All-Purpose Flour
The workhorse of baking — a medium-protein flour that handles everything.
What Is All-Purpose Flour?
All-purpose flour (AP flour) is made from a blend of hard and soft wheats, giving it a medium protein content of 10-12%. This makes it versatile enough for cookies, cakes, breads, and pastries.
Protein Content Matters
Protein = gluten. More protein means more chew (good for bread), less protein means more tenderness (good for cakes). AP flour sits in the middle: - Cake flour: 7-8% protein (very tender) - All-purpose: 10-12% protein (versatile) - Bread flour: 12-14% protein (very chewy)
US vs EU
- US: All-purpose flour is the standard, most-used flour
- EU/UK: "Plain flour" is the equivalent — same protein content, different name
When to Use AP Flour
- Cookies (except very chewy ones — use bread flour)
- Cakes (except very tender ones — use cake flour)
- Pie crusts
- Quick breads and muffins
- Pastry dough
- Thickening sauces (as a roux)
Bleached vs Unbleached
Both work identically in recipes. Bleached flour is treated with chemicals to whiten and soften it. Unbleached is more natural. Choose based on preference.