Gluten-Free Basics & Beyond
All About Gluten-Free Baking:
Gluten-free baking can present a host of challenges. Here's how to overcome them.
After thousands of kitchen tests, we have a sense of what problems are likely to occur when you attempt to make a conventional baked good gluten-free. The tips on this page offer advice for common problems we’ve encountered over years of recipe development. Note that every baking recipe is a unique formula, so these solutions won’t work in all cases. Think of this information as a starting point when problem-solving in your kitchen.
Pancakes
Common Problem | Possible Solution |
---|---|
Dense, gummy texture | Lower burner or griddle temperature and extend cooking time to help pancakes cook through without getting too brown |
Light and Airy Breakfast
Recipe Gluten-Free Buttermilk Pancakes
Just because you need to avoid gluten doesn't mean you can't enjoy a leisurely Saturday morning pancake breakfast.
Muffins and Quick Breads
Common Problem | Possible Solution |
---|---|
Crumbly texture | Add extra egg and use binder, like xanthan gum |
Dense texture | Use more leavener |
Dry texture | Add additional liquid or sour cream |
Mushy center | Lower oven temperature and extend baking time |
Gritty texture | Let batter rest for 30 minutes before baking |
Make Muffins
Recipe Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins
We set out to make a golden-domed gluten-free muffin that also had a tender, delicate interior.
Drop Cookies
Common Problem | Possible Solution |
---|---|
Excessive spread | Add binder and let dough rest |
Gritty texture | Let dough rest for 30 minutes before baking |
Greasy | Use less butter and swap in a portion of almond butter |
Overly crisp texture | Use more brown sugar, less white sugar |
Overly soft texture | Use superfine sugar and leave cookies in turned-off oven after baking for several minutes to dry out |
Airy, hollow texture | Use melted butter instead of creaming it |
Burnt bottoms | Before baking, place baking sheet of cookies inside second sheet for extra insulation on bottom |
Fill the Cookie Jar
Recipe Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies as good as the original.
Cakes
Common Problem | Possible Solution |
---|---|
Greasy mouthfeel | Swap in sour cream, chocolate, or cream cheese for some of fat |
Dense crumb | Reduce amount of fat, use additional liquid, use additional baking powder, use additional egg |
Gummy center | Lower oven temperature and extend baking time; swap out some of liquid for sour cream |
Edges of cake are tough | Line sides and bottom of cake pan with parchment paper |
Cake doesn't release | When parchment is not an option, make paste of butter and flour blend and brush into pan |
Let Them Eat Cake
Recipe Gluten-Free Chocolate Layer Cake
No more dense, bricklike cakes. Our rich-tasting chocolate layer cake is fluffy and tender, and bakes up tall and sturdy.
Pie and Tart Dough
Common Problem | Possible Solution |
---|---|
Crumbly texture | Add binder, such as xanthan gum |
Not flaky | Add small amount of rice vinegar |
Dry, difficult dough | Process butter more thoroughly during mixing |
Pie Time
Recipe Gluten-Free Single-Crust Pie Dough
We built a gluten-free pie dough from the bottom up that bakes up tender, but also light and flaky.
Yeast Breads
Common Problem | Possible Solution |
---|---|
Dough doesn't rise | Add extra liquid, use instant yeast and bloom yeast in warm, sweetened water, let rise in warm but turned-off oven |
Dense crumb | Add ground psyllium husk |
Gummy, wet crumb | Lower oven temperature and extrend baking time |
Squat loaves | Use smaller loaf pan and add foil collar |
Bread sinks after baking | Leave bread in turned-off oven after baking to dry out |
Light and Sliceable
Recipe Classic Sandwich Bread
Most gluten-free sandwich bread recipes turn out squat bricks with a cardboard texture. We wanted a reliable recipe that produced a light-textured sandwich loaf.