The Best Way To Store Flour, According To White Lily
White Lily Flour is a baking staple across the South and not just when it comes to biscuits. The soft red winter wheat flour is known for its lower protein content, making ultra-tender cakes, cookies, and other pastries too. The storied flour company has compiled some of its favorite recipes into its now iconic The White Lily Cookbook. The book was so popular, the first printing sold out and the company has just announced plans to reprint the collection, with preorders open now for the August release.
“The first release of the book sold over 15,000 copies! It was such a hit. After the sale ended, you could find resellers on sites like eBay selling the book for double what it sold for,” says Brent Minner, Vice President of Marketing for White Lily.
To celebrate the re-release, we decided to talk to the flour company about their recipes, but also settle a few flour debates, most importantly: where should you store it?
Courtesy of White Lily
Where Is The Best Place To Store Flour?
Many of us dump our flour into counter containers or seal it in a zip-top bag in the pantry, but is that truly the best way to store it? Like a lot of pantry staples flour can go bad, but how you store it has a lot to with how long it lasts.
For the best quality, especially if you are an infrequent baker, it can be better to keep it somewhere extra cool. “We do recommend storing flour in the fridge or freezer to obtain maximum shelf-life,” says Minner. So, make some room next to the frozen peas, and consider sliding your flour container in the freezer instead of leaving it on the counter.
What Should You Store Flour In?
It’s tempting to simply roll up the flour bag or clip it shut, but according to our experts, “It’s best to keep it in an airtight container,” says Minner. This combined with keeping the flour in a cool place, whether that’s a dark pantry, the fridge, or freezer, will keep your flour fresh for longer.
What about measuring flour?
We have written a lot about why measuring your flour correctly matters, but wanted White Lily to weigh in with their trusted technique.
“We always recommend the ‘spoon and level’ method—it’s tried-and-true. We also always loosen the flour before measuring with a fork or knife, especially after it’s been sitting or stored for some time,” says Minner.
Why White Lily Are Our Go-To Experts
“White Lily has been a Southern classic since 1883. It’s a flour brand that has been used generation after generation to make classic tender, hot, flaky biscuits among many other baked goods,” says Minner.
The hard-earned expertise has made the brand a Southern pantry staple, in both homes and grocery stores. Its unique formulation has also made it indispensable—not only is the flour lower in protein and therefore forms less gluten, but it’s also more finely sifted than other flours. But don’t just take it from us, pick up their new cookbook or explore their recipe archives (found for free on their site) filled with reliable formulas for all sorts of baked goods.
“We want to keep that history alive by offering the cookbooks published by White Lily from the 1940’s and on to everyone. Many times, family recipes are handed down, and we want to ensure however old you are, or how long your family has used White Lily Flour, you can indulge in the Southern classics the brand stands for,” says Minner.
Just remember to store the flour the right way when you are done making your favorite White Lily recipes.
