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Home » Gluten-Free Baking » The Ultimate Guide to Sweet Rice Flour

The Ultimate Guide to Sweet Rice Flour

By Georgina Hartley  •  Published August 25, 2017  •  Updated May 29, 2021

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This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosures.

collage of images, cheese sauce, flour on a plate, mince pies and pastry case. The Ultimate Guide to Sweet Rice flour written in the cetnre.

Sweet Rice Flour is the secret weapon you need to know about for your gluten-free kitchen. It also goes by its alternative name ‘glutinous rice flour,’ although it contains no gluten. It is an invaluable gluten-free flour as its high starch content makes it ideal for thickening sauces, pancakes, batters and making all kinds of moist sweet bakes including beautifully textured gluten-free cakes.

image collage of different bakes and flour. Ultimate Guide to sweet rice flour title in centre this recipe

Sweet rice flour will soon become the most indispensable flour in your gluten-free kitchen. It has a unique starchy content which becomes chewy and stretchy when cooked and so is an excellent mimic for the elastic properties of gluten. This means that it is an absolute stalwart ingredient and creates:

  • moist and well-structured gluten-free cakes
  • good gluten-free pastry which flakes rather than crumbles
  • thick batters
  • silky smooth sauces
Sweet Rice Flour on a metal plate with a wooden spoon

Table of contents

  • What is sweet rice flour?
  • Why is sweet rice flour so sticky?
  • Sweet rice flour vs. rice flour
  • Sweet rice flour uses
    • Baking with sweet rice flour
      • What are the disadvantages of using sweet rice flour in baking?
      • How much sweet rice flour should you use in bakes?
    • Sauces and batters
  • What is sweet rice flour used for?
  • Where to buy sweet rice flour
  • How to store it
  • Substitute for sweet rice flour
    • Baking recipes
    • Sauces or stews
  • More gluten-free flour posts

What is sweet rice flour?

Sweet rice flour is a starchy flour ground from short grain glutinous ‘sticky’ rice. Often labelled as 'glutinous rice flour,' although it contains no gluten, instead the name refer to it being 'glue-like' or sticky. You can also find it labelled 'mochiko flour' as it is the correct flour used to make mochi, the delicious Japanese rice cake.

Although it's called 'sweet' rice flour it is not sugary sweet but mild and delicate of flavour.

flours in a mixing bowl whisked together for gluten free pastry

Why is sweet rice flour so sticky?

The starch found in rice is comprised of :

  • Amylose - form of resistant starch
  • Amylopectin - responsible for the sticky qualities

Sweet rice contains more amylopectin than regular rice due to a selected mutation made by farmers.

Sweet rice flour vs. rice flour

Sweet rice flour is not the same ingredient as rice flour. I'm sure you are more familiar with the latter flour since it is a common ingredient widely sold in most supermarkets in the gluten-free aisle. It is, however, a completely different ingredient to sweet rice flour and the two flours unfortunately are not interchangeable as they play opposing roles:

  • Rice Flour is ground from medium-long grain rice and gives lightness and crunch to a recipe. It can be quite gritty depending on the grind and doesn't absorb liquid well. Read more >>> The Ultimate Guide to Rice Flour
  • Sweet Rice Flour is ground from sticky glutinous rice and is a light powdery flour which gives soft and sticky results. It's excellent at absorbing liquid which is why it creates such lovely smooth sauces.

Sweet rice flour uses

Sweet rice flour has a high starch content which enables the proteins in the flour to glue together. If you have tasted mochi you will know that it has a discernible chewiness. If we harness this chewiness in the right way then we can use the sweet rice flour to mimic the elasticity of the gluten. It also has a high absorption quality and as such sweet rice flour works very well in gluten-free baking, sauces and gravies.

Best Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake on a cake stand on a wooden table

Baking with sweet rice flour

When we remove gluten from our cakes we are removing the essential component needed for gluing our cake together. As it heats, gluten swells, forming an intricate network of gluten strands which provide baked goods with their elasticity. This is how you achieve bouncy sponges and pastry that doesn't crumble.

The best reason for using sweet rice flour in baking is its 'glue-like' binding properties. The high starch content in the sweet rice flour mimics the elasticity of gluten when heated and added to liquid.

By using sweet rice flour as part of a blend of gluten-free flours including some wholegrains we can create cakes, pastries and desserts that are moist with a little stretch or bounce and great structure.

A slice of lemon caramel cake on a plate

Pro Tip: Sweet rice flour is also such a great binder and gives gluten-free baking a lovely tender crumb that by using it you negate the need for xanthan gum.

READ MORE >>> Why I don't bake with xanthan gum

Sweet rice flour will give our baking excellent binding, moistness and a distinctive sweet taste. What could go wrong?

Sliced Pumpkin Bread on a wooden board

What are the disadvantages of using sweet rice flour in baking?

  • Great texture means a delicate balance. For all the reasons that sweet rice flour is an excellent alternative flour it is also true that you don’t want to go overboard in its usage. The moisture that sweet rice flour gives our bakes needs to be kept in check lest your cake loses its sponginess and just becomes really wet and chewy.
  • Flavour can overwhelm, Used in the right amounts and as part of a flour blend sweet rice flour can compliment the other flours. However, the wonderfully distinctive sweet taste of this flour which is delicious in moderation can suddenly overwhelm a cake if used in excess. If you’re not judicious in its usage you’ll soon find all your cakes taste the same whether they are pumpkin, vanilla or banana.

Pro Tip: Do note, if you add acidity to sweet rice flour it exacerbates the thickening qualities of the flour. So be wary of adding too much lemon juice, buttermilk or other acids if you are using a large quantity of sweet rice flour in your recipe.

How much sweet rice flour should you use in bakes?

To reap all the benefits of sweet rice flour it is best used blended with other gluten-free flours to achieve perfect gluten-free bakes.

Try not to use more than about 40% in the overall blend for light and fluffy results that don’t taste overwhelmingly of sweet rice flour.

Gluten-Free Cheese Sauce in a saucepan on a wooden board

Sauces and batters

Sweet rice flour will soon become the most hard-working flour in your kitchen. Not only is it invaluable in baking but it is also an absolute star ingredient in gluten-free savoury recipes too. In fact it is the best gluten-free flour for making delicious smooth and cohesive sauces.

Sweet rice flour has a quality that stops liquids for separating so is a wonderful thickener for gravies and sauces without being gritty or grainy or having an overwhelming taste.

You can swap plain all-purpose flour for sweet rice flour 1:1 in any sauce that is made with a roux like a gravy or cheese sauce or bechamel.

Gluten-Free Gravy being poured out of a gravy boat over a plate of roast chicken and vegetables

Due to its slightly chewy properties sweet rice flour is also a delicious choice of flour in batters when used alongside another crisp light starch.

This recipe for English Pancakes used half sweet rice flour and half rice flour for the perfect crisp, stretchy consistency that is ideal for pancake day.

A plate of pancakes with ice cream, maple syrup and a fruit platter

What is sweet rice flour used for?

If you want to know what to do with sweet rice flour then visit this wide ranging round-up of recipes which use gluten-free flour:

READ MORE >>> 31 Sweet Rice Flour Recipes

Here you'll find a huge variety of recipes from cakes to pastries to sauces to family dinners.

gluten-free quiche on a wooden board surrounded by salad

Where to buy sweet rice flour

Sweet rice flour is easily found in Asian supermarkets, or even in the Asian aisle of the supermarkets. It can be labelled 'glutinous rice flour' or 'mochiko flour'. Often these bags of flour are not necessarily certified gluten-free so take caution.

You can buy certified gluten-free sweet rice flour reliably from online suppliers.

Image of Sweet Rice Flour (glutinous)

Sweet Rice Flour (glutinous)

Buy Now →

How to store it

Sweet rice flour does not spoil readily and you can store it in a cool dark place in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Substitute for sweet rice flour

Baking recipes

Since sweet rice flour is a starchy flour you will achieve the best results if you swap it within baking recipes for alternative starchy flours:

  • Tapioca flour
  • Potato starch
  • Cornflour ( aka. cornstarch)
  • Arrowroot powder

These flours won't produce exactly the same result so you may have to adjust some of the other ingredients depending on the recipe.

Sauces or stews

If your recipe is a sauce or a roux you can swap the sweet rice flour for an alternative starch but you will have to cook it differently. Sweet rice flour can be added straight into the saucepan along with the fat to make the roux (the same as plain all-purpose flour) and heated with the liquid to thicken. However, the other starchy flours need to be made into a slurry with cold water and added to the finished sauce or stew in order to thicken.

More gluten-free flour posts

  • The Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free and Alternative Flours
  • Nut Flours
  • White Rice Flour
  • Buckwheat Flour
  • Tapioca Flour
  • Oat Flour
  • Teff Flour
  • Sorghum Flour

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melanie says

    March 23, 2022 at 6:42 pm

    This is wonderful!! Due to health reasons, I am on a lot fodmap and low histamine diet. Rice is one of my safe foods that don't cause symptoms to flare but was having a hard time finding info on the sweet rice flour and how to actually use it. Xanthan gum also bothers me and it's hard to find ANY GF recipes without xanthan gum. I can bake just about anything regularly but with numerous sensitivities that developed after mold exposure, I'm subbing everything out and has been a chore. As I heal, I should be able to introduce more of the foods back in but for time being, I have to eat! Anyways, thanks for much for sharing this info!

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      March 24, 2022 at 10:52 am

      Hi Melanie, you are so welcome. I'm so happy you found the information you needed - I have so many uses for sweet rice flour - it's an excellent choice for so many bakes. All the recipes on my website are free of xanthan gum so I hope you also find that helpful - if you are looking for anything in particular please let me know!

      Reply
  2. Clori Ley says

    March 08, 2022 at 4:12 pm

    Hello Georgina, I understand that you don't use xanthan gum in your flour mixtures, however I'm just wondering if I use all purpose GF flour which contains xanthan gum would I still be able use use the glutinous rice flour and would you be able to recommend how much.
    For instance if 2 c. of GF all purpose flour is called for and idea of how much GR flour?

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      March 08, 2022 at 10:09 pm

      Hi Clori, yes you can use the glutinous rice flour. How much you want to include depends on a few things. First of all it depends on the brand of all purpose GF flour that you are using and what the flours are in the blend. Every brand is different and some already have sweet rice flour in them (or a lot of another kind of starch) so you might want to be careful on how much extra you add. The other it would depend upon would be what you want to make with your flour, what texture you want your bake to have. The more sweet rice flour you have the stickier the flour and can become quite 'chewy'. This can be a lovely texture in some quick breads, muffins and cookies but may not be what you are after. It's best to experiment and you might find you add different amounts of sweet rice flour depending on what you are baking. I hope that helps.

      Reply
  3. Kelly Schlee says

    February 02, 2022 at 3:12 pm

    Hello,
    Due to some crazy allergies, I am needing to learn more about gluten & wheat free flour baking. Very glad that stumbled upon your site. I have a question though. My daughter is allergic to white rice, but not brown rice. So I am confused with what sweet rice is. I don't want to use it if it will cause my daughter issues. Also I noticed that the majority of your advice is for sweet baking. Do you have anything for baking bread, like a sandwich bread?
    Thanks for the great source of information.
    Kelly

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      February 02, 2022 at 8:44 pm

      Allergies are so individual that I couldn't give you clear guidance on whether sweet rice flour would be an issue. You would need to know what is it exactly about the white rice that your daughter is allergic to, I'm interested to know what would make it different from brown rice - it must be something very particular about white rice. I would image that she may have the same issues with the glutinous rice (which is what sweet rice flour is milled from) since it is also a type of white rice. I have many savoury recipes too - and several bread recipes - here is the bread section. Here is my recipe for Gluten-Free White Sandwich Loaf - which is a rice free recipe!!

      Reply
      • kelly says

        February 04, 2022 at 11:15 pm

        Thank you. She doesnt have an issue with brown rice, just white rice (it was quite the food allergy test). I found your bread section and am excited to try a few recipes for her (and I) now that I have found a few of the other ingredients we needed.

      • Georgina Hartley says

        February 05, 2022 at 4:02 pm

        That's great to hear - I'd love to know what you try!

  4. Tanya Hudson says

    December 15, 2021 at 5:14 pm

    Hello, Georgina! I'm curious if you have a rule of thumb for subbing xanthan gum with sweet rice flour. For example, a certain amount sweet rice flour has approximately the same binding power as a certain amount of xanthan gum. (Hope that makes sense.) Thanks!

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      December 15, 2021 at 5:36 pm

      Hi Tanya, it's a great question but I don't actually sub out the xanthan gum for sweet rice flour. I just don't use xanthan gum. I know it's not a terribly helpful answer but xanthan gum is not something I take into consideration when building my recipes, instead I focus on having the perfect balance of starchy and wholegrain flours.

      Reply
  5. Jeni Fisher says

    April 14, 2021 at 5:17 pm

    Hi! Do you still use other starches (such as potato, tapioca or arrowroot) in your blends if you’re using sweet rice flour?

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      April 14, 2021 at 8:55 pm

      Yes, and I usually do. If you use too much sweet rice flour the bake can be a little chewy. Adding another starch helps to avoid this.

      Reply
  6. Sandra Amos says

    March 13, 2021 at 10:26 am

    Hi Georgina
    I have just messaged you under your pastry recipe that uses sweet rice flour, and after reading this article (just found) I have answered my questions. I would still appreciate your thoughts on recommendation for flour or are they all of a similar quality?
    Many thanks
    Sandra

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      March 13, 2021 at 12:37 pm

      Hi Sandra, I'll answer in both places in case it helps other readers too. In general, yes they are of a similar quality, although each brand is slightly different. It's negligible. I often buy my sweet rice flour from our local Asian supermarket as it is the most affordable - since I use a lot!! However, it is not certified gluten-free - so if that is important to your health then you are best to use the more expensive brands which say on the label that they are certified.

      Reply
      • Sandra Amos says

        March 13, 2021 at 10:44 pm

        Thank you for both responses, they are really helpful. No, not coeliac so will order from Amazon. I want to try your pastry recipe soon so must get ordering.
        I am loving your site, so informative. So much to learn and try to understand. I have been gluten free for about 18 months and cooking/baking for a lifetime so lots to get my head around.
        Sandra

  7. Georgie Soskin says

    March 08, 2021 at 3:09 pm

    Hi there. Love your blog/ website.
    Where do you get your sweet rice flour from?

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      March 08, 2021 at 5:23 pm

      Hi Georgie, I get my sweet rice flour via Amazon >>> Gluten-Free Sweet Rice Flour and it's certified gluten-free. However, you can buy it at Asian supermarkets, it's labelled as glutinous rice flour or mochi flour.

      Reply
  8. Sally Weidemann says

    March 06, 2021 at 5:00 pm

    You’ve provided wonderful information. Thank you. My question is, can I substitute sweet white rice flour in a recipe that calls for sweet brown rice flour?

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      March 07, 2021 at 8:34 pm

      Hi Sally, I don't know about sweet brown rice flour. However, regular brown rice flour cannot be substituted as it is a wholegrain flour whereas sweet rice flour is a starchy flour. They behave very differently and cannot be substituted.

      Reply
      • Nat says

        October 27, 2021 at 2:28 pm

        Hello. I am not looking to bake gluten free however my recipe calls for sweet rice flour. Would I be able to substitute that for regular all purpose flour? Is it an equal ratio?

        Thank you

      • Georgina Hartley says

        October 28, 2021 at 8:56 am

        Yes you can replace wheat flour into a sweet rice flour recipe. However, it would give a completely different result to the bake as the the sweet rice flour texture is very unique. It really depends on what you are baking as to whether you can replace 1:1.

  9. Marlene from Carlton says

    February 25, 2021 at 3:40 am

    Georgina it is problematic trying to purchase ;"sweet rice flour" or sticky rice flour for this reason;- they are not labeled sweet rice flour or sticky rice flour.
    I would like to know were in Melbourne I can purchase these products marked at I have stated above.
    Like you live in Melbourne to. Maybe the name of the business who sells these products would also be very helpful.

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      February 25, 2021 at 11:51 am

      Hi Marlene, Sweet rice flour is also called Glutinous Rice Flour. I believe you can buy it in the Asian aisle of supermarkets in Australia. I have heard of it being available at Coles.

      Reply
  10. Lori Putnam says

    February 02, 2021 at 2:16 pm

    The first time I knew there was a real difference was when I had Mochiko chicken in Maui. It is so delicious and can only be made with sweet rice flour. I am so glad to find your article here!

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      February 04, 2021 at 10:41 am

      Mochiko chicken sounds delicious - I must look out for that recipe!

      Reply
  11. SusieQ says

    August 27, 2020 at 6:23 pm

    Can I sub sweet brown rice flour for a recipe that calls for brown rice flour?
    Is there a conversion?
    Thanks in advance. 🙂

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      August 27, 2020 at 8:02 pm

      No, they are very different. Sweet brown rice flour is the wholegrain glutinous rice flour. Brown rice flour is the wholegrain version of regular white rice flour. Your recipe would not turn out as intended and you are much better to sub in white rice flour if you have it.

      Reply
  12. Katie says

    April 10, 2020 at 7:46 pm

    HI -- I would like access to your cheatsheet, etc. Would you please email me? Thank you!
    Katie

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      April 11, 2020 at 12:52 am

      Hi Katie, you can download it at the link here!

      Reply
  13. Sho says

    March 18, 2020 at 9:17 pm

    How would you tell ordinary rice flour and glutinous/sweet rice flour apart at home?....I have a tub of something lingering at the back of my cupboard and it is either of the two but I don't know which as the label is long gone! Would there be a way to test that would confirm which it is do you think?

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      April 02, 2020 at 7:16 am

      Sweet rice flour is often finer and more powdery than white rice flour. However, it really depends on the brands. The best way is to taste. White rice flour will be a little more gritty and not taste of anything whereas sweet rice flour has a very subtle delicate sweet taste.

      Reply
  14. Jesi says

    February 08, 2020 at 1:11 am

    Have you found a good substitute for sweet white rice when it come to a all purpose flour? (allergic to rice, wheat, buckwheat, oats) Do you have a all purpose blend you use? I am trying to configure an all purpose, pastry, bread, flour blends!
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      February 08, 2020 at 7:36 am

      If you are allergic to rice then I think that almond flour is your best bet. It gives good structure and bounce to bakes. I don't usually use an all-purpose blend as I tailor the flours to suit the cake I am baking. But if you can't have sweet rice flour then try experimenting with almond flour as it's very versatile too.

      Reply
      • JESI PUNG-PAQUETTE says

        February 10, 2020 at 2:44 pm

        Its here now!! Sorry I re-posted because for some reason my comment was not showing up!
        Eventually that is what I want to do...but I think if I can get a AP down that is a good start. I know Almond flour tends to be a little heavier (good for breads) of a flour so would you use less of it or cut the amount with a medium flour.

      • Georgina Hartley says

        February 11, 2020 at 9:25 am

        Hi Jesi, you are right that almond flour tends to be a little heavier so if you are looking for a lighter flour blend you will need to blend it with other flours. I don't know if you've had a look at my Guide to Gluten-Free Flours but that would be a really good place for you to start to develop your AP blend and it explains what ratios of starch to wholegrain flours you should use. Download my Gluten-Free Flours Cheatsheet as well which will give you a definitive list of the most common gluten-free flours for you to make up the blend. If you don't have any allergies to sorghum then that would be a lovely flour to include in an AP blend along with the almond flour. It is not neutral tasting but it's earthiness does go very well with most flavours, in particular it's very good with vanilla.

  15. Corinne says

    January 24, 2020 at 6:17 pm

    I need how to measure Sweet Rice Flour when recipe uses Sweet Rice - grains.

    Equivalency...?

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      January 28, 2020 at 10:24 am

      It completely depends what the recipe is. Are you trying to use sweet rice flour in place of the sweet rice?

      Reply
  16. Kristina says

    January 11, 2020 at 6:08 pm

    nuts.com carries some very nice gluten-free flours.
    Thanks for the info on the difference between rice flours. I am just getting started on gluten-free baking. I have an intolerance that Is contributing to my chronic inflammation. This is a hard thing to change after years of regular wheat products, but thanks to people like you It can be done.

    Reply
    • Georgina Hartley says

      January 17, 2020 at 9:34 am

      It's a hard switch to make at first but once you get the hang of the GF flours then you'll find a world of possibilities opening to you!

      Reply
  17. Iwona says

    December 13, 2018 at 8:56 pm

    Have you tried grinding your own sweet rice flour? I am very interested in trying this flour in my baking but really like doing my own whenever possible and cutting out the big boys (Amazon!)

    Reply
    • Georgina says

      December 14, 2018 at 1:46 pm

      I haven't actually. I do have a vitamix, but can you get the same finely ground powder as the bought stuff? I thought you needed a proper rice mill. Let me know if you give it a go and how you get on!!

      Reply
  18. Marie-France says

    August 14, 2018 at 3:36 pm

    Do you use xanthum gum if you are using sweet rice flour?

    Reply
    • Georgina says

      August 14, 2018 at 3:53 pm

      No, I don't use xanthan gum at all in any of my baking and try to use a combination of flours which mean that the xanthan gum (which is used for thickening and adding elasticity to the bakes) isn't necessary.

      Reply
    • Jana says

      June 09, 2019 at 8:27 am

      I've got a question: Is sweet rice flour the same as sticky rice flour?

      Reply
      • Georgina Hartley says

        June 10, 2019 at 6:54 pm

        Yes it's the same.

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Hello, so lovely of you to drop by. I am Georgina. I bake a lot, eat a lot and love writing about my gluten-free kitchen adventures here. I run a gluten-free cake business but am mostly kept busy with my 2 cats, 1 dog, 1 husband, 2 gorgeous sons and twin baby girls.

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