Creating Gluten Free Baking Recipes

First Published October 14, 2010

Update: The original post is more of a tips for baking gluten free, rather than an actual recipe post. And I haven't been able to locate this particular recipe for some time. But the advice holds true, though now we have cup to cup flours, and mixes that make great tasting cookies. I still follow these basic guidelines - the right flour for the bake, add an acid, and use a good margarine when baking from scratch.

Thanks for reading. September, 2025

Original Post: I recently succeeded in creating a recipe for gluten free cookies. The cookies don't crumble when you pick them up or turn rock hard after an hour or so. I've named these luscious treats "Gluten Free Chocolate Success Cookies."

When creating this recipe, I started with the basic foundation for the standard chocolate chip cookies, taking into account that I would need more fat and sugar than a recipe with wheat flour, and a little more moisture as well.

What I've learned in gluten free baking is that applesauce is a great way to reduce the crumblies- a condition in which the cookie or bread or whatever is overly dry and crumbles when you bite into it. I've also learned that using margarines such as Smart Balance or Earth Balance helps reduce the bad fats that my husband - who enjoys the Chocolate Success cookies- is not supposed to have.

I've also learned that substituting a gluten free flour mix cup for cup rarely works in gluten free baking. When using rice flours, I may need more. When using bean flours, I may need less. That's why finding the right combination of flours is so essential.

The most important thing I've learned is that some recipes take much longer, like my gluten free breakfast bread. I've been working on it for a few months now, but it's still not right. However, I think I've got the cinnamon rolls down, and that recipe will be coming soon. I hope.

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

First Published February 24, 2010

Update: The mix is just as good today as it was then. Though the purchase price can be a bit high, the quality of the product cannot be disputed. 

Thanks for reading. September, 2025

Note: I purchased this product, Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, in the supermarket. The review has not been influenced by anything other than the quality of the product.

Bob’s Red Mill as a company has been operating for over 25 years, and is considered a leader in gluten free products. The company’s products include several gluten free flours and mixes.

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix weighs in at 22 ounces and all that’s required to yield two-dozen cookies is butter, egg and water. A package of the mix can cost, on average, between five and eight dollars.

The mix uses natural ingredients and gluten free flours, and the result is a sweet, crunchy cookie that pleases even the wheat eaters in my family.

You may need to watch your cooking time, though. The package calls for 18 minutes in a 350-degree oven. If you overcook, the cookies get a little hard rather quickly. If you undercook, the taste is a little grainy.

Judging exactly when the cookies are done can be a little tricky. Because there’s no gluten in the flours, the cookies don’t take on that smooth, toasted look of wheat-based chocolate chip cookies. They tend to look a little “wet” and feel too soft to the touch.

Take them out anyways and let them cool on the cookie sheet for one or two minutes before moving them to the cooling rack. The trick with gluten free mixes is to NOT expect the end product to look like those from wheat-based mixes.

The taste and texture, though, of these cookies is very, very close to wheat-based cookies. I try to keep a couple of packages in the pantry so I can bake up a batch quickly. I store the cookies in my cookie jar and they stay fresh for two to three days.

You can also freeze the cookies, or even freeze the dough. Roll it into a cylinder and slice off as much as you need, just as you would a store bought dough.