Q&A: Gluten-Free Baking Tips and Tricks for Beginners
An interview with Rachel Ciordas of Next Level Gluten-Free
The holidays are quickly approaching, and that means you’re probably getting ready to spend more time in the kitchen than you usually do.
If you’re anything like me, then you may be nervous about how your gluten-free baked goods will turn out.
There’s definitely a learning curve when working with alternative flours and new ingredients—and I’ve had my fair share of gluten-free baking failures since being diagnosed with celiac disease in 2020.
But with a little guidance, you can master gluten-free baking like a pro this holiday season and beyond.
To help you out, I tapped Rachel Ciordas, the author of the Next Level Gluten-Free newsletter (which I highly recommend you subscribe to, if you haven’t already!), for her best gluten-free baking tips.
Rachel has been a cooking instructor for more than 15 years and loves helping people find joy in the kitchen. She’s also a mom to a child with celiac disease and enjoys recreating classic recipes to be gluten-free (and absolutely delicious!) in her newsletter.
Read on to find out her best gluten-free baking tips and tricks for beginners.
Q: How does gluten-free baking differ from regular baking?
A: In theory, gluten-free baking is creating delicious foods that are fun to eat and nourish the body and soul just like in regular baking. In practice, though, many of the techniques that work well in regular baking like you may have done with your parents or grandparents may not work well for gluten-free baking.
The good news is that if you are completely new to baking in general you are NOT behind when it comes to gluten-free baking. We all start at zero and it only gets better from there.
Q: What equipment and tools can help make gluten-free baking a success?
A: I really encourage gluten-free bakers to invest in a kitchen scale. It doesn’t have to be an expensive one—mine cost under $15.
Gluten-free baking is DRAMATICALLY better when you weigh your ingredients instead of measuring with cups and spoons. You may have noticed when you go to buy gluten-free flours that some are really coarse and sandy and some are super duper fine like cornstarch.
Those measure quite differently in a cup measure, and this can give you dry sawdust results if you get too much flour or soggy gummy if you don’t get enough. If you weigh them, it won’t matter and you’ll avoid many disappointing gluten-free bakes!
Another tool that really helps gluten-free bakers is a thermometer—like a meat thermometer that you insert into the food. It can really help you know if your baked goods are baked through or just browned on the outside.
For instance, gluten-free cinnamon rolls should be 205°F in the center—before that, they’ll be gummy. That’s higher than gluten-baked goods have to go to be done, one reason why converting gluten recipes to gluten-free can be tricky.
Q: What are some of your favorite gluten-free flour blends?
A: For non-yeasted baked goods (pancakes, cakes, cookies, biscuits, etc.), I really like King Arthur Measure for Measure. It’s a good quality product that is widely available and, as gluten-free ingredients go, reasonably priced. I’ve also used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 in the blue bag for non-yeasted items. It works well, however, make sure to get the one in the blue bag—not the red.
For yeasted baked goods, I like to mix my own. There just really isn’t a mix that turns out beautifully with yeasted dough yet, at least not one that’s affordable and available in many locations. Breads, cinnamon rolls, donuts, etc., turn out much better with just a few individual flours instead of a flour blend. I have more information about gluten-free flours here.
Q: What’s the number one tip you’d give to someone who’s new to gluten-free baking?
A: My number one tip is to have fun. Most people are starting gluten-free baking because of a diagnosis or something else in their life that quite frankly might be a bit of a bummer. Baking is fun—it’s where you make lemonade out of life’s lemons.
Gluten-free baking is a way you can be creative and give yourself a little delicious self-care. Don’t worry if you get a few off-kilter bakes when you’re first starting out—save the scraps in the freezer and turn them into gluten-free bread pudding or breadcrumbs.
As for actual gluten-free baking tips I have a list of 10 that I send out to new subscribers of my newsletter. You can see them in a post here!
Q: What are some of the most common problems that occur with gluten-free baking—and how do you solve these issues?
A: One really common problem that I see is people trying to substitute gluten-free flour in gluten recipes and getting strange results. Most gluten-free flours need more liquid, more time to soak up those liquids, and more beating time. A recipe designed to be gluten-free will take that into account and be a lot more reliable.
The other really common problem is gummy or dry results from measuring with cups and spoons. It’s a hard thing to wrap your brain around—changing the way you measure. But if you learn nothing else from me let it be this—weigh your ingredients and your gluten-free baking will be so much more delicious.
Q: The holidays are coming up. What are some of your go-to gluten-free baked goods to make this time of year?
A: Ooh, I think at the holidays you need at least one really show-stopping dessert. I love this Gluten-Free Chocolate Gingerbread Layer Cake for that. It’s easy and familiar but also a little surprising and so delightful.
I also love to make these Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls for company or holiday mornings. You can even see a video of a gluten-free cinnamon roll class here. I think it’s really helpful for those new to gluten-free yeasted baking.
I hope the above guide is helpful as you plan for the holidays! Feel free to share any additional questions you have or your best gluten-free baking tips in the comments.
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Really great tips and I especially liked the advice regarding weighing out the ingredients when baking - it is certainly true that substituting for the same weight of ordinary flour just does not work. I learned the hard way!
Great tips, Christina.