Why Good Gluten-Free Cookies are hard to find (2024)

FAQs

Why Good Gluten-Free Cookies are hard to find? ›

There are a few reasons why good gluten-free cookies may be hard to find. One reason is that gluten plays a key role in giving baked goods their structure and texture. When gluten is removed from a recipe, it can be difficult to get the texture of the baked goods to be the same as their gluten-containing counterparts.

Gluten-Free Flours Require Special Measuring Techniques

Most home bakers use the dip-and-sweep method when measuring flour, but this doesn't work well with gluten-free flours and starches. These flours and starches are finer than wheat flours, making them hard to pack evenly and consistently into a measuring cup.

Making a good gluten-free bread can be challenging as gluten plays an important role in bread making. Gluten is what allows bread dough to stretch without breaking, and works with the yeast to create a good rise and sturdy structure.

The lack of wheat flour and gluten in the products significantly reduces the moisture retention capacity of the product, thereby resulting in gluten-free products typically having a very low shelf life.

2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.

Another reason is that gluten-free flours, such as almond flour or coconut flour, can behave differently than wheat flour in baking. They may absorb more liquid, for example, which can result in dry or crumbly cookies.

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

Some people report feeling dizziness, nausea, extreme hunger and even anxiety and depression when they suddenly go from eating a lot of gluten to being gluten-free. These symptoms usually go away after a few weeks on a gluten-free diet, but talk to your health care provider if they persist.

Generally, gluten free baked products are characterized by reduced textural and sensorial properties compared to their gluten-containing counterparts [4]. Because of the flours employed, gluten free biscuits may be harder, may present a dry and sandy mouthfeel and an unpleasant appearance, taste, or color [5].

What to avoid for gluten-free baking? ›

“Properly balancing the starches, proteins and hydrocolloids is essential.” Aaron Reed, senior food technologist, Cargill, echoed that bread is the hardest product to replicate when developing a gluten-free product.

Gluten-Free Bakery Market size was valued at USD 2.46 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 8.37 billion in 2033, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.8% from 2024 to 2033. A gluten-free bakery specializes in producing baked goods that do not contain gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.

King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour is my favorite gluten-free flour. I've also had good results with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour. Almond Flour: I like to add a little almond flour along with the gluten-free flour. It gives the cookies richness and helps them to bake up golden brown.

You need a binding agent in your gluten-free cookies recipe; otherwise, your cookies will fall apart. Some flour blends may already contain a binding agent, so double-check the list of ingredients. If it doesn't, you can add flaxseeds, xanthan gum, or guar gum.

Using xanthan gum helps provide some of the stickiness that gluten free goods lack, replacing some elasticity. Xanthan gum mimics some of gluten's most essential properties by sticking to flour and its moisture. This helps create moist goods that hold their shape after being baked.

Gluten-free goods tend to brown faster and take longer to cook through. So they need to be baked at a slightly lower temperature, for a slightly longer time. Every recipe is different, but in general, try lowering the temperature by 25 degrees and baking the item for 15 minutes longer.

Completely avoiding gluten can be challenging, as it's found in many common foods and beverages. The best way to completely avoid it is to eat whole, single-ingredient foods or carefully check the ingredient labeling of food products.

If gluten-free cakes aren't falling apart, they often turn out heavy and unpleasantly dense. That's because gluten creates little pockets of air, so baked goods turn out springy and fluffy; gluten-free flours and grains are lacking this crucial element.