<p>The research was conducted to enhance the quality of cookies by utilizing four gluten-free cereal flours (sorghum, corn, finger millet, and pearl millet) to create composite flours with varying levels of wheat flour (80, 60, 40, 20%). Additionally, pure gluten-free cereal flour and pure wheat flour cookies were prepared to assess cookie quality. Various tests, including the micro-sedimentation test (MST), alkaline water retention capacity (AWRC), pasting properties, and cookie parameters such as spread factor, colour, and texture characteristics, were employed to evaluate the quality of these composite flours. The cookies made from non-gluten flours gave the biscuits inferior quality. The findings revealed that cookies made from a combination of 20% coarse cereal flour and 80% wheat flour exhibited favourable texture characteristics. Combinations of 40% pearl millet, corn, and finger millet with 60% wheat flour also yielded cookies with acceptable texture quality. Furthermore, increasing the proportion of wheat flour in the coarse cereals flour resulted in a higher cookie spread factor value. The study also unveiled significant correlations between the spread factor of cookies and the MST test, as well as some pasting properties. The AWRC value and pasting temperature also demonstrated notable correlations with the cookies spread factor. This research illustrates that incorporating coarse cereal flour into wheat flour can enrich the nutritional value of cookies without compromising their processing properties. It contributes to diversifying the range of cookies available in the market, offering options that accommodate various dietary preferences and nutritional needs.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>