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Gluten-Free Cornbread

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This easy gluten-free cornbread is savory, not sweet. It’s perfect on its own or served with chili.  

Gluten-Free Cornbread in Cast Iron Skillet

How to Make Gluten-Free Cornbread

  • Preheat oven. If using a cast iron skillet, place it in the oven to preheat. A hot skillet gives the cornbread a crunchy exterior. Don’t have a skillet? No problem. Use a cake pan. (Skip preheating the pan when using a cake pan.)
  • Make the batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Don’t skip this step; you want the baking powder, baking soda, and salt evenly distributed throughout the other ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and stir until the batter is almost smooth. Don’t worry about a few lumps here and there.
  • Bake. Pour the batter into a greased 8-inch skillet or 8-inch cake pan. Bake until set.
  • Cool⁠. This is the hardest step. Before serving, cool the cornbread for about 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and enjoy.

Gluten-Free Cornbread in Skillet

Gluten-Free Cornbread: The Ingredients

Gluten-Free Cornmeal

Note: Corn is a gluten-free grain, but some brands of cornmeal aren’t considered gluten-free by their manufacturer because of how they’re processed. Look for a cornmeal that’s labeled gluten-free.

The type of cornmeal you use affects the type of cornbread you get.

If you use finely ground cornmeal, the cornbread will have a soft, cake-like texture. If you use a cornmeal with a medium grind, the cornbread comes out cake-like but with a little crunch. My favorite type is coarsely ground cornmeal, which makes a cornbread with body and crunch. No one will confuse cornbread made with coarsely ground cornmeal for cake.

While I think coarsely ground cornmeal is the way to go, use whatever cornmeal you like. In this recipe, they’re totally interchangeable.

Gluten-Free Flour

I know, I know: Cornbread doesn’t need flour. People feel strongly about this topic—and don’t even get those folks started on the subject of sugar in cornbread. It’s a hot topic. Really hot. 

I’m going to sit out the debate and just tell you what I like: I prefer my cornbread with a hint of softness. Not quite cake, but something a little more tender than an all-cornmeal cornbread provides. Because of this, I add a little gluten-free flour to my cornbread recipe. The gluten-free flour gives the cornbread a tender crumb. It also helps to keep it moist on the counter for a day or so. For me, this is a win-win. Great texture and a longer shelf life? Yes, please!

I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Since there’s such a small amount of flour, any grain-based gluten-free flour should work. (Don’t replace the flour with almond or coconut flour; the almond flour makes for a heavy, greasy cornbread, and coconut flour will give you an unpleasantly spongy cornbread.)

Sugar (Just a Little)

This isn’t a sweet, cake-like cornbread, but it does contain two tablespoons of sugar. The sugar helps enhance the natural sweetness of the corn. In fact, if you try this cornbread with sugar and without, the recipe made with sugar tastes more “corn-y” than the one made without. (If you want a sweet cornbread, bake a batch of my gluten-free corn muffins; they have a nice sweetness to them.)

The sugar also helps the cornbread to brown. However, this is one of the rare baking recipes that works if you skip the sugar. (Most of the time omitting sugar from a baking recipe is a no-no.) If you don’t want any sugar in your cornbread, go ahead and leave it out.

Baking Powder and Baking Soda

This recipe uses two different chemical leavening agents: baking powder and baking soda. As you might know, baking soda requires an acid, like buttermilk or molasses, to be present in the recipe to work. But this recipe contains no acid. So why include it? Flavor. Due to its alkalinity, baking soda deepens flavor when used judiciously in a recipe. The mere 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda enhances the flavor and helps the cornbread to brown. Pretty impressive for such a small amount!

Eggs

Two eggs give the cornbread lift, moisture, and flavor. I haven’t tested the recipe with egg alternatives, so I can’t say if this recipe works egg-free.

Milk (and Its Alternatives)

Since I rarely have buttermilk kicking around the house, I stopped using it in my cornbread. Not only is this great for making last-minute cornbread, but it also benefits folks who are on a dairy-free diet. If you follow a dairy-free diet, simply replace the milk with your favorite dairy-free alternative.

Oil (or Butter)

Lots of cornbread recipes are loaded with butter. (My friend makes one with one-and-a-half sticks!) While that can be yummy on occasion, I usually don’t want that level of richness when I eat cornbread. So I use a little oil instead of butter. I find the oil keeps the cornbread moist without muting the corn flavor.

Any baking oil (corn, canola, or soy) works well. If you include dairy in your diet and prefer the flavor of butter, swap the oil for melted butter. After melting the butter, cool it before adding it to the batter.

The Pan: Skillet vs. Cake Pan

I think a cast iron skillet is one of the best pieces of equipment you can have in your kitchen. You can use it to make a steak or make a cake. (Or, in this case, cornbread.)

If you have an 8-inch cast iron skillet, use it! Pop it in the oven before you turn the oven on to preheat. A hot skillet gives gluten-free cornbread a crispy brown exterior. And if you’ve ever baked gluten-free, you know how challenging it can sometimes be to get a nice brown crumb on baked goods.

When the oven is at temperature and your batter is ready to go, remove the skillet from the oven. Grease it generously. Use either cooking oil or nonstick cooking spray. If you use vegetable oil, swirl it around in the pan to coat the pan evenly.

But what if you don’t own a cast iron skillet? Does that mean you’re destined to live a life free of gluten-free cornbread? Not at all! An 8-inch round cake pan works just fine. The baked cornbread won’t turn out as brown and crunchy; that’s the only difference.

Slice of gluten-free cornbread with butter on top

Gluten-Free Cornbread FAQ

Does cornbread contain gluten?

Many do. Although cornbread can be made without wheat and other gluten-containing ingredients, many contain wheat flour. Unless you made it yourself or it’s labeled gluten-free, it’s a good idea to assume that cornbread contains gluten. 

Is cornmeal gluten-free?

Pure cornmeal is gluten-free. However, due to how some brands of cornmeal are processed, some manufacturers don’t consider their cornmeal gluten-free. Always read labels before using.

What’s the best pan to use for cornbread?

My favorite pan to use is an 8-inch cast iron skillet. If you don’t own one, don’t worry—an 8-inch round cake pan is a great replacement.

Can you freeze cornbread?

Yes, you can freeze cornbread. Be sure to cool it completely and wrap it well before freezing.

Gluten-Free Cornbread in Cast Iron Skillet
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Gluten-Free Cornbread

Easy gluten-free cornbread. Savory, not sweet. Includes dairy-free option.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free cornmeal (8 ounces; 226 grams)
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free flour, see note (2 1/2 ounces; 70 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (1 ounce; 28 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup milk, see note for dairy-free option (6 ounces; 170 grams)
  • 2 large eggs (about 4 ounces out of shell; 114 grams)
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil (2 1/3 ounces; 66 grams)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. (If using an 8-inch cast iron skillet, place into oven before preheating. Heat skillet for at least 10 minutes.)

  2. Prepare the batter. Whisk together gluten-free cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add the milk, eggs, and oil. Whisk until combined. Batter should look almost smooth. A few lumps remaining is normal.

  3. Bake. If using a skillet, remove skillet from oven and place on a heatproof surface. Grease with nonstick cooking spray or brush generously with vegetable oil.

    If using an 8-inch round cake pan, grease the pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

    Pour batter into pan. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. The cornbread should spring back when touched.

  4. Cool and serve. Allow cornbread to cool for about five minutes before cutting into pieces.

  5. Store. Wrap cornbread and store on the counter overnight. Or cool thoroughly, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to two months. Allow cornbread to thaw on the counter.

Recipe Notes

Gluten-Free Flour

Bob's Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour recommended. 

Dairy-Free Option

Replace milk with a dairy-free alternative, such as rice milk or soy. Full-fat coconut milk is not recommended because the fat content makes for a very rich, almost greasy, cornbread. 

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Banana Bread

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Gluten-free banana bread with a peanut butter twist. Chocolate chips optional.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Banana Bread on Cooling Rack

It’s no secret that I love gluten-free banana bread. And gluten-free banana muffins. So I don’t know why it took me so long to create a recipe for gluten-free peanut butter banana bread.

If you love peanut butter-banana sandwiches, this bread is for you! (And if you’ve never had a peanut butter banana sandwich, what are you waiting for? Go make a loaf of gluten-free sandwich bread, grab some peanut butter and a ripe banana and you’re good to go.)

How to Make Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Banana Bread

    1. Use Really Ripe Bananas. (And mash ’em)

      You need really ripe bananas for this recipe. Mash them in a small bowl (it’s easy to do this with a fork.).

    2. Whisk together the dry ingredients. (don’t skip this step!)

      Start by whisking together the gluten-free baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. This is a quick bread, meaning it’s leavened with baking powder and baking soda rather than yeast. So it’s important to evenly distribute those leaveners evenly throughout the flour mixture. It ensures an even rise while baking.

    3. Make the Batter
      Gluten-free peanut butter banana bread batter with chocolate chips on top.

      Beat together brown sugar, peanut butter, and softened butter until it’s light and fluffy. This step captures air and helps the bread to rise. Stop the mixer once or twice and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. You’ll see a thick paste of butter and sugar. If that paste goes into the batter, it can cause the loaf to be flat and dense; instead of tall.

      Once the mixture is light and airy, stop the mixer and the eggs. Then beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. At first, it might look curdled. After a minute or so, it should whip up and look like a light frosting.

      Again, just as you did before, stop the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.

      Add the flour mixture and mashed bananas.

      Stop the mixer and add the whisked flour mixture and mashed bananas. There’s no need to add the flour in stages. Turn the mixer on to low at first to prevent the flour from flying out of the bowl. Then increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Mix until a thick batter forms.

      Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. You’ll often find streaks of flour clinging to the bottom of the bow. Stir this flour into the batter with a rubber spatula

      Add the chocolate chips (optional).

      Chocolate chips are a nice addition to this loaf. Stir in about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. (Or if you really love chocolate, up to one cup.)

    4. Bake
      Gluten-Free peanut butter banana bread batter in pan

      Spread the batter into a prepared pan. The best pan to use for quickbreads is an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan. It’s the same pan I use for my gluten-free sandwich bread and gluten-free pumpkin bread. If you don’t have this pan in the house, don’t worry. A 9×5-loaf pan also works. The bread just won’t rise as high.

      While this is called a  “quick bread” because of the baking powder and baking soda used in the batter. It doesn’t bake quickly. The loaf can take a little over an hour to bake. It’s best to take the temperature of the bread to ensure it’s done. Look for an internal temperature of around 205 degrees. If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, use a small paring knife. Stick it into the loaf. It should come out clean.

    5. Cool 

      Baked gluten-free peanut butter banana bread on cooling rack

      Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. If you try to remove the loaf from the pan too quickly, it can bread. After about 10 minutes, turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

 

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Banana Bread: The Ingredients

The Flour

This recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour. Using a different flour might alter the results.

The Peanut Butter

It’s best to use traditional peanut butter for this bread. “Natural” peanut butter varies from brand to brand and can sometimes be too oily for baking.

The Sugar

Dark brown sugar gives the loaf a deep flavor. If you don’t have any in the house, replace it with granulated sugar or light brown sugar.

The Bananas

Be sure to use very ripe but not black bananas. They should be spotty and brown all over.

Sliced gluten-free peanut butter banana bread on plate.

FAQs

Can I replace the egg with an egg-replacer?
I’m not sure. I haven’t tested the recipe egg-free.

Can I make this without butter? Yes. Replace the butter with an equal amount of dairy-free shortening.

Can I make this with a sugar substitute?
I’m not sure. I don’t bake with sugar substitutes. Sorry!

Baked gluten-free peanut butter banana bread on cooling rack
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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Gluten-free banana bread with a peanut butter twist. Chocolate chips optional.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (10 ounces/ 280 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar (5 1/2 ounces/ 155 grams)
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (4 3/4 ounces/ 135 grams)
  • 1/3 cup butter, softened (2 3/4 ounces; 75 grams)
  • 2 medium very ripe bananas (about 8 ounces/ 425 grams)
  • 2 large eggs (out of the shell: about 4 ounces/113 grams)
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips optional (3 ounces/85 grams)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven and prepare the pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

  2. Prepare the batter. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

    Beat together the brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer once to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.

  3. Add the eggs. Mix until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer once to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Beat for an additional 30 seconds.
  4. Stop the mixer and add the whisked flour and mashed banana. Turn the mixer to low. When the flour is incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium. Mix until a thick batter forms. Stop the mixer. Add the chocolate chips. Stir into the batter with a wooden spoon.

  5. Bake the Bread. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 70 minutes. (Internal temperature of the bread should be 205 degrees.)

  6. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.

Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

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 Baked gluten-free pumpkin bread in pan, sliced

The other day someone on Facebook asked me if I’d posted a recipe for gluten-free pumpkin bread yet. “Hrmph!” I thought. “Of course I’ve posted a recipe.”

Turns out, I hadn’t. I was thinking of the recipe from my first cookbook, “Easy Gluten-Free Baking.” Whoops!

I pulled my cookbook off the shelf and took a look at the recipe. I created it over a decade ago when I published a little print newsletter. It was a reader request. Back then, reader requests happened infrequently. I loved getting them.

The recipe was so popular that it made its way into my cookbook.

Photo of gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe from Easy Gluten-Free Baking Cookbook

Rosie’s pumpkin bread will always have a special place in my heart. That said…if I were to create a gluten-free pumpkin bread  today, it would be different from that one.

The good news? I’m in a position to create a new recipe. So I did!

Updating Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread to Make it Easier (and Tastier!) 

Inspired by the gluten-free zucchini bread I made earlier this year, I decided to update my recipe to make it a bit less sweet and oily. I also wanted the recipe to be easier to make. It took me a few tries to get it right. My first attempts came out gummy and dense. Finally, I nailed it! Here’s what I changed. 

Changed the Gluten-Free Flour

The original recipe used white rice flour, cornstarch, and xanthan gum. While this is great, there are now good gluten-free flour blends on the market. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour for this recipe.

Removed the Orange Juice

I wanted to ditch the orange juice. I don’t keep orange juice in the house. Ever. And I know a lot of other folks don’t either. So I nixed the orange juice.

Reduced the Sugar

Too many pumpkin bread recipes, either gluten-free or wheat-based, use too much sugar. For example, Libby’s classic recipe uses three cups of sugar for two loaves. That’s a lot. My original recipe does this too. The new recipe contains 1 1/4 total cups. That’s about 2/3 cup per loaf. Not bad for a sweet quick bread! (Note: I’m not claiming this bread is low sugar. It just contains way less sugar than the original.)

Reduced the Oil

Along with containing too much sugar, many recipes contain too much oil or butter. This makes pumpkin breads damp and greasy. Iwas able to reduce the oil from one cup to 2/3. This 1/3 cup reduction made a big difference in terms off texture. 

What I wasn’t able to change: The Pumpkin

Ok. Confession. While developing this recipe, I really, really wanted to create a loaf that used one can of pumpkin and made one loaf of pumpkin bread. Turns out, this proved impossible. The texture of the bread when made with a full can of pumpkin was unpleasantly damp— almost gummy. All the loaves had a dense line running across the bottom of the loaf. Urgh.

Therefore, like my original recipe, this one makes two loaves of pumpkin bread. If you don’t want to make two loaves, and are okay with having a half a can of pumpkin leftover, go ahead and cut the recipe in half.

How to Make the Best Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Sliced gluten-free pumpkin bread on brown parchment paper

  • Preheat oven. The batter needs to go into a hot oven. This helps the loaves to rise, as the baking powder reacts to heat, and gives the bread a nice texture. It’s a good idea to turn the oven on while you prepare the pans and mix the batter.
  • Whisk together the dry ingredients. This step seems like a nothing. You’re just stirring together ingredients, right? Well, yes and no. Whisking together the dry ingredients ensures that the small ingredients, like the baking powder, baking soda, and salt, mix evenly throughout the flour. If they don’t mix evenly, especially the leveners, the bread can rise unevenly. Don’t rush through this step. Take your time. Good whisking takes about 30 to 45 seconds.
  • Add the sugars. This bread contains both dark brown and granulated sugar. Rub the brown sugar between your fingers to break up clumps and mix it into the dry ingredients.
  • Add the pumpkin, oil, and eggs. Stir in the canned pumpkin, oil, and eggs until the batter is smooth. This is a thick batter. I recommend using an electric mixer. However, you can mix the batter by hand. Whether you use an electric mixer or whisk, be sure to mix thoroughly. There shouldn’t be any clumps of flour remaining.
  • Spread batter evenly into greased pans. Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 loaf pans generously with nonstick cooking spray (always make sure it’s gluten-free!) or grease and dust with a gluten-free flour.
  • Bake until set. This bread does not bake quickly. It takes about an hour. Don’t rush it. If you remove the pans from the oven too soon, the bread can have a gummy texture.
  • Cool on a wire rack. Allow the loaves to cool in the pan for about five minutes. Then turn out and place on a wire rack to cool.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread: The (Important) Ingredients

The Pumpkin

Use canned pure pumpkin. (This is sometimes labeled 100% pure pumpkin puree.) Don’t use canned pumpkin pie filling. That’s a different ingredient and isn’t a substitute for pure pumpkin.

Is canned pumpkin gluten-free?

It should be. But, as always, read labels. Ingredients and “may contain” warnings can change. The best way to know if an ingredient is gluten-free is to first read the label and then contact the manufacturer if you have any questions.

Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?

Yes but expect different results. If you cook, puree, and drain your own pumpkin, go ahead and use it. Just know that homemade pumpkin puree often contains more water than the canned variety. The additional water can affect both the flavor and texture of pumpkin bread. And since this is a loaf of gluten-free pumpkin bread, extra water can make it gummy.

The Gluten-Free Flour

This loaf was tested and developed with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. (This is not a paid placement. I don’t work with Bob’s. I just like how the flour works, the price point, and availability.)

If you replace the gluten-free flour with another blend, the results can change. Flour blends vary greatly from brand to brand. Look for a mix that contains xanthan or guar gum. If it doesn’t, add one teaspoon.

Can I use my own gluten-free flour?

Yes, but please note that using a different blend of flours can impact the final bread.

Can I make this with almond flour?

No. This loaf won’t work with almond flour. It will turn out dense and greasy because of the high-fat content of almond flour.

Can I make this with coconut flour?

No. This recipe won’t work with coconut flour. It will turn out gummy because of how coconut flour absorbs liquid.

Sugars: Brown and Granulated

Both brown sugar and granulated sugar are used in the recipe. When whisking the dry ingredients together, be sure to break up any lumps of brown sugar. If left in the batter, they form hollow, sweet dots in the loaf. While that sounds good, it affects the texture of the bread in an unpleasant way.

Can I use all granulated sugar?

Yes. You can replace the brown sugar with all granulated sugar.

Can I use all brown sugar?

You can but please be aware that the finished loaf might be denser than a loaf made with a mixture of brown sugar and granulated sugar. This is because of the molasses that brown sugar contains. If you’re okay with this, replace the granulated sugar with an equal amount of brown sugar.

Can I use honey or maple syrup?

I don’t think so. I haven’t tested the recipe with either honey or maple syrup. Since these are liquid sugars, the texture of the loaf will turn out differently than intended.

Can I use a sugar-free sweetener?

I don’t know. I don’t work with sugar-free sugars. So I can’t say if it would work or not.

The Pan: The Key to Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Success

There’s a huge problem in the baking world: 9×5 inch pans often aren’t 9×5-inches. Argh! Some of them are larger and smaller than others. It’s maddening.

And while x 9×5-inch pan is the standard when it comes to loaf pans, it’s not my favorite pan to use for loaves.

I prefer an 8×5 x 4.5 pan. I use it in my gluten-free sandwich bread recipe. It’s an amazing pan. And while I’m usually a “use whatever you got”-type baker, this is one pan I’d urge you to buy if your budget allows it. 

If you don’t own an 8×5 x 4.5 pan, you can still make this bread. Just know that your loaves will turn out a bit shorter than ones made in an 8.5×4.5-inch pan.

FAQ: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Baked loaf of gluten-free pumpkin bread

Can I make this recipe into muffins?

Yes. Line 20 muffin cups with either nonstick cooking spray or paper liners. Fill the cups 2/3 full. Bake until the muffins spring back to the touch.

Can I add nuts?

Yes. Stir in up to 1 cup roughly chopped nuts into the batter. Pecans are traditional but use any nut you love.

Can I add chocolate chips?

Yes. Stir in up to 1 cup chocolate chips to the batter.

How can I tell when pumpkin bread is done?

Good question! Because of the high moisture content from the pumpkin and the brown sugar, these loaves take an hour–and sometimes a little longer to bake.

There are two ways to test if your loaf is done

  • Take the Temperature. Like my recipe for gluten-free sandwich bread, I love using a thermometer to tell when a loaf of bread–even a quick bread like this one–is done. Insert the thermometer about halfway into the loaf. You want it to reach 206 degrees F.
  • “Stab it and Tap it.” Great name, right? This one isn’t as precise as taking the temperature of the bread. First, use a cake tester (stab it). You don’t want any batter clinging to the cake tester. If it passes that test, go ahead and then tap it with your fingers. You want the loaf to feel dense. If it gives of feels “squishy”, it’s probably not ready.

How to Freeze Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Since this recipe makes two loaves, you might want to freeze one to enjoy later. Happily, this bread freezes really well. If you have extra freezer space, go ahead and freeze a loaf.

  • Allow the loaf to cool completely.
  • Wrap the loaf in plastic wrap or place into a freezer bag. (If you’d like to slice into pieces before freezing, place a piece of parchment or wax paper between the slices. Place the slices into freezer bags.
  • Freeze up to three months.
  • Thaw on the counter.
Baked gluten-free pumpkin bread in pan, sliced
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Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour (15 ounces; 425 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup light or dark brown sugar (7 1/2 ounces; 212 grams)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can 100% pure pumpkin
  • 4 large eggs (about 8 ounces; 226 grams out of shell)
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil, such as canola oil (4 2/3 ounces; 132 grams)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven and prepare the pans. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8.5-by 4.5-inch loaf pasn generously with nonstick cooking spray.

  2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together the gluten-free flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the brown and granulated sugar. Break up any pieces of brown sugar. You can do this by rubbing the piece of brown sugar between your fingers and thumb or by using a fork.

  3. Mix the batter. Add the pumpkin, eggs, and vegetable oil. Mix until smooth. The batter will be thick.

  4. Bake the loaves. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake until set and golden brown, about 50 minutes. A cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf should come out clean or to an internal temperature of 206°F.

  5. Cool on a wire rack. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. Once cool to the touch, turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

  6. Store on the counter or freeze. Wrapped tightly in foil, gluten-free pumpkin bread keeps up to 3 days at room temperature. Freeze the cooled loaf, wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, for up to four months.

For Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

  1. Divide batter evenly among 20 lightly greased nonstick muffin cup. Use approximately 1/2 cup (4 ounces; 120for each muffin. Bake until golden brown and set, about 25 minutes.

Recipe Notes

The Gluten-Free Flour

This recipe was tested with Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Using a different flour or blend will affect the bread. 

 

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

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Easy gluten-free cinnamon-sugar pretzels. Perfect sweet and salty snack. Easy recipe. Dairy-free option included. 

Small pretzel twists coated with cinnamon and sugarThere are easy recipes, like my gluten-free vanilla mug cake. And then there are ridiculously easy recipes, like these gluten-free cinnamon and sugar pretzels.

These are something I’ve made for so long that I can’t believe I’ve never shared the recipe on the blog. If I’m honest, I don’t really think of this as a recipe. It’s more like, “Throw some gluten-free pretzels into a bowl. Add sugar, cinnamon, and some melted butter. Bake for a bit. Eat by the large handful.” 

That last part? It’s the most important. Because, friend, this is one of those recipes that people can’t stop eating. (Myself included.)

How To Make Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

Measuring cup of pretzels. Stick of butter. Bowl of sugar. Small bowl of ground cinnamon.

  1. Buy a bag of gluten-free pretzels. For this recipe, I like Snyder’s of Hanover gluten-free pretzels*. Why? Because they contain less fat (as of this writing, always check labels) than other brands. *Not an ad. I just like them.  
  2. Preheat the oven. You need to bake these pretzels. This step helps the cinnamon-sugar mixture stick to the pretzels. It only takes about 15 minutes but you don’t want to skip it. 
  3. Stir together the cinnamon and sugar. This is the most important step in the recipe. It helps to distribute the cinnamon evenly. If you add the cinnamon and sugar separately, you can end up with some pretzels that have a lot of cinnamon and others that have none.  
  4. Melt the butter. If you don’t include dairy in your diet, or if you don’t have some butter in the house, you can still make this recipe. Replace the melted butter with either dairy-free margarine or vegetable oil. You could use coconut oil but I don’t love the mouthfeel that coconut oil gives the pretzels. If you like coconut oil, go ahead and use it.  
  5. Toss the gluten-free pretzels with the melted butter. Grab a large bowl. You’re going to need it. If you don’t have a large bowl, use a pasta pot. It works in a pinch. Stir until all the pretzels are coated with butter. When they’re coated, they’ll shine. 
  6. Add the cinnamon and sugar. Some folks add the cinnamon and sugar to the melted butter. I hate this. Hate it. Adding the cinnamon and sugar to the melted butter takes this recipe from easy-peasy to a pain in the…well, you know. When you mix the melted butter and cinnamon and sugar, a thick paste forms. It’s almost impossible to get this paste to evenly coat the pretzels. You’re left with pretzels that are coated in gobs of cinnamon-sugar and others that have no coating at all.It’s better to toss the pretzels with cinnamon and sugar after you’ve already coated them with butter. All the pretzels get an even coating of sugary goodness. And you don’t have to swear while making them. Everyone wins. 
  7. Bake. Spread the coated pretzles onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the sugar almost melts. This takes about 15 minutes. 
  8. Break apart and serve. Don’t eat the pretzels as soon as they come out of the oven. This is hard. Very hard. But you’ll burn your mouth because the sugar is, what’s the term, freaking hot. Once they’ve cooled a bit, break them up–they tend to stick together during baking. You can pile them into a bowl and serve right away or put them into an airtight container. And since these make great gifts, you can spoon some into a cello bag, tie with a ribbon, and pat yourself on the back. (Don’t forget that last step.)
5 from 1 vote
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Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 4 cups gluten-free pretzels (about 7 ounces; 200 grams)
  • 1/4 cup butter or dairy-free margarine, melted (2 ounces; 56 grams)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

  3. Stir together pretzels and melted butter in a large bowl. Sprinkle the sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly over the pretzels. Stir to coat the pretzels.

  4. Spread pretzels onto the baking sheet. Bake until sugar bubbles, about 12 minutes. Remove and let pretzels cool on the pan. Don’t eat right away. The sugar is very hot and can burn your mouth. Once the pretzels are cool, break apart.
  5. Store pretzels in an airtight container for up to one week.

Easy Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

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A moist and delicious gluten-free zucchini bread. Easy to bake and freeze. Dairy-Free.

Loaf of baked gluten-free zucchini bread cooling on a rack.

I’ve thought a lot about zucchini bread this summer. A few weeks ago,  I created a new recipe for gluten-free chocolate zucchini bread. While working on it, I took a look at two of my earlier recipes for gluten-free zucchini bread.

My original gluten-free zucchini bread, which debuted six years(!!!) ago, uses a blend of millet flour and ground flaxmeal. It’s a gluten-free whole-grain take on zucchini bread. The second recipe for gluten-free zucchini bread recipe is a bit more traditional. It includes a bit of apple juice to amp up the flavor.

Here’s the thing: while both of those recipes taste great, they’re both are a bit more work than I like. For example, I don’t keep apple juice in the house. Do I want to make a trip to the store when I want to make zucchini bread? Nope! 

I had to be honest, if someone wanted to make a loaf of easy, classic zucchini bread? Neither recipe would satisfy.

That needed to change! So I put “easy gluten-free zucchini bread” on my to-do list. I even underlined easy. So you know I was serious. 

What I wanted the recipe to be:

  • Easy. Zucchini bread is fun to eat. It should also be fun to make! For this recipe, I didn’t want to call for any ingredients that aren’t always in the kitchen, like plain, unflavored yogurt, sour cream, or, I don’t know, pineapple.
  • Dairy-free. I eat dairy. I need to say that. So although I’m really happy that making this recipe dairy-free benefits folks who are dairy-free; it wasn’t the only reason I wanted a dairy-free bread. My main reason? Flavor! I love butter but in zucchini bread, it can overwhelm the other flavors whereas oil lets everything else shine.
  • One Loaf. Zucchini bread came about as a way to use excess zucchini. So it makes sense that many recipes make two loaves. But two loaves is usually one loaf too many for me. This recipe makes one loaf of bread. (If you want two loaves, double it.)

Loaf of sliced gluten-free zucchini bread on a white platter.

How to Make Easy Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

  • Use in-season zucchini. This recipe relies on the moisture freshly grated zucchini brings to the batter. Out-of-season zucchini can be dry. Zucchini bread is best made in the summer when zucchini is fresh and abundant.
  • Use Brown Sugar. The flavor of zucchini bread comes mostly from the other ingredients found in the recipe. Brown sugar adds a delicate, almost caramel flavor, to the bread. Either light or dark brown sugar work.
  • Add cinnamon and other spices. The recipe calls for two teaspoons of ground cinnamon. If you happen to have nutmeg and cloves in the kitchen, add them. They bump up the flavor and take the zucchini bread from good to great.
  • Use a gluten-free flour blend. TO keep the recipe easy, I used a commercial gluten-free flour blend.  It uses Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. If you use a different flour, your results may vary.

Can I make this recipe into muffins?

Yes! Line 10 muffin cups with either nonstick cooking spray or paper liners. Fill the cups 2/3 full. Bake until the muffins spring back to the touch.

Can I add nuts?

Yes! Stir in up to 1/2 cup roughly chopped nuts into the batter.

How about chocolate chips? Can I add those?

Yesssssss! Of course! (You could also make a loaf of gluten-free chocolate zucchini bread. That’s awesome too.) Stir in up to 1/2 cup chocolate chips to the batter.

How can I tell when zucchini bread is done?

Good question! Because of the high moisture content from the zucchini and the brown sugar, this loaf takes almost an hour to bake.

There are two ways to test if your loaf is done

  1. Take the Temperature. Like my recipe for gluten-free sandwich bread, I love using a thermometer to tell when a loaf of bread–even a quick bread like this one–is done. Insert the thermometer about halfway into the loaf. You want it to reach 206 degrees F.
  2. “Stab it and Tap it.” Great name, right? This one isn’t as precise as taking the temperature of the bread. First, use a cake tester (stab it). You don’t want any batter clinging to the cake tester. If it passes that test, go ahead and then tap it with your fingers. You want the loaf to feel dense. If it gives of feels “squishy”, it’s probably not ready.

How to Freeze Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

This bread freezes really well. If you have extra freezer space, go ahead and freeze a loaf. It’s great enjoyed in the middle of the winter.

Loaf of sliced gluten-free zucchini bread on a white platter.
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Easy Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

A moist and delicious gluten-free zucchini bread. Easy to bake and freeze. Dairy-Free.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 1 9-by 5-inch loaf

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour (7 1/2 ounces; 212 grams)
  • 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs (about 4 ounces; 113 grams out of shell)
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil, such as canola oil (2 1/3 ounces; 65 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups grated zucchini (about 7 ounces; 198 grams)

Instructions

  1. Grease a 9-by 5-inch loaf pan generously with nonstick cooking spray. Or line the pan with a 7- by 13-inch sheet of parchment paper. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F.
  2. Whisk together the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Break up any pieces of brown sugar. You can do this by rubbing the piece of brown sugar between your fingers and thumb or by using a fork.
  3. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and grated zucchini. Stir together with a rubber spatula. Batter will look dry. Set a timer for three minutes. After three minutes, stir batter gently until smooth. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.
  4. Bake until set and golden brown, about 50 minutes. A cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf should come out clean or to an internal temperature of 206°F.
  5. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. Once cool to the touch, turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Wrapped tightly in foil, gluten-free zucchini bread keeps up to 3 days at room temperature. Freeze the cooled loaf, wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, for up to four months.

For Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Muffins

  1. Divide batter evenly among 10 lightly greased nonstick muffin cup. Use approximately 1/2 cup (4 ounces; 120for each muffin. Bake until golden brown and set, about 25 minutes.

 

Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread Recipe

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Gluten-free chocolate zucchini bread is moist and rich. Dairy-free and easy-to-make. 

Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread Topped with Chocolate Chips SlicedI’ve got a question for you! What does zucchini bread taste like? You probably didn’t answer zucchini. 

Like pumpkin bread, zucchini bread is based on a bland, watery vegetable*. (Yes, pumpkin is rather bland. Don’t believe me? Try a spoonful of pumpkin the next time you open a can.) 

*Fun fact: botanically speaking, both pumpkin and zucchini are fruits. Since they aren’t sweet, we treat them as vegetables in the kitchen. 

The point of zucchini bread isn’t to celebrate the flavor of zucchini. It’s usually made for one of two reasons: 1. to use up excess zucchini from your summer garden. 2. nostalgia. Someone in your life made zucchini bread and you liked it. So when summer rolls around, you want to make a loaf. Both of these are excellent reasons to make zucchini bread. 

Traditional zucchini bread tastes mostly of cinnamon and is often studded with nuts or raisins. And, frankly, when I’m in the mood for a spiced quick bread, I usually make gluten-free pumpkin bread or gluten-free banana bread. 

But chocolate zucchini bread? Well, that’s a different story.  This is a bread I get excited to make. Chocolate zucchini bread is dense, moist, and, compared to other chocolate cakes, lower in fat. You can eat a slice without it feeling like an overindulgence. 

The zucchini almost melts during baking and leaves behind a mild vegetable-sweetness that pairs really well with cocoa powder. And the texture, especially for gluten-free quick bread, is soft. There’s not a hint of gumminess in this bread.

The Best Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Is

  • Soft and tender
  • Rich and chocolatey
  • Not too sweet
  • Not too oily
  • Made with brown sugar
  • Easy-to-make. 

How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread

  1. Grate the zucchini. Use in-season zucchini. The bread needs the moisture it contains. To grate, use a box grater or food processor fitted with a grating disk. 
  2. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together the gluten-free flour with the cocoa powder and other dry ingredients. You don’t need a stand mixer for this recipe but you can use one. 
  3. Make the batter. Add the eggs, oil, and zucchini. Stir until the zucchini is coated with batter. At first, the batter might look dry. This is normal. 
  4. Give it a rest. Allow the batter to rest for two minutes. The zucchini gives off liquid during this time. Don’t skip the rest. 
  5. Bake. Spoon batter into a greased pan and bake until set. 
  6. Cool. Cool the bread, set on a wire rack, until cool to the touch. 

Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread Topped with Chocolate Chips in Pan

The Best Flour for Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

To keep things easy, I used Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour. It makes a bread with a very delicate crumb. If you use your own flour blend or a different brand, be sure it contains xanthan gum for structure. 

Do not substitute coconut or almond flour for the all-purpose gluten-free baking flour. It won’t work. 

The Best Zucchini for Zucchini Bread

Use zucchini during its growing season (in the United States, this means the summer). Out-of-season zucchini tends to be dry and when used for baking, the bread doesn’t come out well. 

In-season zucchini, on the other hand, is heavy with water. The water content of the zucchini is essential to creating a smooth batter and moist loaf. 

Select zucchini that’s no larger than 12 inches long. You don’t want to use overgrown zucchini. The seeds should be small and delicate. (If you do have an overgrown zucchini, slice it in half. Scoop out the seeds, and then grate.)

After you grate the zucchini, pick up a little in your hand. If it feels moist, it’s perfect for this recipe. If it’s dry, it’s better suited for making latkes. 

The Best Cocoa Powder for Zucchini Bread

Use unsweetened, not Dutch processed cocoa powder.

Unsweetened cocoa powder is acidic. It works with the baking soda to leaven the bread. 

How to Freeze Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

After baking, allow the loaf to cool completely. Slice and place parchment paper between the slices. Place the slices into a freezer bag and freeze up to three months. 

Gluten-Free chocolate zucchini bread freezes really well. 

Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread Topped with Chocolate Chips Sliced
5 from 1 vote
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Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

Moist and rich, this gluten-free chocolate zucchini bread is an easy-to-make summer classic. Dairy-Free. 

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 12 slices

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten-free baking flour (4 3/4 ounces / 138 grams)
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (5 1/2 ounces / 155 grams)
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (1 ounce / 28 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups grated zucchini (9 ounces / 255 grams)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil (2 1/3 ounces / 65 grams)
  • 1 tablespoons chocolate chips, optional (1/3 ounce / 10 grams)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

  2. Whisk together gluten-free flour, dark brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Break up any pieces of brown sugar with your fingers. Add grated zucchini, eggs, and oil. Stir until a batter forms. Allow batter to rest for two minutes. This allows the zucchini to release a little moisture. It’s an important step. You don’t want to skip it.

  3. Stir the batter one more time to ensure no dry flour clings to the bottom of the bowl. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top of the pan.

  4. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
  5. Place pan on wire rack. Allow bread to cool in the pan. Slide a metal spatula gently around the edges of the pan to loosen. Turn out bread. Slice with a serrated knife. Store zucchini bread, wrapped, on the counter for up to four days. To freeze: Slice bread and place parchment paper between the slices. Place the slices into a freezer bag and freeze up to three months.

Review: Red Lobster’s Gluten-Free Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix

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Front of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Gluten-Free Biscuit Mix Box
When I read that Red Lobster launched a gluten-free version of their popular Cheddar Bay biscuits, I was surprised. This is not a restaurant that’s known for its gluten-free menu. 

Then I saw that Red Lobster wasn’t making a gluten-free version of their biscuits in their restaurants. No. They created a mix so you can make the biscuits yourself. At home. (As I type this, gluten-free Cheddar Bay biscuits aren’t offered in the restaurant, nor does it sound like Red Lobster has any plans on doing so.)

That’s…odd? But, still, the mix grabbed my attention. Because I love biscuits the way Oprah loves bread. (I created a recipe for gluten-free Cheddar biscuits a few years ago. Those biscuits, I must say, are pretty darn good.)

So I headed to the only place selling the mix: Wal-Mart. A box cost me $3.84. The non-gluten-free version of the mix was $1.78. As is often the case, the gluten-free version cost most. Sigh. 

The Ingredients

Red Lobster Gluten-Free Cheddar Bay Biscuit Review_IngredientsBiscuit Mix

Rice flour, palm oil, defatted soy flour, leaving (baking soda, sodium aluminum, phosphate, monocalcium phosphate), cornstarch, food starch-modified, whey powder, salt, dextrose, buttermilk, xanthan gum, soy lecithin.

Herb Blend

Garlic powder, maltodextrin, salt, onion powder, hydrolyzed soy protein, torula yeast, natural and artificial flavors (maltodextrin, butter oil), corn oil, silicon dioxide (anti-caking agent)

The ingredients are pretty boring. A blend of rice flour, soy flour, and cornstarch. While the mix does contain milk, soy, and cornstarch, it looks to be egg-free.

Making and Baking

Red Lobster Gluten-Free Cheddar Bay Biscuit Back of BoxThe back of the box calls for 1/2 cup shredded cheese. It also includes this note on the bottom: “Some shredded cheddar cheese contains gluten. Be sure to make certain your cheese is gluten-free.”

Here’s the deal:  I don’t know if gluten in shredded cheese is just a rumor or if there is a brand that uses it. I’ve yet to see one. (That doesn’t mean there isn’t and you should always read labels!) But at this point, I feel like this is a rumor that’s been circulating for years without any proof. I wish someone could name a brand of shredded cheese that uses wheat.  (If you know of one, let me know!)

I shredded my own cheese for the mix. Why? I like the taste better. Pre-shredded cheese is convenient but I think it’s a bit blah when it comes to taste. So I shred my own. 

Red Lobster Gluten-Free Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix Review_Side by SideThe mix came together easily. The box says to scoop out the dough in “about 1/4 cup” portions. So I did. And I got…nine biscuits. (My biscuits were a scant 1/4 cup each.) This isn’t the end of the world but it’s a bit annoying. 

The biscuits took 16 minutes to bake. On the box, we’re directed to “bake until golden brown on top.”Hmm…the bottoms were a lovely golden brown. In fact, if I’d baked them much longer, they might have tipped into being too brown. 

The top of the biscuit? Not really golden brown at all. 

The day before I tested the mix, I picked up a 1/2 dozen (NON-gluten-free) Cheddar Bay biscuits at my local Red Lobster. Those babies were nice and golden brown. Look at how they compare to the gluten-free version. 

I melted some butter, mixed it with “garlic herb blend” (this just smelled like garlic and onion) and slathered it on the hot biscuits. The mix says to melt 1/4 cup of butter. That’s a generous amount of butter for 9 biscuits. So I had a bit leftover. 

The Taste

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Baked on Sheet PanThese biscuits were very good. Like the ones sold at the restaurant, they were rich–almost a bit too rich, they left grease on my fingers. The garlic herb butter added a really nice flavor. I’d love to mix the packet into the flour mixture before baking. I think this would add a nice even flavor throughout the biscuits. 

The one thing that surprised me was the mild cheddar flavor. It’s there but it’s not terribly strong. 

The Texture

The biscuits were nice and soft. None of that grit that can be present in too many gluten-free baked goods. 

The bottom of the biscuits provided a nice crunch, while the inside was soft and tender. (And not gummy. Yay!)

What I liked

I really liked how easy these biscuits were to make. You add some shredded cheese, a little cold water, stir, and you’re done. I also like the texture and flavor. Did I LOVE the flavor? I can’t say that I did. I found them just a wee bit bland. They were good, not great. 

What I didn’t like

The price. The box cost almost $4.00, plus the added expense of having to add your own cheese. This seems a bit pricey for a mix that’s supposed to make 12 biscuits but only made nine. 

Would I buy these again?

That’s a solid maybe. While I liked them, they weren’t a total standout for me. Since biscuits are such a treat, I’d rather take a few extra minutes and make mine from scratch. This way I can use butter, instead of the palm oil that’s included in the Red Lobster Mix.  

Grade: B+

Red Lobster Introduces a Gluten-Free Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix

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Red Lobster Is Now Selling Gluten-Free Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix

Baked Cheddar Bay Biscuits in a Basket

Do you miss Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay biscuits? Well, I’ve got good news and bad news for you. First, the good news: you can now enjoy a gluten-free version of the famous biscuits. The bad news? You’ll have to make them yourself. At home. 

Starting in August the Gluten-free Cheddar Bay Biscuit mix will be available at Wal-Mart stores. No word on whether the mix will be available at other stores or online.

The biscuits offered in Red Lobster restaurants will remain off-limits to those on a gluten-free diet. 

Note from Elizabeth:

As soon as I’ve had a chance to try the mix, I’ll share my review with you. 

PS: Don’t want to wait for the mix? Whip up your own batch of gluten-free Cheddar biscuits with this easy recipe. 

UPDATE: Review: Red Lobster Gluten-Free Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix

 

Celebrate National Sugar Cookie Day with these 5 Gluten-Free Recipes

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It’s National Sugar Cookie Day! And, I don’t know about you, but…that sounds like a made-up holiday. But! I don’t care because I love sugar cookies. Here are five gluten-free recipes to try. 

Gluten-Free Soft Sugar Cookies

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies on a Plate.

Miss soft sugar cookies? These are for you. The cookies are soft and tender and the creamy buttercream frosting is the perfect finish. (Sprinkles are optional but highly recommended.)

Get the Recipe: Gluten-Free Soft Sugar Cookies

 

Gluten-Free Cut-out Sugar Cookies

Gluten-Free Cut out Sugar Cookies on a Plate. 

Got time to roll out some sugar cookie dough? Then you need to make try this recipe. Made with butter, these cookies come out delicate and sweet–but not too sweet. 
Get the Recipe: Cut-out Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

 

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Bars

Short on time but craving sugar cookies? Make sugar cookie bars! Simply press the dough into a pan, bake, and frost. Easy-peasy! 
Get the Recipe: Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Bars

 

Paleo Sugar Cookies

Grain-Free Roll Out Cookies | Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

Looking for a grain-free way to enjoy some sugar cookies? This recipe for paleo sugar cookies fits the bill. Made with almond flour, they’re easy to make and have a delicate flavor and texture. 
Get the Recipe: Paleo Sugar Cookies

 

Simple Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

Easy Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

These gluten-free sugar cookies are crisp and light–and coated with sanding sugar before baking. They’re a homestyle sugar cookie that are great eaten as-is  or used in gluten-free ice cream sandwiches. 

Get the Recipe: Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie

 

Gluten-Free Skillet S’more Cookie

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A giant chocolate chip cookie that tastes like a s’more. Baking it in a skillet gives it crispy edges and a soft and chewy center.

Gluten-Free S'more Cookie in Skillet. Cut and topped with browned marshmallows and chocolate chips
I fell in love with chocolate chip cookie cakes in the eighth grade. My homeroom teacher made one at the beginning of each month to celebrate students’ birthdays. Our homeroom was the envy of the school. We had cookie cakes. No one else did. 

Cookie cakes seemed to reach peak popularity during the mall culture of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Mrs. Field’s and Famous Amos always displayed cookie cakes–with thick buttercream frosting–in their cases. 

And then? Nothing. Cookie cakes all but disappeared. 

Like all trends, however, cookie cakes came back but with a twist. (Probably because those of us who grew up eating them were now old enough to make them for our families.) The current take on the cookie cake trend are skillet cookies. Some folks call them “brookies” because of the cookie-brownie texture of these cakes. 

And that’s a good way to think about them. (Although I personally hate the word “brookie.”) These don’t taste like a cake. The texture is too dense. They aren’t really a brownie or blondie either. A good skillet cookie is soft and tender in the center and crunchy on the edges. This combination of crunchy and soft occurs because of the cast iron pans hold onto and transfer heat. 

If you bake the same dough in a regular baking pan, the recipe works but the texture is different. Made in a traditional baking pan, this gluten-free skillet s’more cookie would have an even texture from the edges to the center. 

For summer, it’s fun to make a s’more everything. So I added some marshmallows and chopped gluten-free graham crackers to a chocolate chip skillet cookie. The result is an “I CAN’T STOP EATING THIS”-gluten-free skillet s’more cookie. (Whoa, that’s a mouthful.)

How to Make a Gluten-Free Skillet S’more Cookie

  1. Grease your cast iron skillet. Even if you have a well-seasoned skillet, you still need to grease it generously before pressing the cookie dough into the pan. 
  2. Make the dough. This is a simple gluten-free cookie dough. 
  3. Add “the good stuff.” Stir in the chocolate chips, mini-marshmallows, and chopped gluten-free graham crackers. After mixing the dough, stir in the “good stuff”. 
  4. Top with additional marshmallows and chocolate chips. This layer of marshmallows browns and melt during baking, adding a nice s’more flavor. 
  5. Add more marshmallows. For a fun s’more look, sprinkle additional marshmallows over the skillet after the cookie is baked. Broil for just a minute until the marshmallows are puffy and brown. 

The Ins and Outs of the Recipe

This skillet cookie is basically a chocolate chip cookie studded with broken-up gluten-free graham crackers and mini-marshmallows. Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients. 

Dark or Light Brown Sugar?

For this recipe, it doesn’t matter. Dark brown sugar adds a bit more of a caramel flavor to the cookie, which I think is a delight. If you prefer light brown sugar (or only have the one in the house), use it. Either work fine in this recipe. 

What’s the best gluten-free graham cracker to use?

1/2 cup Broken Gluten-free Graham Crackers.
I recommend Pamela’s gluten-free grahams. The runner-up is Schar. I’d skip kinnikinnick because they’re so thick. And if you want to make homemade gluten-free graham crackers, I am here for you! Here’s my recipe for gluten-free graham crackers. 

Adding marshmallows to cookies. 

Adding marshmallows to cookies sounds like a great idea but there’s one reality that we have to deal with: they melt during baking. But I add them anyway.Why? The flavor. They leave behind little nuggets of sweet-vanilla flavor.

Gluten-Free S'more Cookie in Skillet. Cut and topped with browned marshmallows and chocolate chips
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Gluten-Free Skillet S'more Cookie

A giant chocolate chip cookie that tastes like a s'more. Baking it in a skillet gives it crispy edges and a soft and chewy center.

Ingredients

  • 10 tablespoons softened butter (1 1/4 sticks; 5 ounces; 142 grams)
  • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar (3 3/4 ounces; 106 grams)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (2 1/4 ounces; 65 grams)
  • 1 large egg (about 2 ounces; 50 grams)
  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free baking flour* (7 ounces; 200 grams)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups mini-marshmallows, divided (2 1/4 ounces)
  • 1 cup chocolate chips plus one tablespoon (6 ounces; 170 grams)
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons broken gluten-free crackers, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Combine butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat until smooth, about one minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the egg and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.
  3. Add gluten-free flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms. Stop the mixer. Add one cup mini-marshmallows, one cup chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers.
  4. Press dough into prepared pan. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons mini-marshmallows and remaining chocolate chips and graham crackers over the dough.
  5. Bake until set, about 30 minutes. Marshmallows will brown and melt during baking.
  6. Remove pan from oven. Place on a wire rack. Turn on broiler. Sprinkle remaining marshmallows over the top of the skillet cookie. Broil until marshmallows are puffy and brown, about 30 seconds.

Recipe Notes

*Gluten-Free Baking Flour

This recipe was tested using Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. 

Gluten-Free Graham Crackers

Break graham crackers into small, bite-size pieces. Don't crush into crumbs. 

Cookbook Review: The “I Love My Air Fryer” Gluten-Free Recipe Book

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A cookbook dedicated to gluten-free Air Frying soars in some places and stumbles in others. 

Book Cover: I Love My Air Fryer Gluten-Free Recipe Book

“I Love My Air Fryer” Gluten-Free Recipe Book Review

Do you own an Air Fryer? The answer is probably yes. A whopping 4 million were sold last year. (four million!)

When Air Fryers first started getting attention, I didn’t think much of it. They’ve been around for a while and other than getting some play on television shopping channels, they never really caught on. This, of course, has changed.

Now Air Fryers are everywhere and, if you’re like me, you’re probably wondering what the %^$ to do with one⁠—besides using it to make crispy frozen French fries.

The “I Love My Air Fryer” Gluten-Free Recipe Book by Michelle Fagone aims to help us answer this question.

Filled with 175 gluten-free recipes for an Air Fryer, this book surprised me. I expected it to be filled with recipes for fried foods like onions rings and other such foods.

It’s not.

The book covers everything from how to make gluten-free blueberry muffins to a simple recipe for Two-Ingredient Barbecued Pulled Jackfruit. (A recipe that promises to make a meat-free pulled pork in only 10 minutes.)With recipes for lobster and sea bass nestled among recipes for jalapeno poppers and “pizza bombs”, this book attempts to be a serious cookbook for gluten-free eaters who like to have a little fun in the kitchen.

That’s where this book succeeds. The recipes are interesting, enticing, and, easy.  The photos are lovely, showcasing how many different foods can be prepared —and prepared well in an Air Fryer. 

Cobb Salad PhotoWhere the book falls short is with the ingredient recommendations.

Most of the recipes use naturally gluten-free ingredients. However, for the baked and breaded recipes, you’ll need a gluten-free flour blend. Since gluten-free flour blends vary so much from brand-to-brand, I wish the author had included a note about which brand of flour she used to create and test the recipes. This is especially important since some recipes call for additional xanthan gum. Some gluten-free flour blends include xanthan gum; others don’t. Adding xanthan gum to a blend that already contains it will give you a very different result than adding xanthan gum to a blend that contains none.

Of greater concern was the inclusion of ingredients that sent up a red flag to me, specifically oyster sauce, gochujang, oats, and cornflakes. These ingredients need a clear note about using the gluten-free version. (The traditional versions often contain gluten.)

Recipe for Air Fryer CheesecakeIt surprised me that these ingredients were overlooked because in the recipe for Moo Shu Pork Wrappers (p 127) there’s a helpful note about using a gluten-free hoisin sauce. And in the recipe for Giant Nachos (p 166), there’s a note about the vegetarian status of refried beans. The author clearly tried to include thoughtful and helpful notes about ingredients. 

However, the unevenness of the ingredient notes is of concern. Knowing to select gluten-free cornflakes or to look for gluten-free oyster sauce, is one of those “big little things” that make cooking gluten-free a challenge. 

If simple ingredient alerts were included, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book. Heck, flipping through it got me interested in Air Frying—a tough feat. I wanted to love this book.

Unfortunately, because of the oversight of some potential gluten-containing ingredients, I can only recommend this book with reservations.

If you understand the complex ins and outs of gluten-free cooking or follow a gluten-free diet as a lifestyle choice rather than for health reasons, this cookbook would make a lovely addition to your collection.

For those new to the gluten-free diet, especially those who follow the gluten-free diet due to health reasons, like celiac disease,  I can’t recommend the title. I’d hate to see someone “gluten” themselves because a recipe called for cornflakes, instead of gluten-free cornflakes.

About
The “I Love My Air Fryer” Gluten-Free Recipe Book: From Lemon Blueberry Muffins to Mediterranean Short Ribs, 175 Easy and Delicious Gluten-Free Recipes by Michelle Fagone. 

List Price: $16.99

Available on Amazon (affiliate link) 
As an Amazon Associate GlutenFreeBaking.com earns a commission from qualifying purchases.

Easy Gluten-Free Vanilla Sheet Cake

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This easy-to-make gluten-free sheet cake is rich and moist. And it only requires one bowl to make! Perfect for birthday parties, celebrations, baby showers, or a pot luck dessert.

Slice of Gluten-Free Vanilla Sheet Cake on a plate.

What is it about a yellow sheet cake? For me, it’s the most comforting homemade cake. There’s just something homey about it. Sure, I love a towering gluten-free white layer cake and making a gluten-free chocolate cake always brings a smile to my face. But a sheet cake? That’s the cake I make for small family birthday parties, pot lucks, and, most importantly, just because.

How to Make a Gluten-Free Sheet Cake

  • Use One Bowl. This recipe comes together in one bowl! No need to whip egg whites or do anything fancy. Some folks call this a dump cake. But I don’t love the word “dump” applied to food. But that’s just me.
  • Cut in Softened Butter or Coconut Oil. For a boxed cake texture, softened butter is mixed into the gluten-free flour and sugar before the eggs, milk, and oil are added. This step creates a texture that’s soft and delicate.
  • Mix Until Smooth and Fluffy. Once you’ve cut in the butter, add the wet ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth and fluffy. This takes about a minute or so.
  • Bake in a Greased Pan. If you want to serve the cake right from the pan, simply grease a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. But if you want to remove the cake from the pan, line the pan with parchment paper. Be sure the paper hangs over the edge of the pan. This makes it easy to lift the cooled cake out of the pan.
  • Frost with Your Favorite Frosting. What’s your favorite frosting? Oh, that’s funny! That’s the perfect frosting for this cake. (My favorite frosting varies. Some days I love chocolate frosting. Other times I like to make the vanilla frosting. And, when I’m feeling jazzy, I’ll whip up a batch of cream cheese frosting for a sheet cake. That one always wins praise.)

Gluten-Free Vanilla Sheet Cake. Sliced in Pan. Frosted with Vanilla Frosting and sprinkled with pastel sprinkles.

The Perfect Gluten-Free Flour for Sheet Cake

This simple sheet cake uses Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. If you use another flour, the cake might turn out fine or…it might not. Gluten-free flours vary greatly. For the best results use Bob’s. If you don’t want to use Bob’s, use a blend that contains xanthan gum or add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum to the recipe.

FAQs: Gluten-Free Sheet Cake

Can I make this into gluten-free cupcakes?

Sure can! Scoop the batter into 24 cupcake cups. Be sure to line the cups with paper liners or spray very generously with nonstick cooking spray.

Can I make this into a round gluten-free cake?

Yup! Divide the batter evenly between two 8-inch round cake pans.

Can I freeze the gluten-free sheet cake?

You can! Be sure to allow the cake to cool completely before freezing. And, bonus, you can frost the cake before freezing. Frosted cakes freeze really well. (The hardest part? You need room in the freezer for the cake.)

Can I omit the eggs?

Probably not. Cake recipes are hard to make egg-free. I don’t think this one would work without eggs. Sorry.

Can I make this without dairy?

Yes! Replace the butter with either softened coconut oil or softened dairy-free margarine. And replace the milk with dairy-free milk. (Just don’t use full-fat coconut milk. It’s too heavy for the cake.)

Gluten-Free Vanilla Sheet Cake. Sliced in Pan. Frosted with Vanilla Frosting and sprinkled with pastel sprinkles.
5 from 1 vote
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Gluten-Free Vanilla Sheet Cake

This easy-to-make gluten-free sheet cake is rich and moist. And it only requires one bowl to make! Perfect for birthday parties, celebrations, baby showers, or a pot luck dessert.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup softened butter or coconut oil
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 batch gluten-free buttercream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray Or if you want to remove the cake for serving, line the pan with parchment paper and grease with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Whisk together gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add softened butter. Mix, on medium speed, until butter is incorporated. Very small pieces of butter should dot the mixture.
  3. Add the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until batter is smooth and fluffy, about one minute.
  4. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
  5. Cool cake in pan. Frost cooled cake with your favorite frosting.

Review: Trader Joe’s Cocoa Crunch Cereal

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Trader Joe’s introduced Cocoa Crunch Cereal. It looks like a gluten-free version of Cocoa Puffs. But how does it taste?

Trader Joe's Cocoa Crunch Cereal Front of Box

Visiting Trader Joe’s on a Sunday afternoon is…never a good idea. Yet, this past Sunday, there I was, squeezing down the aisles, bumping into folks and having folks bump into me. Good times.

I noticed a display of what looked like Trader Joe’s branded Cocoa Puffs. And, dear reader, I used you as an excuse to buy the box. As a rule, I don’t buy cereal because it seems to ~mysteriously~ disappear. One minute the box is full. The next? Not so much. And since my husband doesn’t like cereal…it must be a ghost. Yeah. That’s it. A ghost. There’s no other explanation.

But! I was thinking of YOU! It’s a new gluten-free cereal. I *needed* to try it for you. For science. For the gluten-free community. 

It was a duty that I needed to uphold. 

I happily tossed a box of Cocoa Crunch Cereal into my cart. It cost $3.49 for a 9.2-ounce box. That didn’t seem overly expensive but it didn’t seem “Oh my god!”-cheap either. 

I couldn’t wait to try it. I love Cocoa Puffs. (I haven’t had it in years but my love burns bright.) So when I opened the box, I was expecting the heavenly, cocoa-sweet aroma to great me. And…nothing. Nary a whiff of chocolate greeted my nose.

Trader Joe's Cocoa Crunch Cereal in Glass Bowl. (No Milk)

I took a bite. It was…not Cocoa Puffs. The cereal, which contains as much sugar per serving as Cocoa Puffs*, tasted flat.

There wasn’t enough cocoa flavor or grain-y sweetness in the cereal. It’s not that I was looking for overly sweet cereal but, if I’m going to eat a chocolate cereal as a treat, I want it to taste like something. And this didn’t taste like much. In addition to missing the sweet grain notes that corn brings to the cereal, this cereal also needed a bit of vanilla or something.

It tasted like someone wanted to make a health food version of cocoa puffs. Something that would look like Cocoa Puffs and would taste…almost like it. But not close enough.

The texture worked. When eaten dry, it was nice and crunchy. When eaten with milk, it didn’t turn soggy.

Speaking as someone who loves cereal, this one won’t tempt me again. And that’s saying something because I still miss Ice Cream Cone cereal from the 1980s.

* Trader Joe’s Cocoa Crunch Cereal contains 9 grams of added sugar per 40-gram serving. Cocoa Puffs contains 9 grams of sugar per 27-gram serving. 

Trader Joe’s Cocoa Crunch Cereal: Ingredients

Trader Joe's Cocoa Crunch Cereal Ingredients

RICE FLOUR, CANE SUGAR, SORGHUM FLOUR, YELLOW CORN FLOUR, DUTCH COCOA POWDER, CHICKPEA FIBER, PSYLLIUM HUSK POWDER, NATURAL FLAVOR, SEA SALT, CANOLA OIL, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN POWDER, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE (ANTI-CAKING AGENT).

Please note: Ingredients can change at any time. Please refer to the box for the current ingredients. 

Trader Joe’s Cocoa Crunch Cereal: Nutrition

Trader Joe's Cocoa Crunch Cereal Nutrition Facts

Serving size 1 cup (40g)
Calories 150
Total Fat 1g
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 80mg
Total Carbohydrate 33g
Dietary Fiber 2g
Total Sugars 9g(Includes 9g Added Sugars)
Protein 3g

 

8 Essential Gluten-free Travel Tips You Need to Know

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We asked the GlutenFreeBaking.com community for their best gluten-free travel tips and they didn’t disappoint. Here’s what you need to know when traveling while on a gluten-free diet. 

Text: 8 Gluten-Free Travel Tips. Gluten-Free Eaters Share What You Need to Know. Photo: Woman walking with suitcase.

Some answers have been edited for clarity or length.

Gluten-Free Tavel Tip #1: Research Before You Go

My daughter recently traveled out-of-state for a week. She researched the location in advance and called a few places to verify things like separate fryer for fries, protected veggie and salad prep, etc. It was a small town, yet she found a totally gluten-free bakery that had awesome goodies, and pizza crust. It’s five hours from home, but she and her many gluten-free friends are planning to take turns driving there every couple of weeks with a big shopping list.
—Carol

I always read every review on “find me gluten free”. I take snacks, I have a Nima so that I can test my food. I travel to the same places (I know not as much fun) but once I learned what’s safe I stick with it. I try to make sure I know where grocery stores are in the area.
—Melissa

I always do lots of research where I’m going. I always make reservations, when possible, and note on the reservation “diner with celiac will require gluten-free options.” I usually limit dining choices to restaurants with confirmed gluten-free options.
—Michele

Gluten-Free Travel Tip #2: Bring Snacks

Take lots of snacks with you and have a note/card in the languages necessary that states ‘allergic to gluten’, even though it’s not an allergy that is better understood than gluten-free/celiac disease.
—Joanne

Always take snacks. Just in case. Then if you get caught out you don’t have to go hungry.
—Hollie

Bring lots and lots of snacks
—Amanda

Dried fruits and nuts. Larabars. Instant gluten-free oatmeal. Peanut butter packets, Protein shakes. Apples and Bananas. I never travel without these.
—Kim

 

Gluten-Free Travel Tip #3: Go to the local grocery store or Farmers’ Market

Before you travel, check what groceries are near you. I don’t eat in restaurants. I stay in Airbnbs, buy groceries and cook my own food. This is the best way I can keep myself safe.
—Alejandra

I locate grocery stores nearby where I will be and research what options they have in case I run out snacks that I have packed. If we’re staying in a place that has a kitchen, I buy foil to cover baking sheets so I can warm up bread, bagels etc.
—Michele

Hit up the local farmers’ market. Local fruits, cheeses, and sometimes gluten-free treats are easy-to-find. Plus it’s a fun way to get to know the place you’re visiting.
—Rose

 

Gluten-Free Travel Tip #4: Bring food for the Journey

 

Check if your airline has a gluten-free meal option but don’t count on it. Have a good meal just before going to the airport. In your carry on, bring a few gluten-free sandwiches and some trail mix. Put gluten-free crackers, sandwich bread, and pasta in your checked luggage.
—Jacqueline

Never fly without food. Ever. We got stuck on a runway for three hours. They handed out snacks, which I couldn’t eat. Thankfully I’d brought my own gluten-free snacks. If I hadn’t, I would have been out of luck. 
—Sally

Always travel with a packed lunch. I bring a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some gluten-free chips, and fruit. It’s saved me on road trips many times. 
—Martha

 

Gluten-Free Travel Tip #5: Be Prepared

Have a second or third option. One time we went to a new city. I couldn’t wait to try a gluten-free restaurant I’d read about online. We got there only to find that it was closed that week. There weren’t other options nearby. I didn’t think I needed to bring food. I ended up getting potato chips and a mealy apple at a gas station while my family ate. Never again.
—Gabby

Always have a backup plan!! Weather, mechanical issues, traffic tie-ups, etc. can cause short or long delays. Never travel without food!
—Claire

Bring your own rolls to restaurants. Some have a gluten-free menu but no bread.
—Jessica

 

Gluten-Free Travel Tip #6: Use Dining Cards

Download and print the gluten-free language cards to be used in restaurants. Really helped us in China… both Mandarin and Cantonese.
—Sarah

Dining cards seem old-fashioned but they really help. 
—Bea

Gluten-Free Travel Tip #7: Trust your gut, not just what it says on the menu

 

When you’re in a restaurant and ask about gluten-free options, trust your gut feeling when listening to staff. My “BS” sensors have become pretty good over the years and I know when to ask follow up questions or when I can trust the staff.
—Micha

Many places now offer “gluten-free” options but they don’t really know how to prepare a safe meal. I ask lots of questions before ordering. I don’t just trust that gluten-free means it’s safe for me. I don’t want to get sick on vacation. I’d rather go without than get “glutened” and miss fun days.
—Jeni

 

Gluten-Free Travel Tip #8: Have Fun!

There are places out there that serve wonderful gluten-free food. Do some research and go out and have fun. Pack some snacks to cover yourself.
—Mary Jo

Learn how to travel gluten-free. It’s probably very different from how you traveled before your diagnosis but it’s worth it.
—Shelia

Don’t let your gluten-free diet stop you from seeing the world. Ask for help. Stay on your diet and go have adventures. Life is too short to always stay at home.
—Glenn 

 

Easy Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake Recipe

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This one-bowl gluten-free strawberry cake is so easy to make! It’s moist and tender crumb makes it a favorite for birthday parties and other celebrations. Frost with cream cheese frosting or vanilla buttercream. 

Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake on a white platter. Frosted with cream cheese frosting and decorated with pink and green mini-marshmallows.

How to Make Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake

  1. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Don’t rush this step. You want the baking powder evenly mixed throughout the batter. (If you’re using a stand mixer, fit it with the paddle attachment. It works well to combine the ingredients.) 
  2. Add very soft butter and a little oil. Most of the time, you don’t want to bake with butter that’s too soft. Not this time. Use butter that’s squishable-y soft but not melted. 
  3. Add milk, eggs, and strawberry Jell-O. This is a retro-style strawberry cake. The flavor comes from strawberry Jell-O. Be sure to use regular strawberry Jell-O, not sugar-free.  
  4. Mix the batter until thick and fluffy. This takes about two minutes. And you don’t want to rush! At first, the batter will seem thin. After a minute of mixing, it thickens and gets fluffy. 
  5. Divide between two greased pans. I prefer 8-inch cake pans because they make a high cake. But if you only have 9-inch cakes on hand, use them. 
  6. Bake until set. This cake takes about 30 minutes to bake. It’s done when a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  
  7. Cool the cake completely. The cakes are very delicate when they first come out of the oven. Allow them to cool in the pan for five minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. 
  8. Frost when cool. To avoid a “baking fail”, wait until the cakes are completely cool to the touch before frosting.

Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake Slice on Plate. Frosted with cream cheese frosting and decorated with pink and green marshmallows.

FAQs: Easy Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake

Do I have to use Jell-O?

Yes. If you want this recipe to make a strawberry cake, you’ll need the Jell-O. I’m working on a recipe that doesn’t use Jell-O.

Is Jell-O Gluten-Free?

As of this post (5/2019), Jello is gluten-free. However, always check labels and contact the manufacturer if you have any questions. 

Can I add strawberries to the batter?

Maybe. I haven’t tested the recipe with added strawberries. If you decided to try it, I would not add more than 1/2 cup mashed strawberries. More than that might overwhelm the batter and cause the cake to sink.

What’s the best frosting for strawberry cake?

I like cream cheese frosting and included my favorite recipe below. Fluffy vanilla buttercream also works really well. And, if you like chocolate-dipped strawberries, frost the cake with chocolate icing. Yum!

 

Other Gluten-Free Cake Recipes You’ll Love

Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake Slice on Plate. Frosted with cream cheese frosting and decorated with pink and green marshmallows.
5 from 1 vote
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Easy Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake

One Bowl Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake Recipe. Easy to make. Perfect for Birthdays! 

Servings 12

Ingredients

  • nonstick cooking spray
  • 2 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, very soft
  • 1/8 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/4 cup milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 (3-ounce ) package strawberry Jello
  • Cream cheese frosting or vanilla buttercream

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese room temperature
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake

  1. Preheat the oven and prepare the pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.

  2. Make the Batter. Mix together gluten-free baking flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl. Run the mixer for 30 seconds to combine the ingredients. 

  3. Stop the mixer. Add softened butter and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until combined. The mixture will look crumbly, about 30 seconds.  Stop mixer. Add milk, eggs, and strawberry Jell-O. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase mixer to medium-high and mix for two minutes.

  4. Bake the Cake. Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Spread batter evenly into pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

  5. Cool and Frost. Remove pans from oven and place on a wire rack. Allow cakes to cool in the pan for five minutes. Invert cakes onto the wire rack to cool completely.

  6. Prepare the frosting. Frost cooled cake. Store cake, covered, on the counter for up to three days.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Combine cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. Beat on medium low speed until smooth. Stop mixer. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until smooth.

Recipe Notes

The Flour

For this recipe, I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour. I have not tested this recipe with another flour blend. Using a different blend will affect the final cake.

The Butter

For the cake, be sure the butter is very soft. It should blend easily into the flour mixture. 

Review: Aldi Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnuts

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On May 8th, Aldi’s gluten-free products hit the shelves. I decided to try some out and let you know what I thought. Please note this is NOT a sponsored post. I purchased all the products included in the review. Prior to the release, Aldi sent me a press release about the products. I was not asked to post about them. But I was curious. Would they be tasty? A good value? 

Our store put out the limited run “liveGFree: products early. If you’re reading this before May 8th, you might want to see if your local store already has them out because I have a feeling these are going to go fast. 

Box of Aldi Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnuts

When I saw that Aldi had included gluten-free glazed doughnuts in their lineup this year, I almost squealed with delight. I love all doughnuts but glazed doughnuts are my favorite. 

These, like the gluten-free chocolate frosted doughnuts, are sold in the freezer section. At our store, they were in the small case that sits in the aisle, not in the freezer case up against the wall. 

6 Aldi Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnuts in Package

I let the entire package thaw on the counter. There aren’t any directions for how to defrost the doughnuts. The box simply says “thaw prior to eating.” If you want to rush them, I think you could use the microwave but I’d be careful. These seem like the type of baked good that you could over-microwave quicky. 

Aldi Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnut on Plate

They’re a nice size, about three inches across and an inch thick. The picture on the box made me think they’d be small. I was happily surprised when I opened the box and saw six full-size doughnuts. It’s always nice when gluten-free foods aren’t waaaay smaller than their wheat-counterparts, isn’t it?

Aldi Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnut Cut in Half on Plate

Let’s talk about the texture of these doughnuts! Oh my goodness. I thought they were yeast-raised. The crumb is light and airy. They aren’t as soft as, let’s say, a Krispy Kreme doughnut (what is?) but they didn’t taste cake-like to me. A good cake doughnut tends to be dense. These aren’t. 

It was only after I re-read the ingredients that I realized these doughnuts don’t contain yeast. 

The glaze is the perfect thickness to add a hint of sweetness to the doughnuts. Like most glazed doughnuts, the glaze crackles a little as you bite into it. So grab a napkin. You might need it. 

I also loved how the texture wasn’t gritty at all. I know some folks hate it when people say, “You’d never guess these are gluten-free!” That description of gluten-free foods doesn’t bother me. Many people come to the gluten-free diet after years of eating wheat. So the gritty texture of some gluten-free foods is offputting. I’m happy to report that these doughnuts aren’t gritty at all! 

These don’t taste like freshly-fried doughnuts you’d make yourself or pick up at a bakery. They remind me of the type of doughnut you get at the supermarket. If you go in with that expectation, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.  

Aldi Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnuts: Ingredients and Nutrition  

Aldi Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnuts IngredientsAldi Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnuts Ingredients*: Gluten Free Flour (Corn, White Rice, Tapioca), Palm Oil, Sugar, Eggs, Water, Canola Oil, Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Corn Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate), Xanthan Gum, Salt, Pure Vanilla Extract, Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla Glaze (Confectioners Sugar, WAter, Sugar, Canola Oil, Agar, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Sulfate, Pure Vanilla Extract, Salt.) 

Contains: Eggs

As with the gluten-free chocolate frosted doughnuts, these are dairy-free! 

 

*Please check the current package for up-to-date Ingredient and Nutrition Facts. Ingredients change frequently. Any ingredient or nutrition information provided by GlutenFreeBaking.com is included for educational purposes and may not reflect the current ingredients. 

I’m neither impressed nor surprised by the ingredient label. Traditional doughnuts are always a treat. And these gluten-free doughnuts from Aldi are no exception. The gluten-free flour base is a standard “white” flour base. I think this is fine for something like a doughnut. 

Aldi Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnuts: The Price

A box of six cost me $4.49*. For gluten-free doughnuts, I think this is a fair price. Is it as cheap as gluten-based doughnuts? Sadly, no.  But $0.75 per doughnuts feels reasonable for doughnuts you don’t have to make yourself. (And, as I type this, I remember recently paying more than that for a box of gluten-y doughnuts. Perhaps the price of doughnuts has risen for wheat-eaters?)

Aldi Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnuts: Stock Up or Skip?

I say stock up! I really enjoyed these doughnuts. The taste, texture, and price didn’t disappoint. If you’ve got space in your freezer, you can’t go wrong with buying a box or three. 

RATING: FIVE OUT OF FIVE. 

Review: Aldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosted Doughnuts

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Aldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosted Doughnuts

 

 


On May 8th, Aldi’s gluten-free products hit the shelves. I decided to try some out. Please note this is NOT a sponsored post. I purchased all the products included in the review. Prior to the release, Aldi sent me a press release about the products. I was not asked to post about them. But I was curious. Would they be tasty? A good value? 

Our store put out the limited run “liveGFree: products early. If you’re reading this before May 8th, you might want to see if your local store already has them out because I have a feeling these are going to go fast. 

Box of Aldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Doughnuts

The two products I was most excited to try were the gluten-free glazed doughnuts and the gluten-free chocolate frosted doughnuts. Oprah loves bread. I love doughnuts. (shoutout to my friends who get my Oprah reference.)

When I first saw the box, I wondered if these were chocolate doughnuts with a chocolate glaze or vanilla doughnuts with a chocolate glaze. Perhaps this is obvious to you but it wasn’t to me and the box doesn’t make it clear. I love gluten-free chocolate doughnuts; so I was hoping they’d be chocolate. Heh.

You’ll find these in the freezer section of Aldi. At our store, they were in the small freezer on the floor. Not in the freezer case against the wall.

Six Aldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosted Doughnuts in Tray

For the review, I let the entire package defrost. If you don’t want to thaw the entire box, you can pull out one or two and keep the rest frozen. 

As soon as I removed the tray from the box, I saw that these were vanilla doughnuts with a chocolate frosting. Mystery solved! 

 

Aldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosted Doughnut

They’re a good size doughnut. This surprised me a bit. For some reason, I expected them to be small. The picture on the front of the box looks a bit smaller than traditional doughnuts and, as anyone who eats gluten-free knows, sometimes gluten-free baked goods are smaller (and more expensive!) than their wheat counterpart. 

The doughnuts are huge but they’re a nice size. No complaints there. 

Aldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosted Doughnut Split on Half.

How yummy does that texture look? The first doughnut I tried from Aldi was the gluten-free glazed doughnut. I really thought it was a yeast-based doughnut because it was so light. Usually, cake doughnuts are pretty dense compared to yeast-raised doughnuts. 

Not these! The texture is very light and airy. Not too dry. Not too moist. 

Based on taste, texture, and ingredients, I think this doughnut is the same doughnut that’s in the Aldi Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnut but with a chocolate frosting. 

Speaking of that chocolate frosting…they call it frosting. I call it a glaze. 

It’s nice and thin. The chocolate isn’t overpowering and it isn’t frosting-like at all. And I like this! When I think of “chocolate frosting,” I think of something thick and heavy. This chocolate glaze is the perfect finish to the doughnuts. 

The funny thing about these doughnuts and the plain vanilla glazed is what appealed to me about them: they reminded me of inexpensive gluten-filled doughnuts. These don’t taste like fresh doughnuts from the bakery. They remind me of the doughnuts sold in bags at the grocery store. And I like those doughnuts.

If you’re looking for a gourmet doughnut, these aren’t for you. But if you miss supermarket-style doughnuts, you’re in for a treat. 

Aldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosted Doughnuts: Ingredients and Nutrition Facts

Aldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosted Doughnut Ingredient LabelAldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosted Doughnuts Ingredients*: Gluten Free Flour (Corn, White Rice, Tapioca), Palm Oil, Sugar, Eggs, Water, Canola Oil, Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Corn Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate), Xanthan Gum, Salt, Pure Vanilla Extract, Sunflower Lecithin, Chocolate Glaze (Confectioners Sugar, Water, Sugar, Cocoa, Canola Oil, Agar, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Sulfate, Pure Vanilla Extract, Salt.) 

Contains: Eggs

 

Aldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosted Doughnuts Calories*Please check the current package for up-to-date Ingredient and Nutrition Facts. Ingredients change frequently. Any ingredient or nutrition information provided by GlutenFreeBaking.com is included for educational purposes and may not reflect the current ingredients. 

The happy surprise? These doughnuts are dairy-free! 

As for the rest of the ingredients, I think they’re fine. These are doughnuts. So they’re a treat. The flour base is a standard gluten-free mix of corn, white rice flour, and tapioca starch.) You’re not going to get any fiber from these doughnuts. But I’m guessing you weren’t looking for fiber from doughnuts. And if you are? Skip these. 🙂 

Aldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosted Doughnuts: The Price

A box of six cost me $4.49*. For gluten-free doughnuts, I think this is a fair price. Is it as cheap as gluten-based doughnuts? Not by a long shot. But $0.75 per doughnuts feels reasonable for doughnuts you don’t have to make yourself. 

*Prices vary depending on your location. 

Aldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosted Doughnuts: Stock Up or Skip?

I vote stock up! The taste, texture, and price are terrific for gluten-free doughnuts. Around here, gluten-free doughnuts aren’t easy to find. And when I’ve seen them, they’re usually much more expensive than $4.49. If you’ve got the freezer space, pick up a few boxes. 

Rating: Five out of Five. 

6 New Gluten-Free Products from Aldi We Can’t Wait To Get Our Hands On.

· 4 Comments

Aldi sent me a sneak peek of its upcoming gluten-free product line. The good news? There are several products on the list that I can’t wait to try. (Read: doughnuts and empanadas) The bad news? These products are only available for a short time. They hit the shelves on May 8th and are only available while supplies last. 

Here are the six gluten-free Aldi products that I can’t wait to try along with a few others that have piqued my interest. 

Aldi’s New Gluten-Free Products

1. Gluten-Free Glazed Donuts

Box of Aldi liveGfree Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnuts

RED ALERT: There are gluten-free glazed doughnuts in Aldi’s May lineup. I repeat gluten-free glazed doughnuts. I can’t wait to try this one.

Aldi liveGfree Glazed Gluten-Free Donuts – $4.49

UPDATE: Aldi Gluten-Free Glazed Doughnut Review is up! 

2. Chocolate Gluten-Free Donuts

Box of Aldi liveGfree Gluten-Free Chocolate Doughnuts

Chocolate doughnuts come in right behind glazed doughnuts because I’ve yet to meet a doughnut I don’t love. Here’s my question: are these vanilla doughnuts glazed with a chocolate icing? Or chocolate doughnuts finished with a chocolate frosting? I’ll do the research on this very.important.question and get back to you–I’m doing this for you, of course. 😉 

liveGfree Chocolate Gluten-Free Donuts – $4.49

UPDATE: Aldi Gluten-Free Chocolate Frosted Doughnut Review is up! 

3. Gluten Free Beef Empanadas

Box of Aldi liveGfree Gluten-Free Beef Empanadas

Premade gluten-free empanadas? Exciting!  If you’ve never had an empanada they’re fried or baked dough filled with various fillings. According to the package, these contain onions, potatoes, peas, and queso blanco. That sounds good to me. (BTW, my husband hates peas. These will all be mine! muh hah hah.)

liveGfree Gluten Free Beef Empanadas – $4.99

4. Gluten Free Chicken Empanadas Chicken

Box of Aldi liveGfree Gluten-Free Chicken Empanadas

Aldi’s really leaning into the empanada offering. They have three varieties in the lineup. After beef, I’m most excited to try the chicken. It contains chicken, onions, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and cilantro. I read this as chicken with salsa because onions + red bell peppers+ tomatoes + cilantro= salsa in my book. But we shall see! 

liveGfree Gluten Free Chicken Empanadas Chicken – $4.99

 

5. Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli

Box of Aldi liveGfree Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli

If I could, I would live on stuffed pasta. Ravioli, pierogi and pot stickers are three of my favorite foods.  In the past, Aldi offered a little tray of gluten-free ravioli. Smothered in sauce, they reminded me of the TV dinners I loved during childhood. Will these be as good? We shall see.

liveGfree Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli – $3.99

6. Gluten-Free Spinach and Cheese Ravioli

liveGfree Gluten Free Spinach and Cheese Ravioli

More ravioli? COME TO MAMA. Gluten-free spinach and cheese ravioli sounds so good to me right now. May 8th needs to get here quick. 

liveGfree Gluten Free Spinach and Cheese Ravioli – $3.99

 

 

Aldi New Gluten-Free Lineup: The Rest.

Here are the products that I’m interested in trying but am not fully excited about. Yet. 

Gluten Free Cheesecake SamplerliveGfree Gluten Free Cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts. But, to be honest, I prefer plain cheesecake. (I don’t even like fruit topping on my plain cheesecake.) I’m excited about this because….cheesecake. But I’m not as excited as I would be if this was a box of New York-style cheesecake. 

liveGfree Gluten Free Cheesecake Sampler – $8.99

Gluten Free Skillet Meals

liveGfree Gluten Free  Skillet Meals

Am I the only one who finds premade skillet meals kind of…meh? Aldi has two this year’s: Chicken Florentine and Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo. I’ll probably buy the Chicken Florentine. (Eh, who am I kidding? I’ll probably get both). 

liveGfree Gluten Free  Skillet Meals – $4.99

 

Gluten-Free Croutons

Aldi liveGfree Gluten Free Croutons

This is such a fun, albeit odd, member of  Aldi’s gluten-free offerings. I mean, I love croutons. They remind me of the salads my mom served when I was growing up. But honestly, I don’t crave them much. I’ll pick up a bag because it’s crispy buttery bread. 

liveGfree Glute Free Croutons – $1.99

Gluten Free “Bites”

liveGfree Gluten Free "Bites" Assorted Varieties

I feel like I’m either going to be really excited about these gluten-free “bites” or, whomp whomp, highly disappointed. I love dark chocolate and coconut. So that’s a plus. But are these a sweet treat? Or a “good for you” snack that tastes blah? I want to find out. 

liveGfree Gluten Free “Bites” Assorted Varieties – $3.69

 

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread

 

 

liveGfree Cinnamon Raisin Bread

How much do I love gluten-free cinnamon raisin bread? So much! But premade gluten-free bread? Eh, it’s usually (not always!) disappointing. If this bread is tasty and not hole-y, I’ll be thrilled. 

liveGfree Cinnamon Raisin Bread – $3.99

 

Gluten-Free Seeds & Grains Bread

liveGfree Seeds and Grains Bread

If I remind you that I’m allergic to sesame seeds, I bet you can guess why I’m not wildly excited about this bread. If it’s sesame-free, I’ll throw a loaf in the cart.  

liveGfree Seeds & Grains Gluten Free Bread – $3.99

Gluten-Free Vegetable Empanadas

Box of Aldi liveGfree Gluten-Free Vegetable Empanadas

Along with the two empanadas listed above, there’s also a vegetarian option. While I want to try this one, I’m not running out the door for it. It sounds…bland. (Watch, it’ll be my favorite of the three.)

liveGfree Gluten Free Vegetable Empanadas  – $4.99

 

Gluten-Free Hot Dog Buns

liveGfree Gluten Free Hot Dog Buns

Do these hot dog buns look huge or is that just me?  I find this to be true with Udi’s gluten-free hot dog buns. They’re too big! In fact, I never use those for hot dogs. I use them to make “Easy Gluten-Free Garlic Bread.” The other odd thing? There are only four buns in the bag. Four! Um, okay. 

liveGfree Gluten Free Hot Dog Buns – $3.49

Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns

liveGfree Gluten Free Hamburger Buns

Lots of folks are totally fine with bunless hamburgers. I’m not one of them. And yet…this pic isn’t jingling my jangle. The buns look big and there’s only four of them, just like with the hot dogs. We shall see, folks, we shall see. 

liveGfree Gluten Free Hamburger Buns – $3.49

 

Aldi’s Year-round Gluten-Free Products

In addition to the limited-time gluten-free offerings, Aldi has a small selection of gluten-free foods available year-round. 

List accurate as of 5/2019. Prices and availability may vary depending on your location. 

  • liveGfree Sweet Chili or Black Sesame Brown Rice Crisps – $2.49
  • liveGfree Gluten Free Pretzel Sticks or Minis – $2.19
  • liveGfree Gluten Free Cheddar Biscuit or Cornbread Mix – $2.29
  • liveGfree Gluten Free Baking Mixes Assorted Varieties – $1.99
  • liveGfree Gluten Free Wraps Plain and Spinach – $3.99
  • liveGfree Gluten Free Pepperoni or Cheese Pizza – $5.29
  • liveGfree Gluten Free Stuffed Sandwiches – $2.99
  • liveGfree Gluten Free Multi Seed Crackers Assorted Varieties – $1.99
  • liveGfree Organic Gluten Free Brown Rice Quinoa Fusilli or Penne Pasta – $2.89