Easy Gluten Free Artisan Bread | Your Everyday GF Loaf

4.99 from 149 votes

Prep Time : 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time : 45 minutes minutes

This gluten free artisan bread is your simple, everyday table bread, with a crisp crust and tender crumb. No mixer needed!

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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.

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

How to make simple, crusty gluten free artisan bread

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Easy Gluten Free Artisan Bread Recipe

This gluten free artisan bread is your simple, everyday table bread, with a crisp crust and tender crumb. No mixer needed!

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Rising time: 45 minutes minutes

Yield: 10 slices

Author: Nicole Hunn

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

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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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!

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