Gluten .

Gluten is a critical component of baking flours, where the gluten protein chains entrap air giving cakes its fluffiness. It helps standardise baking flour and helps sheet biscuit dough evenly. Gluten forms an net that entraps air and gasses released by leavening agents making breads soft. Whereas in the case of cookies the amount of gluten alters the cookie's dough sheeting hardness.