How to Make Gluten-Free Food Not Taste Dry

Being vegan just gets more and more simple, with options on almost every corner and restaurant these days! Being vegan and eating gluten-free can be a little more tricky but far from impossible! Whether you’re 100 percent gluten-free due to a serious gluten allergy or intolerance, or just like to experiment with different grains, gluten-free baking can be both a challenging and rewarding experience.

What Is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in the plant along with other grains. Although naturally occurring, it’s extracted and incorporated into food and other products to add protein, texture, and flavor. It’s what gives many foods their shape and binds them together. Gluten also comes from rye, barley, and triticale. Gluten is also responsible for leavening and helping dough rise. Millions of people in the US alone are gluten-sensitive, meaning it may take a little trial and error to perfect the art of gluten-free cooking.

Although most people who have experimented with gluten-free baking have had a couple of gummy, dry, or crumbly disasters, there are more products, tips, and information available than ever before to make sure those baked goods turn out perfectly!

Get Familiar With Gluten-Free Flours

Source: Simply Quinoa/YouTube

Buying flour for cooking and baking can be a no-brainer when you can use all-purpose flour, but if you’re gluten-free, then choosing the right flour gets a bit more complicated. There are so many types of gluten-free flour available, and when it comes to cooking and baking, all the usual rules change. Many of them are best used in certain kinds of recipes. It can get expensive to stock every kind of gluten-free flour, so it’s handy to know which ones you need, depending on what you’re making.

Mix Up The Flours

Source: Mary’s Nest/YouTube

Trying to use only one type of gluten-free flour in your recipe will lead to a dry, crumbly texture. You need to use a blend of flours and starches to replicate the flavor, texture, and density of gluten flours. You can buy a gluten-free flour blend, or you can make your own. If you choose to make your gluten-free flour blend, there are many flours and starches to choose from. A few examples of gluten-free flour include rice flour, sorghum flour, amaranth flour, quinoa four, millet flour, buckwheat flour, teff and bean flour, coconut flour, nut/seed flour, and soy flour. Gluten-free starches include tapioca, potato starch, cornstarch, and arrowroot.

Use Brown Sugar Instead of White Sugar

Source: America’s Test Kitchen/YouTube

If you’re making a recipe that doesn’t have too many liquids in the ingredients list, you can try substituting brown sugar for white sugar. Because of the molasses content in brown sugar, it will help your baked goods have a softer and moister texture. If you decide to give this swap a try, you will have to adjust some of the proportions, and the brown sugar will add a slight caramel flavor and darken the color.

Experiment With Gums and Gluten-Replacers

Source: Dani Bakes Vida/YouTube

Gluten is what gives baked goods their structure. Without gluten, foods are more likely to fall apart. Adding gums such as xanthan gum or guar gum replaces some of that structure. Some people avoid gums because of digestive issues or sensitivities. In those cases, adding psyllium, agar agar, chia seeds, or flax seeds in amounts equal to the gums required can also do the job. In some recipes, you may find you don’t need any gluten replacers at all. The more you bake, the more you will learn which of your recipes come out better with the gums added.

The Takeaway

Some people complain that gluten-free foods just don’t taste the same, and this is a valid concern — everyone who’s gone gluten-free has had their share of baked goods that don’t capture the same flavor and texture as the gluten version. It all comes down to a science: gluten is what gives your treats their chewy, soft nature, and gluten-free foods need a different approach. That doesn’t mean they can’t be just as delicious as their gluten counterparts – it just takes a little more planning and a few good substitutes.

Whether you have a serious gluten allergy or think you may have a slight gluten sensitivity, we hope these tips will make your experience go a little smoother!

Gluten-Free Recipes!

1. Spicy Roasted Chickpea Spread Sandwich
2. King Oyster Scallops With Lemon Cashew Cream Sauce
3. Vanilla Bean Wafers
4. Cookie Crisp Cereal
5. Eggplant Hummus Pizza on a Mixed Grain Crust
6. Spanish Chorizo With Chickpeas
7. Easy Yeast-Free Bread

Related Content:

• A Guide to 15 Types of Gluten-Free Flour
• How to Ensure Your Gluten-Free Baked Goods are Moist
• Anything Can Be Vegan and Gluten-Free! These 15 Recipes Are Proof
• 5 Tips to Make Gluten-Free Goodies Taste Amazing

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