Development of Gluten Free Cookie Using Chestnut and Foxnut Flour Blend: Composition Optimization through Response Surface Methodology

Cookies are baked goods that typically comprise the three main elements sugar, lipids and wheat flour alongside the additional minute components including eggs, milk, salt, and leavening agents. Gluten, a wheat protein found in wheat flour, contributes to the extensibility and elasticity of dough. For an individual with a celiac disease, the consumption of gluten should be avoided. In addition to those with celiac disease, those who observe religious fasts abstain from wheat and wheat-derived items. Religious fasting, often described as a fasting regimen carried out for spiritual or religious reasons, is a dietary pattern characterized by varying degrees of calorie restriction and abstention from particular foods. In order to make gluten-free cookies for fasting, water chestnut flour, foxnuts, and peanuts were combined with cardamom and clove as flavoring agent. The experimental planning and analysis were performed using the Response Surface Methodology. Two independent variables, specifically the foxnut powder and chestnut flour were selected and the Central Composite Design was applied. Altogether, thirteen experimental formulations were used for producing cookies. Along with sensory evaluation, the cookies’ moisture, ash, fat, and protein contents were examined. For general acceptance, 25–30 semi-trained panelists were chosen to conduct the sensory analysis based on a numerical scoring test. The sample (S12; 60% chestnut and 5% foxnut flour) had the greatest overall acceptance score. The chemical components of S12, namely moisture, ash, fat, and protein, were 3.84%, 3.51%, 18.52%, and 6.92%, respectively. Compared to the control sample, this sample was preferred.