SAN DIEGO (CBS8)-- Adapting from an original recipe can take a few tries.
Earth Balance is a good substitute for butter, and can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio. In baking, two substitutes for eggs are mashed bananas or apple sauce, because of their natural sweetness. For every egg, one banana should be used or ½ cup of apple sauce.
There are many options for gluten-free flour. Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Flour is a great option because the flavor and consistency is very similar to all-purpose flour. Chestnut flour and almond flours are also alternatives but do not rise as much.
Xanthan gum can help gluten-free baked goods rise and maintain moistness. For cookies, ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum should be used for each cup of flour. A good reference is Bob's Red Mill's list of how much xanthan gum to add for different baked goods.
Most ingredients can be substituted with few alterations. Here is an original recipe for cookies, compared to the vegan, gluten-free option. Note how few measurement changes were made.
Original:
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cornstarch
8 oz chocolate chunks
Gluten-Free & Vegan:
½ cup Earth Balance
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 banana, mashed
2 tsp vanilla extract
2½ cup gluten free all purpose baking flour
½ tsp Xanthan Gum
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cornstarch
8 oz gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate chips
Shopping Tips
Many major grocery stores now have gluten-free sections. Vons, Albertsons, Ralphs and Stater Bros. all carry basic gluten-free baking and cooking products, as well as gluten-free snacks. More specialized products can be found at Whole Foods, Jimbo's, Sprouts, Trader Joe's, other specialty stores or online.
Lactose-free and vegan options are available at most major grocery stores; however, more specialized products such as ice cream may only be available at specialty stores, such as the ones listed above.
