Wait, this cookie’s secret ingredient is flour?

Want to know one trick for nuttier, more flavorful cookies? It’s all about the flour.

All-purpose flour might seem like a blank canvas, but it can be an impactful flavor player. You just 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 has almost a campfire-kissed quality — enough to make you ask “What 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 array of flavors — think of the difference between a raw nut and a toasted nut, or the aroma of raw rice versus toasted rice.”

Sarah put this trick to use in her new 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 a second with toasted flour, and we tasted the two side by side. It confirmed that the toasted flour really did make a difference in terms of flavor and texture. The cookies made with toasted flour not only had more complexity, but they were also crumblier and dissolved faster when eaten — more of a ‘melt in your mouth’ texture.” That’s because toasting flour isn’t just about the flavor. Toasting the flour denatures some of its proteins, so when it’s mixed into a dough it forms less gluten. As a result, the cookies take on a sandy, super-tender texture.

Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne

That impact on protein means that toasted flour can’t automatically be substituted into 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 bakes, turn to Claire Saffitz’s Thrice-Baked Rye Cookies, which 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 whoa to whoa) and also inhibits gluten formation by affecting the starches and gluten molecules in the wheat flour, promoting tenderness even further.

Image from Dessert Person by Claire Saffitz

There’s also our Tourte Au Siegle recipe from the King Arthur Big Book of Bread, a classic French loaf that uses toasted rye flour in the dough. “Similar to eating a piece of bread that’s not toasted versus one that is, [toasting] heightens the nuttiness,” says recipe developer Martin Philip. “It heightens the maltiness, it brings out sweetness, it amplifies these characteristics of the flour.” If you’re looking to level up your skills and want to see this technique in action, this recipe is one of the breads featured in our Big Book of Bread Companion On-Demand class.

Ultimately, toasting flour is a simple way to add color and dimension to an oft-overlooked ingredient. As Sarah says: “If white flour is always dressing in neutrals, the moment it's toasted is the moment it's finally pulled out the colorful wardrobe.”

Cover photo (Toasted Flour Shortbread) by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.