Khorasan vs. Spelt: What’s the Difference?

If you are getting started with ancient grains, two names tend to come up again and again: Khorasan and Spelt.

Both are traditional wheat varieties. Both have been used for generations. Both can be milled into flour, used in breads and pastries, and incorporated into sourdough baking. And both are grains we grow here at Idaho Ancient Grains in Sugar City, Idaho.

But they are not the same grain.

They have different characteristics, behave differently in dough, and can give your baking a different flavor, texture, and overall result.

So, if you are wondering “Should I use Khorasan or Spelt?”, this guide will help you understand the difference and decide where each one fits best in your kitchen.

Khorasan and Spelt at a Glance

	Khorasan	Spelt
Grain type	Ancient wheat	Ancient wheat
Appearance	Large, elongated golden kernels	Smaller, elongated kernels
Flavor	Mild, rich, slightly sweet and nutty	Mild, nutty, slightly sweet
Common uses	Bread, pasta, pizza, pancakes, pastries and sourdough	Bread, pancakes, muffins, cookies, cereal and sourdough
Available from Idaho Ancient Grains	Whole grain berries and flour	Whole grain berries
Best for	Bakers looking for a golden, flavorful grain with versatile applications	Bakers who enjoy a traditional whole-grain character and want to mill their own flour

The exact baking result will depend on the variety, milling method, hydration, fermentation and recipe. Research comparing ancient wheat varieties has found meaningful differences in dough strength and bread characteristics between Khorasan and Spelt, so it is worth treating them as different ingredients rather than interchangeable names.

What Is Khorasan?

Khorasan is an ancient wheat associated with a large, elongated kernel and a golden color.

At Idaho Ancient Grains, we grow Khorasan here in Idaho and offer it as whole grain berries as well as white all-purpose flour. The farm's own Khorasan guide describes the grain as related to durum wheat and notes its versatility in pasta, pastries, bread, pizza, pancakes and sourdough.

One of the things bakers often notice about Khorasan is its distinctive golden color and rich grain flavor.

It can be milled at home and used as the primary flour in a recipe, or blended with other grains.

That blending approach is something we use ourselves.

Khorasan can work especially well alongside Spelt and Hard White Wheat when you want to create a flour blend with a different balance of flavor and baking characteristics.

What can you make with Khorasan?

Khorasan is remarkably versatile.

You can use it for:

• Bread

• Sourdough

• Pizza crust

• Pancakes

• Waffles

• Pasta

• Pie crust

• Pastries

• Cookies

• Cinnamon rolls

• Pizza rolls

We have recipes on our site using Khorasan for many of these applications, including pancakes, waffles, pizza crust, cinnamon rolls and sourdough-based recipes. Explore our Khorasan recipes →

What Is Spelt?

Spelt is another ancient wheat, but it belongs to a different wheat lineage from Khorasan.

Spelt is an ancient form of bread wheat, while Khorasan is a tetraploid wheat. This difference in their genetic background is one reason the two grains can behave differently when milled and baked.

At Idaho Ancient Grains, we grow our own Spelt here on the farm rather than sourcing it from other growers. The current product information says the grain is cleaned, bagged and prepared for customers after harvest, with the farm's Spelt harvest typically taking place in September.

We sell the whole Spelt grain, which means you can mill it yourself when you want fresh flour.

What can you make with Spelt?

Spelt can be used in many everyday recipes, including:

• Bread

• Sourdough

• Pancakes

• Muffins

• Cookies

• Banana bread

• Whole-grain cereal

• Pastries

Our recipe collection currently includes Spelt bread, Spelt cereal and Spelt banana bread, along with recipes that combine Spelt with Khorasan. Explore our Spelt recipes →

Khorasan vs. Spelt: The Biggest Difference

The simplest way to understand the difference is this:

Khorasan tends to bring a distinctive golden color and rich, rounded grain flavor, while Spelt has its own nutty, traditional wheat character and can produce a different dough structure.

Neither grain is universally “better.”

They are simply different ingredients.

And that is actually part of the fun.

If you bake regularly, you may find that you prefer one for certain recipes and the other for different applications.

1. Flavor

Flavor is one of the easiest differences to notice.

Khorasan

Khorasan has a naturally golden appearance and a rich, mildly sweet, nutty character.

It can give breads, pancakes and pastries a distinctive grain flavor without requiring a complicated recipe.

Spelt

Spelt also has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor, but its character is different from Khorasan.

Many people enjoy it in breads, muffins, cookies and other everyday baked goods.

The best way to understand the difference is not by reading a description.

Bake with both.

Try the same basic recipe with Khorasan and Spelt and compare the aroma, flavor and texture for yourself.

2. Baking Behavior

This is where the difference becomes especially interesting for bakers.

Ancient grains do not all behave the same way.

Research comparing Khorasan and Spelt flours has found differences in gluten quantity, gluten quality, dough development and dough stability. In one comparative study, Spelt showed high wet-gluten content and strong dough development, while Khorasan showed high dough stability despite having lower wet-gluten content in the tested samples.

Another study comparing Khorasan, Spelt and other wheat varieties in sourdough found that the resulting breads differed in volume, texture and dough structure.

In practical terms:

Don't assume that a recipe will behave identically when you swap Khorasan for Spelt.

You may need to adjust:

• Hydration

• Flour quantity

• Mixing

• Fermentation

• Proofing

• Baking time

That's normal when working with different grains.

3. Khorasan for Sourdough

Khorasan can make excellent sourdough, and it is one of the ways we use it here at the farm.

Our sourdough resources include a recorded ancient-grain sourdough class covering Khorasan and Spelt, including starter feeding, ratios and working with ancient grains.

One useful approach is to experiment with blends.

For example:

Khorasan + Spelt

or

Khorasan + Spelt + Hard White Wheat

Blending gives you another way to adjust the flavor and structure of your loaf.

If you are new to ancient-grain sourdough, start with a recipe that has already been tested and make small adjustments rather than changing several variables at once.

[Learn more about ancient-grain sourdough →]

4. Spelt for Sourdough

Spelt can also work beautifully in sourdough.

The important thing is to learn how the dough responds rather than treating Spelt exactly like conventional bread flour.

Our own experience is that Spelt can work well by itself, while combining it with another grain such as Khorasan can produce a lighter and more balanced result depending on the recipe.

If you are already comfortable with sourdough, Spelt is a great grain to experiment with.

Start by replacing part of the flour in a recipe and gradually increase the proportion as you learn how the dough behaves.

5. Whole Grain Berries or Flour?

This is another important difference for shoppers.

At Idaho Ancient Grains, you can purchase Khorasan in two main forms:

Khorasan whole grain berries

These are whole kernels.

You can:

• Mill them into fresh flour

• Cook them as a whole grain

• Use them for cereal

• Experiment with different milling textures

You will need a grain mill if you want to turn the berries into flour.

Khorasan white all-purpose flour

This is already milled and ready for baking.

It is a convenient option if you want to start baking with Khorasan without purchasing a mill.

What About Spelt?

Our Spelt is sold as whole grain berries.

That makes it particularly interesting for people who enjoy milling their own flour.

The farm grows, cleans and bags the Spelt itself, and the supply is limited to what is grown here.

If you already own a grain mill, whole Spelt berries give you the flexibility to mill what you need when you need it.

6. Are Khorasan and Spelt Gluten-Free?

No.

This is an important point.

Khorasan and Spelt are both wheat varieties and both contain gluten.

They should not be treated as gluten-free grains.

Although some people report that they tolerate particular ancient wheat varieties differently, that is not the same thing as saying the grains are suitable for people with celiac disease, wheat allergy or other wheat-related disorders.

Current research does not support the idea that ancient wheat varieties are universally better tolerated by people with wheat-related disorders.

If you have been medically advised to avoid gluten or wheat, speak with your healthcare professional before introducing either grain.

7. Which One Should You Choose?

This depends on what you want to bake.

Choose Khorasan if you want:

• A naturally golden-colored grain

• A rich, distinctive grain flavor

• Whole grain berries or ready-to-use Khorasan flour

• A versatile grain for bread, pizza, pancakes and pastries

• A grain that works well in blends

• An ingredient to experiment with in sourdough

Choose Spelt if you want:

• A traditional ancient wheat grain

• Whole berries for home milling

• A nutty wheat flavor

• A grain for bread, muffins, cookies and cereal

• An interesting option for sourdough

• A grain you can experiment with alongside Khorasan

Still can't decide?

Try both.

That's honestly one of the best ways to learn.

Bake one recipe with Khorasan.

Bake it again with Spelt.

Then try a blend.

Pay attention to:

Flavor

Aroma

Dough feel

Rise

Crumb

Texture

and most importantly:

What you enjoy eating.

Khorasan + Spelt: You Don't Always Have to Choose

One of the things we enjoy most about ancient grains is that you don't have to treat them as competing ingredients.

They can work together.

In fact, our own baking experience has led us to use Khorasan and Spelt together, sometimes adding Hard White Wheat to the blend. The Idaho Ancient Grains site also shares recipes and guidance built around using these grains together.

That gives you another option:

Instead of asking:

“Khorasan or Spelt?”

Try asking:

“What combination gives me the flavor and texture I want?”

That's where ancient-grain baking becomes much more interesting.

Our Simple Starting Point

If you are completely new to ancient grains, don't change everything at once.

Start with one familiar recipe.

Step 1

Choose a recipe you already know how to make.

Step 2

Replace part of the flour with Khorasan or Spelt.

Step 3

Watch the dough rather than relying only on the exact flour measurement.

Step 4

Make notes about hydration, rise and texture.

Step 5

Bake it again and make one small adjustment.

After a few batches, you will start to understand how your chosen grain behaves.

And once you do, you can start experimenting with blends.

So, Which Is Better: Khorasan or Spelt?

There isn't one universal winner.

Khorasan and Spelt are different ancient wheat varieties with different characteristics.

Khorasan can bring a golden color, rich flavor and excellent versatility to your baking.

Spelt offers its own distinctive flavor and works beautifully in breads, muffins, cookies, cereal and sourdough.

The right choice depends on the recipe, your baking style and the flavor and texture you want.

And if you don't want to choose?

Use both.

That's one of our favorite ways to bake.

Ready to Try Them?

If you want to experiment with Khorasan, you can choose between whole Khorasan grain berries for home milling and Khorasan white all-purpose flour for convenient baking.

If you prefer to mill your own grain, our Idaho-grown Spelt whole grain berries are another great place to start.

And don't forget to explore the recipes we've developed using these grains.

Shop Khorasan →

Shop Spelt →

Explore Our Ancient Grain Recipes →

Learn About Our Farm →

A Note From Our Farm

We don't believe there is one “perfect” grain for every baker.

Khorasan, Spelt and Hard White Wheat each have their own characteristics, and part of the joy of baking with whole grains is learning what each one can do.

Start with something simple.

Bake it.

Taste it.

Make a small adjustment.

Then bake it again.

That's how you learn your grain.

From our family farm in Sugar City, Idaho, to your kitchen.