The simplest recipe for gluten free artisan bread, that can be mixed by hand in one bowl with the most basic pantry ingredients, is here. It's your everyday loaf of bread.
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What makes this gluten free artisan bread recipe special?
This is a very pared down gluten free no-knead bread recipe that doesn’t call for much more than gluten free flour, yeast, a touch of sugar, salt, milk, and eggs. You don't need to use a stand mixer unless you want to, and it doesn't require a loaf pan or a baking stone.
Think of it like a table bread, not a big loaf of gluten free bread for sandwiches. It's like a gluten free crusty boule — the sort of everyday bread you can slice and make into sandwiches or tear into chunks to serve with your favorite soup. It would be perfect for making into gluten free bread crumbs too.
The crumb is open and tender, and the crust is thick but never hard to chew. Baked in a small oven-safe glass bowl, and turned over for the last 15 minutes of baking, the bread has a light brown crust that extends all around the loaf.
Oh, and at this point, it should go without saying, but this gluten free bread tastes like real bread!
Gluten free artisan bread ingredient notes
- Gluten free flour blend – I use Better Batter because it has just the right balance of strength and lightness to support the rise of yeast bread and still make a very tender loaf.
- Tapioca starch/flour – This starch helps add stretch to your gluten free artisan bread and lets it rise higher
- Yeast – I use instant yeast for its simplicity, but you can use active dry yeast if that's all you have (notes on that down below)
- Sugar – You only need a bit of sugar to feed the yeast and produce the bubbles that help your gf bread rise
- Baking soda – Works alongside the yeast to give your gluten free artisan bread its lift
- Salt – Adds a little flavor and complements the other ingredients; I bake with kosher salt since it's much harder to overmeasure than fine table salt
- Milk – Warm milk activates the yeast so your gluten free bread dough rises; just make sure it's not too hot or you'll kill the yeast instead
- Egg – Eggs act as a binder, assist the rise, and give the bread a richer taste and color
How to make gluten free artisan bread
Begin by preparing a 1 1/2 quart oven safe glass Pyrex bowl. This small bowl will help create the round shape that we are seeking.
Since we don't need to use a stand mixer to make this bread, whisk together all the dry ingredients except salt (gluten free flour blend (including xanthan gum), tapioca starch, sugar, yeast, and baking soda), then add the salt. We don't add the salt and the yeast together at the same time because we don't want to risk them clumping together and the salt inhibiting yeast activation once we add the liquid.
Next, add the liquids (milk, egg, and olive oil), and mix vigorously to create a dough that is relatively light in color (it will lighten in color as you mix). Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl, and smooth the top so there are no sharp bits sticking up that will burn in the oven.
This is a very wet dough, and it's best handled with wet or oiled hands. Cover the dough, and allow it t rise until it's about 1.5 times as large as it is right after the dough is mixed. It won't become 2 times as large, or double, like conventional wheat-containing dough does. The dough should rise relatively quickly, since it's so wet and moisture enhances yeast performance, but it will rise more slowly in a cool, dry environment, so be patient.
Finally, bake the bread for 30 minutes, then carefully turn the dough over in the bowl so the bottom of the bread is now on the top. Continue baking for about another 15 minutes so the bread is evenly brown all over and baked all the way through. The bread is done baking when the internal temperature is about 195°F on an instant read thermometer.
Now for the hardest part: let it cool before you slice it! If you don't, you'll smush and flatten the crumb and your slices will be wet and compressed.
Tips for perfecting your gluten free artisan bread
You don't have to use a stand mixer
Unlike all of my other yeast bread recipes, this gluten free artisan bread does not have to be made in a stand mixer.
However, I do often make it in my stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, because it’s easier and it does tend to make a slightly higher-rising loaf.
If you don't have a stand mixer or don't want to pull it out, you can easily mix the ingredients of this gluten free artisan bread recipe with a whisk and mixing spoon.
Gluten free dough isn't what you'll expect
If you're new to gluten free bread baking and have only ever worked with “normal” bread dough, you know that the traditional stuff is workable and easy to handle. That won't be the case with your gluten free bread dough — or more appropriately, your gf bread batter.
The dough will look wet and feel very sticky. You may be tempted to add more gluten free flour to help firm it up, but don't: Mess with the ratios, and you'll end up with a dense loaf that more closely resembles a brick.
Give the bread dough time; it will rise
If you are new to yeast bread baking, especially gluten free yeast bread baking, you may be nervous that your dough won't rise properly. Please keep in mind that yeast has a very wide temperature range in which it is active, but reproduces at different rates.
At lower room temperature, it will rise, just not as quickly. At higher temperatures, it will rise more quickly. But if you place it in a hot environment, you risk killing the yeast.
Just be patient. Over-proofed bread, that breaks through and has something of a pockmarked appearance, is bread that has been left to proof after it's done. It's based upon rise, not upon time.
Let your freshly baked bread cool completely
Even after you take your gf artisan bread out of the oven, it will continue to cook as the residual heat and steam burns off.
For this reason, you must let your bread cool completely before slicing. I know fresh bread is irresistible, but don't rush this step or you'll end up with squished bread.
Use a serrated bread knife for easier slicing
Another way to avoid smushed gluten free artisan bread (even after you've allowed it to cool completely) is to use a serrated bread knife, and saw back and forth without pressing down hard. The little teeth on this type of knife cut right through the bread rather than mash it down.
What to eat with gluten free crusty bread
I feel like the honest answer is “anything you please!”, but I will admit that there are some recipes that pair with this gf artisan bread like no other. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Creamy Gluten Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup – use the bread to soak up every last drop
- Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom Soup – seriously: soup and bread, a match made in heaven
- Gluten Free Slow Cooker Meatballs – make this into homemade garlic bread
Storing gf artisan bread
If you plan to eat your gluten free bread throughout the week, you can store it on the kitchen counter in an airtight container, like a plastic food container or zip-top bag.
You can also store it in the refrigerator to extend its life, but note that this will cause the bread to dry out faster. An easy way to “save” no-gluten breads that have dried a bit is to simply drizzle some lukewarm water on top, and toast your slices before eating.
Can I freeze this crusty gluten free bread?
Absolutely! Let your fresh loaf cool completely, and then place it inside a zip-top freezer bag with as much air squeezed out as possible. Your artisan gluten free bread will store up to three months.
When you ready to eat it, remove it from the freezer and leave it in the fridge overnight. The bread won't be as crusty as when it was fresh, but you can remedy this by dropping slices in the toaster.
Ingredients and substitution suggestions for gluten free artisan bread
Here are my best educated guesses for how to remove any additional allergens in this recipe you may have in your family.
Gluten free dairy free artisan bread
This recipe can easily be made dairy-free by replacing the dairy milk with your favorite nondairy milk. I recommend using something unsweetened.
Gluten free egg free artisan bread
There is only one egg in this recipe, so it can likely be replaced with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel). I've also made the recipe with 2 egg whites (50 g) in place of a whole egg, and it's a bit denser but the recipe still works.
Tapioca starch/flour
I've also made this recipe with an all purpose gluten free flour (specifically, Better Batter) in place of tapioca starch/flour. It works, but it doesn't rise as high and the crumb is tighter.
Instant yeast
In place of instant yeast, you can always use active dry yeast by multiplying the amount (by weight) of the instant yeast (here, 6 grams) by 1.25 or 125%. Here, that would mean 7.5 grams of yeast, which is clearly difficult to measure precisely but just add a bit more after you reach 7 grams.
Active dry yeast has a thicker coating around the yeast, so you should soak it in some of the liquid in the recipe (here, milk) until it foams before adding it with the rest of the milk.
If you don't have yeast at all, I'm afraid there is no substitute in this recipe. But we do have plenty of yeast-free bread options like our yeast free gluten free sandwich bread.
FAQs
No, traditional artisan bread is not gluten free because it uses gluten-containing wheat flour.
But if you've been searching for an artisan-style gluten free bread that tastes like real bread, you don't have to look any farther. This gf bread recipe is so good, no one will know that it doesn't contain gluten.
Artisan bread usually just describes homemade bread that's made in smaller batches. Unlike traditional sandwich bread that comes out looking the same every time you bake it, gluten free artisan bread may different slightly each bake. How long you let the bread rise, the gluten free flours you use, and any other ingredients you add all work to create a unique loaf with every bake.
I use Better Batter when I make this and other gluten free bread recipes. I've always had excellent experiences with it and highly recommend it, especially for yeast bread. I don't recommend using Cup4Cup for yeast bread, even though I really like it for many other applications.
I suggest avoiding almond flour and garbanzo bean flour — they're not all purpose gluten free flours and they won't work in a recipe like this that calls for an all purpose flour blend.
The best way to determine whether your gluten free no knead bread is done baking is to use a thermometer. Stick it in the center of the loaf, but don't go so far down as to touch the bottom of the pan. Your bread is ready when the thermometer reads 205°F to 210°F.
There are several possibilities why this gluten free artisan bread recipe didn't turn out for you:
You used too much flour or not enough milk — don't be afraid of a wet batter! It needs to be wet to be light later.
You used the wrong gluten free flour blend — Your blend should contain the right balance of gf flours like white rice flour, brown rice flour, and potato flour for a strong blend that is still able to produce an airy result.
Your gf flour didn't contain xanthan gum — you need this gluten alternative to bind everything together.
Your bread didn't rise enough — rise time will vary based on temperature; let your bread dough increase to 150% of its original size, no matter how long it takes
Your bread wasn't done baking — make sure to use a thermometer so you can tell when your bread is ready, and use a standalone analog oven thermometer to gauge your oven's temperature since ovens fall out of calibration easily and often.
It's not necessary to use a dutch oven to make this delicious, crusty gluten free bread, but you can certainly use one if you'd like. If you do use a dutch oven, I suggest baking it without the lid so the bread get that golden crust on top before you flip it over to get the bottom just as crisp.
Rising takes time, and lots of patience. If you follow the recipe as written, don't make ingredient substitutions, measure by weight, and allow your yeast bread dough enough time, it will rise. If your kitchen environment is cool and dry, it will simply take longer to rise. Overproofing is a function of too much rise, not too long a rise, so be patient!
No problem! If you don’t have a glass bowl, you can use a small round pan or cast iron skillet with high sides. Just try to shape the dough so that it's about as tall as it is wide, to mimic the shape in the photos of the dough in the bowl. Your dough will definitely spread more during baking, though, and may take less time to bake. If you use a round aluminum baking pan that is light in color, it won't get as hot as or retain heat as well as a cast iron pan or glass bowl, so increase the oven temperature by 25°F to 400°F.
No! Every good all purpose gluten free flour blend has tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour) as an ingredient. This gluten free artisan bread dough is made using an all purpose gluten free flour blend with additional tapioca starch/flour for more stretch and a higher rise. Do not ever just leave an ingredient out of a recipe. Every ingredient has its purpose!
How to make simple, crusty gluten free artisan bread
Easy Gluten Free Artisan Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ⅝ cups (227 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used & highly recommend Better Batter; please click thru for appropriate blends)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- 6 tablespoons (54 g) tapioca starch/flour
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) warm milk (about 95°F)
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Grease a 1 or 1 1/2 quart glass oven safe bowl and set it aside. If you don’t have a glass bowl, you can use a small round pan or cast iron skillet with high sides. If using an aluminum pan that isn’t dark in color, raise the oven temperature to 400°F (as written and described below, the oven temperature is 375°F).
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, tapioca starch/flour, sugar, and yeast, and baking soda, and whisk to combine well. Add the salt, and whisk again to combine well.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the milk, egg, and oil, and mix vigorously. The bread dough/batter should come together and lighten a bit in color as you mix.
- Transfer the dough/batter to the prepared baking bowl, skillet, or pan, and smooth the top with clean, wet hands or a moistened spatula. Do not compress the dough at all.
- If you aren't using a bowl or pan with high sides, using a light touch and wet or oiled fingers, try to shape the dough so that it's about as tall as it is wide, to mimic the shape in the photos of the dough in the bowl. Your dough will definitely spread more during baking, though, and may take less time to bake.
- Cover the dough completely with an oiled piece of plastic wrap. Be careful not to compress the dough, but cover the bowl securely.
- Place it in a warm, moist place to rise for about 45 minutes, or until the dough has increased to about 150% of its original size. In cool, dry weather, the dough may take longer to rise; in warm, moist weather, it may take less time to rise.
- When the dough is nearing the end of its rise, preheat your oven to 375°F.
- After the dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the bread is lightly golden brown all around.
- Remove the bread from the oven and rotate the loaf in the bowl, so it’s upside down. Return the bread to the oven and bake until the crust has darkened slightly all around, and the bread sounds hollow when thumped anywhere, on the bottom or top, about another 15 minutes.
- The internal temperature of the bread should reach about 195°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Turn the bread out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
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Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Priya says
Hi Nicole
Just made this bread and it’s so delish! My batter wasn’t easy to smooth down though, as it was quite stiff. Am I meant to beat the mix until it’s fluffy, before transferring into the bowl to rise? I’ve used all the ingredients exactly as written, included your Mock Better Batter blend :) would love your advice :)
PS the Chocolate birthday cake was amazing! No one could tell it was GF. Wish I could send you a pic :) thanks again!
Nicole Hunn says
I can only recommend that you watch the video for the consistency of the dough, Priya. I can’t really explain it any further. And be sure you’re measuring everything by weight. If you didn’t use tapioca starch, the dough will not be as light, as I explain in the post.
Anne McCracken says
I can’t get Better Batter flour here. Is it your Mock Better Batter that I can use to substitute?
Nicole Hunn says
Yes, Anne. You can use my mock Better Batter anywhere you would use Better Batter itself. I created that recipe for just that circumstance. :)
Leslie says
This is the recipe I’ve been waiting for! It makes a wonderful loaf of bread, and we devoured the first one directly after baking. I’m in my kitchen again today making another loaf. I’m using a mix of Cup4Cup and 1/3 of the total flour Cup4Cup Wholesome. This is the answer to our GF bread prayers! Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad, Leslie! I’ve never tried the Cup4Cup “wholesome” blend, but I’ve been curious. So glad you’re making good use of it.
Leah says
Thank you so much for this recipe! Every loaf of gluten-free bread I’ve made recently came out dense and/or with a gummy layer at the bottom, but not this one. The texture and flavor was perfect with a flaxmeal egg. I will be making it often. I’m curious, do you think it would work to double the recipe and make it in a larger bowl?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Leah, so glad you love the bread and that it worked great with your “flax egg.” As I explained below to Jen (it seems I really should put this info in the post itself!), I really don’t recommend scaling it. But it is very easy to make two loaves at a time by measuring each ingredient into a separate bowl, then having them rise alongside each other and bake together. ?♀️
Margaret Young says
I have been a diagnosed celiac for almost 6 decades (diagnosed while still in diapers back when it was called non-tropical sprue.) This is the single best loaf of bread I have ever made. I have made it three times. My technique gets better with each try. I don’t have the right size bowl to rise/bake in it so it doesn’t look as pretty as yours (bowl on order) and I found of the various flour combinations in my house cup4cup had both the best flavour AND texture.
Thank you.
Nicole Hunn says
Wow, Margaret! I’m so happy you’ve been so satisfied with this recipe, and that compliment really means something coming from someone who was diagnosed in the time of non-tropical sprue! I’m glad you ordered a proper bowl, because you deserve to have the whole experience. Thank you for letting me know!
Elisa says
Thank you so so much for this recipe! My son is 4 and he just had his first slice of bread ever. He’s top 8 plus corn oats and barley, and I’ve always been afraid of making my own safe GF bread for him. This turned out so beautifully – it’s going to be a new staple for us. We replaced the egg with a chia egg and used Ripple milk to replace dairy.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad, Elisa. I feel like I really understand your relief and pleasure at being able to give him something like a good piece of bread. It seems so simple, but sometimes it isn’t. Thank you for letting me know, and for sharing that the chia egg and milk sub worked well. I really love Ripple milk, and it’s becoming much more widely available. I’m going to be starting a vegan gluten free blog in the next few months, and I think it would be useful for you. Stay tuned!
Jen Naman says
This was my first ever yeasted bake ever and it. Is. DELICIOUS! And easy. Making it a second time today and going to sprinkle chopped pecans on tops for s & giggles. One wish is that the loaf was larger. I understand doubling doesn’t work but can it be scaled at all?
Jen N in Somerville, Ma
Nicole Hunn says
I really don’t recommend scaling it, Jen. So sorry! But it’s very easy to make two loaves at a time by measuring each ingredient into a separate bowl. They can rise together, bake together. Think of them as fraternal twins. ?
Vega says
Added some flax seeds and chia seeds (about a tablespoon each) and cooked it on a baking sheet instead of in the bowl… Noticed it didn’t say to knead the dough in the recipe and i had some issues with it rising initially, but i kneaded it and left it to prove again and it raised perfectly. So perhaps those who had issues with it raising did not knead it.
Overall, an amazing GF recipe, its so great!
Nicole Hunn says
This batter style of gluten free bread dough is mixed, not kneaded. Glad you had such a great result, Vega!
Nicoletta Beccia says
Hi,
Well I made this twice and both times it didn’t rise enough. I let it go 2hrs. I didn’t make any substitutions, I use Better Batter flour and even had the saf-instant yeast. Oh well I should know better by now that there really isn’t a great loaf of g.f. bread.?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m sorry you’ve been disappointed by your results, Nicoletta, but this recipe does work when made as written. And if you read through the comments on this post alone, you’ll see that many, many are making this recipe successfully day after day. Did you measure by weight? Did you make any substitutions? And finally, it’s likely that you simply didn’t let it rise for long enough. As I explain, overproofing is the result of letting the dough rise too much, not rise for too long.
Jennifer says
Do you have a vegan recipe for gluten free bread?
Nicole Hunn says
I don’t have a recipe for vegan gluten free bread specifically, Jennifer. I am working on one, though, that will live on a second recipe blog I’m creating. In the meantime, you can use the dairy and egg replacement recommendations in the Ingredients and substitutions section of the bread recipes here on the blog, like this one.
Nichole says
Hi Nicole! I’ve just made this for the second time and can’t figure out where I’m going wrong. Both times, my loaf has risen, but flattened across the top and not gotten that beautiful, round shape like yours. The first time, I thought it was because I had used an old packet of yeast I unearthed in my cabinet (it was my only option because the shelves were cleaned out!) However, this time was a freshly opened packet of yeast and everything else followed to a T. Any thoughts on where I might be going wrong?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Nichole, It’s nearly impossible for me to know anything, since I’m not there with you in the kitchen so all I can really offer are my go-to guesses: If you made any substitutions (especially in your flour blend), if you measured by volume instead of by weight, the temperature of your ingredients, the heat of your oven (most run hot, which causes a spike in rise and then a fall since the structure isn’t there to support the rise; you should always use a separate oven thermometer instead of your oven’s gauge as your guide). Also, I have a sneaking suspicion maybe you’re using active dry, not instant, yeast? You’d need to proof it and to add another 25% by weight.
Sinyi says
Hi Nicole from Hong Kong. I write to say a big thank you to you! My 14 months old baby was diagnosed with wheat and egg allergy and I made this for her and she clapped her little hands when she felt the softness of it (unlike the gf breads that I made her before). I made this with your mock cup4cup flour blend and replaced non fat dry milk with her formula (Becoz i dont have it here) and replaced egg with a chia egg. I didn’t expected with these substitutes I still got a really soft and flavorful bread! Thanks so much and God bless you and your family! I couldn’t wait to try out more of your recipes and buy your books with amazon is available soon!
Nicole Hunn says
Oh my gosh, Sinyi, that image of her clapping her little hands when she felt the softness of the bread is just priceless! Thank you for letting us know that your substitutions worked well. Formula in place of nonfat dry milk in mock Cup4Cup is a first. That has to be a pretty expensive substitution, but at least it worked for you! Thank you for this note. Love it. ❤️
Lillian says
Hey! Not sure if you’ve gotten this question or not, but I’m curious if it’s possible to substitute the tapioca starch for corn starch. I don’t know how much of a difference there is between the two when it comes to baking with them, but I often don’t have tapioca starch on hand.
Another thing, would it be possible to make this in a metal loaf pan? Or would that just mess with the recipe and time too much?
Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Lillian, please see the Ingredients and substitutions section for information about tapioca starch. I really recommend making the bread in a 1 to 1.5 quart glass dish.
ali says
Thank you Nicole, it seems like yeast is back in the stores, so I’m going to try this.
Do you think it would work with a smaller amount of yeast and a longer rise?
Thanks for all your work!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Ali, no I’m afraid you can’t cut back on the yeast. You’ll need the whole amount, but it’s really not much. Glad you’re able to find yeast now!
Jess says
Hi! I’m hoping to make this today but I don’t have a large oven safe glass bowl. Can I make this in a stainless steel dutch oven lined with parchment paper instead?
Nicole Hunn says
Have a look through the comments, Jess. Others have made the recipe in other vessels. Generally, I love baking in a Dutch oven, but you really want something that’s small enough for this relatively small quantity of dough, so it rises vertically.
Hope Vermeer says
Hi Nicole!
This bread is amazing! I will not by GF bread from the store anymore!! Glad I found this recipe. I use GF Jules all purpose flour.
I’m wondering if this needs to be refrigerated or if it can be stored in a cool place. I do keep it in an airtight container.
Nicole Hunn says
You should never refrigerate bread. It dries it out. Here is my post about how to store gluten free bread.