Heat treating flour makes it safe to use in any recipe–including no-bake desserts! Learn how to bake raw flour with this easy method.
If you love grabbing bites of your cookie dough be sure to use heat treated flour! Whether you’re making Monster Cookie Dough Truffles or Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough, heat treat the flour for delicious, safe no bake treats!
When to Heat Treat Flour
Raw flour is considered unsafe to eat due to the presence of potentially harmful microbes.
According to the FDA, the grains from which flour is ground are grown in fields that may be exposed to harmful bacteria like salmonella and E.coli.
Heating flour to at least 160 degrees kills off any nasty bacteria that might be lurking in your flour bag.
In most desserts, the dangerous microbes get killed during the baking process. But if you’ve ever found yourself nibbling raw cookie dough, you know that plenty of our favorite treats never see the inside of the oven door.
Taking a few minutes to heat treat (bake) raw flour makes it safe to use in all kinds of recipes. From no bake cookies to edible raw cookie dough!
How to Bake Flour
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread a thing layer of flour on the cookies sheet (or the exact amount you need for your recipe).
- Bake flour for about 5 minutes and use a food thermometer to check the temperature. It should read 160 degrees. If it’s not quite hot enough yet, give it another minute and check again.
- Use a wire whisk to break up any clumps of flour on the baking sheet.
- Cool flour completely before using, about 30 minutes!
Heat Treat Flour in the Microwave
I get it. Sometimes you don’t want to turn on the oven, especially if making a no bake dessert. In that case, let’s heat the flour in the microwave!
Put the flour in a microwave safe bowl and heat it for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals, until the flour reaches 160 degrees F.
Ways to Use Baked Flour
- Peanut Butter Cookie dough balls
- Edible cookie dough dip
- Cookie Dough Truffles
- Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bars
Tips and Tricks
- This method can be used for bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour.
- You can heat treat the flour ahead of time and store in airtight container unti ready to use.
- Once your flour is heat treated you can use it in any no-bake recipe that calls for flour!
- If you’re using dry cake mix in a recipe (like this Funfetti Dip), you can heat treat the cake mix JUST like you would flour!
More Baking Basics
- How to Toast Coconut
- What is Kosher Salt
- Homemade Vanilla Extract
- Buttermilk Substitute
- How to Measure Flour
How to Heat Treat Flour
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread two cups of flour on a baking sheet (with sides) and spread out in a thin layer.
- Cook for 5 minutes, then let cool completely before using.
- Store in airtight container until ready to use.
Notes
- This method can be used for bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour.
- You can heat treat the flour ahead of time and store in airtight container unti ready to use.
- Once your flour is heat treated you can use it in any no-bake recipe that calls for flour!
- If you’re using dry cake mix in a recipe (like this Funfetti Dip), you can heat treat the cake mix JUST like you would flour!
This is great to know! I love eggless cookie dough and I feel much better knowing I can treat the flour!
This is great information to know!! Now, I can eat all the dough I want..lol!! Keeping a jar of this handy!
This is really helpful! Thank you so much!!