Spelt flour

Spelt flour is a flour milled from spelt, a hulled ancient wheat, and can be used much like wheat flour.

Spelt flour: A wooden scoop filled with pale tan spelt flour resting on a mound of flour, beside a small pile of whole spelt grains with their light brown hulls removed.
  • Baking ingredients and additives

Spelt is a hulled wheat, and a Penn State plant science page notes it has the same hexaploid chromosome count as modern wheat. It can be dehulled and ground into white and whole wheat flour for baking.

A Utah State University Extension handout says spelt flour can be made from spelt berries in a grain mill or bought as whole grain flour, and that it can be used as you would use wheat flour for breads, pancakes, muffins, cookies and more.

Because it is a relative of common wheat, spelt contains gluten, so it is not a gluten-free substitute. Bakers often notice a slightly nutty flavor, and doughs may feel softer than those made with standard wheat flour. As with other whole grain flours, whole spelt flour keeps best cool and tightly covered.

Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Ancient Grains: Spelt, Penn State Department of Plant Science
  2. Cooking with Spelt, Utah State University Extension