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The Elements of Baking: Making any recipe gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free or vegan
IACP AWARD WINNER • JAMES BEARD AWARD FINALIST • Winner of The Guild of Food Writers Award 2025 • Shortlisted for Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards 2025
The Elements of Baking is the enthusiastically nerdy guide to making any recipe gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan or even gluten-free vegan. Armed with a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry, Katarina Cermelj lays out the science behind baking and the ingredients that make it work, so you can easily adapt your baking to your diet and lifestyle, and still make sure it tastes spectacular.
With an abundance of mouth-watering recipes together with actual quantitative rules that you can use to convert any recipe into whatever version you fancy, The Elements of Baking will transform the way you think about ingredients. It will be a constant companion in the kitchen and the book you refer to every time you want to bake.
The Elements of Baking is the enthusiastically nerdy guide to making any recipe gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan or even gluten-free vegan. Armed with a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry, Katarina Cermelj lays out the science behind baking and the ingredients that make it work, so you can easily adapt your baking to your diet and lifestyle, and still make sure it tastes spectacular.
With an abundance of mouth-watering recipes together with actual quantitative rules that you can use to convert any recipe into whatever version you fancy, The Elements of Baking will transform the way you think about ingredients. It will be a constant companion in the kitchen and the book you refer to every time you want to bake.
496 pages, Hardcover
Published October 8, 2024
426 people are currently reading
1002 people want to read
About the author
Katarina Cermelj
7 books54 followersKatarina Cermelj (Kat for short) is an award-winning cookbook author, food writer, photographer and creator of the popular free-from baking blog, The Loopy Whisk. She has a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Oxford, having previously completed her undergraduate Chemistry degree at the same University. Being a science nerd, she loves to use a very scientific, analytical approach in her recipe development – and she’s also a big believer in not only providing reliable, fail-proof (and always delicious) recipes, but also the reasons for why they work.
Her latest cookbook, THE ELEMENTS OF BAKING (out in October 2024), is an in-depth (and enthusiastically nerdy) guide to making any recipe gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan or even gluten-free vegan. With an abundance of mouth-watering recipes together with actual quantitative rules that you can use to convert any recipe into whatever version you fancy, THE ELEMENTS OF BAKING will transform the way you think about ingredients.
Kat's first cookbook, BAKED TO PERFECTION, has been described as "the only gluten-free cookbook you'll ever need" and has won The Guild of Food Writers Specialist Subject Award 2022, the Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Debut Cookery Book Award 2022 and was a finalist in the IACP Awards 2022.
Her latest cookbook, THE ELEMENTS OF BAKING (out in October 2024), is an in-depth (and enthusiastically nerdy) guide to making any recipe gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan or even gluten-free vegan. With an abundance of mouth-watering recipes together with actual quantitative rules that you can use to convert any recipe into whatever version you fancy, THE ELEMENTS OF BAKING will transform the way you think about ingredients.
Kat's first cookbook, BAKED TO PERFECTION, has been described as "the only gluten-free cookbook you'll ever need" and has won The Guild of Food Writers Specialist Subject Award 2022, the Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Debut Cookery Book Award 2022 and was a finalist in the IACP Awards 2022.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 9, 2024
I jokingly called Baked to Perfection my “gluten free baking textbook” to all my friends, but The Elements of Baking ups the ante. Holy cow. The first recipe that’s not part of a case study isn’t until page 276. One could argue that for me, personally, there are fewer relevant recipes in this book because they aren’t all gluten free… but I can use everything earlier in this book to easily adapt any of those recipes to fit my needs. I’m so excited to start trying all the recipes in this book.
October 1, 2024
Absolutely friggin amazing 🤩 Kat, you've written a bible !! I'm so glad I saved up to get it, I'm absolutely spoiled with this book. Following you on socials is one thing, but with this book it feels like you're in my kitchen, sharing frustrations and successes.
January 3, 2025
Easily my all time favourite cook book. It’s gorgeous- I’m utterly obsessed with the photos inside-, it teaches the “why” behind baking and, importantly, it creates incredibly good food.
I am baking through the entire book and every recipe so far has been spectacular (although sometimes a lot of work… I’m looking at you, Pistachio strawberry tart…).
Reviewed as a book simply for reading, still quite good and easy to follow. I enjoy the layout as well as the charts and graphics. It was somewhat repetitive, but that is to be expected as it isn’t really written to be read left to right like a novel. I didn’t love the writing style- there is a LOT of discourse markers/ introductory phrases; almost one per paragraph.
However, given that this isn’t written to just be read, still an outstanding job by Katarina.
I am baking through the entire book and every recipe so far has been spectacular (although sometimes a lot of work… I’m looking at you, Pistachio strawberry tart…).
Reviewed as a book simply for reading, still quite good and easy to follow. I enjoy the layout as well as the charts and graphics. It was somewhat repetitive, but that is to be expected as it isn’t really written to be read left to right like a novel. I didn’t love the writing style- there is a LOT of discourse markers/ introductory phrases; almost one per paragraph.
However, given that this isn’t written to just be read, still an outstanding job by Katarina.
March 23, 2025
This is THE BEST BAKING book on "free from" baking I've ever read. Wow! There's no flax eggs or mashed banana substitutes here. The author did an amazing job of breaking down how traditional baking ingredients work and how to successfully substitute them with easy to follow rules. I can't believe the work that went into this book. It's an incredible resource and will leave you feeling confident in making any baking recipe gluten free, egg free, dairy free, vegan, or gluten free vegan.
December 4, 2024
My favorite cookbook of the year! Kat’s recipes here are amazing, and her blog + socials are jam-packed with even more. But the real gold in this book is that it teaches you how to break down and convert any baking recipe to specific dietary needs. For me, that requires eliminating gluten every time, and often cutting back on dairy. But this book will also allow me to better adapt my baking for other allergies and vegan friends.
Beyond her already incredible catalog, The Elements Of Baking shines because it can be used to adapt conventional recipes to eliminate allergens and accommodate different dietary needs. A home run I’ll be referencing for years to come…thank you!
Beyond her already incredible catalog, The Elements Of Baking shines because it can be used to adapt conventional recipes to eliminate allergens and accommodate different dietary needs. A home run I’ll be referencing for years to come…thank you!
May 18, 2025
Un livre que chaque personne ayant des restrictions alimentaires devrait lire! Ce livre permet de comprendre la chimie et la science pour nous permettre de faire des recettes EXCEPTIONNELLES sans : gluten et/ou sans produits laitiers et/ou sans oeufs et/ou véganes.
La recette de pain sur son site Web est le meilleur pain sans gluten que j'ai mangé de ma VIE. J'ai aussi fait : biscuits double chocolat véganes, pain à burger et blondies. Ces recettes furent toutes des réussites.
Je recommande fortement ce livre absolument fantastique.
La recette de pain sur son site Web est le meilleur pain sans gluten que j'ai mangé de ma VIE. J'ai aussi fait : biscuits double chocolat véganes, pain à burger et blondies. Ces recettes furent toutes des réussites.
Je recommande fortement ce livre absolument fantastique.
May 8, 2025
A beautiful cookbook and an excellent reference for free-from baking. It contains a framework for adapting recipes to be gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, or gluten-free vegan, and explains how to mix and match if you follow more than one of these diets. It has case studies that demonstrate how Kat came up with these rules—and they are rules rather than vibes—as well as dozens of individual recipes that fit each category.
I was a bit skeptical at first because I wasn't sure who this book was for with this wildly variable free-from approach, but I know now, it's for me, and maybe for you if you love baking and are gluten-free plus something-else-free or have friends and family with multiple or overlapping sensitivities, as I think we're likely to get the most out of it. For everyone else, I recommend checking it out of the library first. (I did check it out of the library because that's always my first stop, but I just ordered my own copy from bookshop.org to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day.)
I'm eager to try out Kat's system for adapting gluten-free recipes to be dairy-free, not just the ones in this book, but also those in her first book Baked to Perfection, which is all gluten-free, but only incidentally dairy-free. I also have the option of taking the dairy-free recipes in this book and making them gluten free, and, if I really want to get into it, I can even try the gluten-free vegan recipes because I trust Kat and if anyone can take the eggs and dairy out of a gluten-free recipe and still have it work, she can. Except for the vegan cheesecakes (yes, plural), because, I'm sorry, but at some point it stops being a cheesecake, and I think it's once you've removed the eggs and the cheese.
I want to call this impeccable, and it nearly is, expertly presented and arranged, with lots of flowcharts and gorgeous color photographs, but I don't think she spends enough time considering what it's like to have multiple food sensitivities. For instance, she almost exclusively uses dairy-free products to replace dairy products, and dairy-free products often contain ingredients people with multiple sensitivities need to avoid, such as soy or tree nuts, so they're not a universal solution. Instead, I would have liked it if she considered neutral oils as a substitute for melted butter, or shortening in place of solid butter. There is some of that, but I think she could have gone further. There's no reason why you can't use oil in a brownie instead of butter. I do it all the time, but she never mentions the possibility. But that's a me problem. I recognize that a cookbook can't be all things to all people. Still, it's a small disappointment in an otherwise fantastic book. I've made four recipes from it so far and will keep going until I run out.
Highly recommended for those of us who can't buy anything at the grocery store without thoroughly examining the ingredients, and who sadly scroll away from recipes when they include a dealbreaker. The only thing Kat's system won't work on is gluten-free breads—because gluten-free breads be crazy—but she does include recipes for several gluten-free breads, including a base recipe for a simple white bread and one for an enriched brioche. Both can be adapted into more complicated bakes if you're feeing adventurous. Or you can peruse her gluten-free bread category on her blog, which I also highly recommend. Her gluten-free breads are the best I've ever made.
I was a bit skeptical at first because I wasn't sure who this book was for with this wildly variable free-from approach, but I know now, it's for me, and maybe for you if you love baking and are gluten-free plus something-else-free or have friends and family with multiple or overlapping sensitivities, as I think we're likely to get the most out of it. For everyone else, I recommend checking it out of the library first. (I did check it out of the library because that's always my first stop, but I just ordered my own copy from bookshop.org to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day.)
I'm eager to try out Kat's system for adapting gluten-free recipes to be dairy-free, not just the ones in this book, but also those in her first book Baked to Perfection, which is all gluten-free, but only incidentally dairy-free. I also have the option of taking the dairy-free recipes in this book and making them gluten free, and, if I really want to get into it, I can even try the gluten-free vegan recipes because I trust Kat and if anyone can take the eggs and dairy out of a gluten-free recipe and still have it work, she can. Except for the vegan cheesecakes (yes, plural), because, I'm sorry, but at some point it stops being a cheesecake, and I think it's once you've removed the eggs and the cheese.
I want to call this impeccable, and it nearly is, expertly presented and arranged, with lots of flowcharts and gorgeous color photographs, but I don't think she spends enough time considering what it's like to have multiple food sensitivities. For instance, she almost exclusively uses dairy-free products to replace dairy products, and dairy-free products often contain ingredients people with multiple sensitivities need to avoid, such as soy or tree nuts, so they're not a universal solution. Instead, I would have liked it if she considered neutral oils as a substitute for melted butter, or shortening in place of solid butter. There is some of that, but I think she could have gone further. There's no reason why you can't use oil in a brownie instead of butter. I do it all the time, but she never mentions the possibility. But that's a me problem. I recognize that a cookbook can't be all things to all people. Still, it's a small disappointment in an otherwise fantastic book. I've made four recipes from it so far and will keep going until I run out.
Highly recommended for those of us who can't buy anything at the grocery store without thoroughly examining the ingredients, and who sadly scroll away from recipes when they include a dealbreaker. The only thing Kat's system won't work on is gluten-free breads—because gluten-free breads be crazy—but she does include recipes for several gluten-free breads, including a base recipe for a simple white bread and one for an enriched brioche. Both can be adapted into more complicated bakes if you're feeing adventurous. Or you can peruse her gluten-free bread category on her blog, which I also highly recommend. Her gluten-free breads are the best I've ever made.
February 9, 2025
Books absolutely amazing, worth it just for the gluten free American pancakes, easily made lactose free with some vegan butter and lactose free milk. AMAZING. My partner has no dietary restrictions and after eating them said he wouldn't even bother making the "normal" ones as these ones were so good :D.
It's kinda like an instruction manual to turn anything into your own dietary restrictions and it is now my baking bible. Absolutely love it could not recommend more.
It's kinda like an instruction manual to turn anything into your own dietary restrictions and it is now my baking bible. Absolutely love it could not recommend more.
July 3, 2025
This book restored my joy of baking after my husbands corn and egg allergy diagnosis and then my sons celiac diagnosis. I stopped baking for over a year until I found the Loopy Whisk. I then bought her book since I was on her blog all the time. My kids, and husband, might love that I love this book more than I do.
Her explanations of everything are extremely helpful and the modifications are perfect for our complex family.
I’m so thankful for this book.
Her explanations of everything are extremely helpful and the modifications are perfect for our complex family.
I’m so thankful for this book.
December 29, 2024
Brilliant!! So interesting and helpful as a gf/df baker and fellow spreadsheet nerd like the author. 😊 Also just tried the cinnamon roll recipe and it worked amazingly well, the dough was shockingly nice and pliable - and I’ve always had trouble making anything with yeast even before I was gf. Will be referring to this book all the time now.
April 22, 2025
This is a beautiful cookbook that takes a very scientific, cerebral approach to baking. Each recipe is broken down with photos and helpful notes. I would recommend this book for anyone faced with gluten intolerance or celiac disease - this information would have been very useful in the early days of diagnosis. This is the real deal.
April 21, 2025
I'm on page 113 reading straight through, but I have browsed and read bits and pieces ahead already. I'm prematurely writing a review to state a couple of points.
One, this book is extremely validating as someone who has been working to bake without gluten, dairy, and eggs for 12 years. I find myself nodding my head. I told my son, "She just explained in 2 paragraphs why I have always had better luck with chocolate cakes than vanilla cakes. She explained the science of why."
I've met people who doubted the dietary restrictions we have in our family, thinking we were "overreacting" or even "attention-seeking" for adjusting our diet as our children had allergies and intolerances. Seeing someone explaining with precise, authoritative explanations the how and why behind the struggles I've encountered in my kitchen trying to make my children cupcakes, cookies, and breads that they would not only be safe eating, but enjoy (and as they got older, not be embarrassed of) actually brings a tear to my eyes. It can be very isolating to eat differently. I didn't realize how many social interactions in our culture centered around food until we found ourselves asking, "Is it worth it to go to potluck if we have to bring our own whole meal and a dish to share... when we end up sitting at a table alone, eating our own "picnic" and usually take home most of the sharing dish as leftovers?" Don't get me wrong, we eat well and we eat a variety. We've found some amazing and delicious recipes over the years that we really enjoy, and have found plenty of recipes that people without allergies give us compliments on. It still feels good to feel understood.
Two, I wanted to clear up that the recipes that are part of case studies shouldn't be overlooked. The "case studies" each contain 4-6 versions of a single recipe on a very easy to read ingredient chart with typical directions/instructions on the opposing page. You wouldn't have to read through the whole case study to use these recipes, although you can learn a lot that way!
Case Studies Recipes:
Page 104 Buttery Vanilla Cake
Page 110 Chocolate Cake
Page 120 Vanilla Swiss Roll
Page 126 Vanilla Cupcakes
Page 128 Chocolate Chip muffins
Page 140 Cocoa Brownies
Page 142 Chocolate Brownies
Page 154 Cut-out Sugar Cookies
Page 156 Shortbread Biscuits
Page 166 Chocolate Chip Cookies
Page 174 Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Page 184 Shortcrust Pastry
Page 200 Flaky Pie Crust
Page 212 British Scones
Page 224 American Buttermilk Biscuits
Page 234 Thin French-style Crepes
Page 244 Fluffy American-style pancakes
Page 254 Baked New York-style Cheesecake
After the case studies, are DOZENS of additional recipes that look more traditionally like a cookbook, as they don't have lengthy text teaching the reader how to convert a traditional recipe to being different "free-from" variations. These are in different groupings. The first set of 11 recipes are already configured to be gluten-free, and you can use the information in the earlier parts of the text to convert them to adapt to different dietary needs (including converting any recipe 'backward' to using gluten if you wanted to). This is followed by 9 recipes written dairy-free, 9 written egg-free, 9 vegan, 10 gluten-free vegan, and finally 10 recipes under Frostings, Icings, Creams & Curds.
I have checked out dozens of gluten-free and/or vegan cookbooks from our library system. I've seen many gluten-free cookbooks advertising that they have "vegan options," only to see they have a meager paragraph about using an egg replacer for all eggs. That simply won't work and I know it from experience. I've seen the flipside of vegan cookbooks saying they have "gluten-free options," only to be disappointed with a generic "use a gluten-free flour blend" in the introduction. Gluten-free flour blends are very different from one another. Using the wrong flour can make a recipe nearly inedible, causing people to think the recipe was bad, when it really just needed the right flours tested and specified. From what I've seen so far, this is the first allergy-friendly cookbook I have encountered that makes the promise to offer other free-from variations of recipes and delivers on its promise- for every recipe in the book and beyond. The author truly does teach people how to adapt "regular" recipes.
I cannot wait to try the recipes in this book and I am very thankful for the wisely selected "staple" recipes she included. Often cookbooks are only filled with "wow" recipes that would be great for a very special occasion, but honestly require too unique of ingredients and too much prep time to be practical for a lot of busy families to use regularly. This cookbook has some of those as well, but it has a great number of easier-to-tackle foods that shouldn't be too intimidating to a baker if they take the time to carefully read the information that's clearly represented here. From what I've read so far, the author's voice is friendly to laymen as far as terminology, but with greater depth to satisfy the curious minds who want to know WHY we're being told to do A and not B or use this ingredient instead of that one. Honestly, I'm not even half way through, and just listen to me singing this book's praises!
Update: I've tried a handful of recipes. I am really impressed by the author's notes on recipe pages. I didn't pay much mind to these before I was actually baking, but, my, they are a blessing. I currently have 14+ gluten-free flours/flour blends/starches in my house. Being able to swap out and use the ones our family likes best, the ones that need to be used up, or the ones that I happen to have handiest in the kitchen at the moment is a great added flexibility. I encourage people new to baking gluten-free to stick with the flour specified in the recipe, and having tested options is really helpful.
The gluten-free, vegan Cinnamon Roll recipe in this book is NOT identical to the one she has posted on her blog. I haven't tried the blog version, but I did try the book version and it was SO good. The only change I would make to it (personal taste) would be to slightly increase the cinnamon/sugar filling. However, I'm not sure if that would cause the filling to leak out too much during baking. I may just increase the cinnamon to my personal taste and leave the sugar/butter amounts the same. As it is written, the filling stays put, the rolls rise, and they are just as good the next day after 15-20 seconds in a microwave. (For context, I have previously tried 3 highly rated gluten-free, vegan cinnamon roll recipes from popular blogs. Those 3 recipes were not worth remaking and 1 was even inedible. This recipe far surpassed our previous attempts. Psyllium husk really is a wonder and I wish I would've found it sooner!)
I tried the Basic Non-enriched Bread Dough which was written gluten-free without eggs or dairy. We like this (probably our second-best gf, v sandwich bread recipe) a lot, but I found it a little frustrating there was no baking time included in the directions. The first time I made it, I was busy and estimated the bake time based off other recipes I've made. I overestimated and the crust was crunchier/chewier than we liked. I made it again and reduce the bake time and we liked it better. I'm hesitant to keep reducing the bake time to find that *perfect* balance because I don't want to waste a batch if it comes out undercooked.
We tried the Vegan Black Forest Brownie Cookies adapted to be gluten-free using the book's rules for adapting recipes. The cookies were delicious, but didn't quite spread as they should have, so presentation was a bit of a flop. I think this was because I used Namaste Gluten-free Flour blend rather than using the author's suggested flour blend which has a recipe included in the book. We definitely will try them again. Even with their lack of attractiveness, they were enjoyed and they open the door to many variation possibilities.
One, this book is extremely validating as someone who has been working to bake without gluten, dairy, and eggs for 12 years. I find myself nodding my head. I told my son, "She just explained in 2 paragraphs why I have always had better luck with chocolate cakes than vanilla cakes. She explained the science of why."
I've met people who doubted the dietary restrictions we have in our family, thinking we were "overreacting" or even "attention-seeking" for adjusting our diet as our children had allergies and intolerances. Seeing someone explaining with precise, authoritative explanations the how and why behind the struggles I've encountered in my kitchen trying to make my children cupcakes, cookies, and breads that they would not only be safe eating, but enjoy (and as they got older, not be embarrassed of) actually brings a tear to my eyes. It can be very isolating to eat differently. I didn't realize how many social interactions in our culture centered around food until we found ourselves asking, "Is it worth it to go to potluck if we have to bring our own whole meal and a dish to share... when we end up sitting at a table alone, eating our own "picnic" and usually take home most of the sharing dish as leftovers?" Don't get me wrong, we eat well and we eat a variety. We've found some amazing and delicious recipes over the years that we really enjoy, and have found plenty of recipes that people without allergies give us compliments on. It still feels good to feel understood.
Two, I wanted to clear up that the recipes that are part of case studies shouldn't be overlooked. The "case studies" each contain 4-6 versions of a single recipe on a very easy to read ingredient chart with typical directions/instructions on the opposing page. You wouldn't have to read through the whole case study to use these recipes, although you can learn a lot that way!
Case Studies Recipes:
Page 104 Buttery Vanilla Cake
Page 110 Chocolate Cake
Page 120 Vanilla Swiss Roll
Page 126 Vanilla Cupcakes
Page 128 Chocolate Chip muffins
Page 140 Cocoa Brownies
Page 142 Chocolate Brownies
Page 154 Cut-out Sugar Cookies
Page 156 Shortbread Biscuits
Page 166 Chocolate Chip Cookies
Page 174 Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Page 184 Shortcrust Pastry
Page 200 Flaky Pie Crust
Page 212 British Scones
Page 224 American Buttermilk Biscuits
Page 234 Thin French-style Crepes
Page 244 Fluffy American-style pancakes
Page 254 Baked New York-style Cheesecake
After the case studies, are DOZENS of additional recipes that look more traditionally like a cookbook, as they don't have lengthy text teaching the reader how to convert a traditional recipe to being different "free-from" variations. These are in different groupings. The first set of 11 recipes are already configured to be gluten-free, and you can use the information in the earlier parts of the text to convert them to adapt to different dietary needs (including converting any recipe 'backward' to using gluten if you wanted to). This is followed by 9 recipes written dairy-free, 9 written egg-free, 9 vegan, 10 gluten-free vegan, and finally 10 recipes under Frostings, Icings, Creams & Curds.
I have checked out dozens of gluten-free and/or vegan cookbooks from our library system. I've seen many gluten-free cookbooks advertising that they have "vegan options," only to see they have a meager paragraph about using an egg replacer for all eggs. That simply won't work and I know it from experience. I've seen the flipside of vegan cookbooks saying they have "gluten-free options," only to be disappointed with a generic "use a gluten-free flour blend" in the introduction. Gluten-free flour blends are very different from one another. Using the wrong flour can make a recipe nearly inedible, causing people to think the recipe was bad, when it really just needed the right flours tested and specified. From what I've seen so far, this is the first allergy-friendly cookbook I have encountered that makes the promise to offer other free-from variations of recipes and delivers on its promise- for every recipe in the book and beyond. The author truly does teach people how to adapt "regular" recipes.
I cannot wait to try the recipes in this book and I am very thankful for the wisely selected "staple" recipes she included. Often cookbooks are only filled with "wow" recipes that would be great for a very special occasion, but honestly require too unique of ingredients and too much prep time to be practical for a lot of busy families to use regularly. This cookbook has some of those as well, but it has a great number of easier-to-tackle foods that shouldn't be too intimidating to a baker if they take the time to carefully read the information that's clearly represented here. From what I've read so far, the author's voice is friendly to laymen as far as terminology, but with greater depth to satisfy the curious minds who want to know WHY we're being told to do A and not B or use this ingredient instead of that one. Honestly, I'm not even half way through, and just listen to me singing this book's praises!
Update: I've tried a handful of recipes. I am really impressed by the author's notes on recipe pages. I didn't pay much mind to these before I was actually baking, but, my, they are a blessing. I currently have 14+ gluten-free flours/flour blends/starches in my house. Being able to swap out and use the ones our family likes best, the ones that need to be used up, or the ones that I happen to have handiest in the kitchen at the moment is a great added flexibility. I encourage people new to baking gluten-free to stick with the flour specified in the recipe, and having tested options is really helpful.
The gluten-free, vegan Cinnamon Roll recipe in this book is NOT identical to the one she has posted on her blog. I haven't tried the blog version, but I did try the book version and it was SO good. The only change I would make to it (personal taste) would be to slightly increase the cinnamon/sugar filling. However, I'm not sure if that would cause the filling to leak out too much during baking. I may just increase the cinnamon to my personal taste and leave the sugar/butter amounts the same. As it is written, the filling stays put, the rolls rise, and they are just as good the next day after 15-20 seconds in a microwave. (For context, I have previously tried 3 highly rated gluten-free, vegan cinnamon roll recipes from popular blogs. Those 3 recipes were not worth remaking and 1 was even inedible. This recipe far surpassed our previous attempts. Psyllium husk really is a wonder and I wish I would've found it sooner!)
I tried the Basic Non-enriched Bread Dough which was written gluten-free without eggs or dairy. We like this (probably our second-best gf, v sandwich bread recipe) a lot, but I found it a little frustrating there was no baking time included in the directions. The first time I made it, I was busy and estimated the bake time based off other recipes I've made. I overestimated and the crust was crunchier/chewier than we liked. I made it again and reduce the bake time and we liked it better. I'm hesitant to keep reducing the bake time to find that *perfect* balance because I don't want to waste a batch if it comes out undercooked.
We tried the Vegan Black Forest Brownie Cookies adapted to be gluten-free using the book's rules for adapting recipes. The cookies were delicious, but didn't quite spread as they should have, so presentation was a bit of a flop. I think this was because I used Namaste Gluten-free Flour blend rather than using the author's suggested flour blend which has a recipe included in the book. We definitely will try them again. Even with their lack of attractiveness, they were enjoyed and they open the door to many variation possibilities.
May 25, 2025
I received this book in March 2025 and have since had the chance to try a couple of the recipes. This cookbook is incredibly thorough and really breaks down allergen-free baking to a level where even beginners can feel confident. The basic non-enriched bread dough was so good when made as an artisan-style loaf in a Dutch oven. I also attempted the chocolate chip banana upside-down cake where I did run into some issues (rather soggy texture and took much longer to bake than recipe indicated) but I feel that was likely due to errors on my part. The recipe has great potential and I look forward to trying it again. Overall, this cookbook is an excellent addition to any collection and I look forward to trying many more of the recipes!
August 22, 2025
Did I honestly read this whole book? Well, yes (and no). With the girls and I only being celiac, we do not require the other “free-from” sections, and so I only gave those a cursory overview. Otherwise, hell yeah I read it all. I read it, I highlighted (as you do with any text book 🙂), and I learned A TON about the science behind GOOD gluten-free baking. And I am so excited to apply this knowledge to baking for our family going forward! Thank you Katarina. You’re brilliant, thorough, and your text book/cook book/masterpiece is an absolute treasure!
June 25, 2025
This was such an interesting and useful read! It definitely reads like a textbook which I didn’t mind for the most part (and honestly enjoyed at times) but it did get a bit repetitive by the end. If you are going to read it cover to cover I’d recommend skimming either the case studies or the free from chapters at the end. They both cover a lot of the same content. It will make a fantastic reference book though!
April 6, 2025
I guess you could call this a text book and while the recipes in here look good, it's actually the case studies that I found most interesting. Let's use chocolate cake for example, she show you what each cake should look like depending on whether you are baking gluten free, dairy free, vegan etc. I love that. You can compare it to what you make and see if it looks right.
June 12, 2025
If you want to bake free from, you need this book. It has such a wealth of information and so clearly laid out. I've tried the gluten free & vegan versions of both the scones and the sugar cookies. Both came out perfectly and better than any other recipes I've tried!
June 30, 2025
ILL interlibrary loan via NC Cardinal.
Oh my gosh, this book is FANTASTIC!!
Giving me the science tools I need to adjust recipes for GF and vegan, along with the rationale, is life changing. I am going to be buying this book shortly to own as a reference.
Oh my gosh, this book is FANTASTIC!!
Giving me the science tools I need to adjust recipes for GF and vegan, along with the rationale, is life changing. I am going to be buying this book shortly to own as a reference.
July 18, 2025
Never going to shut up about this book EVER complete game changer for anyone with an allergy I never thought I’d like baking or pastries again but here I am just as happy with the free from versions truly life changing for me AND there is science seriously what’s not to love?
September 27, 2025
Truly an amazing cook book ! The recipes are divine and the gluten free doughs and breads are incredible !!! We will have to buy bigger clothes but definitely worth it ! I am baking every other day...
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December 27, 2024Might need to buy this one.
December 31, 2024
Finally, a book that actually explains why certain free-from recipes work and why others (let's face it, most of them) don't - and what to do about it. A real game-changer.
January 2, 2025
Admittedly was more excited to read 200+ pages of gf baking chemistry and technique than the actual recipes that followed, but will be testing those out too throughout the year!!!
January 11, 2025
An invaluable resource in my kitchen.
February 14, 2025
Best gf cook book I have read
April 3, 2025
Very comprehensive and carefully researched, but a bit overwhelming too!
May 15, 2025
Great for chem nerds like myself and for people who just want the formula.
June 19, 2025
This is one of the best, if not the best, culinary books I have ever read. I love the scientific approach, and the recipes are amazing.
August 15, 2025
Another one that I’ll purchase or check out again. So many good tips on GF baking.
October 14, 2025
Must have for people who are done with baking sawdust GF cakes. Easy to follow, great experiments and amazing guideline for converting any recipe GF. This is my baking bible now.
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