cook this: 3 recipes from the art of gluten-free bread, including cinnamon buns
11 minute read
clockwise from top left: author aran goyoaga, gluten-free cinnamon buns, quickest buttery brioche and vanilla-glazed doughnuts. author photo by dorothÉe brand/food photos by aran goyoaga
our cookbook of the week is the art of gluten-free bread by aran goyoaga.
when it comes to gluten-free baking, bread is its own beast. “there may not be the same muscle memory people might have from making wheat bread that they can translate to this,” says aran goyoaga. “a gluten-free cake and a wheat cake are similar in some ways, but bread is different.”
in her latest cookbook, the art of gluten-free bread (artisan books), the basque-born, seattle-based cookbook author, food stylist and photographer features 100-plus recipes, including two sourdough starters (whole-grain brown rice-teff and grain-free buckwheat-chestnut) — and naturally leavened breads to make with them — yeasted, quick and enriched breads, and dishes that complement homemade loaves, such as dips, sandwiches and soups.
the recipes may be gluten- and dairy-free, but goyoaga cast her net wide. “i want this book to be for everybody,” she says, adding that she’d like the art of gluten-free bread to sit on bookshelves next to conventional classics, such as tartine bread. “i want people to respect it the same way.”
this conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
the art of gluten-free bread is aran goyoaga’s fourth cookbook.
artisan books
the art of gluten-free bread is so extensive. what was the process like of writing it?
it was really joyous because i’m someone who loves to go deep. i love focused work. so, when i can do that, it’s where i really thrive. this is probably a weird analogy, but when i was giving birth — literally, physically giving birth to my kids — i loved that feeling of intensity. or when i’m working out, i love feeling super intense, and the quietness and really going into it.
all my books have allowed me to do that, but this one more so, because there wasn’t anything i could reference. there weren’t any books that i was researching. i was pretty much hacking my own recipes.
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so, the handful of basic bread recipes i’ve developed in the last 10 years that are in the other books, i transformed those and birthed other recipes based on those structures. it was me and my work alone, and i love that.
i’ve always been interested in your trajectory and the fact that you have a foundation in traditional baking, going back to your childhood in the basque country, where your grandparents owned a pastry shop, but you’ve created your own genre.
sometimes we’re like, “how do we fit in this crazy world?” and i feel like the one thing i can hold on to is that i can teach, and it’s become my identity. it’s so easy these days to be like, “does what i do mean anything in the large scheme of things?” and that’s the one thing that’s like, “ok, yes. i have something to share and something to teach.” so i feel really lucky that i have that.
it can be a profound experience to regain something you thought you’d lost. you touch on this in many ways in the book, but it can be so impactful for people who thought bread was off the table to have it again, albeit in a slightly different way.
we’re sensorial, experiential human beings. cravings and material pleasure are important. and so, when you feel excluded from whatever is the mainstream or whatever is available, and you can’t enjoy it without getting sick, it’s a deep loss for people.
it’s important to be able to have that again and participate in that sensuality, because it’s really like sex or anything else. it’s your endorphins, your brain, the pleasure sensors — and food is part of that.
there’s something about being able to experience that in your mouth and in your brain and in your teeth and your hearing and all of that. it’s very sensorial and very sensual, and it’s sad when you don’t have it.
you work with a host of flours in the book, from buckwheat to teff. what was important for you to communicate about this alternative set of ingredients?
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i think that’s probably the biggest obstacle for people — they get overwhelmed with all the flours that they have to buy. i always try to simplify, but i also feel like i don’t want to shy away from that.
i really wanted to go hard on flavour. because i think what we lack when we don’t have gluten is elasticity and rise, like the instagram focaccias with all these bubbles coming out that aren’t possible to that extent. what do we have then that’s left? what we have is flavour and texture, so i really wanted to focus on those things and maximize them.
i expanded the number of flours in this book because i feel like the profiles of breads go from really hearty to really light. in that rainbow of whole grain to starch is where all the breads exist, and i wanted to make sure that i was using them. because i also want this to be about teaching traditional wheat bakers that there are all these other grains and pseudograins — like buckwheat is not a grain — and how you can work with them.
how did exploring bread so thoroughly in this book affect your appreciation for it?
even though i come from a family that had a pastry shop and was a pastry chef myself, i always focused on pastry, and i never actively made bread professionally. so, not only did i write about this new technique, but i was learning a lot myself. and maybe it was actually beneficial that i didn’t have that background, because i wasn’t looking to use that technique and then getting frustrated.
it’s funny because there are a few recipes i’ve been tweaking that are in the book. so it’s ever-evolving. a book is never really completely finished.
quickest buttery brioche
aran goyoaga features two brioche recipes in the art of gluten-free bread: sourdough and yeasted. this is the latter, which requires no bulk fermentation — “only one proof and then straight into the oven it goes.”
aran goyoaga
makes: 1 loaf
2 1/2 tsp (10 g) active dry yeast
245 to 260 g (see note) whole milk or oat milk, heated to 105f (41c)
1 tsp (4 g) plus 100 g granulated sugar
30 g psyllium husk powder
200 g potato starch
180 g tapioca starch, plus more for dusting
90 g sorghum flour
2 1/2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt
1 tsp (4 g) xanthan gum (optional; see note)
1 tsp (2 g) finely grated orange zest
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp (8 g) vanilla paste or extract
100 g very soft (but not melted) unsalted butter or vegan butter, plus more greasing
245 to 260 g (see note) whole milk or oat milk, heated to 105f (41c)
1 tsp (4 g) plus 100 g granulated sugar
30 g psyllium husk powder
200 g potato starch
180 g tapioca starch, plus more for dusting
90 g sorghum flour
2 1/2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt
1 tsp (4 g) xanthan gum (optional; see note)
1 tsp (2 g) finely grated orange zest
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp (8 g) vanilla paste or extract
100 g very soft (but not melted) unsalted butter or vegan butter, plus more greasing
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for the egg wash:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg, lightly beaten
step 1: prep the pan
line an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch (22 by 11 cm) metal loaf pan with a strip of parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the edges.
step 2: make the yeast-psyllium mixture
sprinkle the yeast into a medium bowl. add the milk and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and whisk until dissolved. let the mixture sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. add the psyllium and whisk vigorously until smooth. let it gel for 5 minutes.
step 3: make the dough
in a stand mixer, stir together the potato starch, tapioca starch, 100 grams sugar, the sorghum flour, salt, xanthan gum (if using) and orange zest. add the yeast-psyllium mixture. snap on the dough hook and mix the dough on low speed. add the eggs and vanilla. increase the speed to medium and keep mixing until the dough comes together, 2 to 3 minutes. it will look dry and clumpy for the majority of that mixing time, but by the end, it should come together (or nearly together) into a ball. add the soft butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, while the mixer is running. scrape the bowl as needed. continue mixing for another minute until you have a soft and sticky dough that holds together.
step 4: shape the dough
lightly dust a work surface with tapioca starch. scrape the dough onto the work surface and knead together a few times shaping it into a ball. it will be soft, but by this point should not be terribly sticky. cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (about 190 g each). shape all the pieces of dough into tight balls and place them inside the prepared loaf pan snugly next to each other. (alternatively, if you want to create a bit of a swirl effect in the crumb, roll each piece of dough into an oval that is about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. fold the dough in thirds, like a letter fold, then roll the dough into a cylinder. add these pieces of dough into the prepared loaf pan.)
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step 5: proof the dough
cover the pan with a kitchen towel and proof until nearly doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
step 6: preheat the oven
position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350f (180c).
step 7: bake the brioche
brush the top of the dough with the egg wash and bake until golden brown and the dough has risen to the top of the pan, 30 to 35 minutes.
step 8: cool the brioche
let the brioche cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool some more. the brioche is best eaten when warm.
note: if you don’t use the xanthan gum, use the smaller amount (245 grams) of milk.
cinnamon buns
“if i tell people there’s a gluten-free cinnamon roll in the book, that’s a seller,” says aran goyoaga. “i love cinnamon rolls.”
aran goyoaga
makes: 12 buns
for the filling:
110 g very soft, (but not melted), unsalted butter or vegan butter
125 g dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp (6 g) ground cinnamon
110 g very soft, (but not melted), unsalted butter or vegan butter
125 g dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp (6 g) ground cinnamon
for the cream cheese icing:
150 g full-fat cream cheese or vegan cream cheese, at room temperature
50 g very soft (but not melted) unsalted butter or vegan butter
200 g powdered sugar
10 g whole milk or oat milk
1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract or vanilla paste
150 g full-fat cream cheese or vegan cream cheese, at room temperature
50 g very soft (but not melted) unsalted butter or vegan butter
200 g powdered sugar
10 g whole milk or oat milk
1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract or vanilla paste
step 1: make the dough
make the brioche dough as directed. place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.
step 2: roll the dough
the dough will have risen in the refrigerator. knead it to deflate it and bring back some elasticity. dust a work surface with some tapioca starch and roll the dough to a rectangle that is about 12 by 18 inches (30 by 46 cm) and 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
step 3: fill the dough
make sure your butter is very soft and spreadable or it can tear the dough. warm in the microwave for 5 seconds, if needed. spread the very soft butter all over the dough. in a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the butter. starting from a long side, roll the dough into a log making sure you leave the seam on the bottom.
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step 4: cut the dough
line a sheet pan with parchment paper. cut the log into 12 buns that are 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) wide. place the buns, cut-sides down, on the prepared sheet pan.
step 5: proof the buns
cover the pan with a linen towel or plastic wrap and proof the buns until they are puffed up, 40 to 45 minutes.
step 6: preheat the oven
while the buns are proofing, position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375f (190c).
step 7: bake the buns
transfer the pan to the oven and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
step 8: make the cream cheese icing
while the buns are baking, in a large bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth.
step 9: finish the buns
once the buns come out of the oven, let them cool for 5 to 10 minutes. spread the cream cheese icing all over the top. serve the buns while warm.
vanilla-glazed doughnuts
when people try these tender and fluffy vanilla-glazed doughnuts, they can’t even tell they’re gluten-free, says aran goyoaga.
aran goyoaga
makes: about 18 doughnuts
for the vanilla glaze:
240 g powdered sugar
50 g warm water
2 tsp (8 g) vanilla extract or vanilla paste
1/2 tsp (2 g) kosher salt
240 g powdered sugar
50 g warm water
2 tsp (8 g) vanilla extract or vanilla paste
1/2 tsp (2 g) kosher salt
to finish:
vegetable oil, for frying
optional toppings: edible flowers, calendula petals, rose petals, freeze-dried raspberries, chopped pistachios, passion fruit pulp
vegetable oil, for frying
optional toppings: edible flowers, calendula petals, rose petals, freeze-dried raspberries, chopped pistachios, passion fruit pulp
step 1: make the brioche dough
mix the dough as directed.
step 2: shape the doughnuts
line two sheet pans with eighteen 3-inch (7.5 cm) squares of parchment paper. dust a work surface with some tapioca starch. knead the dough a few times, then roll to 3/4-inch (2 cm) thickness. dip a 2 1/2-inch (6 cm) cookie cutter in some tapioca starch and cut the dough into rounds. use a 3/4-inch (2 cm) round cookie cutter to cut a centre circle out of each round of dough. place the cut doughnuts on the parchment squares. cut all the dough and knead any remaining scraps together, then roll and cut the scraps the same way.
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step 3: proof the dough
loosely cover both sheet pans with a linen towel or plastic and proof until the dough feels light and marshmallow-like, 40 to 45 minutes.
step 4: make the vanilla glaze
in a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, warm water, vanilla and salt. set aside.
step 5: fry the doughnuts
about 20 minutes before the dough is done proofing, pour 3 inches (7.5 cm) of oil into a medium saucepan or dutch oven. clip a deep-fry thermometer to the side of the pan and heat over medium-high heat to 350f (180c). place a wire rack over a sheet pan next to your pan. use the parchment ends to lift the dough and carefully invert onto the hot oil. be careful not to drop the doughnuts in from high up or the oil will splatter and can burn you. do not overcrowd the pan. the doughnuts will fall to the bottom and then rise again. cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. use a spider or a perforated spatula to scoop the doughnuts out of the oil and place them on the wire rack. continue cooking the doughnuts.
step 6: glaze the doughnuts
while the doughnuts are warm, dip them in the glaze. return them to the rack. do a second dip for a thicker coating. if using any toppings, sprinkle them on while the glaze is wet. serve the doughnuts warm. they are best eaten the same day.
recipes and images excerpted from the art of gluten-free bread by aran goyoaga (artisan books). copyright ©2025. photographs by aran goyoaga.
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