22 May 2009

Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix Review


A few weeks ago, I conducted a pantry purge ridding my pantry of products containing "faux" ingredients such as hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup.  The products I had the most trouble eliminating were convenience mixes such as chocolate pudding mix and my favorite, Bisquick.  After a trip to my local health food store, I was able to find an all purpose baking mix that did not contain hydrogenated oils, Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix.  At $7.25 a box, it was quite an investment for me (I have since found it in the $4 range in the health food section of my local Fred Meyer grocery store).  On the good side, the batter and the waffles were fluffy and browned very nicely.  The mix came together extremely easily and quickly.  The waffles also had a faint anise flavor that was quite pleasant and they smelled wonderful.  On the bad side, the waffles had a slightly gritty texture.  They seemed dry but I think that was the lack of gluten that made them feel slightly powdery in the mouth because physically they weren't dry, they just seemed that way.  The bottom line is that if you are gluten intolerant, this product was perfectly acceptable as a replacement to Bisquick, it was quick and had nice flavor.  If you are not gluten intolerant however, the gritty and "dry" texture of the waffles was off-putting enough to keep looking for a more acceptable alternative.  The search continues...

19 comments:

Heather S-G said...

Thanks for the review...I've seen this before but haven't tried it...think I'll keep it that way for now. :D

kvg said...

Thanks for the update! I was going to try this as I am also looking for a natural baking mix. You have saved me the trouble and money!

Laura in Paris said...

Can I have one of those waffles?

Dragon said...

What a shame it didn't work out. For that price you'd hope it would.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

Too bad it didn't work out.We've all bought products like this from time to time that were pricey and a disappointment. Glad to hear the search will continue.
Sam

Anonymous said...

So sorry this mix didn't meet the expectations, please let us know if you find the right baking mix!

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Donna-FFW said...

Loved your honest review. Havent seen this product, sounds quite pricey though.

Angie's Recipes said...

I saw gluten free flour in the stores days ago and thought of buying one bag..... but I still decided to buy "Dinkel Spelt".... I guess I was not really sure about using glutenfree flour for the bread......

Anonymous said...

This has nothing to do with the baking mix, but you have definitely inspired me to read FWDGF and FWFAS. I dearly love those books and MG and will be revisiting them soon!

Alicia Foodycat said...

You could make up a big jar of your own mix to store in the pantry?

Anonymous said...

Aren't all gluten-free products kind of gritty? Thanks for the review. I think I'll stick to baking from scratch!

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

Nice of you to review this product. My brother-in-law is celiac and I need those recommandations.

Maris said...

Are you gluten intolerant? Good thinking on your "pantry purge." What got you motivated to get rid of all the junk?

Anonymous said...

Good to know. Steep price for something for it to be kind of dry and gritty. Fortunately, gluten and I get along just fine:)

Sam said...

I've never found any gluten free baked goods that I've liked, as you say they taste grainy and dry.

Tangled Noodle said...

Thanks for the review! Sometimes, we have to try something on blind faith and if it works out, great. If not, it's frustrating to have spent good money on it but I applaud your dedication in searching for products without 'faux' ingredients!

NuKiwi said...

My last comment didn't take - bugger! LOL

Anyway, Bisquick was always a staple in our house growing up. Scary to think of attempting to tackle my own pantry - good on ya girl, for being so brave! ;o)

justeatfood said...

I was wondering how that mix was. Thanks so much for the review! Sounds like you saved me a little money too (I'm not gluten intolerant)

Jackie @PhamFatale.com said...

My little niece is gluten intolerant. Your post is very informative. I agree, it tends to have a much drier result than regular mix. And I find these gluten-free product to be quite pricey and I never know which brand to buy whenever my little niece come to visit us. Thanks!

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