Easy Gluten-Free Bread Recipe (for an Oven or Bread Machine) (2024)

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/ Last Modified On February 15, 2024

Whip up this simple and easy-to-make homemade gluten-free bread. It is a straightforward, no-fuss recipe with tips and information for success. This easy-to-make bread is the ideal base for any sandwich, perfect for your next lunch.

I've also included instructions for making this gluten-free bread in a bread machine for those who prefer to use a bread machine when making gluten-free bread. If you are vegan,I've included instructions, too!

Start your gluten-free baking with this Gluten-Free Yeast-Free Bread, this tangy, easy Gluten-Free Sourdough, and the sweet Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread; eachrecipe has a different taste.

The Gluten-Free Hawaiian Rolls are one you need to add to your list, while the Gluten-Free Rye Bread is so good, too. Which one will you choose next?

Want to level up your gluten-free cooking and baking skills? Check out our roundup of the best gluten-free cooking classes online, or try out these informative gluten-free courses from Udemy.

Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread Recipe

I posted a gluten-free bread recipe back in early 2015. It was okay, but it wasn't the best gluten-free bread. It had a little bit of a quick bread texture. I also have a gluten-free bread recipe for the bread machine (see further down if you use a gluten-free bread machine).

Just look at the texture of this easy gluten-free bread. It's amazing. The gluten-free loaf featured in this picture could've used a few more minutes in the oven, but I'll discuss that below.

You are going to love this gluten-free, dairy-free bread. I promise.

Please, please read through this post. I share my experience and what worked and didn't when I was reworking this gluten-free bread recipe.

Why You’re Going to Love This Gluten-Free Bread

Tastes so good - Leave the store-bought bread and enjoy real, fresh, homemade bread that tastes delicious.

Great for various diets - You can make this bread dairy-free, and I've also included a vegan option.

Simple And wholesome ingredients - This recipe blends gluten-free flours and natural ingredients. So, no nasties.

Ingredients in Gluten-Free Bread

For The Yeast Proof

Water (95°F-110°F) - The warm water activates the yeast, which is important for the bread to rise.

Sugar or Honey - This acts as food for the yeast, which helps activate it and produces carbon dioxide, which causes the dough to rise.

Active Dry Yeast - The key leavening agent, it ferments the sugars and creates air bubbles that make the GF bread light and fluffy.

For The Bread

White Rice Flour - This ingredient contributes to its structure.

Tapioca Starch - Adds chewiness and helps bind the ingredients, improving the bread's texture.

Potato Starch or Arrowroot Starch - This helps with the bread's moisture and is for that tender crumb.

Millet Flour or Almond Flour - Adds a nutty flavor.

Ground Flaxseed (Flaxseed Meal) - This increases the fiber content and can help bind the dough, similar to gluten.

Xanthan Gum - Replaces gluten's role by providing elasticity and stickiness. This is for the bread's structure.

Baking Powder - An additional leavening agent that helps the bread rise and achieve a light texture.

Salt - This is added for the overall flavor of the bread and regulates yeast activity.

Oil - Adds moisture and richness, contributing to a soft texture and extending the bread's shelf life.

Egg Whites - Provide structure and stability to the bread, helping it to rise and maintain its shape.

Apple Cider Vinegar - Improves the bread's texture and interacts with leavening agents for a better rise.

Equipment Needed for This Gluten-Free Bread

Loaf Pan - A standard-sized loaf pan of 9x5 inches works well.

Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment - This is for mixing the dough so that the bread has the right texture. You don't need a dough hook for this recipe.

Mixing Bowls - Used for preparing the yeast-proofing mixture and combining the dry ingredients before mixing with wet ingredients.

Thermometer - To measure water temperature for yeast activation, ensuring it's within the optimal range (95°F-110°F).

Rubber Spatula - Useful for scraping down the sides of the bowl during mixing and transferring the dough to the loaf pan.

Plastic Wrap or Damp Cloth - To cover the dough during the rising process to create a warm environment to aid the yeast.

Wire Rack - For cooling the bread after baking, which helps to prevent sogginess and keep the bread's structure.

Serrated Knife - A serrated knife is for slicing the finished bread. It has a saw-like blade that helps to cut through the crust easily without squashing the center of the bread.

If you have any questions about making Gluten-Free Bread, please leave a comment, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Additional Gluten-Free Flours to use when making this gluten-free bread

I used my gluten-free flour blend when I first made this gluten-free bread recipe. It works great, but I realized it needed something more.

I tested several different flour blend options before settling on the winner, the one that I think makes the best gluten-free bread. See the recipe card for the gluten-free bread recipe that readers love.

Here are some additional options for making this gluten-free bread recipe. Note that these substitutions will yield slightly different results. If you decide to go with one of these substitutions, you will need to replace all the flours and starches in the recipe with the following (everything else stays the same):

• 2 ½ cups of my gluten-free flour blend + ½ cup of almond flour + ¼ cup flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed).
• 2 ½ cups of my flour blend + ½ cup of millet flour + ¼ cup of flaxseed meal. It's an amazing nut-free gluten-free bread.
• 2 ½ cups of Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend + ½ cup of almond flour + ¼ cup flaxseed meal.
• 2 ½ cups of Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend + ½ cup millet flour + ¼ cup flaxseed meal.

This gluten-free dairy-free bread recipe was originally developed for the oven, but I have a gluten-free bread machine recipe version below for those who like to use a bread machine.

How To Make Gluten-Free Bread

1. Add the sugar and yeast to your warm water (95-110 degrees F) and stir; set it aside for 5-10 minutes but no longer.
2. While your yeast is proofing, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flours, flax seed meal, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Turn your mixer to low and mix just until combined.
3. Add oil, egg whites, vinegar, and proofed yeast mixture.
4. Turn the mixer to a medium speed and mix for 2 minutes. The dough will be thick and sticky. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides.
5. Using a rubber spatula, add the dough to your prepared loaf pan, filling in the corners of the pan and leveling the top. Wet your fingers and smooth the top.
6. Cover the dough with a lightly oiled piece of plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes or until it has risen slightly above the loaf pan.
7. When the dough is near the top of the pan, preheat your oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 60 – 65 minutes. Halfway through baking, cover the bread loaf with a piece of foil to keep it from over-browning.
8. Remove the loaf from the oven and let cool completely before slicing. Slice the entire loaf and store in a container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Please see the recipe below for the complete ingredient list and instructions.

Gluten-Free Bread in a Bread Machine

If you prefer to make this gluten-free bread recipe in a bread machine, make sure you have one with a gluten-free setting. I have a Zojirushi bread machine and it makes a beautiful loaf and is my preferred gluten-free bread machine. There are other bread machines, just follow their instructions if they are different.

Check out our list of the Best Gluten-Free Bread Makers on the market today if you're looking to purchase one yourself. (I highly recommend it!)

• Add the warm water, oil, egg whites, and vinegar to the pan in your gluten-free bread machine. Do not add the yeast here. We are not proofing the yeast, we will add it in later.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients except for the yeast (sugar, flours, flaxseed, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt) and add to the bread machine pan on top of the wet ingredients, in a mound.
• Make a hole in the center of the top of the dry ingredients that are in the bread machine and add the yeast. Don't let the yeast touch the wet ingredients.
• If your machine has a "rest" setting, cancel it. You don't need it. With the Zojirushi you have to do this before you select any other settings.
• Select the gluten-free bread setting on your machine.
• Close the lid and press "start".

Please let me know if you have any questions about making this gluten-free bread recipe.

Egg-Free Substitution in Gluten-Free Bread

For a gluten-free vegan bread version of this gluten-free bread recipe, you can use chia eggs or Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer (2 eggs worth).

I've only tested this gluten-free egg-free bread recipe in the oven. I haven't tested the egg-free version in a bread machine.

Swap out the 3 egg whites with 2 tablespoons of chia seed + 7 tablespoons of water (let sit for 5 minutes and stir before you add it to the mixture). Or use Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer and mix up 2 eggs worth.

Bake for 70 minutes (putting a piece of foil over the loaf to help prevent over-browning, halfway through).

Dairy-free gluten-free bread recipe

I still can't get over how amazing this gluten-free sandwich bread is. It's better than any gluten-free bread I've had, and my family, including my gluten-eating husband, agrees.

This gluten-free bread is also dairy-free. I've tested it with dairy (milk for activating the yeast and butter instead of oil) and I found it to add to the quick bread texture.

If you want this gluten-free bread to have the same texture as deli-style sandwich bread, then you need to use water when activating the yeast and oil instead of butter.

Trust me. Plus, it's less expensive to use water and oil in gluten-free bread recipes than it is to use milk and butter.

To make this a gluten-free vegan bread, see the instructions above for subbing out the eggs for chia eggs.

Related:Easy Gluten-Free Artisan Bread Recipe

Gum-free gluten-free bread

I use xanthan gum in this gluten-free dairy-free bread recipe. I feel it yields the best results.

Not everyone can have gums. You can use psyllium husk powder (not full husks) in this recipe. I only tested it once, but I used 3 tablespoons of psyllium husk powder in place of the xanthan gum - yes, that reads 3 TABLESPOONS.

Psyllium husk powder is not a 1-to-1 for xanthan gum. Again, I only tested this one time, so I cannot claim that this is the best sub for xanthan gum.

Sure, it worked for me, but I haven't checked to see if it's repeatable with that amount of psyllium husk powder.

Tips for making gluten-free bread

Here are my tips that work with this gluten-free bread recipe. See below for my gluten-free bread machine recipe.

Don't substitute anything in this gluten-free bread recipe unless I specified above that I've tested it. This is important. If you substitute something, I can't guarantee anything, and I can't help you troubleshoot if something doesn't work in your gluten-free bread.

Ingredients at room temperature work best. You can always run your eggs under warm water for a few minutes to keep the temperature up.

Read the recipe instructions and get all the ingredients out before you start.

Use dry active yeast or quick yeast. I use Fleischmann's yeast: it's labeled gluten-free. I've also used Red Star yeast.

If your bread sinks in the middle before it is done baking, you most likely let the yeast proof sit too long before using it, or you let your bread rise too long. You want to put your gluten-free bread in the oven when it rises just above the top of the loaf pan, no longer.

Ensure your water is between 95-110 degrees before adding the yeast. If you don't have a thermometer, I suggest you get one.

Line the loaf pan with parchment paper and then spray it with oil. This will help you remove the loaf from the pan.

Pan size matters. If you use a wider pan, your loaf will be broader and shorter. If you use a narrower pan, your loaf baking time might change.

Again, if you have any questions on how to make gluten-free bread, please leave me a comment below. I've included a video that shows step-by-step how to make gluten-free bread.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long to bake gluten-free bread?

This gluten-free bread recipe works best when baked for 60-65 minutes in the oven or on the gluten-free setting in a bread machine.

See my notes on the gluten-free bread recipe for the bread machine below.

Remember to cover your gluten-free bread with foil halfway through baking so it doesn't over-brown.

You might read that a loaf is done baking once it hits around 200 degrees F. Please bake this loaf 60-65 minutes, even if your thermometer says otherwise.

What size of a pan do I use to make Gluten-Free Bread?

This gluten-free bread recipe was developed using a 9 x 4 inch metal loaf pan. You can use a different size loaf pan, but you'll want to watch the cook time. Also, it won't have the same rise, depending on the size.

You can also make this bread recipe in a glass loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Metal and glass pans transfer heat differently, and gluten-free bread loaves typically have a thicker crust when baked in a glass pan.

How to store freshly baked bread

This fresh-baked bread stays soft for 2-3 days after it's been baked. You'll want to let it cool to room temperature before you slice it. We like to store it whole, in a sealed container, or wrap it tightly with cling wrap, and slice it as we need it.

After a day or two, we will freeze any bread that's left.

Can I freeze gluten-free bread?

Yes, you can freeze this gluten-free bread loaf. After it has completely cooled, slice the loaf into equal slices. We like to place a piece of parchment paper or in between each slice, so it's easy to pull it out of the freezer.

You can either defrost the bread in the microwave or you can let it sit at room temperature until it has thawed.

Why is my gluten-free bread dense?

For your bread machine, does it have a gluten-free setting? This setting is essential because it only does one mix cycle, not two mix cycles, as you get with other settings.

If you don't have the gluten-free setting option, use a quick program with one mixing cycle rather than two when making gluten-free bread. Mixing it twice will always cause the bread to be denser.

Are you scooping your measuring cup into the flour? Or spooning the flour into the cups and then leveling? It would be best if you always spooned and then level. Otherwise, you'll end up with more flour than you want, which will cause the bread to be dense.

Are you storing your flours in the freezer or refrigerator? If flours are stored that way, they lose moisture, and when they are mixed with other ingredients, they tend to absorb more of the moisture, and the bread is denser.

Can I Double This Bread Recipe?

Yes, you can double this gluten-free bread recipe. When doing so, use two loaf pans to ensure even baking and consider slightly adjusting the yeast quantity to avoid over-proofing.

Be mindful of the mixer capacity for the increased volume of ingredients, and check for any necessary adjustments in baking time.

However, I recommend you try the recipe first. I usually make two doughs for two loaves as it is easier to handle and yields consistent results.

View our step-by-step instructional video for this recipe on YouTube.

I hope I've set you up for success by making the best gluten-free bread you've ever had. If you have any questions about this gluten-free bread recipe, comment. Also, if you make it, I want to know your thoughts! Please come back and share your experience.