I Asked 9 Bakers To Name the Best All-Purpose Flour—They All Said the Same Brand

It’s been around since 1790 (yes, you read that right).

When I first started baking, I was overwhelmed by the sheer variety of flours available. Walking down the baking aisle, I'd see rows upon rows of different brands and types of flour, each promising the perfect bake.

It’s so tough to decide between the options when baking already has so many variables. It’s not uncommon for something to go wrong… but it can be hard to draw the issue back to the origin of the problem.

Unlike fruits or vegetables, you can't justify your decision by taste-testing it before committing. After too many baking attempts that offered puck-like cookies and some rather dense cakes, I realized the importance of choosing the right flour. To settle the battle of the flours once and for all, I decided to turn to the experts.

The Panel of Bakers and Experts

To get a definitive answer, I reached out to some of the most respected bakers in the industry. Their combined experience and knowledge are unparalleled, making them the perfect panel to determine the best flour. 

• Dan Pelosi: Known as @grossypelosi, author of the cookbook Let’s Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart & Home
• Becca Newman: Pastry chef and Culinary & Operations Director at Librae Bakery
• Anthea: Chef, recipe developer, and cookbook author behind Rainbow Nourishments
• Lindsay Landis: Cookbook author and baker behind Love & Olive Oil
• Katarina Cermelj: Food writer, photographer, and creator of The Loopy Whisk, where she shares allergy-friendly recipes
• Auzerais Bellamy: Founder of Blondery, a luxury bakery that specializes in the art of elevated baked goods
• Ali Schwartz: Microbaker at The Village Bakehouse
• Lizzie Lin Johnson: Owner of Lizzie’s Bakery
• Paola Velez: Afro-Dominican pastry chef and author of the cookbook Bodega Bakes

The Best All-Purpose Flour, According to Bakers and Pastry Chefs

After hearing what these expert bakers had to say, one brand stood out above the rest: King Arthur All-Purpose Flour. The consensus among the pros is that King Arthur delivers consistent, high-quality results no matter what you're baking. Its versatility and reliability make it a staple in their kitchens.

King Arthur Baking Company, founded in 1790, is America's oldest flour company. It started as a family-owned business importing flour from England. Over the centuries, it has grown into a trusted brand known for its high-quality, consistent products and commitment to baking education. No wonder the bakers and pastry chefs I spoke to are big fans.

Auzerais, Ali, and Lizzie did not hesitate—their top pick for the best all-purpose flour for baking is King Arthur.

Becca relies on King Arthur's all-purpose flour for its consistently good quality. "I buy King Arthur… it’s perfect if you want something widely available in the grocery store and only want to keep one flour on hand!”

Anthea appreciates the convenience of buying King Arthur in large quantities. “I like them because I can get really big bags, which means fewer trips to the store!”

Lindsay uses King Arthur's all-purpose flour for all baking except when feeding her sourdough starter—in that instance, she prefers King Arthur's organic flour.

Paola highlights the practicality and quality of King Arthur Flour. “Even when I worked in an industrial kitchen, I gravitated towards using King Arthur all-purpose flour. In my home pantry right now, I have [King Arthur's] 00 pizza flour, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and bread flour. It is easy to find in various supermarkets and wholesalers.

"King Arthur flour also boasts of having no GMOs, no bleaches, no bromates, or artificial preservatives, but for folks that don't understand why that can affect your scratch baked goods, just know that this flour has great flavor for your everyday bakes.”

Dan loves King Arthur and adds, "I love their social media presence and how they converse with the people who use their products! They also have an incredible recipe database and use some of my favorite bakers to develop recipes. They really have a strong community built around their fantastic products!”

Looking for a Gluten-Free Option?

Katarina is an allergy-friendly recipe expert and a fan of King Arthur's two gluten-free flours: Gluten-Free Measure for Measure and Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour.

“Both will give you very good results [when used instead of regular all-purpose flour]. The main difference is that the Measure for Measure contains binders like xanthan gum and cellulose gum while the Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour doesn't. When you bake a cake, cookie, or brownie recipe, you don't need to add any xanthan gum if you're using Measure for Measure, but you may need it for the Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour.