Over the years, I’ve tested dozens of gluten-free baking mixes, and though many have evolved to showcase innovative ingredients and fancy formulations, it’s impossible to deny that sometimes the old tried and true options work best. 1-2-3 Gluten Free baking mixes aren’t revolutionary, but I’ll be darned if they aren’t tasty.
1-2-3 Gluten Free Baking Mixes are made with what I call the “standard gluten-free flour blend” of rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, and xanthan gum. Of course they use their own ratios, and have many, many variations – from fortified to sugar-free, chocolate-infused to perfectly spiced. But from my perspective, 1-2-3 Gluten Free follows the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” motto with success.
Tasting Notes for 1-2-3 Gluten Free Baking Mixes
I’ve included quick reviews on the 1-2-3 Gluten Free Baking Mixes we’ve tried below, and a quick list of the others (they currently offer 17 varieties). All of their mixes are made in their top allergen-free facility, and they do have instructions for making them with dairy and without dairy, and with eggs and without eggs. We of course made them dairy-free, but did use the directions with eggs. Results will likely vary if you make the egg-free versions.
Divinely Decadent Brownies
It’s important to clarify the brownies we sampled as they actually have two varieties: Devilishly Decadent (with chocolate chunks) and Divinely Decadent (without chocolate chunks and thus free of soy lecithin). We tried the “Divinely” variety, but trust me, those chocolate chunks were not missed. These crusty, fudgy brownies were just like my favorite homemade brownie recipe!
Because we’re at slightly higher altitude (about 4400 feet) they rose quite a bit, cut a thick crust on top and then collapsed beneath. I was worried that they were ruined, but once I cracked through the top, dense, rich brownies were revealed. Both Tony and I devoured them for 2 days straight! We decided to freeze the leftovers, which held up very well.
Sweet Goodness Pan Bars (Pumpkin Recipe)
I was craving something a little holiday-inspired, so I cracked open a can of pumpkin puree and made the dairy-free version of the pumpkin Pan Bars on the box. The batter was AMAZING! I had to quickly wash the mixing bowl and beaters before I personally scraped it clean.
I took a peek a little over halfway through and was shocked at the site: a sky high cake! Call it our altitude, but I think their mix is a little more cake-like than dense bars. That said, they were de-li-cious! And this is from someone who really doesn’t love cake. They were just perfectly sweet, with the right amount of spice and warm hints of pumpkin. They’d be delicious with tea or milk alternative, iced, or topped with some dairy-free ice cream. Tony agreed, polishing off almost the entire batch before I had the chance to freeze any.
Allie’s Awesome Buckwheat Pancakes (Pumpkin Recipe)
I hate to sound like a promotion, but seriously, this was another winner. Since I had leftover pumpkin puree from the pan bars, I went with the pumpkin Pancakes variation on the box. I was worried, as the batter was a little floury in taste, but the cakes ended up perfectly light and puffy. In fact, I forgot that they were even buckwheat-infused! Tony gave them an enthusiastic “they’re good!” He always uses the word good, so I have to judge by the inflections in his voice and the cleanliness of his plate – not a crumb remained.
Tony had the pancakes with maple, but I went with raw almond butter and enjoyed them with tea. They were just sweet enough and oh-so-comforting.
More 1-2-3 Gluten Free Baking Mixes
- Aaron’s Favorite Rolls
- Add Your Own Sweetener Delightfully Gratifying Bundt Poundcake
- Add-Your-Own Sweetener Peri’s Perfect Chocolate Bundt Poundcake
- Chewy Chipless Scrumdelicious Cookie Mix
- Delightfully Gratifying Bundt Poundcake
- Devil’s Food Cake Mix
- Devilishly Decadent Brownies
- Lindsay’s Lipsmackin’ Roll-Out & Cut Sugar Cookies
- Meredith’s Marvelous Muffin/Quickbread
- Micah’s Mouthwatering Corn Bread Mix
- Olivia’s Outstanding Multi-Purpose Fortified Gluten-Free Flour Mix
- Peri’s Perfect Chocolate Bundt Poundcake
- Southern Glory Biscuits
- Yummy Yellow Cake Mix
The Facts on 1-2-3 Gluten Free Baking Mixes
Price: $7.99 per mix (most make a double batch)
Availability: 1-2-3 Gluten Free Baking Mixes are sold in the gluten-free section of select natural food stores. But they are easiest to find on the company’s website below.
Certifications: 1-2-3 Gluten Free Baking Mixes are Certified Gluten-Free and Certified Kosher Parve.
Dietary Notes: By ingredients, 1-2-3 Gluten Free Baking Mixes are dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.*
For More Product Information: Visit the 1-2-3 Gluten Free website at www.123glutenfree.com.
*Always read the ingredient and nutrition statement prior to consumption. Ingredients, processes, and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company or product. Contact the company to discuss their manufacturing processes if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. No food product can be guaranteed “safe” for every individual’s needs. You should never rely on ingredient and allergen statements alone if dealing with a severe food allergy.