Wheat Flour

Wheat flour is a finely milled powder from the endosperm of wheat. It has a soft, powdery texture and a mild, neutral taste; when hydrated and worked, its proteins form gluten that traps gas and builds structure in doughs and batters. Cooks use it to bake breads, cakes, and cookies, make pasta and pastries, and thicken sauces; it is commonly sold as all-purpose, bread, and cake flour.

Wheat was first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, and refined white flour spread widely with the rise of roller milling in the 19th century. Today large-scale milling and enrichment produce consistent flour for bakeries and home kitchens across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and much of Asia.