Blog - Gluten-Free Baking

Staying Safe at a Gluten-Filled Thanksgiving

Nov 6, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Note: This piece originally appeared on SeriousEats.com in 2011. Enjoy! –EB

Does your family have to make gluten-free arrangements at Thanksgiving? For years my extended family never changed the menu to accommodate my special diet. On one memorable Thanksgiving my Aunt S. served me a nut-topped sweet potato casserole. Her theory? If I didn’t know a food contained nuts, I wouldn’t react. As my eyes began to swell shut, I heard her say, “But she didn’t know there were nuts in there!” Ah, families.

Over the years I’ve developed some strategies for staying safe at meals. (Rule #1: Eat nothing Aunt S. offered me.) Here are some quick tips for making this holiday a little easier and way more enjoyable.

CALL AHEAD

If you haven’t already, give your host a call. Even with “gluten-free” becoming more commonly understood, your host might have some questions about what you can and cannot eat. (And unlike my aunt, most folks don’t lie to you about what they are serving.) One reader told me that her mother-in-law was relieved to learn that potatoes were safe for someone on a gluten-free diet.

So it’s a good idea to clear up any questions your host might have about the gluten-free diet before the busyness of the day hits.

ASK QUESTIONS. LOTS OF QUESTIONS.

At a gluten-filled Thanksgiving some of the dishes will be obviously off-limits: the traditional stuffing, the gravy (unless made with cornstarch), and the pie. But don’t forget to ask about “hidden gluten” in dishes that seem, at first glance, to be gluten-free.

Who knows if your host decided to try a recipe for Brussels sprouts that contain beer or a recipe for sweet potato casserole that contains a tablespoon or two of wheat flour. You’d expect roasted Brussels sprouts and a sweet potato casserole to be gluten-free—and they usually are—but both those recipes contain gluten.

In addition to asking about ingredients, ask how a dish was prepared. Little things, like dusting a pan with flour, might be revealed. In addition to learning whether or not a food is safe to eat, you get to engage in some culinary conversation, and that’s always fun.

SERVE YOURSELF FIRST

Sounds rude, I know. But once you’ve established which dishes on the Thanksgiving table are safe to eat, it’s a good idea to serve yourself before everyone else starts digging in. Cross-contact happens all the time at large gatherings. The same spoon used to serve the stuffing somehow finds it’s way into the mashed potatoes. By serving yourself first, you reduce the chance of unexpected gluten showing up on your plate and making you sick.

And really that’s the key: not getting sick. Because, as you know, special dietary needs don’t take the holidays off. (Don’t I wish they did!)

4 Ingredient Thanksgiving Cranberry Trifle

Nov 4, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Let’s get something out of the way: this isn’t a traditional trifle recipe. Trifles, a classic English dessert, usually include layers of fruit, pastry cream, and sponge cake. While traditional trifles aren’t hard to make, they do take some time to put together, especially when you make gluten-free sponge cake from scratch.

This simple trifle recipe mimics the layered dessert but takes only a few minutes to make. You simply layer soft-baked chocolate chip cookies and a fluffy blend of cranberry sauce and cream cheese. That’s it! The cranberry-cream cheese mixture whips up light and, like pastry cream, it isn’t too sweet.

Since the recipe is so simple, it’s easy to add other ingredients to suit your tastes. Sliced fruit, chopped nuts, or a splash of your favorite liquor, work well sandwiched between the layers of cookies and cranberry cream. As for those chocolate chip cookies, they pair really well with the cranberry filling. However, if you’re allergic to chocolate, replace the cookies with soft-baked gluten-free snickerdoodles.

No matter how you make it, this is one holiday gluten-free dessert you can enjoy in minutes. And there’s something wonderfully sweet about that.

Thanksgiving Cranberry Trifle in a wine glass. Topped with whipped cream and chocolate chips.

4 Ingredient Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Cranberry Trifle

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 6

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons jellied or whole berry cranberry sauce divided
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (regular, low fat or no-fat)
powered sugar optional
half and half, as needed
6 soft-baked gluten-free chocolate chip cookies crumbled (Enjoy Life brand suggested.)
1 cup sweetened whipped cream
Mini-chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

In medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup cranberry sauce and cream cheese. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. If the mixture is thick, add a tablespoon of half and half to thin. Adjust as needed. Taste. If cranberry cream isn't sweet enough, add powdered sugar to taste.
Place about one tablespoon of cranberry sauce on the bottom of six dessert cups. Spoon in two to three tablespoons of cranberry cream. Layer with a sprinkle of crumbled chocolate chip cookies. Add another layer of cranberry cream and chocolate chip cookies. Top with whipped cream and, if desired, a sprinkle of mini-chocolate chips. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. Store up to two days in the refrigerator.

Savory Gluten-Free Onion and Garlic Muffins

Nov 4, 2015 · 1 Comment

I know, I know, the Thanksgiving table doesn’t really need a bread basket. But…I can’t help it! I always make bread for Thanksgiving! And one of my favorite things to add to the basket are savory garlic and onion muffins! Yup! Muffins.

Like their sweet cousins, these muffins welcome variations. In fact, the recipe began its life as a summery garlic-dill muffin. Since dill doesn’t really go well with Thanksgiving dishes, I kicked it out! To be honest, I like the garlic and onion variation much better. To me, these taste almost like garlic bread. YUM!

Unlike other savory quick breads, like biscuits, which are best enjoyed as soon as they come out of the oven, these muffins taste fine several hours after baking. If you have the time, bake a batch in the morning before you start the turkey. If that doesn’t work for your planning, whisk together the dry ingredients. Then, when you take the turkey out of the oven to rest, add the wet ingredients and bake the muffins! They’ll be ready about the same time as the turkey!

5 from 1 vote

Gluten-Free Onion and Garlic Muffins

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

Non-stick gluten-free cooking spray
1 cup brown rice flour (5 ounces; 142 grams)
1/2 cup sorghum flour (2 1/2 ounces; 70 grams)
1/2 cup ]potato starch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus additional for topping (1 ounce; 26 grams)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons butter, divided (2 1/2 ounces; 70 grams)
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
4 cloves cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
1 cup milk (8 ounces; 226 grams)
1 large egg (about 1 3/4 ounce; 50 grams)

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 12 muffin cavities with non-stick cooking spray. Set pan aside.
In medium mixing bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, and black pepper.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft but not browned, about four minutes. Add garlic, reduce heat to medium low, and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until soft and aromatic, about 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Allow to cool slightly. Add milk, egg, and melted butter to whisked dry ingredients. Whisk until batter is smooth. Switch to rubber spatula. Fold in onion-garlic mixture.
Divide batter evenly between prepared muffin cavities. Sprinkle top of each muffin with a little parmesan cheese. Bake until muffins are golden brown and spring back to the touch, about 25 minutes.
Remove muffins from pan and place on wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftover muffins on the counter, covered, for up to two days.

Recipe Notes

For Garlic Bread Muffins:

Omit the onion. Increase garlic to five cloves and parmesan cheese to 1/2 cup.

For Herb Muffins

Stir 1 tablespoon of dried herbs into the batter. For milder herbs, like basil, consider increasing the amount to 1 1/2 tablespoons. For stronger herbs, like rosemary, reduce amount to 2 teaspoons.

For Caramelized Onion Muffins

Add 1/2 cup cooled caramelized onions to the batter.

For Dairy-Free Muffins

Replace the milk with dairy-free milk and omit cheese. Dairy-free muffins bake off lighter than muffins with dairy.

Gluten-Free Dutch Apple Pancake

Nov 3, 2015 · Leave a Comment

What happens when you get a wee bit tired of making fluffy pancakes for Sunday breakfast? If you’re me, you make Dutch Apple Pancakes.

In name, Dutch Apple Pancakes—which are also called German Pancakes or Dutch Babies—sound similar to traditional pancakes. In reality, they’re more like a popover. You cook up some apples and sugar together in a skillet and then simply whisk together an eggy batter, pour it in, and bake. About fifteen minutes later, a majestically puffy pancake comes out of the oven.

For this recipe, I used a combination of gluten-free oat flour and brown rice flour. There’s so little flour in the batter that really any blend of whole grain flours will work. You can try quinoa and millet, or millet and brown rice flour. The sugar, spices, and apples provide all the flavor; the flours just add body to the batter.

The one ingredient that makes a big flavor difference is the apple. You want to use a tart apple, like a Granny Smith apple, or the finished pancake ends up too sweet.

Speaking of sweetness, Dutch Apple Pancakes are quite sweet. I usually eat a small slice along with a cup of black coffee. It you prefer more savory breakfasts, then you can serve this for dessert, instead. To simplify the prep, assemble all the ingredients. Then, when it’s dessert time, cook the apples and whisk together the batter. In just minutes, everyone will be “oohing and ahhing” over this eye-catching dish.

Gluten-Free Dutch Apple Pancake

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

For the Batter

1/3 cup gluten-free oat flour (1 ounce; 28 grams)
1/3 cup gluten-free brown rice flour (1 2/3 ounces; 47 grams)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs (about 7 ounces; 200 grams out of shell)
4 tablespoons milk (2 ounces; 56 grams)
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled (1 ounce; 28 grams)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Apples

1/4 cup granulated sugar (1 3/4 ounce; 50 grams)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1 large granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced

Instructions

For the Batter: Preheat oven to 425 °F. Whisk together oat flour, brown rice flour, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon in medium bowl. In small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour egg mixture over dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Batter will be thin. Allow batter to stand for ten minutes.
For the Apples: Whisk together granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside. Melt butter in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet (I used cast iron) over medium heat. Sprinkle sugar mixture over melted butter. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Cook until sugar begins to melt. Reduce heat to medium-low and carefully place apple slices in a circular pattern in the pan. Cook until sugar mixture begins to bubble up around apple slices, about three minutes. Turn off heat.
Slowly pour batter evenly into the pan. Some of the apple pieces might float and move. That’s fine. Transfer pan to the preheated oven. Bake until pancake puffs and is golden brown, about fifteen minutes.
Remove pan from oven. Slice pancake into wedges. Serve warm.

Gluten-Free M&M’s Soft Sugar Cookies

Nov 2, 2015 · Leave a Comment

When I was nineteen, I worked at an Italian bakery. This place made everything from unbelievably flaky Sfogliatelle to delicate pastry cream-filled eclairs. But for a long time, my main job was cookies. I didn’t make the dough or bake them—those two tasks were for more advanced bakers. I dipped anginetti cookies in lemon glaze and coated them in rainbow sprinkles, I pipped mounds of fudge icing into the center of big chocolate cookies, and I pressed M&M’s into sugar cookies. M&M’s duty, by far, was my favorite. In the midst of the busyness of the bakery, it relaxed me to just stand at my bench and press M&M’s into cookies.

You might wonder why anyone would do this by hand when it’s easy to just add M&M’s to cookie dough, like you do with chocolate chips for chocolate chip cookies. Victor, the head baker and owner, didn’t like how the M&M’s looked when they broke during mixing. Even when making treats that only kids ordered, he was a perfectionist. And this method, although time-consuming, stayed with me. Whenever I bake cookies with M&M’s, I stand at the counter and, one by one, press the chocolate pieces into the top of the cookie. There’s no longer a 50-pound mound of dough on my right, like there was at the bakery, but I still find joy in placing each colored candy.

The dough for these cookies is a soft sugar cookie with just a hint of lemon. At the bakery, we used shortening for the cookies, so I do the same here. If you avoid shortening, replace it with butter, though keep in mind that with butter they’ll spread a little more in the oven. After making the dough, you spend some time pressing M&M’s into each cookie. That process is a sweet reward in itself; the cookies are just a bonus.

Soft Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies Topped with M&Ms.

Gluten-Free M&M Soft Sugar Cookies

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 52 minutes

Servings 3 dozen cookies

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

2 cups finely white rice flour (8 ounces; 226 grams)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces; 297 grams)
1/2 cup sweet rice flour (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1/3 cup cornstarch (1 1/3 ounces; 36 grams)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup solid shortening (4 1/2 ounces; 120 grams)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 large eggs (about 3.5 ounces; 100 grams)
1/4 cup milk (2 ounces; 56 grams)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup (2 ounces; 56 grams)
About two cups of plain chocolate M&M's

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 325 deg;F. Food Processor Directions: In bowl of an 11 cup or larger food processor, combine white rice flour, granulated sugar, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Run food processor for 30 seconds to combine.
Stop food processor and add shortening. Run mixer until shortening is incorporated; dough will begin to hold together, about 30 seconds. Add eggs, milk, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Run mixer until a thick dough forms, about 30 seconds.
By Hand Directions: In large bowl, whisk together white rice flour, granulated sugar, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Add shortening. Cut into flour mixer with a pastry cutter or your hands (use a “snapping motion” with your fingers) until no large pieces of shortening remain. If you squeeze the mixture, it should hold together.
Add eggs, milk, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Stir with a wooden spoon until a stiff dough forms.
Drop dough, about two tablespoons each, onto parchment lined baking sheet, two inches apart. Press about six M&M's to each cookie. Bake until set, edges should be lightly brown, about 12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for three minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Gluten-Free Buttermilk “Cat Head” Biscuits

Nov 1, 2015 · 2 Comments

When attempting to convert a wheat-based recipe to gluten-free, I’ve noticed that the simpler the recipe, the harder it is to convert. Baguettes and buttermilk biscuits are tough. Chocolate chip cookie and cake recipes are more forgiving.

I was reminded of this recently when working on a recipe for gluten-free buttermilk biscuits. The original gluten-filled recipe was a snap. You cut shortening or butter into self-rising flour, stirred in some buttermilk and rolled out the biscuits. About twelve minutes later, you’re rewarded with featherlight biscuits. That light texture was my goal because, in my opinion, no matter how you make them—layered, dropped, or rolled—or what you add to them, biscuits should be light.

After a few attempts, I found an easy gluten-free flour blend that I liked: white rice flour, sweet rice flour, and potato starch. The rice flours fade nicely into the background, allowing the slight tang of the buttermilk to come through while the potato starch keeps the biscuits light but not gummy.

To remedy the dense texture, I added more baking powder. That didn’t work. With a full tablespoon of baking powder, the biscuits had an acidic aftertaste. Reducing the baking powder to two teaspoons resolved the aftertaste problem but the biscuits were still denser than I liked.

Like wheat-based buttermilk biscuit recipes, you only need a wooden spoon to put this recipe together. Since the recipe comes together so quickly, it’s one of the easiest breads you can make to go alongside a meal. And the leftover biscuits are fabulous the next morning toasted and spread with jam!

Gluten-Free Buttermilk Drop Biscuits in a linen-lined bowl.

Gluten-Free Buttermilk Biscuits

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 12

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups finely ground white rice flour, plus additional for dusting counter (5 ounces; 142 grams)
1/2 cup sweet rice flour (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1/2 cup potato starch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons butter, cold, cut into small pieces (3 ounces; 85 grams)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, divided (10 ounces; 283 grams)

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 425 °F. In large bowl, whisk together white rice flour, sweet rice flour, potato starch, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Cut butter (or shortening) into flour mixture with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until no large pieces of butter remain. Mixture should resemble a coarse meal.
Using a wooden spoon, stir in one cup buttermilk. No dry flour should cling to the bottom of the bowl. If dough is dry, add reserved buttermilk, one tablespoon at a time, until dough reaches the correct consistency.
Generously white rice flour your countertop. Turn dough out onto prepared surface and pat into a rectangle, about 7-inches across and 1-inch thick. Dip cutter into flour and cut dough into rounds. Place biscuits on parchment lined rimmed baking sheets. Gather dough scrapes and re-pat. (Gluten-free dough does not get tough.)
Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove and transfer to wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Biscuits are best right after they're baked. If any leftovers remain, split and toast the next day.

Gluten-Free Maple Almond Cornbread

Nov 1, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Folks new to the gluten-free diet often assume cornbread is gluten-free, but most recipes use wheat flour along with cornmeal in the batter. In this cornbread, brown rice flour and ground almond flour replace the wheat flour, providing a moist, cake-like texture that still has the crunchy mouthfeel you expect from cornbread.

The recipe, inspired by a reader’s request for a gluten-free version of her favorite cornbread, falls on the sweet, rich end of the spectrum. It’s not a cornbread you’d serve with chili. In fact, it reminds me of the Italian cornmeal cake my grandmother made during the summer and served with a warm berry compote for dessert.

To make the cornbread, cream the butter until it’s light—almost white— before adding the eggs. This step helps lighten the batter and leavens the cake during baking, giving the cake a moist crumb that’s not too dense.

If you prefer muffins, divide batter evenly among prepared muffin pans. Once cool, the muffins freeze well, providing a little cornbread sweetness whenever the mood strikes

Gluten-Free Maple Cornbread

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 12

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

gluten-free non-stick cooking spray
1/2 cup brown rice flour (2 1/2 ounces; 70 grams)
1/2 cup ground almond flour (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1/2 cup gluten-free cornmeal (2 1/2 ounces; 70 grams)
1/4 cup sweet rice flour (1 ounce; 28 grams)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 cup; 6 ounces; 170 grams)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces; 170 grams)
4 large eggs (about 7 ounces; 200 grams, out of shell)
2 tablespoons maple syrup (1 1/3 ounces; 36 grams)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease 8x8x2-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In small bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, almond flour, cornmeal, sweet rice flour, baking powder, and xanthan gum. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter and granulated sugar. Cream, on medium-high speed, until butter is light and almost white, about two minutes. Add eggs, one at time, scraping down the bowl between each addition. Allow butter-sugar mixture to fully incorporate each egg before adding the next.
Add whisked dry ingredients and maple syrup. Mix until thick batter forms. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake until cornbread is golden brown and set. Cake tester inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean, about 40 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Store cornbread on counter, covered with plastic wrap, for up to three days.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Oct 31, 2015 · 2 Comments

Okay, I know what you’re thinking: No one needs another pumpkin spice anything recipe. I would have agreed with you! And then…last week I asked a friend what type of birthday cake she wanted for her birthday. She said pumpkin spice. I thought she was kidding. She wasn’t. So I headed into the kitchen to make a batch of pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese icing.

Although I have a recipe for pumpkin bread that I love, I can’t resist futzing with old recipes. Since my friend doesn’t have a big sweet tooth, I reduced the amount of sugar and added a splash more orange juice. Then I boosted the ginger. It added a nice hot kick without turning it into a gingerbread.

The cupcakes were a hit, and lots of people asked for the recipe. My lesson? Apparently there aren’t enough pumpkin recipes in the world.

Gluten-Free Spicy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Gluten-Free Spicy Pumpkin Muffins

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 24

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups white rice flour (10 ounces; 283 grams)
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12 1/4 ounces; 347 grams)
1/2 cup cornstarch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
3/4 cup vegetable oil (5 1/4 ounces; 148 grams)
4 large eggs (about 7 ounces; 200 grams, out of shell)
1/2 cup orange juice (4 ounces; 113 grams)

For the Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened (4 tablespoons; 2 ounces; 56 grams)
2 cups powdered sugar (8 ounces; 226 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 muffin pans (24 cupcakes total) with paper liners.
Whisk together white rice flour, granulated sugar, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt, ginger, and xanthan gum in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, and orange juice. Add pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Fill prepared muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake until cupcakes are golden brown and spring back to the touch, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with any remaining batter.
For the Cream Cheese Icing: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or handheld electric beaters, beat together cream cheese and butter until softened and creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip until light and smooth. Spread on cooled cupcakes (if you ice warm cupcakes, the icing will melt.) Store cupcakes, covered, on the counter for up to three days.

Gluten-Free Marble Pumpkin Cupcakes

Oct 25, 2015 · 1 Comment

Forget the candy, my favorite treat at school Halloween parties were the frosted marble cupcakes decorated with a mellowcreme pumpkin. (I loved (loved, LOVED! the mellowcreme pumpkins because they tasted like giant pieces of candy corn. And back then I loved candy corn.)

Those schooltime marble cupcakes inspired this recipe. But instead of swirling vanilla and chocolate cake batter together, I combined pumpkin and chocolate batter; the spiciness of the pumpkin cake works really well with chocolate. It adds a subtle spiciness to the chocolate without overwhelming it.

Not only are these cupcakes flavorful, they’re incredibly light. During baking, the batter just about doubles in size. So be sure not to fill the cupcake cavity more than halfway full with batter or you might need to deal with overflowing pans.

To finish the cupcakes, ice them with a simple cream cheese buttercream. If you want to keep the cupcakes dairy-free, use a dairy-free cream cheese replacement, like the one from Tofutti.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Marble Pumpkin Cupcakes on a plate.

Gluten-Free Marble Pumpkin Cupcakes

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 24

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups white rice flour (10 ounces; 283 grams)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces; 297 grams)
1/2 cup potato starch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
4 teaspoons ground pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup chocolate chips or 6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (6 ounces; 170 grams)
4 large eggs (7 ounces; 198 grams)
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil (5 1/4; 148 grams)
1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
1/2 cup water (4 ounces; 113 grams)

For the Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, softened (4 ounces; 113 grams)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar (8 ounces; 226 grams)
1 tablespoon milk or milk replacement (1/2 ounce; 14 grams)

Instructions

For the Cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 standard muffin cavities with paper liners.
In large bowl or bowl of stand mixer, whisk together white rice flour, granulated sugar, potato starch, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum.
In microwave-safe bowl or on top of a double boiler, melt chocolate. (If using the microwave, heat on high for 30 seconds. Remove bowl and stir. Repeat until chocolate is fully melted. If using double boiler, bring water to a simmer, set bowl on top of double boiler. Stir until chocolate melts.) Set chocolate aside.
Add eggs, oil, pumpkin, and water to dry ingredients. Whisk or mix on medium speed until batter forms. Spoon half of batter into a separate bowl. Add melted chocolate to half of the batter. Stir to combine. Batter will be thick.
Spoon an equal amount of pumpkin and chocolate batter into each prepared muffin cavity. Batter should not fill the cavity more than halfway. Don't worry about swirling the batters. They mix during baking.
Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cupcake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove pan(s) from oven. Allow cupcakes to cool in pan for five minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting: In large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese with an electric beater until smooth. Add powdered sugar and milk. Mix until smooth. If icing is thick, add an additional teaspoon of milk. Spread on cooled cupcakes.

Gluten-Free Hush Puppies

Oct 23, 2015 · 5 Comments

I love reader recipe requests! The other day I opened my email to find a request for Hush Puppies! Oh! Hush Puppies! When was the last time you ate a Hush Puppy? For me it had been years! The email said, “The recipe makes ‘plain jane’ hush puppies. Since they are so light and fluffy, they remind me of a savory doughnut hole!”

A savory doughnut hole? Sign me up! As promised, the recipe was indeed “plain jane.” The flour mixture was a simple blend of self-rising cornmeal and self-rising flour plus just a little onion and garlic powder. After combining with an egg and milk, the batter was dropped into a deep fryer. That’s it.

I replaced the self-rising flour with white rice flour and added a little baking powder to make up for the self-rising cornmeal and self-rising flour. (Pre-made gluten-free self-rising flours aren’t available.) I was disappointed to find that the hush puppies were dense and heavy. One teaspoon of baking powder wasn’t enough to leavening. During testing, I increased the baking powder to two teaspoons and added a little baking soda, both for lift and to aid the browning.

It worked! Almost as soon as the batter hit the oil, the hush puppies puffed up nicely and then fried a deep brown. Since I was having fun with the recipe, I wanted to tweak the flavor a little. For me, a hush puppy is all about the onion. For a variation, I replaced the onion and garlic powder with freshly chopped onion and minced garlic and added a little chipotle powder. These small changes add both flavor and texture to these puppies.

Whichever variation you chose, this recipe makes classic crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside hush puppies.

5 from 5 votes

Gluten-Free Hush Puppies

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes

Total Time 46 minutes

Servings 24 hushpuppies

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

1 cup gluten-free cornmeal (5 ounces; 141 grams)
3/4 cup finely ground white rice flour (3 ounces; 85 grams)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar (1 1/2 ounces; 42 grams)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon seasoned salt or regular salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder, optional
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg (about 1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams, out of shell)
2 quarts vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

In medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, white rice flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, chipotle powder (if using), and xanthan gum.
In a medium bowl, whisk together onion, garlic, milk, and egg. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir together until smooth but some lumps remain.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat to 350°F and adjust flame to maintain temperature. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels.
Drop batter, about 2 teaspoons at a time into hot oil until you have a dozen hush puppies. Fry for two minutes and then turn the hush puppies. Fry until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Remove hush puppies from the oil with a skimmer. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm.

Homemade Gluten-Free Nutter Butters

Oct 23, 2015 · 2 Comments

Gluten-Free Nutter Butters Recipe Notes

- Use either brown rice or white rice flour for the cookies. Brown rice flour adds a nuttier flavor and a coarser texture; white rice flour allows the peanut flavor to shine.

- Use gluten-free oats. Oats not labeled “gluten-free” are often contaminated with wheat/gluten. Gluten-free oats are clearly labeled.

- Dust your counter and the dough generously with white rice flour before rolling. This prevents the slightly sticky dough from sticking to the counter.

- Allow the cookies to cool before sandwiching them together to prevent the filling from melting.

- You can also use this dough to make a delicious peanut-buttery tart crust. Simply roll out the dough, line a 10-inch tart pan and bake in a 350°F oven until golden brown.

Gluten-Free Nutter Butters

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 57 minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

For the Cookies

1/2 cup gluten-free oats (1 1/2 ounces; 45 grams)
1/2 cup white rice flour (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1/4 cup cornstarch (1 ounce; 26 grams)
1/4 cup sweet rice flour (1 ounce; 26 grams)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (3 1/4 ounces; 92 grams)
2/3 cup granulated sugar (4 3/4 ounces; 132 grams)
1 large egg (about 1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams)
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter (1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams)

For the Filling

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (4 3/4 ounces; 135 grams)
3/4 cup powdered sugar (3 ounces; 85 grams)
2 teaspoons water
For the Coating
12 ounces milk dark, or white chocolate, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Process gluten-free oats in a food processor until fine. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together ground oats, rice flour, cornstarch, sweet rice flour, salt, and xanthan gum.
In large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer, cream together vegetable shortening, smooth peanut butter, and granulated sugar. Cream for 30 seconds (use high speed on a handheld mixer or medium-high speed on stand mixer). Add egg and mix for additional 15 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix for additional 15 seconds.
Reduce mixer speed to medium-low and add dry ingredients. Mix until dough forms. Divide dough in half. Pat each half into disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill dough for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle white rice flour lightly over countertop. Using rolling pin, roll out one dough round until approximately 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough with 3-inch round cookie-cutter.
Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheet. (I use a cookie spatula dusted with rice flour to transfer the dough to the pan.) Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are lightly brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
While cookies cool, prepare the filling: In small bowl, cream together peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add water. Filling should be smooth. If filling is too thick to spread, add additional teaspoon of water. Sandwich cooled cookies together with a thin layer of filling. Store cookies in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Cornbread

Oct 20, 2015 · 6 Comments

How much do I love cornbread? 100%! It’s one of my favorite winter side dishes! Since I make it so much, I often play around with my recipe. When I have time–which isn’t often, usually I make cornbread as a last-minute side dish–I like to add brown butter to the recipe. Oh, yes.
Brown butter’s nutty-caramel flavor calls for just a touch of sweetness, so I like to a little maple syrup to this recipe. I know, I know, a cornbread recipe including sweetener sounds heretical to some. The maple syrup adds a slight whisper of sweetness, not the kind of overt sweetness you find in a corn muffin, I promise! However, if you hate sweetness in your cornbread, skip it! The recipe works fine with maple syrup or without.

Brown Butter Cornbread

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 12 -inch cornbread

Ingredients

1/2 stick unsalted butter (4 tablespoons; 2 ounces; 56 grams)
1 1/4 cups gluten-free cornmeal (6 1/4 ounces; 177 grams)
1 1/4 cups brown rice flour (6 1/4 ounces; 177 grams)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk (16 ounces; 453 grams)
2 large eggs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams)
2 tablespoons maple syrup (2 1/2 ounces; 70 grams)
Non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil for the pan

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Place a seasoned 12-inch cast iron skillet in the oven. Preheat oven to 425 °F.
In small pot, melt butter over medium heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove it from the heat and allow to cool for three minutes.
In medium bowl, combine cornmeal, brown rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add buttermilk, eggs, maple syrup, and brown butter. Whisk until batter forms.
Remove cast iron skillet from oven. Spray with non-stick cooking spray or lightly brush bottom and sides of pan with with vegetable oil.
Pour batter into hot pan. Batter will sizzle when it hits pan. Return pan to oven. Bake for until cornbread is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly, cut into pieces and serve. Cornbread is best the day it is made.

No-Bake Chocolate Pretzel Bites

Oct 15, 2015 · Leave a Comment

A friend of mine makes exactly one sweet treat: Oreo truffles. One day I sat in her kitchen and watched her make them. She loaded Oreos into a food processor, added cream cheese, and processed. That was it. If you’re familiar with Oreo truffles, this isn’t news to you. But until then, I had no idea how they were made. I figured they must be easy because my friend proudly doesn’t bake, but I was still surprised by just how quick and painless a process it is.

I sat there and watched her roll the cookie-cream cheese mixture into bite-size balls and then dip them into chocolate. As her baking tray filled with the finished truffles, I wanted to try one. But I couldn’t; hers were made with gluten-packed Oreos. So I put these truffles on “the list.” “The list” is like my mental Pinterest board: full of good ideas that I rarely have the time or energy to do. But these truffles were different. Simply put, they were absurdly easy.

So I picked up a package of gluten-free sandwich cookies and a block of cream cheese. I threw the ingredients into the food processor, processed and then sampled. The mixture tasted good. Kind of sweet, kind of rich. Nothing terribly special. In fact, I didn’t want to dip the mixture in chocolate, like my friend does, because I thought that would make the confection too sweet for my liking. Now I had a bowl of an Oreo-cream cheese mixture that I wasn’t sure what to do with.

I set the bowl aside and looked up Oreo truffles, thinking there must be somethingelse to do with all that filling. And sure enough, several bloggers recommended sandwiching the Oreo truffle filling between two pretzels. This I had to try—sweet-and-salty beats excessively sweet any day. So I grabbed some gluten-free pretzels and made little sandwiches. The resulting cookies tasted fabulous.

No-Bake Chocolate Pretzel Sandwiches

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 24 sandwiches

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

15 gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies
3 ounces cream cheese
about 48 bite-size gluten-free pretzels

Instructions

In bowl of food processor, combine sandwich cookies and cream cheese. Run food processor until smooth, about 45 seconds, scraping down sides as necessary. Spread mixture on bite-size pretzel. Sandwich with another pretzel. Repeat until you use all the filling.

Paleo Apple Muffins

Oct 9, 2015 · 12 Comments

It’s almost the middle of October and I still haven’t made an apple pie! I know. Awful, right?

It’s not my fault*. I blame the foliage. Usually by this time, the trees in upstate New York have burst into color. Not this year.

*It’s totally my fault. Apple pies don’t make themselves. I just haven’t had time. But that’s not as fun to admit. Let’s blame something totally outside my control. WOOT!

So.much.green! No leaves on the lawn? What the what? One needs to be *inspired* to bake a pie. They need leaves on the ground* and a chill in the air. It’s all about romance and feelings.

*Leaves have never been included in a pie recipe. Ever. That’s just an excuse for laziness right there. Romance and feelings? Ha!

At least these four guys are doing their job. Perhaps they can nag their friends to join them*.

*Then I’d be complaining about having to rake the lawn. It’s a no-win for the leaves in this scenario.

Thankfully, and with no help from the trees, the rest of autumn is in full swing. Our local orchards are full of apples, pumpkins, and other good things*.

*Like gluten-filled cider doughnuts that I can’t eat.

Each year I need “just one more” pumpkin. I mean, look at these guys! How can I pick just one? Or five*?

*My wallet really wishes I could pick just one. Who needs to spend that much money on pumpkins? No one, that’s who!

Then there’s the apples. Oh, man. THE APPLES.

New York is the second-largest apple producing state in the country. (Washington State is #1*.)

*Show-offs.

But still. It’s October. I want an apple pie. Or apple doughnuts. Or apple muffins*!

*Ohhhhh, apple muffins! That sounds like a good idea. Let’s do that!

Unlike apple pie, which isn’t hard but takes some time, apple muffins are really fast to make. They’re easy too!

How to Make Paleo Apple Muffins

These paleo apple muffins start with almond flour. As you can see in the picture, almond flour, even finely ground almond flour, can sometimes clump. After you add the cinnamon, baking powder, and salt, give the dry ingredients a vigorous whisking. (You can do this before you add the other ingredients, if you remember! Which, clearly, I did not.) If the little clumps of almond flour don’t break up, rub them with your hands (clean, dry hands, please). This always works.

Before we continue making our paleo apple muffins, we have to talk about something important. The texture of apples in muffins! I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand apple muffins that don’t contain large chunks of apples. This is such a stupid food preference of mine but there you have it. For me, muffins with shredded apples don’t taste as good. (I also like chocolate chips in my chocolate chip and mint chocolate chip ice cream. None of that flaked chocolate for me.)

Some apples are better for baking than others. This really matters when you’re making a pie or other desserts. For this recipe, however, it doesn’t really matter which apple you use. It’s all about what type of texture you want in the finished muffins. If you like your apples to be crisp and chunky, use granny smith apples or another apple labeled “good for baking.” If you prefer soft and tender bits of apple, use an apple that’s good for sauce, like Paula Red. (If you aren’t sure which apple are baking apples and which apples are sauce apples, check out this guide.)

First, add the maple syrup and the eggs to the dry ingredients. Whisk until a batter forms. You can use a handheld whisk for this or you can use an electric hand mixer. Whatever makes your life easier is what you want to use.

Then stir in your apple pieces. The batter is done! Wasn’t that easy?

Line an old* muffin tin with paper liners and drop the batter into the pan.

*You don’t need an old tin. My poor thing works just fine, it’s just old and more than a little scratched. Let’s call this patina! It’ll make my tin sound chic instead of old. Btw, I promise, the thing is clean! Scratched I can handle. Dirty is never, ever okay!)

Bake. Cool. Eat*.

*The best part.

Like most grain-free baked goods, these muffins are best the day they are made. Depending on the humidity of your area, they last for about three days on the counter. If you aren’t going to eat nine muffins in three days, I suggest freezing the muffins once they cool.

Now, if those leaves would only change. I could make an apple pie!

Oh, no. They heard me! Now I have bake and rake. Wah! Excuse me while I eat an apple muffins and ponder this startling turn of events.

5 from 9 votes

Paleo Apple Muffins

These grain-free apple muffins taste just like apple pie! For a crunchy apple texture, use Granny Smith apples. For a softer texture, select Paula Red.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 28 minutes

Servings 9 muffins

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups finely ground almond flour (5 ounces; 142 grams)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grain-free or homemade baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup (1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams)
2 large eggs (about 1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams, out of shell)
1 large apple, peeled and chopped into bite-size pieces

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9 standard-size muffin cups with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Add maple syrup and eggs. Stir until combined. Add chopped apple; stir. Fill muffin cups 2/3 with batter.
Bake until muffins spring back to the touch, about 18 minutes.
Remove pan from oven. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Store cooled muffins on the counter in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to two months.

5 from 9 votes

Homemade Paleo Baking Powder

Most store bought brands of baking powder contain a grain-based starch. However, it's easy to make your own.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

1/4 cup of cream of tartar
2 tablespoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon tapioca starch this prevents clumping

Instructions

Whisk all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container.

Gluten-Free Cheerios Recall: What You Need to Know

Oct 7, 2015 · 1 Comment

On October 5, 2015, General Mills recalled 1.8 million boxes of regular (yellow box) Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios. These boxes, labeled gluten-free, contained gluten.The FDA released a report that the sample boxes of Cheerios they tested from the recall contained up to 43 ppm of gluten. That’s twice the allowed amount!

According to General Mills, “wheat flour was inadvertently introduced into our gluten-free oat flour.” Let that sink in for a second. Wheat flour was in a product clearly labeled gluten-free.

Like many in the gluten-free community, I felt hopeful* when General Mills announced that Cheerios was going gluten-free. After the cereal was released, I tried a box. Then problems started. Many in the gluten-free community reported they got sick after eating Cheerios. Gluten-Free Watchdog released a statement advising those with celiac disease NOT to eat Cheerios. I no longer felt comfortable with the cereal and updated my review to reflect this.

And now, a recall in which General Mills admits they added wheat flour to a product labeled gluten-free.

The recall raises so many questions. How did wheat flour enter the “gluten-free” facility? Why weren’t these boxes tested?? <—–That right there is my biggest question. How did these boxes leave the factory without being tested?? HOW? Why did it take General Mills so long to issue a recall? How did a mistake like adding wheat flour happen? Why did General Mills tell people who reported getting sick that the cereal was safe?

Where do we go from here? Here’s what I’m thinking.

My Advice Regarding Gluten-Free Cheerios

1. If you have a recalled box, return it as directed in the press release.

2. If you have reacted to “gluten-free” Cheerios, report the reaction to the FDA. (Gluten-Free Watchdog explains how to do that in this post.)

3. Do NOT eat any Cheerios, even those labeled gluten-free that are not included in the recall. General Mills demonstrated that they are NOT batch testing the cereal as promised.

4. Read the following articles. They contain VERY important information on the recall.

FDA Responds to Gluten-Free Cheerios Recall

Gluten-Free Watchdog Response to Cheerios Recall <—Includes information on what General Mills claimed they were doing versus what they were actually doing.

(*Please note: I was never contacted by General Mills about gluten-free Cheerios. I never received free product or a free trip. To this day, I’ve never heard from General Mills. Some gluten-free bloggers are alleging that all who were excited about gluten-free Cheerios were offered freebies. Not true for me. I was excited about them because I liked Cheerios. Simple as that.)

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cake

Oct 6, 2015 · 10 Comments

editors note: Welcome to the new “Mix It Up” column. In this column, we’ll explore tasty recipes made from popular gluten-free mixes.

If you love pumpkin desserts, this recipe is for you.

If you love dense, rich cakes, this recipe is for you.

If you love cakes that aren’t too sweet, this recipe is for you.

If you love easy-to-make recipes, this recipe is for you.

I almost called this my “5 Minute Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cake” since it only takes five minutes to mix the batter. However, since the cake isn’t ready to eat in five minutes, I didn’t want to tease your sweet tooth.

How to Make (the easiest ever) Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cake

For this recipe, we’re going to transform a Yellow Cake Mix into a gluten-free pumpkin spice cake. Magic, right? It’s ridiculously easy. You just need the mix, a small can of pumpkin, oil, pumpkin spice, vanilla, and eggs. If you’re egg-allergic, you can make this cake egg-free. Yes! If you omit the eggs, the recipe still works. The cake is a little denser but you still have cake. (nom nom nom)

Whisk the pumpkin pie spice into the cake mix. Do this before you add the wet ingredients to prevent the spice mix from clumping.

Add the pumpkin, oil, vanilla, and eggs.

Whisk until the batter is smooth. It’s a thick batter. Don’t let that worry you. Spread batter into a sprayed 8-inch cake pan.

Bake!

Turn cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely. This keeps the cake from getting soggy.

Now it’s time to make the icing! I love cream cheese icing on pumpkin cake. If dairy is off-limits for you, use a dairy-free cream cheese option, like Daiya cream cheese.

This icing recipe doesn’t make a ton of icing. I know it’s not popular but I don’t love cakes topped with mounds of icing. If you love icing, double this recipe.

To ensure the icing comes out lump-free, start with room temperature cream cheese. Before adding any of the other ingredients, whip the cream cheese until it’s smooth. I use a handheld mixer to make the icing but that’s only because my triceps are lazy. If you have strong triceps, 1. good for you. 2. you can mix this by hand with a balloon whisk.

Here’s something that I do to keep cream cheese icing smooth. I mix the milk and the vanilla with the powdered sugar before I add them to the cream cheese.

You want the mixture to be smooth. It should be the consistency of Elmer’s glue. Is it weird to compare a food to Elmer’s glue? Yeah. It is. #sorry.

Add the powdered sugar-milk mixture to the cream cheese. Mix until smooth.

Spread icing over cake. Lick spatula. (That second part is optional.)

Enjoy. Oh, yes. By the way, I think this cake makes a great dessert but it’s also an indulgent breakfast treat. I mean, any time is a good time for some gluten-free pumpkin spice cake, right?

Gluten-free pumpkin cake frosted with cream cheese frosting on white platter.

5 from 1 vote

Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cake

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

For the Gluten-Free Spice Cake

1 (15 ounce) box Gluten Free yellow cake mix, I used Betty Crocker
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/3 cup canola oil (2 1/3 ounces; 66 grams)
2 large eggs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams)
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract

For the Frosting

3 ounces cream cheese, regular or dairy-free, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar (2 ounces; 56 grams)
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch* round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. (If you don't own a 9-inch cake pan, no problem. Use an 8-inch round pan. If your pan is 2-inch deep, you'll be fine. If it's only 1 1/2 inches deep, fill the pan 2/3 full. Use the remaining batter for a cupcake or two.)
Place cake mix in a medium mixing bowl. Add pumpkin pie spice. Whisk to combine. Add the pumpkin, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Batter will be very thick. (Feel free to use a handheld mixer.) Spread batter into prepared pan.
Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
Allow cake to cool in the pan for five minutes and then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the Icing: In a medium bowl, whisk cream cheese until smooth. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir with a spoon until smooth. Add powdered sugar mixture to the cream cheese. Beat until smooth. Spread icing over cooled cake. (If the cake is warm, the icing will melt.)
Store cake covered at room temperature for up to four days. Freeze wrapped cake for up to one month.

Gluten-Free Apple Cherry Cereal Bars

Oct 5, 2015 · Leave a Comment

What was the first recipe you learned how to make? If we remove cinnamon toast from the running, I think mine was Rice Krispie Treats. Like most kids, I loved those cereal bars and learning how to make them on my own was pretty exciting–especially the part where you melted marshmallows!

Today I still love cereal bars. During the fall, I make one with apples and cherries. These ~~stupid~~ wonderful bars get move raves then things I spend hours making. Isn’t it funny how that works?

As you can guess from the name, they’re a little fancier than classic cereal bars. (Dare I use the word “fancy” when it comes to cereal bars?) Unlike classic crispy bars, this recipe uses two types of gluten-free cereal: oat O’s and crispy rice. Then you add crunchy “bake-dried” apples and a good handful chewy dried cherries. Finish the whole shebang with a generous sprinkle of ground flax seeds and call it day. Funny story: when I mentioned to a friend that the recipe contained flax she said, “Good! I can think of this as health food!” I reminded her that these are cereal bars, not health bars. I just add the flax because I like the flavor. 🙂

Ingredient Notes

Cereal

O-Style Cereal

Use any gluten-free “o-style” cereal. I suggest Nature’s Path Whole O’s. It’s what I used in the recipe. I think Nature’s Path Whole O’s have a GREAT texture for cereal bars. (BTW, currently gluten-free Cheerios are surrounded by a bit of controversy. Read about it here.)

Crispy Rice Cereal

Kellogg’s discontinued gluten-free Rice Krispies. (boo!) For this recipe, I used Erewhon’s Brown Rice Cereal. Nature’s Path also makes a tasty Crispy Rice cereal that’s certified gluten-free.

Bake-Dried Apples

If you can’t find bake-dried apples (I use Bare Fruit), use dried apple rings. Chop the dried apple rings into bite-size pieces before using.

Gluten-Free Apple Cherry Cereal Bars

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 14 bars

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

3 cups gluten-free O-style cereal (I used Nature's Path) (4 1/2 ounces; 127 grams)
3 cups gluten-free crisp rice cereal (4 1/2 ounces; 127 grams)
3/4 cup dried cherries, finely chopped (3 ounces; 85 grams)
1 cup bake-dried apple chips, finely chopped (1 ounce; 28 grams)
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal (1/3 ounce; 18 grams)
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil (4 tablespoons; 2 ounces; 56 grams)
1 (10 ounce) bag mini-marshmallows
non-stick gluten-free cooking spray

Instructions

Lightly grease 9x13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
In large bowl, toss together cereals, dried cherries, apple chips, and ground flaxseed meal.
In large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add marshmallows. Stir constantly with wooden spoon until marshmallows are melted and smooth. Add cereal mixture. Stir quickly to coat cereal with melted marshmallows. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Using your hands or a piece of parchment paper, pat mixture down evenly into pan. Chill two hours or overnight. Cut into 14 bars.

Vegan Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oct 2, 2015 · Leave a Comment

I once feared homemade chocolate chip cookies. When I was a kid, someone assured me that, no, theirs did not contain nuts. (I’m allergic.) They were wrong. One trip to the emergency room later, I never looked at a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies the same way again.

Remembering this incident inspired me to create an allergen-free chocolate chip cookie recipe.There would be no nuts (or soy or wheat or eggs or dairy) hiding in this recipe!

Thanks to a blend of whole grain flours, ground flax, brown sugar, and vanilla, these cookies have a caramel-like flavor. “I love how buttery they are!” said one taster. Not a pat of butter goes near the mixing bowl! Instead, I used dairy-free/soy-free shortening. This makes for crunchy-edged cookies with chewy centers.

While I developed this recipe for anyone with multiple food allergies or who follows a vegan diet,these chocolate chip cookies can be enjoyed by anyone whose diet includes cookies!

Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 14 minutes

Total Time 34 minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

3 tablespoons ground flax meal (1 ounce; 28 grams)
1/4 cup hot water (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1 1/4 cups sorghum flour (5 ounces; 142 grams)
3/4 cup brown rice flour (4 ounces; 113 grams)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup soy-free shortening or coconut oil (4 3/4 ounces; 134 grams)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (4 ounces; 113 grams)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups vegan and/or allergen free chocolate chips (12 ounces; 340 grams)

Instructions

Center oven racks in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together ground flax and hot water in a small bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together sorghum flour, brown rice flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
Cream together shortening and sugars on medium high speed in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream until a thick paste forms, about 30 seconds. Add flax mixture and vanilla. Cream until mixture is light and fluffy, about 45 seconds.
Stop mixer and scrape down bottom and sides of bowl. Add dry ingredients. Turn mixer on to medium speed. Mix until dough forms, about 30 seconds. Turn off mixer and add chocolate chips. Turn mixer on to low speed. Mix until chips are combined, about 15 seconds.
Drop dough, about one tablespoon each, onto prepared baking sheet, about two inches apart. Bake until cookies are golden brown and aromatic, about 14 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and allow cookies to cool on pan for two minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to four days.