Soft, fluffy and perfectly slice-able sandwich bread with a rich flavor from oat flour and honey. After a few months of making and very much enjoying soft and fluffy gluten free sandwich bread, I missed the deeper flavors that are typical in whole wheat sandwich bread. So, I started playing with the recipe. (The original is closer in flavor to a traditional light wheat or white sandwich bread.)
I've made this recipe at least five times now and I am very excited to finally share it. This bread is perfect for sandwiches, toast or as a snack on it's own. It was also a hit served with soup and chili.
* If you enjoy step by step photos, there are photos included in my original Gluten Free Sandwich Bread post. This dough appears the same in each stage and the photos can be used for reference.
If you are not in need of Gluten Free bread, I recommend trying one of the following:
1 cups brown rice flour
1 1/4 cups oat flour (make sure the flour is certified GF)
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch
2 teaspoons instant
yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum
3/4 cup warm milk
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup soft butter
3 large eggs
Optional: sprinkle of oats for the top (make sure the oats are certified GF)
Place the flours, starch, yeast, salt and xantham gum in
a mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Warm the butter and honey in a glass bowl or cup until
the butter is melted. Whisk or stir it together and set aside. Using an
electric mixer (hand mixer, or stand), gradually beat the warm milk into the
dry ingredients. The mixture will be crumbly at first, but once all the milk is
added, it’ll come together. Add the melted butter and honey to the mixing bowl and beat until
thoroughly blended.
Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat the mixture till each
egg is thoroughly integrated before adding the next one. Once you’ve added all
the eggs, beat the mixture at high speed for 3 minutes. This adds air to the
thick batter, which helps take the place of the missing gluten as far as
structure is concerned.
At the end of 3 minutes, the batter will look like thick,
heavy buttercream icing: smooth and silky. The dough will also be very sticky,
and feel a bit gritty if you rub some between your fingers. Leave the batter
right in the mixing bowl and cover the bowl with a light cloth or plastic wrap.
Let the thick batter rise for 60-90 minutes. This batter won’t double in size,
but it’ll definitely puff up.
Gently stir the batter down. Scrape it into a lightly
greased 8
1/2” x 4 1/2” loaf pan. Use your wet fingers, or a wet spatula or bowl
scraper, to smooth the top, eliminating any “wrinkles.” The smoother your loaf
is before you put it into the oven, the smoother it’ll be once it’s baked. Lightly
sprinkle the top of the loaf with oats and press lightly into the loaf.
Loosely cover the pan and let the dough rise till it
barely crowns over the rim of the pan. 45 – 60 minutes, as much as 90. Towards
the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the bread for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove
it from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack. Lightly brush with
melted butter to help keep the crust soft, being careful not to brush off the
sprinkling of oats. Slice when completely cool. Enjoy!
Wow, that bread looks absolutely perfect, Mary! I bet the house smelled amazing while it baked too!
ReplyDeleteThis bread looks so soft and delicious! Wow!
ReplyDeleteYay for gluten free bread! I can eat gluten but so many of my friends cant. I look forward to making this for them. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cute little loaf, and I never think of homemade bread as being so sliceable. I am on the verge of making some bread for my husband, it will be my first foray into bread making in a long while, wish me luck! I'm going to check out your easy brioche!
ReplyDeleteIt looks amazingly delicious!
ReplyDeleteOne of the ladies in my art class has celiac and bemoans no bread...this will be such a treat for her!
ReplyDeleteI have a friend that was just telling me recently that she was having such a hard time trying to find a decent tasting gluten free bread. I know she will be thrilled with this recipe!
ReplyDeleteYour bread looks amazing.
ReplyDeletemy gluten free breads have never turned out. I'm excited to try yours!!
ReplyDeletePillow bread! Haha. My dauhters will really be thrilled with this.
ReplyDeleteAnd I thought your gluten free sandwich bread was good. Made this today and even though I had to sub tapioca for potato starch due to a wicked potato starch accident caused by a 5 yr old and energetic dogs it was amazing the texture the moisture can't say enough!!
ReplyDeleteThis bread is amazing! I have Hashimoto's so I need to go gluten free. It's been so hard because I love bread. I've tried a few other bread recipes and they are just too yeast-y. I almost cried when I tried this bread...now I can go gluten free and still have sandwiches that taste good. My husband loved it too and said he would go gluten free with me if I made this bread :) THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteThis looks awesome. I make several gf breads, but still have not been completely satisfied. Have you used coconut oil instead of butter? We dont usually use butter and wanted to substituted the coconut oil. I wasn't sure of the exact ratio to substitute. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou could try a 1:1 substitution with the oils. Please let me know how it works for you, if you do do try it! Good luck.
DeleteMade this last night for my girl's lunch today. It came out fantastic ( just a little pudgier because I used a larger loaf pan then in the recipe). It tasted delicious. This is the best gluten free sandwich bread recipe I have every tried. Thank You so much for posting it.
ReplyDeleteThis tastes really great, but I can't get mine to rise high enough or top the rim of the pan. Yeast is good, and I put in an only-slightly warmed oven at about 82 degrees to rise. I have made this twice now and both times it failed to rise very much. Any ideas why?
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to guess on something like that, CJ. My first thought was the yeast, but if that isn't it, I'm not sure. Is the finished loaf dense? Is it possible your pans are a bit larger than mine and it is rising fully, but just not over the top because of the size? Good luck with it. I'm glad the bread has been tasty for you though.
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DeleteMaybe your milk is too hot and it's killing the yeast??
Deletedo you think you could sub agave nectar for the xantham gum?
ReplyDeleteI've never seen that used as a substitute for a gum. I do not think it would work the same way. Guar gum could be substituted, but I don't think that agave nectar would do anything to hold the bread together. Without the xantham, it tends to be a lot more crumbly.
DeleteThank you!
Deletedo you think you could sub agave nectar for the xantham gum?
ReplyDeleteWould this recipe still work well without the first rise (in the bowl)? I have made various loafs of gluten free bread before (with varying levels of success). Most recipes don't seem to call for that first rise, so was wondering if this would still work well if I only did one rise (in the pan, before baking)?
ReplyDeleteThank you.
I am guessing not, because the dough is still very wet after the first rise. If you decide to try it that way, let me know how it turns out. I'm always interested in finding ways to make like easier in the kitchen.
DeleteBest gluten free bread recipe I've come across so far! The loaf was beautiful, just like in the picture, and it tasted great. I had to add about another quarter to half cup of milk (I used soy milk) to get to the consistencies described in the instructions--perhaps because of different brands of flour? In any case, it came out perfectly. I did everything else exactly the same including temp and time. A note for others: Mixing the dough with a hand-mixer was a bit of a struggle as the dough kept climbing the beaters and I had to stop multiple times to de-gum them. However, I got through it and it was well worth the effort. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteOh. My. Goodness. The first bite of this bread was heavenly. The honey oat flavor was reminiscent of the best "normal" bread I remember from my pre-GF days. It turned out perfectly, despite my error in letting it rise too long in the pan (it overflowed). I simply scraped it up and plopped it into a new pan, let it rise again, then baked. Just one question...the slices are moist, but break very easily. Is this normal for this recipe, or is it because of the extra rise? Thanks so much and I can't wait to make this again and share it with all my GF friends!
ReplyDeleteI let a loaf rise too much and it overflowed the pan earlier this week. I noticed after it baked that it seemed a bit more "airy" (?) than usual and the pieces did break more easily after a few days. I don't usually have trouble with it crumbling though. (Wow, how's that for a jumbled answer?) Maybe try cutting the slices a little bit thicker next time? If they get too thin, they will break.
Deletecould i use a paddle in a stand mixer instead of a hand mixer?
ReplyDeleteYes, absolutely. I use my stand mixer to make this bread. It is much easier than with a hand mixer. Good luck!
DeleteCan I use white rice flour instead of brown?
ReplyDeleteYes, white rice and brown rice flour can be used interchangeably. Good luck!
DeleteThis is absolutely the best gluten free bread recipe I have tried. We were first impressed with your white sandwich bread, but after trying this recipe, it has become my family's favorite. My husband says it is the first bread that you can't even tell it is gluten free. Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
ReplyDeleteOne question I do have. The first time I made it, it turned out great. The last two times I made it, the loaf had a hole in the middle and the dough was uncooked around that hole. I even tried baking it longer and that didn't seem to make a difference the second time. Do you think I might need to add more liquid like someone else suggested in a comment above? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Oddly enough, Ellie, after making this bread countless times, that happened to me too, the last time I made it! I assumed that I hadn't baked it long enough, because I was distracted at the time. I wonder if it was the weather? (It was cold and rainy, a very uncommon thing in my area.) I'm making it again tomorrow. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks for the update!
DeleteI have made this several times again and adding a 1/4 - 1/2 cup extra of milk (almond milk in my case) as someone else said they did to get the right consistency made the difference and it turned out perfect again. Thanks for this wonderful recipe!!
DeleteI may be the only one to mention this and I'm really not trying to be a Debbie Downer... but...
ReplyDeleteI clicked on this recipe assuming that the bread mimicked the flavour of oats - not that it actually contained them. As fantastic as this bread may be, please please PLEASE do not feed it to your friends if they have Celiac's Disease without explaining the ingredients to them first.
I have Celiac's and this bread would make me very very sick. Oats contain gluten.
There are a few who are able to tolerate oats in very small doses, but they must come from wheat-free facility.
I only mention this because I noted that there were several comments to the effect that people were going to make this for the friends with Celiacs and I didn't want to you to accidentally feed your friends something that made them very sick. I'm sure that those who have slight intolerances or those who go gluten free for health reasons will be perfectly fine with this bread - I'm only referring to those who have Celiacs.
Just make sure to ask them if they can have oats, and if they can, be sure to buy a wheat-free variety - Bobs Red Mills, for example.
I only buy certified GF oats (i.e. Bob's Red Mill) when baking for Celiac or highly gluten intolerant persons. Thanks for the reminder though. I will make a note in the recipe. Thank you!
DeleteThanks for adding that to your recipe. I wouldn't have said anything except that I had read the comments and got a little worried.
DeleteThis may sound like an odd question, but are you located in the US? Labeling laws (I think) are a little less strict there. In Canada, at least last I checked, Bob's Red Mills could only label their oat products "wheat free" (meaning made in a wheat-free facility) and not gluten free.
The reason is that oats naturally contain gluten - it's just that it's at a lower toxicity level for someone who has Celiacs. There are some who can tolerate them and others that can't (like me).
If you notice that your son is still showing signs of being uncomfortable (is he Celiac or just intolerant?) I would try cutting out oats to see if he improves.
I've known I was Celiac since I was a baby, long before they found out that it was more common that originally thought, so I've had a long time to learn about my disease. I've noticed, nowadays, now that there is a trend of going gluten free to be healthier, that lots of company label their products accordingly. Some are more diligent than others and you have to be careful of the ones where it's more deceiving. I remember picking up a cereal from Nature's Path cereal, for example. On the front, it boasts "gluten free" in large bold letters, but when I flipped it over and read the ingredients, it says "may contain wheat". That's just an example of how relaxed labeling laws are.
http://www.celiac.com/categories/Miscellaneous-Information-on-Celiac-Disease/Gluten%252dFree-Food-Ingredient-Labeling-Regulations/
DeleteThat's a link that talks about it a little further.
In Canada, now, they are required to list major allergens, such as gluten, so even if a product claims to be gluten free, you can still flip it over and read the ingredients to be sure.
Unfortunately, the US has not progressed that far yet.
Okay, I'm going to stop talking before you think I'm trying to be a know-it-all, which I'm not - I swear :-) I just thought it might help with your son.
Sorry - 1 last thing. I was on the Bob's Red Mills website and in their FAQ's, it states that the Canadian Celiac board and Health Canada release the statement that there is a "safe" level for people with Celiacs, in terms of eating their uncontaminated oats. For children, that maximum is equal to .25 cups (20-25 gram max) of their oat products per day before the toxicity level rises to a point where they can get sick.
DeleteI hope this info is helpful. Now I promise to stop talking for real this time LOL
Your comments are helpful, thanks for coming back and leaving more information. I am in the U.S. and I have heard that the standards for labeling are more relaxed here. Luckily, my son hasn't been diagnosed with Celiac, he simply doesn't tolerate wheat very well. At this point he has no difficulty with oats at all, but I will keep this in mind if that changes. Thank you!
DeleteThis was AMAZING! My husband was so happy to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich after 3 months of not being able to find a good gluten free bread.
ReplyDeleteIt was a little dense - wondering if there is an adjustment for high altitude? Is that possible with gluten free baking? We are new to this, and SO happy to have found your site!
Thank you!
I'm not sure about an adjustment for high altitude. Let me research it a bit and I'll get back to you. I am so glad that your husband enjoyed the bread, even though it was a little dense for you! You might try letting it rise a little bit longer next time and see if that helps it.
DeleteLooks great. Alas, my son can't have oats, GF or not. Any recommendation for flour substitutions? Such as millet, almond, teff, sorghum, amaranth, spelt, garbanzo, etc.? Thanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteI also make this bread (without any oats at all) and it has been well reviewed by a number of people as well. http://barefeetinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/08/tender-high-rising-gluten-free-sandwich.html
DeleteSubstituting another grain should work as well, provided you substitute by weight and not only by volume. Good luck!
Has anyone ever tried mixing this bread or your sandwich bread in a bread machine and setting it for dough and than taking it out and baking it in the oven.
ReplyDeleteOn this bread recipe: http://barefeetinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/08/tender-high-rising-gluten-free-sandwich.html there are several comments from people that used machines. A couple people mentioned having GF cycles on the machine and another person adjusted her traditional machine for this bread. Hopefully those comments will help you.
DeleteIf you do try it, please let me know how it works for you!
I haven't tried it in the bread machine yet. I probably will. I have read the comments on the other page. I did go ahead and make this bread today with the kitchenaide. I had to add the extra 1/2 cup of milk. I made the regular gluten free bread yesterday so knew what it should be like at this stage and it was just crumby, even after adding the extra 1/4 cup, so I went ahead and added another 1/4 cup. It still wasn't quite as together as the regular bread at this stage, but I went with it and finished the recipe. I perhaps let it raise a little high, but it turned out great. I am so happy with both of these recipes, I have already passed them on.
DeleteGreat looking GF bread. I have to try this recipe.
ReplyDeleteI just made this bread and something went terribly wrong. My batter was never thicker then pancake batter. It raised nicely in the bowl and again in the loaf pan. But the batter was rather thin. I let it raise to the top of the pan and then placed it in a preheated oven. Shortly after it rose more and batter started to drip over the edge. after 25 minutes the top had collapsed into the middle and the batter underneath was still raw. First thing is I likely let it rise to much. But the consistency was much thinner then other gf breads batter. Any thoughts??? I left it in the oven for another 25 minutes to see if the doughy part will bake. It smells yummy just wish it looked better. Any suggestions will be helpful! Thanks
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry that the recipe didn't work for you. The dough should have been pretty thick. Definitely not pourable. Letting it rise too much can contribute to a bread that doesn't cook right, but it sounds like something was off in the recipe. Any substitutions maybe? Or possibly an ingredient was missed inadvertently?
DeleteIf you try it again and the batter is still runny, I'd add a bit more flour and starch. However, without seeing the dough, I'm hesitant to tell you how much. The weather can affect breads quite a bit, but I've never seen a dough become that runny. Let me know how it works next time!
Can I use arrowroot powder, in place of the potato and tapioca starches?
ReplyDeleteI don't think it would work the same way, but it might be worth a shot. I haven't tried it myself. If you do try it, let me know how it works!
DeleteCan I make it without the potato starch? or is there a substitute?
ReplyDeleteYou can use tapioca starch or cornstarch, but it will have a slightly different texture. It should still work fine though!
DeleteGreat thanks!
Delete