Homemade Gluten Free Bread
This soft, fluffy gluten free bread is easy to make and perfect for all of your sandwiches, toast and more. It’s surprisingly easy to make and even dairy free. It holds together so well, and as the perfect tender texture.
I don’t know about you, but in my 5+ years of being gluten free, I have never really been satisfied with store bought gluten free bread. Trader Joe’s makes a good one that is mostly made up of a base of rice flour – but I find the texture is only great when it’s toasted and I wanted a bread that is good just plain!
This homemade gluten free bread recipe was a true labor of love, but I’m so glad I finally mastered it because it is SO good. It’s moist, tender, holds together well and is great just sliced, toasted, in a sandwich, or as french toast. Whatever you like!
This bread tastes just like any other bread with a subtle hint of honey to balance out the yeasty flavors. Not all gluten free bread is created equal but I have tested and perfected this recipe to ensure you love it! Try it with my homemade almond butter and jam!
Before we get started…
- You must use the gluten free bread flour here, not gluten free all purpose flour! It is my go to in any yeasted recipes like my gluten free cinnamon rolls and is key for that moist and fluffy texture.
- I used a 9×5 loaf pan, but you can use a pullman loaf pan which is often used for bread. Just keep in mind the bread will be taller and more narrow if you use a pullman pan.
- I highly recommend using a stand mixer here, but if you do not have one, you can mix and knead all the ingredients by hand.
- I opted for honey but you can sub for white sugar. Do not omit the sweetener entirely – you need something to feed the yeast.
How to make gluten free bread
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the bread flour (remove the yeast packet from the flour bag – we want to use instant yeast), instant yeast and salt. Mix to combine.
Heat the water to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. I check it with a meat thermometer which is key. Too hot and it will kill the yeast, too cold and it won’t activate. Between 105 and 115 Fahrenheit is what you want.
With the mixer running on low, add in all remaining ingredients including the water.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, then let the mixer run on medium/low speed for about 5 minutes to knead the dough.
Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and add the dough into the pan. Spread the top out smooth. Cover with a dish towel and set aside to rise for 45 minutes.
It won’t quite double in size, but should expand quite a bit. Toward the end of the 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 375 Fahrenheit.
Add the bread to the oven (without the towel), and bake for 30 minutes, then decrease to 350 and bake an additional 30-35 minutes.
If you notice the top of the bread browning too much, you can tent it with foil. The bread is done when the inside temperature reaches 210 Fahrenheit. Let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Slice and enjoy!
Troubleshooting tips
Why did my bread collapse? This can be due to several factors, but in my testing process, the most common I found was over proofing. I originally let the dough rise for 60-90 minutes, which was much too long. 45 minutes gives the dough a chance to roughly double in size, but won’t over proof to the point that the structure can’t support itself.
Why didn’t it rise? If this happened, it was most likely because your yeast was expired or the temperature of your water either killed the yeast (too hot) or wasn’t hot it enough to activate it. Check the date of your yeast for best results!
Why is the center of the bread soggy? When baked properly, the center should be fully cooked and have nice little air bubbles like you see in the photos. I suggest using a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the inside of the dough – it should be 210-215 degrees Fahrenheit when fully cooked.
How to store and freeze
Store the bread in an airtight container once it has cooled. It can be kept on the counter at room temperature, or in the fridge – either way you want it covered. I find it best to not pre-slice the entire loaf. Just slice off what you need at a time to keep the rest of the loaf moist.
To freeze, I actually do suggest pre-slicing, then storing in a freezer safe bag or wrapping very tightly in plastic wrap. Let thaw in the fridge or you can add it to your toaster right from frozen.
Can I make it vegan?
Unfortunately, no. The egg and extra egg yolks are absolutely essential for the texture of this bread! The protein provides added structural support and helps the bread rise properly. Leaving them out will result in a dense and gummy loaf.
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Homemade Gluten Free Bread
by: claire cary
This soft, fluffy gluten free bread is easy to make and perfect for all of your sandwiches, toast and more. It's surprisingly easy to make and even dairy free. It holds together so well, and as the perfect tender texture.
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Instructions
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the bread flour (remove the yeast packet from the flour bag – we want to use instant yeast), instant yeast and salt.
Mix to combine.
- Heat the water to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. I check it with a meat thermometer which is key. Too hot and it will kill the yeast, too cold and it won't activate. Between 105 and 115 Fahrenheit is what you want.
With the mixer running on low, add in all remaining ingredients including the water.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, then let the mixer run on medium/low speed for about 5 minutes to knead the dough.
- Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and add the dough into the pan. Spread the top out smooth.
Cover with a dish towel and set aside to rise for 45 minutes.
It won't quite double in size, but should expand quite a bit.
Toward the end of the 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 375 Fahrenheit.
Add the bread to the oven (without the towel), and bake for 30 minutes, then decrease to 350 and bake an additional 30-35 minutes.
If you notice the top of the bread browning too much, you can tent it with foil.
- The bread is done when the inside temperature reaches 210 Fahrenheit. I suggest checking it with a meat thermometer.
Let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
I used a 9×5 loaf pan, but you can use a pullman loaf pan which is often used for bread. Just keep in mind the bread will be taller and more narrow if you use a pullman pan.
I opted for honey but you can sub for white sugar. Do not omit the sweetener entirely – you need something to feed the yeast.
The egg and extra egg yolks are absolutely essential for the texture of this bread! The protein provides added structural support and helps the bread rise properly. Leaving them out will result in a dense and gummy loaf.
Serving: 1slice / Calories: 165kcal / Carbohydrates: 24g / Protein: 5g / Fat: 5g / Sodium: 190mg / Fiber: 0.5g / Sugar: 5g