How to convert a recipe to gluten-free

Aug 20, 2009 3:46 PM by A SheKnows how-to guide

Posted in How-To / Food & Kitchen How-tos

How To... Bake Gluten-Free

When it comes to cooking and baking, you don't have to limit yourself to gluten-free cookbooks just because you have Celiac disease or a wheat allergy. In fact, most recipes can be easily made without gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley products. Here's how to convert a recipe to gluten-free.

Step 1: Swap the flour

Substitute all-purpose gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose regular flour at a ratio of 1:1. Try Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten-free flour. If you are baking items such as cakes and/or breads, add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.

Step 2: Eliminate the flour

Try omitting the flour altogether. If you are craving peanut butter cookies, for example, try this simple recipe: 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar and 1 to 2 eggs (depending on how moist you want them to be). Blend ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Yield: six to eight cookies.

Step 3: Create flour mixture

In place of flour in a recipe try a combination of 3 parts white or brown rice flour, 2 parts potato starch and 1 part tapioca flour/starch. Add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum for every 1 1/2 cups of the flour mixture.

Step 4: Consider arrowroot powder

Arrowroot powder is another ingredient that can be used in place of xanthan gum, if you are having a hard time finding the latter. As a general rule, use one-half teaspoon of arrowroot powder for each cup of wheat flour called for in any recipe. Note: Round up if the recipe calls for a partial cup.

Step 5: Experiment with ingredients

Other ingredients in the recipe may need to be adjusted when trying new flours and flour combinations. For example, use 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder for every cup of flour used in a recipe. Some flours also may be a bit dryer, so you may have to add additional liquid ingredients such as water or oil, depending on what the recipe calls for.

For more tips on baking gluten-free, check this out:
Gluten-free ready-to-bake yeast bread

Comments

Comments on "How to convert a recipe to gluten-free"

Be careful if you use baking powder. It can contain corn flour and therefore has gluten in it. Yes, I agree that arrowroot is good but again read the label because it can have corn flour in it too. I haven't tried Xanthan Gum, instead I use lots of eggs for their binding quality, i.e. instead of using two eggs I'll pop in four. The thing to remember when making gluten-free cakes and biscuits is to let them cool before moving because straight out of the oven is when they're most likely going to crack on you.

I just diagnosed with celiac and changing to gluten free hasn't been that hard so far. I'm not much of a baker but I do cook alot. I'm from the south and flour is used in most recipes for a thickening agent. In gumbo you start out with equal parts of flour and oil in a skillet until the flour is dark brown for a roux. Will gluten free flours stand up to that kind of cooking?

Thank you! My 4 year old seems to have the same reaction to xantham gum as to wheat (which I've read does happen). Almost all baking recipes use xantham gum, this was the first time I've see the suggestion of arrowroot and it works! Yippee! We get to eat bread again! Well, we'll have to experiment; I just did a successful pie crust.

Thanks for this! I normally just swap out my flour. Making meals gluten free has become a lot easier in recent months since it seems like most people are choosing a gluten free lifestyle.

Hi Ladies, Thank you for your questions. Hope these answers help. Jenna, make sure you add xantham gum to your recipe (1/4 teaspoon per cup of flour) and start by following the same amount of liquid as the ingredient list calls for. If you add too much liquid, you will end up with a dense texture. Lynne, xanthan gum helps gluten-free recipes rise and it helps the ingredients hold together. Gluten is akin to glue so when you use gluten-free flours, your baked goods can end up dry and crumbly. Xanthan gum is a substance produced by bacterial fermentation or synthetically and is used in foods as a gelling agent and thickener. Add xanthan gum after all ingredients have been mixed, and don't overmix once you add it. A few strong stirs are enough. Carol, please do a search for gluten-free quick breads on SheKnows and you'll get a list of articles on gluten-free baking. Linda, there are a variety of gluten-free graham crackers you can find at the health food store or on Amazon. Kinnikinnick has gluten-free graham crackers and graham cracker crumbs. Jo-Sef is another company that has GF graham crackers. Do an internet search and take your pick.

how much more liquid would I use when making a gluten free bread recipe?

I have my granmothers cake receipes I want to change some of them to gluten free.... when I exchange Self Raising Flour for Gluten Free S.R.F why do I have to put Xanthan Gum in the mixture? And what is it?? thank you

Linda, For pie at Christmas my daughter made me one using Chocolate Chex mix instead of graham crakers, it was very good. I think the recipe may be on the Chex website in the gluten free section.

I would like some gluten and yeast free bread recipes. I would appreciate any that you might have as I can't have yeast either. Thanks

It depends on what you are substituting them for. If you were using them to make a pie crust you could use ground nuts, or flaked coconut. Or a combo of both. I hope that helps

what can I substitute for grahmn cracker crumbs and stay gluten free?

I look forward to trying receipts