Eating low carb eliminates a lot of traditional baked goods like breads, cookies, and even sandwiches.

There are about 24 grams of carbs in ¼ cup of wheat flour (even whole wheat flour), so if you’re eating a low carb (usually 50 grams of carbs or less per day), that’s at least half of your daily carbs! Not gonna cut it.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy alternatives breads and treats!

There are plenty of low carb flour options available today—thanks to a variety of low carb flour options. And certain options are better than others when it comes to mimicking the taste and textures of wheat flour-based products.

Healthiest 7 Low Carb Flours to Use Daily

Here are the best low carb flour alternatives and how to use them.

1. Almond Flour for Low Carb Everything

Almond flour is simply whole almonds (minus the skins) ground up into a flour-like texture.

There’s also almond meal, which has a coarser texture because it typically uses almonds with the skins. However, the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

Almond flour is great for low carb cookies, low carb cakes, low carb breads, and similar baked goods.

Almond Flour Nutrition

¼ cup of almond flour contains:

• 150 calories
• 11g fat
• 6g protein
• 3g fiber
• Net carbs in almond flour: 3g

Almonds are naturally low carb and also high in protein and calcium, making them one of the healthiest low carb flours available.

Baking with Almond Flour

If substituting almond flour for wheat flour in baking recipes, you’ll probably need to add an extra egg or two (or additional egg replacer) to hold the recipe together. Almond meal is much more crumbly than wheat-based flour.

For best results, look for low carb recipes already using almond flour instead of trying to make substitutions.

2. Coconut Flour

Coconut flour is actually a byproduct of making coconut milk.

During the milk-making process, the coconut meat is soaked. This forms a leftover pulp that’s then dried and ground to make a soft, fluffy coconut flour!

Coconut Flour Nutrition

Coconut flour is a great source of fiber and the healthy saturated fat lauric acid.

¼ cup of coconut flour contains:

• 120 calories
• 4g fat
• 4g protein
• 10g fiber
• Net carbs in coconut flour: 6g

How to Use Coconut Flour

Since coconut flour is so high in fiber, recipes made with it need a lot of liquid. Coconut flour is good for thickening gravies and sauces and adding a slight sweetness to baked goods and dishes.

It’s a good flour to use in low carb muffins, low carb cookies, or as a low carb batter for meats.

You can’t sub coconut flour for wheat flour 1:1 in a recipe. Most baking experts recommend replacing up to 20 percent of wheat flour with coconut flour and including around 3-5 eggs for each cup of coconut flour used. That increases the nutrition and fiber content, but it won’t usually make the recipe low carb.

That’s why, like with almond flour, you’ll want to search for a low carb recipe made specifically with coconut flour for best results.

3. Flaxseed Flour

Flaxseed flour is also known as ground flaxseed or flaxseed meal. You should always consume your flax seeds ground, as the whole seeds won’t provide any nutritional benefit.

Flaxseeds are also a great source of alpha lipoic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid that supports brain function. They also provide protein and a good source of plant-based fiber.

Flaxseed Flour Nutrition

¼ cup of flaxseed flour contains:

• 140 calories
• 9g fat
• 6g protein
• 3g fiber
• 1g net carbs

How to Use Flaxseed Flour

Ground flaxseeds serve two purposes in baking recipes:

1. As a flour
2. And as an egg replacer/binder

Flaxseed flour is best used as a complement to a recipe and not the sole flour.

Add it to low carb cookies, low carb breads, and other baking recipes to boost the fiber and nutrition. Or whisk it with water (three tablespoons water per tablespoon of ground flaxseeds) to make an egg substitute.

4. Sunflower Seed Flour

Sunflower seed flour is a good alternative if you can’t have nut-based flours. It’s high in vitamins and minerals and has very similar properties to almond flour. It’s also much more stable than flaxseed meal, so it’ll last you longer.

Sunflower Seed Flour Nutrition

¼ cup sunflower seed flour contains:

• 227 calories
• 17g fat
• 4g protein
• 5g fiber
• 3g net carbs

Sunflower seed flour can usually replace almond flour 1:1 in low carb baking recipes. If using it in place of coconut flour, increase the amount of sunflower seed flour and decrease the liquid in the recipe.

5. Pumpkin Seed Flour

Pumpkin seed flour is another good nut-free low carb flour option that provides important nutrients, fiber, and healthy fats. It’s an excellent source of protein too.

Pumpkin Seed Flour Nutrition

¼ cup of pumpkin seed flour contains:

• 180 calories
• 14g fat
• 9g protein
• 3g fiber
• 1g net carbs

Pumpkin seed flour can be great in low carb brownies, low carb pumpkin bread, cookies, muffins, and pancakes. The rules for subbing sunflower seed flour also apply to pumpkin seed flour.

6. Psyllium Husk

Psyllium husk is a form of fiber taken from a plant husk. It’s not actually considered a flour but can be added to low carb recipes to increase the fiber content and provide more of a bread-like taste.

Psyllium Husk Nutrition

1 tsp psyllium husk powder contains:

• 15 calories
• 0g fat
• 0g protein
• 3g fiber
• 1g net carbs

Psyllium husk shouldn’t be used as a 1:1 substitute for any flour but rather a flour-like supplement to recipes:

• Add between one teaspoon and one tablespoon to baked good recipes for added fiber. Just be sure to increase liquids in the recipe by 2-3 tablespoons.
• Use it as a substitute for xanthan gum in gluten free muffins, breads, or cookies. Sub 2:1.
• For an egg replacer, mix one tablespoon psyllium fiber with three tablespoons water per egg. Let the mixture sit for five minutes before adding to recipe.

7. Low Carb Flour Mixes for Pancakes and Baking

If you don’t want to bother with measuring low carb flour amounts or figuring out substitutes yourself, a low carb baking mix can work well. They’re convenient and generally turn out well.

You can also search online for easy baking mix recipes to throw together at home.

And remember that gluten free baking mix doesn’t mean low carb baking mix. Gluten-free mixes often use rice flours and potato starches, which are higher in carbs.

Thankfully, “low carb” today doesn't mean you have to miss out on much. For more healthy baking ingredients, shop our healthy Baking and Cake Decorating and Sweeteners.