Cooking with Gluten-Free Flour

Camryn Sippy
Abstract:
This study evaluated the effects of different types of gluten-free flours and their role in
baking. This was done by changing the type of flour in a muffin recipe using different types of
gluten-free flours and testing the muffins for overall fluffiness, flavor, and moisture. This was
done to understand which type of flour is best to use for baking if you are allergic to gluten
(Celiac Disease) or is you are just gluten sensitive.

Introduction:
In baked goods, gluten is the glue that
holds the ingredients together and allows the
food to hold its shape. Gluten doubles as the
nourishment for the embryo during
germination and as a factor for how chewy the
dough will be later. Comprised of two
proteins, it is made up of gliadin and glutenin,
it is most commonly found in foods that
contain wheat, rye, or barley. It can also be
found in trace amounts in other foods that you
may not expect such as oatmeal, granola bars,
and soup.
To some people, gluten is an irritant
and can cause adverse reactions in the body.
Celiac disease is a condition chronic intestinal
discomfort occurs due to the inability of the
body to digest wheat, rye, or foods containing
any gluten. It causes issues in the
gastrointestinal system and if it goes
untreated, it can cause other organs in the
body to not work properly. Other people
suffer from a gluten intolerance where the
symptoms are not as severe and tend to not
consist of gastrointestinal issues. People
without CD tend to switch to a gluten-free diet
due to the improvement of symptoms
of mix and was baked for the same amount of
time. The amounts for all other ingredients

such as skin rashes, headaches, and asthma

complications. This is among a long list of
ailment that have been reportedly improved
after switching to a gluten free diet.
The purpose of this experiment is to
identify which gluten-free flour produces a
muffin most similar to a muffin made with
wheat flour. It is expected that rice flour will
produce a mufflin closest to the
density/texture and flavor of a wheat flour
muffins. Due to the rise in gluten intolerance
and switches to a gluten-free diet, this
experiment will help illuminate ways to make
gluten-free foods without losing qualities that
foods with gluten have. This study will
identify the the density/texture (fluffiness) and
flavor of muffins made with different types of
flour for maximum enjoyment of food on a
gluten-free diet.
Methods:
To investigate the change in
density/texture and the flavor of a muffin, rice
and coconut flour were used. This was
experimented by using a set recipe for all of
the muffins yet changing one key ingredient:
flour. Each muffin tin held the same amount
difference in flavors and textures/density
between the different kinds of flours. This was

was also the same.

The variable for this investigation was
flour. After all of the regular ingredients
(without flour) that are found in a normal
muffin recipe (baking powder, salt, sugar,
vanilla extract, oil, milk, and egg) we mixed
in a large mixing bowl, flour was added. One
batch used rice flour and the other used
coconut flour. Then each batch was poured
into separate muffin tins and were set in the
oven to bake. Once the baking was complete,
the muffins were placed on a drying rack to
cool.
Recipe for Rice Flour (Muffin A):
2 cups rice flour
1 TBSP baking powder
tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
cup sugar
8 TBSP oil
1 tsp vanilla
Recipe for Coconut Flour (Muffin B):
2 cups coconut flour
1 TBSP baking powder
tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
cup sugar
8 TBSP oil
1 tsp vanilla
Results:
A taste test was performed to understand the
Figure A: Fluffiness

performed using a blind test where students

tried samples of each of the kind of muffins
without knowing which ones they were. They
then recorded their results in a survey which
was asking questions about fluffiness, flavor,
and moisture. Each characteristic was graded
on a scale where 1 being the least (fluffy,
flavorful, moist) and 5 being the most (fluffy,
flavorful, moist). The amount of responses
and the percentages for each characteristic
were recorded also. The data for this can be
found in Tables 1-6 below and in Figures A-F.
Once the muffins were cool, one from
each type of flour was measured to see how
much it expanded (fluffiness) in comparison
to a muffin made from regular wheat flour.
This was done by wrapping a muffin in plastic
wrap and placing it in a measuring cup with
water. The amount that the water moved up
when the muffin was placed in it showed how
much it expanded during baking. This amount
was compared to the results of the regular
flour muffins. The data for this can be found
in Table 7.
Muffin A
Table 1: Fluffiness

Figure C: Moisture

Table 2: Flavor

During this experiment, testers thought that

overall, was the fluffier option of the two
kinds and had a better flavor. Testers also
reported that Muffin A had a better moisture
content than the others.
Muffin B
Table 4: Fluffiness

Figure B: Flavor

Figure D: Fluffiness

Table 3: Moisture

be drier, less flavorful and denser than normal.

Table 5: Flavor
Table 7: Change of Density

Figure E: Flavor

Table 6: Moisture

Figure F: Moisture

This table shows the change in density

between the different types of flour. When the
muffin was placed in the water, the water rose
showing how heavy the muffin was in
comparison to the others.
Discussion:
After conducting this experiment, it
can be concluded that the muffins made using
rice flour (Muffin A) had the closest
characteristics to a muffin made out of regular
flour. By using this particular recipe, the
results for rice flour were most enjoyable for
flavor, moisture, and overall fluffiness. Muffin
B, which were made out of coconut flour, did
not have a very enjoyable outcome when
using this recipe. Overall, these muffins were
very crumbly and dry and were not as
flavorful as the rice flour muffins. During
taste tests, the results were consistent enough
to say that rice flour was indeed the more
enjoyable of the two and most similar to a
muffin made using wheat flour.
An error that I encountered during this
experiment was that the coconut flour mix
needed more water than the rice flour to get
similar results. Due to the fact that I only
wanted to change one thing in the recipe
between muffins (flour types), I did not put
extra water in the coconut mix which

During this experiment, testers rated this type

of muffin a lot lower than the other type.
Overall, testers report this kind of muffin to
consequently made this batch drier. This was
an outcome that I did not predict and could
have been potentially been avoided had I
added more water to the coconut mix to make
the batter similar in consistency to the rice
flour batter. Yet this result may be different if
another recipe had been used.
Conclusion:
After running this series of
experiments, I can conclude that the rice flour
created a product with qualities most like a
muffin made with regular flour as I predicted
before making the different kinds of muffins.
Due to the fact that rice is a grain that is
similar to wheat in its properties, it makes
sense that it would create a muffin most
similar to wheat flour. This would explain
what rice flour is a common ingredient in
foods such as cereals, breads, crackers, and
other items where regular flour is replaced
with a gluten-free option.
This shows that rice flour is the better
option when choosing a gluten free flour due
to its close similarities to wheat flour. It is a
great options as a substitute flour and allows
you to cook gluten-free without having to
sacrifice fluffiness, flavor, and moisture in
your food. A gluten-free diet is a great way to
help relieve the symptoms of common
ailments such as seasonal allergies, food
allergies, and joint pain. By understanding
which gluten-free flour is best for cooking,
you will be able to transition to a gluten-free
diet easier without missing out on the
goodness of food.

References:
"Celiacs Disease." Gluten.org. N.p., 26 Feb. 2016. Web.
"Gluten-Free Diet." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 24 May 2016.
"Going Gluten-free Just Because? Here's What You Need to Know - Harvard Health Blog."
Harvard Health Blog RSS. Harvard Health, 20 Feb. 2013. Web. 24 May 2016
"Pamela's Products - Gluten-Free." Pamelas Products GlutenFree. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2016.
"Sources of Gluten - Celiac Disease Foundation." Celiac Disease Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 24
May 2016.