Looking For Easy Gluten-Free Recipes?

Easy, inexpensive, gluten free dessert recipes that require no special ingredients at all!

These are my go-to desserts anytime I'm working outside of my own kitchen, and they are the recipes I give to anyone who asks for simple and uncomplicated gluten free desserts.

When I first started baking gluten free treats for my friends and family, the recipes I found were completely overwhelming.

Special flours, starches, and gums, careful treatment of the doughs, delicate baking instructions, and confusing instructions, all combined to make me toss more than a few cookies into the trash.

I promise you that NONE of these recipes are like that. These are some of the easiest gluten free desserts we make and every last one of them can be made with ingredients that are likely already in your pantry. No specialty flours, tools, or skills required!

Many times, when you need a gluten free dessert, it's for a dinner guest or a friend, and it just doesn't make sense to buy several different specialty flours just to make a single recipe. (On the other hand, if you plan to do more than the occasional glutn free baked goods, I have a huge index of gluten free sweets an treats that we love. Try the simple recipes below, and then dive on in and pick up the flours for the rest of them!)

This collection of desserts is perfect for any occasion; a special dinner or a gift for a friend. I bake gluten free at least 90% of the time and I can happily promise you that no one will realize they are eating a gluten free treat. Several of these recipes are also naturally diary free as well. Enjoy!

 

Gluten-Free Cookbook

Looking For a Gluten-free Cookbook?

Hosting a big party?
Lots of desserts to prepare for a holiday?
Just learning to bake and need a few “go-to” easy ideas?
New to the gluten free diet?
Done…it’s all here for you.
Some recipes are super quick prep, others are a bit more effort but each recipe is one you will be proud to serve your guests.

Featuring

• 30 printable, PDF recipes
• Instant download to your desktop or mobile devices
• Easy, gluten free holiday meals
• Quality baked goods
• Start your baking today

Click here to buy now
Gluten-Free-Baking Classic Cookbook

Gluten-Free Baking Videos

Need some visual tips to start your gluten-free baking?

Check out these step by step videos to create your delicious treats!

Click here for recipes:  
http://grokker.com/cooking/video/classic-gluten-free-chocolate-cake/5227afee67f2e7eb121441e2

Gluten-Free Baking Tips

I’m sharing some of the most helpful tips I’ve found for baking gluten-free.

Whether you have celiac disease, or are off gluten for other health reasons, you’ve likely figured out that baking with gluten-free flours can be a bit of a challenge.

From figuring out what flours to use, to wondering about certain flavors, leavening and starches, gluten-free baking does require some know-how.

& YES, you can still make tasty whole grain gluten-free treats for yourself and your family.

These tips can help you do that with a little more ease...

Gluten Free Baking Tips 

1.  Increase Leavening Agents
When adapting a recipe to make it gluten free, increase the amount of baking powder and baking soda by 25%.  (The quick way to do that on your calculator is to take the amount called for and multiply it by 1.25.)
2.  Smaller is better! 
Since gluten-free baked goods tend to crumble easily, making all baked good smaller tends to improve their quality and keep them “sticking together” more.   Think mini cookies, mini muffins, and small loaves of bread.
3.  Blend Different Flours Together
Just as with alternative sweetens, it is best to use more than one flour when making gluten-free baked goods.  It helps prevent just one flavor or texture from dominating the final product and also helps with texture.  I tend to use about 1/2 sweet brown rice and then make up the rest with whatever flours I have on hand (typically that’s buckwheat, brown rice, amaranth, and millet.)
4.  Add Starch to the Mix
This is one tip I share with hesitancy.  I personally almost never use starches in my baking since we deal with digestive issues.
Anyway, most gluten free baking “connoisseurs” recommending using a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio of starch to whole grain when baking to give the baked goods a fluffy texture reminiscent of baking with all purpose flour.
For me, our intestinal health is more important than having the perfect baked good around so I prefer to bake only using whole grains.
The only exception is when I am baking cupcakes or cakes, particularly when making them for others and the “sagging in the middle” thing is a concern.  Then I will go “light” on the starch and maybe use a 1:3 ratio of whole grain to starch.
5.  Some Sticky Help
Gluten is the part of wheat that gives it its “stickiness”.  So when you bake gluten free, by definition, you are going to have a “less sticky” final result.
There are some things you can do to make up for some of that, however.
– Use sweet rice (glutinous) flour as part of your baking mix.
I use brown sweet rice flour for about half of my gluten-free baking mix, with the rest being a mix of whatever I have on hand.  Sweet rice is called glutinous rice (it’s the kind used in Japan) and it doesn’t have gluten but is a little “sticky.”
–  Add gums gelatin, or agar-agar to your dough.
Here is a general usage guide for these ingredients:

• Breads and pizza doughs: Add 1 tsp of gum, gelatin, or agar-agar per cup of GF flour used
• Cakes, muffins, quick breads, cookies and bars: Add 1/2 teaspoon gum, gelatin, or agar-agar per cup of gluten-free flour used

6.  Gluten-Free Flour List
Safe whole grains for gluten-free baking include brown rice flour, , millet flour, amaranth flour, and teff flour (a fairly high-protein grain).  The grain-seeds, buckwheat and quinoa, have a higher protein value.
7.  Don’t waste your “mistakes”
There is a use for botched kitchen experiments.
You can use savory baked good mistakes for breadcrumbs (just put in a food processor, run it for a bit and store the crumbs in the freezer), and sweet baked mistakes can be crumble toppings.  Both can be used for cereals.  Just top with milk or Homemade Coconut Milk or Almond Milk and enjoy!
8.  Lower Baking TemperatureI haven’t used this tip much, but perhaps I should.  A reader shared that GF baked goods tend to brown more easily so lowering the oven temperature by 25 degrees is a good idea.
9.  Put Perfectionism to Rest
I gave up trying to be the perfect gluten-free baker a long time ago.  Well, I still feel bad sometimes about my failings, but for the most part I’ve accepted that I am aiming for health–not perfect replication of fake-food goodies.

Ready to use your new Gluten-Free Baking Techniques to make some Gluten-Free Goodies?  How about trying:

Recipes Featured in the Top Photo:

– Easy Drop Biscuits
– Chocolate Chip “Cheesecake”-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
– Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
– Soft Pumpkin Cookies
 

Other Great Gluten-Free Recipes:

- Buckwheat Wraps / Pancakes
–  Baked Oatmeal Cake
– Baked Cinnamon Doughnut
– Focaccia Flax Bread 

Do you have any gluten free baking tips to share? Please email me your tips!

Stress & Gluten-free Recipes

An afternoon spent whipping up cakes, cookies and pies doesn’t just make your kitchen smell amazing, it helps alleviate stress! Here are some quick and awesome gluten-free recipes!  

Immerse yourself in baking and reduce stress or any certain feelings with these delicious delights.....
 

Feeling stressed?
 

Biscuit Brownies

Not only do chewy biscuit brownies (biscuits and brownies, united at last!) taste fantastic, experts have found that chocolate, specifically dark chocolate, reduces the stress hormones cortisol and catecholamine in your body, meaning you could begin to feel calmer within minutes of eating them.

Makes: 15

Ingredients:

• 160g plain flour, sifted
• 1/3 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of sea salt
• 30g unsalted butter; room temperature, cubed
• 300g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids) broken into pieces
• 4 eggs
• 175g caster sugar
• 30g flaked almonds

Method:

Step 1: In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Step 2: Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler or bowl over a pan of boiling water. Remove from the heat once melted and stir. Set aside and allow to cool a little.

Step 3: Beat the eggs and sugar together for 2-3 minutes, until pale and slightly thickened. Fold in the chocolate mix, then stir in the flour mix. Refrigerate for 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/gas 4

Step 4: Remove bowl from the fridge. Scoop up dessert-sized chunks of dough, round them with your hands and press them onto a lined baking tray, leaving a 5cm gap between each of them. Press almond flakes on top of each and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the tops are shiny and cracked.

 

Feeling sad?
 

Lemon and Raspberry cupcakes

Not only are these cupcakes yummy, the smell of fresh lemon has been found to directly affect neurotransmitters in the brain, boosting levels of serotonin, the feel-good hormone. Eat up.

Makes: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the icing:

• 200g full-fat cream cheese
• 200g unsalted butter, softened
• 500g icing sugar
• Zest of 2 lemons

For the sponge:

• 200g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g caster sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 4 medium eggs, beaten
• 200g self-raising flour
• Punnet of raspberries

For the sugar syrup:

• 150ml fresh lemon juice
• 150g caster sugar

Method
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 175˚C/gas 4. Start with the icing, beat the cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. In a separate bowl, cream butter, icing sugar and lemon zest. Add cream cheese to butter mixture and mix. Chill until set.
Step 2: For the cupcakes, cream butter, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a bowl. Whisk in beaten eggs, sift in flour and stir. Pour batter into muffin cases in a muffin tray. Drop 3 raspberries into each cupcake. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.
Step 3: For the sugar syrup, boil lemon juice with caster sugar in a pan, then set aside to cool.
Step 4: Once the baked cupcakes have cooled for 10 minutes, brush the tops with sugar syrup while they are still slightly warm.
Step 5: Pipe a swirl of icing onto each cupcake. Top with a raspberry.

Feeling angry?
 

Cranberry, Orange and Macadamia Nut Buns

The energy expended in kneading the dough can reduce cortisol and adrenaline levels and conquer anger.

Makes: 12

Ingredients:

For the bread:

• 500g strong white flour
• 10g salt
• 10g caster sugar
• 10g fast-action yeast
• 200ml tepid water
• 100ml milk
• 1 egg u 40g salted butter
• Flavourless oil

For the filling and glaze:

• 50g butter, softened
• 100g dark brown soft sugar
• 100g crushed macadamia nuts
• 100g dried cranberries
• Zest of 2 oranges
• 70g of icing sugar
• 35ml water
• 35ml orange liqueur

Method
Step 1: Place flour in a bowl and stir in salt, sugar and yeast.
Step 2: Beat water, milk and egg. Add to flour along with butter. Mix well with a fork. Using your hands squeeze dough for a minute.
Step 3: Turn dough onto worktop and knead for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Drizzle oil into a bowl, roll dough in it, cover with cling film, let it rise in a warm place for an hour.
Step 5: Tip dough onto floured worktop. Roll into a rectangle. Spread on butter, sprinkle with sugar, nuts, cranberries and zest.
Step 6: Roll dough tightly. Trim and slice into 12 discs. Arrange in a deep tray. Cover with cling film and allow to rise for 45 minutes.
Step 7: Preheat oven to 220˚C/ gas 7. Meanwhile, for the glaze put the icing sugar, water and liquer in a pan, boil, then simmer for a minute.
Step 8: Uncover dough and bake for 20 minutes, brush with two-thirds of glaze.
Step 9: Cool, separate and brush with remaining glaze.

Reducing Stress Via Gluten-Free Baking

Yes! My blog is combing the need of gluten free baking with the idea of how baking helps to reduce stress!

It is evident that living a gluten free lifestyle is difficult when trying to search for specific foods. The search for gluten free products does become stressful for most people, including me. My blog will focus specifically on gluten free recipes and decorating ideas, while emphasizing the idea of how baking is an excellent stress releaser. I want you guys to be attracted to the idea that my blog will help to reduce stress with the specific gluten free baking ideas. My gluten free and stress free blog allows for a different perspective to gluten free baking and decorating. I will be producing my blog by combing unique and appealing gluten recipes with the constant reminder of how baking reduces stress!

•  I do not want anyone feeling stressed after reading my blog recipes and ideas. I want everyone’s stress to decrease after reflecting on my blog ideas and reassuring them that gluten free baking can actually be a stress releaser. I believe everyone can benefit from my blog by having available gluten recipes and having not to worry about stress. I will promise to include stress reduction baking ideas in each recipe posted because this will remind you guys about how gluten free baking is not stressful. I will have different recipes posted daily while having the ideas link directly into the recipe. I promise that my blog will be changing the idea of gluten free baking by combining gluten free baking recipes and decorating ideas with a special emphasis on stress reduction.

Gluten-Free Stress Baking

Welcome to my blog on how (gluten-free) baking helps to reduce stress! AKA: Stress Baking!

My Story....
I created this blog because I was motivated from my personal experiences as someone who bakes to reduce stress. Firstly, I have worked in a bakery for the past couple of years and have retained a significant amount of information from this job position. Before this bakery position, I did not manage my personal stress factors very well. Essentially, I did not have a motivating outlet where I could release stress. Cake, pastry, and bakery decorating became my method of stress release. Some of my typical stresses were caused from tough decisions, deadlines, or time management. When decorating at work, I managed to find enjoyment and a stress-free working environment. Additionally, outside of work, I started to bake and decorate on my free time because I found this to decrease my stress as well. I believe many people bake and decorate to release stress and it is also a great hobby.

Baking and decorating can be relaxing for several reasons. For example, anytime you combine ingredients such as vanilla extract, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate and so forth, you are filled with pleasant scents that can create positive feelings and memories. Even more, baking doesn't require a huge amount of mental effort, the measuring of ingredients, combining of recipes, and coordinating of various mechanical tasks require just enough thought to keep you from dwelling too heavily on non-baking concerns. I have found that baking isn't brain surgery, which is one of its chief benefits as a form of stress relief. If you make a mistake when preparing a batch of goodies or icing a cake, the worst that can happen is that you will have to start over which is not the end of the world. Furthermore, I want to educate you guys on a specific kind of baking and decorating: gluten free baking. I wish to serve this need because when working at my bakery I discovered a new high demand for special dietary products. The gluten free life style has continued to increase over the years, creating new product demands and a need for delicious recipes. At first, my bakery did not serve gluten free products because there was not a demand. When potential customers came into our bakery looking for gluten free products, they were disappointed. Most people who came in looking for gluten free products, they told us it was very stressful to discover somewhere to purchase a premade delicious gluten free dessert. Also, finding quick and delicious recipes were extremely hard to locate if they could not find a premade product to purchase. My bakery team decided to come up with gluten free recipes to serve our new market. I want everyone who comes across my blog to be able to find recipes and decorating ideas for gluten free baking.

My mission of my gluten free baking and decorating blog, will allow you guys to quickly discover delicious recipes and techniques. Also, my gluten free baking blog, can be an outlet where you bloggers go to release stress when discovering new recipes and ideas.