Finding alternatives is always great, especially when one does not have all the grinding machines to be used in the kitchen. It is always very important to want to improvise. That’s why a lot of people ask questions like “Can you use a coffee grinder to grind flour“.
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Can you use a coffee grinder to grind flour
If you do not have the choice of using a separate grinder for your flour, then you can actually make use of a coffee grinder to grind your flour that also will give you a great result. Although, you should know that using a coffee grinder to grind your flour will not give it that smooth, fine powdery effect you will be looking for. You will need to grind as many times as possible to get your desired powder.
At the first time, a coffee grinder will only give you a coarse powder like that of a ground coffee bean, and this is one of the disadvantages of using a coffee grinder to grind your flour.
I usually advise that it will be great for you to use a separate grinder for your flour so that you don’t tamper with both ingredients flavour.
Humans are creative, pending when you will have the cash to get a separate grinder for your coffee or flour spice, you can try to develop a means to neutralize the trace of flavour before the next use. It is up to you to do so.
As humans, our nature has always been to seek a solution to our problems. For instance, if I am bothered on what other alternatives I can adapt to grind my flour when there is no other tool within my reach except a coffee grinder, definitely, the first query that will come to mind will be “Can I use a coffee grinder to grind flour?”
Grinding your flour with a coffee grinder especially the burr type (like this one on Amazon) whether electric or manual has been one of the best alternatives after a food processor.
Some people prefer to grind their spices at home, which is a good idea because the spices that are ground at home will give you both fresh and more flavour compared to the pre-ground ones collected from the store.
As for those of us that are willing to have gluten-free flour, kudos to us if we are already reading this article up to this level.
What are those things you need for this process
For you to be able to use the coffee grinder as an alternative for grinding your flour for either bread, cake, whole wheat flour, pastry flour, white whole wheat, oat flour or self-rising flour, you will need the following materials:
- A coffee grinder
- Gluten-free grains e.g. white rice, brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, to name a few
- Empty glass jars with lids
- Labels
- Permanent markers
- A small spatula
- A free hour or so
If your coffee grinder is a new one, ensure that you unplug and then give is a snappy wipe with an uncontaminated cloth.
If the grinder you are about to use is ordinarily used for coffee, bless yourself with a cup of some brewed leftover coffee before unplugging the grinder and then use a dry paintbrush or any other alternative available to sweep out any remaining grains.
Before I proceed, don’t forget this golden rule, do not stick your fingers anywhere near the grinder’s blade as you will be using the blade coffee grinder since it is the best alternative to grind grains for flour in the absence of a grain or spice grinder.
Use a brush or spatula if you must touch the blade or the best method for safety is to unplug the grinder before touching the blade.
How do I grind my flour in a coffee grinder
Well, you must have decided which flour you want to grind before now. That’s kudos to you – the next thing you should do now is to follow the steps I am going to take you through shortly. I hope you are sipping some cup of hot coffee right now or is it night time over there?
If you have a nice coffee grinder like this one here, all you will have to do now is to grind your grains batch by batch in a little amount especially if you have a dinky little grinder as most people have at home.
A few tablespoons will be okay for that at a time. Though it may take your time especially when using a manual coffee grinder, relax, the slower the ground in a coffee grinder, the better.
If you can’t find the patience to grind the flour little by little, you can take occasional breaks so that you don’t overheat your grinder that could make it burn out—but, it’s worth the time and effort.
Now, back to business; pour a few tablespoons of your grain ingredients into the coffee grinder whether new or old and then ensure that the lid is secured. Grind until those grains are transformed into a soft and fine powder.
Transfer each ground batch from the coffee grinder into a clean glass jar.
Sometimes, it could be that you want to make a variety of flour mixes; the best practice is for you to use one type of flour at a time so that the proportions will be easier to measure more precise.
After which you should blend them together with a fork or whisk whichever of the two you have will go well with it and then transfer them to the jar.
If you succeeded this method I just explained, the flour mixes will maintain their freshness for several weeks in a dry pantry and even longer if stored in a refrigerator or deep freezer.
In my own case, I will prefer to use them immediately after grinding since I’m a bachelor for now and I don’t actually have that time to store them all the time.
Don’t leave any kind of flour in your cupboard for too long to avoid becoming musty and stale.
Frequently Asked Questions on Grinding Flour with Coffee Grinder
Can I grind beans flour with a coffee grinder
Unfortunately, beans legume is too hard to be ground in a coffee grinder. For this reason, it is a bad idea to use a coffee grinder for grinding bean flours—they are not powerful enough to break down most dry legumes.
I will suggest that you should try to get a stronger grinder (like this one on Amazon) to do the job perfectly for you.
Can I grind rice flour with a coffee grinder
Rice flour is easily made with a coffee grinder. This has to do with the soft nature of rice, unlike beans that is too hard for the grinder to handle.
You can turn your grains of rice into a smooth powder within some few minutes using a coffee grinder.
The best practice should be that the rice is ground in small quantity batch by batch so that it doesn’t clog the grinder.
Run the rice powder over the grinder for the second time to ensure it is smooth to make rice flour. I can recommend this coffee grinder for you.
Can I make millet flour with a coffee grinder
I personally can make millet flour with a coffee grinder since millet is not as hard as dry beans. I think millet hardness is almost as that of rice, so absolutely, you can grind your millet in a coffee grinder to make its flour.
Remember, you can also grinder corn using a coffee grinder, so it is possible to make your millet flour with a powerful coffee grinder like this one.
Can I make flour from wheat by hand
Yes, in case you don’t have a grain grinder or coffee grinder, you can still make wheat flour by hand. You can get it done by following these steps below:
Obtain your wheat from the market or store but ensure that it is fresh, if possible the newly harvest ones from the farm.
Throw your wheat in a dry mortar and pound it gently until it becomes powdery but remember, it is going to take a lot of your time and energy to get any grain into powder using mortar and pestle but with time it is possible.
If you find it difficult to get powdered wheat using a wooden mortar and pestle, after the pounding, transfer the content into a stone mortar and pestle and continue to grind until you get the powdered texture.
Why is a good coffee grinder important
When you are really interested in a clump-free ground coffee, it is very important you stick to a good coffee grinder (like this one on Amazon) because it will ensure such an error doesn’t occur.
It helps to keep the beans or grains cool while grinding as well as evenly distributing the coffee in the basket.
You will not like your ingredient to be unevenly ground, no wonder you need a good coffee grinder such as the ones I recommended.
Are coffee grinders worth it
Coffee grinders are small but powerful tools for grinding not only coffee beans but numerous other ingredients such as wheat, rice, millet, etc.
You can get a coffee grinder that is as cheap as 20 to 40 dollars and yet will do a great job for you but may not last as the expensive ones.
They may be cheaper than grinders but perform better.
Is manual coffee grinder better
If I will say yes, that will be in the aspect of not burning the ingredients contained in it, otherwise, they both work fine.
If at all you want a freshly ground coffee and don’t want to spend more cash, use a manual coffee grinder that is cheaper.
It is better than purchasing a low-quality electric coffee grinder that produces inconsistent grinds and yet will not last long.
Can You Use A Coffee Grinder To grind Flour – Final Words
You can get the best coffee grinders for your flour by following the links attached to each recommended grinder.
Best of luck!