Gluten Free Sandwich Bread (Oven & Breadmaker Recipes)

This post contains paid and/or affiliate links. Read full disclosure.
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.

3 slices of homemade gluten free bread on cutting board.

Gluten Free Bread Recipe

Learn how to make the best gluten free bread for sandwiches and more in this easy recipe. Use the oven or a bread machine.
4.75 from 40 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Recipe Servings: 12

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.
    Water, eggs, olive oil and apple cider vinegar in bread machine 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.
    Flour, salt and xanthan gum piled in bread machine pan.
  • 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.
    Sugar and yeast carefully poured into divot in dry bread ingredients in breadmaker pan.
  • 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.
    Zojirushi Gluten Free Breadmaker Panel
  • Remove the loaf from the breadmaker as soon as it’s done. Allow to cool before slicing for the moistest bread.
    Two slices of gluten free bread next to freshly baked loaf on cutting board with bread knife.

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.
    Yeast being proofed with warm water and sugar in glass measuring cup.
  • While the yeast is proofing, whisk together the dry ingredients – gluten free flour, xanthan gum and sea salt. Set aside.
    Gluten free flour, xanthan gum and sea salt whisked together in mixing bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, apple cider vinegar and olive oil.
    Egg, olive oil and apple cider vinegar whisked together in glass mixing bowl.
  • Once the yeast is done proofing and is nice and foamy, whisk it into the bowl with the liquid mixture.
    Proofed yeast whisked into gluten free bread liquid ingredients.
  • 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.
    Gluten free bread dough being mixed in mixing bowl.
  • 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!
    Gluten free bread dough transferred into in loaf pan.
  • 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.
    Gluten free bread dough risen to the top of the bread pan before baking.
  • Cool the baked loaf on a wire rack.
    Gluten free bread cooling on wire rack.
  • Slice and serve your fluffy gluten free bread.
    Oven baked gluten free bread sliced on a wood cutting board.

Notes

See Tips Below!!!

Nutrition Information Per Serving

Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 518mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 59IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg

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.

7 Secrets to Gluten Free Baking

3 slices of homemade gluten free bread on cutting board.

Everything you need to know about gluten free baking in your inbox.

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:

  1. Avocado toast
  2. French toast
  3. Garlic bread
  4. 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

Sliced loaf of gluten free bread on a cutting board to show how light it is.

8 thoughts on “Gluten Free Sandwich Bread (Oven & Breadmaker Recipes)”

  1. Kathryn Silk-Neilsen

    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

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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?

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating