The increased awareness and adaptation of gluten-free living has been a boon for low-FODMAP followers. Although gluten sensitivity is not the same as FODMAP sensitivity, many gluten-free products are also low FODMAP.
That being said, gluten-free and low-FODMAP baking has a learning curve. The flours behave differently, taste differently and may have a grittier texture. Bake time or temperature is often altered and one-to-one substitution doesn’t necessarily work. Trial and error is necessary unless you have a good gluten-free cookbook to follow that uses the same flour (and baking conditions) you’re using.
For example, gluten-free flours don’t ‘brown’ baked goods the same way as traditional flours, and I highly suggest slightly under-baking your treats. They tend to taste dry (especially muffins) if you don’t watch them closely.
Recently, a friend of mine who is a superb baker of cookies with regular flour wanted to adapt a recipe for my enjoyment. She asked me what the best flour is for low-FODMAP baking. I was astonished to find there are so many to choose from now!
We were inspired to have a low-FODMAP gluten-free flour bake-off/ challenge/contest with a blind taste test. Four flours were used. Handling of dough, taste, texture, mouth feel and overall experience were scored.
I also learned that many flours have questionable ingredients — so read labels! Glutino® and Cup4Cup™ flours contain pea fiber and milk ingredients, respectively. Almond flours, coconut flours and those with garbanzo beans may also cause issues for some people.
Here is the low-FODMAP sugar cookie recipe we used, and you may also love my low-FODMAP Oatmeal Cookies, low-FODMAP Chocolate Chunk Cookies or low-FODMAP Peanut Butter Cookies.
You may also love:
- Dr. Rachel’s Best Collection of Low-FODMAP Desserts, Sweets and Treats Recipes; Gluten-free
- Dr. Rachel’s Best Collection of Low-FODMAP Cake Recipes; Gluten-free
- Dr. Rachel’s Best Low-FODMAP Pie and Tart Recipes; Gluten-free, IBS-friendly
- Dr. Rachel’s Best Collection of Low-FODMAP Cookie Recipes; Gluten-free
Or check out over 500 more low FODMAP recipes right here on the blog!
Be healthy and happy,
Rachel Pauls, MD
Dr. Rachel’s Low-FODMAP and Gluten-free Flour Bake-Off
Here are the contestants (the first two require additional xanthan gum) for the low-FODMAP flour challenge:
- Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend®: Brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour
- King Arthur Flour Gluten Free®: Specialty flour blend (rice flour, tapioca starch), potato starch, whole grain brown rice flour, vitamin and mineral blend (calcium carbonate, niacinamide, reduced iron, thiamin hydrochloride, riboflavin)
- Better Batter®: Rice flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, potato flour, xanthan gum (corn free), pectin
- Bob’s Red Mill® Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour: Sweet white rice flour, whole grain brown rice flour, potato starch, whole grain sweet white sorghum flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum
And here are the bake-off results!
Winner low-FODMAP flour bake off:
Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend®
It was a near tie, but Authentic Foods won by a narrow margin.
It scored an average of four out of five on all parameters of taste and texture, mouth feel and overall experience. This was the closest to a bakery sugar cookie of the bunch.
Baker’s comments: Denser texture, easier to work with.
Runner up low-FODMAP flour bake off:
King Arthur Gluten Free®
It scored an average of three to four out of five on taste, texture, mouth feel and overall experience. I liked this one the best for taste and texture, but the other scores brought it lower.
Baker’s comments: Very light texture, sticky on handling and had to add additional flour to recipe.
Third place low-FODMAP flour bake off:
Better Batter®
It scored one to two out of five on taste, texture and mouth feel; two out of five on overall experience. These cookies were too firm and tasted dry.
Baker’s comments: Very fine, white, took longer to brown.
Fourth place low-FODMAP flour bake off:
Bob’s Red Mill 1:1®
It scored one out of five on taste, texture and mouth feel; one on overall experience. These cookies were hard and had a strange flavor.
Baker’s comments: Lumpy, gritty.
So now you know why I love Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend for all my recipes. Plus I order it in bulk from Amazon and it is very inexpensive that way.
Of course, you can be your own judge! Enjoy testing your favorite as well and let me know how it goes 🙂
P.S. Did you know that I have a COOKBOOK ?!
This is the BEST resource for low-FODMAP diet know-how, a 4 week meal plan and more than 100 low-FODMAP Recipes that prep in 30 minutes or less and have NEVER been published on the blog!
Click this link to learn more!!
