What is Tiger Nut Flour
I want to give you a super quick rundown on tiger nut flour before we look at recipes. I find that when you really understand what you’re working with, you’re all the better for it. Tiger nut flour comes from tiger nuts, which are NOT tree nuts. They’re a poorly named small root vegetable (tubers). However, these little root vegetables are a great resistant starch to add to your diet for those who are looking to improve their microbiome and overall prebiotic fiber intake.
Tiger nuts (sometimes called earth almonds) have a naturally sweet flavor, and this is especially amplified if you make tiger nut milk. In addition to milk, the little tubers can be transformed into a range of products, one of which, is tiger nut flour. Know that tiger nut flour has a more nutty flavor, and whilst the sweetness is still there, it’s less pronounced. If it’s your first time working with tigernut flour, and you have a peanut or tree nut allergy, be warned, it will freak you out the first time you taste it because it’s nutty. I know as someone with a tree nut allergy, it took my brain to adjust the first time I tasted it.
Tiger nut flour one of my personal favorite flours to use in my free-from creations because it’s a grain-free flours that can be enjoyed by many including those on a Paleo diet or AIP diet. If you’d like to learn more about the world of all things tiger nuts, check out this handy article.
What are the Qualities and Structure of Tiger Nut Flour
Here’s a quick TL; DR on the overall qualities of tiger nut flour.
- A Gluten Free and Grain Free Flour
- Nutty Flavor
- Natural Sweetness
- Has a bit of a Grainy Consistency (VERY noticeable if you purchase tiger nut butter and eat it straight)
- Produces an incredibly delicate crumb and works better with supporting flours.
- Good Source of Gut Health Boosting Resistant Starch (for those with any type of GI disorder, talk with your doctor before trying tiger nut flour)
- Nutritious Flour to Add to Your Blends
Substituting Tiger Nut Flour
If you’re wondering if you can use tiger nut flour in place of other flours, the answer is: sometimes you can use tiger nut flour as part of a gluten-free flour blend, or in place of other gluten-free flours when following a recipe.
Flours You Can Not Swap for Tigernut Flour
Here’s a list of gluten-free flours you can NOT swap for in a 1:1 ratio for tigernut flour:
- Amaranth Flour
- Arrowroot (also called arrowroot flour, arrowroot powder, and arrowroot starch)
- Banana Flour
- Brown Rice Flour
- Chickpea Flour (also called garbanzo bean flour)
- Coconut Flour
- Lupin Flour
- Potato Starch
- Quinoa Flour
- Sorghum Flour
- Sweet Potato Flour
- Tapioca Flour (also called tapioca starch)
- Teff Flour
- Traditional Wheat Flour (and other traditional flours such as cake flour, all purpose flour, etc.)
- White Rice Flour
Tigernut flour can be the perfect replacement for gluten free Purity Protocol organic oat flour and organic buckwheat flour.
Flours That You Can Sometimes Swap Tigernut Flour For:
Here’s a list of gluten and grain-free flours that can sometimes be swapped for tigernut flour and vice versa. Click here to read an article that further explains the swaps so you can have success.
- Almond Flour (also called almond meal)
- Cassava Flour (sometimes called cassava root flour)
- Hazelnut Flour
- Millet Flour, superfine
- Pistachio Flour
- Spelt Flour (an ancient wheat flour)
- Walnut Flour
Tigernut Flour Recipes: Stick to Sweet if Possible
One of the biggest tips I can give you up front is that tigernut flour recipes should be sweet rather than savory. Remember the natural sweetness I mentioned earlier? Well, it’s great in baked goods and somewhat off-putting in savory recipes. To get the best results out of your flour, you’ll want to use it in neutral, some fruity, and chocolate baked goods. I don’t suggest using it in baked goods that call for ingredients such as lavender or rosemary.
I once tried to make a tiger nut voluté and it was downright awful. Additionally, unless you’re making a nutty leaning recipe, the tiger nut flour can clash with other ingredients. Also, tiger nut flour can read as grainy, so keep that in mind if you’re wanting to use it in savoy recipes.
Now, for those who know about the thickening power of flour, tiger nut flour will absolutely, positively let you down and leave you hanging if you try to use it as a thickener when cooking or when making dairy free soup. Instead, you’ll want to use a corn starch slurry or an arrowroot slurry when thickening sauces. If you have a recipe that has you sprinkle flour all over, cassava flour is the best grain free flour for that scenario, and brown rice or sorghum flour for those who are gluten free only.
Basic Tiger Nut Recipes
If you really want to understand how tiger nuts work at a basic level, here are four recipes to get you started. Each basic recipe has tiger nut at the forefront so you can see it shine.
- Tiger Nut Milk Recipe (I’ve even used this to make a delicious tiger nut horchata ice cream)
- Tiger Nut Muffins Recipe
- Chocolate Tigernut Flour Pancakes (a great breakfast, lunch, or dessert)
- Tiger Nut Ginger Cake Recipe
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Note: Tiger Nut Milk is a 1:1 substitute for other plant-based milks including almond milk, boxed/watery coconut milk, rice milk, soy milk, etc.). It can also be used in place of recipes that call for “milk of choice” or “milk”. It can’t be used in place of full fat coconut milk, or in recipes that call for a specific type of milk such as 2% or heavy cream.
Tigernut Flour Pancakes: Your Gateway to Epic Combinations
For those who are new to managing a restricted diet, I’d like to share a delicious concept with you: make tigernut flour pancakes in a range of flavors and use them as a base for more combinations. In fact, you can make a super plain/basic tigernut flour pancake, add savory toppings, and feel like you’re on top of the world.
These types of pancakes are also a great addition to your meal plan because they’re freezer friendly. It means you can make a big batch, freeze leftovers, and do a lot less cooking and cleaning in the long run.
Tigernut flour pancakes can be the perfect replacement for biscuits and other carbohydrates that are traditionally served at a meal. Now, I’m not saying it’s going to taste like a biscuit or like a big square of cornbread. Instead, what I’m saying is that it’s a great option for those who have limited choices, as it can provide you with the texture, mouthfeel, and overall sensation of eating traditional carbs.
Another good thing about keeping pancakes (and even waffles) on hand is that they make for a great quick dessert as well. You can top with a maple glaze or maple butter (heated and whipped maple, it’s dairy free), along with ripe banana slices, your fave berries, or even a little dusting of powdered sugar.
Remember, just because you have limited options doesn’t mean you have to have limited creativity.
Ingredients I Love Using With Tigernut Flour
These are the ingredients that I constantly reach for when I’m working with tiger nuts, You can absolutely use more ingredients, but if you’re looking for a solid starting place for people with food allergies, this is a great list.
- Acids (organic apple cider vinegar, lemon juice)
- Arrowroot
- Baking Soda
- Cacao & Chocolate Products
- Cassava Flour (another fantastic grain free flour)
- Corn Free Baking Powder
- Finishing Salt (trust me, a little salt sprinkled on top of cookies can go a long way)
- Flax Meal & Chia Seed Meal (personally, I make super tight bind rather than a traditional loose flax egg)
- Maple Syrup
- Granulated Sweetener (organic maple sugar, organic coconut sugar, organic date sugar)
- Ground Warming Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger all pair beautifully with tigernuts)
- Organic Cane Sugar (sometimes I’ll use caster sugar for its fineness or organic dark brown sugar for its depth)
- Palm Shortening
- Pascha Chocolate Chips
- Tiger Nut Oil (organic extra virgin olive oil is my other pick, and I don’t suggest avocado oil, sunflower oil, or coconut oil)
- Truly Corn Free Sea Salt and Pink Salt
Related: Grain Free Tiger Nut Recipes
Tigernut Flour Cookies
Here are some awesome recipes for tiger nut flour cookies. Now, these won’t hit like a classic chocolate chip cookie with a chewy texture, but they are a great option for those who can’t have traditional ingredients.
- Top 9 Free + Truly Corn Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (such a delicious treat)
- Grain Free Paleo Graham Crackers (not quite cookies, but one of my kids’ favorite paleo recipe)
- Tiger Nut Crunchy Cookie Recipe (one of the best gluten + top 9 + corn free recipes I’ve ever made)
- Truly Corn Free Gingerbread Cookies (the nutty flavour from the tigernuts really plays well in this recipe)
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Muffins Made with Tiger Nut Flour
All of these tasty baked goods feature tiger nut flour in the flour blend. Additionally, they’re all gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan, and top 9 allergy free, making them an excellent breakfast and snack option for free-from folks.
- Ginger Turmeric Muffins
- Chocolate Chia Tiger Nut Muffins
- Simple Maple Muffins (my whole family thinks this recipe is over the moon delicious and ask for it often)
- Sweet & Salty Chewy Date Muffins (everyone who tries these goes back for thirds)
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More Tigernut Flour Recipes to Inspire You
Before I send you off, here are a few more recipes that are tiger nut focused. I sure hope they inspire you and help you see that SO much is possible.
- Grain Free Black Cacao Cake (think Hostess Cupcake, but grain free and organic)
- Nut & Seed Free Chocolate Spread (faux Nutella)
- Bison Dogs (homemade, amazeballs corn free corn dogs that will knock your socks off)
- Yeast Free, Seed Free Bread Rolls (a great example of the cassava + tiger nut combo I referenced earlier)
- Gluten Free Brown Sugar Peach Thumbprint Cookies
- AIP Paleo Friendly Fish Sticks
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Answering Your Questions About Tigernut Flour Recipes
Where can I purchase tiger nut flour?
Online is actually the best place in my experience. From there, your local health food store might carry tigernut flour. Be sure to call before you go as you don’t want to waste a trip. I haven’t had much luck finding tiger nut products at larger natural retailers such as Whole Foods and Sprouts, but have seen it in smaller stores like Natural Grocers.
Two brands I purchase from are Anthony’s Goods and Tiger Nuts USA. They both carry organic tiger nut flour, and I enjoy working with it.
Is 100% tigernut bread possible?
In my personal egg free experience, no, it’s not possible. I’m also assuming we’re talking about proper yeasted bread here, made in a loaf pan. I little tiny bread roll is possible, but not a full loaf of proper bread. Remember though, I’m an egg free, very allergy friendly baker, so eggs may make this possible.
If you’re also egg free, your best bet is to use blend of tigernut flour and cassava flour to make tigernut flour bread. When cassava flour is cut with tigernut flour in grain free PLUS egg free baking, the results are amazing. Alone, each flour has a lot of limitations in the context of egg free baking as well, but together, they’re an unstoppable powerhouse.
Can I substitute a cup of all purpose flour for a cup of tigernut flour?
Most likely, no, you won’t be able to make that swap. That’s because tigernut flour is considerably different when compared to all purpose flour. We’re talking different weights, different textures, and different properties overall.
If your dry ingredients call for several flours to make a blend, you may be able to replace the entire blend with the all purpose flour, but you wouldn’t be able to single out the tigernut flour only and replace just that. You’d want to use organic gluten free Purity Protocol oat flour if we’re only replacing the tigernut flour. You can read more about the best substitutes and alternative flours in this article.
Will tiger nut butter work in place of coconut butter in a baking recipe?
No, this isn’t a suggested swap.One of the reasons why: compare the textures of coconut butter and tiger nut butter at room temperature. In fact, when you’re making any kind of oil/fat swap in baking specifically, that’s one of the best ways to know if it’s a good swap. Oils that are liquid at room temperature (avocado oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, tiger nut oil, etc.) should be swapped for other liquid oils.
On the other hand, oils that are solid at room temperature (coconut oil, butter, tallow, etc.), should be swapped for one another in baking specifically. Cooking, there’s a lot more wiggle room to swap as you see fit since it’s melted down and used more to lubricate than anything else.
Now, back to the coconut butter, because clearly I can talk healthy fats and swaps all day. Coconut butter is incredibly solid at room temperature, and has a very distinct taste. In baking, it’s going to alter the spread of cookies, and the overall density of your baked goods.
Tiger nut butter on the other hand is actually tiger nut flour + oil (usually tiger nut oil or avocado oil). It won’t have the same impact on your baked goods, and is close to using a loose almond butter in your recipes.
Where can I purchase corn free chocolate chips?
The only brand that I know of that makes truly corn free chocolate chips is Pascha, and it’s ONLY their 100% pure dark chocolate product (no vanilla) in the red bag. The issue with chocolate chips is that whilst you can find corn free cacao powder, it’s the added sugar, vanilla, and other ingredients that are the real issue.
In fact, most people don’t know this but about 90% of the world’s vanilla supply is contaminated with corn at the point of harvesting. The beans are sprayed with a corn derived drying agents that renders them unsafe for people with a corn allergy. From there, those beans become vanilla extract and other vanilla products that contaminate everything they touch for those allergic to corn. I’ll get off my soapbox now.
Can I make tigernut flour at home in my food processor?
I don’t suggest making tigernut flour in a food processor since the motor isn’t designed for that type of use. Tigernuts are pretty hard, and if you look at the base of a Vitamix, heavy duty food processor, and NutraMilk, you’ll see quickly why I suggest the NutraMilk. It’s got a big beefy motor designed for extended use, and it’s strong enough to process tigernuts.
Now, if you can’t invest in a NutraMilk right now, you could make the flour in your food processor, but start from sliced tigernuts as a lot of the processing has been done for you in advanced. Also, know that you won’t get the same fine powder you may be used to when purchasing tigernut flour. Plus, it’s going to take longer, as you’ll need to run your processor for a bit, then give it a break so you don’t blow the motor.
Will tigernut flour work in quick breads?
As long as the tiger nut flour is part of a gluten or grain-free flour blend, yes, you can use it in quick breads. However, you’ll need to assess each recipe, since tiger nut flour has that nutty flavor. If you were to use it in large amounts for a lemon rosemary quick bread, you’d be disappointed. However, in a chocolate zucchini quick bread, a cup of tiger nut flour as part of your blend won’t be an issue.
The key is really to create a balanced blend, as it’s rare that tigernut flour can stand alone in a baked recipe (it can in pancakes and waffles, but that’s a whole different ball game).
Should I store tiger nut flour in the fridge?
In most cases, you can store your tiger nut flour at room temperature with other dry ingredients for baking in your pantry rather than in the fridge. However, there have been some people reporting that their tiger nut flour grows mold. Personally, I suspect that they’re either purchasing low quality tiger nut flour, or the flour is close to (or passed) the expiration date. Additionally, if you live in a super humid climate, that could be problematic. Plus, dry ingredients need to be stored in airtight containers. If this isn’t the case, you can also have mold growth.
If you have concerns about your tiger nut flour growing mold, you can store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Personally though, in over a decade of using tiger nut flour, I’ve not had any flour I purchased grow mold, and it’s always been stored at room temperature.
When making tiger nut cookies, do I need to cool them on a cooling rack?
Unless the recipe instructions call for you to do so, I’ve never found it to be necessary. In fact, I leave my cookies on the baking tray for at least ten minutes to take advantage of carryover cooking.
Now, if you’re in a small kitchen and have a vertical stacking cooling rack to save space, you can use that, but it’s not necessary.
Can tiger nut flour be used in vegan recipes sweetened with applesauce?
That’s going to be a maybe. Personally, I don’t sweeten cake batter or cookie dough with applesauce because the ratios I have are not only award winning, but my taste testers don’t like applesauce sweetened goods.
I’d suggest trying this out with a pancake recipe first, as it requires the least amount of expensive ingredients, and be sure to start with a half batch. If it doesn’t work out, you won’t be losing too much.
Also, make sure the tigernut flour is part of a flour blend, not used standalone. Based on my experience with tigernut flour pancakes, I don’t think they’d turn out too awesome if I had used applesauce instead of organic maple sugar in the batter.
