Does Doves gluten-free plain flour contain xanthan gum?

November 28, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the official product ingredients, Doves gluten-free plain flour does not contain xanthan gum. This ingredient choice gives bakers full control over the texture and structure of their creations, from cakes to cookies, by allowing them to add binders as needed.

Quick Summary

Doves Farm's gluten-free plain flour does not include xanthan gum, offering bakers control over their recipes. It is a blend of rice, potato, tapioca, maize, and buckwheat flour. Some of Doves Farm's other products, like bread flour, do contain gums, so checking the label is essential.

Key Points

No Xanthan Gum: Doves gluten-free plain flour does not contain xanthan gum, offering bakers full control over their recipes.
Ingredient Transparency: The Freee plain flour blend consists of rice, potato, tapioca, maize, and buckwheat flours, with no gums included.
Product Variation: Other Doves Farm gluten-free products, like their bread and self-raising flours, do contain xanthan gum, so always check the label.
Flexibility: The gum-free plain flour allows bakers to add specific binders, such as psyllium husk or ground flaxseed, depending on the recipe.
Baking Purpose: Xanthan gum is a binder that mimics gluten's elasticity and structure, preventing crumbly textures in gluten-free baked goods.
Alternative Binders: For those avoiding gums, options like psyllium husk, ground chia/flax seeds, and pureed fruit can be used to add structure.

Understanding Doves Gluten-Free Plain Flour

The absence of xanthan gum in Doves Farm's gluten-free plain flour is a deliberate decision, providing flexibility for bakers. Instead of a pre-blended mix with gums, the plain flour is a simple blend of rice, potato, tapioca, maize, and buckwheat flours. This makes it a versatile base for many different types of bakes, where the amount and type of binder needed can vary significantly.

Why is xanthan gum often used in gluten-free baking?

Gluten, a protein found in wheat, is responsible for giving baked goods their elasticity, structure, and chewiness. When gluten is removed for dietary reasons, this structure is lost, often resulting in baked goods that are dry and crumbly. Xanthan gum acts as a binder, creating a gel-like consistency when mixed with liquid that helps hold the ingredients together and mimic the role of gluten. The amount of xanthan gum needed depends on the recipe: a cake needs less elasticity than a yeasted bread, for example. By excluding the gum from their plain flour, Doves Farm allows bakers to add the correct amount for their specific application.

Exploring the ingredients in Doves Freee Plain White Flour

The Freee brand by Doves Farm clearly lists its ingredients on the packaging. For the gluten-free plain white flour, the ingredients are a flour blend of rice, potato, tapioca, maize, and buckwheat. This simple list confirms that no xanthan gum or other thickening agents are pre-mixed into the product. It is also free from common allergens such as milk, peanuts, egg, and soya. This transparency is helpful for those managing food sensitivities and allergies.

Comparing Doves Flours: Plain vs. Others

It's important to note that the absence of xanthan gum in Doves Farm's plain flour does not apply to all their gluten-free products. For example, their gluten-free white bread flour is made with a flour blend of rice, tapioca, and potato and explicitly lists xanthan gum as a 'thickener'. Similarly, Doves Farm's gluten-free self-raising flour contains xanthan gum along with the raising agents. This comparison table highlights the need to always check the specific product label, as ingredients differ by product type.


Feature	Doves Gluten-Free Plain White Flour	Doves Gluten-Free White Bread Flour	Doves Gluten-Free Self-Raising Flour
Contains Xanthan Gum?	No	Yes	Yes
Purpose	Versatile base for a wide range of bakes.	Specifically formulated for yeast bread recipes.	Includes raising agents for cakes, scones, etc.
Key Ingredients	Rice, potato, tapioca, maize, buckwheat	Rice, tapioca, potato, xanthan gum	Rice, potato, tapioca, maize, buckwheat, raising agents, xanthan gum
Baker's Control	High—add your own preferred binder.	Low—binder is pre-added for convenience.	Low—binder and raising agents pre-added.

Using Doves gluten-free plain flour without xanthan gum

If you are using the plain flour for recipes where a binder is needed, you have several options beyond adding xanthan gum separately. For yeast breads and recipes requiring more elasticity, psyllium husk powder is a popular and effective alternative. Other substitutes include ground chia seeds or ground flaxseeds, which form a gel when soaked in water. For cakes, cookies, and other non-yeasted bakes, ingredients like fruit purées (banana, apple sauce) or extra egg can provide sufficient binding and moisture. The key is to experiment and follow recipes specifically designed to use these alternative binders. For more ideas on how to bake without xanthan gum, resources like The Glutenless Maximus can be helpful.

Conclusion

To answer the question, Doves gluten-free plain flour does not contain xanthan gum. This allows bakers to choose their own binding agents, tailoring the final texture to their specific recipe needs. However, it is crucial to always check the ingredient label, as other products in the Doves Farm gluten-free range, such as their bread and self-raising flours, do contain this thickener. Understanding this distinction empowers bakers to achieve the best possible results and cater to specific dietary needs or preferences, including avoiding gums entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

While the plain flour does not, other Doves Farm gluten-free products like their White Bread Flour and Self-Raising Flour do contain xanthan gum, so it is important to read the ingredients for each specific product.

Xanthan gum acts as a binder, providing elasticity and structure to gluten-free baked goods that would otherwise be dry and crumbly. It mimics the role of gluten.

Yes, but since the flour does not contain xanthan gum, you will need to add a binding agent separately, such as psyllium husk powder, which is particularly effective for yeast breads.

Good alternatives include psyllium husk powder, ground chia or flax seeds (when soaked to form a gel), or pureed fruit like banana or apple sauce for moisture and binding.

Yes, because it does not contain xanthan gum, it is a suitable choice for those who are sensitive or allergic to gums. This gives the baker control to use alternative binders or none at all.

Some bakers prefer a gum-free blend to have more control over the final texture, as the ideal amount of binder varies greatly depending on the recipe (e.g., bread vs. cake).

The ingredients for all Doves Farm products, including the plain flour, are listed on the product packaging and can also be found on online retail websites and health food store pages.