The Oven Mistake You Might Be Making With Your Gluten-Free Baked Goods (And Why It's Costing You)

Gluten-free flours like amaranth, buckwheat, and almond flour are all commonly used as flour substitutes, and some can even offer an incredible nutty flavor to dishes like a gluten-free peach cobbler. And if you've ever baked with one, you may have noticed differences between using gluten-free and conventional flour. For instance, almond flour can give your final product a grittier texture. But one thing that doesn't get covered enough is that your gluten-free goods will need some extra time to bake.

Many non-glutinous flours absorb much more moisture than all-purpose flour, especially if you let the dough or batter sit to hydrate for the recommended 30 minutes to an hour before baking. A gluten-free recipe may also require more liquid ingredients and may have a runnier batter. To account for that, a gluten-free dessert needs more baking time at a lower temperature to allow the batter to bake without burning. If your gluten-free recipe has ever turned out mushy or tacky, it's most likely not baked through. 

There's no need to stock up on Trader Joe's gluten-free desserts when you can become an expert in gluten-free baking at home. Gluten-free desserts seem tough to master, but avoiding beginner baking mistakes and learning the science of baking can help you understand how the ingredients interact. But adjusting the time and temperature is much easier.

In general, you should adjust the oven temperature for gluten-free desserts down around 25 degrees Fahrenheit when converting from a standard recipe. Doing so keeps your dessert from browning too fast while giving it the extra time it needs to thoroughly bake. While you should start checking them at the time indicated by the recipe, pay more attention to physical cues that the recipe is done, like browning edges or set tops, as you usually have to add a few minutes to the bake time. How much depends on the recipe and exactly what you're baking. For instance, conventional cookie recipes have you bake at around 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes-ish. But at 325 degrees, gluten-free cookies might take 18 to 20 minutes. It's also best to let gluten-free desserts set and cool after taking them out of the oven, as the gluten-free ingredients can still appear gummy until they fully set. 

Whichever gluten-free baked goods you are making, it's always important to accurately follow the recipe. Ingredient ratios, cooking times, and textures all differ in non-glutinous baking, so precision will help your finished product. There's trial and error with any recipe, and gluten-free goods may require even more patience if you're converting an existing gluten-filled recipe.