This super simple recipe for gluten free chocolate chip yogurt quick bread always makes a perfectly moist and tender loaf!
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What's a quick bread?
Quick breads are just like muffins, which rise with a combination of eggs and chemical leaveners like baking soda and baking powder (instead of yeast). But they're baked in a loaf pan, like bread, and sliced thickly to serve.
You're not going to make a sandwich on a loaf of quick bread (although my son never seems to tire of asking), but they still hold a special place in my heart. That's probably why there are quite a few quick bread recipes here on the blog. They usually come together pretty quickly (ha ha). Even though they're very similar to muffins, not just any muffin recipe can be successfully baked into a loaf.
What makes this gluten free yogurt quick bread special?
This quick bread is incredibly moist and tender, with a nice open crumb and a mild tang from the plain yogurt. You could also use flavored yogurt, but I never like to bake with flavored yogurts. I'd rather add the flavor separately so I can keep all the flavors bright and fresh-tasting.
This recipe is even simpler than most quick breads, too, with a really easy ingredient list: flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, whisked together, then butter, yogurt, and eggs added before everything is combined with a mixer.
I made this one with miniature chocolate chips since just 3 ounces of miniature chocolate chips go a long, long way. You could just as easily make yours with some small dried fruit (I bet chopped dried apricots would be fabulous) or even chopped nuts (raw, chopped pistachios would be heaven).
If you would like a nice dome shape, just be sure to follow the shaping instructions in the recipe. It's really easy with wet hands (a cook's best tools!) and a wet spatula. Of course, it's not really too important for the loaf to split right in the center during baking. It just makes for a pretty presentation.
How to get that nice, tender crumb in your bread
The batter is relatively thick, but not stiff, as long as you bring all of the ingredients to room temperature before baking. If your batter is too stiff, your loaf will bake up with a tighter crumb and may be dry and tough.
Be sure to measure all of your ingredients by weight, not volume (volume measurements are almost impossible to get just right), and don't overmix the batter. Even though this is a gluten free loaf and there's no wheat gluten to overwork, gluten free doughs and batters can still be overmixed and end up tough.
Can I make this loaf into muffins?
Not all loaves of quick bread do well as muffins. Instead, use our recipe for gluten free chocolate chip muffins for the perfect muffins every time.
Ingredients and substitutions
Dairy-free: If you are eating dairy-free, you'll have to replace both the butter and the plain yogurt in this recipe (and be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips). The butter can probably be replaced effectively with half (3 tablespoons) Earth Balance buttery sticks and half (3 tablespoons) Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening.
The plain yogurt can probably be replaced with your favorite brand of plain nondairy yogurt. Watch the video carefully and pay attention to the consistency of the plain yogurt I use in this recipe. It should be a thickly pourable consistency.
Egg-free: There are two eggs in this recipe, so you should be able to replace each of them with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel). If you're willing to cook and strain “flax eggs,” that might work even better.
Corn-free: In place of cornstarch, you can try using arrowroot powder or even potato starch.
Chocolate chips: I really like Enjoy Life brand miniature chocolate chips, since they actually taste, well, like chocolate. You can use any sort of miniature chips you like. You can also use full-sized chocolate chips, but they don't scatter throughout the dough like the miniature variety.
There isn't a ton of sugar in this recipe (just 3/4 of a cup of granulated sugar in the whole loaf), but it's a very simple flavor profile so you'll want your mix-in to offset the tender sweetness of the bread itself. Your mix-in should be something that doesn't add moisture, like fresh or frozen berries.
If you'd like to make a quick bread with berries, I recommend using my gluten free blueberry muffin bread recipe instead. It has a whole different moisture balance, and that recipe has everything taken care of for you already. Or try our gluten free cranberry bread for a sweet and pleasantly tart bread.
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (245 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 6 tablespoons (54 g) cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup (227 g) plain yogurt at room temperature
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 3 ounces miniature chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease well a standard 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), place the flour blend, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.
- Whisk to combine well with a separate, handheld whisk.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the butter, yogurt, and eggs.
- Mix on medium speed to combine with the paddle attachment or your handheld mixer. The batter will be thick.
- Toss the chocolate chips in the cornstarch, and add them to the batter.
- Mix with a spatula or spoon until the chips are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Scrape into the prepared baking pan and, with wet hands, smooth the top.
- To create a dome shape, run a wet spatula along the edges of the pan and pull the batter toward the center.
- For a uniform split down the center as the bread rises in the oven (instead of a more haphazard split), slash down the center of the loaf with a sharp knife, about 1/4-inch deep.
- Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F, and continue to bake for another 20 minutes, or until the top of the loaf springs back when pressed lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with, at most, a few moist crumbs attached.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the loaf pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice once cool and serve.
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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!
Amelia says
Hi there! I came across this very tasty looking recipe and wanna try it, but I don’t want it to be gluten free as I don’t have those ingredients available to me readily. Can I just use normal all purpose flour instead? If so, are there any other adjustments I would have to do in terms of ingredients, measurements and quantities?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid that my recipes are only designed to be made gluten free, Amelia. I recommend that you look for a recipe on my friend Mel’s blog, Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.
Ally says
Hello,
I was reading your webiste and came across your gluten free eclairs (https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/gluten-free-eclairs/) and had a question, but the comments were closed. I was wondering if tapioca starch could be substituted for the 8 grams of potato starch in the pastry cream (I don’t have potato starch) without affecting the texture.
Thank you.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Ally, As the recipe itself states, I recommend using cornstarch in place of the entire gum-free gluten free blend if you don’t want to purchase the 3 ingredients necessary for the blend. Generally, tapioca starch is not a proper substitute for potato starch, I’m afraid.
Cheri says
Made this last night, and it was a hit. I toasted a piece for breakfast today, and it was yummy that way too!
Nicole Hunn says
That’s so great, Cheri! I find that this bread can be sliced, wrapped individually, and stored in the refrigerator for at least a few days or in the freezer for longer storage. Thanks for posting about your success!
Sybil Nassau says
This does look like something I could handle even with a bad shoulder – and a portable mixer? One question– I don’t have BB in the house but I do have a big bag of King Arthur cup for cup- would that work? I better check the date on my baking powder too. Have you tried the MELT sticks for baking instead of EB? (I don’t use BRM either).
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Sybil, I’m afraid I don’t care for King Arthur flour, even the newer 1:1. It’s still not well-balanced. I even tried many times to see what single ingredient flour I could recommend adding to it to rebalance it but failed so many times that I gave up (which I hate to do!). I would have honestly consulted with them on a better formula for free just to be able to recommend using their product, since it’s so widely available.
And yes, I have tried Melt and I really like it much better than Earth Balance. It’s the best nondairy butter substitute for anything other than pastry, in my opinion. Definitely use that!
Maria Fiore says
Nicole,
Can I substitute Dairy Free Yogurt for the yogurt in this recipe?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Maria,
Please see the ingredients and substitutions section right above the recipe itself!
Nancy says
I made this and it was just way too yummy! This will go into my cookbook as a regular!
Nicole Hunn says
That’s great to hear, Nancy. It’s important to have regular go-to recipes like this. :)
Sarah M. says
Hi Nicole,
Holy crap I think this might be my favourite recipe that I’ve tried yet, and that’s saying a whole lot. I even had to swap 3 of the ingredients and I mixed it sort of wrong and it STILL turned out amazing. That’s how I know a recipe is pure gold. My modifications: swapped the yogurt for a lactose-free sour cream (cause that’s what was in my fridge); had no white sugar so I used brown sugar; and used coconut oil instead of butter. I also forgot to have the yogurt/sour cream at room temperature and didn’t beat the eggs before mixing because I was kind of brainless this morning. And it was STILL PERFECT. You’re a wizard. Witch? Something. <3
Sonya Parker says
Hi Nicole! I’ve lurked, shared on FB for over a year now. I received all my baking needs products a week ago and put everything off because I didn’t have a mixer. Today I get a mixer! I’m an actual Chef/Baker by trade (12yrs) but gave all my things away once I pound out I was gluten intolerant plus I have a daughter with mild autism. THANK YOU for all the resources you’ve given especially Better Batter. We are also a vegan household so the subbing of ingredients is natural in our household. For those that are dairy free they could try Earth Balance. Certified GF. Also Smart Balance same company but cheaper since its not Organic. Our household uses mostly Organic non-gmo products. Because of you i’ve decided take on the joy helping educate others about the joy and health benefits of preparing GF foods. My family wants me to start my own business. Not sure if I want to do that again. Thank You for giving me back my passion for food!
Erin Lowery Baerwaldt says
I used nonfat plain Greek yogurt and it worked great. I also replaced the butter with applesauce and used dark chocolate chips instead. This bread is so moist and tender!!
Michelle says
This looks really good! I love the idea of pistachios in this- maybe part pistachios and part chocolate chips. Ooh- or maybe I’ll try some orange or lemon peel with the chocolate chips. Dang it- I was going to make some GS cookies tomorrow, but I think I will be making this instead! Making another loaf of oat bread tomorrow- I love that recipe. Thank you, as always!
Jennifer S. says
oooo – me too! pistachios! yum!
Denise Masters says
Wow I am so going to try this
have made chocolate chip cookies, low fat blueberry muffins, english muffin bread and lean crusty white sandwich bread, not successful on last one but is that going to stop me NO. I am going to try again.
have two of your cookbooks and third is in my basket at Amazon. All other gf cookbooks have been relegated to cupboard. Wordy I know but diagnosed with ceoliac desease in 1985 and this is first time I am excited about cooking again. Thank you thank you thank you
denise
Candice says
Have you ever sifted your dry ingredients, instead of using a whisk? Particularly in making the flour. Would it hurt at all? I just like to sift. :)
Dana Schwartz says
Be still my heart, chocolate chip bread! My kids will devour this for sure :)
Jennifer S. says
absolutely beautiful!
Candice says
I have some yogurt that needs to be used up and a little girl who’s not feeling well today. I’m thinking this will be a perfect treat to accompany cartoon watching:)
BTW, I made my best ever loaf of English Muffin bread this weekend. It was light with beautiful consistent air holes. Why can’t I show you a photo? We devoured it! I really am getting better every time I make the new breads. And as a testament to the the taste and texture and relative ease of your bread recipes, I haven’t bought a single loaf of bread since I baked my first loaf from GFOAS Bakes Bread! Thank you, thank you for delicious, quick, and easy recipes.
GClark says
This looks delicious!