Blog - Gluten-Free Baking

Gluten-Free Blueberry Cobbler

Jul 4, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Gluten-free blueberry cobbler made with lots of fresh blueberries and a tender biscuit topping.

I’m curious. What do you think of when someone mentions cobbler? (Hint: I’m not talking about someone who fixes shoes.) The only thing dessert-lovers seem to agree on is that a cobbler is a fruit dessert topped with pastry. Oh, but the variations in that pastry topping! Some folks like a biscuit crust, others a sweet cakelike topping, and some even prefer their cobbler to be topped with a rolled-out pie crust. While I enjoy all forms of cobbler (and cobbler’s many cousins: the slump, brown Betty, and pandowdy), my favorite version is a biscuit crust over seasonal fruits.

Sadly this variation is often lackluster, and it’s the usually the fault of the biscuits. Soggy, heavy, or even dry biscuits seem to plague what should be a wonderful dessert. Therefore, when I set out to make a gluten-free biscuit cobbler, I focused my attention on the biscuits. I wanted them to be light with a crisp exterior and fluffy interior. No heavy, soggy biscuits for me! During my testing, I learned a few things:

1. A higher ratio of starch to white rice flour created light, tender biscuits.

2. Heavy cream, not buttermilk, provided the best flavor and texture.

3. The structure that xanthan gum provides to many gluten-free baked goods wasn’t needed in this recipe.

Once I had the biscuits of my dreams, it was time to focus on the filling. I started with two pints of blueberries. My result wasn’t a cobbler as much as it was a pan of biscuits with some blueberry filling. Clearly more blueberries were needed. A generous four pints of blueberries yielded a filling that all but shouted “I’m a blueberry filling!” without overpowering the biscuits.

I also discovered that I liked my filling simple. While ground cinnamon and fresh lemon juice is nice, my tasters all preferred the flavor of just berries and sugar. (Of course, if you love spices in your blueberry filling, add them.)

My final cobbler had a fantastic biscuit topping over a flavorful blueberry filling. Plus, it was easy to make. What more could I ask for from a simple cobbler?

How to Make It

After whisking together the dry ingredients, cut in the butter. For this, I like to use my hands. Rub (or “snap”) the flour and butter together. This takes a minute or two. No large pieces of butter should remain. (If you don’t want to use your hand, a pastry cutter or two knives will also do the job.)

The butter is nicely cut into the flour.

When the butter is fully incorporated into the flour, the mixture will look slightly coarse.
I’ve added 3/4 cup of heavy cream and stirred the dough together. As you can see, some dry flour remains in the bowl. You don’t want this. Adding an additional tablespoon or two of heavy cream solves this problem.

Ah! This is what we want the dough to look like. There’s no dry flour in the bottom of the bowl and the dough has formed a cohesive ball. Now comes the fun part! Pinching the dough!

Pinch the dough into small pieces. I like my cobbler to have a slightly uneven top. To achieve this, simply vary the size of the dough balls. This is one of the rare times in baking where the dough can be uneven and will still bake up beautifully.

Cover the top of the berries with the dough pieces, leaving just a little bit of space between the pieces. This cobbler is ready for the oven.

The baked cobbler will have a golden brown crust covering a thick (but not too thick) blueberry filling. If you wanted to serve this with ice cream or whipped cream, I wouldn’t stop you.

Two hands mix butter into gluten-free cobbler mixture.

Gluten-Free Blueberry Cobbler

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 6

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

For the Filling

4 pints blueberries, washed, dried and picked over to remove any steams
3/4 cup granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces; 148 grams)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon optional (I found I preferred the cobbler without the cinnamon

For the Cobbler

1 1/3 cup white rice flour (5 1/3 ounces; 150 grams)
1/3 cup tapioca (1 1/3 ounces; 38 grams)
1/3 cup cornstarch (1 1/3 ounces; 38 grams)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces (3 ounces; 85 grams)
3/4 cup heavy cream plus 1 to 2 tablespoons, chilled (6 ounces; 170 grams)
vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Make the Filling: Stir together blueberries, granulated sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. (Add ground cinnamon if using.) Pour berry mixture into the prepared pan. Set aside.
Make the Topping: Whisk together white rice flour, tapioca starch, cornstarch, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until no large pieces of butter remain.
Stir in 3/4 cup heavy cream until a dough forms. If the mixture is dry, add the additional tablespoon of heavy cream. Dough should form a dough ball.
Pinch the dough into small balls. Place on top of berries, leaving a little space between the biscuits. (This recipe makes a generous amount of biscuit topping. There won't be too much room between the biscuit pieces.)
Bake for 35 minutes or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and the filling is boiling. (Thanks to the cornstarch, the filling won't thicken until it boils.)
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

Gluten-Free Ginger Pumpkin Bread

Jun 23, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Gluten-free pumpkin gingerbread. It’s the “best of both worlds” recipe–the kick of gingerbread combined with pumpkin bread.

Right now, sharing a recipe that uses pumpkin feels ridiculous because pumpkin’s everywhere. Who wants more pumpkin? Not me. Unless it’s this bread. Then I’ll totally turn a blind eye to the fact that pumpkin’s moment passed about ten minutes ago.

The recipe combines two classic fall quick breads: pumpkin and gingerbread. It grabs the ginger and molasses from a classic gingerbread and adds just enough pumpkin for moistness without adding too much pumpkin flavor. Think of it as a really spicy variation of your favorite pumpkin bread.

Thanks to all the spices and three different types of sugars, the ingredient list for the recipe is long; however, the method isn’t. While the oven preheats, whisk together dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients and whisk until a batter forms. That’s it. The recipe’s dairy-free, so you don’t even need to worry about softening a stick of butter before making it.

Like most sweet quick breads, this one blurs the line between bread and cake. So I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether this recipes makes a cake or a bread. In our house, if I frost it, then it’s cake. If don’t, well, then it’s a bread. Either way, this bread/cake is yet another tasty way to enjoy pumpkin. Maybe just don’t serve it with a pumpkin-spice latte. Because that? That’s too much pumpkin.

Gluten-Free Ginger Pumpkin Bread

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

Gluten-free non-stick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups finely ground white rice flour (6 ounces; 170 grams)
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces; 198 grams)
1 cup sorghum flour (5 ounces; 142 grams)
1/2 cup cornstarch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 large eggs (7 ounces; 200 grams)
3/4 cup vegetable oil (5 1/4 ounces; 148 grams)
1/2 cup molasses (6 ounces; 170 grams)
1/4 cup golden syrup (3 ounces; 85 grams)

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a thirteen by-nine inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk together white rice flour, sorghum flour, cornstarch, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum in a large mixing bowl.Add pumpkin, eggs, oil, molasses, and golden syrup. Mix until ingredients are thoroughly combined and a smooth batter forms (use medium speed on a handheld mixer or medium-low speed on a stand mixer. If mixing by hand, use a balloon whisk and mix for two minutes). Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula while mixing.
Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack. Allow to cool before slicing. Store bread wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for 3 to 5 days, or wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

Classic Gluten-Free Waffle Recipe

Jun 23, 2015 · Leave a Comment

This recipe uses individual gluten-free flours and starches to make perfect gluten-free waffles.

How to Make Crispy and Light Gluten-Free Waffles

These waffles bake up crisp on the outside and tender and light on the inside.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4 waffles

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

1 cup finely ground white rice flour (4 ounces; 113 grams)
½ cup cornstarch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
¼ cup sweet rice flour (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (1 ounce; 28 grams)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
1 ¼ cups milk (10 ounces; 283 grams)
2 large eggs (3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams)
¼ cup vegetable oil (1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together white rice flour, cornstarch, sweet rice flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, salt, and xanthan gum. Add milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions. Spray iron generously with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon batter onto hot iron (amount of batter will vary depending on your iron) and bake until golden brown and crisp.

Easy Gluten-Free Valentine’s Day Cookies

Jun 15, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Need easy gluten-free Valentine’s day cookies? Grab a mix, add a few drops of pink food color, and you’re all set.

Two things. 1: Valentine’s Day is Friday (or today if you are reading this on Valentine’s Day.) 2. I’m totally unprepared.

Unlike lots of other bloggers who go all out for Valentine’s Day, I kind of, um, forgot about it. I’d love to blame the oral surgery I underwent last week BUT this is my pattern. I’m a last minute Valentine’s Day baker.

Yet, I still enjoy the cheesy pink and red desserts you can make on Valentine’s Day. (see this cupcake post.)

So today I wanted to write up a post for people like me: last minute bakers.

It’s actually amazing that I’m doing this on Wednesday and not, you know, Friday afternoon. Let’s celebrate my growth!

Here we go:

Yes. This recipe uses a mix. If you are going to comment about how mixes are “teh debil”, let me say something: if you don’t want to use a mix. Don’t. Ok then, let’s move on.

As you can see, I used the Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix. This “recipe”, however, works with any sugar cookie mix or with a homemade recipe. Use whatever works for you and your diet.

How last minute of a project was this? I needed to micro my butter to soften it. That’s how last minute.

In a large bowl, combine butter, egg, water, and vanilla. Confession: I used more vanilla than the box called for. Daring, eh? Then I added a squirt of pink food coloring. If you don’t want to use food coloring, that’s fine! Leave it out.

Mix.

Now, as prepared, the recipe makes “drop cookies.” If you are super last minute (hey, no judgment, dude.) just scoop the dough and bake.

Is it just me or does this dough look like a tiny scoop of ice cream? (You agree? OMG. I thought so too!!)

After just a few minutes, these cute pink drops come out of the oven. (In real life, the edges didn’t look that brown.)

However, if you have just a smidgen more time, you can transform the drop cookies into cut-outs.

You know how you do this? MAGIC.

Ok…ok…not magic. You use white rice flour. Which…is slightly less exciting than magic, I’ll admit it.

About 1/4 cup of white rice flour tightens the dough.

I love how bubble gum-pink this turned out! If I’m going to spend time making Valentine’s Day cookies, I want them OVER THE TOP.

After a quick chill, we’re talking ten minutes here, roll out the dough. Remember to use enough white rice flour so that the dough doesn’t stick to the counter.

Cut into hearts.

Since we skimped on chilling the dough, chill it for about five minutes after you cut. This prevents spreading.

Bake.

That’s it. Let the cookies cool and share the love. And you don’t need to tell anyone that you googled “Last minute Valentine’s Day Cookies.” That’ll be our little secret!

So whether you bake drops.

Or cut-outs. I hope you enjoy a love-filled day.

And, actually, that is my wish for all of your days.

Ingredients for gluten-free sugar cookies on counter.

Easy Gluten-Free Valentine's Day Cookies

Whether you make drop or roll out cookies, these pink cookies are sure to bring a smile to your face.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Servings 24 minutes

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

1 (15 ounces) box gluten-free sugar cookie mix (I used Betty Crocker)
1 stick unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup; 4 ounces; 113 grams)
1 large egg (1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams)
1 tablespoon water (1/2 ounce; 14 grams)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pink food color

For Cut-Out Cookies

1/4 cup white rice flour, divided plus more for rolling. (2 ounces; 56 grams)

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine sugar cookie mix, butter, egg, water, vanilla extract, and a few drops of pink food coloring in a large mixing bowl. Mix, using a handheld mixer, on medium speed until dough forms.
For Drop Cookies: Drop cookie dough, about one tablespoon each, onto prepared cookie sheet. Space cookies about two inches apart. Dough spreads during baking. Bake until edges just turn golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for two minutes. Then, using a metal spatula, transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack. Repeat until all dough is used.
For Cut-Out Cookies: Add three tablespoons white rice flour to dough. Mix. If dough is firm stop. If dough isn't firm, add remaining one tablespoon white rice flour. Pat dough into rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap or slip dough into a plastic bag. Chill for ten minutes.
Remove dough from the refrigerator. Roll dough out on a generously white rice floured countertop, about 1/4-inch thick. Cut out into shapes. Place six cut outs onto rimmed baking sheet. Chill cookies, on baking sheet, for five minutes. If the baking sheet doesn't fit into your refrigerator, place the cut outs onto a plate. Chill. Then transfer to baking sheet.
Bake until cookies are set, about 12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for two minutes. Then, using a metal spatula, transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack. Repeat, chilling cut outs before baking, with remaining dough. Bake each batch of cookies on a cool baking sheet to prevent the cookies from spreading. I always have one baking sheet in the oven and another cooling on the counter.

Spicy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies

Feb 10, 2015 · Leave a Comment

A friend recently made me a mug of spicy hot chocolate. It was so tasty that a few days later, I was craving the flavor all over again. That’s when I decided to recreate the spicy hot chocolate in cookie form.

My chili powder blend in the cupboard contained garlic powder and oregano, and since I didn’t want those two flavors in my chocolate cookies, I settled on ground chipotle. Its smokiness seemed a natural companion to the bitterness of cocoa powder. And it totally worked. The chipotle adds a pleasant warmth to the cookies but doesn’t overwhelm them with aggressive spiciness. In fact, at first you don’t taste the chipotle at all. After a few bites, however, a mild heat spreads down the back of your throat.

It’s this spicy-warmth that I find so addicting in chocolate desserts. If you prefer a really spicy cookie, increase the chipotle powder to one teaspoon. If you aren’t craving spice in your chocolate cookie, simply omit the chipotle. With or without spice, these crispy chocolate cookies, like a mug of hot chocolate, are a welcome addition to a cold winter day.

Spicy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies

Prep Time 2 hours

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 12 minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups finely ground white rice flour (5 ounces; 142 grams)
1/4 cup potato starch (1 ounce; 28 grams)
1/3 cup cocoa powder, natural or Dutch process (1 ounce; 28 grams)
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 stick unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup; 4 ounces; 113 grams)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces; 148 grams)
1 large egg (1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams)
1 teaspoon milk or dairy-free milk as needed

Instructions

Whisk together white rice flour, potato starch, cocoa, ground chipotle, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum in a small bowl. Cream together butter and granulated sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until thick paste forms, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer. Scrape down bottom and sides of bowl. Add egg. Cream on medium speed until light and thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer. Add dry ingredients. Mix on medium-low speed until dough forms, about 2 minutes. Dough will be dry. If after two minutes, dough does not form, add one teaspoon milk.
Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Pat into a disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill two hours or overnight.
Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust work surface lightly with white rice flour. Roll dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into shapes. Use a cookie spatula and transfer dough to prepared baking pan. Space cookies 1-inch apart on pan.
Bake until cookies are aromatic and firm, about 12 minutes for 3-inch cookies. Remove pan from oven. Allow cookies to cool on pan for 1 minute before transferring to wire rack. Gather scrapes of dough. Re-roll and repeat until all dough is used. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake for Two

Feb 10, 2015 · 3 Comments

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake for Two

Valentine’s Day always makes me notice all the food I can’t eat. Someone brings gluten-filled cupcakes to work or offers me heart-shaped homemade fudge studded with nuts (I’m also allergic to nuts) or—you get the point, it’s rough. Who wants to spend the entire day turning down chocolate treats? Not me!

This easy recipes makes just enough chocolate cake for two. And it comes together quickly enough that you can make it at the end of a long day—when you’re really craving some chocolate. (I add chocolate chips to the chocolate cake batter for a double dose of chocolate. Sometimes too much is just enough, right?)

The recipe was inspired by those microwave chocolate mug cake recipes you see floating around Pinterest. However, this cake is baked in the oven instead of taking a quick whirl in the microwave. When made in the microwave, I found the texture unpleasantly spongy. When baked in the oven, you’re rewarded with a deep, rich chocolate cake that’ll help you forget about all the treats you had to turn down all day.

Usually I finish this cake with a light dusting of powdered sugar. You know what else tastes great on this? A light drizzle of vanilla-spiked heavy cream. Yup! Heavy cream poured over warm chocolate cakes is AMAZING. Simply stir in a drop or two of vanilla to a tablespoon or two of heavy cream. Pour over the cake. Done!

Allergen-Notes

Dairy-free: Use coffee instead of milk in the recipe.

Egg-Free: This recipe does not work without eggs

Two gluten-free chocolate cakes in small ramekins.

5 from 1 vote

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake for Two

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 2

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

1/4 cup granulated sugar (1 3/4 ounce; 50 grams)
3 tablespoons white rice flour (3/4 ounce; 22 grams)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder, natural or Dutch process (3/8 ounce; 11 grams)
1 tablespoon tapioca starch (1/4 ounce; 7 grams)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons milk or coffee (1 1/2 ounces; 42 grams)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (about 1 ounce; 24 grams)
1 large egg (about 1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams)
1 tablespoon chocolate chips, optional (about 1/3 ounce; 10 grams)
confectioners' sugar optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 1-cup ramekins with non-stick cooking spray. In small bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, white rice flour, cocoa powder, tapioca starch, salt, and baking soda. Add milk (or coffee), vegetable oil, and egg. Whisk until smooth.
Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly between the two prepared ramekins. Divide batter evenly between the ramekins. Bake until cake is firm and aromatic, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Allow to cool for five minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired. Serve warm.

6 Easy Ways to Decorate Cookies for Valentine’s Day

Feb 1, 2015 · Leave a Comment

It’s almost Valentine’s Day! And just like at Christmas, I love baking cut-out cookies to celebrate. Unlike at Christmas, however, I have time to spend decorating cookies. During December, my cookies are lucky if I throw some colored sugar on them.

Yet, as far as taste goes, I’m not wild about the traditional choices when it comes to cookie icing. Buttercream tastes fine but it smudges. Royal icing sure is pretty but it’s too sweet for my liking.

Enter: Candy Coating

While some folks call candy coating (or confectionery coating) “colored chocolate”, technically it isn’t chocolate because it doesn’t contain cocoa butter. Without cocoa butter, we don’t need to temper the chocolate. And that, honestly, is fine with me.

Using candy coating, you can create really beautiful cookies that are tasty and pretty! (And unlike buttercream, you don’t need to worry that the “icing” will smudge.)

What You’ll Need

Baked and cooled cut-out cookies
Disposable decorator bags
Parchment paper
Candy Coating (I used Merckens hot pink, red, and white.)
Edible glitter (optional)
Jimmies (optional)
Icing decorations

The Dip

Want a really simple way to decorate the cookies? Simply melt your candy coating and dip your cookies into the melted coating. Of course, you can dip them fully but I think just a little candy coating looks better.

Here’s how to do it:

If it isn’t already, place candy coating into a measuring cup (make sure your hand fits easily into the cup).

Dip the cookie as much or as little as you want. I tend to vary them. Some cookies I dip a lot, some just a little. Allow excess candy coating to drip off the cookie. If there’s a lot of coating on the cookie, give it a little shake over the measuring cup.

Place dipped cookies on parchment paper.

If you want, sprinkle a few jimmies or edible glitter onto the wet candy coating. If the coating hardens, the jimmies won’t stick. So do this right after you dip the cookies.

The Drizzle

I really don’t have a favorite of the bunch but if I did, I think it would be “the drizzle.”

Place baked, cooled cookies on a piece of parchment paper. Fill a disposable decorator bag with melted candy coating. Snip the tip of the bagjust a little. Squeeze the bag. The candy coating should flow easily out of the bag but not pour out of the bag.

In a quick motion, drizzle the icing over the cookies.

One color is pretty. No matter the color. Even white looks great.

But why stop at one color? Drizzle as many colors as you like!

When you are done, allow candy coating to cool. This takes only a few minutes.

When you pick up the cookies, this might happen! The excess candy coating might cling to the cookies. Use a butter knife (or your finger) to gently knock the excess candy coating off the edge of the cookie.

Done!

The Polka Dot

Polka dots make me smile. And adorning a cookie with them is easy!

Place baked, cooled cookies on parchment paper. Fill disposable bag no more than half full with melted candy coating. Snip the tip of the bag just a little. Squeeze the bag. The candy coating should flow easily out of the bag but not pour out of the bag. Dot the top of the cookies with candy coating.

Like with The Drizzle, multiple colors are so pretty!

The Squiggle

Let me say this: There’s no wrong way to do The Squiggle. Put another way: You can’t mess up the squiggle!

Glad we got that out of the way! For some reason, folks worry that they can’t squiggle candy coating. You can! All squiggles are beautiful!

The blank canvas!

Start wherever you want.

Squiggle! See that little extra candy coating blob in the right corner of the heart? I squeezed the bag too hard. No big deal!

If desired, sprinkle the cookies with edible glitter while the candy coating is wet. (Glitter doesn’t stick to set candy coating.)

The Schmear

Gluten-free sugar cookie hearts frosted with red frosting. — the schmear (pictured on right)

Almost as easy as “The Dip”, simply spread melted candy coating on your cut-out cookie.

Allow the candy coating to cool slightly before spreading on your cookies. If it’s too warm, it runs off. When it cools for a minute or so, you can spread it like frosting. (I use an icing spatula to do this. But a butter knife works too!)

Place iced cookies on a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle with edible glitter and/or jimmies, if desired.

The Minimalist

Don’t feel like dipping, schmearing, dotting, or squiggling? How about the minimalist approach?

Dot a little icing on the cookie. Press a premade icing decoration into the icing. Allow to dry. That’s it!Using the techniques above, you can make countless variations of adorable cookies. Here are just a few of the cookies I made!

Pink drizzle and red schmear with pink glitter.

Multi-colored polka dots and partial dip.

Dip with jimmies and multi-color drizzle.

Pink squiggle with glitter and pink schmear with glitter.

White schmear with pink glitter and pink polka dots.

Ingredients for decorating gluten-free sugar cookies.

How to Melt Candy Coating

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 1 pound

Ingredients

1 pound red, pink, or white confectionery coating
1- 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening, as needed

Instructions

Place half pound of candy coatings in a microwave-safe bowl (I recommend a glass 2-cup measure.) Heat the candy coatings for 30 seconds. Remove coatings from the microwave and stir. It might not look like it's melting at first. That's fine! Stirring removes "hot spots" and prevents your candy coatings from burning. Repeat, removing the candy coatings every 30 seconds from the microwave and stirring, until melted.
Some colors, like red, are thick when they melt. Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of solid vegetable shortening to the melted candy coating if it's too thick.

Gluten-Free Soft Molasses Cookies

Dec 23, 2014 · 2 Comments

Cookie season–the best time of the year– has arrived. And to celebrate, let’s make soft molasses cookies. While cutout gingerbread cookies rule during December, I’ve always held a special fondness for their cookie cousin, the soft molasses cookie.

Made with a generous amount of molasses and brown sugar, these drop cookies bake up crisp on the edge and soft in the center. The spiciness– from ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves–balances the sweetness of the cookie in a perfect way.

For this cookie, I wanted to play with a dairy-free and whole grain recipe. So out went the butter. Instead of using a solid shortening, which makes cookies crisp, I reached for liquid vegetable oil. The flours are a lovely blend of oat, brown rice, millet, and corn flour. None of the flours take center stage. In fact, these cookies don’t possess that unpleasant grittiness that too often comes along with whole grain gluten-free baked goods.

The finished cookie tastes almost buttery–even though there’s not a drop of dairy in them. A stack of these slid into a pretty cellophane bag makes a wonderful gift for any cookie lovers on your list.

These soft molasses cookies are crisp on the edge and soft on the inside. They are great on their own (of course!) and are especially good crumbled over vanilla ice cream. Add a drizzle of maple syrup and you’ll make a quick and elegant dessert in no time.

Soft Baked Molasses Cookie. Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Whole Grain.

Gluten-Free Soft Molasses Cookies

Remember to use gluten-free oat flour for this recipe!

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

1 cup gluten-free oat flour (4 ounces; 113 grams)
3/4 cup brown rice flour (3 3/4 ounces; 106 grams)
1/2 cup millet flour (2 1/2 ounces; 70 grams)
1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal (Bob's Red Mill calls this "cornflour") (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil (3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams)
1/2 cup molasses (6 ounces; 170 grams)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (3 3/4 ounces; 106 grams)
1 large egg (1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
In medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or in large mixing bowl, combine vegetable oil, molasses, dark brown sugar, and egg. Mix on medium speed with stand mixer or handheld mixer until smooth. Stop mixer. Add whisked dry ingredients. Turn mixer on to medium. Mix until soft dough forms, about one minute. Stop mixer. Scrape down bottom and sides of bowl. Mix for an additional minute.
Chill dough for 15 minutes. Drop dough, about one tablespoon each, onto one of the prepared cookie sheets. Generously sprinkle granulated sugar on top of each cookie. Return remaining dough to the refrigerator. Bake until cookies are set and aromatic, about fifteen minutes.
Remove and allow to cool for five minutes on baking sheet. While cookies cool, start the next batch using the second cookie sheet.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store covered on the counter for up to five days.

Gluten-Free Anginetti Cookies

Dec 23, 2014 · 12 Comments

These cookies are a Christmas tradition in my life. When I was little, our neighbor, Lisa, would bring us a plate. As a child I thought they were rather “blah.” As an adult, I adore them!

The cookies are lemon-flavored and posses a dry, almost biscuit, texture. But don’t let that scare you! The flavor of these cookies is divine: delicate and subtle. And, they are the type of cookie you can sneak in the morning!

And yes, the sprinkling of nonpareils is traditional!

As for the name, they’re called anginetti but are also often called genetti or even Jeannette cookies depending on where you live.

5 from 1 vote

Gluten-Free Anginetti Cookies

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 38 minutes

Servings 24

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

1 ½ cups white rice flour (6 ounces; 170 grams)
½ cup cornstarch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ cup granulated sugar (3 ½ ounces; 100 grams)
¼ cup vegetable shortening (1 ⅝ ounces; 46 grams)
3 large eggs (5 ¼ ounces; 150 grams)
1 ½ teaspoons lemon extract

For the Icing

1 cup powdered sugar (4 ounces; 113 grams)
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 Tablespoon water, plus additional as needed (½ ounce; 14 grams)
nonpareils

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar until a thick paste forms.
Add eggs, one at a time, with the mixer running. After last egg is added, turn mixer to high speed and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix to combine.
Add add lemon extract and dry ingredients. Mix until a dough forms. The dough will be thick and sticky. Drop dough, a generous 1 ½ tablespoons on prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the cookies are light colored and “puffy.” (When you pick up a finished cookie, it should be light and have a brown bottom.) Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Make the Icing: When cookies are cool, make the icing. In a small mixing bowl, combine ingredients. Stir until icing is smooth. If the icing is too thick, add a teaspoon or two more water.
Dip the tops in prepared icing (recipe below). I like to dip three or four cookies and then sprinkle my nonpareils on the tops of the cookies. If you wait too long to apply the sprinkles, they won’t stick. (Adjust thickness of the icing so that a cookie top dipped in the icing is left with a thin coat if icing.)

On Thanksgiving and Missing Gluten-Free Foods

Nov 23, 2014 · 1 Comment

Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving. And this post isn’t about wonderful gluten-free foods. This post also (probably) isn’t for people who are 100% looking forward to tomorrow. This post is for gluten-free eaters who are feeling a little anxious or sad about the Thanksgiving meal.

In my opinion, when the gluten-free diet hit the mainstream, one thing got left behind: that sometimes it stinks to live on the gluten-free diet or any special diet. Holidays remind me of this.

Although I was born with severe food allergies and have lived on a restricted diet my entire life, I didn’t always need to eat gluten-free. At Thanksgiving, even though my mother filled the table with amazing homemade food, those squishy Pillsbury Crescent Rolls were my favorite. Even after graduating from culinary school and learning how to laminate real croissant dough, I still loved the Pillsbury rolls. Why? They tasted like tradition.

What food tastes like tradition to you? Your mother’s stuffing? Gravy? Pie? Before you leave a comment telling me that these foods can be made gluten-free, hear me out. Some of us sometimes just want the original. And if the original was made with a stuffing mix or rolls from a tube, let me tell you, the homemade gluten-free version tastes different. On a holiday, sometimes different tastes bad even if it doesn’t really taste bad. Know what I mean?

There’s no great takeaway from this piece other than I want to say to folks who are feeling a little down about Thanksgiving that I totally understand. Living on a restricted diet sometimes feels really hard—even when the table is full of wonderful gluten-free food.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Elizabeth

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Oct 23, 2014 · 5 Comments

This recipe holds a very special place in my heart. Years ago, waaaaay back when I published a print gluten-free newsletter. (Yup, I’ve been at this whole gluten-free thing longer than blogs have existed. That doesn’t make me feel old AT ALL.)

AnyWAY, one of my readers sent me a recipe request. She was NOT a baker, except for one thing: she made pumpkin bread. All year long! (You love her, don’t you? I mean pumpkin bread all year long is a great idea!)

Her recipe made two loaves. She’d bake one and keep one in the freezer. Another brilliant idea! Bake once, enjoy it twice.

The recipe intrigued me because it contained orange juice. I thought the finished bread would taste like orange. It didn’t. But the orange juice adds a very subtle note.

I loved the bread so much that I included it in Easy Gluten-Free Baking, my first cookbook.

A few notes about the recipe:

You can make muffins, instead of bread. Simply line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Fill each cup about 2/3 full. Bake until set, about 25 minutes.

As written the recipe contains 3 cups of granulated sugar. That’s what the original contained. Since it was a beloved family recipe, I wanted to honor the recipe and convert it as written. If you don’t want so much sugar, reduce it to 2 cups or even 1 1/2 cups. Any less than that and the entire recipe changes.

As written the recipe contains 1 cup of vegetable oil. You can reduce this to 1/2 cup (or anything in between). Any lower than 1/2 cup of oil will affect the recipe.

Use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. The are stocked next to each other at the store. You want pure pumpkin, no added spices or anything else.

Cool the bread before freezing. If you want to freeze the second loaf of pumpkin bread, allow it to cool completely before you freeze it. Once it’s cooled, wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and then again in aluminum foil. Freeze up to three months.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread sliced on cutting board.

Classic Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 2 9x5 inch loaves

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups finely ground white rice flour (10 ounces; 283 grams)
1/2 cup cornstarch (2 ounces; 57 grams)
5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
4 large eggs (7 ounces; 198 grams)
3/4 cup vegetable oil (5 1/4 ounces; 148 grams)
1/2 cup orange juice (4 ounces; 113 grams)
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12 1/2 ounces; 347 grams)
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
Gluten-free non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. In separate bowl, mix together eggs, oil and orange juice. Add sugar and pumpkin. Blend until thoroughly combined.
Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients. Mix until ingredients are thoroughly combined and a smooth batter forms (use medium speed on a handheld mixer or medium-low speed on a stand mixer. If mixing by hand, use a balloon whisk and mix for two minutes). Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula while mixing.
Divide batter evenly between prepared loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Remove pans from oven and place on a wire rack. Allow bread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove bread from pans and place directly on wire rack. Allow bread to cool before slicing. Store bread wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for 3 to 5 days, or wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to Make Vegan Apple Cider Doughnuts

Oct 23, 2014 · 5 Comments

Apple cider doughnuts are a fall tradition in upstate New York and I wanted to create a recipe that anyone can enjoy. So I took a good look at my old fashioned gluten-free doughnut recipe and tweaked it. A lot.

How much? This recipe is free of gluten, eggs, and dairy. And, man, they are SO good. SO GOOD.

And, thankfully, they aren’t hard to make. Here’s how to do it!

Roll out the dough, about 1/2-inch thick. Flour your counter generously with white rice flour. This keeps the dough from sticking. If it’s humid in your area, you’ll need to use more flour than if it’s dry.

Cut doughnuts, about 2 1/2 inches each, with a large round cutter. Then cut out the “doughnut hole” with a smaller cutter. Keep those doughnut holes. (Speaking of, if you just want to make gluten-free doughnut holes, I have a recipe for you. It’s not vegan, btw.)

Fry ’em up. You want your oil to be 375 degrees.

Drain doughnuts on a paper towel lined baking sheet.

Roll in sugar or cinnamon sugar. (nom nom nom)

Enjoy!

Here are some other things to keep in mind while you make these doughnuts:

Keep them thick and small. This recipe makes cake doughnuts. After mixing, pat the dough into a large rectangle. To make the dough easy to transfer from the counter to the fryer, keep the dough about ½-inch thick and cut into 2 1/2-inch circles. This might seem like a small doughnut but it rises in the fryer.

Generously flour your counter and doughnut cutters. This dough’s a little sticky. A generous sprinkling of white rice flour prevents the dough from clinging to the counter. And be sure to dip the cutter into white rice flour before you cut each doughnut.

Watch the oil temperature. Fry the doughnuts in 375°F oil. Hot oil ensures the doughnuts don’t get greasy. Two things to remember: Don’t crowd the fryer. If you fry too many doughnuts at once, your oil temperature drops. When frying doughnuts, give them space to move in the oil. In my small fryer, I only make two doughnuts at a time. And secondly, monitor the temperature throughout frying. Adjust as needed to keep the temperature at 375°F.

Re-roll the dough. Since you want to keep the dough thick, you’ll only get about six doughnuts out of the first “batch.” Lightly knead the dough back together and re-cut. No gluten means the dough does not get tough when reworked.

Place, don’t drop, the dough into the fryer. To reduce splatter from the deep fryer, hold the dough close the surface of the oil. As soon as the dough hits the oil, gently place the doughnut into the oil. Don’t hold the doughnut high above the oil and drop it in.

Turn doughnuts. After about two minutes the doughnuts will rise to the top of the Dutch oven or deep fryer. When they do, turn them over with the handles of two wooden spoon. Again, be gently to reduce splatter.

Make doughnut holes. Okay, you don’t have to do this but you want to, right? Set aside the scraps from the center of the doughnuts. When you’ve fried the last large doughnut, pop these into the fryer, a few at a time. If you don’t want to make doughnuts hole, roll the dough back together and cut out another full-sized doughnut.

Eat ’em right away. These doughnuts do not age well. The batch makes about twelve doughnuts and, trust me, the leftovers are not great. Either eat them the same day or give them away.

Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Cider Doughnuts

If you can't find apple cider, use apple juice. The flavor will be lighter but still wonderful.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 12 doughnuts

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups brown rice flour (11 1/4 ounces; 319 grams)
1/2 cup potato starch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1/2 cup tapioca starch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (4 ounces; 113 grams)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 Tablespoons ground flax seeds
1/4 cup very hot water (2 ounces; 56 grams)
1 1/4 cup apple cider or apple juice (10 ounces; 283 grams)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (3/4 ounce; 22 grams)
White rice flour for dusting counter
Oil for deep frying
about 1 cup granulated sugar for rolling doughnuts

Instructions

In large mixing bowl, combine brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, dark brown sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, xanthan gum, and ground nutmeg. Whisk to combine.
In small bowl, combine ground flax seeds and hot water. Stir. Allow to stand for 30 seconds. Add ground flax, apple juice, and oil to dry ingredients. Mix until a dough forms. Dough will be slightly sticky.
Generously white rice flour counter. Transfer dough to counter. Generously white rice flour top of dough. Pat dough into 1/2 inch thick rectangle.
Line baking sheet with paper towels and place granulated sugar in bowl. Set both aside.
Add enough oil to Dutch oven to measure depth of about 1 1/2 inches. Heat oil to 375°F.
Dip 2 1/2-inch cutter into white rice flour. Cut dough into rounds. Dip 3/4-inch cutter into white rice flour. Cut centers into doughnuts with small cutter.
Gently place doughnuts into hot oil. Fry until doughnuts rise to the top of the oil, about two minutes. Using the handles of two wooden spoons, carefully flip doughnuts. (If after two minutes doughnuts do not rise to top of oil, flip anyway.) Fry doughnuts an additional minute.
Using a spider (Chinese skimmer), remove doughnuts from hot oil. Drain for a few seconds on paper towels.
Transfer to granulated sugar. You want to coat the doughnuts in sugar while the doughnuts are still hot or the sugar won't stick. Repeat with remaining dough. Serve doughnuts immediately.
For doughnuts holes: Carefully place doughnut holes into hot oil. Fry for one minute. Turn, fry an additional minute.