Cooking and Serving: Not specified
Ingredients
See recipe for ingredients
Description
Instructions
TEST RESULTS
In making classic drop-style gluten free chocolate chip cookies, here’s how guar.
gum, konjac powder, and cellulose powder performed when I used them in place of.
xanthan gum in the amounts listed above:.
GUAR GUM
The cookies held their shape beautifully, and the results were nearly identical.
GUAR GUM
The cookies held their shape beautifully, and the results were nearly identical.
Notes
The cookies didn’t hold their shape quite as well, but I think it might require
more for an ideal result. I really liked this in gluten free biscuits without
so I remain really hopeful about it.
This was my favorite binder of the bunch, outperforming even guar gum. The
cookies held their shape even as they cooled just like ones made with xanthan
gum, without feathering on the edges.
4 raw round disks of gluten free chocolate chip cookies dough on white parchment
paper with the letters written next to each indicating which xanthan gum
substitute they were made with
raw round disks of gluten free chocolate chip cookies dough on white parchment
paper with the letters written next to each indicating which xanthan gum
substitute they were made with
4 baked chocolate chip cookies on white parchment on baking sheet next to
baked chocolate chip cookies on white parchment on baking sheet next to letters
Here’s a photo of all of the cookies from all 4 batches, finally able to mingle
together. Can you spot which is which? I definitely can’t any more!
scattered light brown gluten free chocolate chip cookies with golden edges on
dark brown baking sheet, made with xanthan gum substitutes
light brown gluten free chocolate chip cookies with golden edges on dark brown
baking sheet, made with xanthan gum substitutes
PSYLLIUM HUSK IN GLUTEN FREE BAKING
Xanthan gum doesn’t break down even at high oven temperatures over long periods
of time, so it works beautifully for the long baking times that are often
necessary to bake good gluten free bread. But it produces a somewhat boring
crumb, and I know that yeast bread with psyllium is easier to handle and even
knead (making a stand mixer less important), so I started testing months ago.
GENERAL USE PRINCIPLES
Be sure to use higher purity “blond” husk, which is a light tan color from which
the outermost layer of the husk is removed, or your baked goods may turn a
harmless but unsightly blue/purple color. I like NaturaleBio brand whole husk
from Amazon, but if it’s out of stock, I would buy Yupik brand.
I prefer to use the whole husk, as opposed to psyllium husk powder. If you
prefer to use the powder, use about 15% less for the whole husk.
BAKING A LOAF OF BREAD WITH PSYLLIUM
When I used psyllium husk in place of any xanthan gum in my gluten free artisan
a Dutch oven, I was completely unsuccessful. Without the supportive structure of
a loaf pan, the high sides of a Pyrex bowl, or any xanthan gum or substitute, it
didn’t hold its shape as it cooled.
When I added psyllium in place of xanthan in my classic white gluten free bread
the Vitacost Multi-Blend Gluten Free Flour, the dough rise quite high but also
slumped a bit as it cooled. It was also very damp inside even after cooling for
2 hours. Psyllium gel starts to break down around 180°F, so it requires the
right kind of additional support in the form of enough starches, egg whites,
and/or ideally some xanthan gum to support the rise as it cools.
Next, I added 20 grams of psyllium husk and 1 extra tablespoon of lukewarm water
to my gluten free bread recipe, using Better Batter’s classic blend which
already contains xanthan gum. It was one of the best gluten free loaf breads of
my life, with a crisp crust, a tender inside that was moist but not wet, and a
lot of bready taste and aroma. It also had a longer shelf-life.
You can see below how it rose really high and has a pleasantly irregular crumb
thanks to the psyllium husk, and held its shape beautifully after rising very
high thanks to the egg whites—and the xanthan gum. Xanthan gum alone tends to
yield a very regular, uniform crumb, but this was a more gluten-like crumb.
slices of tall gluten free bread made with psyllium husk with soft crumb and
brown crust on brown cutting board with large bread knife
of tall gluten free bread made with psyllium husk with soft crumb and brown
crust on brown cutting board with large bread knife
BAKING SHAPED BREAD WITH PSYLLIUM
So far, I have not liked using psyllium husk in place of xanthan gum entirely in
shaped gluten free bread made with an all purpose gluten free flour blend
I’ve tried gluten free bagels
didn’t hold their shape.
I do really love the combination of xanthan gum and psyllium husk in shaped
gluten free breads, though, made in my usual style.
In my recipe for gluten free cinnamon rolls, I used the Vitacost gum-free blend,
but added xanthan gum and psyllium husk with great success. The rise was even
and controlled, with tons of oven spring, and the rolls were chewy and even held
4 gluten free cinnamon rolls using psyllium husk with xanthan gum in round metal
cake pan on wire rack
gluten free cinnamon rolls using psyllium husk with xanthan gum in round metal
cake pan on wire rack
PSYLLIUM HUSK + A XANTHAN GUM SUBSTITUTE IN BREADS
Next, I plan to test these yeasted gluten free bread recipes using either konjac
powder or cellulose in place of xanthan gum plus psyllium husk. I expect really
good results. I won’t try guar gum, since I expect it won’t retain moisture over
the long baking time.
Can you leave xanthan gum out of a recipe?
If a recipe calls for xanthan gum but you’re using a gluten free flour blend
that already contains it, leave it out. Otherwise, you need to replace it with
an alternative in the right amount for that type of recipe, or your baked goods
will be crumbly, dry, and will go stale more quickly.
Can I use cornstarch in place of xanthan gum?
No, although cornstarch does thicken liquids to create a roux and can be used to
thicken pudding, it does not create elasticity or gel like xanthan gum in any
amount as a gluten-replacer.
Can I use pectin in place of xanthan gum?
Pectin can be useful in gluten free baking, but I haven’t been successful in
using it to replace xanthan gum.
Can I use gelatin in place of xanthan gum?
I haven’t been successful in using gelatin to replace xanthan gum.
Which substitute should I use for which baked good?
I like konjac, guar gum, or cellulose as a replacement for xanthan gum in
pastries, cookies, cakes, muffins, and quick breads. You’ll need varying amounts
of each, but I think they’re all effective substitutes.
Can I use baking powder in place of xanthan gum?
No, baking powder contains a chemical leavener (baking soda), a starch, and an
acid (usually cream of tartar). It doesn’t bind, thicken, or retain moisture
Can I use chia seeds or flax seeds as a xanthan gum substitute?
No, although they do have some gelling properties, they won’t provide the
gluten-like network that xanthan gum, konjac powder, cellulose, guar gum, or