How to Make Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread Recipe (2024)

  • Yeast Breads
  • Gluten-free

By

Elizabeth Barbone

How to Make Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread Recipe (1)

Elizabeth Barbone

Elizabeth Barbone develops delicious and creative recipes for the food allergic and gluten-free communities through her site Gluten-Free Baking. Author of three cookbooks: Easy Gluten-Free Baking (2009), How to Cook Gluten-Free (2012), and The World's Easiest Paleo Baking (2016).

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Updated September 26, 2018

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How to Make Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread Recipe (2)

Gluten-free bread. I'm the first to admit it suffers from a bit of a bad reputation. The premade loaves tend to be expensive and homemade recipes often are dense and fall apart when sliced. What's a gluten-free eater to do? Live without bread? My answer to that is an emphatic "No!" Gluten-free bread can be wonderful! For my first column on Serious Eats, I wanted to share my recipe for Easy Sandwich Bread. In this column, I'll be baking all sorts of gluten-free goodies: cakes, cookies, pies, etc. But bread seems like the perfect place to start because sometimes in life, you just need a sandwich. Let's get baking!

Unlike wheat-based bread, which can be made with only flour, water, salt and yeast, gluten-free bread requires a few more ingredients. While I am happy there are more "exotic" gluten-free flours on the market, this recipe only uses two specialty gluten-free ingredients: brown rice flour and xanthan gum.

The one ingredient that might have made your ears perk is xanthan gum. Usually the follow-up question to, "Elizabeth, how do I make bread?" is "Why do I need to use xanthan gum?"

Simply put, you need xanthan gum because you don't have gluten in the dough. Gluten, which comes from the Latin word for glue, provides elasticity and strength to traditional wheat-based doughs. If you've ever kneaded dough or watched someone throw pizza dough over their head, you've witnessed the stretchiness of gluten in action. Without this rubber band-like protein, gluten-free bread dough is lacking the essence of what gives bread structure.

Enter xanthan gum. While I wouldn't go as far as calling xanthan gum a gluten replacement, it does prevent gluten-free bread from collapsing in on itself. Made from a microorganism called xanthom*onas campestris, xanthan gum becomes very viscous and sticky when combined with water. It doesn't have the same rubber band-like properties of gluten but it does a good job providing structure to gluten-free breads. If you accidentally omitted it, you would have a very short, very dense loaf of bread.

After a temporary hiatus, "Gluten-Free Tuesdays" are back. Elizabeth Barbone of GlutenFreeBaking.com will be joining us every other week with a recipe. (Elizabeth will be alternating Tuesdays with Shauna James Ahern, who will join us again next week.) Please give Elizabeth a hearty SE welcome! —The Mgmt.

Recipe Details

How to Make Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread Recipe

Prep10 mins

Cook115 mins

Proofing Time60 mins

Total3 hrs 5 mins

Serves12 slices

Makes1 loaf

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups brown rice flour

  • 2/3 cup cornstarch

  • 2/3 cup dry milk powder[If dairy is a problem for you, dry soy milk or DariFree can be substituted. The finished loaf will be lighter in color.]

  • 1 tablespoon xanthan gum

  • 1 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 cups warm water

  • 1 packet active dry yeast

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 2 large eggs

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, combine water and yeast. Stir to combine. Use a liquid measuring cup. (I use a 2-cup measure.) The water should be between 110-115 degrees F. Let the yeast dissolve in the water while you measure your dry ingredients.

    How to Make Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread Recipe (3)

  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. While using a scale to measure ingredients is the most accurate method, most American home bakers use cup measures. And so do I! (Just don't tell my professional baker friends. It can be our little secret.) The best way to fill a measuring cup is to "fill and level." Using a scoop, or a smaller size measuring cup, pour the flour into your measuring cup. Be sure to use a nested set of "dry" measuring cups. If your flour has been sitting around, it's a good idea to whisk it before measuring. This will lighten it and break up any clumps. Overfill the cup and then run a straight edge tool over the top of the cup. I like to use a small cake decorating spatula. This is what you are looking for: a level cup of flour. Use this method for any gluten-free flours and starches.

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  3. Add yeast mixture, vegetable oil and eggs.

  4. Using an electric mixer, mix dough for five minutes on medium-high speed. (If using a stand mixer, remember to use the flat paddle attachment to mix the dough.) Your dough should be soft, thick, and sticky. The dough will not form a cohesive dough ball. If you are using a handheld mixer, the dough will try to "climb" the beaters. Be sure to use a rubber spatula to push the dough back into the bowl.

    How to Make Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread Recipe (5)

  5. Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with vegetable spay.

  6. Spread batter evenly into the pan.

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  7. Cover the loaf lightly with a piece of greased plastic wrap. (If you cover the loaf tightly, the dough will have trouble rising.)

  8. Allow dough to rise for 1 hour. Check it. If it has risen a little over the top of the pan, it is ready.

    How to Make Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread Recipe (7)

  9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (Keep dough covered while preheating the oven.)

  10. Remove plastic wrap and bake for 55 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 208 degrees-211 degrees F. If the crust of your bread begins to get too dark before the internal temperature of the bread reaches 208 degrees, simply cover the loaf with a piece of aluminum foil. This will allow the bread to continue baking without burning the crust.

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  11. Remove bread from oven and turn it out onto a wire rack to cool. This will help to keep the crust crisp.

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  12. Allow the loaf to cool completely. Store at room temperature for two to three days or slice and freeze. Do not refrigerate--this will make for soggy bread!

    How to Make Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread Recipe (10)

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
197Calories
4g Fat
35g Carbs
5g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories197
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g5%
Saturated Fat 1g3%
Cholesterol 32mg11%
Sodium 214mg9%
Total Carbohydrate 35g13%
Dietary Fiber 2g6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg1%
Calcium 57mg4%
Iron 1mg5%
Potassium 178mg4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

How to Make Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to making good gluten-free bread? ›

Tips and Techniques to make better Gluten Free Bread
  1. Use psyllium husk powder.
  2. Let the dough rest (not exactly the same as a bulk proof)
  3. Mix or knead thoroughly.
  4. Use less yeast.
  5. Bake in a tin with tall sides.
  6. Bake for longer, often at a lower temperature.
  7. Create steam in the oven.
  8. Use the tangzhong or scalded flour method.

What is the biggest challenge of making gluten-free bread? ›

Running into problems. Gluten is protein that elasticizes dough, providing structure and enabling it to trap the carbon dioxide generated by yeast. (This is why many gluten-free formulations don't use yeast.) Eliminating it often leaves dough that is runnier than conventional bread dough.

How is gluten-free bread made? ›

Gluten-free breads are made using all sorts of grain and legume flours which are naturally free of gluten, including rice, almond, buckwheat, chickpea, sorghum, quinoa, and millet. If you were to toss any of these flours with water, yeast, and salt, you'd end up with one lovely mess that wouldn't go anywhere…

How do you get gluten-free bread dough to rise? ›

An easy way to create a good environment for gluten-free bread to rise is to turn your oven to 200 F; when it reaches this temperature, turn off the oven and place a shallow baking pan partially filled with hot water on one of the shelves.

What is the best gluten free flour for yeast bread? ›

If you want to buy just one gluten-free flour, we highly recommend the Pillsbury all-purpose gluten-free flour. Not only is it our favorite gluten-free flour, and easy to use in gluten-free recipes, but it's also one of the few gluten-free flours currently on the market that is recommended for baking with yeast.

Why add vinegar to gluten-free bread? ›

Apple cider vinegar or another acid lightens up the dough. You can add up to 4 Tbsp of acid for 500 g gluten-free flour. Don't worry, you won't be able to taste it afterwards. To lighten up a yeast dough even more, you can add a packet of baking powder or cream of tartar baking powder to 500 g flour.

Why won't my gluten-free bread rise? ›

Your bread will not rise if your yeast or baking powder has expired. A dense loaf could also be the result of not measuring your ingredients accurately. Weight measurements are best (I have to update my recipes). Otherwise scoop the flour into your measuring cup and level without shaking or packing the flour down.

Will gluten free flour rise with yeast? ›

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour for yeast baking

Bottom line: When following a recipe that calls for yeast and an added stabilizer, choose Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour to make high-rising, tender final products.

Why is my homemade gluten-free bread so dense? ›

Incorrect Flour Ratios: Different gluten-free flours have varying levels of protein and starch, which can affect the texture of your bread. Using the wrong flour ratio can result in a dense and gummy loaf.

What gluten free flour is best for bread? ›

If you'd like to turn your favorite bread recipe into a gluten free one, look no further than Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour. A great substitute for traditional bread flour, it is designed to be used in nearly every wheat flour recipe.

What is the main ingredient in gluten-free bread? ›

Because many people either need or choose to avoid gluten, gluten-free breads have become popular. These breads of made from different flours, such as rice or potato flour, and typically contain hydrocolloids like guar and xanthan gum, which help improve their texture ( 2 ).

What do eggs do in gluten-free bread? ›

Eggs are also natural leaveners that support the volume, texture, color, and shelf-life of gluten-free bread. Including oil can also result in a richer, more tasty loaf and provide a bit more moisture too.

What does cream of tartar do in gluten free bread? ›

2. Promoting Better Rise. Achieving a good rise is essential for light and airy bread. Cream of tartar acts as a natural leavening agent when combined with baking soda.

How long should you let gluten free bread rise? ›

Leave the batter right in the mixing bowl. Or if you need your bowl for another purpose, scrape the sticky batter into a large measuring cup, or another bowl. Cover the bowl or cup, and let the thick batter rise for 1 hour.

What is the trick to baking with gluten-free flour? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

Why is it so challenging to make good gluten-free bread? ›

One of the main challenges in making gluten-free bread is achieving the same texture and rise as traditional wheat bread. Gluten provides the structure and elasticity that allows bread dough to rise and hold its shape, so gluten-free doughs can be sticky and difficult to work with.

Is there a trick to baking with gluten-free flour? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

How do you make gluten-free dough taste better? ›

Add some almond flour: Using a small amount of almond flour in your baking can enhance the taste and texture dramatically. Due to the high moisture and fat content, it can also add moisture, and will help your baked goods to brown.

References

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