Flourless brownie batter makes a wonderful sweet treat with fresh fruit!
Last month I was honored to share tips and insight about flourless gluten-free baking at the local Western Iowa Celiac & Gluten Free Living meeting.
This group is based in Sioux City, Iowa. We get together each month to share ideas and news about being gluten free for medical or health reasons.
We’re a small group and over the years have become friends. After all, everyone needs a buddy who “gets it” when going gluten free. It’s no easy task!
Or, is it?
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Oatmeal is a common substitute for flour in gluten-free baked goods.
Gluten-Free Baking: What Do You Use Instead of Flour?
At the gathering, I chatted about how I learned to prepare sweet treats without using gluten-free flours. When I first transitioned to a gluten-free diet in 2010, there just weren’t many gluten-free flour options on store shelves. And when I could find them, they were expensive.
So, I continued my baking hobby by finding recipes that didn’t use any flour at all.
Yes! It is totally possible to make cookies, brownies and bars without any flour. I do it all the time! A few of the “core” base ingredients you’ll find in easy gluten free recipes without flour are canned beans, sweet potatoes, nut butters, ground oatmeal (certified GF, of course), chickpeas and lentils.
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When I’m looking for a perfect gluten-free recipe that uses little or no gluten-free flour, I usually browse the Chocolate Covered Katie website. The bulk of her recipes are also vegan, which fits my personal dietary choices perfectly. Here are a few of my favorites.
- Black Bean Brownies (No, they don’t taste like beans at all.)
- Flourless Banana Blender Muffins
- Almond Butter Brownies
A few other foodie blogs to browse include Epicurious, The Big Man’s World and The Spruce Eats.
Why is it Better to Go Flourless?
Fast forward to today, and it’s not difficult at all to find gluten-free flours, all-purpose blends and boxed mixes in grocery store aisles and on Amazon. I’ve actually written about some of my favorite flours and how to use them here.
So, why go flourless?
All treats should be enjoyed in moderation, but when it comes to flourless options, most of them are also lower in sugar. Why? The whole foods used in place of flour (like dates, sweet potatoes and nut butters) are often sweet, so less sugar is needed in the recipe.
Also, whole foods like beans and chickpeas add fiber and essential vitamins to your gluten-free treats. You can’t say that about most processed flours.
Have you tried flourless gluten-free baking? Share your favorite recipe with me in the comments below!
Until next time,
Choose healthy!
Angela
PS: Visit me on Facebook at Cupcakes and Yoga Pants!
