Bob's Red Mill vs. King Arthur vs. Gold Medal vs. Pillsbury Bread Flour: Which is the Best?

• Bob's Red Mill

The story of Bob's Red Mill and the brand that followed is quite charming, especially when looking back on the history after the passing of founder Bob Moore earlier this year at the age of 94. Bob's wife Charlee inspired their pursuit of milling whole grains, and their passion and hard work are visible in many grocery stores around the U.S. During the 1960s when whole grains were not commercially popular, Charlee began baking loaves of bread with freshly milled flour in their home bread oven. They operated several millstones in California before they landed in Oregon in 1978, and the rest is history. These days, they practically have a whole section in the grocery store stocked with hot cereals, dried nuts and grains, and multiple types of flour.

With dozens of flours for sale, Bob's Red Mill belongs in any kitchen. There are many gluten-free options, flours tailored to specific diets, and 10 different wheat flours. The extreme variety makes the brand popular with bakers who can't have gluten and prefer a hands-on solution. The cake flour only has 8% protein, and the whole wheat bread flour goes up to 15%. For specialized recipes, Bob's also offers excellent quality pastry flours and bread flours, which are widely distributed and easy to find in most grocery stores.

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• King Arthur

Known for being America's first flour brand, the popular company began in 1790 when there were only 13 states in America. In the 1820s King Arthur switched to milling their flour with American-grown wheat, which allowed the company less reliance on using supplies from overseas. Over the years, King Arthur Flour grew and adapted to the needs of American consumers, with its product line growing to offer almost anything you need for baking.

They have 41 types of flour and specialty flour blends, with organic and grain-free options filling in the ranks with some variety — and we haven't even mentioned the wheat flours yet ... They provide fine flour designed for cakes and dark rye for the ultimate sandwich loaf. Multiple bread flours help even novice bakers get a good rise on the first try. 

One of the brand's greatest claims to fame is the 12.7% protein content of their bread flour. This gives dough the strength to stand and boosts a yeast-based project's chance of success. If that isn't enough for the dough of your dreams, they offer high-gluten flour with 14.2% protein.

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• Gold Medal

Like Pillsbury, the brand belongs to General Mills and does a good job touching many niches with only eight core products. General Mills produces flour "to specification," which translates as: the same thing goes into every bag, every time, for consistent results.  

Although far from a specialty flour company, Gold Medal has a firm grasp of the basics. Their all-purpose flours include regular, organic, quick-mixing, and unbleached options. They also produce bread, self-rising, and two different whole wheat flours. It's also easy to find, which sets it above some of the smaller brands on this list.

Gold Medal flour has around 10.5% total protein, using a blend of soft and hard wheats in the milling process. This flour would perform well in cake baking, as well as in any other delicate pastry recipes where you don't need a lot of strength or gluten.

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• Pillsbury

Pillsbury brand is one of the most recognizable flour brands to most Americans. Starting with a few flour mills, Pillsbury's humble beginnings started in 1869 along the banks of the Mississippi River. After several years of success, Pillsbury began offering premade refrigerated doughs, which surged in popularity more than the namesake flour it was made with, and the popularity has continued ever since.

The brand features seven kinds of flour, including all-purpose, self-rising, whole wheat, bread, and unbleached. Two gluten-free choices, almond, and organic coconut round out the list. Pillsbury has all the basics covered, but unbleached or whole wheat versions of its regular flours (all-purpose, self-rising, and bread) would improve the brand's standing. Customers have to choose between flour that's ideal for their baking project or one best suited to their nutritional preferences. You can have bread flour or unbleached flour. You can't have unbleached bread flour.

As part of a mega-company, the truth is Pillsbury flour is a keeper of the status quo. It's straightforward. It's reliable. It doesn't offer much beyond that, but in the name of dense cakes and fallen bread dough, it's worth mentioning just how important consistency is in the kitchen.

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• The Comparison & Reviews

| Bob's Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour

Price: $6.08/5 Lb at Walmart

Ingredients: Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour or Enzyme, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid).

Per serving (36g) of Bob's Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour contains:

Calories: 130

Carbs: 26 grams

Total Fat: 0.5 grams

Saturated Fat: 0 grm

Trans Fat: 0 grm

Protein: 5 grams

Dietary Fiber: 1 grams

Sugars: 0 grams

Sodium: 0mg 

Review: Bakers love Artisan Unbleached Bread Flour, the perfect all-purpose flour for all of your bread recipes, from simple homemade bread to sourdough bread. This premium bread flour is milled from U.S.-grown wheat and mixed with malted barley flour, which helps yeast breads rise. The high protein content in bread flour is better than white flour for gluten development, which is especially desirable for chewy baguettes and pizza crusts.

ProTip: to enhance a great bread recipe, bake your bread or pizza on a preheated baking stone for maximum crunch! Use a pizza peel to remove from oven.

| King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

Price: $5.58/5 Lb at Walmart

Ingredients: Unbleached hard red wheat flour, enzyme or malted barley flour.

Per serving (30g) of King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour contains:

Calories: 110

Carbs: 22 grams

Total Fat: 0 grams

Saturated Fat: 0 grm

Trans Fat: 0 grm

Protein: 4 grams

Dietary Fiber: <1 grm

Total Sugars: 0 grams

Includes Added Sugars: 0 grams

Sodium: 0mg

Review: Your choice of flour makes a very big difference in bread baking — flours with a higher protein content create loftier yeasted breads. King Arthur Bread Flour has 12.7% protein — a whole point higher than other national brands. It strengthens the rise, so your breads are lofty and perfectly textured every time. Use it for all your yeast baking, from artisan bread (including bread machine loaves) to rolls to pizza. Combine it with whole wheat flour to add extra height to dense whole grain baked goods that need a little lift.

The key to the exceptional performance of King Arthur Bread Flour lies in the premium hard red wheat used in its production. This choice of wheat, combined with the flour's higher protein content compared to all-purpose flour, results in a dough with excellent structure and elasticity. Whether you're crafting artisanal loaves, hearty whole-grain breads, or soft dinner rolls, this bread flour provides the strength and consistency needed for success in a variety of bread-making endeavors. King Arthur's commitment to quality is evident in the flour's unbleached and non-GMO attributes. The flour retains its natural color, and the absence of genetically modified organisms aligns with the preferences of those seeking a purer and more wholesome baking experience. 

| Gold Medal Unbleached Bread Flour

Price: $9.85/12 oz at Walmart (up to 4% cashback from Extrabux)

Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Niacin (a B vitamin), Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate (vitamin B1), Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Enzymes, Folic Acid (a B vitamin).

Per serving (30g) of Gold Medal Unbleached Bread Flour contains:

Calories: 110

Carbs: 22 grams

Total Fat: 0 grams

Saturated Fat: 0 grm

Trans Fat: 0 grm

Protein: 3 grams

Dietary Fiber: <1 grm

Total Sugars: 0 grams

Includes Added Sugars: 0 grams

Sodium: 0mg

Review: Gold Medal Unbleached Bread Flour is unbleached and formulated from higher-protein wheat to produce exceptional bread results every time. Protein produces gluten, which gives the desired volume or chewiness required in recipes like bread and pizza crust. Gold Medal Unbleached Bread Flour absorbs greater quantities of water and has a more elastic dough-handling quality than all-purpose flour. It also produces better volume and crumb structure in bread, creating quality baked goods with sustained consistency. Think pizza makers spinning and tossing dough to get that perfect round shape. This multipurpose flour is sure to help you create high-quality baked goods for all occasions. 

Use it to make baguettes and other yeast breads such as rolls, buns, pizza crusts and hearth breads. For chewier results, you can even substitute Gold Medal Bread Flour cup for cup when a cookie or bread recipe calls for all-purpose or whole wheat flour. 

| Pillsbury Best Bread Flour

Price: $4.18/5 Lb at Walmart

Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Enzyme.

Per serving (31g) of Pillsbury Best Bread Flour contains:

Calories: 110

Carbs: 23 grams

Total Fat: 0 grams

Protein: 4 grams

Dietary Fiber: 1 grams

Sugars: 0 grams

Sodium: 0mg 

Review: Pillsbury Best bread flour is made from a blend of hard wheats and contains a higher percentage of protein than regular all purpose flour. A tradition since 1869, this Pillsbury flour is made from high-quality hard wheat that's perfect for baking. This white flour is unbleached and enriched to create wholesome, delicious breads and baked goods. Use this Pillsbury high gluten flour for baking homemade bread, rolls and pizza crusts, whether you're hand kneading it or using a bread machine. The 5 pound bag of bread flour has enough flour for many batches, making it a great addition to your baking ingredients. 

How can I Use Bread Flour? Bread flour is ideal for bread baking. It can be directly substituted for all purpose flour in yeast bread recipes. With this substitution, you should knead the dough about 10 minutes, let it rest 15 minutes before shaping and allow for a longer rinse time.

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