Jump to Recipe
I stopped buying gluten free bread after creating this recipe. Even the best gluten-free sandwich breads can’t compare!
People are shocked to hear this bread is gluten free after they taste it for the first time because it’s so moist and fluffy.
This easy white bread recipe can be made in a breadmaker or in the oven using the same ingredients with slightly different methods.
Gluten Free Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups warm filtered water
- 3 eggs - at room temperature, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil - or MCT oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 ⅔ cups Cup4Cup gluten free flour
- 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 2 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast - or one yeast packet
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Breadmaker (if using the breadmaker recipe)
- Bread pan (if using the oven recipe)
Instructions
Directions for Gluten-Free Bread Machine Recipe
- Add the water, eggs, olive oil and apple cider vinegar to your bread maker pan.
- Next, add the flour into the center of the pan in a pile. Sprinkle the xanthan gum and sea salt across the flour, then make a divot in the center of the flour.
- Fill the divot with the sugar and yeast, being very careful that no yeast touches the liquid. This is very important if you want the loaf to rise properly.
- Carefully put the pan into your breadmaker and turn on the gluten free setting with a medium crust. This setting takes about 2 ½ hours on my breadmaker. Be sure that when the breadmaker beeps, you gently stir the extra flour that is stuck to the side of the pan into the dough.
- Remove the loaf from the breadmaker as soon as it’s done. Allow to cool before slicing for the moistest bread.
Directions for Oven Baked Bread
- Start by proofing your yeast. In a glass bowl or measuring cup, combine the water, which has been warmed to 100° F, with the sugar until it dissolves. Whisk in the yeast and set aside for 10 minutes to proof.
- While the yeast is proofing, whisk together the dry ingredients – gluten free flour, xanthan gum and sea salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, apple cider vinegar and olive oil.
- Once the yeast is done proofing and is nice and foamy, whisk it into the bowl with the liquid mixture.
- Next, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix with a fork until well combined. It will be extremely sticky, so I don’t recommend mixing with your hands.
- As soon as it’s combined, pour it into your loaf pan. Set it in a warm draft-free place, covered, to rise for about 40 minutes or until it reaches the top of the pan. Yes, this gluten free bread dough rises!
- Once risen, bake at 350° F for 40 minutes or until done. When done, it’ll be a nice golden brown and a toothpick will come out clean when inserted.
- Cool the baked loaf on a wire rack.
- Slice and serve your fluffy gluten free bread.
Notes
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Tips for Making the Best Gluten Free Bread
1. Which breadmaker do you use?
It’s important to choose a breadmaker with a gluten free setting. This is because gluten free bread only needs to rise once, not twice like conventional bread.
While there are several breadmakers now that do have a gluten free setting, the only one I use and recommend is the Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso. I’ve had mine for about 7 years now and it’s still going strong!
2. Which method is better – oven or bread maker?
I personally prefer using my breadmaker to make tasty gluten-free bread. It’s so much faster and easier, and I find that the bread comes out even fluffier.
I also find myself making homemade bread more often when I can use the bread machine because it takes a lot less of my time.
However, if you like crusty bread, you’ll want to use the oven method. A breadmaker just can’t recreate the crust on delicious bread that comes from the oven.
3. Can I use a different gluten free flour blend?
This gluten-free bread recipe will not turn out the same if you do not use Cup4Cup gluten free all purpose flour. Many other gluten free flour blends aren’t as absorbent, and I have not found another flour that rises the same way that Cup4Cup does.
For example, Bob’s Red Mill will result in a loaf that doesn’t rise properly, tastes sour and is uncooked in the middle. Do not use Bob’s Red Mill and I also do not recommend Measure for Measure for King Arthur.
If your flour blend has similar ingredients to Cup4Cup (Cornstarch, White Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Milk Powder, Tapioca Flour, Potato Starch, Xanthan Gum), it may work. If you try it with a different blend, be sure to let me know whether it worked or not and I will update this section for other gluten free bakers.
4. Is this bread recipe dairy free too?
No. Even though you don’t see any obvious dairy based ingredients on the ingredient list, Cup4Cup flour contains milk powder.
5. Do I have to add the xanthan gum?
I highly recommend adding the extra xanthan gum, even though the Cup4Cup flour blend already has some in it. I’ve experimented with different amounts and this exact recipe produces the perfect loaf of gluten free bread. Any deviations and you will not get the same results.
6. What temperature is best for proofing yeast?
You don’t have to proof yeast when you use a breadmaker, which is one of the reasons I love this method. However, proofing your yeast is critical when baking bread in the oven.
You want to warm the temperature to about 100° F. Too cool and the yeast won’t activate. Too warm, and you’ll kill the yeast. Use a thermometer for best results.
7. Why isn’t my bread rising?
There are 2 possibilities from my experience. The first is that your yeast is dead (yeast has a shelf life) or that the water you used was too warm or too cool.
The second is that you’re not allowing the bread to rise in a warm enough place. During the summer, it works fine on the counter if it’s covered. However, during the cooler months, I like to let my bread rise in the oven (turned off) right next to the oven light. It gives off just enough warmth to help the bread rise.
8. How long does this bread stay fresh?
Like most gluten-free products, this bread dries out fast and does not stay fresh long. I find it’s best the day it’s baked and has a shelf life of 2-3 days.
9. Best way to store gluten free bread?
I keep it on the counter in an airtight container as I find the refrigerator dries it out quickly.
10. Can I freeze it instead?
Yes, you can slice the fully cooled loaf, then freeze the individual slices on a cookie sheet to keep them from sticking together. Once frozen, transfer them into freezer bag and defrost only as you use them. Use within 2 months.
11. Other ways to use gluten free bread?
If you won’t be making too many sandwiches, here are some ideas for using up your gluten-free bread:
- Avocado toast
- French toast
- Garlic bread
- Homemade breadcrumbs (see tips for making them below)
12. How to make into gluten free breadcrumbs?
Since this bread does dry out so fast, it makes great gluten free bread crumbs. If you won’t eat the entire loaf in 2 days, you can slice up the rest and bake it on your oven’s lowest setting until it’s completely dried out.
Once cool, crush into bread crumbs and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Since there are no preservatives in these bread crumbs, use them up quick!
One of my favorite uses for homemade gluten free breadcrumbs is my Gluten Free Meatloaf Recipe (which can be made in the oven or Instant Pot).
13. Where to buy groceries online?
We buy a lot of groceries online and keep the freezer and pantry stocked. Learn where I buy produce online and order meat online for extra convenience.
Pin this post to your gluten free or bread board
Can you tell me what mix of flour you use please? Also, can the xantham hun be replaced by psyllium husk powder? Thanks in advance! Xx
Hi Kathryn, if you see #3 above, I cover gluten free flour choices. Cup4Cup is the only flour this recipe has been tested with. 🙂
Great recipe. I did it in my bread maker and it was a good consistency but overbaked (turned darkish brown). This was because I used the 2 lbs loaf setting and not the 1 1/2 lbs loaf setting. The second try it was perfectly golden brown and perfect! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
That’s great to hear – thank you for sharing your experience!
Thanks for sharing this great recipe! I have made it three times already and the results are the same every time. The bread turns out exactly as described and is great for my morning toast. I do put it in the refrigerator because I can’t eat it that fast and it is fine when toasted. It is drier than it is when first made but is still very good. As a note, I make my own gluten free flour blend using the all-purpose flour blend recipe from the magazine “Simply Gluten Free & more”. It works just fine and is dairy free. I have a Cuisinart breadmaker with a gluten free setting and it works great on the 1.5 lb loaf setting as another comment mentioned.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience Melissa! I know it will be helpful for others looking to make this gluten-free bread recipe!
Great recipe! Lovely texture of bread. The only issue for me is it’s too salty. Can this be reduced to 1 tsp without reducing the texture of the bread?
You’re probably using a different type of salt than I use, so yes, you should be able to reduce the amount of salt added and still get the same texture.