Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and oats. It is a sticky protein that helps bind the dough during the kneading process and gives elasticity to bread dough. There is no gluten in white or brown rice, so it will not affect the texture of the finished baked good.

Gluten gives baked goods their chewy texture and also helps create a moist environment so they rise. If you find you have gluten intolerance or celiac disease, then your symptoms will be much worse than if you had just eaten some bread–and that’s because of the way gluten affects your digestive tract.