I am officially starting to share the bread recipes I have been working on since Fall 2019, beginning with this Easy Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread! Sharing this has got me a little nervous to be honest! Gluten-free baking is hard, especially gluten-free bread. There are so many recipes I have tried that have failed. I don’t blame the recipe developers for this at all – it’s such a tricky science and takes a while to get the hang of. I think I’ve got the hang of it, and I really hope that the recipe and instructions in this post help you achieve the same great results!
Please read the post and follow the instructions to make sure you get a good loaf of gluten-free bread. And, I cannot stress this enough – please do not substitute the gluten free flour blend I have developed for another blend!
What Is in this Easy Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread?
The most important ingredient when making gluten free bread is the flour blend of course! I developed a Gluten-Free Bread Flour blend and that is what I have used in this easy gluten-free sandwich bread. Please, please, please use that blend. I cannot guarantee that any other flour blend will work. Gluten Free flour blends are all over the map — some are predominately bean flour, some are high in rice flour, some are mostly starch, some have xanthan gum and some do not. Sadly, if you want tasty gluten-free baked goods, you have to use exactly what the recipe says to use. If you use a different blend, you will not achieve the same results.
Other than the special flour blend, you’ve got the usual suspects: instant yeast, sugar, water, a little olive oil, and salt.
How to make this recipe
Weigh the flour: Precision is key. We all scoop and measure things out different, and flour is one of the most consistently incorrectly measured ingredients. In order to ensure best results, I have only indicated the flour in grams.
Hydrate the Flour: Gluten free bread is great in some ways — you don’t need to worry about gluten! Regular flour bread recipes often have very specific instructions because the way you work with gluten will effect the texture. Many people think that because there is no gluten in gluten-free bread, you don’t need to knead the dough or work it at all. But, you do. This dough is way too wet to knead, but you need to beat it for 5 minutes to ensure that the flours hydrate. I use a kitchen aid hand mixer with dough hooks, but my mom has had success using her food processor. You can do it by hand, but you’ll need some strong arm muscles! After 5 minutes of beating, your dough should almost look like butter cream frosting in texture.
Let the dough rise: Like most bread recipes, the dough will go through two rises. The first rise will be in the bowl you used to prepare your dough. You want to let it rise 1.5-2 hours, until double in size. The time will depend on your environment. If it’s a hot summer day and you have no AC, the rising time will be less. If it’s nice and cool, it’ll take longer. You’ll then put the dough in a loaf pan and let it rise again for 30-45 minutes before baking.
Bake: Preheat your oven. You want to make sure it has heated properly. I turn my oven on to warm up when my bread is going through its second rise. Bake the bread in the middle rack, and have another rack at the bottom with an empty small roasting pan or something similar. When you put your bread into the oven, throw a cup of hot tap water into the pan, closing the oven door quickly after. This will create steam that helps the bread rise and get a crusty edge.
A Note about the Dough
This dough is wet and sticky. After you’ve beaten it, it will look almost like buttercream frosting. There is no way you could knead this dough without having to add TUNS of extra flour, which would inevitably ruin the bread’s texture.
After the first rise, brush a spatula with oil or coat it with cooking spray. You’ll fold the dough gently using the spatula and pour it into a prepared loaf pan. It won’t pour into the pan like a cake batter, you’ll need to use your oiled spatula to guide it into the pan. Then you can use your spatula to smooth the top. You may need to re-oil your spatula a few times during this process.
Cover the dough and let is go through it’s second rise. When you’re ready to bake it, you can sprinkle on some extra flour to the get the artisan bread look.
What should you make with this vegan gluten-free sandwich bread?
The options are endless! Well, not completely – but bread is so versatile, especially when it’s good bread!
I’ve used it to make my favourite Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich and perfect grilled cheese (see above)! It would also be great for BLTs, morning toast with peanut butter, and French toast!
I haven’t tried it yet but I think it would also make delicious croutons and bread crumbs for stuffing.
Check out More gluten-free baking recipes!
Make sure to use my Best Gluten-Free Bread Flour mix for this recipe! You will not receive optimal results if you substitute with another blend.
This easy gluten-free sandiwch bread is soft, fluffy, and holds together perfectly! Perfect for grilled cheese, toast, and even french toast!
- 520 grams My Best Gluten-Free Bread Flour mix, plus more for dusting - see note for link, no substitutions*
- 10 grams instant yeast (appx 2 3/4 tsp)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 cups water, room temperature
- 3 tbsp olive oil
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Whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
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Combine the water and oil in a measuring up.
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Using a stand mixer with the dough attachment, or a hand mixer with the dough attachments, slowly incorporate the liquid with the dry ingredients at a slow speed.** After you have added all the liquid, beat the dough for a full 5 minutes. You will notice the texture of the dough change. This step is very important to ensure that the flour hydrates properly.
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Leave the dough in the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 1-2 hours, until double in size. Rising time will depend on the temperature of the room -- if it's cold, it will take longer to rise. If it's warm, the rising time will be shorter. It is important that you do not underproof or overproof the dough.
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Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and sprinkle a little flour evenly on the bottom of the pan.
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Oil a spatula or cover it with cooking spray. Use the spatula to fold the dough (this is the equivalent of kneading it after it's second rise). If the dough begins to stick to the spatula, re-oil it.
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Put your dough into the prepared loaf pan. The dough won't be thin enough to pour, so guide it into the pan with the spatula.
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Oil with the spatula again and use it to smooth the top of the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for an additional 30-45 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 450 degreed Farenheit with on rack in the middle and one on the bottom. Place a small roasting pan (or somthing similar) to the bottom rack. When you put the bread in the oven, you'll pour hot water into the pan to create steam. You want the oven to be very hot and at temperature, so I like to have it running a good 30 minutes before I plan to put the bread in the oven.
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Remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour (not necessary, but makes it look more artisinal!) Have 1 cup of hot taper water ready to use when you place the dough in the oven.
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Place the dough on the middle rack and quickly pour the hot water into the pan on the bottom rack. Close the oven door quickly. This technique creates steam which helps the bread rise and also get a nice crust.
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Bake the loaf for approximately 40 minutes, it will be a deep dark brown.
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Once the loaf has cooled slightly, remove it from the pan and place on a cooling rack. Let the loaf cool COMPLETELY befor cutting into it. If you cut it too early, the texture will not be as good.
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After you have cut into the bread, store it in a paper or plastic bag. If using a plastic bag, do not seal it completly. You can also loosely wrap it in plastic wrap. It is best if eaten within 2 days, but I've kept it longer and it holds it's texture pretty well.
*I worked a long time to create a perfect flour blend and this recipe was designed specifically to work with this blend. I have not tried this recipe with other blends and cannot guarantee you will achieve the same results. There are sooo many gluten free flour blends out there and they are all so different. I highly recommend using my blend, linked above and in the post.
**My mom has successfully used a food processor. You could also do this by hand but it will take a while!
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Looks lovely, could you use this mix in a bread machine??
I have not tried this in a bread machine (I don’t have one) but I would recommend not using one as GF bread can be very finicky to temperatures, etc. Sorry!
Thanks for recipe and gluten free flour. Blend
Could you use this recipe in a bread maker?.
I have not tried this in a bread machine (I don’t have one) but I don’t think it would work. Sorry!
Thanks for the recipe; I plan on giving it a try. In preparation, though, what size bread pan did you use for this recipe?
Thanks again.
I used a 9 x 5 pan, but anything around that should work fine!
I hope it works out for you! If you run into any issues, please let me know and I’d be happy to help! It took me awhile to get the hang of gf bread making — I know the struggle!
I made this today and it turned our wonderfully! Soft and fresh tasting.
Just wondering if you have frozen yours in the past? I would like to slice it and freeze some as I am the only vegan at my home.
I’m so glad you like it!
I have frozen it and it works well. I sliced it, laid it out on a baking sheet to freeze the slices, then I put them in a freezer bag. I personally think it tastes best toasted after being frozen, though!
Hi! I made your recipe and the flavor was great, but it didn’t rise very much. It resulted in a very dense kind of wet bread loaf. It was fine when toasted by the slice. I followed the instructions to a T and I guess I’m just wondering if you have any suggestions for the rise or for the bake? Is there a way to tell if the bread is actually baked through by internal temperature or something?
Hi Victoria, I’m sorry the bread didn’t rise! It can be the result of a lot of things, like old yeast, or if you used hot water and it killed the yeast, or too much salt. That’s all I can really think of that would effect the rise if you used the right flours, sorry! I have not tested the internal temperature for this bread, but it’s definitely something I can look into.
Hi Victoria!
I just started using this bread recipe about a month ago and thought I would weigh in on the internal temperature question. I have been loving this bread and typically bake mine until it registers about 200-210 degrees Fahrenheit, which seems to result in a pretty great texture after it’s finished cooling.
I’m pretty new to bread baking, but I hope that information helps.
Thanks for the recipe, Marieke!
Thank you so much for sharing, Leo! I’m glad you like the recipe!
10/10 recipe! Thank you! I used GF bread flour as I’m in the UK so I thought your flour was something I couldn’t buy here and didn’t find the recipe till after I had been shopping but it has turned out amazing! I’m not a bread baker but this was so easy to follow and has turned out perfect! I will be resenting buying expensive small loaves from the shop from now on.
Thank you, Rachel! I’m so happy it turned out for you 🙂
Hi! I’d love to try this recipe, my first loaf of 2021! However I’ve only ever used psyllium husk powder for my gf loaves. Since that’s all I have to mimic the effects of gluten, I will risk it and let you know how it works! Happy New Year!
Hi Despina, please let me know how it works! Are you using the psyllium husk instead of xanthan gum? Happy New Year!
It was a success! I used psyllium husk powder instead of xanthan gum in your GF flour blend. On-line research suggested a ratio of 2 parts psyllium husk powder for every part of xanthan gum.
I proofed it in my oven which is equipped with a Proof function. It rose well. The only issue was that the top browned too quickly. I’m used to much longer baking times with previous recipes. This recipe is a keeper!
Ah I’m so glad it worked! And it’s great to know the psyllium works in the flour blend. Thank you!
I wonder if you could try to put some foil on the top after about 20 minutes to slow the browning down a bit? Or maybe a little extra water to the pan in the bottom, as steam should slow the browning process down a bit. I hope that helps if you make it again!
Great suggestions! I will definitely be making it again. Thank you for your prompt replies! And thank you creating this amazing blog!
Awe, thank you! 🙂
Is it possible to add GF whole grains?
Hi Barb, what are you wanting to add? Others have successfully added chia and flax seed to the loaf, but I don’t recommend changing the flour blend.
Sounds good. Just trying to get some fiber into it.
This bread was SO good! Great recipe and easy to follow, Thank you! Look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Thank you!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have been through so many recipes and flours that haven’t worked. I finally made this with your flour blend and I am so pleased with how this turned out. It turned out perfect. I imagine that I will be making this weekly from now on!
I’m so glad!! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Delicious! Relatively simple and cheap ingredients. I’m not vegan but enjoy many vegan baked goods and recipes this one is a keeper. Love having an eggless bread recipe. Mine didn’t rise as tall for normal sized slices. I’ll proof longer next time. Made the recipe with psyllium husk instead of xanthan gum 2:1 replacement. Next time I might try hemp protein powder instead of the garbanzo just for fun.
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed, and that you had success using psyllium husk! I’ve tried soy milk powder instead of chickpea flour which worked well. I think hemp protein powder would also be a great substitution!
I just made this bread and I am so impressed! It is easily better than any store bought white GF vegan bread I’ve tried. And the ingredients are affordable, I think I calculated around $3.00 (or less) per loaf.
I’ve been a bread baker for 40 years and it took me awhile to accept that GF bread has to be handled differently. Your directions were excellent and easy to follow. The hardest part for me was waiting for it to cool to taste it.
Like others in this thread, I would love a whole grain version. (just in case you need a new project😉)
Meanwhile I’m planning on enjoying some real sandwiches.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!💜
Thank you so much Judy – I’m glad you liked it!! I’ll certainly work on a whole grain version 🙂
I just made my third loaf and I love how consistently well this recipe turns out.. I did add 1 tsp raw apple cider vinegar which I think gives it a little more “bready” flavor. Sandwiches are my new life! Thanks again for this great GF vegan bread!
Awe, I’m so glad! I’ll have to try it with the apple cider vinegar! Thanks Judy 🙂
Would it be possible to make 1 1/2 of 2 batches for the same sized loaf pan to yield bigger slices? Or does that effect the rise while baking?
I’m not sure – sorry! I think it could make it more difficult for the bread to rise because there isn’t that gluten to carry it. It’s also not a firm dough, so it might spill over instead of rising.
You are my hero! The struggle to find good bread with gluten & dairy intolerance plus my husband’s egg allergy has been about 6 years long! Made this sandwich bread for the first time yesterday. I will be making it often!! Thank you and Bless you for sharing! I don’t have a good stand mixer but my ninja food processor has a dough blade and it worked wonderfully!! Best sandwich we’ve had in years!! Thank you Thank you!!!
Awe thank you!! I am so happy you like the recipe 🙂 Enjoy your sandwiches!!
I was recently diagnosed with celiac and switched to gluten free bread. The stuff from the grocery store is awful and the loaf I just bought from the bakery is only slightly better. I live in the country so have to drive a considerable distance to buy this stuff. I just made your bread. OMG! It tastes like real bread. I followed the directions very carefully. I used my kitchenaid mixer. Turned out amazing. Thank you so much for the work you put into this.
Thank you! I’m so happy you like it, and hopefully the drive to get the ingredients was worth it 🙂
I’m breastfeeding and doing an elimination diet to try and identify my baby’s protein intolerance. That means no wheat! Toast is one of my favorite snacks and I missed it so much! This bread recipe is truly easy and it makes fantastic toast. I’m so impressed that it worked perfectly the first time, too. Thank you for your detailed instructions! You’ve made my gluten-free breastfeeding life SO much more delicious! 😀
I was wondering, since this dough is somewhat sweet, have you ever adapted this recipe to make donuts?
Thank you, Claire! I have not adapted this to make donuts but what a wonderful idea! I have this recipe right now, but it came before I got the hang of GF doughs https://theveganharvest.com/2019/06/07/vegan-gluten-free-speculaas-doughnuts/ – I will definitely work on a new one 🙂
Best wishes to you and your baby!
do you have a homemade mix of flour one could make for this? I cant have gluten, rice, amaranth, oats, potato, corn, almonds. So alot of store bought mixes dont fit my dietary needs.
I do, the mix is linked in the recipe and you can find it here: https://theveganharvest.com/2020/05/26/the-best-gluten-free-bread-flour-mix/
Unfortunately, this one has rice four and potato starch and there are no substitutions I would be able to recommend that would offer the same results. I’m sorry!
I recommend checking out the blog Fresh Is Real. She has done amazing work on developing GF bread recipes free of various allergens. https://www.freshisreal.com
I’ve been trying to make a decent GF/V bread for 6-9 months now and it’s been a combination of right-into-the-trash to barely edible. Until now… I made this today and it was the first loaf I will definitely make over and over. My Pullman is for a 1.5 pound loaf so I multiplied your recipe by 75% and it came out perfect. I skipped the 2nd rise and it went straight from the mixing bowl to bread pan. I just wish I could show a picture, it is a keeper. Thank you!
I’m so happy you like it!! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
A truely easy and delicious recipe, Thankyou! I have tried just basic supermarket gf flour mix as well as my own mix and all have turned out perfectly! Keen to try an overnight first prove to see if this changes the flavour and gives a sourdough touch to it!
I’m happy you like it!! And it’s great to know that it works with a regular store bought flour as well! I’ve had success letting the dough go through the first rise then putting it in the fridge overnight. It works well, but I didn’t get a super sourdough like taste. Maybe a splash of apple cider vinegar would help with that?
Oh what a wonderful idea with the apple cider vinegar! Definitely will give it a go 🙂
Hi can I use your recipe to make hot dog and hamburger buns?
Hi Kenya, I don’t think this would work to make buns. If you had English muffin rings, you could try to bake hamburger buns in those so they keep their shape. I’m working on a bun recipe, so hopefully I will have something soon!
I’ve only made your bread once. I need to improve my technique (mixing time, folding etc), but the first loaf was better than anything else I’ve tried, ever! Thank you! My only question is, how much folding is required after the first rise? Just enough to reduce the dough? Can you fold too much?
I’m glad you like it! It is certainly a learning curve, it took my quite a few times to really get the hang of it. I do not fold too much, mostly just to get the air out! I’m not actually sure if you can fold too much. I don’t think so, because unlike gluten it won’t change the texture. I’ll have to test it out next time I make some!
Hi
I may have overlooked it. How does the bread freeze?
It freezes well in my experience! It’s best toasted after being frozen, though. I recommend slicing the bread, freezing the pieces individually on a sheet pan, then once they are frozen you can place them together in a freezer bag. I hope this helps!
Hi! My bread turned out super dark, almost burned. Are you supposed to have it on 450 the whole bake?
I’m sorry to hear that! It does need to bake at that heat. If your oven runs hot, you could lower the temp a bit. I also would suggest two things: baking the bread on a lower rack in the oven and/or adding a tent of tin foil about 2/3 through the baking to ensure the top doesn’t burn. I hope that helps!
Do you need to use parchment paper or can you bake it in a well oiled bread pan?
I haven’t tried, but a well oiled bread pan should work just fine!
i just finished making this bread and it turned out incredible. The oiled pan worked great too. Thank you.
That’s great! Thank you 🙂
My new favorite bread! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I made it exactly as written with sorghum flour instead of brown rice flour and it came out perfect!
I’m so happy you like it! Thank you 🙂
My first ever homemade loaf of bread! It came out great. I will be making again. Do you have the nutritionals for this bread?
I’m glad it turned out well for you – especially on your first try!! I’m sorry, I don’t calculate the nutritional for my recipes!
What size of bread pan should I use to make this bread?
I used a 5×9 loaf pan!
I would love to try this recipe, but I have no idea what your flour blend is. Could you post the recipe for the blend you use for this bread?
Hi Faith, the bread flour recipe is linked in the blog post and also right above the recipe card and in the recipe notes.
This has become my go-to recipe for bread. The texture is the closest to “regular bread” that I have found after trying numerous other gf bread recipes. In my last loaf I added a tablespoon of dry chia seeds to the mix and it seemed to give the loaf a bit more rise. Thank you for your work and dedication in creating this recipe.
That makes me so happy! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Love love LOVE this recipe! I’ve been searching for a GF Vegan bread recipe for our church. This is perfect. Question: I would like to make mini loaves with the single recipe. What do you recommend with the temperature and time adjustment?
This is so good that it now is my go to bread recipe even though I am not GF or Vegan! Thanks so much for creating. This wonderful recipe!
Nancy
Hi Nancy, sorry for the late reply! When you say mini, do you mean bun sized? I’ve never tried this, but I would try the same temperature and start with 25 min, or until golden brown!
Good Saturday, this is the second time I am making this bread my husband likes it very much,I am using your recipe for the flour mixture and I just wanted to say thanks for sharing. This is a keeper for sure!🍞
Thank you Janet! I’m so glad!
I can’t seem to find the link for the flour mix you say to use. Can you send me the recipe or the link for this flour blend? Thank you brenda
Hi Brenda, here is a link to the recipe: https://theveganharvest.com/2020/05/26/the-best-gluten-free-bread-flour-mix/
Awesome hubby can now eat homemade bread…I done it with our compliments gluten free flour blend..thanks so much
That’s great! 🙂
My batter was super runny I added a bit more flour but was wondering if it suppose to be thicker or what I did wrong.
It’s not supposed to be runny, but it won’t be like regular bread dough! The texture will be kind of like a thick whipped buttercream, or almost like a muffin batter. Did you use the flour blend and measure by weight?
Hi. Thanks for your recipe. Finally found something that tastes good…to add more fiber and protein, can I add seeds, such as pumpkin, sunflower, chia or flax..? Trying to add extra fiber and protein.
I’m glad you like the bread!! Yes, you can definitely add those things. If you add too much, it might not rise as well so I don’t recommend adding a lot. Ground flax works great, though! I mix things in after the bread rises.
I am so impressed with this recipe. Turned out great! I am interested in adding flax seeds or other seeds for texture but also for the fiber benefit. I will try it next time around but not sure how much to add. My husband loves sesame seeds, I might start there is anything. The crust, crumb, texture and flavor is great! This bread is so yummy and I am so impressed it is both vegan and GF. This has been saved in my approved Pinterest folder and will be a in the regular rotation in our home.
Thank you, Jess! I am so happy to hear that. I and others have successfully added different seeds to this dough. I like a mix of ground flax seeds and other seeds. I’d avoid putting too many on the top, in case they burn!
Hi I was wondering with the “fold of the dough”… are we just folding in half or are we continuing to folding in on itself for a specific length time?
Thank you
Hi Kim – fold the dough until the air is out, so it looks like it did pre-rise. This normally takes me about a minute of folding. Hope that helps!
Hands down my favorite GF bread recipe! I have made it many time with the OG flour blend and love how consistently it turns out. I use maple syrup instead of sugar and it works beautifully.
I decided to experiment and tried this recipe using the King Author Gluten Free Bread Flour and it worked great! Followed the same steps exactly and I have a nice sandwich loaf.
I’m so glad you like it! And thank you so much for sharing that it works with that bread flour! I know it’s hard sometimes for people to find all the right ingredients, so that is a great alternative!
Thank you for this recipe, it’s a HIT!!! Delicious, toasted and slathered with salted butter…🤩
The best way to eat it! haha I’m glad its a hit!
Hi I’m going to try this recipe but it’s d like to have the nutritional values. Does anyone have this information
I do not calculate the nutritional values for my recipes – sorry!