6 Easy Ways to Thicken Batter Without Flour

Thickening batter so that it isn’t too thin is an essential step in many recipes. Whether you are out of flour or just wanting to eat healthier, finding a suitable substitute can be challenging. The good news is that there are a number of healthier options out there.

The best way to thicken batter without flour is by substituting cornstarch or tapioca starch. Other good options include arrowroot, potato starch, flaxseeds, or chia seeds. Which you choose will depend on the type of recipe and your individual health needs.

Please keep reading to learn which are the best substitutes to thicken batter without flour and how to do it.

1. Tapioca Starch

Many people use tapioca starch as a thickening agent in sweet and salty dishes. It is used to thicken soups, stews, and gravies and add moisture to baked goods. 

It has a neutral flavor, and it is a very effective thickening agent. Tapioca starch is able to withstand the cycle of freezing and thawing without breaking down or losing its structure. 

You can buy Tapioca starch in the form of flour or flakes. It is non-transparent before you start cooking it, but it becomes transparent when mixed with water. You can also get Tapioca starch in the form of pearls. These pearls are off-white, but they can be found in almost any color. They are usually used for deserts and come in small and large sizes. When you cook them, they become chewy and gummy. 

Tapioca is usually used for tapioca pudding, desserts, boba tea, and other candies. It has more thickening power and is usually less expensive than flour. 

It doesn’t have any particular taste on its own; however, it adds texture to desserts. It’s a good thing that Tapioca starch doesn’t taste like anything because that means that it won’t overpower the taste of your batter. 

Tapioca starch is usually sold in the form of pearls that range from 1 millimeter to 8 millimeters in diameter. You can also find it in flakes and powder. In most cases, you will be able to find the pearls in a grocery store in the baking aisle. Tapioca flakes and powder are sold in health food and natural food stores. Once you buy it, you can keep it indefinitely as long as you seal it tightly. It shouldn’t be exposed to heat, moisture, or bugs. It also shouldn’t be stored in the freezer.

2. Cornstarch

The great thing about cornstarch is that most people have it on hand and don’t have to make a special trip to the store to buy it.

Cornstarch is a white powder very similar to flour. It doesn’t have any flavor, which is great because it won’t make your batter taste differently than it should. Using cornstarch as a substitute for flour is excellent for people who are on gluten-free diets. 

The ratio for substituting cornstarch with flour is 1:2, which means that if a recipe calls for 2 cups of flour, you will only add 1 cup of cornstarch. This is because cornstarch is denser than flour.

You shouldn’t add cornstarch directly to your batter because it will form clumps, which are very hard to get rid of. You are supposed to mix cornstarch with a bit of cold water until it dissolves. Then add this into your batter. 

When you add cornstarch to your batter, it will absorb water, which results in a thicker batter. Once you heat the batter, the starch molecules will swell up and consume some more water. 

People who are allergic to gluten know very well how careful you have to be with naturally gluten-free ingredients. This is because those ingredients may be processed in facilities that aren’t gluten-free, which would cause them to potentially become compromised. Even though cornstarch is naturally 100% gluten-free since it’s derived from corn, it’s still possible that it was processed in a facility that isn’t gluten-free. To avoid purchasing cornstarch that is potentially contaminated, make sure you only buy high-quality cornstarch. Gluten-free cornstarch should always have a label that confirms it’s gluten-free.

3. Arrowroot

Arrowroot looks similar to flour in that it is a white powder that doesn’t have any taste. This powder is made out of starches that have been extracted from many different plants, including arrowroot. It works about the same as cornstarch, and it is also denser than flour. When you use arrowroot, your food will get a glossy finish. This is a great substitute for flour for people who are vegan or on a gluten-free and paleo diet. 

It works great for when you want to keep the color of your food clear because arrowroot doesn’t cause it to turn cloudy. 

Make sure you don’t keep arrowroot over high heat for a long time because that reduces its thickening power. 

When used for thickening, arrowroot has to be mixed with cold water, just like cornstarch. Whisk the mixture until it’s smooth, and then add it to your batter. 

You won’t be able to find arrowroot in most stores. You should look for it in stores that are focused on healthy or gluten-free food. It is usually placed near baking supplies or flour. If there are no natural or health food stores near you, you can order it online. When buying arrowroot, make sure that it’s not mixed with potato starch as most low-quality ones are.

Make sure you keep the arrowroot in an airtight container. It should be kept in a dry and cool place, like a cabinet that’s not near an oven. If you store it properly, arrowroot can last between 3 and 4 years. 

It’s very easy for us to digest arrowroot. When you eat arrowroot with a lot of fiber, it can cause you to feel full for a longer time. If we compare arrowroot to other starches, we can conclude that it has fewer calories and more protein than other starches. It is also healthy as it is high in folate, a type of vitamin B, as well as potassium. It’s essential to eat enough potassium because it helps with nerve, muscle, and heart function.

4. Potato Starch

Potato starch is a starch that is derived from potatoes. Just like flour, it is a powder, and it doesn’t have any taste. That being said, it enhances the texture of any food you add it to. Potato starch is also gluten-free, and you can find it in natural and healthy food stores, as well as in kosher stores. 

Potato starch is an excellent option for when you need to make your batter thicker, but you have a gluten allergy. 

To determine how much potato starch you will be using, divide the amount of flour that is stated in the recipe by 2. Make sure you measure the potato starch before mixing it with an equal amount of water and adding it to your batter. 

It would be a good idea to check the flavor occasionally when adding potato starch as a thickener to see if you need to add any pepper and salt. 

It would be best if you always kept potato starch in an airtight container, in a cool and dry place. If the container isn’t sealed correctly, pests will probably attack your potato starch.

5. Flaxseed

People have been using flaxseeds for many years. They were first cultivated in Babylon around 3000 BC. Nowadays, people even give flaxseed to chickens that are laying eggs that have a higher amount of omega-3 fatty acids.

When using flaxseed as a substitute for flour, you will want to do it in a 2:1 ratio, which means that you will add 2 cups of flaxseeds if the recipe calls for 1 cup of flour. You can buy flaxseeds that are pre-grounded, or you can grind them yourself in a coffee grinder.

Flaxseed has a lot of benefits. Some studies suggest that flaxseed may protect people from colon cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer. It is believed flaxseeds protect against cancer because of lignans or antioxidants. This is because lignans have the ability to block enzymes that are involved in hormone metabolism. They are believed to interfere with the growth of tumor cells.

It is believed that flaxseed can lower blood pressure. This could be thanks to omega-3 fatty acids or amino acids, which can be found in flaxseed. A diet rich in omega-3 helps protect against the hardening of arteries. 

Flaxseed also helps regulate your cholesterol levels because it contains lignans, fiber, and omega-3 ALA. 

Flaxseeds come in two types, and those are brown and golden. Usually, you will have an easier time finding brown flaxseed in stores. There isn’t much difference between these two types. 

You don’t have to worry about buying too much flaxseed because you can keep it in the freezer. You can keep them in a plastic sealable bag. Keeping them in the freezer will help protect them from oxidizing and losing their nutritional value. However, whole flaxseeds can last longer. It seems that the outside shell of flaxseeds keeps the fatty acids well-protected. If you buy whole flaxseeds and grind them yourself, it’s best to keep them in a cool and dark place before you grind them. If you purchased high-quality whole flaxseed, it could last for up to a year at room temperature.

6. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are a great and healthy substitute for flour. They can be found in most grocery stores, as well as online. You will need ⅓ cup of chia seeds and mix it with ⅔ cups of water. Wait until the mixture turns to gel, then add this gel to your batter to thicken it.

Even though Mayans and Aztecs used chia in the past, it has only recently been recognized as a superfood. Chia seeds offer many benefits—one reason is that they have many antioxidants. Consuming antioxidants is essential because they fight the production of free radicals. These free radicals can damage cells, and they contribute to aging and the development of cancer.

Same as flaxseeds, chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids. 

Chia seeds are believed to reduce your risk of heart disease because they contain a lot of protein, fiber, and omega-3 acids. They are also high in nutrients that promote bone health, including are calcium, protein, and magnesium. 

It is also believed that chia seeds help you lose weight. This is because it contains a large amount of fiber, which can absorb a lot of water. This causes your stomach to expand, making you feel fuller and slowing down food absorption. It can also help you lose weight because it contains protein, which enables you to reduce your appetite and food intake. 

Some studies conducted on animals discovered that chia seeds could improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control. This means that it stabilizes blood sugar levels after you’ve eaten. 

Chia seeds are great at reducing inflammation. A study was conducted with 20 people who had diabetes. They ate 37 grams of chia seeds every day, and their inflammatory marker hs-CRP has reduced by 40%.

Final Thoughts

Many people are deciding against using refined flour as a thickening agent. Some are doing this because they have gluten allergies, while others do it because they want to use healthier ingredients. You can use many healthier ingredients to thicken your batter that you can find in your local natural and healthy food stores. These substitutes have many health benefits, and you can’t go wrong when choosing one of them. Some of them are great for vegan people or those on special diets.

For more, check out Can I Use Pancake Mix Instead Of Flour? (And 4 Alternatives).