Gluten free pantry items are an essential part of learning how to eat gluten free. If you are gluten-free or someone you love is gluten-free, here are the essential gluten-free pantry staples and kitchen equipment I have, and I talk about how to use them in your cooking and baking.

Gluten free pantry items in labeled mason jars on shelves.

(*This post contains affiliate links for the gluten free ingredients and equipment I use in my kitchen. I use affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission on items purchased through my links. This doesn’t affect the price you pay. )

Hi!! Welcome to my behind-the-scenes look into my pantry. I want to share what products and brands I use in my gluten-free kitchen daily. These are the key ingredients I use to make the recipes on Fearless Dining.

Everything that I list, I own, have used, and rely on to make delicious things for my readers.

I am happy to advise you if you have questions about these items, their work, what to make with them, etc. I have also written up all the flour blends I use so you know the best gluten free flour and which to use, and when.

Gluten Free Flours and Blends:

These are the products I use in my kitchen ALL of the time, and you will see them listed in the gluten free recipes I create and share with you. You can also find many of these great products on my Amazon Storefront.

These are the gluten free flour blends and flours I use almost daily. I have used each and every one of these flours, and I know they work in my recipes. Check out my Gluten Free Baking Tips for easy tips to get the most out of your baking!

  • Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend. This is the gluten free flour blend I use often. This flour blend works well in cookies, muffins, and cake recipes. If using this blend, let the batter sit for 15-20 minutes so the rice flour softens. Do not use this flour for yeast recipes! I also find I often need to add 3-4 TBSP additional flour when using this blend in my recipes.
  • King Arthur Measure for Measure – This is an awesome gluten free flour blend I love to use for cookies, cakes, and muffins. This is an easy-to-use, no-fail flour, and I use it primarily for cookies, muffins, and cake. I also use it for my biscuits and pie crust if I don’t have Cup4Cup. Do not use it in yeast recipes!
  • Cup4Cup in the blue bag is my go-to gluten-free flour blend for gluten free pie crust, gluten free biscuits, and gluten free pizza crust. It is also one of my favorites for yeast recipes. Note: Cup4Cup in the blue bag has dried milk powder, which is not dairy-free. Cup4Cup is now making several blends. The Cup4Cup green bag is whole grain, and I use it to make my Gluten Free Yeast Dinner Rolls recipe. It is sort of like a mock wheat blend in flavor.
  • Authentic Foods Steve’s GF Bread Blend – The all-time best for any shaped yeast recipes like these Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls, Gluten Free Garlic Knots, and shaped bread like this Gluten Free Challah.
  • Authentic Foods also makes individual flours for those who like to make gluten-free flour blends. This company mills its flour extra fine, making a huge difference in the texture of gluten free baked goods. If I were to make my own blend, I would only use their flours because of how finely ground they are! Sorghum Flour, White Rice Flour, and Brown Rice Flour. Use these flours in my Gluten Free Bread Machine Bread recipe.
  • Anthony’s Goods is a great resource for a LOT of gluten free ingredients as well! I love their Arrowroot Starch, Almond Flour, Peanut Flour, Cocoa Powder, Xanthan Gum, and Coconut Flour. Many of their products are also organic, and their prices are often lower!
  • Xanthan Gum – This is considered the glue in a gluten free flour blend. It helps hold your baked goods together. If you buy a flour blend without this ingredient, you must add one teaspoon to your dry ingredients.
  • Guar Gum – Many use this ingredient instead of xanthan gum. Both do the same thing to hold baked goods together.
  • Psyllium Husk Powder – This is another option for those who can’t eat xanthan or guar gum. I haven’t tested it in my recipes, but many say it works well.
  • If you can’t use Xanthan gum or guar gum, Better Batter makes an incredible gum-free, gluten-free flour blend. It is excellent for bread!

I also highly recommend that you try my easy DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend. It works really well in my recipes.

A silver spoon full of powdered sugar.

Gluten Free Sweeteners:

Most often, I use sugar. Other times, I like to keep the glycemic index lower and use unrefined sugars in my gluten free baking. My gluten free pantry is stocked with the following:

  • Coconut Sugar is one of the sugars I use most in my kitchen. I love the slight coconut taste it adds to my baking. I use Super Natural Coconut Sugar, Big Tree Coconut Sugar, and Trader Joe’s Coconut Sugar the most.
  • Maple Syrup. I tend to use natural maple syrup in my baking. Be sure to check that your maple syrup is gluten free!
  • Organic Cane Sugar. I often use organic cane sugar when I have to use regular sugar in my baking. Anthony’s Organic Cane Sugar and Wholesome Organic Cane Sugar are the two I use the most.
  • Powdered Sugar. I tend to use organic by Wholesome brand, which is in my local grocery store. You can check this list to ensure your powdered sugar is gluten free.
  • Brown Sugar. In my recipes, you can use either light or dark brown sugar.

Gluten Free Nut Flours:

I love to use nut flour in my baking. Nut flour adds protein, which can help balance the sugar in baked goods. I do buy almond flour, but it is easy to make other nut flours.

If you want to make your own nut flour, I LOVE the Cuisinart Immersion blender. It has a food processor attachment (and many other attachments I always use!) You can check out this Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Donuts recipe to see how I use almond flour!

I primarily use two companies for almond flour. Anthony’s Almond Flour and Bob’s Red Mill are in many grocery stores. Almond flour is naturally gluten free but can get cross-contaminated, so be sure to check the label to ensure it is gluten free.

A bottle of avocado oil next to a bowl of avocados.

Oils For Cooking and Baking:

In my gluten free pantry, I typically have a stash of olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil. For high-heat cooking, avocado oil and coconut oil are the best. Read this post about what oils are best for high-heat cooking.

  • Coconut Oil is by far my favorite oil. It is delicious in cooking and baking. I use Anthony’s Coconut Oil, Nutiva Coconut Oil, and Trader Joe’s brand. You can easily find coconut oil at any local grocery store in the oils section.
  • Avocado Oil is light and has no apparent avocado flavor. Many great brands are available, and they can be found at most grocery stores.
  • Olive Oil – Where do I start? Olive oil is one of those whose price often makes a difference. We have a local store that makes their olive oils in-house, and I buy them there. The Olive Bar (not an affiliate link!) does ship their oils if you want to check them out. They infuse flavors into their oils, too. There are dozens of flavors!
  • Butter and Vegan Butter – I always recommend unsalted butter, especially in my sweet recipes. I don’t use vegan butter myself, but many of my readers tell me they like Earth Balance and Country Crock brands.
  • Canola Oil – This is an excellent oil for frying things like these Gluten Free Fried Donuts and these Gluten Free Funnel Cakes. I use this because it is a lot cheaper to buy.

Kitchen Equipment and Appliances for Gluten Free Cooking:

Many ask whether they need separate cooking equipment for those who live with non-gluten-free family members. The answer is that it depends.

  • Slow Cooker. This is what I love about those school days when I knew I wouldn’t have time to make a healthy dinner. Just toss the ingredients into the slow cooker and come home to dinner. My favorite slow cooker recipes are my 5 Ingredient Pulled Pork and my Crock Pot Gluten Free Mac and Cheese. If you live with a family that is not gluten-free, you can buy these inexpensive slow cooker liners to help prevent cross-contamination. If you use a slow cooker a lot, check out all of my gluten-free slow cooker recipes.
  • Instant Pot – In a pressure cooker, you can roast a whole chicken in 30 minutes! My favorite pressure cooker recipes are these Gluten Free BBQ Turkey Meatballs. If you live with a non-gluten-free family, you can not share an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. The rubber seal could harbor gluten, making it not safe.
  • Cast Iron Skillet. I use my cast iron skillets all the time. They can be a little tricky to care for, but they are so easy because they can go straight from the stove to the oven. I have 10 1/2-inch, 12-inch, and mini cast iron skillets! Do not share cast iron skillets with your family. The seasoning can harbor gluten, making them unsafe.
  • Air Fryer – My son took my Corsori Air Fryer to college, and I upgraded to the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer. It has been great, and it has two separate cooking compartments. (*Note: this seems to go on sale pretty frequently, so it is worth watching it and buying it when it goes on sale.) Do not share an air fryer with non-gluten-free family members. The gluten can get up in the fan easily, making cross-contamination likely. Some say the Ninja Air Fryer, with two compartments I link above, is safe because each compartment has a separate fan, but I am unsure if this would keep all food cooked in it safe.
Using an immersion blender to puree soup.

Time-Saving Products:

We all want to save a little time in the kitchen! These are my favorite items that make kitchen prep a breeze!

  • I know I mentioned this Cuisinart Immersion Blender a few times. It purees soups, comes with a mini food processor, has a whipped cream attachment, and it is just plain AWESOME!
  • Meat Claws – Don’t laugh at this one, but many of my recipes call for shredded meats. This handy tool shreds meat really quickly!
  • I love my spiralizer. I went through a few different ones before I found one that won’t break and is easy to use.
  • Vitamix is a power horse in the kitchen. It not only makes smoothies, and no-churn ice creams, but it is excellent for savory things like soups!
  • An air fryer is a huge time saver. If you are trying to decide on what air fryer to get, I have a great list of the best air fryers for gluten free. I include a great pros and cons list for each model.

Baking Pans:

I love to make so many different types of gluten free baked goods. Here are my favorite equipment:

Holding up a welcome sign.
Welcome! I am always here to answer any questions!!

Lastly, I wrote up a blurb about all of my favorite gluten free cookbooks. There are some incredible cookbooks, so I wanted to highlight the ones I love and use.

I know this was a crazy long list; I hope you made it to the bottom! As always, you can contact me if you have any questions about these ingredients or products!

xxoo,

Sandi