My Go-To Secret for Exceptional Gluten-Free Baking

Even if you don't follow a gluten-free diet yourself, chances are you know someone who does. And if you happen to be "the baker" (yes, it's considered a personality type — don't ask me how I know) in your circle of friends/acquaintances/cherished loved ones, it's likely that you'll need to pull some gluten-free magic out of your oven at some point or another.

Don't get me wrong, there are certainly a few treats that aren't actually all that difficult to make in gluten-free formats — brownies, for example, are fairly simple given that you can go GF by replacing the minimal flour required with cornstarch — but there are reasons gluten-free baking has earned a bit of a reputation for being tricky, partially because of the umpteen different flours and starches required. I have absolutely been that person to buy all of them, decant them into matching labeled jars, and organize them on my baking shelves: oat flour, rice flour, the nut flours, tapioca starch, corn flour, potato flour, peanut flour, and beyond. I'm not complaining by any stretch; all of these "alternative flours" are actually a lot of fun for a dork like myself to play around with in the kitchen. Still, I've learned that some things are generally best left to the professionals — i.e. the bakers who are deeply passionate about creating high-quality, gluten-free baked goods.

One such professional is culinary icon Thomas Keller. You see, I have been turning to the all-purpose, gluten-free flour that the chefs of Keller's kitchens developed since I learned about it in 2014 (roughly four years after it hit the market). I continue to turn to this master-blend seven years later because it allows me to bake the recipes I already know and love for gluten-free friends without having to convert a measurement, buy an extra ingredient, or otherwise change a thing. That's why the brand is named "Cup4Cup," you can legitimately substitute these multipurpose, gluten-free flour blends for whatever amount of all-purpose flour a recipe calls for.

Does it make you appear to be an amazing gluten-free baker? Yes. Do you have to tell people your secret? I mean, technically no, of course not. However, you may want to at least mention it to the folks following gluten-free diets, you know… so they could benefit as well. Share the love. That sort of thing.

As I mentioned already, for a lot of us who enjoy baking, it can be fun to experiment with various gluten-free flours… whether trying them out within the context of a specific recipe or leveraging them to create something new entirely. However, when you're the one responsible for baking a birthday cake, or celebratory cookies, or holiday pie, or even a special-occasion dinner that's gluten-free, it's really nice being able to turn to experts (and expert recipes) you can trust.

Conveniently enough, you don't even need a recipe at this point. In the years since my discovering Cup4Cup, my "go-to" for gluten-free baking aid has released a number of gluten-free mixes that make your baking/cooking project all the easier. I'm talking everything from multigrain bread mix, muffin mix, and cake mix to pie crust mix, pizza dough mix, and pancake/waffle mix.. And for those who want to boost the nutritional (not to mention, textural/flavor) wealth of your other gluten-free baking projects, Cup4Cup also offers an Ancient Grains multipurpose blend, along with a Wholesome Flour multipurpose blend.

It may or may not mean much, but I offer you my full blessing in taking the "shortcut" in this case. Just because you love to bake, especially for your people, doesn't mean you are — or need to become — a gluten-free baking expert. (Trust me, I'm well aware that these two things are often confused.) So if it isn't necessarily your specialty, just remember that there's absolutely nothing wrong with reaching for the tools provided by the pros. Your gluten-free baking will be easier because of it, and your gluten-free people will appreciate the effort beyond measure.

Keep Reading and Baking:

• 20 Flourless Desserts for Easy, Gluten-Free Baking
• Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes
• 10 Simple Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Desserts
• Gluten-Free Cake Recipes