Sam's Gluten Free Recipes
October 1st, 2024
Irish Soda Muffins
I love making Corned Beef and Cabbage for my family on Saint Patrick’s Day. I also
have really grown to enjoy Irish Soda Bread. Here is a traditional recipe along with
options to add a little extra to make them either sweet or savory.
Ingredients
2/12 cups gluten free flour (My gluten free blend is 1 cup brown rice flour, 3/4 cup each
of sweet sorghum flour and tapioca starch or arrowroot, plus 2 teaspoons xanthan gum,
you can also use a cup for cup replacement)
½ cup sugar
2 tsp caraway seeds
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1/14 cups buttermilk
2 eggs room temperature
Optional Sweet enhancements – 1 tsp cinnamon & ½ tsp vanilla extract
Optional Savory enhancements – ½ cup shredded cheddar, 1 tsp crushed garlic & ¼ tsp
crushed red pepper
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin pan (makes 12 muffins)
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and make a well
3. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to center of dry ingredients
4. Stir until well combined (if adding optional ingredients, do so now)
5. Portion into muffin cups filling halfway to 2/3 full
6. Bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean
Pao Doce (Portuguese Sweet Bread) – derived from “The New Betty Crocker
International Cookbook)
I grew up with my Aunt making Easter Bread every year and it was my absolute favorite.
When I became gluten free in 2009 we tried to replicate it, and no matter what I did, it
wouldn’t work out. Then finally, after some research, I realized that the double proofing
of the traditional recipe would not work for gluten free. Below you will find my tried and
true adaptation, complete with just one proof.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
¼ cup warm water
1 cup lukewarm milk (scalded and cooled)
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 eggs room temperature
½ cup butter softened
5-6 cups gluten free flour (use a cup for cup substitute that includes xanthan gum)
1 egg, beaten (for glaze)
1 teaspoon sugar (for glaze)
Directions
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water(100-110 degrees Fahrenheit) in a large bowl
with pinch of sugar. Allow to proof for 5 minutes.
2. In a large standing mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter and sugar until
smooth.
3. Add in eggs one at a time until incorporated.
4. Add in milk and 3 cups of flour, alternating dry wet dry.
5. Beat until smooth and add in proofed yeast.
6. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle.
7. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic - about 5
minutes.
8. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a round slightly flat loaf.
9. Place each loaf into a well greased round 9" x 1 1/2" pan.
10. Cover and let rise until double (a/b an hour).
11. Heat oven to 350°F.
12. Brush beaten egg over tops of loaves.
13. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
14. Bake until loaves are golden brown, about 35-45 minutes.
Lemon Cookies
One of my favorite Christmas cookies (Auntie Angie’s Italian Wedding Cookies)
became one of my favorite Easter cookies when I swapped out the anise oil for
lemon one year. These light fluffy cookies are sure to be a hit.
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups flour (My gluten free blend is 1 cup brown rice flour, 3/4 cup each of
sweet sorghum flour and tapioca starch or arrowroot, plus 2 teaspoons xanthan
gum, you can also use a cup for cup replacement)
1 cup sugar
dash of salt
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 stick margarine
½ cup sour cream
1 egg
1 tsp lemon extract
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl
3. In a large mixing bowl (I use my KitchenAid stand mixer), cream margarine and
sugar
4. Add the egg
5. Mix in flour mixture and sour cream alternating dry, wet, dry until combined
6. Add in lemon extract
7. Drop cookies 2 inches apart on cookie sheet and bake 11-12 minutes until lightly
browned on the bottoms
Icing:
8. ¼ cup sugar
9. ½ cup water
10. 1 tsp lemon extract
11. 1-2 cups powdered sugar
12. Combine sugar and water and bring to a boil while stirring until sugar is melted.
13. Cool and add lemon
14. Put powdered sugar in a small mixing bowl
15. Add lemon water mixture until you achieve desired consistency (it should slowly
fall off of fork)
Assembly:
16. Place a cooling rack over parchment or wax paper.
17. Drizzle icing over cookies while they are still slightly warm
18. Sprinkle with nonpareils immediately
19. Serve or store in a cool dry place. I like to keep them in small gift boxes. They
are also excellent to freeze and serve later.
