Baking is a whole different ball game when you are gluten and/ or dairy free. Milk substitutes don’t always act like regular dairy milk. The science is different in the flour too. Wheat flour bakes much differently than other flours like rice and or tapioca. The best way I have avoided the headache of figuring out the science myself and enlisted some help from pre-made, packaged baking mixes. These are not very cost effective but can be fun to make with friends and family this holiday season.
King Arthur is the safest bet for any baking need. All of their mixes are gluten and dairy free. They have a massive selection to choose from. You can even make doughnuts with one of their mixes. Most of their recipes call for butter or margarine (which can be dairy-free), eggs and vegetable oil. If a recipe calls for milk, the best substitute is Lactaid milk. However, if you have a dairy allergy and not a lactose intolerance, it’s best to use a milk with a different source (almond or soy milk).
Minimum ingredient baking items are also great. Did you know that you can make gluten and dairy free pancakes without a pre-made mix? All you need is bananas, baking soda and eggs. Check out this video for simple banana pancakes!
Pinterest is a great social media site for people struggling with finding allergen-free food options. There is a whole community out there for exchanging different recipes for dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, etc. restrictions. It’s not impossible anymore to find options. They are out there. It takes some research to come across a recipe you really like because you want it to taste as similar to regular food as possible. Try incorporating some naturally allergen-free favorites of yours to make it your own.