Use 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for every 1 tablespoon cornstarch when thickening sauces, gravies, or stews. For fruit pies, 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca also works.
Ratios from university extension services and King Arthur Baking. Checked .
Cornstarch substitutes, best first
- For 1 Tbsp cornstarch (thickening)2 Tbsp all-purpose flourBest for: gravies, sauces, stews
Utah State, NMSU, UC; cook a little longer to lose the raw flour taste.
- For 1 Tbsp cornstarch (thickening)2 Tbsp granular (quick-cooking) tapiocaBest for: fruit pies
Utah State, NMSU.
- For 1 Tbsp cornstarch (thickening)About 1 Tbsp potato starch, rice starch or arrowrootBest for: sauces and pie fillings
Inferred: Utah State treats these starches as interchangeable with cornstarch in its flour-thickener row.
Why the swaps work
Starch granules absorb liquid and swell when heated, thickening the mixture. Flour is part protein, so it takes about twice as much flour to thicken like cornstarch.
Questions people ask
How much flour replaces cornstarch?
Twice as much: 2 Tbsp flour per 1 Tbsp cornstarch.
Is arrowroot a 1:1 swap for cornstarch?
Close to it; Utah State groups arrowroot, potato and rice starch with cornstarch at the same thickening strength.
How much flour to substitute for cornstarch?
Use 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for every 1 tablespoon cornstarch when thickening sauces, gravies, or stews. For fruit pies, 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca also works.