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A comparison of three popular gluten free flour brands, and my experience testing how they work in a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe.
When you head to the store to buy gluten free flour, do you ever get overwhelmed? There are so many different gluten free flour blends available today. And they’re expensive! If you’re going to buy a box of flour that’s about $8, you want to know if it will work, right?
I decided to take three common gluten free flour brands and test them in the same classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. I chose three brands that have good allergen information, but of course, you should read the labels and contact the companies if you have questions.
This post isn’t sponsored in any way, it’s just a question that has come up again and again…what is the difference between store bought gluten free flour blends?
The brands that I used for comparison were Namaste Perfect Flour Blend, King Arthur Multi Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend, and Enjoy Life Gluten Free All Purpose Flour.
These brands are relatively easy to purchase either at Whole Foods or on Amazon. NOTE: I no longer recommend King Arthur’s products UNLESS the only thing you are avoiding is gluten. They changed their policies in 2017 and I don’t consider King Arthur to be safe for those with sesame, tree nut, or peanut allergies.
Price: $17.99 for 5 pounds.
Ingredients:Sweet brown rice flour, tapioca starch, arrowroot powder, sorghum flour, xanthan gum.
Allergens:Top 8 free and then some! Read more here.
Texture: Chewy and delicious.
Taste: No strong flavor.
Performance in this recipe: The cookie dough with the Namaste Perfect Flour Blend was the thickest, and spread out the least during baking. The cookies weren’t as smooth as the other cookies – the top was more textured. The cookies with this blend were chewier than those made with the other blends. These were very popular with my children, they loved them!
King Arthur Gluten Free Multi Purpose Blend:
****As I mentioned above, I no longer recommend this brand if you have sesame, tree nut, or peanut allergies. Please call and check on their policies prior to using.
Price: $7.95 for 24 ounces.
Ingredients:Specialty Flour Blend (Rice Flour, Tapioca Starch), Potato Starch, Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Niacinamide (A B Vitamin), Reduced Iron, Thiamin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2).
Allergens:I had to call the company, but the information I was given was that this blend is made in a facility that is top 8 free and sesame free.
Texture: Light and fluffy.
Taste: No strong flavor.
Performance in this recipe:The cookies made with the King Arthur Flour were very light with crisp edges. Of all three varieties, these were the most like cookies made with regular gluten filled flour. They spread out just enough when baking, and had a smooth and uniform top.
Enjoy Life All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour:
Price: $8.49 for 16 ounces
Ingredients: Flour Blend (Millet, Rice, Teff, Buckwheat), Rice Starch, Tapioca Starch, Brown Rice Protein, Sprouted Brown Rice Protein, Probiotic (Organic Inulin, Bacillus coagulans GBI-30 6086).
Allergens: Top 8 free – read more here.
Texture: The texture was very good – these were soft cookies that held together well. Not too heavy or dense.
Taste: This flour blend has a detectable taste – my family and I find it to be quite strong. It didn’t stop us from eating the cookies, but just know that this blend does have a “flavor” that some may enjoy, and some may not. I suspect the flavor is from the ancient grains in this blend – millet, teff, and buckwheat.
Performance in this recipe: This blend gave these cookies a very nice texture, and they spread out just enough during baking. The cookies held together well and had a good shape.
There you have it! I hope that this gives you a little insight when choosing gluten free flour blends. As always, read labels to make sure that a product is safe for your family.
Now for the simple, classic chocolate chip cookie recipe I used:
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Recipe
Classic Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
Kelly Roenicke
A classic chocolate chip cookie recipe that's gluten free and allergy friendly!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 13 minutes mins
Total Time 43 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine gluten free
Servings 24
Calories 182 kcal
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup vegan buttery spread
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups dairy free chocolate chunks or chips
Instructions
Place the vegan buttery spread and white and brown sugars in a bowl and beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add the unsweetened applesauce and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Put the gluten free flour blend, sea salt, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk together.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Turn mixer off and stir in the chocolate chunks.
Place the bowl of dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes, or if short on time, in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Shape the dough into balls about 1" in diameter. Place the balls on the cookie sheet and flatten slightly with your hand.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 11-13 minutes.
Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving to wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Calories: 182kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 160mgPotassium: 14mgFiber: 2gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 240IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1.5mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and tag @prettybeeblog on instagram!
