Gluten-Free Baking: 10 Recipes Using 4 Simple Flours

Hey guys, fun roundup today! I’m not strictly gluten-free by any means, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t baked up my fair share of incidentally gluten-free goodies in recent years (see these white chocolate pistachio cookie crisps). With such a wide variety of gluten-free flours now easily accessible, it’s not nearly as challenging as it once was to stock a pantry ready to tackle any number of gluten-free treats, many of which are comparable in taste — if not preferable to! — their glutenfull counterparts.

The flip side of that coin, however, is that the breadth of gluten-free flours available can be a little overwhelming (and a lot pricey), and finding the perfect balance of flours to replicate the texture and crumb of many classic desserts can be a true science. So we thought it would be fun to show you 10 knockout gluten-free baking recipes that can all be made with just four simple, accessible gluten-free flours: 1) almond flour, 2) oat flour 3) sweet rice flour (note: the sweet part is especially noteworthy here as regular rice flour won’t cut it) and 4) tapioca flour. No GF cup-for-cup flours that can vary brand to brand. No weird, expensive gums.

Whether you’re new to gluten-free baking, or, like me, you just like experimenting with flours that deliver more to your family in the way of flavor and nutrition (I feel loads better about letting Lana tackle one of these chocolate banana muffins when I know almonds and oats are involved), this is a great place to start.

1 // Soft Lofthouse Style Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies (Flours: Almond, Oat, Tapioca) You know those cookies you used to get for free from the grocery store bakery counter when you fibbed that it was your birthday? (No? Just me?) Soft and fluffy with a thick schmear of buttercream frosting? These are those taken to the next level, courtesy of my friend Sarah. With a naturally colored strawberry buttercream, they’re everything my inner 9-year-old craves.

2 // Brownie Butter Mochi (Flours: Sweet Rice) Sweet rice flour is probably my favorite of the bunch — it magically manages to make things both light and crisp and toothsome and chewy. Wizardry, I say. If you’ve ever had Hawaiian Butter Mochi, this is the chocolate version, which Trang says is like “a rich brownie with a chewy mochi texture.” It’s on my list of things to make this weekend based on that description, alone.

3 // Poppy Seed Pluot Financiers (Flours: Oat, Sweet Rice) Financier is basically a fancy name for tiny almond cake, and ain’t nothing wrong with that. The Bojon Gourmet made these with nutty browned butter, and the batter comes together simply in the food processor (this one has served us well for almost 10 years!) — big win for my lazy bum. Topped with juicy, summery stone fruit, these would be the perfect take-along treat for a seasonal BBQ or picnic.

4 // Rhubarb Almond Flour Muffins (Flours: Almond, Oat) These fluffy, tender muffins are made with aromatic almond oil (though I would guess olive oil or a light cooking oil, like avocado, would work, too). With sweet-tart rhubarb inside and on top, they’re a seasonal delight. Bonus that Amanda says they freeze exceptionally well.

5 // French Macarons (Flours: Almond) I’m not going to pretend that macarons aren’t finicky, but if you’re looking for a GF baking project that delivers truly impressive results, these pretty babes are right up your alley. The steps outlined here by Sally’s Baking Addiction are handily illustrative — and if you approach the recipe well prepared with the tools (and time) you’ll need, they’re actually pretty achievable. 

6 // Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Tart with Tahini Caramel (Flours: Sweet Rice, Almond, Tapioca) Speaking of impressive…this is admittedly one pretty involved dessert (leave it to Alanna, who’s a classically trained pastry chef and an award-winning gluten-free cookbook author) — but! the method employed for the gluten-free tart shell could be applied to any number of tart recipes. Of course, the silky vegan chocolate filling and the tahini caramel are enticing as all heck, too.

7 // Butter Mochi Cake Muffins (Flours: Sweet Rice) Back to Sarah for a muffin that I have personally eaten dozens of *facepalm emoji* in the past two months. These are another riff on Hawaiian Butter Mochi, this time turned into golden muffins with an extraordinarily crisp edge, a deep caramel flavor with hints of molasses and a pleasant chew that keeps you coming back for more. We made these for Lana’s teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week, and, um, they didn’t get to appreciate a single one. Not one, guys. I ATE THEM ALL. They’re that freaking good. (Note: I’ve also made them dairy-free by subbing melted coconut oil for the butter. Still excellent.)

8 // Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread (Flours: Tapioca) I know when we say “baking,” the first thing that comes to mind is sweets, but anyone who’s ever tried Brazilian cheese bread knows what a shame it would be to leave these fluffy, savory little gluten-free buns from Simply Recipes off this list. I adore their fluffy, chewy interior and undeniable cheesiness, yes, but I love their short ingredient list and the fact that they come together in the blender even more. (BONUS: I’ve yet to try this gluten-free pizza crust based on the same concept as Brazilian Cheese Bread, but I have no reason not to believe it’s Heaven on Earth.)

9 // Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Muffins (Flours: Almond, Oat) I developed this recipe to stand in for cupcakes, and on that front, it totally delivers — but since having come up with it, we’ve eaten these for breakfast, as well. (If they were made without the chocolate chips, I’d feel even less guilty about it, but let’s face it: I don’t feel all that bad in the first place.) They come together in one single bowl, and in terms of texture, you would never know they’re gluten-free: super-moist, tender and cakey. Oh, and dairy-free, too, as long as you’re selective about your chips.

10 // Baked Vegan Cheesecake (Flours: Almond) There are a number of raw vegan cheesecakes out there (I’ve even got a couple on my own site — these No-Bake Mini Vegan Nutella Cheesecakes are a major fave) — but I was so intrigued when I saw this baked vegan cheesecake on Bakerita — and it just happens to be made in a gluten-free, almond flour crust. I’m aiming to make this one in time for the Fourth of July with a full complement of patriotic berries on top.

BONUS! Gluten-Free Blueberry Cobbler (Flours: Almond, Oat, Sweet Rice) I’m so bad at these round-ups, guys — I can never keep them to 10! BUT just as we were ready to publish this post, I got wind of this blueberry cobbler that uses three of the four flours we’re talking about, and I couldn’t not share it. Fruit pies and cobblers will always be my favorite dessert, and this one is so freaking summery. And just look at those rivulets of ice cream running through those jammy berries…*swoon*

Hope you guys enjoy the rest of the weekend! We’re finally starting to think about re-landscaping our yard after being in this house for more than a year (I swear it was one of the first things we intended to do…) and hoping to soak in some sunshine now that it’s finally feeling like summer. 

Happy baking!
xo,
Em

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This one’s for the Pinners!