Easy Gluten Free Bread Recipe That Anyone Can Make | Dairy-Free (2024)

An Easy Gluten Free Bread Recipe That Anyone Can Make (That’s Dairy-Free, Too!)

Tired of gluten-free bread that tastes like cardboard? Try this easy gluten free bread recipe that turns out soft and bendable every time (even at room temperature).

I was paying a pretty penny, but half the loaf was missing!

My buttered knife was staring at a slice of this bread with only hole to fill. So I folded the bread in half, pretended to not care, and silently cried inside.

Disappointment. Again.

Baking gluten free bread at home led to other problems.

Namely, gluten-free bread that went flat like a pancake.

Or was crumbly and didn’t hold together well.

Or tasted like cardboard (an overused saying, but if the shoe fits…).

Because now I’ve found a reliable gluten free bread recipe that I make every month, usually twice…at least.

Read next: How to Stock a Gluten-Free Pantry on a Budget

The best gluten-free sandwich bread recipe…

This is by far my absolute favorite gluten-free sandwich bread recipe. It’s not a white sandwich bread, so don’t expect that. It’s got a great whole grain taste, much like a whole wheat sandwich bread.

It checks all the boxes!
This gluten free sandwich bread is:

• Soft
• Bendable
• Delicious at room temperature (which is really hard for a gluten-free bread)
• So stinkin’ easy to whip up
• And it’s dairy-free!

Is it cheaper to make your own gluten free bread?

Have you seen the price for a loaf of gluten free bread in the store?! Oh my goodness gracious. It’s ridiculous. And as I said before, half the loaf is missing sometimes!

This bread costs a fraction of the store price to make at home…and tastes a million times better.

That’s just the best win-win situation possible, right?

I even did the math, and each loaf comes out to only cost about $1.50.

Compare that to $4.99 (at least). Yes, it is cheaper to make your own bread at home, my friends.

To save the most amount of money, try to buy your gluten-free flours and ingredients in bulk.

If you have celiacs and are unable to shop the bulk section for risk of contamination, try ordering through a local co-op, like Azure Standard. This might also save you quite a bit of money!

Related: Easy gluten free dinner rolls—that even kids can make!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, but you will not be charged a penny extra! And mama, I never recommend products I don’t love or believe in.

Baking gluten-free bread is so different from regular bread-making.

Think of it more like making muffins.

It’s way more like a batter than a dough. But don’t get confused, this gluten-free bread is EASY to make! Just like muffins. It’s just different.

If you’ve been binge-watching The Great British Baking Show (like me), it’s nothing like those breads here! There is no kneading. Uh-uh. Nope. And there’s only one proofing.

Instead of gluten, we’re working with gums and yeast. So there is a proofing, but only after you’ve poured your dough-batter into the pans.

Again, easy.

Tips for the best gluten free bread:

1. This gluten-free bread relies on xanthan gum to bind it together and add chewiness. To really help the gum do its job, you need to beat the “dough” for 3 minutes. This is an important step to not skip.
   (Note: I have only tried this recipe with xanthan gum, but it should work just fine with psyllium husk or guar gum. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!).
2. I have made this bread with my own 4-ingredient flour blend recipe, so I can’t vouch for how all gluten-free flour blends will work. I have also made it successfully with this flour and this flour.
3. If you plan on freezing the bread, it’s best to wait until it cools, slice it, and then put it in the freezer. This bread does mold more quickly than regular bread if it’s left at room temperature. It is best stored in the fridge or the freezer after 2-3 days. It has always reheated beautifully for me.
4. This recipe is for TWO loaves of bread, but it is crazy-simple to halve and just make one loaf.
   

Can I make this gluten-free bread vegan?

Short answer, yes!

This gluten free bread has turned out beautifully without eggs.

Here’s how to make this gluten free bread vegan:

I recommend using 1/4 cup of chia seeds and an extra 1/2 cup of water.

Simply add the chia seeds and extra water with the flaxseed mixture and let it all gel together and proceed as normal.

It doesn’t rise quite as high as the egg batter version, but is very tasty and soft.

Is this gluten free bread dairy-free?

Yep.

There’s not dairy involved here, even originally.

Water all the way and it works perfectly.

Is this healthy gluten free bread?

This is a bit harder to answer, as the definition of “healthy” really depends on every person’s individual needs.

But on a grand scale, this is a healthy gluten free bread recipe. It has wholesome ingredients, very limited processing, and uses flaxseed, almond flour, and brown rice flour for a filling slice.

It is still full of carbs, even though well-derived, and should be eaten in moderation.

What is the best way to store gluten-free baked bread?

Gluten free bread stays fresh at room temperature for about 2 days, when sealed in an air-tight container.

After that it starts to mold quickly.

Gluten free bread is best stored in the refrigerator or freezer for the best results.

How to freeze homemade gluten free bread

Before freezing, allow your freshly baked loaf to cool to room temperature and then slice.

Place your slices in an airtight container. I found containers at Ikea that are the perfect size, but I also store the slices in a freezer-safe Zip-loc bag , with a slight slant on them so it’s easy to pull pieces apart.

You can reheat the frozen bread in a toaster or in a microwave with it wrapped in a tea cloth or paper towel. Start by reheating 30 seconds, and then 10 seconds at a time until warm.

Is yeast gluten free?

Yeast is naturally gluten free.

Most active dry yeast brands will be gluten free (like this popular one), but always read the label to make sure no other ingredients have been added.

To learn more about how to read nutrition labels for gluten, check out this article: Foods to Avoid When Eating a Gluten-free Diet.

There’s a free printable or download to help you know what is and is not glutenous.

What gluten free flour is best for bread?

When it comes to gluten free bread, you need a blend of gluten-free flours. You don’t want to use just one type of gltuen-free flour, say, like alllllll almond flour.

Nope.

To mimic the structure of wheat, we want to combine whole grains, starches, and gums.

I make my own flour blend that you can find the recipe for here. Bonus, it’s way cheaper this way.

If making your own flour is too daunting right now, I recommend looking for these ingredients.

• Find a flour that includes higher amounts of whole grains, like rice flour, sorghum flour, or millet flour.

  Ingredients are listed with the highest amount of each in order, so you want to see these ingredients listed first.

• Find a flour that does NOT contain garbanzo beans.

  Garbanzo beans add density and a…well, bean flavor. It tastes “gluten free” in the bad kind of way to many people.

Here are a few pre-made gluten free flour blends I recommend for baking bread:

• Kind Arthur Gluten Free Flour
• Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Flour
• Pamela’s Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour

Want more easy gluten free bread recipes that are dairy free, too? Try these next!

• Best Vegan Gluten-Free Rolls EVER
• Amazing GF Cinnamon Raisin Bread
• Easy Weeknight Gluten Free Flatbread (only 5-ingredients!)
• Gluten-free Pretty-darn Perfect “Rye” Bread

Now let’s make some bread! I’m getting really hungry talking about it.

And my grass-fed butter is waiting so patiently…

Yield: 2 Loaves

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Additional Time: 32 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

This soft, pliable bread is gluten-free, dairy-free, and tree nut free if desired. Gluten free bread doesn't have to taste terrible! Enjoy.

Ingredients

For the yeast mixture:

• 1 cup warm water (about 110° F)
• 2 tablespoons organic sugar or honey
• 2 envelopes, or 4 ½ teaspoons, active yeast

For the flaxseed mixture:

• 1 cup warm water
• ½ cup ground flaxseed

Dry ingredients:

• 3 cups gluten free flour blend
• 1 cup almond flour (UPDATE: for those with tree nut allergies, this can be replaced with another cup of gluten free flour or brown rice flour)
• 1 tablespoon himalayan salt (reduce to 2 teaspoons if using sea salt)
• 1 tablespoon xanthan gum

Wet ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• ½ cup oil (I use an avocado/coconut blend or grapeseed oil. Any oil with a light flavor should work great)
• Optional: 2 tablespoons black strap molasses

Instructions

1. Combine the water and sugar in a measuring glass and stir to dissolve the sugar slightly. Add yeast and gently mix together then set aside in a warm area for 5 minutes until frothy
2. In the bowl of the mixer, combine the other cup of warm water with the ground flaxseed and stir well. Let sit while the yeast mixture proofs, for about 3-5 minutes
3. Now add the gluten-free flour, almond flour (or extra cup of gluten free flour), salt, xanthan gum, eggs, oil, yeast mixture, flaxseed mixture, and molasses to the mixer bowl and turn it on low
4. Mix together until combined, scraping the bowl to incorporate it all
5. Once it’s all smooth and there aren’t any major lumps, turn the mixer to high and let beat for 3 minutes
6. While it’s mixing, grease and lightly flour (with brown rice flour) two bread loaf pans
7. Divide dough-batter between the two pans and smooth the tops as best you can since they will hold that shape through baking (if you REALLY want the tops smooth, you can oil your hands and smooth the tops gently)
8. Cover pans loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise in a warm place for 35 minutes. You don’t want the dough to rise above the top of the pan, so keep an eye on it
9. Preheat oven to 375° F while the dough is rising
10. Bake the bread for 40-50 minutes until the top is nicely browned and the inside temperature is 200° F. If the top starts to get too dark to early, you can add a tin-foil tent over the top to help stop the browning
11. Let bread cool for 20 minutes until turning out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling before slicing (unless you’re like me and cut off the ends while they’re still piping hot to smother them in Kerrygold butter to devour)
12. Enjoy!

Notes

Once cooled, slice and store left overs in the fridge or freezer after 2 days. This bread does mold quickly if left out.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

I hope you enjoy having this gluten-free homemade bread, smothered in butter (or honey). Because there are no giant missing holes. So you can.

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