Gluten Free Bread Recipe for the Bread Machine and Oven

After creating this gluten-free bread recipe, I stopped buying it. Even the best store-bought gluten-free sandwich bread doesn’t compare!

Finding a good gluten-free bread recipe that’s made with simple ingredients is a true challenge, so I decided to create my own. What I came up with is an easy gluten-free white bread recipe that can be made in a bread machine or in the oven using the same ingredients with slightly different methods.

When they taste it for the first time, people are shocked to hear it’s gluten-free because it’s so moist and fluffy. They think it’s the real thing because it doesn’t taste like what you can get from your local grocery store.

And while I personally prefer using my Zojirushi bread machine to make a loaf of gluten-free sandwich bread each week, it works incredibly well in the oven too. So get ready to enjoy some amazing fresh bread, even if you are on a gluten-free diet!

Ingredients

• 1 ⅔ cups of warm filtered water
• 3 lightly beaten eggs
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 3 ⅔ cups of Cup4Cup gluten-free flour

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Bread machine (if using the bread machine method)
• Bread pan (if using the oven method)
• Tea towel (if using the oven method)

By the Numbers: How to Make Gluten-Free Bread

Follow these easy step-by-step instructions to learn how to make the best gluten-free bread in a bread machine or oven.

Gluten-Free Bread Machine Instructions

Step 1: Add Liquid Ingredients to Pan

Add 1 ⅔ cups of water, 2 lightly beaten eggs, 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to your bread maker pan.

Step 2: Add Flour, Xanthan Gum and Salt

Next, add 3 ⅔ cups of Cup4Cup gluten-free flour into the center of the pan in a pile. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of xanthan gum and 2 ½ teaspoons of sea salt across the flour, then make a divot in the center of the flour.

Step 3: Add Sugar and Yeast

Fill the divot with 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast, being very careful that no yeast touches the liquid. This is very important if you want the loaf to rise properly.

Step 4: Program Bread Machine

Carefully put the pan into your Zojirushi bread machine and turn on the gluten-free setting with a medium crust. This setting takes about 2 ½ hours on my machine. Be sure that when the bread maker beeps, you gently stir the extra flour that is stuck to the side of the pan into the dough.

Step 5: Remove Loaf

Remove the loaf from the bread machine and the pan as soon as it’s done baking. Allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing for the moistest bread.

Gluten-Free Bread Oven Directions

Step 1: Proof Yeast

Start by proofing your yeast. In a glass bowl or measuring cup, combine 1 ⅔ cups of filtered water, which has been warmed to 100° F, with 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar until it dissolves. Whisk in 2 ½ teaspoons of active dry or instant yeast and set aside for 10 minutes to proof.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

While the yeast is proofing, whisk together the dry ingredients, including 3 ⅔ cups of Cup4Cup gluten-free flour, 2 teaspoons of xanthan gum and 2 ½ teaspoons of sea salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Step 3: Combine Liquid Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Step 4: Mix Proofed Yeast Into Liquid Ingredients

Once the yeast is done proofing and is nice and foamy, whisk it into the bowl with the liquid mixture.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Next, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix with a fork or wooden spoon until well combined. The gluten-free bread dough will be extremely sticky, so I don’t recommend mixing it with your hands.

Step 6: Pour Into Loaf Pan

As soon as it’s combined, pour the bread batter into your loaf pan. Let the dough rise in a warm place that’s free of drafts, with the pan covered with a damp tea towel, for about 40 minutes or until it reaches the top of the pan. Yes, this gluten-free bread dough rises!

Step 7: Bake Gluten Free Bread

Once risen, bake the bread 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.

Step 8: Cool Bread Loaf

Remove the loaf of bread from the pan and set it on a wire rack until it’s cooled all the way down to room temperature. It should come right out of the pan, unlike quick bread which usually needs to have the pan lined with parchment paper.

Step 9: Slice and Serve

Once it’s cool, you can slice and serve your fluffy gluten-free bread.

Tips for Making Amazing Gluten-Free Bread

Answers to all of your questions about making my homemade gluten-free bread recipe for sandwiches, including tips and substitution ideas.

Which bread machine do you use?

It’s important to choose a bread machine with a gluten-free setting. This is because gluten-free bread only needs to rise once, not twice like conventional bread.

While several bread machines now have a gluten-free setting, the only one I use and recommend is the Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso (available on Amazon or QVC). I’ve had mine for about 7 years now and it’s still going strong!

Which method is better – oven or bread maker?

I personally prefer using my bread machine 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 can’t recreate the crust on delicious bread from the oven.

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 blend (I buy Cup4Cup in bulk on Amazon). Many other gluten-free flour blends aren’t as absorbent, and I have not found other gluten-free flours that rise quite 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.

I have used Better Batter Artisan Blend to get a pretty good bread loaf from, but it didn’t rise quite as nicely as Cup4Cup does.

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.

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.

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. You can omit it, but the loaf will come out slightly drier.

What temperature is best for proofing yeast?

You don’t have to proof yeast when you use a bread machine, 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.

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.

How long does this bread stay fresh?

Like most gluten-free products, this bread dries out fast and does not stay fresh for a long time. I find it’s best the day it’s baked and has a shelf life of 2-3 days.

Secrets to Gluten Free Baking

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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. If you store it in the fridge, make sure it’s wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

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 a freezer bag and defrost only as you use them. Use within 2 months.

Other ways to use gluten-free bread?

If you won’t be making too many sandwiches (like my delicious gluten free club sandwich!), 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)

How to make it 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 breadcrumbs and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Since there are no preservatives in these breadcrumbs, use them up quickly!

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).

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