Gluten-free flour

Tips for Cooking with Gluten-Free and Low-Carb Flours

12/13/21

By Mayumi Tavalero

As the new year rolls around many of us have included weight loss as one of our new year’s resolutions, as we consider which new diet or health recommendation to follow.  Carbohydrate restriction has helped me considerably in my quest to lose fat and keep it off without feeling hungry, so consequently I have a lot of gluten-free and low-carb recipes!  Here is a list of tips that will help when working with these flours. 

Nut Flours Won’t Spread

In general, most flours made with nuts won’t spread. This means that if you are baking cookies, you will need to shape them how you would like them to appear once they are done baking. Mounding cookie dough up high and giving them extra space in between is not necessary. 

Watch Time and Oven Temperature Closely

Nut flours tend to burn more easily since they contain a lot of fat.  Make sure to use an insulated baking sheet or avoid placing them too low or too high in the oven. You may also want to adjust the oven temperature a bit lower so they brown more slowly. 

Nut Flours Can’t be Substituted 1 to 1

If you were hoping you could take your favorite cookie recipe and just substitute a low-carb, gluten-free flour 1 to 1, you may be out of luck. For instance, coconut flour (not a nut flour, but a high fiber fruit), requires lots of hydration. I remember when I saw a recipe that called for only 1/3 cup flour for a dozen cookies, I thought surely it was a misprint. They must have meant 1 and 1/3 cups coconut flour. The recipe also called for a lot more eggs than I would typically use, but to my amazement, the recipe came out perfectly. Just be aware that 1 to 1 substitutions are not always possible.

It's Okay to Thoroughly Mix

Don’t be afraid to thoroughly mix your product, as flours such as almond, coconut, and flax meal are gluten-free. You don’t have to worry about your finished product being tough with these flour alternatives.

Allow Baked Goods to Fully Cool Before Removing From Pans

Another tip, when removing baked goods from the oven, be sure to allow them to cool before removing from the baking sheet or pan. This is the exact opposite for wheat flour products. Because there is a lot of fat in nut flours they are very fragile until completely cooled. You may need to line a pan with a couple of sheets of parchment paper to “lift” a loaf out of the pan.  Tipping it out could cause it to fall apart. Give it a little more time before trying to remove it from pans to further cool it. Once it cools, just like butter, it will firm up.

A Few More Quick Tips

A few last considerations to keep in mind is that nut flours are NOT wheat flours, so they will never behave in the same way. If you are expecting your finished product to be the tender, flakey, and fluffy version of your wheat-based recipe, you will surely be disappointed. That is not to say that it won’t be delicious, it will just be different! Also, nut flours tend to be high in Omega 6 fatty acids, and even though our bodies need them, if you are trying to balance between Omega 3 fatty acids, you may want to limit your use of nut flours, as it’s easy to over consume them when used in baking.  Be sure to store nut flours in the refrigerator or freezer if you don’t use them often.

Try to keep in mind when switching to a low-carb diet, it’s not necessary to re-create EVERYTHING you ate on your previous diet. Enjoy, but keep in mind that treats made with nut flours are still treats and should be eaten in moderation!

Finally, the good news is that many recipes using these types of flours tend to stay fresher longer than when using wheat flour, because of their high fat content. You could store them on the countertop in a tightly sealed container for several days or in the fridge for a week (which would normally ruin many other baked goods). 

Foodom Works with Expert Chefs to Create Low-Carb and Gluten-Free Main Dishes, Desserts, and Snacks

If you find it challenging to cook or bake with low-carb and/or gluten-free flours, leave it to our expert chefs. They will be able to prepare a large variety of main dishes, snacks, and desserts tailored to your dietary needs!

Get Started Here: https://www.myfoodom.com/how-it-works/

Recipes Using Gluten-Free and Low-Carb Flours:

Leave a Comment

Shopping Cart

Available Coupon

X