How to Bake Gluten Free Without Xanthan Gum

By: Sarena Shasteen | December 3 2019
The holiday season is here, and with that comes a lot of questions about how to make recipes to suit our loved ones' dietary needs. We're here to help! A common question we get here is how to bake gluten free without xanthan gum. That's because while xanthan gum is an excellent ingredient for gluten free cooking, a small number of people experience intolerances. Fortunately, we've found you can substitute psyllium fiber powder for xanthan gum using a 2:1 ratio! For example, if your baking recipe calls for 1 tsp xanthan gum, you could replace that with 2 tsp psyllium fiber. We've put together a couple of examples on how it works, and we are here to tell you it works perfectly. Read on and see! Rolls Xanthan vs Psyllium The first recipe we used as an example is our Gluten Free Millet Roll recipe. Rolls Xanthan vs Psyllium 2

Xanthan gum on the left, psyllium fiber on the right.

The original recipe calls for 1 ½ tsp xanthan gum as the binder. We exchanged the xanthan gum with 1 Tbsp psyllium fiber, with no other changes in the recipe. The texture of these fluffy rolls remained incredibly soft, the only difference was a slight change in the crumb. You can see the difference in the image above. Pie Crust Xanthan vs Psyllium Next up, we used the homemade pie crust from our Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie recipe. Pie Crust Xanthan vs Psyllium 2

Psyllium fiber on the left, xanthan gum on the right.

The original recipe calls for ½ tsp xanthan gum as the binder. We exchanged the xanthan gum with 1 tsp psyllium fiber with no other changes in the recipe. The texture of the pie crust was indistinguishable. You can see in the image above they are both flaky and buttery. Keep in mind that this is a general rule of thumb—you may need to do some experimenting as well. Do you have any tips for gluten free baking without xanthan gum? Offer your tips below!

24 Comments

  1. Laura
    Thank you so very much for sharing this information, it is life changing. have a wonderful holiday. Take care...
    Reply
  2. S.plantz
    I'd like to see recipes for golden flax seed meal
    Reply
    1. Whitney Barnes
      Hi! Click on the link below, then tap "Recipes" to browse all of our flax recipes. Brown Flaxseed Meal and Golden Flaxseed Meal are 100% interchangeable.

      Bob's Red Mill: Flax Recipes
      Reply
  3. nancy o’hara
    my son has cancer and needs gluten free and sugar free recipes. can you help?
    Reply
  4. Carrie Holmes
    Think that your recipes are absolutely necessary!
    Am having trouble with finding the perfect gluten free pie crusts, that are really flaky! Cannot tolerate guar gum or psyllium. What else can I use?
    Reply
  5. helen
    How can I use your flour in my own cookies recipes
    Reply
    1. Whitney Barnes
      Hi Helen - Our Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour can be used in a 1:1 ratio for AP Flour in most cookie recipes. No other substitutions are necessary.
      Reply
  6. Russell Oswald
    If I substitute your 1:1 gluten free flour does xanthan gum still need to be added? With a newly discovered gluten intolerant family member, I am just trying to relearn how to cook so all can enjoy our meals together.
    Thank you.
    Reply
    1. Whitney Barnes
      Hi Russell - if you're using our Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour in your recipe, you do not need to add additional xanthan gum. It's already in the flour blend. Happy baking!
      Reply
  7. Jean Beckman
    Thank you. My son is allergic to peanuts, wheat, soy and corn, so xanthan gum isn't an option. Thank you for making his challenges a little bit easier!
    Reply
  8. Anita McLeod
    I have gout flare up a need recipes anti-inflammatory gout diet.
    Reply
  9. Julie
    thanks for the info, but I cannot find an all purpose GF flour blend that does not have xanthan gum! I would have to make my own mix and I dont use it often enough to warrant the trouble. I would love it if you guys made a mix like that! then I could add psyllium to it if needed!
    Reply
    1. Elisabeth Allie
      Hi Julie, our Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour doesn't contain xanthan gum: https://www.bobsredmill.com/gluten-free-all-purpose-baking-flour.html
      Reply
  10. Rebecca Oyster
    Recently went gluten free , dairy free , sugar free because of digestive issues and I am hungry for something that feels like real food .
    Reply
    1. Elisabeth Allie
      Here is a collection of our gluten free, dairy free entrees, hope you find something you love: https://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes/for/making/gluten-free/dairy-lactose-free/entrees
      Reply
  11. Lydia Wozny
    I need a good recipe for a gluten free bread that's also dairy free and yeast free. Any that I've tried clump together and do not rise.
    Reply
  12. Kate
    I bought 2 bags of this recently, because of this blog & it includes xanthan gum. Is that a recent addition?
    What flours do I mix together (and add an alternative) & ratios to get a gf mix?
    Reply
    1. Elisabeth Allie
      Elisabeth Allie
      Hi Kate! Please contact customer service at [email protected] and we will gladly assist you.
      Reply
  13. Manon Boucher
    Hello
    I have two questions
    1- i buy baking flour . may i use it for a regular bread?
    2- i buy homade wonderful bread mix.May i take my bread machine to make it?
    Excuse my english i' m a french speaking on Québec
    Thank you
    Reply
    1. Elisabeth Allie
      Elisabeth Allie
      Hi Manon! You can find bread machine instructions for our Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix here. If you're referring to our Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, we recommend using it for recipes leavened with baking soda and baking powder, not yeast.
      Reply
  14. kirsten
    In your gluten-free all-purpose baking flour can I substitute arrowroot powder instead of xanthan gum or psyllium?
    Reply
    1. Elisabeth Allie
      Elisabeth Allie
      Hi Kirsten! Please email [email protected] for assistance.
      Reply
  15. Melissa
    What if a recipe just calls for a gluten free flour blend but doesn’t mention anything about needing xanthan gum? How do I know when I need to add the xanthan gum substitute?
    Reply
    1. Ashley Morris
      Hi Melissa, some gluten free flour blends (like our Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour for example) already include xanthan gum as an ingredient so no need to add more. We recommend checking the ingredients of the flour blend you are using. If it does not contain xanthan gum (or guar gum) already, you can add the amount appropriate for the type of recipe you are making. There is a chart on the back of our Xanthan Gum that gives suggestions for how much to add based on what you are making.
      Reply

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