Last Updated on June 9, 2026 by Michelle
Ah, the grain with the funny names.
Given that kamut is one of my go-to grains to mill into flour in my grain mill, let’s talk about how to bake with kamut flour. Although there are lots of ancient grain flours to choose from, kamut happens to be one of my favorites due to it’s nutritional value, flavor, and all-purpose nature.
Making bread? Kamut will work.
Baking brownies? Grab kamut.
Breading chicken? Kamut will add a delicious buttery flavor.
Making crackers? Great, kamut makes them better.
Crafting a tender pastry? Believe it or not, kamut is great for that.
Are kamut and khorasan the same thing?
Yes, this grain has two names and I’ll explain why.
This ancient grain was originally called “khorasan,” named after the region where it’s thought to originate from.
Kamut? That name was given to the khorasan grain later. Kamut is actually a branded name given to khorasan. Grains sold under the name “kamut” are monitored by the kamut brand, and have to follow strict guidelines to qualify for the trademark. The upside to purchasing “kamut” grains is that they’re subjected to strict standards, meaning you know you’ll get high-quality grains. The downside? You’re paying for the trademark. Kamut grains often cost more than khorasan given that the farmers pay for trademark rights.
Essentially, kamut is the “name-brand” version of khorasan grain. Think of it like saying “Kleenex” (kamut) instead of simply “tissues” (khorasan).
Kamut vs spelt
Both ancient grains, spelt and kamut have similar nutritional profiles. They’re both higher in protein than most modern wheat, and they’re both full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
The key difference in the grains is the flavor. I find spelt to be earthier and more bitter than kamut, which is sweet, buttery, and nutty.
Choose spelt for stronger (wheat-y, more complex) flavor in breads and baked goods, or if you’re making more “rustic” style bread.
Use kamut if you’re looking for sweeter, more mild flavor and all-purpose capacity.
Einkorn and kamut (khorasan)–what’s the difference?
Einkorn is more similar to kamut than spelt is.
Both einkorn and kamut are ancient grains with a sweet, buttery, mild flavor. They’re both great all-purpose grains and can be used for a wide variety of baked goods, breads, and pastries.
There’s debate about if einkorn or kamut is older, or which originated first. I enjoy using both, and try not to get caught up in the technicalities. They’re both great, old, tasty grains, m’kay?
One key difference in einkorn and kamut (khorasan) is the size of the wheat berry. Einkorn grains are smaller in size (compared to modern wheat), while khorasan wheat berries are actually larger than modern wheat berries. This impacts your baking to some degree, given that einkorn mills into a very fine, powder-y flour (because it starts off smaller), whereas kamut mills into a slightly coarser flour, no matter how finely you try to mill it.
Benefits of kamut flour
So why bake with kamut flour anyways?
- For the flavor
- For nutrition
- For food security
- For it’s all-purpose nature
- To preserve history
Kamut flour is hard to beat for a number of reasons, including the ones listed above. I love using khorasan knowing I’m milling the same grains that folks have turned into flour for thousands of years. And for good reason, too. The buttery flavor of kamut flour is unreal. I also like knowing that I have hundreds of pounds of kamut wheat berries in my basement, just in case.
How to use kamut flour in baking
Given its sweet, nutty, buttery flavor, kamut flour is great for baking. Kamut flour (even fresh milled) hydrates similarly to “regular” all-purpose flour, so minimal changes are needed.
To use kamut flour in baked goods: simply swap kamut for all-purpose flour at a 1:1 ratio. Just to be safe, add slightly less flour than your recipe calls for, then add the rest if needed.
To use kamut flour in bread: use at a 1:1 ratio to bread flour, and add 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten per cup of flour used. Knead like usual, but keep a close eye as you knead and make sure you don’t over knead kamut dough, as the gluten is more fragile than bread dough made with modern wheat.
To use kamut flour in pastries: similar to baked goods in general, but if you’re using fresh milled kamut flour, make sure you allow the flour to cool down (don’t be afraid to stick it in the freezer for a few minutes!) before adding butter in things like biscuits, puff pastries, croissant dough, pie crusts, or scones.
To use kamut flour in pasta: given that kamut is similar to durum (the “pasta” flour), it’s great for making pasta. Use in any homemade pasta recipe, 1:1 substitute for all-purpose or durum flour. Just add a little less flour at first, then add more later if needed.
Kamut (khorasan) baking recipes
Khorasan flour can be used in so many recipes.
- Pasta
- Brownies/cookies
- Bread/rolls
- Cinnamon rolls
- Biscuits/scones
- Pastries
- Pie crust/tarts
- Muffins
- Pancakes/waffles
In almost every recipe, kamut can simply replace all-purpose flour cup-for-cup. You might find you need just slightly less kamut flour, though, so add it slowly to your reicpes.
Milling khorasan (kamut) into fresh milled flour
If you’re like me, you want to get the most nutrition as possible out of the ingredients you’re eating.
In order to eat the most nutritious flour possible, you should mill your own.
To mill kamut flour at home, all you’ll need are kamut whole wheat berries and a grain mill. It’s that simple!
Milling your own kamut flour allows you to preserve 100% of the nutrition found in the whole wheat kernel. Commercial flour manufacturers remove all the good stuff! (The bran + germ, where all the healthy fats and nutrients are!) Not to mention, flour was never designed to be a shelf-stable food. It naturally degrades over time, and milling your own flour allows you to use it right away, when it’s freshest.
Making bread with kamut
Khorasan/kamut flour makes amazing, flavorful bread if you know just a few, simple tips.
Since it is an ancient grain, the gluten that develops through kamut flour is fragile. You can and should still knead kamut bread dough, just take it a little easier than you usually would.
Secondly, consider adding vital wheat gluten to your bread recipes when you’re using kamut flour. It will give your ancient grain bread a little “oomph” that it might need to rise well. If you’re new to making kamut bread or fresh milled flour bread, use 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten per cup of flour.
Finally, you might find that bread made with kamut flour rises quickly. Keep a close eye on rise times to prevent over-proofing, and, therefore fallen bread.
Substituting kamut flour in place of all-purpose flour
Given kamut flour’s all-purpose nature, you can simply substitute cup-for-cup with all-purpose or bread flour.
How to use kamut/khorasan in any recipe
Use kamut flour in almost any recipe that calls for all-purpose or bread flour. Given that it’s an ancient grain, it might behave slightly differently (kamut hydrates a little slower than conventional flour does), but differences are slight and often not noticeable at all.
Ways to use kamut wheat berries
If you’re in possession of khorasan wheat berries, you might be wondering how else you can use them. Other than milling them into beautiful, golden flour, that is. Here are some of my favorite ways to use kamut berries (well, really any kind of wheat berries, to be honest):
- Flaking them into “rolled oats” (learn how to flake any grain here)
- Sprouting them as a nutritious snack, salad topper, or nutritious smoothie add-in
- Cook them and use in place of rice
