What is carob flour?
Carob flour is made from the pods of the carob tree. The pods are dried, raw or roasted, the hard seeds are taken out, and the sweet pulp is milled into a fine brown flour. “Carob flour” and “carob powder” usually mean the same thing.
Carob bean gum, also called locust bean gum, is a different product: a thickener made from the seeds, not from the pulp.
Carob or algarrobo? Two different trees
In English, carob means Ceratonia siliqua, a tree from the Mediterranean. In Peru, “algarrobo” is the name for Prosopis trees, such as Prosopis pallida from the dry forests of the north coast; they’re close relatives of mesquite. Both trees give sweet pods that are milled into flour, and in Peru both are sold as carob flour, but they’re different plants.
| Carob | Peruvian algarrobo | |
|---|---|---|
| Tree | Ceratonia siliqua | Prosopis, such as P. pallida |
| Native to | The Mediterranean | The Americas; in Peru, the dry north coast |
| Also known as | St John’s bread | Related to mesquite |
| Also made into | Carob syrup; carob bean gum (from the seeds) | Algarrobina, a dark syrup |
| Taste of the flour | Sweet, cocoa-like | Sweet, malty, caramel-like |
We list each product’s tree or origin exactly as the pack states it. When a pack doesn’t say, we don’t guess.
How carob flour tastes
Carob flour is naturally sweet, with a toasty taste close to cocoa and caramel. It’s less bitter than cocoa and doesn’t taste exactly like chocolate, but it works in most of the same places. Roasted carob is darker and closer to cocoa; raw carob is lighter and sweeter.
How to bake with carob flour
Carob flour has no gluten and plenty of natural sugar, so it’s usually mixed with other flours or used in place of cocoa.
- Instead of cocoa: swap it one for one in brownies, cakes and cookies, and cut the sugar a little, because carob is sweeter.
- With other flours: replace up to a quarter of the flour in cakes, pancakes or bread for sweetness and color.
- In drinks: whisk a tablespoon into warm milk for a caffeine-free “hot chocolate”, or add it to smoothies.
- Oven tip: its sugars brown quickly, so lower the oven slightly or check your bake a few minutes early.
Want a gluten-free flour to pair it with? Try quinoa flour.
Carob vs cocoa
| Carob flour | Cocoa powder | |
|---|---|---|
| Comes from | Carob or algarrobo pods | Cacao beans |
| Caffeine | None | A little |
| Taste | Sweet, caramel, toasty | Bitter, intense |
| Sweetness | Naturally sweet | Unsweetened |
| Fat | Very low | Higher |
Prefer the real thing? See our Peruvian cacao powder.
How to choose carob flour
- Which tree: carob (Ceratonia) or algarrobo (Prosopis), as stated on the pack.
- Raw or roasted: roasted for a darker, cocoa-like taste; raw for a lighter, sweeter one.
- 100% carob: check the ingredients list has nothing added, such as sugar.
- Gluten-free label: needed only if you avoid gluten strictly.
- Sealed and in date: we check the seal and the best-before date on every pack before it leaves Lima.
