It seems as though the words gluten free are on almost every package these days. With so many people suffering from food intolerances, food production companies are just trying to keep up with demand. With that demand comes a necessary adaptation of new baking techniques for those trying to use gluten free products.For someone new to gluten free baking, if you dont know these new baking techniques, it can seem a tad bit disheartening when your results fall short of your expectations. Especially if you are a passionate baker that is experienced in traditional baking. You (naturally) expect all your creations to taste good!However, gluten free baking is an art in and of itself. Some professionals might even call it a chemical experiment. The inexperienced often just assume they can swap out their regular flour for a gluten free alternative and call it a day. Unfortunately, the baked goods they end up with are often inedible, they are so bad.gluten free baking requires a delicate balance of using the right flours, binders, liquids and leavens to achieve results that actually taste good. Many of the rules and techniques of traditional baking simply no longer apply, but if youve never used gluten free products, you just dont know what you dont know.Therefore, baking gluten free goods is definitely experimental, and it may take a few tries before you figure out what works and what doesnt. We highly recommend that when youre just starting out, stick with whatever recipe youre trying to emulate as closely as you can.Breaking the rules before you really know the rules could mean youll end up with an interesting (and disappointing) outcome. Once youve gotten a little experience under your belt, you can veer off the beaten path and start implementing some of our top gluten free baking tips from influencers around the blogosphere. Keep reading for our faves!To make sure your recipes come out tasting delicious and not like cardboard or rocks, Garianne Sheridan & The Peachy Prodigy make these recommendations:
Gluten free flours have different tastes and consistencies, so its important to add in good flavors & make sure the ratios are correct!
Honey or maple syrup are great substitutes for sugar.
Remember that baking times for gluten free foods vary greatly! Typically, it will be longer baking times at lower temperatures.
Remember, gluten free baking is a science and an art! Those ratios of ingredients are super important. Follow Garianne on Insta @thepeachyprodigy for more great tips.Meanwhile, Cori Finglass at Matcha and Margs reminds us its important to keep an open mind and do your research beforehand, but have fun experimenting. Her top gluten free baking recommendations are:
Almond flour is a great baking flour that can be swapped 1:1 with most other flours.
Coconut flour is a great baking flour, but it cannot be swapped 1:1 with most other flours. Do your research when baking with coconut flour!
Go in with an open mind, gluten free baking does not mean you have to compromise taste or texture. Be ok with trial and error, experimentation can be fun, try new ingredients!
We agree that experimentation is fun! Theres nothing better than experimenting with a new recipe or ingredient and being wowed by the results. Follow Cori @matcha_and_margs on Insta for more great foodie tips.Speaking of experimentation, Katherine Snyman of Love in My Oven is a pro at it. She reminds us that gluten free products are not the same as regular products they are their own beast. She recommends the following tips for tweaking your gluten free baking recipes to achieve max results:
Try using more than one gluten free flour substitute in your baking at a time.
Use nut butter as a "binder" in desserts whenever possible.
Think of your gluten free product as its own product, rather than a substitute for a regular product, so as not to be disappointed.
That last tip is a key point. Gluten free products simply arent the same as a regular product. You can find good 1:1 products, like our gluten free 1:1 baking flour to help in keeping your recipe mostly unchanged, but you may still have to use other gluten free ingredients that will require tweaks. Knowing and expecting that can help you avoid disappointment if your masterpiece winds up a dud. Follow Katherine on Insta @loveinovenblog for more great food and bake tips.Finally, why not heed the wise words of Sarah Orrock of Wild Yums? Shes a fan of experimentation too, but with guardrails. She recommends that you:
Sketch out your desired creation BEFORE baking.
Don't be afraid to experiment.
Always do the microwave-method before baking the entire batch.
Microwave method, you say? What is this method you speak of? Sarah recommends batch testing your raw batter by scooping some into a microwave and cooking it until its done. This will probably be roughly 10-15 seconds. This test helps you to determine whether your batter is up to snuff in taste and texture and helps you avoid a big waste of time and ingredients later by ruining the whole caboose. Be sure to follow Sarah on Insta @wildyums for more expertise and tips like these.Gluten free baking definitely isnt for the faint of heart. The reality is, you will fail at least once. But with that failure comes wisdom you can incorporate into your next gluten free baking attempt. Dont give up, because your next delicious creation could be just a tweak away.