I get a lot of emails. I have a page on FAQs which really does answer most Frequently Asked Questions. Nobody reads that, though. I'm convinced of it. But I so want you to be successful, and I so want you to see that it's really not very hard to bake gluten free. So when you email me and ask where I buy this or that, or where you can find this or that, this is the link you'll receive. It may take some time to get back to you, but the response will be super nice. Unless you're mean or demanding, and then I'll be pretty mad at you. Hint: don't end your email with “please advise.” It's too bossy.
*ETA: Apparently, “please advise” can be meant to be deferential! Who knew? Don't worry – when it's a respectful email in general, I don't nitpick.
Before you read on, please understand a few things:
- I am not affiliated with any of the sources I mention, other than perhaps having developed a nice rapport with the proprietors since I've called them to make sure their products are safely gluten free or to make sure they have something in stock before I open the floodgates. In fact, I don't even really love nuts.com that much, even though I buy a lot of individual flours from them. Their customer service has been lacking at times, and their shipping costs are too high. And, to drive home the fact of my lack of affiliation, I was even careful not to include any amazon affiliate links in the list (and few actual links at all).
- You do not have to buy any of these products. This is an FYI.
- These are not the only sources for these products. These are simply my sources. Do you have a better source? Let us all know in the comments!
- Wondering what to do with all of the individual gluten free flours? Check the Gluten Free Flours Page. It's all there. Wondering how to use the flour blends? I've got that covered too.
- Don't want to make your own all purpose gluten free flour blend? Don't! Unless indicated otherwise, Better Batter gluten free flour (buy it directly from the company and get the best price) and Cup4Cup gluten free flour work in all of my recipes. Wondering how the main commercial blends work? Check out the results of the extensive testing I did a while back.
Well, then. Here's a peek inside my Gluten Free Pantry:
How To Stock Your Gluten Free Pantry for Baking
Ingredients
GLUTEN FREE BAKING FLOURS
Superfine white rice flour (I buy Authentic Foods brand, on amazon.com because I have a Prime membership so shipping is free) *ETA: I just learned that Vitacost.com just started carrying Authentic Foods flours! Great news. Thanks Erin!!
Superfine brown rice flour (I buy Authentic Foods brand, on amazon.com because I have a Prime membership so shipping is free) *ETA: I just learned that Vitacost.com just started carrying Authentic Foods flours! Great news. Thanks Erin!!
Superfine sweet white rice flour (ditto the Authentic Foods info above)
Tapioca starch/flour (I buy it online at nuts.com)
Potato starch (I buy it online at nuts.com)
Xanthan gum (I buy it online at nuts.com)
Potato flour (I buy it online at nuts.com)
Sweet white sorghum flour (I buy it online at nuts.com)
Teff flour (I buy it online at nuts.com)
Cornstarch (I buy it online at nuts.com)
Yellow cornmeal (I buy “gluten free corn meal” online at nuts.com)
Masa harina corn flour (I buy “gluten free masa harina corn flour” at nuts.com)
Certified old fashioned gluten free rolled oats (I buy it at Trader Joe’s, and I grind some of into oat flour sometimes, or pulse it in a food processor a bit to make more like quick-cooking oats – I do not buy any other, more processed oats because I’m cheap)
Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder (I buy Rodelle brand for a relatively reasonable price on amazon.com)
Natural unsweetened cocoa powder (I usually buy Hershey’s regular cocoa powder, and/or Hershey’s Extra Dark cocoa powder (a blend of natural and Dutch-processed that I like mostly because it’s very dark in color, and sometimes I want that), and find them both at my local grocery store (although I’ve been having trouble finding Special Dark lately))
Whey protein isolate (I buy NOW Brand online at amazon.com, and it costs 73¢ per ounce—not the $1 million dollars per ounce some angry people would have you believe)
Expandex modified tapioca starch (I buy it from Montana’s Gifts of Nature – full information on my Gluten Free Resources page)
Ultratex 3 (I buy it from willpowder.net – full information on my Gluten Free Resources page)
Coconut flour (I buy it online at nuts.com)
Blanched finely-ground almond flour (I buy it online at either nuts.com or honeyville.com (much better price, slower shipping)—*ETA: According to a reader below (thanks, Patty!), Honeyville almond flour is available on amazon.com for the same price as on honeyville.com, and you can get it in 2 days with free shipping if you are an Amazon prime member; great tip!)
Arrowroot powder/starch (I buy it online at nuts.com)
OTHER BAKING INGREDIENTS
Cream of tartar (I buy McCormick brand at my local grocery store)
Kosher salt (I usually buy Diamond Crystal brand at my local grocery store)
Baking soda (I buy Arm & Hammer brand at my local grocery store)
Baking powder (I buy Rumford brand (aluminum free) at my local grocery store)
Ground cinnamon (I buy McCormick brand at my local grocery store)
Pure powdered pectin (I buy Pomona brand online from pomonapectin.com – you use it without the calcium packet) *ETA: I just learned that amazon.com now carries Pomona pectin, and you can even buy it in bulk for a better price. Thanks, Allison!
Nonfat dry milk (I buy Carnation Instant Nonfat Dry Milk, and find it at my local grocery store, but you can order it online from soap.com, and many other online and brick-and-mortar retailers)
Instant yeast (I buy Red Star brand quick-rise instant yeast; I find it at my local grocery store sometimes, and otherwise I order it online at amazon.com (just search for “red star quick rise yeast”))
Sugars: Granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar, light brown sugar (I buy Diamond brand at my local grocery store or my wholesale club)
Turbinado cane sugar (I buy Sugar in the Raw brand at my local grocery store)
Granulated coconut (palm) sugar (I buy it online at nuts.com, and in my local Trader Joe’s)
Honey (I usually buy clover honey at Trader Joe’s, but when I plan to bake with a lot of it (like making candy), I use something milder, like wildflower honey)
Semi-sweet chocolate chips (I buy Nestle brand, usually at my local grocery store)
Dairy-free gluten-free chocolate chips (I buy Enjoy Life brand online at amazon.com when I find a sweet deal – and then I stock up; a reader recently told me how much she loves Rice Dreams dairy free chocolate chips so I tried .. .and I agree!)
Bittersweet baking chocolate (I usually use Scharffen Berger 70% cacao dark chocolate, and buy it on amazon.com)
Dipping chocolate (for pre-tempered chocolate for molding and dipping, I love Chocoley.com—perfect for my upcoming book Gluten Free Classic Snacks!)
Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening (I buy it at my local health food store or online at amazon.com, but only in the cool months or it melts during delivery! If you are concerned about the sustainability of Spectrum’s product, Tropical Traditions is a much better choice)
Unsalted butter (I buy it at my local Trader Joe’s, but it’s frequently on sale at the traditional grocery store)
Organic virgin coconut oil (I buy it at my local Trader Joe’s)
Eggs (I buy cage-free eggs at my local Trader Joe’s)
Pure vanilla extract (I buy McCormick brand at my wholesale club or at my local grocery store)
Gel food coloring (I buy Americolor brand, as it’s all gluten free, and I order it from amazon.com)
Whole raw almonds (I buy them at my local Trader Joe’s)
All other nuts, seeds and dried fruit, I buy online at nuts.com (Trader Joe’s has them, but they’re usually made on shared equipment, etc.)
Instructions
Stock up as little or as much as you like. These are not the only sources for these products. These are just my sources for these products. I am thorough and pretty experienced, but far from all-knowing. If you have better sources for any of these products, please by all means share in the comments below! Especially if you’re outside the U.S. and have found sources, please tell us.
tamib says
Have you heard of the Lucky Vitamin website? It has Better Batter 5lb on sale for $19.91. Amazon has it for almost $39.00 for a 5lb box. Just trying to stock my pantry before your book gets here. :)
kendaljack says
Some Costco stores sell Honeyville almond flour and other GF food items.
kim Alexander says
Was wondering why “kosher” salt? Thanks!
helen says
hi I am new to this…. where do I start…. I live in Australia…. so I am new to it all gluten free products for cooking do I get rid of everything in Pantry