Easy Gluten Free White Bread {Dairy-Free option}

4.80 from 45 ratings

Posted on Published: February 23, 2015 - Last updated: August 3, 2023

42 Comments

This gluten free bread is perfect for sandwiches and toast. This recipe produces a nice soft loaf that’s got the perfect amount of texture and chew. It can be made Dairy-free too!

Gluten Free White Bread from What The Fork Food Blog

Easy Gluten Free Sandwich Bread

You guys, I did it. I made a nice soft and chewy gluten free bread! You can use this recipe to make white sandwich bread for delicious sandwiches or have it toasted if you choose. That’s right, you don’t have to toast it in order to make it edible! #winning

I’m not a big (yeast) bread maker. The last time I ever tried to make a bread recipe that wasn’t a quick bread, it ended horribly. I mean, the “bread” was a two pound brick. It was heavy, it was dense and it was NOT edible. I hated it, Adam hated it; we all hated it. I don’t even think the dogs would have eaten it. Not even the birds if I had put it outside for them. It was THAT bad.

Now here’s the thing, I’m not entirely sure it was the recipe that went wrong. There’s a very good possibility it was my bread machine not working properly. I haven’t used it since and honestly, I don’t have any plans to try it any time soon. It sucks wasting so many ingredients, especially with the cost of food these days.

https://www.whattheforkfoodblog.com/2014/04/28/raspberry-quick-bread/

What to know about this easy gluten free bread recipe

Luckily, this recipe only requires my stand mixer, a loaf pan and my oven – oh, and a different recipe just to be on the safe side. Now making bread can seem intimidating, especially when you’re trying to make it gluten free.

DON’T be intimidated! This bread really isn’t any more difficult than baking a cake. For real. There’s a bit of down time when you’re waiting for the bread to rise. But that means you’ve got a little time to enjoy another cup of coffee with some coffee cake and read the paper while you’re sitting in complete silence. Oh wait, I don’t do things like that.

For me, it’s more like giving kids their bath, wrestling them into clothes and then mopping up the mess we just made in the bathroom. Yayyy down time.

This bread rises beautifully. I had read a lot about baking gluten free white bread before attempting it again. And I can’t even tell you how many times I read that I should not expect my bread to rise much as gluten free yeast breads don’t often rise.

Let’s just say I was super surprised when I checked my bread after the rising time and it had doubled – it actually filled the entire loaf pan and even puffed up over the sides a bit. What?! That was a super pleasant surprise and to me, a good sign that this might actually come out well!

Helpful hints and tips for homemade gluten free bread

One thing that’s super important to get that yeasty bread rising is … the yeast. Hello, captain obvious. But I’m serious. Make sure your yeast is still good! It has an expiration date. If it’s old, get new yeast. Another things is to really let your yeast ‘bloom’. That’s when you proof your yeast by mixing it with warm water (110 degrees) and bit of sugar.

Often times, recipes seem to say let it proof for about 5-10 minutes. I ALWAYS let it go much longer. Sometimes more than 20 minutes. I want every last little speck of yeast to foam up to help my dough out. I always start the yeast part first and let it do it’s thing while I’m getting everything else ready.

Key Ingredients for this Gluten Free Bread Recipe

3 C gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp xanthan gum (omit if your flour already has it mixed in)
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
3 large eggs at ROOM TEMPERATURE
1 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp of butter

Equipment Needed

How to make this Easy GF Bread Recipe

Step 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the yeast and 1/2 tsp sugar. Make sure to use the paddle attachment. Slowly add in the warm water (so it doesn’t splash the yeast up the bowl). Let it sit for a minimum of 15-20 minutes until the mixture is completely foamy.

Step 2. Secondly, while the yeast is blooming, sift together the gluten free flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, salt and baking powder in another bowl.

Step 3. Third, butter a 9×5 inch loaf pan with about two (2) Tbsp butter. Be sure to grease the sides all the way to the top of the pan!

Step 4. When the yeast is ready, add the warm milk, canola oil, 2 Tbsp butter, eggs, white vinegar and the remaining sugar to the bowl. Then Mix on low until ingredients are combined. NOTE: The butter will still be lumpy since it’s not melted.

Step 5. Fifth, add the dry ingredients and mix on low until completely combined. Set the mixer to a medium speed (I use 6 on my Kitchen Aid) and mix for 5 minutes. Be sure to scrape the bowl down as necessary.

Step 6. Transfer dough to the prepared loaf pan. Smooth out the top with wet hands. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and set the bread in a warm place to rise for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Leave a tiny air vent on one corner of the pan. The dough should rise to the top of the pan.

Step 7. When the bread has completed rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Gently move the bread to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil (so it doesn’t get overly brown). Bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Step 8. Cool the bread in the pan for about 10 minutes then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

What is the best yeast to use?

I recommend using Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast (in a jar). I’ve had the best luck and find it’s very consistent if you follow the directions completely! Make sure you refer back to step 1 of my tips on how to make this recipe. Add the yeast and sugar together and SLOWLY add the warm water. You don’t want it splashing everywhere and making a mess. Also be patient and let it sit for a good 15-20 minutes (or even longer is great too!)

What kind of gluten free flour should I use?

One thing I wanted to be able to do with this recipe was use my gluten free white rice flour blend. I’ve been using it with pretty much everything with really good results. Plus, I hate having to measure out a bunch of different flours just for one recipe. I absolutely do not have time for that! I was so happy when it worked. This will definitely be our go-to bread for a while. Goodbye tiny frozen store-bought bread!

Measuring gluten free flour

I highly recommend you follow and sign up for this free guide on how to properly measure your flour. It’s so important to do it the right way. It will make your recipes much more likely to come out properly. Consistency is key!

What is the best way to store bread?

You can store the bread in an airtight container, on the counter. Don’t refrigerate bread because it will dry it out!

Does Gluten Free Bread freeze well?

Yes, 100%! If you want to store it for a longer period of time without it getting stale, I recommend cutting the bread into individual slices and storing them in the freezer. You can also freeze the bread as a whole loaf, if you want. Make sure to wrap the bread up in plastic wrap and place inside of a gallon sized freezer bag. It’s super easy to take out what you want, when you want it and reheat for deliciousness anytime! Feel free to take out a slice or the loaf the night before to thaw, or you can reheat in the oven for a few minutes!

Dairy-free option for baking this bread

If you would prefer a dairy free version of this white bread, you can try a few alternatives to dairy milk, such as cashew, macadamia, soy or even unsweetened coconut milk. Let me know in the comments what your favorite alternative is!

Other gluten-free bread recipes you can try

4-ingredient Gluten Free Sourdough Bread Recipe

Gluten Free Biscuits (Dairy-Free option)

The Best Recipe for Gluten Free Buttermilk Biscuits

Gluten Free Cheddar Sage Biscuits

Enjoy!

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Easy Gluten Free White Bread {Dairy-Free option}

4.80 from 45 ratings

This gluten free white bread is perfect for sandwiches, toast or anything you’d like with bread! This recipe produces a nice soft loaf of bread that’s got a great texture and chew.

Prep Time: 1 45

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 2 25

Servings: 10 slices

By: Sharon Lachendro

Print Rate Pin

Ingredients

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp plus 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water 110 degrees
1 1/4 cups milk warmed to 110 degrees
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp butter softened, plus more for bread pan
3 large eggs room temperature and beaten
1 Tbsp white vinegar
3 C gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/3 cup 46g cornstarch
1 Tbsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, gently mix together the yeast and 1/2 tsp sugar. Slowly add in the warm water (so it doesn't splash the yeast up the bowl). Let it sit for at least 15-20 minutes until the mixture is completely foamy.
While the yeast is blooming, sift together the gluten free flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl.
Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan with about two Tbsp butter. Make sure to grease the sides all the way to the top of the pan.
When the yeast is ready, add the warm milk, canola oil, 2 Tbsp butter, eggs, white vinegar and the remaining sugar to the bowl. Mix on low until ingredients are combined. The butter will still be lumpy since it's not melted.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until completely combined. Set the mixer to a medium speed (I use 6 on my Kitchen Aid) and mix for 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl down as necessary - I didn't need to scrape mine but all mixers are a little different.
Transfer dough (it will be the consistency of a quick bread) to the prepared loaf pan. Smooth out the top with wet hands. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and set the bread in a warm place to rise for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Leave a tiny air vent on one corner of the pan. The dough will rise to the top of the pan.
When the bread is done rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Very gently move the bread to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil so it doesn't get overly brown. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.
Cool the bread in the pan for about 10 minutes then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Store bread in an airtight container or cut into slices and freeze.