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.
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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 |
Gluten-Free Buttermilk Pancakes
Just because you need to avoid gluten doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a leisurely Saturday morning pancake breakfast.
Get the RecipeMuffins 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 |
Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins
We set out to make a golden-domed gluten-free muffin that also had a tender, delicate interior.
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Gluten-Free Cranberry-Orange Pecan Muffins
With a successful gluten-free blueberry muffin recipe under our belts, we decided to make another muffin using a similar base.
Get the RecipeDrop 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 |
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies as good as the original.
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Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies
A gluten-free cookie with all the chocolate flavor you can ask for.
Get the RecipeCakes
| 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 |
Gluten-Free Chocolate Layer Cake
Everyone loves a rich-tasting chocolate cake, but too often the gluten-free translation is less than appealing.
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Gluten-Free Carrot Sheet Cake
Carrot cake is typically a bowl cake made with oil rather than butter, and our early testing confirmed that this direction would work for our gluten-free carrot cake—with a few modifications.
Get the RecipePie 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 |
Gluten-Free Blueberry Pie
We wanted a pie that had a firm, juicy filling full of fresh blueberry flavor with still-plump berries, and we also wanted a crisp, flaky crust—somer experimentation made this dream a reality.
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Gluten-Free Deep-Dish Apple Pie
The simplest recipes for deep-dish apple pie call for piling sliced apples, tossed with sugar and spices, between two layers of pie dough and baking—this method spelled disaster for our gluten-free pie crust, but we found a way to success.
Get the RecipeYeast 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 extend 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 |
Gluten-Free Olive-Rosemary Bread
We used our Hearty Country Flax Bread as a starting point for this recipe. While we liked the earthy flavor of ground flax in the country bread, it clashed with the olives and rosemary. We had better results when we replaced the ground flax with milder-tasting oat flour.
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Gluten-Free 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—something large enough to actually slice for sandwiches.
Get the RecipeWant more information on gluten-free baking? Get more of your questions answered in these articles:
