What is cassava flour?

<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ottos-Naturals-Natural-Cassava-Flour/dp/B01F6CD436/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=ottos+cassava&qid=1570907276&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyMEhDTUhOUTczSEtYJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDMyODU1MzVIT1UzMEFHNVJHWiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDI0MTE3MjBDQkhNMVFUQlI0NSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=&_encoding=UTF8&tag=realfoodrabbi-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=5b302144d87348cdbd8f9daa554ce029&camp=1789&creative=9325">Cassava flour comes from from the cassava (or yuca) root. It is peeled, dried and ground to make cassava flour. This flour is grain free, gluten free and paleo friendly. Furthermore, cassava flour works well as a 1:1 substitution (by weight) for wheat flour and many gluten free baking mixes.

Are cassava flour and tapioca flour/starch interchangeable?

No. While cassava flour and tapioca flour/starch both come from the cassava root, they have very different baking properties. Tapioca flour is a starch, similar in texture to cornstarch. It acts as a thickening agent and helps with texture in grain free baked goods.

What can you make with cassava flour?

Cassava flour can be used to make any and all kinds of recipes. I love using it in baked goods such as muffins , breads , pancakes , donuts and scones . It can also be used for breading chicken or thickening soups and sauces . Cassava flour often works as a substitution (by weight) for wheat flour.

Cassava Flour Sugar Cookies (Paleo, Nut Free, No-Chill)

Description

Paleo sugar cookies made from cassava flour. Dairy free, nut free, grain free and no refrigeration needed.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup + 3 Tbsp cassava flour spooned and leveled (160g)*
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup palm shortening
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cassava flour, baking soda and salt.
Add in shortening. Use your hands to work the shortening into the flour mixture until the dough starts to clump.
Mix in egg, maple syrup and vanilla. First, mix with a spatula or fork, then use your hands to knead the dough.
Roll the dough into a ball, then flatten and roll between two sheets of parchment paper using a rolling pin. The dough should be about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. If your cookie dough is sticking to the parchment paper, add more cassava flour when rolling**
Remove the top layer of parchment and use cookie cutters to cut shapes in the dough. Transfer the shapes from the parchment paper to a lined baking sheet.
Bake in your preheated oven at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Baking time will vary slightly depending on how thick the cookies are.
After baking, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool 5-10 minutes on the baking pan. (If you remove them immediately they will break.) Then place the cookies on a wire cooling rack and cool to room temperature.
Once fully cooled, frost and decorate as desired.
Cookies are best stored in a sealed, airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to two months.

Notes

*For best results, measure the cassava flour by weight.

**The texture of your dough will depend on the size of your egg and how accurately you measured the ingredients. I've made this recipe a dozen times, sometimes the dough is perfect and I don't need to add any extra cassava flour. Other times the dough is slightly sticky. Dusting the bottom sheet of parchment paper with cassava flour, placing the dough on top and then dusting the dough with more cassava flour always gives me good results.