture, the use of Einkorn as a flour is relatively new for bakers. One of the most recent of ancient grains to be revived for modern market, einkorn is actually one of the oldest forms of cultivated wheat.

Like other ancient grains (including amaranth, quinoa, and spelt) einkorn is being recognized as a nutrition-packed superfood. It’s environmentally friendly as well. The grain has a type of hull that makes it pest-resistant to pests, so it’s easy to grow organically. For a specialty grain, it’s not too expensive; it might be compared with organic brown rice and quinoa in terms of cost.

Despite the rising popularity of ancient and heirloom grains, Einkorn isn’t often thought of as a more nourishing alternative to the basic all-purpose wheat flour. Taking this into consideration, let’s dive into the use of this flour in the baking world. 

For lots more on einkorn’s history and lots more, explore Jovial Foods and Einkorn.com.

Whole einkorn berries

Why use einkorn flour?

Here are some of the benefits of using this specialty flour:

• It has a notably higher protein content compared to modern wheat (up to 30% difference). 
• Einkorn has a unique starch composition that allows it to be digested and released slowly in a way that doesn’t cause a spike to blood sugars. 
• Weak gluten structure makes it ideal for people sensitive to gluten. While einkorn is definitely not recommended for those with celiac disease, those with gluten intolerance might find it easier to digest than ordinary wheat products. It’s always good to consult with your health care practitioner if you have food allergies or intolerances and want to slowly introduce any new food.
• Einkorn has a better nutrient profile than modern wheat varieties. It provides abundance of  B vitamins, Vitamin A, and iron. It’s high in protein and fiber. Here’s a more thorough look at einkorn’s nutritional properties.

Buying and storing 

Einkorn flour can be found in natural foods stores and is readily available from many online sources. You can also purchase it directly from two of its main producers, Jovial Foods and Einkorn.com, referenced above If your local natural foods retailer doesn’t carry it, ask them to special order it for you — it’s not hard to come by!

Einkorn’s low fat content will prevent it from going rancid quickly, but still, you should store it carefully. It will keep at room temperature for several months in its original packaging, but you might consider transferring it to tightly lidded storage jars. If your kitchen is warm during summer months, store in the refrigerator, either in its original package or in a jar.

Tips For Using Einkorn Flour

Higher concentration of both nutrients and flavors makes it a beneficial and delectable flour to use in whatever recipes you’d normally use unbleached white or whole wheat pastry flour. 

Much like any other flour variant, einkorn flour has its unique characteristics and composition that makes it react in a fairly unique way. Since the use of this ancient flour is relatively new in modern baking, it’s important to know how to properly use it in recipes.

Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind when using einkorn flour in baking: 

• This flour is known to absorb less water or liquid compared to other flour variants. Taking this into consideration, it is important to tweak your recipe accordingly so that a dough or batter using einkorn flour would be able to absorb moisture better. Consider cutting liquid ingredients 20 to 40% percent less than usual when using einkorn flour.  
• Avoid simply adding more flour to your dough to come up with a more manageable and regular dough consistency. Instead, add other ingredients, such as a tablespoon of coconut flour, that will help the flour dough absorb liquid and moisture better.  
• In relation to its non-absorbent nature, baking time are notably shorter when baking yeasted or sourdough bread using einkorn flour.  
• Bread made with einkorn flour doesn’t need kneading simply because it doesn’t need to develop gluten. Simply let the dough rest for longer and avoid mixing the dough using a stand mixer so that you have full control on how the dough is mixed.  

Einkorn Sourdough Artisan Bread by Jovial Foods

Einkorn flour recipes (vegan)

You’ll find this flour to be quite versatile, useful for baking anything from cookies to hearty sourdough breads.

• Vegan Einkorn Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Einkorn Cocoa Walnut Cookies
• Easy No-Knead Einkorn Bread
• Vegan Quick Sprouted Einkorn Flat Bread
• Fluffy Einkorn Dinner Rolls — No Yeast
• Apple Einkorn Breakfast Bake
• No-Knead Einkorn Sourdough Bread 

Contributed by Bella Cupcake Couture. Want more baking hacks and tips? The pro bakers from Bella Cupcake Couture are happy to help you out. 

More ancient grain guides

• Amaranth
• Farro
• Fonio
• Forbidden Rice
• Freekeh
• Kañiwa
• Quinoa
• Spelt
• Teff

And see more of this site’s Good Food Guides.