Which Better Basics Flour Should You Use?
A simple guide to our freshly milled lineup and what each flour does best.
If you are new to Better Basics, welcome. This guide exists because freshly milled stone-ground flour behaves a little differently than what you are used to, and knowing which flour to reach for makes all the difference.
Every flour in our lineup is certified organic, stone milled from Canadian Prairie wheat, and free of additives, bleach, and synthetic vitamins. The difference between them comes down to the grain variety and how much of the bran has been sifted out. That is it.
Most recipes substitute 1:1 with our flours, especially the All-Purpose Red Fife. The one adjustment you will most commonly need is a little extra hydration. Freshly milled whole grain flour absorbs water differently than refined flour. Add water slowly, trust the dough, and know that it will always taste better than what you started with.
No synthetic folic acid. No added iron. Ever. Our flour is never enriched. Conventional flour has synthetic folic acid and iron added back after milling under Canadian enrichment regulations. We do not strip the grain in the first place so nothing needs to be replaced. The natural folate in the wheat germ is still intact, exactly where it always was. For people paying attention to synthetic folic acid in their food, whether due to MTHFR gene variants or simply a preference for food that has not been chemically altered, our flour contains none.
Where it all begins
Every flour in our lineup starts as a whole grain wheat berry grown on certified organic Canadian Prairie farms. Understanding the journey from berry to flour makes it easy to choose the right one for your baking.
Same grain. From berry to flour.
Same heritage grain. From berry to flour.
Lightly sifted whole grain flours like our All-Purpose Red Fife and Better Bread Flour are a great transitional flour, a natural step from conventional all-purpose flour into the world of whole grain baking.
Our flours
When choosing between our sifted flours it is important to understand the grain.
Understanding the difference: gluten and why it matters.
Not sure where to start?
It depends on what you bake.
If you make cookies, muffins, banana bread, tortillas, or anything that calls for all-purpose flour, grab the All-Purpose Red Fife. It is made from beautiful organic heritage Red Fife grain, sifted light, and it works 1:1 in almost everything. It is the flour most people fall in love with first.
If you are a bread baker making yeasted loaves, cinnamon buns, naan, rolls, or sourdough, start with Better Bread Flour. It has the protein and gluten strength you need and it performs beautifully right out of the bag.
If you are a hundred percent whole grain person, or you bake traditional South Asian breads like roti, chapati, paratha, or naan, the whole grain options are made for you. Our Whole Grain Wheat Flour is a natural organic substitute for atta flour with real flavour and nothing added.
Here is the simplest way to understand how the lineup fits together:
A note on hydration
Freshly milled whole grain flour absorbs more water than refined flour. If your dough feels stiffer than expected, add water a tablespoon at a time. If a batter seems thick, same approach. It is trial and error at first, but you will get a feel for it quickly. The flavour payoff is worth every experiment.
There are no rules here. Just good grain, milled honest, and food worth making.
Know better. Do better.
It starts with what is in your bag.
All flours are certified organic, stone milled from Canadian Prairie wheat, and shipped fresh to your door.
Shop all flours