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Perfectly Golden: Inspired Recipes from Goldenrod Pastries, the Nebraska Bakery That Specializes in Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Vegan Treats
A cookbook of treats from the Great Plains to satisfy every sweet tooth
Based in Lincoln, Nebraska, Goldenrod Pastries is a community bakery with an ambitious and talented baker at the helm. Angela Garbacz learned at her mother’s and grandmothers’ elbows, mixing up cookies and rolling sweet buns. Her training continued in New York City before she returned home and opened her dream shop.
From her grandma’s famous peach coffee cake to caramel-covered pecan rolls, lemon meringue pie and frosted brownies to fluffernutter buns and confetti cookies, Garbacz’s pastries come out of the oven perfectly golden and regularly sell out. At her bakery, she creates delicious treats without dairy or gluten, but every recipe in this book can be made with butter and all-purpose flour just as easily as any alternative. With her positive attitude and confident voice, Garbacz makes it easy and fun to bake a perfect dessert that everyone can eat. This beautiful cookbook—the photography, the philosophy, and the desserts!—is an instant classic.
Based in Lincoln, Nebraska, Goldenrod Pastries is a community bakery with an ambitious and talented baker at the helm. Angela Garbacz learned at her mother’s and grandmothers’ elbows, mixing up cookies and rolling sweet buns. Her training continued in New York City before she returned home and opened her dream shop.
From her grandma’s famous peach coffee cake to caramel-covered pecan rolls, lemon meringue pie and frosted brownies to fluffernutter buns and confetti cookies, Garbacz’s pastries come out of the oven perfectly golden and regularly sell out. At her bakery, she creates delicious treats without dairy or gluten, but every recipe in this book can be made with butter and all-purpose flour just as easily as any alternative. With her positive attitude and confident voice, Garbacz makes it easy and fun to bake a perfect dessert that everyone can eat. This beautiful cookbook—the photography, the philosophy, and the desserts!—is an instant classic.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published April 28, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 15, 2023
I’m glad I’m not actually gluten free or dairy free. This book has quite a lot of recipes but as others have said, it seems to have some errors in ingredient amounts and baking items. To be fair, I didn’t like any of the recipes enough to try them out. If I’m baking a dessert I’d usually rather use real butter and not coconut oil or vegetable shortening, for instance. Lots of the treats also skew quite sweet, which makes sense for a bakery, but isn’t my style usually. I like more balanced desserts.
Also! The photography is more style than substance (to borrow a bake-off line) because the cinnamon rolls, for example, she says there’s a visual to show how to tuck in the tail of the bread. But the photo doesn’t actually show that!
All in all, a library borrow I won’t check out again.
Also! The photography is more style than substance (to borrow a bake-off line) because the cinnamon rolls, for example, she says there’s a visual to show how to tuck in the tail of the bread. But the photo doesn’t actually show that!
All in all, a library borrow I won’t check out again.
June 20, 2022
I REALLY wanted to love this book, but am overall disappointed..
My husband is gluten intolerant and one of our favorite places to get treats from is Goldenrod Pastries. I was so excited to get this cookbook so I could make the yummy treats at home, but so far have been very disappointed. I wish I had read the reviews on Amazon before buying the book that said the recipes were WAY off in their ingredient amounts and cooking times, but to be honest, I probably would have bought the book anyway thinking that maybe those bakers just made mistakes. If that is what you are thinking, let me save you some time and money.. this book is messed up and it’s not the buyers fault. To be fair, I have only attempted a few of the recipes so far and many people seem to be giving positive reviews, so all of the recipes must not be incorrect, but the ones I’ve tried have been. Either that, or the people leaving the positive reviews have yet to try baking the recipes. Honestly, more than anything I’m just baffled.. did the author just try to adapt the recipes from the large quantities she makes at the bakery without actually testing them out in a home kitchen? Did she just write down incorrect information and forgot to double check quantities/instructions? Did she give us hope that we could recreate her delicious pastries but made it so that we couldn’t so that we would just continue buying them from her (unlikely, but still part of me wonders..)? I guess we will never know but it is obvious that no one tried out these recipes (the author or the editor) using the listed instructions and ingredients before this went to press. The author even states in the intro of the book that she likes to eyeball things and sometimes doesn’t use exact measurements, but c’Mon.. the level at which the recipes are incorrect is excessive.
For example, I just tried making the Crumble Bars for Father’s Day. The base dough recipe is ok except that the amount of flour needed left the dough as a sticky mess instead of a ball so I had to add about 1.5 extra cups of GF flour to get it even close to being formed and able to roll. Next, the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar to be spread out on the dough before rolling which is just way too much. You can easily get away with 1/2 cup or maybe 2/3 if you want it sweeter. The recipe says to put 2 TBS of jam on each roll and calls for 1 cup of jam. But 2TBS of jam x 12 rolls = 1.5 cups. I just added less jam per roll, but that was a simple mistake that could have been avoided. Also, the crumble topping recipe makes WAY too much for 12 rolls- even with putting 3 TBS of crumble topping on each roll like the recipe says (but is too much and the majority of that will just fall off). In the end I only used up about 1/3 of the total crumble. Having all that extra crumble is fine if you are going to make another recipe, otherwise it’s just a waste of ingredients (and GF flour is not cheap!). Finally, the cook time/temp is VERY incorrect. It says to bake at 375 for 30 mins, so I put them in and set my timer to check them after 25mins and they were WAY overdone. And not just a minute or two too long, but like burnt. They probably only needed 18-20 mins or a lower temp. My husband was kind enough to eat the center of the rolls which he said tasted good, but I was really sad to have spent so much time to have such a bad experience/result.
The book is beautiful and the recipes have potential, just be prepared to make adjustments as you go and don’t be surprised if the desserts don’t turn out the first (second, or third) time you make them! Definitely do NOT recommend for a novice baker or anyone who doesn’t have patience or lots of extra ingredients on hand. If you want to make one of her recipes to give to someone or take somewhere, just make sure you try it ahead of time first. Anyway, if you end up purchasing the book, good luck and you have been warned! Otherwise maybe wait and see if she comes out with a revised edition.
My husband is gluten intolerant and one of our favorite places to get treats from is Goldenrod Pastries. I was so excited to get this cookbook so I could make the yummy treats at home, but so far have been very disappointed. I wish I had read the reviews on Amazon before buying the book that said the recipes were WAY off in their ingredient amounts and cooking times, but to be honest, I probably would have bought the book anyway thinking that maybe those bakers just made mistakes. If that is what you are thinking, let me save you some time and money.. this book is messed up and it’s not the buyers fault. To be fair, I have only attempted a few of the recipes so far and many people seem to be giving positive reviews, so all of the recipes must not be incorrect, but the ones I’ve tried have been. Either that, or the people leaving the positive reviews have yet to try baking the recipes. Honestly, more than anything I’m just baffled.. did the author just try to adapt the recipes from the large quantities she makes at the bakery without actually testing them out in a home kitchen? Did she just write down incorrect information and forgot to double check quantities/instructions? Did she give us hope that we could recreate her delicious pastries but made it so that we couldn’t so that we would just continue buying them from her (unlikely, but still part of me wonders..)? I guess we will never know but it is obvious that no one tried out these recipes (the author or the editor) using the listed instructions and ingredients before this went to press. The author even states in the intro of the book that she likes to eyeball things and sometimes doesn’t use exact measurements, but c’Mon.. the level at which the recipes are incorrect is excessive.
For example, I just tried making the Crumble Bars for Father’s Day. The base dough recipe is ok except that the amount of flour needed left the dough as a sticky mess instead of a ball so I had to add about 1.5 extra cups of GF flour to get it even close to being formed and able to roll. Next, the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar to be spread out on the dough before rolling which is just way too much. You can easily get away with 1/2 cup or maybe 2/3 if you want it sweeter. The recipe says to put 2 TBS of jam on each roll and calls for 1 cup of jam. But 2TBS of jam x 12 rolls = 1.5 cups. I just added less jam per roll, but that was a simple mistake that could have been avoided. Also, the crumble topping recipe makes WAY too much for 12 rolls- even with putting 3 TBS of crumble topping on each roll like the recipe says (but is too much and the majority of that will just fall off). In the end I only used up about 1/3 of the total crumble. Having all that extra crumble is fine if you are going to make another recipe, otherwise it’s just a waste of ingredients (and GF flour is not cheap!). Finally, the cook time/temp is VERY incorrect. It says to bake at 375 for 30 mins, so I put them in and set my timer to check them after 25mins and they were WAY overdone. And not just a minute or two too long, but like burnt. They probably only needed 18-20 mins or a lower temp. My husband was kind enough to eat the center of the rolls which he said tasted good, but I was really sad to have spent so much time to have such a bad experience/result.
The book is beautiful and the recipes have potential, just be prepared to make adjustments as you go and don’t be surprised if the desserts don’t turn out the first (second, or third) time you make them! Definitely do NOT recommend for a novice baker or anyone who doesn’t have patience or lots of extra ingredients on hand. If you want to make one of her recipes to give to someone or take somewhere, just make sure you try it ahead of time first. Anyway, if you end up purchasing the book, good luck and you have been warned! Otherwise maybe wait and see if she comes out with a revised edition.
cookbooks
August 5, 2020Looks pretty good but has issues.
I find it odd that they list all of the sweet buns, for example, as being able to be made vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and traditional. Yet, they call for dough from your choice of two previous recipes. One is gluten-free and not vegan and the other is vegan and not gluten-free. So, obviously they can't be made gluten-free AND vegan. I think this is an issue and should have been stated upfront that it's a "pick ONE restriction" kind of book rather than readers assuming all of their dietary restrictions can be met when they see ALL their boxes ticked. Especially disappointing considering she says that "if there is no listing for your particular dietary requirement, it means this recipe should not be made with any alternatives."
There are also editing errors where it says it's one thing but gives no alternatives on how to achieve that. For example, in the Rice Custard Tart it says 3 large eggs and lists no alternative to make it vegan (the recipe is marked as being able to be made vegan). We can assume flax egg wouldn't work, so, I am clueless to what she expects us to use to make it vegan.
I find it odd that they list all of the sweet buns, for example, as being able to be made vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and traditional. Yet, they call for dough from your choice of two previous recipes. One is gluten-free and not vegan and the other is vegan and not gluten-free. So, obviously they can't be made gluten-free AND vegan. I think this is an issue and should have been stated upfront that it's a "pick ONE restriction" kind of book rather than readers assuming all of their dietary restrictions can be met when they see ALL their boxes ticked. Especially disappointing considering she says that "if there is no listing for your particular dietary requirement, it means this recipe should not be made with any alternatives."
There are also editing errors where it says it's one thing but gives no alternatives on how to achieve that. For example, in the Rice Custard Tart it says 3 large eggs and lists no alternative to make it vegan (the recipe is marked as being able to be made vegan). We can assume flax egg wouldn't work, so, I am clueless to what she expects us to use to make it vegan.
August 19, 2020
I had to push myself to give this a proper read-through-- the font is ridiculously small for a cookbook; I opened it up and almost checked out. It made it so much work to read it, and absolutely wouldn't work to have propped open in the kitchen while cooking. It's standard for each recipe to have a little paragraph at the top-- how it was originally created or where it was adapted from, what it means to the author, or whatever-- but these are too long. Multiple paragraphs are completely unnecessary.
I didn't write down any recipes to try from this book, as all the gluten-free alternatives rely on a store-bought baking mix-- I am not interested in individually testing potato starch, xantham gum, and the 8 other ingredients in those pre-made mixes. If gluten-free baking mixes work for you, this could be worth a look, as the recipes look really yummy, but definitely not a required purchase.
I didn't write down any recipes to try from this book, as all the gluten-free alternatives rely on a store-bought baking mix-- I am not interested in individually testing potato starch, xantham gum, and the 8 other ingredients in those pre-made mixes. If gluten-free baking mixes work for you, this could be worth a look, as the recipes look really yummy, but definitely not a required purchase.
May 14, 2020
A really awesome, very accessible cookbook for any level of baker. And as someone who’s lactose intolerant/a beginner-ish baker who loves to bake for friends/family/coworkers with dietary restrictions, this book is the dream. Recipes are full of big, interesting flavors, hugely nostalgic, and downright mouthwatering for any type of eater, but also not full of totally inaccessible ingredients or intimidating techniques. I especially love the buns and snacking cakes sections. Admittedly, I’ve only made cinnamon rolls from this book so far, but they were delicious, shockingly so for a dairy-free recipe, and it was a blast (even though I’ve never attempted any sort of sweet yeasted dough before). Looking forward to making my way through this whole book, and I hope I get to go to Goldenrod Pastries someday IRL!
April 27, 2020
Goldenrod Pastries bakery is in my hometown and has a wide following. It is well-known for delicious, gluten free and vegan baking. Now that we are staying at home, we are lucky that Angela Garbacz has shared her expertise in an excellent new cookbook, Perfectly Golden. Angela has been noted by Food and Wine as “one of the most innovative women in food and drink”. We just purchased a copy. It is the best gluten free cook book I have found. The recipes are easy to follow, there is great advice on flours, and it is on high grade paper with beautiful illustrations. As a note, I am not acquainted with the author and am giving this review based on my experience.
December 19, 2020
I’ve made a few of the recipes with a couple of modifications and they turned out well. I made the basic muffins and added cranberries, walnuts and orange zest. They were good but a little rubbery so next time I’ll sub half the flour for oat bran. I made my pumpkin pie this year with the nut crust featured in the book. Instead of coconut oil, I used butter and I reduced the amount of sugar and salt. I also used coarsely ground almonds in lieu of almond flour for a little texture. It was better than a regular pie crust.
I’m looking forward to stopping in Lincoln NE on a road trip and stopping in at the at the Goldenrod bakery! I’m actually looking forward to any road trip! 😷😍
I’m looking forward to stopping in Lincoln NE on a road trip and stopping in at the at the Goldenrod bakery! I’m actually looking forward to any road trip! 😷😍
January 8, 2021
What a fabulous book this is! I made some frosting and it was perfect. There are so many other interesting looking things, I think I gained weight just looking at the photos. Best part is the information that would allow you to make almost any of these things gluten-free, dairy-free and/or vegan. The authors has extensive recommendations for substitutions and how to use them. I personally don't have dietary restrictions but sometimes make things for people who do. The idea that these are all tested and well used at the bakery in Lincoln, NE gives confidence to us who don't make things regularly with anything but traditional ingredients.
February 14, 2021
I absolutely love this book!
I live in Lincoln, Nebraska so I’ve visited Goldenrod Pastries many of times before going to the farmer’s market on Sundays. I love all the pastries there and I was so happy to see many of those pastries in this cookbook. Also I’ve suggested this book to many of my friends because each recipe has a variation to fit any dietary need. I absolutely love baking all of these recipes!
I live in Lincoln, Nebraska so I’ve visited Goldenrod Pastries many of times before going to the farmer’s market on Sundays. I love all the pastries there and I was so happy to see many of those pastries in this cookbook. Also I’ve suggested this book to many of my friends because each recipe has a variation to fit any dietary need. I absolutely love baking all of these recipes!
June 30, 2024
There are major errors in this book. I tried making her bun recipe, and it states for way too little flour I added enough to bring it together and it worked out, but that's only because I know how to make bread and buns already. I just made the marzipan cake and she asked me to add -'the eggs' , but there's no eggs listed in the ingredient list! I had to guess. This book was not proof read properly. I have reached out to the bakery to get correct information, I received no reply.
February 16, 2021
I made a long list of recipes to try while reading through this cookbook. Love that the author has made them allergen friendly, but says when you can sub in traditional ingredients. I made the apple snack cake yesterday and it was wonderful!
May 3, 2020
Really makes GF/dairy free/vegan sweet baking accessible with a cheerful, encouraging tone.
May 20, 2020
Bought this for my gluten free daughter for her birthday. Drove to Lincoln for a signed copy. We are loving all the great recipes. A must have for any baker.
Read
August 21, 2020There were a few vegan recipes in here I had to make copies of because I was excited to try. Not as many as I would have liked, but a few look good!
September 6, 2020
Marked quite a few recipes to try! Excited to get baking. Recipes can be adapted to be vegan, dairy free and gluten free.
September 25, 2020
Such an amazing cookbook! I stopped baking when I ended up with food intolerances and now I feel like I can bake again!
February 5, 2022
The recipes just aren’t quite right. I am not sure what happened with this book, but it seems measurements are a bit off or even missing sometimes. The book itself has great photos and tips and photography. I love the style and colors.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews