​BAKING TIP #1: HOW TO STOP WASTING EXPENSIVE INGREDIENTS ON RECIPES THAT TURN OUT LIKE A BRICK

You know the feeling – you’ve discovered a new gluten free recipe you are excited to try, you’ve purchased all the ingredients (including the obscure ones you had to order online that took forever to arrive), you’ve mixed it up, popped it in the oven and patiently waited for it to cool, and then – WAH WAH [insert sad trombone sound here]. It’s so dense and heavy it could double as a boat anchor. What went wrong? Successful gluten free baking is equal parts using the right recipe, using the right ingredients, and using the right techniques. Assuming the recipe itself isn’t flawed (and there are lots of good recipe resources out there – more about them in the next post), something was off with your ingredients or your technique. Today we are going to talk about the number one technique that will help you bake successfully: weighing your ingredients.

USE A DIGITAL KITCHEN SCALE
Now, most of us are accustomed to using measuring cups to measure out a cup of this or a ½ cup of that. Here’s the problem: Let’s say you and I are making the same recipe, and it calls for one cup of all-purpose gluten free flour, which happens to weigh 140 grams per cup. You use your measuring cup to scoop the flour straight out of the bag. I really fluff the flour up before spooning it in and sweeping off the top. Even assuming that our one cup measuring cups hold the same volume to begin with (and they probably don’t – not all measuring cups are created equal), odds are good that neither of us will wind up with exactly 140 grams.

​Why does this matter? Because baking is a science, and good recipes are formulated based on percentages where the volume of liquids and other ingredients are calculated relative to the amount of flour. If your ratios are off, your recipe won’t turn out as intended. And if the amount of flour is inaccurate, you’ll be off from the start. It’s very easy to wind up with more flour than the recipe requires when you use measuring cups, which leads to dry, dense, heavy baked goods. Plain and simple, a cup isn’t always a cup!

What about liquids? I generally weigh those, too (including eggs, which can vary pretty dramatically in size). If less than a Tablespoon of an ingredient is called for (say, salt or baking powder) I usually use measuring spoons (because more inexpensive scales aren’t as accurate for amounts of less than 10 grams). It might sound like a hassle to weigh your ingredients, or maybe you’re thinking you just don’t want to buy another piece of kitchen equipment. Let me tell you – once you start weighing things you’ll never go back, especially when you figure out the tare function.

It goes like this:
​
1. Put the bowl on the scale and hit “tare”
2. Add ingredient #1
3. Hit “tare” to reset the scale to zero
4. Add ingredient #2 right to the same bowl
5. Hit “tare” to reset the scale to zero
6. And so on…no need to dirty multiple measuring cups.

Scales are available at a variety of price points – a basic one can be had for as little as $10-$15. Spending more will get you features like the ability to weigh larger amounts (if you like to double your recipes look for one that goes to more than 5 pounds), larger surfaces or pull out displays (handy if you are using a larger bowl that might block the read out), fully washable surfaces, and more accuracy (like the ability to measure down to tenths of grams). Here are a few that I’ve used over the years that are available on Amazon:

Etekcity 11lb Food Scale (under $15)
Etekcity Luminary 22lb Food Kitchen Digital Scale – waterproof and rechargeable (under $30)
OXO Good Grips 5 lb Food Scale with Pull Out Display (under $35)
​OXO Good Grips 11 lb Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull Out Display (under $60)

Note: These are affiliate links, which means that I am paid a small commission (that doesn't change the price you pay) when you make a purchase. Thank you for your support!

​Still not convinced? Think about how much you spend on gluten free ingredients. Now think about how many recipes you’ve thrown away because they didn’t turn out. Instead of spending money on failed recipes, spend that money on a scale that I PROMISE will give you better results!

CONVERTING YOUR RECIPES
What if all your recipes are in cups? Here are weights for some common ingredients:

1 cup white rice flour = 142 grams (5 ounces)
1 cup brown rice flour = 128 grams (4 1/2 ounces)
1 cup tapioca starch = 113 grams (4 ounces)
1 cup potato starch = 152 grams (5 3/8 ounces)
1 cup oats = 95 grams (3 ounces) 
1/4 cup cornstarch = 28 grams (1 ounce)
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder = 41 grams (1.6 ounces)
1 cup (packed) brown sugar = 200 grams (7 1/2 ounces) 
1 cup granulated sugar = 200 grams (7 1/2 ounces) 
1 cup confectioners’ sugar = 120 grams (4 1/4 ounces)
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar = 115 grams (4 ounces)  
1/2 cup butter = 1 stick = 115 grams (4 ounces) 
1 cup sour cream or yogurt = 227 grams (8 ounces) 
1 cup milk = 227 grams (8 ounces) 
1 cup water = 236 grams (8 ounces)
1 large egg = 50 grams (1 3/4 ounces)
1/2 cup peanut butter = 135 grams (4 3/4 ounces)
1 cup chocolate chips = 180 grams (6 1/4 ounces) 
1 Tablespoon honey = 21 grams (3/4 ounce) 
1/2 cup maple syrup = 156 grams (5 1/2 ounces) 
1/4 cup molasses = 85 grams (3 ounces) 

King Arthur also has an extensive chart that includes everything from almond flour to zucchini in both ounces and grams (personally I prefer grams because the metric system is more straightforward once you get used to it, especially for larger volumes. 1 ounce = 28.35 grams in case you need to know!) It’s searchable and printable and you can find it here: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/ingredient-weight-chart

Spend a few minutes doing the math to convert your favorite recipes and you’ll be good to go! Remember: a cup isn’t always a cup, but a gram is always a gram…which is why professional bakers always bake by weight, not volume. Making this one simple change will make a dramatic difference in your results. Try it and let me know how it goes!