If you ever try to bake gluten free, it’s important to know which ingredients to look out for that might contain hidden gluten. Some are relatively straight forward, but there are some ingredients that you might not think would contain gluten or be cross-contaminated. Here are some items to watch out for:

Hidden Gluten Ingredients in Baking

Flour

Traditional flour is made from wheat which is one of the gluten containing grains. In gluten free baking you have to replace the wheat flour with a gluten free flour. There are some naturally gluten free flours. Almond flour, rice flour, and coconut flour are good examples. But most often it’s best to use a flour blend. Gluten free all purpose flour blends are available from several different brands. You can find them at most grocery stores as well as online. My favorite is the Bob’s Red Mill one to one gluten free flour, but you can try a few of them and see which one you prefer.

Sprinkles

Most sprinkles are actually gluten free. Unfortunately the majority of them are manufactured in facilities that handle wheat so they can often be cross contaminated with hidden gluten. Make sure to check the label to find out if your sprinkles are gluten free or not. A few brands of gluten free sprinkles that I like are Sweetapolita (you can order online from their website), Unpretentious Baker (find on Amazon), and First Street (find at Smart and Final).

Baking Spray

Most cooking sprays are gluten free, but often the ones labeled Baking Spray include flour. Stick with regular cooking spray based in whichever type of oil you prefer (canola, avocado, coconut, etc). And make sure to read the label to verify that it’s gluten free.

Oats and Oat Milk

While oats themselves are naturally gluten free, they’re usually processed on equipment that also processes wheat so they are often cross-contaminated. When baking with oats or oat milk, make sure it’s labeled gluten free. There are some brands that process their oats on dedicated equipment to ensure they’re not contaminated. I usually use the Bob’s Red Mill rolled oats. But you have to make sure you get the gluten free ones in the purple bag, because they also sell rolled oats in a blue bag that are not processed on dedicated equipment and are likely contaminated.

Rice Cereal

Rice cereal is commonly used to make rice crispy treats or added to desserts to give a crunch. But some brands of this cereal use barley, which is not gluten free. Make sure to check the ingredient label before using this in your baking.

Pie Filling

Canned pie fillings may be the easiest way to make a pie, but they usually contain wheat flour as a thickener. It’s best to stay away from these and instead opt for a homemade version of your favorite pie filling

Pre-made Crusts

Not all of us are pastry chefs, and a homemade pie crust may seem out of reach. But be careful reaching for the premade pie crust at the grocery store, most of those are made with wheat flour. There are some gluten free pre made crusts, so make sure to double check before you buy it.

Graham Crackers

Another common form of pie crust is a graham cracker crust. But most graham crackers are not gluten free! There are several brands of gf graham crackers that you can look for including Pamela’s, Schar, and Kinnikinick. Look for these ones next time you want to make a graham cracker crust.

As always when following a gluten free diet, make sure to check all of your ingredient labels to look for hidden gluten ingredients. When in doubt, only use products that say Gluten Free on the label. I hope these tips help you in your gluten free baking journey, but if you’re in the Inland Empire area and you would rather not do the baking yourself, check out my shop and order some gluten free sweets!