The Best Gluten Free Brown Bread Recipe (Real Wholemeal – No Gluten)
This Gluten Free Brown Bread recipe is the stuff of gluten free dreams. Made with nutritious wholemeal, protein-rich flours. Easy to make. Soft, springy crumb which stays fresh for days. 5 recipe options to suit dietary need. Includes a FREE ingredients Substitution Guide (with frequently asked questions and timing-advice for baking loaves of different sizes).
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DON’T LOSE THIS RECIPE! PIN IT FOR LATER…
The BEST EVER Gluten Free Brown Bread Recipe
Do you dream of finding the perfect Gluten Free Brown Bread recipe? I know I did! It is one of those elusive ‘desperately want’ staples that dominates the Coeliac wish list. The daily experience of eating dry, crumbly, tasteless, over-sweetened and sometimes brick-like loaves, leaves us constantly hoping that someone will find a magic key to end the disappointment.
Well my friends, that day has come… I reckon that this could be the best home-baked gluten free wholemeal bread… Ever! Indeed, it may turn out to be the only gluten free bread recipe you’ll ever need.
It’s a recipe that took literally MONTHS to develop. Why? Because I am a perfectionist and proud. I was absolutely determined I would find that magic key. And this bread proves that if you search hard enough, you will find it. Incredible gluten free wholemeal bread can be baked.
This bread doesn’t crumble, is not dry, remains soft and lastingly fresh for days. It toasts well, makes great sandwiches and tastes amazing… with (or without) any topping or filling (although I recommend homemade butter). I don’t make any of these claims lightly. This is not gluten free wholemeal bread that has been slung together hopefully. It was my work for many months… testing, honing, tweaking, re-testing over and over again until I could say hand on heart, I could tweak no more.
WHAT DO OTHER PEOPLE THINK OF MY GLUTEN FREE Brown BREAD?
Let’s start at home… My gluten free brown bread recipe has been mixed, proved, baked and eaten every week at GFHQ for months. Mr GF (who is a gluten-eater), thinks it is delicious and compares it favourably with wholemeal wheat bread. My own recollections may be shady, but I would agree that it certainly comes darn close, both for texture and flavour.
But he goes further… Mr GF thinks my gluten free wholemeal bread is actually better than wheat bread. Of course, I could tell myself that he is just being nice because I am married to him. But I know that he (and indeed Miss GF) are my harshest critics. These guys don’t beat around the bush when they don’t like something, or when they think food isn’t up to standard… THIS bread surpasses the grade with both of them.
Don’t just take our word for it though. Since I first shared my gluten free brown bread recipe in July 2019, I’ve had a steady stream of excited thank you messages from those who have tried it. Some have been from family and friends. But more importantly, the feedback I have had from readers and gluten-free home-bakers, has made all those months of effort worth every second. I am both humbled by the feedback and proud of my achievement and the joy it has given.
Some of the feedback from people who have made this bread
- N via FB: “I’ve just made this bread. It’s AMAZING!!… OH MY WORD. The texture is awesome, so soft but still with substance; the taste is fabulous too. Thank you so much. I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for years.
- K via FB : “Shut the front door… the Alchemist’s dough-brew even converts to hand-stretched bread rolls!”
- C Via FB : “I made this yesterday… the texture was incredible – it was like eating a slice of real wholemeal bread!… It’s the best I’ve made”
- J via FB : “Just made this bread for the first time… It is just amazing. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe… The taste is wonderful…”
- S via FB : “Thank you!! I have bread again, yes this is the best GF bread recipe I have ever made, and I can tell you I have made loads and loads…”
- A via FB : “Day 3 and it’s still soft enough to eat without having to toast it…”
- K via FB : “Thank you so much!”… “I don’t mean to be “stalkerish” but your recipe has been a game changer.”
- M via FB : “At last a proper loaf of gluten free bread. Thank you…”
DON’T THINK YOU’RE A BAKER? This GLUTEN FREE Wholemeal BREAD RECIPE IS EASY TO MAKE AND IS GOOD FOR YOU TOO…
I hope this loaf will change the way you feel about gluten free brown bread too… But if you are worried that you are not a baker, I want to reassure you that it is actually very simple and straightforward to make. Sure… there’s a lot in it, but once you have made it a couple of times, you get into a quick rhythm of pre-prepping the dry mix, which makes the rest child’s play. For something as significant as bread, the very small amount of effort required to buy and weigh the flours will absolutely be more than worth it.
But it’s not just the incredible texture promised by this loaf that should have you baking it. This gluten free wholemeal bread will also provide a great nutrition boost. It is full of goodness from the protein-rich wholegrain flours and psyllium husk and flax it contains. It is also enriched with eggs and milk for extra nutritionally-needed Calcium and Vitamin D. Better still, it contains no preservatives and no gums.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET INGREDIENTS READY for this GLUTEN FREE Wholemeal BREAD Recipe?
I’m pretty certain you are looking down the list of flours and thinking ‘blimy… there’s a lot of ingredients’. And yes… there are. Sometimes, when you are aiming for gluten free bread perfection, you have to push the boat out. I pretty much threw the entire contents of the larder at this recipe in development stage to find the right combinations.
But actually, for the basic recipes below, most of the base flours are in proportion with my tried and tested home-blended rice-free flour blend B. If (like me) you keep a tub of the blend pre-mixed, adding the additional flours will be no trouble at all.
For the oat flour used in the recipe, I would also suggest grinding larger batches at home and keeping in an airtight container ready. It’s easy to do and is cheaper and more accessible than hunting down pre-ground oat flour. I also have a small airtight container of home-ground psyllium husk in my larder. You may however be able to source it already powdered… Many health stores stock it.
Top Tip for always having the best gluten free Brown bread mix for you when you need it
Once you have tried and loved this gluten free bread recipe, you may find you want to eat it regularly. To make sure you always have the best gluten free wholemeal bread mix available, I suggest the following : Keep a separate air-tight container for bread-mixing. Then when you get a spare moment (perhaps waiting for something to cook), mix up all the dry ingredients, pop the lid on, shake and set aside. You now have your very own brown bread mix ready and waiting! It’s that simple.
And it means that when you are ready to bake, making the dough literally takes 20 minutes. Add on the time to prove and bake, and you can have your loaf ready to eat in not much more than an hour. I may have it down to a fine art, but really, it is so easy once you have made it a couple of times… I promise.
Can I buy this gluten free Wholemeal bread recipe as a brown bread mix?
I did give consideration to marketing my gluten free wholemeal bread as a bread mix. It would however, have taken some time to achieve. Having already published the recipe on Gluten Free Alchemist, I was also sure that (by the time I could navigate the food business) the learning which went into my making this bread work would have been taken and marketed by someone else. And it has. To be honest, although I may be missing out on a hoped-for business venture, I know that the magic in this bread is available to all and that everyone has the capacity to make their very own bread mix in a cost-effective way…
It also means that this bread recipe is truly accessible to all (and without removing any of the nutritional ingredients for those who can still eat them). So many possible substitutions have been requested, that in hindsight, it seemed more helpful to provide different recipes with alternative flour blends and substitution advice for everything else. To make it as easy as possible, I can now offer a FREE helpful guide to the other substitutions that were being requested.
Where to Source your gluten free wholemeal bread flours
To find the flours needed to make this gluten free brown bread, I recommend a couple of options. Firstly, it is always worth checking with your local health food shop (independents are particularly willing to order in for you, if they don’t have them already). Or alternatively, buy your flours on-line. If you are buying several bags at a time, your postage will be minimal or nothing. Just make sure to double-check the GF status of any flour you buy.
In the UK, I can recommend both Healthy Supplies and Shipton Mill as good gluten free flour sources. If you are outside the UK, you probably know where to try better than I would. But if you are not sure, I would suggest using a search engine and shopping around.
For those of you who are reluctant to try flour-blending (although it’s really not tricky and works out cheaper than buying a nutritionally-comparative commercial blend), it’s fine to try making this gluten free bread recipe with a good shop-bought alternative. I have tested the recipe with a pre-blended flour produced by the Free From Fairy (see version 4 of the recipe), but readers also report good results with a number of other no or low-rice flour blends. This particular gluten free bread recipe seems to be very adaptable.
Can I make this gluten free Brown bread dairy free or vegan?
For those of you who cannot eat dairy, the recipe is easy to make dairy-free. In the printable recipes below, the dairy free options are clearly indicated. If you don’t have any milk powder, then just make a simple switch of liquid milk in equal volume to water and leave out the powder.
For those of you who are vegan or cannot eat eggs, I’ve heard you! My Gluten Free Vegan Bread recipe is now available. Because it has required a slightly different formulation to ensure adequate structure and good texture, I have decided to keep that recipe separate from the non-vegan versions given here.
I am intolerant to oats. Can I make an Oat-Free Version of this gluten free brown bread?
The simple answer is yes! Following the original recipe being posted in 2019, I received a number of requests for the best way to substitute the oats. I have now developed and tested an oat-free version of this gluten free wholemeal bread recipe which is as good as the original. This recipe has now been added on a separate printable recipe card below (5). You can also (I am told, but haven’t tried it) use additional Free From Fairy flour in place of the oats in version 4.
For those of you who are either corn or buckwheat-intolerant, see recipe 3 which was previously developed.
Indeed, I have actually tested the recipe with dozens of flour combinations to get to the best gluten free brown bread recipes I share with you here. If there are any other flours listed that you are unable to tolerate, please message me direct and I will suggest alternative substitutions.
What tin should I use to bake gluten free bread?
Although this gluten free wholemeal bread can be made in any bread tin, I would advise using one with higher sides to provide the best structure and heat distribution to the loaf while rising and baking. Gluten free flours tend to be heavier than ‘usual’ flours and the dough tends to be wetter. Thus gluten free bread dough needs a little more support.
I usually make my gluten free bread using two one-pound loaf tins, because that’s a good size for our needs and I can freeze the second loaf for later. But the recipe works well as a larger loaf too. The best tins I have found for gluten free bread are these Masterclass box sided carbon-steel tins. They are also available in two-pound size for a larger loaf. Alternatively, there is a similar tin from a different manufacturer which is slightly longer, or a slightly smaller version from the same supplier.
Can I freeze this bread?
Yes. This gluten free wholemeal will freeze well (although may lose a tiny bit of ‘elasticity’ once defrosted). It is best to freeze on the day of baking for optimum freshness. Also make sure it is well wrapped in a sealed bag before freezing. I have just one bag that I recycle for each batch to save on plastic waste.
Can I make this bread in a bread-maker?
While it is possible to make this recipe using a bread-maker, because of the stiffness of the batter, it can be difficult to get to rise evenly in the pan. Thus it needs a lot of attention during the bread-making process and you still need to pre-mix the dry and wet ingredients separately.
However… Gluten Free Alchemist is excited to share an incredible, specially formulated recipe for gluten free (NON-VEGAN) wholemeal bread that can be made in a bread machine/bread maker. And also a Gluten Free VEGAN Bread Machine Loaf recipe. There are two options on each post… one with oats and one free from oats and corn.
Can I make other ingredient substitutions when making Gluten Free Wholemeal?
Yes! There are a number of other changes you can make to this non-vegan wholemeal bread recipe, dependent on what you have available in your larder or what you can/can’t eat. Use the subscription link below to get my FREE wholemeal gluten free bread recipe Substitution Guide. Not only will it give you the best alternatives for non-flour ingredients, but I’ve also included a list of Frequently Asked Questions and timing-advice for making different-sized loaves and rolls.
I am really hoping you love this recipe and that it brings you as much happiness as it has for us and others. As always, if you do make it, I would absolutely LOVE to hear from you. Comment below, or take a picture and tag me on social media (Facebook; Instagram; Twitter). And if you make it and love it, please share with your free from friends and leave a star rating via the comments or recipe card.
I have provided 5 separate recipe card Versions for my Gluten Free Brown Bread recipe :
** © 2019-2024 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved. Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist. Or use for commercial purposes without prior agreement**
Wholemeal Gluten Free Bread Recipe – Version 1 (Original)
Key equipment
- airtight container (to mix dry ingredients)
- measuring jug
- kettle/microwave
- silicone/wooden spoon or spatula
- Oven
Ingredients
- 250 g Gluten Free Alchemist Rice Free Blend B see NOTES for B blend and flour ratios
- 130 g gluten free oat flour To make at home : grind GF oats in a blender
- 18 g milled flax seed
- 35 g ground psyllium husk grind in a blender (not 'psyllium powder')
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3 tbsp dried milk powder or 2 tablespoons coconut milk powder
- 7 g INSTANT dried yeast I use Allinsons Easy Bake – Note : This is an INSTANT yeast
- 3 large eggs combined weight in shells 195-200g
- 3 tbsp sunflower or olive oil or alternative
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 1½ tsp lemon juice
- 390 g/ml hand-warm water
- A little extra oil/butter and brown rice flour/sorghum or buckwheat flour to coat the inside of the bread tins
Instructions
- Mix together the dry ingredients (flours, oat, flax, psyllium husk, salt, bicarbonate of soda, milk powder and yeast) in an airtight container and shake vigorously to blend.
- Very lightly grease the inside of the bread tin(s) using either a little butter or oil, base line the tin with a piece of baking paper (cut to size) and then gently coat the sides of the tin with a light dusting of brown rice flour/buckwheat flour/sorghum flour (put a teaspoon of flour in the tin and gently turn from side to side until coated. Tip out any excess).
- In a large bowl, lightly beat together the eggs, oil, honey and lemon juice to combine.
- Add the warm water and briefly whisk through to mix with the other wet ingredients. It will foam slightly, but this is fine.
- Whilst the liquid is still warm, add the dry ingredients and beat with an electric beater fitted with a dough hook or a firm silicone/wooden spoon/spatula until well blended.
- Place the bowl to one side and leave to sit for 3 to 5 minutes to enable the flours to absorb the liquid, before thoroughly beating again. You should now have a dough ‘batter’ that resembles very thick porridge.
- Transfer the batter into the tin(s) and using the back of a spoon (dipped in cold water), smooth the top(s).
- Place the dough in a warm place to rise for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until about doubled in size. (If proofing at standard room temperature, the dough may require up to an hour to rise). The bread should rise about 3 to 4 cm above the tin with a gently rounded top (assuming the tin is the same size). *TIP: Place the dough loaf on a thick padding of tea towels or oven-mitts, in a warmed oven (to about 60 C) that has been turned off, with a bowl of steaming water in the bottom of the oven. Remove 10 minutes before pre-heating the oven!
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. When the dough has risen, bake for about 25 minutes (small loaf) to 40 minutes (large loaf) until nicely browned.
- Remove from the oven and take out of the tins (you may need to gently release the sides using a spatula or flat knife) and leave to cool on a wire rack.
- As with all bread, this loaf is easiest to cut when left to cool completely, although (unlike most gluten free bread) it tastes totally delicious when still warm.
- Wrap in clingfilm or put in a sealable bag to store and keep fresh. Store at room temperature if possible.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
** © 2019-2024 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved. Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist. Or use for commercial purposes without prior agreement**
Wholemeal Gluten Free Bread Recipe – Version 2 – slightly more earthy & dark
Key equipment
- airtight container (to mix dry ingredients)
- loaf tins (2x 1 pound/1x 2 pound)
- measuring jug
- kettle/microwave
- silicone/wooden spoon or spatula
- Oven
Ingredients
- 160 g Gluten Free Alchemist Rice Free Blend B See NOTES for specific flour ratios & B blend.
- 90 g additional teff flour white or brown
- 130 g gluten free oat flour To make at home : grind GF oats in a blender
- 18 g milled flax seed
- 35 g ground psyllium husk grind in a blender (not 'psyllium powder')
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3 tbsp dried milk powder or 2 tablespoons coconut milk powder
- 7 g INSTANT dried yeast I use Allinsons Easy Bake – Note : This is an INSTANT yeast
- 3 large eggs combined weight in shells 195-200g
- 3 tbsp sunflower or olive oil or alternative
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 1½ tsp lemon juice
- 390 g/ml hand-warm water
- Extra oil/butter and brown rice flour/sorghum or buckwheat flour to coat the inside of the bread tins
Instructions
- Mix together the dry ingredients (flours, oat, flax, psyllium husk, salt, bicarbonate of soda, milk powder and yeast) in an airtight container and shake vigorously to blend.
- Very lightly grease the inside of the bread tin(s) using either a little butter or oil, base line the tin with a piece of baking paper (cut to size) and then gently coat the sides of the tin with a light dusting of brown rice flour/buckwheat flour/sorghum flour (put a teaspoon of flour in the tin and gently turn from side to side until coated. Tip out any excess).
- In a large bowl, lightly beat together the eggs, oil, honey and lemon juice to combine.
- Add the warm water and briefly whisk through to mix with the other wet ingredients. It will foam slightly, but this is fine.
- Whilst the liquid is still warm, add the dry ingredients and beat with an electric beater fitted with a dough hook or a firm silicone/wooden spoon/spatula until well blended.
- Place the bowl to one side and leave to sit for 3 to 5 minutes to enable the flours to absorb the liquid, before thoroughly beating again. You should now have a dough ‘batter’ that resembles very thick porridge.
- Transfer the batter into the tin(s) and using the back of a spoon (dipped in cold water), smooth the top(s).
- Place the dough in a warm place to rise for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until about doubled in size. (If proofing at standard room temperature, the dough may require up to an hour to rise). The bread should rise about 3 to 4 cm above the tin with a gently rounded top (assuming the tin is the same size). *TIP: Place the dough loaf on a thick padding of tea towels or oven-mitts, in a warmed oven (to about 60 C) that has been turned off, with a bowl of steaming water in the bottom of the oven. Remove 10 minutes before pre-heating the oven!
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. When the dough has risen, bake for about 25 minutes (small loaf) to 40 minutes (large loaf) until nicely browned.
- Remove from the oven and take out of the tins (you may need to gently release the sides using a spatula or flat knife) and leave to cool on a wire rack.
- As with all bread, this loaf is easiest to cut when left to cool completely, although (unlike most gluten free bread) it tastes totally delicious when still warm.
- Wrap in clingfilm or put in a sealable bag to store and keep fresh. Store at room temperature if possible.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
** © 2019-2024 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved. Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist. Or use for commercial purposes without prior agreement**
Wholemeal Gluten Free Bread Recipe – Version 3 – No Corn; No Buckwheat
Key equipment
- airtight container (to mix dry ingredients)
- loaf tins (2x 1 pound/1x 2 pound)
- measuring jug
- kettle/microwave
- silicone/wooden spoon or spatula
- Oven
Ingredients
- 80 g sorghum flour
- 80 g teff flour white or brown (or sub with millet flour, if necessary)
- 60 g tapioca starch flour
- 30 g potato starch flour
- 130 g gluten free oat flour To make at home : grind GF oats in a blender
- 18 g milled flax seed
- 35 g ground psyllium husk grind in a blender (not 'psyllium powder')
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3 tbsp dried milk powder or 2 tablespoons coconut milk powder
- 7 g INSTANT dried yeast I use Allinsons Easy Bake – Note: This is an INSTANT yeast
- 3 large eggs combined weight in shells 195-200g
- 3 tbsp sunflower or olive oil or alternative
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 1½ tsp lemon juice
- 390 g/ml hand-warm water
- Extra oil/butter and brown rice flour/sorghum or buckwheat flour to coat the inside of the bread tins
Instructions
- Mix together the dry ingredients (flours, oat, flax, psyllium husk, salt, bicarbonate of soda, milk powder and yeast) in an airtight container and shake vigorously to blend.
- Very lightly grease the inside of the bread tin(s) using either a little butter or oil, base line the tin with a piece of baking paper (cut to size) and then gently coat the sides of the tin with a light dusting of brown rice flour/sorghum flour (put a teaspoon of flour in the tin and gently turn from side to side until coated. Tip out any excess).
- In a large bowl, lightly beat together the eggs, oil, honey and lemon juice to combine.
- Add the warm water and briefly whisk through to mix with the other wet ingredients. It will foam slightly, but this is fine.
- Whilst the liquid is still warm, add the dry ingredients and beat with an electric beater fitted with a dough hook or a firm silicone/wooden spoon/spatula until well blended.
- Place the bowl to one side and leave to sit for 3 to 5 minutes to enable the flours to absorb the liquid, before thoroughly beating again. You should now have a dough ‘batter’ that resembles very thick porridge.
- Transfer the batter into the tin(s) and using the back of a spoon (dipped in cold water), smooth the top(s).
- Place the dough in a warm place to rise for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until about doubled in size. (If proofing at standard room temperature, the dough may require up to an hour to rise). The bread should rise about 3 to 4 cm above the tin with a gently rounded top (assuming the tin is the same size). *TIP: Place the dough loaf on a thick padding of tea towels or oven-mitts, in a warmed oven (to about 60 C) that has been turned off, with a bowl of steaming water in the bottom of the oven. Remove 10 minutes before pre-heating the oven!
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. When the dough has risen, bake for about 25 minutes (small loaf) to 40 minutes (large loaf) until nicely browned.
- Remove from the oven and take out of the tins (you may need to gently release the sides using a spatula or flat knife) and leave to cool on a wire rack.
- As with all bread, this loaf is easiest to cut when left to cool completely, although (unlike most gluten free bread) it tastes totally delicious when still warm.
- Wrap in clingfilm or put in a sealable bag to store and keep fresh. Store at room temperature if possible.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
** © 2019-2024 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved. Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist. Or use for commercial purposes without prior agreement**
Wholemeal Gluten Free Bread Recipe – Version 4 – using Free From Fairy plain flour
Key equipment
- airtight container (to mix dry ingredients)
- loaf tins (2x 1 pound/1x 2 pound)
- measuring jug
- kettle/microwave
- silicone/wooden spoon or spatula
- Oven
Ingredients
- 250 g Free From Fairy plain gluten free flour
- 130 g gluten free oat flour To make at home : grind GF oats in a blender
- 18 g milled flax seed
- 35 g ground psyllium husk grind in a blender (not 'psyllium powder')
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3 tbsp dried milk powder or 2 tablespoons coconut milk powder
- 7 g INSTANT dried yeast I use Allinsons Easy Bake – Note : This is an INSTANT yeast
- 3 large eggs combined weight in shells 195-200g
- 3 tbsp sunflower or olive oil or alternative
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 1½ tsp lemon juice
- 390 g/ml hand-warm water
- A little extra oil/butter and brown rice, sorghum or buckwheat flour to coat the inside of the bread tins
Instructions
- Mix together the dry ingredients (flours, oat, flax, psyllium husk, salt, bicarbonate of soda, milk powder and yeast) in an airtight container and shake vigorously to blend.
- Very lightly grease the inside of the bread tin(s) using either a little butter or oil, base line the tin with a piece of baking paper (cut to size) and then gently coat the sides of the tin with a light dusting of brown rice flour/buckwheat flour/sorghum flour (put a teaspoon of flour in the tin and gently turn from side to side until coated. Tip out any excess).
- In a large bowl, lightly beat together the eggs, oil, honey and lemon juice to combine.
- Add the warm water and briefly whisk through to mix with the other wet ingredients. It will foam slightly, but this is fine.
- Whilst the liquid is still warm, add the dry ingredients and beat with an electric beater fitted with a dough hook or a firm silicone/wooden spoon/spatula until well blended.
- Place the bowl to one side and leave to sit for 3 to 5 minutes to enable the flours to absorb the liquid, before thoroughly beating again. You should now have a dough ‘batter’ that resembles very thick porridge.
- Transfer the batter into the tin(s) and using the back of a spoon (dipped in cold water), smooth the top(s).
- Place the dough in a warm place to rise for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until about doubled in size. (If proofing at standard room temperature, the dough may require up to an hour to rise). The bread should rise about 3 to 4 cm above the tin with a gently rounded top (assuming the tin is the same size). *TIP: Place the dough loaf on a thick padding of tea towels or oven-mitts, in a warmed oven (to about 60 C) that has been turned off, with a bowl of steaming water in the bottom of the oven. Remove 10 minutes before pre-heating the oven!
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. When the dough has risen, bake for about 25 minutes (small loaf) to 40 minutes (large loaf) until nicely browned.
- Remove from the oven and take out of the tins (you may need to gently release the sides using a spatula or flat knife) and leave to cool on a wire rack.
- As with all bread, this loaf is easiest to cut when left to cool completely, although (unlike most gluten free bread) it tastes totally delicious when still warm.
- Wrap in clingfilm or put in a sealable bag to store and keep fresh. Store at room temperature if possible.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
** © 2019-2024 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved. Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist. Or use for commercial purposes without prior agreement**
Wholemeal Gluten Free Bread Recipe – Version 5 : Oat-Free & Corn-Free
Key equipment
- airtight container (to mix dry ingredients)
- measuring jug
- kettle/microwave
- silicone/wooden spoon or spatula
- Oven
Ingredients
- 100 g sorghum flour
- 100 g teff flour I use white teff flour (or sub with millet flour – reader tested)
- 100 g tapioca starch flour
- 40 g buckwheat flour
- 40 g potato starch flour
- 18 g milled flax seed
- 35 g ground psyllium husk grind in a blender (not 'psyllium powder')
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3 tbsp dried milk powder or 2 tablespoons coconut milk powder
- 7 g INSTANT dried yeast I use Allinsons Easy Bake – Note: This is an INSTANT yeast
- 3 large eggs combined weight in shells 195-200g
- 3 tbsp sunflower or olive oil or alternative
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 1½ tsp lemon juice
- 390 g/ml hand-warm water approx 46 C/114 F
- A little extra oil/butter and brown rice flour/ extra sorghum or buckwheat flour to coat the inside of the bread tins
Instructions
- Mix together the dry ingredients (flours, flax, psyllium husk, salt, bicarbonate of soda, milk powder and yeast) in an airtight container and shake vigorously to blend.
- Very lightly grease the inside of the bread tin(s) using either a little butter or oil, base line the tin with a piece of baking paper (cut to size) and then gently coat the sides of the tin with a light dusting of brown rice flour/buckwheat flour/sorghum flour (put a teaspoon of flour in the tin and gently turn from side to side until coated. Tip out any excess).
- In a large bowl, lightly beat together the eggs, oil, honey and lemon juice to combine.
- Add the warm water and briefly whisk through to mix with the other wet ingredients. It will foam slightly, but this is fine.
- Whilst the liquid is still warm, add the dry ingredients and beat with an electric beater fitted with a dough hook or a firm silicone/wooden spoon/spatula until well blended.
- Place the bowl to one side and leave to sit for 3 to 5 minutes to enable the flours to absorb the liquid, before thoroughly beating again. You should now have a dough ‘batter’ that resembles very thick porridge.
- Transfer the batter into the tin(s) and using the back of a spoon (dipped in cold water), smooth the top(s).
- Place the dough in a warm place to rise for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until about doubled in size. (If proofing at standard room temperature, the dough may require up to an hour to rise). The bread should rise about 3 to 4 cm above the tin with a gently rounded top (assuming the tin is the same size). *TIP: Place the dough loaf on a thick padding of tea towels or oven-mitts, in a warmed oven (to about 60 C) that has been turned off, with a bowl of steaming water in the bottom of the oven. Remove 10 minutes before pre-heating the oven!
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. When the dough has risen, bake for about 25 minutes (small loaf) to 40 minutes (large loaf) until nicely browned.
- Remove from the oven and take out of the tins (you may need to gently release the sides using a spatula or flat knife) and leave to cool on a wire rack.
- As with all bread, this loaf is easiest to cut when left to cool completely, although (unlike most gluten free bread) it tastes totally delicious when still warm.
- Wrap in clingfilm or put in a sealable bag to store and keep fresh. Store at room temperature if possible.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
This post was originally published on 30th July 2019 and updated on 26th February 2020
Absolutely thrilled with the way this turned out. The batter seemed quite thick, and it didn’t rise much at all during the prove but it did some what in the oven and has a lovely, tender, soft crumb. I subbed white teff flour for brown and only used tapioca starch rather than a combination of that and potato as those are what I had. Best gluten free bread recipe I have tried or tasted yet-delicious!
Thank you for such wonderful feedback Jemma. I’m so happy that you enjoyed the bread and that it stood up to baker’s tweaks. 😊♥️
Thank you much for this lovely recipe. I’m still working on perfecting it in my kitchen. I have a proofing box and my question is – what temperature would you recommend for the 30-40 min rise?
Thanks
Hi Fiona
When I proof with the help of the oven, I usually place tins on a folded oven towel in the oven that has been warmed to about 60C and then turned off (the bread should rise approx 3 to 4 cm above the tin with a gently rounded top, assuming the tin is the same size). But I’ve never used a proofing box. I would possibly test at around 30 C (85 F) and see how it works, given that it is designed for the job?
Best wishes
Kate
These recipes all look amazing.. I have been trying sour dough and have lots of discard, can this be incorporated into these recipes? If so please explain the procedure.
Thanks Gail
Thank you Gail.
I am not a sourdough expert, but there is no reason that you can’t use the discard to replace some of the flour and liquid in a recipe.
As a general rule of thumb, weigh the amount of discard to add to the recipe (I would start with a small amount from a ‘testing perspective’ and probably limit to a maximum of 100g in any one recipe). Then reduce the weight of each of the flour AND liquid as stated in the recipe by half the weight of the discard being used. So for example… If the weight of discard used = 50g. Reduce the weight of other flour blend and liquid by 25g each.
I hope that makes sense
Best wishes
Kate
Is it possible to make Whole-grain rolls with this recipe?
Hi Eirin
Yes you can.
I also have a separate recipe that was tweaked from this one too, that makes shapable rolls x
https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/artisan-gluten-free-rolls-wholemeal-bread-recipe/
Thank you so much 👍 I will try these 😊
Thank you, Kate- you really are an alchemist! I made your original brown bread recipe this morning and it turned out exactly as you described, even though I used some nameless gf flour mix from the freezer. Following your detailed instructions step by step was like having you beside me in the kitchen, and after months without a piece of toast I am now feeling well fed and happy!! Thank you so much for sharing your time and genius with everyone.
Anne
Hi Anne
You are very welcome.
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback and for taking the time to leave it. I’m so pleased that you love the bread. It’s also great to hear that the instructions were clear enough to guide you through the journey.
Have a fabulous Christmas
Kate x
Hi Kate,
Have just made the Wholemeal loaf which looks super and tastes great, thanks. I have made this before and though I’ve followed the instructions re prepping the loaf tin the loaf had now started to stick. I did buy the masterclass tin so am rather cheesed off this is happening, I’m wondering if I could put a liner in it.
Thanks. Christine
Hi Christine
That’s so annoying for you! Have you thought about raising the issue with the manufacturer and seeing if they will send you a new one? It sounds as though you would be justified!
Re the liner… It’s not something I’ve tried, but it should be absolutely fine as long as it is of a non-stick material. I would also make sure to remove the bread from the liner ASAP after baking to avoid any ‘sweating’.
If you haven’t tried the oiling the inside and dusting with flour process yet, I would also try it… When tins have lost their ‘non-stickness’ here, that process has been helpful.
Best wishes
Kate
I’m so excited to try this bread recipe! My little boy was diagnosed coeliac a month ago and it’s been tough as he was already such a fussy eater. The whole family has gone gluten free to be safe, but man we’re missing our bread! Even the one that’s most tolerable from the shop is white which were not used to, and we’re not feeling healthy for it! So I’m about to give this recipe my first try, yay!!
Couple of questions –
What’s the purpose of the towel on the shelf in the oven?
You mention baking for a small loaf or large loaf, do you mean a large loaf would be if I’d chosen to increase the recipe to double it for example? If I just follow the recipe exactly, is that classed as small or large? Or maybe it’s referring to how much it rises, I don’t know! I’m no baker! (though since my son’s diagnosis I’m spending all day every day in the kitchen trying to find anything he’ll eat! I’ll be a pro soon haha)
Any clarifications gratefully received x
Hi Kristie
Apologies for the delay in getting back to you.
The purpose of the thick towel on the oven shelf during proof is to prevent the metal on the tin getting too hot and killing the yeast. It is only used during proof… not during the bake.
The recipe makes TWO small (1 pound tin) loaves or ONE large (2 pound tin) loaf.
Does that help clarify? If not let me know and I’ll try again.
Either way, shout if you have any questions. It’s a fast learning curve after diagnosis, so always happy to help. x
Hi Kate
Fabulous recipe! It was so nice to be able to eat a sandwich without toasting the bread, albeit lightly, first.
First rate blog and recipe collection. Thank you so much!
Thank you Tia.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it. It’s so good to be able to eat a ‘normal’ sandwich isn’t it?! xx
Hi Kate, I’m so excited, I finally got something to rise!! This time I did a refresh and went back to cook the recipe EXACTLY as you described (not adding any extra water). The dough did grow a little during pre-rise (although not as much as you say). Nevertheless, I ended the pre-rise time according to the recipe and put it in the oven and POW it rose so beautifully! The only thing that happened, after I took it out of the oven, it collapsed. But overall I’m on a much better track now! The texture is really nice and flavour is really good. Just need to figure out how to stop it collapsing. Appreciate any thoughts you might have!
Subs: I didn’t have potato starch for Flour Blend B so I subbed tapioca starch.
Hi Ngaire
That’s fabulous news. So pleased it’s back on track!
Given that you now have a good rise, we are still at two possible causes of collapse: Over-proof or over-hydration.
Both of these possibilities can be impacted by climate, humidity, altitude etc. Could you remind me of whet these are like where you live?
Can you also give me a little more information about the texture of the crumb? If it is ‘wet’ and sticky, it is more likely to be over-hydration. In this case, reduce the liquid by no more than 5 to 10g and retest.
If you think it’s still over-proof (and you’re getting good oven-spring), reduce the proof time a TINY bit before placing in the oven and test again.
Fingers crossed and best wishes
Kate
Thank you Kate!
I live in Switzerland. The climate is dry here (clothes dry quickly) and the altitude is 600m above sea level.
The crumb of the bread seemed beautiful when I first cut it, but I frooze some slices and I noticed on defrosting and toasting they had become a little gummy towards the centre of the slice. But far better than previous attempts. I will bake again and reduce the proof time a little. Thanks for troubleshooting.
Thanks for the clarification.
Although 600m isn’t technically ‘high altitude’ it’s still pretty high… It’s possible that has a slight impact leading to faster rise.
On that basis, I would work with the possibility of that being the key cause at this time, but work with the previous advice x
Thank you Kate, you are incredible – a gluten-free baking genious! You really know the science and techniques of gluten free baking down to a T and have written such clear and straightforward instructions making this recipe really easy and enjoyable to follow. I have really enjoyed learning all about the different flours and the roles they play and can’t wait to explore more of your recipes. This was my first time baking this bread and it has turned out perfectly – I just can’t believe how well it has gone. I made it for my mum – there’s only one brand of gluten free bread she buys because all the others she finds dry and flavourless but she loved this bake and finds it so much tastier and softer than the bought one. I will definitely be baking this one again. I was worried that I may not have incorporated enough liquid because I measured the oil and honey by tablespoon and not by weighing it on the scales in ml and worried my porridge-thick batter was too thick but was impressed at how dough like it was compared to other recipes I’ve tried. I proved it in the oven as you suggested and got a fantastic 4cm rise above the tins. Then I baked for the 25 mins suggested for the 1lb tins. I got a good brown colour and a firm top and didn’t want to overbake it so decided to stick to the 25mins – and it came out the tin straight away when lifted (immediately from the oven). But then I worried it was far too soft and felt doughy still in centre – the base wasn’t hollow when tapped as it is when you bake gluten breads. But I’d already removed it from the tins and decided to trust the process and just see what happened when it was completely cooled and sliced – I was totally convinced I had underbaked it and was kicking myself for not leaving it in the oven longer – BUT it was absolutely perfect! Not underbaked or doughy in the slightest – just beautifully soft and very well air-rated. The tops had sunk a fair bit giving a bit of a hole between crust and bread in one of the two loaves – but that didn’t matter – so guessing perhaps slight overprove? But I’m just amazed all round! The soft crust is actually better for mum that a crusty bake – but I’m guessing your artisan bread might give a crusty option? Thank you for sharing all your knowledge and for this fantastic recipe! You must really have taken some time to piece together the perfect balance of flours and ingredients to get such a brilliant bake. I asked mum how it compared to gluten bread and if she could tell if this one was gluten free – she didn’t think she could. It’s been really satisfying to bake and for it to turn out so well – an all round winning recipe!
Thank you so much Hannah for takoing the time to share such lovely feedback. I’m really happy that you and your mum love the bread.
Gluten Free bread baking definitely ‘feels’ quite different to gluten baking!
The sinking of the tops and slight gap could be one of two possible issues…
Over-proofing as you said. So test that hypothesis on your next loaf.
Or it may be that the moisture level needs a very slight reduction… Sometimes the silliest things (weather; humidity; even the brand of flour) can impact hydration!
If changing the proof doesn’t work, then reduce the water-liquid level by no more than 10g and re-test.
Let me know if neither of these work and I’ll have a rethink xx
I’m wondering what I can substitute for the oat flour?
Hi Sue
There are 5 different bread versions in the post… Scroll down to recipe 5 which is oat free and corn free x
Apologies for the delay in reply… I’ve been away.
Wonderful recipe! Stays fresh for several days which seems almost unheard of with gf bread. Amazing that Kate has developed different versions since my husband can’t eat oats while I can’t eat gluten. Perfect for spreading butter and molasses 🤤
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback. I’m so happy that you love the bread and that it’s helped! xx
I made version 5, but had to substitute the buckwheat for quinoa and the flax seed for half the amount of ground chia seeds due to sensitivities. I was worried that the chia might make the bread dense, but using half the amount worked great! I just went gluten free 2 weeks ago, so I still remember how good real bread is- but this brown bread was impressive. I made it on Saturday and left it, wrapped, on my counter- and by Thursday it was still moist, not crumbly or dry at all. Its delicious toasted too- I feel like the texture is near perfect toasted. Nothing fully replicates “regular” bread, but this recipe will definitely make the transition to gluten free living easier! My bread didn’t get as big of a rise as the pictures show- my bread was maybe 2 inches high-even with an hour of proving in a warm spot, but it didn’t collapse in the oven, and I don’t feel like it affected the texture- It wasn’t heavy, or gummy. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Hannah
Thank you for the lovely feedback. I’m pleased that the bread was good even with the changes you had to make.
It’s possible that the bread didn’t rise as well because of the subs, although if the texture was still ok, then maybe not. I try to avoid chia in bread recipes on the whole as it can be weighty and dense.
Quinoa is a great flour, but again, can be heavier than some alternative protein flours.
I have lots of other bread recipes on the site that don’t use flax and I’m always happy to advise on best subs if helpful.
Welcome to the world of gluten free xxxx
I only have psyllium powder to make the wholemeal gluten free bread, will this make much difference?
Thanks
Hi Sue. That’s fine, but you need to reduce the amount of psyllium powder to about 90% of the total rough-ground husk stated.
The texture (in my view) is never quite as light as with rough-ground husks, but the bread should still be good.
Best wishes
Kate
Hi Kate, long time reader here. I adore your recipes and this is one of my favourites but I do still have trouble getting it to rise (and stay risen!). It looks nice coming out of the oven and then tends to collapse to about 2 inches high. I make the rice free recipe using your Gluten Free Mix B. After the second beating when you say it should look like ‘thick porridge’ it seems thicker to me than that – I can barely mix it with a spoon. It’s also difficult to spread in the tins. I found I had to leave it in the oven double the time you suggest to prove. I live in mainland Europe so my flours are likely a little different (even though I technically source the same things). Any ideas what I’m doing wrong or how to troubleshoot? Many thanks, Ngaire
Hello. Lovely to hear from you!
So… If the bread looks nice coming out of the oven and then collapses, this would suggest that it has definitely risen… although twice the time will probably be way too long. The oven spring (the rise after going into the oven) + the pre-oven rise work together. The collapse however would suggest one of two likely things… Over-proof or over-hydration. Given how much it is collapsing, it’s more likely to be over-proofing (although it’s possible it could be a combination of the two).
The dough will be thick after the psyllium and flours have absorbed all the liquid. That’s good! Use an electric beater fitted with a dough hook to make mixing easier (I’ve just amended the recipe card to suggest this as other people may also find it hard).
Don’t add any more liquid (as this will definitely over-hydrate).
Don’t worry too much about shaping/spreading the dough… the dough will expand to fill the tin anyway. Just try to get a rough oblong shape.
Try a much shorter proof. It may be that you need fractionally more than recommended, buut I would start at the recommended time and take it from there in increments.
Can you also confirm that you haven’t subbed any of the ingredients?
The other possibility that would have a big impact is a change of yeast. Sadly not all yeasts are equal and different types cannot be substituted 1:1. Let me know what you are using (including the brand) and I will try and check for you.
Meanwhile
Have a great Christmas xxx
Happy New Year and thanks so much for your response!!! I’ve made the recipe many times following the recipe exactly and have always experienced this issue. This time it was probably indeed over-hydrated and over-proved as you say (I had added a little extra water to try to improve the pre-oven rise). This time it was an accident that I let it prove for longer, I do normally prove the amount of time you suggest. I have tried experimenting with proving it 30min longer before but still had no pre-oven rise. After reading your suggestions, I think I will go back to using strictly the amount of water in the recipe and leaving it to prove longer (although not double the time as I did last time) and let’s see. Interesting to note I always notice droplets of water inside the tin and paper after I remove the bread. I currently use ‘Schär Gluten Free Dried Yeast Mix B’ yeast but I have tried other yeasts in the past with similar results. The last handful of times I’ve made it, I didn’t have potato starch so I substituted with a mix of tapioca and corn starch (more tapioca than corn). Sorry for the essay! Thanking you for any advice you have!
Hi Kate thought I’d let you know I added the seeds, chia, sunflower and linseed. I didn’t roast them just did what you originally said ie throw them in about 50g added to the dry ingredients must say it took the bread up to another level.. if after the bread has cooled and I cut it in half for freezing and I find it’s a little undercooked, can I be put back in the oven? Thanks for all your help……..
Hi Christine. That’s so good to hear. Brilliant news!
Re popping the bread back in the oven… It’s not something I’ve tried so I can’t say for sure. When you say ‘a little undercooked’ what are the ‘symptoms’? I’m wondering whether the hydration needs a fractional adjustment?
It’s also worth using a probe (spiked) food thermometer if the bake seems inconsistent… I always aim for 99.7 to 100 C internal temperature for bread if I am worried.
Let me know what it looks like however and I will advise if liquid levels need any tweaking xx
Hi Kate,
Thanks for the reply, a good 2/3rds of the loaf was fine it was basically the bottom off the loaf maybe the bottom half and inch that seemed a little doughy. I did put in back in the oven wrapped in tin foil to stop it browning, it did improve it but I’d rather tweak if you think it needs it.
Thanks Kate your advice is gratefully received!!
Thanks for the update Christine.
It may be simply an underbake issue, but if it’s the bottom of the loaf that’s gummy/doughy, the following are a possibility:
– slightly over-proofed and consequently sunk a little (try a slightly shorter rise time to test)
– Fractionally over-hydrated (reduce the water added to the recipe by 10g as a first step and retest. It doesn’t sound much but it can make a huge difference if this is the issue).
Let me know whether either of these help.
Best wishes
Kate x
Hi Kate
I’d like to add some mixed seeds to the wholemeal bread recipe, do I need to roast them before I add them or not, about how many would it be safe to add.
Thanks, Christine
Hi Christine. Apologies for the delay in reply. I think you have now successfully tested this?!
Amazing. Thanks so much… this is really great. Quick and easy once I’ve got the flour mix done. And so soft. I couldn’t wait for it to cook properly to try!
Hi Kate,
Thanks for the quick reply re the Pysillium Powder. I did in the end decide to keep the powder to use as a thickener in soup etc and bought Pysillium husk. Anyway I made the Wholemeal bread recipe no 2 this morning, and though it didn’t rise as much as I thought it would it tasted and smelt really great. It most probably could have done with being cooked a little longer and I think my tin needs to be slightly bigger so I’ve sent for one of your recommendations. My husband whose father was a baker was very impressed and said he’d be more than happy to eat the bread all the time even though he’s not Gluten Intolerant. Looking forward to trying the recipe again with a couple of small tweeks, I do love seeds in my bread can I add some?
Thanks you so much, finding your website has made me feel much more upbeat about my diagnosis. Also I made your Yorkshire pudding recipe which was fantastic, couldn’t tell it was GF.
Hi Christine… First of all, apologies… I see to have lost your original comment in the switch over to the new blog.
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback. It’s always high praise when gluten eaters give a recipe the thumbs up. My husband (who also eats gluten) loves it too!
In terms of rise… some of the rise comes from the oven spring, but the issue may be rectified with a change of tin and if not, a slightly longer proof? The weather’s all over the place. Let me know if it doesn’t and if you need any advice as things progress.
Yes… you can add seeds. It should be fine! I’ve thrown all sorts of things in the mix before now.
Thank you too for the lovely Yorkshire Pud feedback.
Re diagnosis… It can be hard, so I’m pleased I have been able to make a bit of a difference.
Shout if you need anything
Kate xx
I’m so pleased I discovered your website relatively early in my search for good gluten free bread recipes!
My wife had abdominal surgery a couple of years ago and following that has become intolerant to gluten (apparently the gut can become sensitised to certain things after the physical disturbance of surgery).
We’ve found one decent commercial GF brand, but buying the GF loaves is so expensive so I thought I’d have a go baking some myself. I’m not an experienced baker, so it’s a bit of learning curve…
I tried your recipe for Doves Farm GF flour first, which was very good, but I felt it went a bit ‘pastey’ when toasted and buttered.
I tried this recipe next – the original version – and we think it’s brilliant! It toasts really well and you’d never know it’s gluten free. I especially like the fact it has no gums/gelatine etc.
The top did collapse a bit when cooling, but it doesn’t seem to have affected it other than aesthetically. Could this be because I forgot to grind the psyllium husks? Or something else perhaps?
Anyway, thanks for the recipe – It’s definitely going to become a regular one in our household!
Thank you so much Robin for your lovely feedback. I’m so pleased you have found the site and recipe and especially that you and your wife are enjoying the bread.
Gluten free baking (particularly bread baking) is definitely a learning curve, so it’s great that you are grabbing it by the horns and being positive about the journey.
Gluten free commercial bread can be pretty poor both for texture and nutrition, so making your own is always worth the effort.
The Doves recipe that I created was (if I remember rightly) a ‘lockdown’ recipe when ingredients were particularly hard to obtain. So I would agree, it’s not the best. I’m honestly not a huge fan of Doves flour or other standard blends (either for texture or nutrition). Hence my obsession with flour blending, particularly for staples like bread.
Re the slight collapsing… the most likely reason for this is hydration (which will vary from machine to machine and can also be affected by climate, altitude, etc). If otherwise the bread was good, I would suggest weighing the liquid egg carefully to around 163 to 165g and retest. Hopefully this will solve the problem. Although to be honest… in my world, flavour and texture is always more important than being picture perfect.
As for the psyllium… It’s possible that this made a difference, but unlikely. I tend to grind them a little to crack the husks to help hydration. Either way, whole/partially ground husks are still way better than powder.
Do reach out of you need any further help or advice. Good food is so important!
xxx
AMAZING: I was going to wait and enjoy a chip butty for my dinner, but I just popped into the kitchen and the smell was divine so I sliced myself a bit with a gentle slither of butter and this bread is amazing. Thank you so much Kate. I opted out of corn starch for the bread blend and went with arrowroot. It worked 🙂 Thanks to your confidence… next time I will try with aquafava as I would like to omit the eggs, if it does or doesn’t work, I will definitely be using this recipe as my in-house regular. Thanks again. 😉
Yay!!! Thank you so much Lea for sharing. I’m so pleased you love the bread and that it worked with the arrowroot sub. It’s still one of our favourite bread recipes here.
Do let me know if you try the aquafaba… and fingers crossed 🤞🤞 x
Hi Kate, I have been making the oat and corn free version of this recipe for awhile now and it’s fabulous! Recently I accidentally ordered modified tapioca starch instead of tapioca starch (oops!) so I decided to substitute 15 grams of the tapioca starch with the modified version and all I can say is wow!! The texture is even more amazing than before. I have since used it in other recipes with similar results. Just thought I would share….
Thank you for all of the wonderful recipes, you have made my life so much more delicious!
Thank you SO much Susie for sharing! That sounds amazing. Sometimes the best results come from an accidental or experimental change to a recipe so I’m really excited by this!
Where are you based?
In the UK it’s really hard to find modified tapioca starch these days (although to be fair, I gave up looking a couple of years ago). So if you have a ‘secret’ source, do let me know xx
Hi Kate,
I’m in the US and I bought Judee’s expandex Modified Tapioca Starch on Amazon. Hopefully you can purchase it from Amazon in the UK too.
Thank you Susie. I’ll have an updated search! xx
After making up my own recipe that tasted too buckwheat-y and as dense as a brick I decided to give “Wholemeal Gluten Free Bread Recipe – Version 3 – No Corn; No Buckwheat” a go. Of course I didn’t have some of the ingredients. So many substitutions and modifications but it turned out wonderfully. I’ll tag the result in instagram! I’m @bionictania
This bread tasted phenomenal. I’ve tried many (well regarded) gf bread recipes that had great structure but were ultimately very bland. This had a very nice wholemeal flavour to it. It still is a little on the slightly cake/brittle side, but this may be due to my swaps, of which there were many.
For those who may be interested in my swaps, they are:
(Swaps were made because I didn’t have the ingredients).
– Cornflour instead of potato flour
– A mix of hemp/black rice flour instead of teff flour
– Steel cut oats (milled to a flour) instead of blended rolled oats
– Whey protein powder instead of milk powder
I used a pullman pan with a lid because I wanted square slices. And because the pan is quite reflective I thought I probably need to cook it longer, so I did, without the lid for about 20 extra minutes (60 or so in total)
It tasted SO GOOD. Thank you SO MUCH.
Thank you SO much Tania for sharing your swaps and your feedback. I’m really pleased you loved the bread and that it was so flexible to the switches you needed to make.
This recipe continues to amaze me with just how versatile it is and while some of the flexibility and texture may shift, still it’s delicious.
Enjoy every slice!!! xx
Hi there, I tried the recipe this week and was amazed at how good the bread tastes! I’ve only ever eaten gluten-free bread that I had bought so I kinda thought is was supposed to be dry… but this one isn’t at all!!! I did have one issue though. I made it on Wednesday, and kept it fresh in cling film. But the slice I ate on Sunday all of a sudden tasted weird… as if the bread had gone bad. Is that possible? There was no mould on it or anything, it seemed fine. I noticed that the dough was a bit too guey right after baking (which i actually kind of like), so that it tasted a bit like yeast in the middle. Could that be what caused the foul taste in Sunday? Maybe it was a bit undercooked?
Hi Marie.
Firstly… apologies for the delay in reply. It’s been a busy couple of weeks.
Thank you for your kind feedback. I’m so pleased the bread worked out well for you.
Re the taste/smell… It’s possible that the loaf has ‘sweated’ in the clingfilm. I’m not sure where you live, but if the room or climate was warm, or the loaf was placed near a heat source, this may have had an impact (causing to sweat).
The bread can feel a little sticky before it has cooled completely… But if that stickiness has remained, it is likely to be that it needed a few more minutes in the oven.
To help remove excess moisture, you can also remove the baked bread from the tin and pop it back in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes without the constraints of the tin. This will also crisp the crust.
If you feel it may have been undercooked, then definitely give these options a try.
Alternatively… If the loaf sunk at all… it may be that it needs fractionally less liquid (which again can be affected by climate/altitude, etc. So…. The other option is to reduce the amount of egg liquid slightly… In terms of liquid egg weight (as opposed to weight of eggs in shells), weigh to 163 to 165g liquid egg.
If the bread is fine texturally but the smell is just due to ‘sweating’… Make sure the bread is completely cold right the way through before wrapping (the inside can remain warm even when the outside feels cold for several hours). Then wrap and store in a cool spot (but not the fridge)… Or slice and freeze.
Or wrap in something alternative (I’ve found a large beezwax sheet to be good).
I hope this helps a little… And doesn’t sound too complex. I’m trying to think of all possible reasons 🤔
Best wishes and let me know how it goes.
Kate xx
I made the Wholemeal GF Original Version 1 and had a question on the ingredients. It was very good but didn’t rise as much as I thought it should. My question is about the psyllium husk. I measured and used 35g of the psyllium husk I had ground, not 35g of whole psyllium husk that needed to be ground. Which is the correct interpretation of the recipe–35g ground psyllium husk, or 35g whole psyllium husk that would need to be ground before adding to the recipe? Thanks.
Hi Teresa
Thank you for your feedback.
The correct interpretation is 35g of psyllium husk that has already been rough ground.
Regarding the rise, this can be affected by room temperature, humidity, altitude and the freshness of the yeast. So it may be that it needed a little longer to proof? Although it is equally important not to over-proof or the bread will risk collapse. It may be a case of a little extra experimentation in your own kitchen climate.
It may also be worth offering the dough a final boost of extra oven-spring by adding steam to the oven (pre-heat a dish with the oven and add boiling water to it when the bread goes in to bake).
I hope this helps
Best wishes
Kate
Always looking for new gf recipes. Struggling with getting my bread to rise.
Hi Angela
I’m sorry to hear that. I’m not clear whether you’ve tried this recipe and have had problems? If you have, can you let me know what type of yeast you’ve been using? And whether you’ve changed anything in the recipe at all? And I will do what I can to advise.
Best wishes
Kate
Hello Alchemist,
After converting all measurements to cups (USA) from grams (UK), I have been mixing and matching your recipe with different combinations of flour and seeds, mindful of the liquid-to-dry ratio. My question is can I use Hemp seed in lieu of Flax seed? You state that Flax seed is a binder, but do not state that Hemp seed would work as a binder as well.
Thank you so very much for sharing your GF recipes and life with us.
Karen
Hi Karen
Thank you for making contact. I’m pleased that you are finding the recipes helpful.
Firstly… I’m amazed that you are managing to convert the recipe from grams to cups. Cups are relatively inaccurate as a measure, so if this is successful for you, I’m super-impressed.
As for the use of hemp in place of the flax? The honest answer is that I don’t know. It’s not something I have ever tried.
The particular qualities of hemp vs flax are different and this includes how they react when ‘hydrated’. So I am not sure they will produce the same results. However… The best way to find out is to try it. Maybe test on a small loaf?
If you do, I would love to hear how you got on.
Best wishes xx
I can only buy wholemeal/wheat teff flour rather than white. Will it change the recipe please?
The recipe is still fine with brown Teff… It will just be darker and a little stronger in flavour.
Best wishes
Fantastic recipe, as always! I had to make some tweaks due to limited supply at home. I decided to replace the milled flax with a mix of 50/50 almond flour and hemp powder (the green stuff). I also had to use fresh yeast, since I only had a sprinkle of instant left. I replaced the water with goat milk (which I have never tried before and it was great). I dissolved the yeast in the milk after heating it to 37 degrees C.
I think the fresh yeast made the bread rise a little faster but I put it in the oven in time, so it didn’t overproof. I’m really happy with the result, the bread only sank a few millimeters or so (my oven is difficult to bake with!), other than that it is spongy and soo tasty!
Thank you SO much. It’s pretty forgiving, so I’m really pleased to hear it still worked with some unexpected tweaks. xx
Hi Kate. This recipe looks great, and I’m really excited to try it. I plan to make a large batch of the Gluten Free Alchemist Rice Free Blend B. Do you see anything wrong with also mixing the GF oat flour, milled flax seed, and ground psyllium husk with the blend B as long as my ratios are accurate? Seems like it would be easier for me when making future loaves.
Hi Jack
Thanks for your contact.
It’s not something I have tried although I believe another reader did mix larger batches quite successfully. I would suggest maybe testing a double batch and then if that works, upping to triple and so on to compare results. Just be sure to leave out the yeast until baking to a) be certain that the yeast remains fresh and b) to keep it from being deactivated from any salt in the mix prior to baking.
I hope that helps. Do let me know how you get on.
Best wishes
Kate x
Just made recipe 5 as Coeliac Australia advises us to steer clear of oat products because of cross contamination risks and uncertainty about the gluten-like protein found in oats. I live in a small country town and was unable to get teff flour locally but I substituted it with quinoa flour which is readily available here. I also used fresh milk in place of the milk powder and water. Nevertheless the bread turned out pretty good and even got the thumbs up from my picky gluten-eating husband, so I have to say it was a success. Next time I’m in the our neighbouring big town I’ll be chasing teff flour to check out the difference – if any. Also I wonder if I had ground the psyllium husk a bit finer if the texture may have been a bit lighter. Next time around – and there will be a next time – I’ll try getting the psyllium a bit finer too. Thank you for this great recipe. I observed that you don’t include quinoa flour in your list of GF flours. Is that because of an availability issue in the UK? It is readily available in Australia and from what I’ve read it is also very nutritious. I have also started using Busan/gram/chickpea flour a lot more in my GF cooking for the same reasons. I am looking forward to exploring more of your recipes, thank you!
Thank you so much for your feedback Jennie. And pleased the recipe worked even with the changes. Using milk in place of milk powder and water on this one is fine and makes no difference to the final texture. I personally tend to use water and milk powder, because it’s easier and quicker to get the temperature right (I am lazy 😂) and because it then makes an east bread mix if I’m away…
Re the psyllium husk… If it is ground too fine, it makes the bread more dense in my experience. The lightness is improved by beating really well, a good proof (you’ll work out the best time needed for your climate and air temperature after a couple of bakes) and making sure the eggs are weighed right.
Quinoa flour is definitely included on my list of flours on my Gluten Free Flours Page. I absolutely agree, it is a fabulous source of protein. I do use it in some recipes, but find it to be a little more dense and heavy than some of the other protein flours.
Gram/chickpea flour is also excellent and is increasingly appearing in my recipes… It’s key in my Soft Roti Flatbreads and my Wraps both for texture and flavour. I definitely recommend giving them a try if you get a chance.
Do shout if you need anything.
Best wishes
Kate x
Thanks so much for this recipe! It is delicious. The first 4 or 5 times I made it, it was perfect, but it has now started
doing a thing that I think is called ‘tunnelling’ where once cooled, there is a huge tunnel between the crust and the dough at the top, and all the dough has sunk low and is a bit gooey, basically taking up half the space of the loaf. It has now done this about 4 loaves in a row, and I cannot figure out what has changed to cause this as I am using exactly the same ingredients. Is it perhaps prooving too long? (I’m leaving it on the side in my kitchen under a tea towel for about 1hr). Or could the oven be too hot perhaps? It is a fan oven, but I’m using the same temp settings I was when I started baking. The only other things I have switched to is a deeper Masterclass 2lb baking tin, as recommended in the recipe, as my original tin was a bit shorter and the loaf had a big muffin type top. But it worked the first couple of times in the new tin. Very confusing! Any ideas much appreciated. (I have also tried buying new yeast, in case my yeast had gone over). Tilly
Oh no Tilly! I’m sorry to hear that.
If everything else is the same, my guess is that it is being over-proofed. The tin will be fine. And if it’s rising well, it’s definitely not the yeast (unless you’ve switched brands to an extra ‘excited’ one).
Bear in mind that the temperature of our homes and environment is continually changing with the seasons and weather and dependent on whether we have had the heating on, etc.
I would use your bakers eye rather than working on a single time expectation… When the bread looks like it has risen, it’s probably good to go.
Also bear in mind that perceptually, using a different tin with higher sides may hoodwink you into thinking the bread needs to rise more, because you are used to seeing it further up. The higher sides will provide better structure to avoid the ‘muffin top’, but you will need to get used to where it reaches when it’s ready!
I hope that helps and good luck xx
Thanks so much for these recipes. Its so thoughtful to have so many versions. I made the Version 5 and it is the closest loaf to real whole meal bread I have made. I used soy milk powder but followed the other ingredients closely. I couldn’t resist eating a warm slice which was really amazing! Ill be making this and the other versions over and over! I was wondering if I could use hemp flour in place of teff in the recipes?
Thanks Again!
Thank you so much Lisa for such lovely feedback. So glad that you enjoyed it.
Re replacing teff with hemp flour? I don’t see why not. It should work well. If you do try it, let me know how it goes and how it tastes
Best wishes xx
This bread is very high in sodium. I was wondering why my blood pressure increased from a normal reading to high when I went for a physical. Cannot add the baking soda in that amount. I instead used 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of baking powder. In a addition to that, there is also salt. The salt portion is fine, but that sodium bicarbonate is too much of a health risk.
Read the serving of sodium level on the label. 1/8th tsp is 160mg. 160 X 8 = 1280mg. 11 grams = approximately 1.75 teaspoons. 1760mg of sodium. In addition to the salt. Just saying.
Thank you for the information. I’d be very surprised if it’s down to the bread. Shocked by what you are saying, I have checked 20+ recipes on line (both home-baked and commercial) and found that the amount of added salt is often greater than I have used. Half a teaspoon of bicarb for a large loaf is also not considered great in comparison to other loaves and the overall amount of sodium is comparable for a portion bread for bread. I am unsure where you are getting a level of 1¾ teaspoons from for the recipe?
But ultimately, if you have found a way round the ingredients that works for you, that’s great.
Best wishes
I’m impressed with the recipe but potatoes in some form are in every recipe. What can go in place of potato starch?
Thank you Marilyn.
Yes… Potato starch is a tricky one. It’s particular qualities help to give bread a particularly good doughy texture.
Although it may be that this cannot be fully replicated, I would suggest that for the quantity required, an alternative such as cassava flour, or white rice flour or increasing the tapioca starch are definitely worth a try.
I suggest maybe making a half batch as a test to see how it performs.
I hope this helps a little
Best wishes
Kate x
I loved the bread and love baking with oat flour .. just wondering do you think oat flour made the bread more moist?
The oat flour contains Avenin which is a protein that is similar to gluten (but isn’t gluten so is still GF). It provides great structure, but shouldn’t add moisture. If the loaf turned out too ‘wet’, use eggs at the lower end of the weight range and if still too ‘wet’, reduce the liquid by 10 ml and see if that helps.
Best wishes x
So happy with bread version 2! It was so delicious. Just wondering why did the psyllium husk turn out clumpy? Also can I use xanthan gum instead of psyllium husk?
Yay! Number 2 is my favourite as well.
Re the psyllium… I’m wondering whether it was thoroughly mixed? Or possibly it was ground too fine or too coarse? Did you use husk that you ground at home or was it ‘psyllium powder’?
You can’t replace the psyllium with xanthan as the bread really needs the psyllium to work. It’s a bit of a magic ingredient. And it’s better for you too.
xxx
My 6yo son was just diagnosed with Coeliac 2 weeks ago and I was starting to despair as he hated every GF bread option I bought to try (including fresh from GF bakery).
I just made this recipe (version 5 as dr recommends he also avoids oats to start) and he loved it – thanks to your recipe, I see there’s a pleasant way through this!
I was wondering if you recommend a specific recipe to try to make GF hamburger buns? The store bought ones we’ve tried have been horrendous…
Thank you so much Amelie. That’s so good to hear.
My daughter was diagnosed at the same age and I know how hard it is. It’s what drove me to share my recipes.
It does get easier though and I am always grateful that we were diagnosed relatively young… Kids are resilient and get used to things fairly quick.
You might want to check out my GF Parenting Guide if you haven’t seen it already. It may help a little in getting heads round the journey ahead. It’s written in chapters and can be accessed chapter by chapter from the drop down box at the top of each blog page too (just under the banner).
https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/p-guide-to-parenting-coeliac-child-for/
Re burger buns… I have on my list the need to develop a white bun. But my Gluten Free Artisan Rolls are amazing as a burger. Simply shape the dough as a burger (the dough is actually ‘kneadable’) into bun shapes and bake.
https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/artisan-gluten-free-rolls-wholemeal-bread-recipe/
I hope that helps xx
Thank you for this brilliant GF recipe, I used version 1, although I couldn’t find sorghum flour locally so I increased the buckwheat and teff quantities in the flour mix B. The results were stunning!
Making this bread is a bit like magic; the wet dough seems very porridgy and stiff which leaves you wondering how it’s ever going to transform into a light a fluffy loaf of bread. But after proving and baking – voila – a beautiful loaf of delicious bread so unlike the usual claggy, stodgy, ‘cardboardy’ GF loaves I’ve tasted in the past.
Thank you Kate, I will be making this regularly and have forwarded your recipes to a friend whose 8 yr old daughter was recently diagnosed Coeliac.
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback Elaine. I’m so happy you’ve tried the recipe and loved it. I genuinely won’t stop until I’ve managed the best possible recipe… And bread-development has become a bit of an obsession. So it’s wonderful when other people love what I’ve achieved too.
My own daughter was diagnosed when she was 5 or 6 (boy… it seems a long time ago now). The transition can be tough. If your friend clicks on the menu ‘Coeliac Parenting Guide’ at the top ( https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/p-guide-to-parenting-coeliac-child-for/ ) There’s a series of chapters which might be helpful. And if there’s anything they (or you) need, just shout xx
I made this recipe (original version) as rolls.
I used the dough hooks on my hand mixer to mix.
I shaped 12 rolls, let them rise for 30 mins at 30 degrees. I spaced them out as much as possible, so they only merged into one another a little. I baked them for 20 mins at 180 degrees conventional, till they reached 99 degrees internal temperature. They were perfect. Fed to husband and son, and also to a friend who really enjoyed, having never found a decent commercial GF roll.
Thanks for all your recipes!
Yay! That’s brilliant. I’m so pleased.
If you loved those rolls… you may be excited to try my new Wholemeal Artisan Gluten Free Rolls recipe… Just published today. They are a slight tweak on this recipe, but made to be shapable and to hold shape too. Hubbie here said (of the burger buns I made with the recipe) ‘This is probably the best burger I’ve ever had’. So can’t be bad xxx
I have contacted you directly about the success of both the bread and the artisan rolls but thought it only fair to comment on here too so that other people can read how fabulous the bread is.
My husband was diagnosed coeliac 4 years ago. Fresh crusty bread was his weakness and that would be our treat at the weekends. We did get greedy though!
Fresh crusty bread has been off the menu for the 4 years until now! Amazing! Amazing!Amazing! It’s as close as I think he will ever get to normal bread. We all love it, even the muggles!
I bought all the necessary flours online as your suggest and have bought a selection of containers for them all nicely labelled. It’s definitely worth investing in the flours.
We have dramatically reduced our bread consumption because of coeliac and that is no bad thing to be honest. I now follow a low carb diet too so bread does not feature as high on our list now so this, freshly baked, is a treat for us both.
I’m delighted to watch him enjoy a sandwich now rather than eating expensive, dry sawdust/cardboard!
You have put so much time and effort into these recipes. I admire your dedication.
Congratulations.
Thank you so much Fiona for such lovely feedback. I am so glad that I have made a difference.
Given that bread is a staple, it’s really important that it should be enjoyable. And a sandwich should never be let down by the bread.
My husband (who is a gluten eater) absolutely loves the bread I make and (while he may have just got used to eating it) says it’s better than the bread he used to eat with gluten.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. Just shout if you need anything x
Hurrah! At last a wonderful GF loaf! I’ve been making version 3, but tweaked it for using with a different , non instant active dried yeast that only contains yeast…instant dried yeast contains sorbitan which gives me a lot of digestive troubles.
Someone on here wrote that they tried using active non instant dried yeast but it didn’t work. That may have been because the amount of yeast and the method have to be very slightly altered for non instant dried yeast.
I give the changes below.
I also have a really aggressive fan oven that blows too hard. I tweaked the proving (& oven temperature ) very slightly to protect the rising, and cooking, bread. Again, if that’s your issue, I give the changes below.
First off: using non instant dried yeast instead of instant
1. To convert the amount of instant dried yeast as given in a recipe to the right amount of active dried yeast, multiply by 1.25.
In this recipe, 7g of instant dried yeast x 1.25 = 8.75g/1.75 tsp. active dried yeast.
2. Non instant Active dried yeast cannot be added with all the dry ingredients. It needs to be dissolved in bloodwarm water and left for 5-10 minutes to start activating.
So there’s an adjustment to the recipe instructions.
Mix up all the dry ingredients EXCEPT the 8.75g non instant dried yeast.
Mix up the wet ingredients EXCEPT the water.
Measure/weigh the water, but make sure it’s BLOOD TEMP. Not hand hot. A drop on the inside of your wrist should feel the same as you, neither warmer nor colder. Don’t add the water to the wet ingredients yet. Keep it separate e.g. in a jug.
Add the yeast to the water in the jug, stir and leave it to dissolve for 5-10 minutes. The water will go cloudy and some froth or foam may form on top. That’s fine.
Stir well then add the yeasty water to the other wet ingredients making sure to get everything out of the jug. (The yeast tends to sink down. )
Then just follow the recipe as given.
Second issue: Fan oven
The usual oven temperature adjustment for reheating or cooking in a fan oven is 20’C lower than a non fan oven.
You’ll know your oven; mine sometimes needs only 10’C lower. As the markings on the dial only start at 80’C, I guesstimate I prove at 50-60’C and I cook this bread at 160’C. The timings are as given in the recipe.
The fan in my oven is pretty strong, it blows too hard to prove the rising loaf on a middle shelf, it would dry out and not rise well.
I do 2 things.
I remove the higher shelves and use a bottom shelf to prove this bread to give it from to rise.
I do use a folded tea towel to protect the base from overheating, as the recipe suggests. This bread rises quickly, at about 50-60’C (guesstimate).
I also enclose the tin in a large clear plastic bag, with the opening tucked under the base of the tin so that the fan can’t blow directly on the dough. The top of the bag needs to be loose, so the dough has room to rise without touching it.
Hope this helps, if you have had either of these issues.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write up your tweaks and process Alison. It’s super-helpful and what I love about the GFA community. It’s great that it’s all there for others to use when they need to and I also know where to find the detail should anyone contact me by e-mail too! So thank you again xx
Hi Kate
Ive just made your bread for the second time and although this one has sunk a bit I shall keep on making it as its so good to have a slice of “decent” bread.
Thanks for sharing the recipe for the flour mix that’s very generous of you. I now keep some blended in the cupboard.
Making this loaf has encouraged me to keep baking as I felt an utter failure after being diagnose Coeliac in later life.
I’ll try some of your other recipes soon.
Thank you for taking time to leave a lovely comment Rosemary. And thank you for persevering with the bread. Sometimes the size of the eggs or a slight over-proving can cause a sink (usually the latter), but as it still tastes great, I don’t worry too much about it. The more you make it, hopefully the more consistent it will get as you get used to the look and feel of it.
And I’m so glad that you have not given up on baking. I found a new lease of creativity when I had to go GF… And I won’t rest until my recipes are at least as good as my gluten-memory!
Just shout if you need anything xx
Hi Kate,
I made this bread (version 1) and it all seemed to be going perfectly well, as it rose nicely before baking and it had a lovely rise in the oven and looked very similar to your bread. However, within about 15 minutes of being out of the oven the top of the bread sunk completely. I am waiting at least a couple of hours to slice it, but do you have any idea why that would have happened?
thanks for any advice!
Hi Lori.
I’m sorry to hear that. It sounds as though it may have been over-proved.
What sort of tin did you use? Sometimes the tin is too shallow to support the rise and the rise then also becomes deceptive and unstable. Gluten Free bread is very different structurally to gluten bread.
If you weighed all other ingredients accurately and didn’t make any substitutions to the written recipe, then this would be the most likely issue. However, if anything was changed, let me know and I will have a rethink.
The other factor can sometimes be climate, humidity or altitude. Can I also just clarify where you are from if you feel this is relevant?
Come back to me if unsure and I will see if there is anything else I can think of xx
I made your whole meal bread recipe & it is fantastic!!!! I followed the ingredients exactly but had to let the bread rise longer & bake longer. So soft & yummy!
HI Cindy.
Thank you for your lovely feedback. I’m so happy that the bread worked for you and that you enjoyed it.
As is the nature of baking, sometimes rise and bake times vary as a result of different climate, ovens, humidity, altitude and so many other variables. I’m really pleased that you have tweaked to make it work for you and that you can enjoy it as much as we have.
xx
Hello
What Can be used to replace eggs for egg free version as I can’t have them.
Thank you
Hi Joanna
The best option is to use the Vegan Wholemeal Recipe – https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/gluten-free-vegan-bread-recipe/
Best wishes
Kate
The taste is fabulous, but I think I may have used the wrong type of yeast and the bread didn’t rise very well. I used active dry yeast, but I think it should have been instant yeast. I’ll try it again in a week or so.
Thank you Darlene.
Yes… you need to use Instant yeast for this one… I probably need to go back and make that clearer in the recipe… Although if you activate non-instant yeast first, the recipe should work. xx
I’m going to pass your recipe to my gluten free friend, if I were a really nice person I’d make it for her. I’m curious about the serrated knife with the green handle in one of your photos. We have a similar knife with the same serrations, but I have never seen one like it before yours. It’s my favorite knife for slicing bread and tomatoes. Do you have a source for a knife like yours? Thank you for a reply.
Hi Lynn
Thank you.
The knife was my mother’s. I ‘inherited’ it when she died, but it is actually about 50+ years old… Still going strong. It’s my favourite too… I had to fight my sister for it as I’ve never seen another like it either… Sorry xx
Well, aren’t we both lucky to have the best bread knife in the world! I should mention that I live on the west coast of the United States. Thanks so much for your response.
You’re welcome Lynn. Absolutely! The BEST knife… And it’s been going for as long as me! They don’t make them like that any more xx
Hi Kate,
As we all love your recipe for the bread machine at home, I would like to try this one too. I have one question, here in the Netherlands the coconut milk powder (my 2 sons are next to celiac also milk intolerant) is extremely expensive, I would like to do try the recipe with coconut milk. Do I need to use full fat coconut milk (17-19%)? or do I use the low fat that is around 7-8%? We also have the very liquid one which is mixed with rice milk, but that one seems too thin to me to be use.
Thank you for your support 🙂
Hi Nathaly
It is fine to simply remove the powder altogether and to substitute the water for any liquid drinking milk that you and they can have safely. Just substitute water for liquid milk weight for weight (volume for volume). You don’t need a high fat milk (ie don’t use full fat coconut milk)… Just a normal dairy free drinking milk alternative. I often use a coconut milk (KoKo brand) which is only actually contains 7% coconut milk.
I hope that helps.
Enjoy x
Thank you for this feedback ! I will give it a try tonight so we can have fresh bread for the breakfast ! My children loved the bread machine version, even my picky non Gluten Free husband loved it!… so now I want to see if this one would also be favorite at home 🙂
Thank you for all the time you put in this for help us with this difficult journey with food allergies!
Hi Kate,
So I made it yesterday, but during the cooling process it collapsed in the middle. This morning we proved it, and it was amazing in taste, but structure was not as fluffy as it was the recipe for the bread machine and the bread looking a little undercooked underneath.
I let it proof for over 3 hours (as mine dried yeast is not rapid/instant but regular dry yeast which has the same working time as fresh yeast and it needs always more time) , it was just 3cm above the pan (I used a 2LB from Master Class). And bake it at 180C for 40 min ( I use always an oven thermometer), temperature inside the bread was 98C when I took it out, but the stick didn’t came out clear. I didn’t do this test with the bread machine loaf, neither took temperature, but I always do it with my fresh artisan bread or small bread I make.
Any idea why did it collapsed and why it was undercooked? I could think that I let it rise too long, but it was not more than 3 cm, as indicated in your recipe.
Thank you for your feedback.
Hi Nathaly
I am sorry to hear that the bread didn’t go quite to plan. It sounds as though the length of time proofing may have been too much… However, I suspect the issue started before proofing. My understanding of dry (not instant) yeast is that it needs activation before adding to the mixture.
If you cannot get instant Easy Bake yeast, I suggest that you try the recipe again and activate the yeast separately… So… Mix the sugar (honey/maple) + yeast + about half of the luke-warm water together in a large glass bowl… Give a quick whisk… Leave to activate for 10 to 15 minutes (should froth when activated). Then add to the mixture at the point when it is all being mixed together (wet + dry).
I’ve also done a little extra research re substitution… and It’s also possible that you might need slightly more dry yeast than you would instant easy bake. The ratio for substitution is apparently 1 tsp active dry yeast = ¾ tsp easy bake. May be worth a go.
At proof time… I would be cautious about proofing for anything more than an hour. Don’t worry excessively about height of proofed dough… it usually rises a little more in the oven before the yeast is killed off.
If the baked loaf is still too ‘heavy’ or dense, remove 1 tbsp of oil.
Fingers crossed for you lovely xx
So I made it, but my bread sink in the top middle… Any idea why this happened? Did I do something wrong?
I didn’t try it yet as I planned to cut it tomorrow morning for my children breakfast…
My daughter has had celiac disease for 8 years so I have tried a lot of gluten free bread recipes and this is by far her favorite bread – ever! Wow, to have soft, moist bread is such a special treat. I’ve been making this bread many times and have always come out with a beautifully risen, soft loaf of bread. Thank you so much for a great recipe!!
I am SO pleased. Thank you fo letting me know. You are so welcome. xx
You are my new hero! I found this recipe during a rambling search for gf bread recipes. How did I never see it before? Version 5 meets our needs perfectly!
Thank you so much for all the work you’ve put into this and all your recipes. I cant wait to try it!
You’re so welcome Donna. I hope it lives up to expectations xx
Your loaf looks beautiful!
By the way sucking in is from too much liquid, too much leavener, or underbaking.
Thank you Carla.
I worked with all of those possibilities! Less liquid negatively affected the texture. Changing the leavener ratio didn’t help either. And it definitely wasn’t under-baked. Some loaves sucked in and some didn’t. No difference in temperature, ratios, equipment or oven between them… So no rhyme or reason. x
Hello, I would like to try making your magnificent looking bread, with recipe’B’. The only ingredient I don’t have is the psyllium husk. I was put off this, because I once tried the powder and it was awful. The recipe turned out slimy and it gave me horrendous gut problems. However, I have recently found (on my never-ending search) that many interesting bread recipes are made with the husk, so I thought I might give it a try. Can you tell me where you purchase the one you use? I am in Shropshire. Thanks, Elaine
Hi Elaine
Thank you for making contact. The psyllium husk is crucial to the recipe and when I first discovered it’s power to make lasting softness and a true bread-like texture it was a revelation. You cannot taste it and there is no ‘slimy’ texture. I would definitely try it again. Although very occasionally you get someone with an intolerance to it (as with anything), I hope it is good for you.
I buy my husks whole and grind into powder at home, but you can get psyllium ready-ground powder. I buy mine in a local whole-food store (definitely worth trying any near you) although have also sourced on line from Healthy Supplies, Buy Wholefoods Ob-Line, The Vegan Kind Supermarket and even Amazon.
Just double check gluten free credentials as they vary. You want to buy the psyllium that comes in a bag… Not the ‘medicinal’ tubs.
Hope that helps. Let me know how you get on x
Thank you for the best loaf of bread I’ve had in years!!! Delicious.
You’re so welcome. Thank you so much for letting me know. I would love if you could ‘rate’ the recipe with the stars. It just means that more people might get to find it in the future xx
Can this be made into rolls? Id love to make a batch and freeze them to eat as needed. Thank you!
Hi Tan
Yes, you can easily use the dough to make rolls, as in the post photograph. If you grab yourself the Free Download using the Download request box above, there are some instructions included on how to make them.
Best wishes
Your bread looks delicious but I don’t have a kitchen scale so is their anyway you can make the recipe in cup measurements I really like to try this bread
Hi Marie.
It should be relatively straight forward to convert to cups. I provide US customary measures in ounces though, so haven’t done a cup translation. I would advise using gram to cup calculators that you can find on-line. I found this site which may be a good starting point for you. https://cookpad.com/uk/recipes/362279-vickys-conversions-for-gluten-free-flours-cups-to-grams
Best wishes
Kate
Hi, many thanks for this recipe – can’t wait to try it out. Can I add nuts/seeds to the dough mix before baking?
And if so, what sort of quantities can i add for a good result? TIA 🙂
Hi Tricia. Yes, You should be able to add nuts and seeds without any problem. I have added seeds in the past and it’s been fine. But I cannot remember the quantities. I know other people have also added dried fruit etc too.
I would try adding some and build up the amount as you see how it reacts. But I don’t see that there should be any issue.
Let me know how it goes xx
Hi Tricia, I’ve never added nuts but have added up to 1 and half tablespoons of various types of seeds (whatever I have in, basically) just towards the end of mixing with no negative effect on the result 😊.
That’s great to hear Steven. Thank you for letting me know.
It is a very forgiving bread recipe and seems to take lots of switches and additions.
Not sure who Tricia is though?
Best wishes
Kate
Sorry about that Kate 😁. I’d clicked in the wrong box – I’d intended to reply to Tricia who’s post you were responding to 😆
No worries. It made me smile though x
Hi there, so sorry to ask…but can this recipe be adapted to use the following flours? They are all I can eat. Millet, sorghum, Brown rice, buckwheat, soy, tapioca.
Hi Jane. You don’t need to apologise. I’m happy to help. Before I advise though, can I just check whether you can eat eggs? (ie. whether you are wanting to do the vegan or non-vegan version). And also whether you can use either psyllium or flax or if not, can you use any other binder (xanthan / chia / guar gum?).
Let me know and I’ll get back to you x
My wife reacts to sorghum. What would be the best to replace it with?
Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi George.
Thanks for getting in touch.
Can your wife eat oats?
Oat flour is a good close sub for sorghum, so if she can eat it, I would sub the sorghum either 1 for 1 with extra oat or part oat part buckwheat/teff. The Wholemeal recipe is quite forgiving.
If you can’t eat oats, let me know and I will suggest an alternative mix up for you. x
Loving your blog, and it’s like my holy grail to the world of GF. My besties is allergic to GF and it gives me the motivation to test some GF recipes. Bread are the most challenging part! As Most bread required a high protein flour.. and with GF flour it’s pretty hard to create its substitute 🙂 THANKS a lot for the explanation And guide !
However I do have one important Question.
Can I exchange Teff flour onto something else’s that’s easier to be found? or will it works if I just leave it out and spread out the ratio for other flour? Much appreciated ..
Thank you for your lovely comment and query. Gluten Free bread is definitely a tricky one to develop. But I’m really happy with this recipe.
As for exchanging Teff flour… Yes. You can switch it out for another of the high protein flours. Buckwheat or sorghum would be good options (or just split the quantity between those and the oats). This is a fairly forgiving recipe as long as you keep the protein and starch ratios relatively secure.
I hope that helps
Best wishes
Very impressed with this recipe, it doesn’t go dry after day 1, freezes well and is far nicer than other
gluten free breads I have tried either making, or buying. Thank you so much 🙂
Thank you so much for your lovely comment Meryl. So pleased that you have love the recipe. x
I can’t wait! I want to thank you for this truly excellent page: https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/p-gluten-free-flours-and-flour-blends/
It has been so useful and I’ve been enjoying concocting tasty blends simply using the info you provided about the flours. Thank you for your hard work and for your generosity in sharing.
You’re so welcome Natalie. I’m so glad that I have been able to help xx
Please how do I find all these different flours and psyllium husk? I’ve tried looking at Holland and Barrett but they don’t have them all. Any advice please?
Hi Cheryl.
Your best option is to buy them on-line.
Shipton Mill i(https://www.shipton-mill.com/) and
Healthy Supplies (https://www.healthysupplies.co.uk/gluten-free-flour.html)
are both fantastic sources and with good prices. I order from either/both. They deliver pretty quickly and both have comprehensive gluten free flour selections.
I hope that helps
Best wishes
This bread looks amazing. You would never guess it was gluten free the texture and crumb look just perfect! Its made me hungry. Thank you for linking to #CookBlogShare
Thank you Jacqui. It doesn’t taste like gluten free bread either! I’m so happy with it xx
Well there is nothing better than homemade bread! Love all of the different flour options you have. Thanks for linking up for meatless Monday
Thank you Deborah. I totally agree. People have so many different intolerances, it seemed only fair to include them in the party xx
Do you have a recommend internal temperature for a properly cooked loaf, or do I use the standard 205-210F for GF bread?
Hi Tanya
Interestingly, I have never taken the internal temperature of this loaf and have gone by instinct. But I would usually (with GF bread) aim for 210 to 212 F
Best wishes
Kate
This bread looks so great! It actually looks like real bread! I’ve tried makingn a gluten free low carb cashew bread and yes, it was all of those things, but no, it did not take the place of actual bread. visiting from the blog hop, have a great week!
Thanks Amber. This was literally months of work…. I was so sick of rubbish GF bread, I needed to get it perfect! x
Truly and amazingly impressive! I will direct everyone to you! Fantastic recipes.
Thank you SO much Jenny. xxxxxx
If I ever need to make a gluten free bread I’ll definitely know where to come. I’m so impressed by how much effort you’ve gone to with this!
Thanks Corina. It has become a bit of an obsession! But bread is such a staple. And this is such an easy-to-make recipe (once you have the flours) I want everyone to have a piece of it xx
Looks great, but could you recommend a substitute for the eggs/provide a vegan recipe?
Hi Natalie
I’ve worked on a vegan recipe and will be posting it soon. xx
Looking forward to hearing about your egg free recipe. I am still trying to find that go to recipe.
Thanks Claire. I’ll get there…. I’m a bit ‘breaded out’ this week! x
This is a stunner, you're the GF bread queen!
Thanks Kat. I've just eaten a slice from a loaf fresh out of the oven. SO good. It's a real game-changer. I'm really tempted to market it as a mix xx
Hi. Have you by any chance tested your bread recipe using Shipton Mills gluten free bread flour blend?
Hi Angel
No I haven’t. I don’t tend to use commercial-blended flours as I prefer the flexibility and accuracy of blending flours at home and generally get disappointed when I use other retail blends. That isn’t to say that it won’t work though… So if Shipton Mill is a blend you are familiar with, it would definitely be worth trying.
I did try to check what flours are mixed together for the Shipton Mill blends, but was struggling to find any information (which was worrying). I have emailed them for more information!
If I know what’s in there I would have a better idea of the likelihood of it producing a decent and healthy loaf… If you have a pack, could you e-mail/contain me with the details?
Many thanks
Kate
Hi, thanks for your reply. This is the ingredients of their gluten free bread flour blend.
Maize Starch
Tapioca Starch
Potato Starch
Sorghum
White Teff
Pea Protein
Psyllium Husk
Sugar Beet Fibre
Thanks Angel. It may work…. As I said I haven’t tested it myself, but always worth a try. Other people have tried the recipe with a whole range of flours and it seems quite versatile and forgiving.
My only worry would be that the blend already contains Psyllium and I am not sure of the quantity in there. Given how low down the list it is, I would suspect that it is not much… but if trying the bread using this blend, I would probably reduce the quantity of psyllium in the recipe to about 28 g (for two 1 lb loaves) and then see how it goes.
You could always make a single 1 lb loaf to test and that way, if it isn’t successful, you haven’t wasted much… although in my experience, even failed loaves still make great toast!
Let me know how it goes and if you do try, whether it works…
xx
That bread looks wonderful, it is difficult to say that it is from gluten free flour seeing its texture. I like the fact that you have given the percentage of different flours used, specially useful when we like to do from scratch or we do not have a ready mix available. Wonderful share in Baking crumbs
Thank you. I am so pleased that others are able to enjoy the hard work that I have put in, so anything that makes it easier is good! x
Thank you for this recipe. I Think that you intend the flax seeds to be whole, since you took the care to tell us to grind the psyllium and oats. I add ground flax seeds to many of my baked goods – just wondering if you'll confirm for me, Whole flax seed?
You're welcome. Apologies… the flax should be milled flax seed. I thought that I had specified that in the recipe, but obviously missed it in the proof reading. I will update the recipe card to ensure it is clear. Thank you so much for pointing it out xx
Wow Kate, this loaf looks fantastic and if I didn't know that it was GF I wouldn't have guessed. The texture looks beautiful and as you would expect from any wheat loaf. I do applaud you and all the hard work trying and testing to get it perfect and all the happy customers who have tried it and loved it, that's the greatest feedback right there! 🙂 Thank you for sharing this beauty with #BakingCrumbs 🙂 xx
Thank you Jo. The hard work has been worth it. Having a loaf that tastes like bread is just the best thing when you are Coeliac. x
What an outstanding recipe. I can actually comprehend the amount of work that went into getting this recipe just right. I take my baking hat off to you. I bet you feel super!This loaf looks incredible. Thank you so much for sharing this special recipe with #BakingCrumbs
Thank you Jenny. Yes… it was a lot of hard work, but getting a decent GF loaf is the absolute holy grail of a Coeliac's food search. I am thrilled that I have achieved this and really hope that it brings joy to thousands of other bread-deprived gluten avoiders! x
I am really checking for gluten free options due to thyroid issues. This is something I would love to try. Thanks for sharing in Blogging Pit Stop – Pit Stop Crew
Oh bless you Menaka. Absolutely give this bread a go…. It is so much nicer than GF bread that you find in the shops. xx
Best bread ever! Well done Kate. I like it best made with milk kefir in the place of water and milk powder. But I have to disagree with you on one point…I love hot bread from the oven. It's the bakers treat to be able to get the first slice! That's the whole reason I make bread ;)!
Thank you Vicki. I’m very proud of my bread & really thrilled that people are enjoying it. I’ll have to give the kefir version a go.
I’m not sure there is any disagreement on the bread straight out of the oven question though. I LOVE bread when it is fresh and hot! Especially that first crusty slice. It’s just a shame that some GF loaves are so rank when they are still hot. Not this one though. Although it was definitely easier to cut the smaller loaf xx
I am a bread lover and this bread looks amazing! The texture of your bread looks great! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great week and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you. You’re welcome. It’s so exciting to have made a gluten free bread that tastes like bread, it had to be shared xx
Gluten free bread is so much needed now-a-days – Pinning & Sharing this on facebook.
Nice to be with Fiesta Friday event this week!
Do check out how to make Ghee at home recipe and video.
Second, some interesting facts about “Green Pepper” Bumps, some have 3 and some have 4. What is the significance and do both peppers taste same?
Also, I am co-hosting this week’s FIESTA FRIDAY #287 and will be visiting and commenting on your posts as the official Fiesta Friday representative and features selector.
Look forward to a fun party!
Rita
Thank you so much Rita. I’ll be sure to do so x
Thank you for providing different versions, Kate. The bread looks absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party!
You're welcome Jhuls. It's the best bread Ive ever made! x
Thank you Alison! I was beginning to despair after having discussed Teff with more than a few people on FB today!
Yes I read about Ragi too – will experiment and hopefully the result will be fabulous!
Else – should I just up the oat flour quantity to cover the 25 gms Teff in the rice free blend and increase the water as you suggest ?
Excited to find light at the end of this gf bread tunnel! :))
You're welcome. My name's actually Kate, but no worries!
I think you can probably replace the 25g with either oat flour or buckwheat… whichever you prefer. I would go with oat first and up the water by 10 or even 20g/ml and see how it goes. Best thing is to give it a try and see how it turns out. I've made with more oats and more liquid before and ended up with a decent loaf, so what's to lose? xx
Gosh sorry, no idea how I arrived at Alison!! My mind must be teff-ed! 😉
Thank you, I am going to set about this bread today! Xx
Hi Alison. Writing in from New Delhi, India… dying to make this bread but cannot seem to find any teff flour here… is there a substitute you could recommend ? Thank you ��
Hi Anodita.
That's such a shame and a little bit crazy, since it now appears to be being grown in India! Definitely worth doing some internet searching as it is an amazing flour with great protein and nutrient properties.
As for alternatives…. I would suggest that you substitute with some additional sorghum and/or buckwheat flour OR possibly better… up the oat flour quantity (and add an extra 10g water) for version 1. I have also done a bit of research and although it is not a flour that I have ever heard of (so have no idea how it tastes, Ragi is a close cousin of Teff, so would be possibly worth using instead?
Hope that helps. Let me know how you get on xx
Wow – what a great looking loaf of bread! I love how much hard work you've put in to make it so good 😀 Thanks for linking it up to #cookblogshare! Eb x
Thanks Eb. It has definitely been a labour of love…. xx
Hi Kate, I made a batch this morning and although I have had a bit of a problem with my oven (operator error) the bread tastes great even though it has not been cooked properly, I think it will be OK toasted (I hate waste), but can I check the consistency with you please? you described it as very thick porridge, mine was so thick that it would not drop off the dough hook/spoon, I expected it to be softer like most GF recipes. I measured the 390ml of water (I thought pretty accurately), but might have been better weighing it in ml on the digital scales. BTW I made the FFF flour version. I will be trying again as it tastes so good.
Many thanks for all your hard work and lovely recipes.
Hi Alison.
Thank You and you're welcome.
Glad it tasted good, but doesn't sound as though your oven was most helpful! Should be great toasted either way.
The 'dough consistency' will be very thick. I use a silicone spatula and it drops off in thick blobs which I then smooth in the tin with a wet spoon-back. It is not a runny batter, on account of the psyllium and oats which soak up the liquid. If you are worried, the dough will take an extra 10 to 20 ml water, but may need cooking for an extra 5 minutes. I know that FFF flour can be a little drier, so you could try this. As a first step though, I would DEFINITELY weigh the water. In my experience, this is most accurate and is something that I always do, having had varied results when I have used a measuring jug. Also make sure you are using LARGE eggs.
I hope this helps and reassures xx
Thank you Kate, the eggs were the correct weight and I will weigh the water in future, and try the little extra water with the FFF flour, I will be trying the variations 1 and 2 also. xx
Fantastic Alison. Just go with an extra 10ml water to start! Let me know how you get on x
wow those photos are really amazing. I had to read the recipe a couple of times to check there is no kneading – which I guess is because you have no gluten to develop. I guess you are not in a gluten space but for people like me who make wheat bread, having it no-knead is a great thing and a good reason to try a gluten free bread! As a wheat bread baker, I disagree that gluten bread does not taste good warm – it is delicious warm – one of our treats is bread warm from the oven – but I have a rule of cooling it an hour before cutting because it is still baking after it comes out of the oven (not sure if this is the same). And I am not sure if I missed it but could not see where it says how many days it lasts before 1) only good for toast and 2) needs freezer.
Thanks Joanna. Rarely is gluten free bread really good straight out of the oven, but this loaf is amazing warm as well as cold. It stays fresh for days. How many will depend on the climate… it's best kept at room temperature, but this means that in a warmer climate, it may mould more quickly. Once it has been stored in the fridge, it is ok 'straight' but I prefer it toasted.
When I freeze, I usually freeze from fresh for best results xx
GF Oats are not acceptable in Australia- can you help with possibility of replacing with another ingredient please
Will do Carol. I’m working out the best options x