Bob's Red Mill is an employee-owned milling company in Oregon that sells whole grains, flours, oats, baking mixes, seeds and beans. Much of the range is made in a dedicated gluten free facility and tested, which is why the brand has a large following among coeliac and gluten-sensitive bakers.
Ordering from Bob's Red Mill directly makes sense for the less common flours, bulk bags and multipacks that supermarkets do not stock. A good order depends on choosing the right product for the bake and not buying more whole grain flour than you can use while it is fresh.
Choosing Bob's Red Mill oats
Old fashioned rolled oats are the all-rounder, for porridge, flapjacks and cookies. Quick cooking oats are rolled thinner, so they soften faster and give a smoother texture. Steel cut oats are chopped rather than rolled, take far longer to cook and stay chewy.
If you eat gluten free, buy the Bob's Red Mill packs labelled gluten free. Ordinary oats are often contaminated with wheat in growing and milling, and the gluten free line is handled separately to avoid that.
Some people with coeliac disease also react to oats themselves. Ask a doctor or dietitian if you are unsure whether oats suit you.
Gluten free flours and what each does
No single gluten free flour behaves like wheat. The Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour is a blend that already contains xanthan gum and swaps in for plain flour in most cookie, muffin and cake recipes. It is the easiest starting point.
Single flours such as almond, coconut, oat, brown rice, tapioca and cassava each behave differently. Almond flour adds fat and moisture; coconut flour absorbs a great deal of liquid and cannot be swapped cup-for-cup; tapioca adds chew and binding.
Follow recipes written for the specific Bob's Red Mill flour you buy. The back of each bag often carries a tested recipe, which is a good first bake.
Baking mixes and speciality grains
Bob's Red Mill mixes cover bread, pizza crust, pancakes, brownies and cornbread, with many gluten free versions. They cost more per bake than building from single flours but save buying five bags for one recipe.
Beyond flour, Bob's Red Mill sells grains that are hard to find locally, such as farro, freekeh, teff, millet and several polenta grinds, plus flaxseed meal, chia and nutritional yeast. These are good reasons to order direct rather than wait for a shop to stock them.
Freshness and storage
Whole grain flours and meals contain the oil-rich germ, so they go rancid faster than white flour. Nut flours and flaxseed meal are the most sensitive. Once opened, keep them sealed in the fridge or freezer.
Check the best-by date printed on each Bob's Red Mill bag when it arrives. Buy large bags of whole grain flour only if you bake weekly; otherwise the saving is lost to stale flour.
White rice flour, tapioca and dried beans keep well in a cool cupboard, so they are the safest items to buy in bulk.
Bulk bags, case packs and shipping
The Bob's Red Mill site sells many products in case packs of four or more bags and larger bulk sizes of popular items. The unit price is usually lower, but compare with the single-bag price and with the store shelf before committing.
Flour is heavy, so shipping is a real part of the cost. Check the current free shipping threshold on the Bob's Red Mill site and build an order to clear it rather than paying for several small deliveries.
Where the Bob's Red Mill savings are
The 30% code is the best percentage here, and its name suggests it may have been tied to smoothie ingredients such as seeds, protein and oats. Try it on the whole basket; if it only takes on certain products, fall back to the 25% code.
The 25% code is the general choice for a mixed flour and grain order and matters most on case packs, where the saving is largest in dollars.
The free shipping code is the right pick for a heavy order of bulk flour or beans, where delivery would otherwise eat into a percentage saving. Compare the shipping charge with 25% of the goods and use whichever is bigger.
Bob's Red Mill codes typically cannot be combined, so choose one per order.
Common questions
Is all Bob's Red Mill food gluten free?
No. Only products labelled gluten free are made and tested for it. Read each Bob's Red Mill label.
Can I swap Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 flour for plain flour?
In most cookies, muffins and cakes, yes. Yeast breads usually need a recipe written for gluten free.
How should I store Bob's Red Mill almond flour?
Sealed, in the fridge or freezer once opened, because nut flours spoil quickly.
Is buying Bob's Red Mill in bulk worth it?
For flours and beans you use every week, yes. For whole grain and nut flours, only if you bake often.
| Discount | Type | Get the deal |
|---|---|---|
| 20% off | Promo code | View at Bob's Red Mill → |
| 20% off | Promo code | View at Bob's Red Mill → |
| 20% off | Promo code | View at Bob's Red Mill → |
| 20% off | Promo code | View at Bob's Red Mill → |