Use a liquid measuring cup to measure 80 ml of room temperature water. Make sure to check the measurement at eye level. You may also weigh the water on a scale to confirm it is 80 ml. Set aside an extra 4 ml of warm water in a small cup in case you need more later.
Using a weight scale, measure 50 grams of tapioca starch into one bowl and 50 grams of rice flour into another bowl.
Form starch and add flour:
In a medium saucepan, add the water and salt. Stir to dissolve the salt. Add the tapioca starch and use a wooden spoon to stir until there are no lumps.
Place the pan over low heat on the stovetop. Stir constantly with the wooden spoon for about 2 minutes, until 2/3 of the liquid forms into lumps, about 2 minutes.
Immediately remove the pan from the heat, but keep stirring for 5 more seconds then carefully add the rice flour to the pan. Stir to combine for 1 minute. Then, transfer the starch and flour mixture from the pan onto a large non-stick silicone pastry mat. Use the wooden spoon to scrape the pan a few times to remove all of the dough.
Form and knead the dough:
Add the oil to the dough and knead for 5-6 minutes until thoroughly combined. The dough will seem bumpy at first. While kneading, make an indentation in the center of the dough and add some flour to the middle, then fold the dough over itself. Repeat this motion until the ingredients are fully incorporated. If desired, add turmeric powder now for yellow colored dough. At first the dough will seem crumbly and dry, but after 4 minutes of kneading it should start to come together. The finished dough should feel slightly dry and stretchy, which will help prevent the wrappers from tearing when rolling.
If after 5 minutes the dough still seems crumbly and won't fully combine, add 2 ml of warm water and knead for 1-2 more minute. If needed, add another 2 ml warm water and knead for 1-2 more minute. The dough should come together at this point. Avoid over-kneading or the dough will become too elastic and hard to stretch later.
Cover the dough and let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. This rest time will help make the dough smoother.
Roll out the dough:
After resting, knead the dough for 1 more minute to develop the elasticity. Lightly dust a work surface with rice flour to prevent sticking. Shape the dough into a rectangular log. Use a rolling pin to press down on the dough, obliquely twice in different directions. Then continue rolling out the dough into a thin rectangle about 14 inches long and 2 mm thickness (about a nickel thick). Try to maintain the rectangular shape as you roll. If any areas feel moist or sticky, sprinkle on more rice flour.
The rolled out dough will feel smooth. Handle it gently to avoid tearing.
Cutting into wrappers:
Dust the rolled out dough with more rice flour. Carefully cut the sheet in half lengthwise using a dough cutter or butter knife so you have two equal rectangles. Stack the rectangles on top of each other. Measure and cut one 3-inch wide strip from top to bottom. Use this strip to measure and cut another equal strips, so you have 4 long 3-inch wide strips total.
Stack the 4 strips on top of each other, dusting with rice flour between each layer. Turn the strips horizontally. Trim off any uneven edges on one side to straighten. Measure and cut one 3-inch wide square. Use this square piece as a guide to cut the rest of the strips into equal 3-inch squares. You should get 12-14 wrappers.
Rolling Thinner (Optional):
The wonton wrappers should be paper thin, almost translucent. If the wrappers are not thin enough, you can gently roll out each square further to reach the desired thinness, about 3.5 inches square, similar to store-bought wrappers. Work slowly and carefully to avoid tearing the dough.
Using and Storing the Wrappers:
It's best to use the homemade wrappers right after making them to wrap wontons. Once wrapped into wontons, you can refrigerate the wontons to use the next day or freeze them for up to 1 month and cook directly from frozen. Do not refrigerate or freeze the wrappers without first wrapping them into wontons. The unwrapped wrappers will become dry and crumbly, making them difficult to fold.
Video
Notes
Recipe adapted from by Lucy’s cooking channel (Youtube):
How to measure water in cooking: https://shorturl.at/gvwDJ
Is gram a volume unit or a weight unit? The metric system eliminates confusion because units are clearly defined. Grams always measure weight, while milliliters always measure volume. When you see grams mentioned, you know to use a scale. When you see milliliters, you know to use a liquid measuring cup.
To double the recipe: I recommend weighing two equal sets of the recipe quantity and forming two separate doughs as opposed to lumping them into one for more accuracy.
Troubleshooting tips for GF wonton wrappers:
Gluten-free doughs can be temperamental, even when following the recipe exactly. Here are some common issues and fixes:
Dry, Crumbly Dough: If the dough won't come together and feels too dry, add 2 ml warm water at a time while kneading. Add up to 4-6 ml total until the dough is workable. The finished dough should be slightly dry but stretchy.
Wet, Sticky Dough: If a sticky dough forms with no elasticity, the measurements may be off, or extra ingredients may have been added. Unfortunately, a wet dough without stretchiness and structure is challenging to salvage. For best results, it's better to start over or try making the recipe again another day. When the dough lacks adequate elasticity, it can be difficult to use it to wrap dumplings because the wrapper tears apart easily. In this case, you can salvage the dough by making wonton chips instead.
Avoid Over-Kneading: While hydrating dry dough, don't knead excessively or it will get too elastic. Knead just until combined to maintain stretch.
Varying Kitchen Conditions; Temperature, humidity, altitude, etc. can affect dough hydration needs. You may need to tweak water amounts based on your environment.
Make-ahead: I recommend making the wonton filling a day ahead and storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Be sure to check out our wonton filling ideas (coming soon)!
Using and Storing the Wonton Wrappers:
It's best to wrap the homemade wrappers into wontons right away. Once the wontons are formed, you can refrigerate them to use the next day or freeze them for up to 1 month and cook directly from frozen to eliminate prep time. Learn how to fold wontons.
Do not refrigerate or freeze the wrappers without first wrapping them into wontons. The unwrapped wrappers will become dry and crumbly, making them difficult to fold.
How to freeze gluten-free wontons: Once wrapped into wontons, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Flash freeze for 1 hour until solid. Then transfer the frozen wontons to a freezer-friendly bag and store them in the freezer for up to 1 month.
How to cook fresh and frozen wontons: These cooking times are based on using 1 to 1.5 tsp of filling per wonton.
For fresh wontons: Bring water to a boil then lower to a simmer. Gently add the wontons and simmer for 5 minutes until cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked wontons.
For frozen wontons: Cook directly from frozen. Bring water to a boil then lower to a simmer. Cook for 7 minutes.
See our Shrimp wontons for more information and inspiration!