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After going gluten free, Tom's Gluten Free Sandwich Bread was my first successful loaf of bread everโ€”and it's made without any rice flour. It's as easy as can be, super adaptable, and will always hold a place in my heart.

Tom's gluten free sandwich bread shown here sliced, with a clear view of the inside of the loaf of bread.
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The origin story of this gluten free rice free bread recipe

I first published this recipe for Tom's gluten free sandwich bread in August 2009, only a few months after I started this blog. Looking back on it, I can see that it breaks every single rule I have come to embrace over the years about baking gluten free.

As originally written, it calls for bean flour, makes a very wet batter that has something of a tendency to overproof, and it isn't even my recipe! But all the same, it was a true beacon to me in those early years, when there was little to hope for in gluten free baking.

I've left all of the original comments on this post from beginning in August 2009. There were no photos of the bread (literally, not one), and the instructions were not very descriptive. But it was gluten free and dairy free, it called for ingredients we could all find one way or another, and it worked. Readers loved it as I did (and do).

I made this bread dough into every single possible form (a loaf of bread! a weepy roll! a fluffy pizza dough!) and it truly felt heaven sent way back in 2005. But it is most decidedly not mine.

Tom's Celiac Light Bread

This recipe was created by a man named Tom Van Deman, and he provided it, selflessly, to everyone who asked without asking for recognition or attribution. For a time, it was sold as a mix called Tom's Celiac Light Bread.

I first got the recipe from Tom in either 2004 or 2005 when I was part of an early celiac message board. At the time I had been ordering expensive, spongy bread from Canada that looked good but tasted bad. I was desperate.

Back then, there was essentially no good gluten free bread for sale that was any goodโ€”or affordable. Today, thankfully, we have lots of packaged gluten free bread options. But fresh is always better.

I could not believe that Tom's recipe worked even when my measurements seemed a tiny bit off. I used it for my kids' school lunches and for French toast. I practically used it for a pillow at night and had sweet, sweet dreams.

Tom's Bread is actually quite easy to make, freezes beautifully, and can be sliced as thin as you like. When it's freshly made, you don't need to toast it.

It is also naturally dairy free, and magically doesn't call for any rice flourโ€”even though rice flour is at the heart of every well-performing all purpose gluten free flour blend I've ever tried.

Can you freeze this gluten free rice free bread?

Yes! If you don't plan to eat it all in a day or two, slice the whole loaf, then freeze it in a freezer-safe package. To defrost, just toast a couple slices and it'll come back to life.

Tom's gluten free sandwich bread loaf shown in the loaf pan, just baked and mostly cool.

How to make this versatile rice free bread recipe

This recipe is a batter bread recipe much like our best gluten free bread recipe. But it's more old school than that recipe, as it doesn't call for a blend, but rather specific individual gluten free floursโ€”and it doesn't call for any rice flour of any kind.

All you really need to do to make this bread is combine all the dry ingredients except for the yeast, and whisk them together. Then, add the yeast and whisk to combine (this keeps the yeast and salt from clumping together). Add the wet ingredients, and beat really well.

The dough isn't just a batter. It's a very wet batter. I remember that I used to “roll” it out and shape it into a rectangle in a sheet pan to make something resembling gluten free pizza. But it's so soft that I simply can't picture how I did it successfully. I think I used a ton of garbanzo bean flour to “shape” it?

A very forgiving gf bread recipe

For many years, to ensure reliable results in baking, I've measured nearly every ingredient by weightโ€”including water, for which 1 fluid ounce (a volume measurement) equals 1 weighted ounce. I do measure the ingredients in this recipe by weight, but I made it successfully for so long without weighing a single thing. So clearly it's not essential!

You do need to include all of the ingredients as listed, or at least an acceptable substitute as outlined in the “Ingredients and Substitutions” section below. You do need to beat the batter/dough well, allow it to rise fully (but hopefully not too much), and slice it in the center, so it doesn't explode in a million different directions as it rises.

But there really aren't any secrets you need to know to be successful. When I began making this recipe again recently, after years of developing more gluten-like gluten free bread recipes, I was tempted to make dramatic changes to make it “better.”

I wanted to try replacing the oil with melted butter, for more flavor. I was dying to reduce the water a bit so it didn't rise quite as high.

I wanted to tinker with the balance of dry ingredients. But this isn't the place for that. This recipe is what it is, and it rescued me and my family in more ways than one.

Thank you, Tom Van Deman. You always said that this recipe came to you fully formed, from divine inspiration. It's hard to believe it happened any other way.

Tom's gluten free sandwich bread showing slices from the side.

Rice free bread ingredients and substitutions

This recipe is naturally gluten free and dairy free, as it was originally written. I have made a few changes to the recipe method, but they're slight and unimportant.

The flours used in this bread recipe

This revolutionary recipe is unique among gluten free baking recipes since it's not made with any rice flour. Typically, when a reader asks about baking gluten free without rice flour I steer them toward my Paleo recipes, which are entirely grain free. But this recipe is also rice-free, and also quite adaptable.

The original recipe is made with garbanzo bean flour, or chickpea flour, which was a staple of my earliest gluten free bakingโ€”even though I really didn't like the taste or the smell. But garbanzo bean flour worked in gluten free baking, and I was grateful to be able to bake literally anything that worked.

These days, more than a decade later, I just won't bake much of anything else with garbanzo bean flour. Raw and baking, it just smells awful to me. It's less pungent once baked, but still, I refuse.

Luckily, this recipe has proven to be quite versatile. In place of garbanzo bean flour, I use an equal amount (by weight) of sweet white sorghum flour. I think navy bean flour, which happily lacks the taste and smell of a typical bean flour, would work well, too.

I have not replaced the cornstarch or the tapioca starch/flour. I like baking with both of those starches, and never saw a reason to eliminate them.

If you need to try replacing tapioca starch, I recommend trying arrowroot. If you'd like to eliminate the cornstarch, try potato starch. If you're only replacing the cornstarch, try replacing that, instead, with arrowroot.

Can you make this gluten free rice free bread without eggs?

This recipe relies heavily upon eggs, calling for 3 whole eggs. They provide rise and structure. I'm afraid I don't recommend making this bread egg-free. If you need to be egg-free, my newer bread recipes made with gluten free bread flour are what I'd recommend trying.

What type of oil is best for this gluten free rice free bread?

The recipe calls for a “neutral oil,” which just refers to something neutral in taste and aroma. Grapeseed, peanut, canola, vegetable, and avocado oils all work just fine.

I don't like to specify which type of oil since they really are interchangeable. Plus, so many readers seem to think that canola and vegetable oils will be responsible for the demise of civilization.

Tom's gluten free sandwich bread shown as it's being sliced.

Gluten Free Rice Free Bread Recipe

4.99 from 71 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Rising time: 1 hour
Yield: 10 slices
Tom's Gluten Free Sandwich Bread was my first successful loaf of gluten free rice free bread ever, and it couldn't be easier!

Equipment

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Ingredients 

  • 1 โ…› cup (105 g) garbanzo bean flour, or 3/4 cup (105 g) sweet white sorghum flour
  • 1 cup (144 g) cornstarch
  • 1 heaping cup (129 g) tapioca starch/flour
  • 3 ยฝ teaspoons xanthan gum
  • 1 ยฝ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons (41 g) packed light brown sugar
  • ยผ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 ยพ teaspoons instant yeast, (or 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast)
  • 3 (150 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 โ…› cups (9 fluid ounces) hot (not boiling) water
  • 3 tablespoons (42 g) neutral oil, (like canola, vegetable, grapeseed, peanut or avocado oil)
  • Cooking oil spray

Instructions 

  • Grease and line a standard 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan, and set it aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, place the garbanzo bean or sweet white sorghum flour, cornstarch, tapioca starch/flour, xanthan gum, salt, brown sugar, and cream of tartar, and whisk to combine well.
  • Add the yeast, and whisk again to combine.
  • Add the eggs, water, and oil, and beat on medium speed until well-combined and smooth.
  • Turn the mixer speed up to high and continue to beat for 1 minute more. The mixture will be very soft and much thinner than even a typical gluten free batter bread dough.
  • Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and, using a moistened spatula, spread it into an even layer in the pan.
  • Spray the top of the dough with cooking oil spray, then cover the pan with plastic wrap.
  • Set the pan in a warm, draft-free location and allow it to rise until the dough has nearly doubled in size. This will take less time in a warm, moist environment, and more time in a cool, dry environment.
  • Once the dough begins to rise unevenly (youโ€™ll begin to see shallow craters on top), itโ€™s risen fully. Do not overproof.
  • Near the end of the rise, preheat your oven to 375ยฐF.
  • Remove the plastic wrap and, using a moistened sharp knife, slice the top about 1/4-inch deep from one short end to the other horizontally.
  • Place the pan in the preheated oven with plenty of head room to rise.
  • Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped with a spoon. The internal temperature will be about 200ยฐF.
  • Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is approximate, at best, and is based on using the original, not alternative, ingredients. Please do not rely on it for any medical or health issues.
Originally published on the blog in 2019. In 2021, all photos and video new; text modified; recipe unchanged other than to offer an alternative ingredient. In 2023, new text resources added.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 77IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Tom's gluten free sandwich bread shown raw, baked, and sliced so you can view the center of the loaf.

About Nicole Hunn

Hi, Iโ€™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 arenโ€™t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, โ€œgood, for gluten freeโ€ just isnโ€™t good enough!

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162 Comments

  1. Christina says:

    I started out using the Pamela’s bread recipe and it was good — much better than store bought; I was very overwhelmed when we first learned my husband has Celiac, so this recipe was extra simple and worked for a while.

    But I took the time to buy all of the things needed for this recipe, and it was well worth the effort. I made it for my husband last night, and he loves it; it’s more than good. This really doesn’t take much more effort than the other recipe, but it is much better. Thank you for sharing and good luck with your book.
    Christina

    1. Nicole says:

      Hi, Christina,
      It is amazing how your perspective can change as you climb and finally overcome the big learning curve of cooking and baking gluten free, isn’t it? The things I thought were “good” when we first started out gluten-free were a reflection of how overwhelmed I was, and how thrilled I was to find anything that tasted like food! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe. Eat it in good health!
      Warmly,
      Nicole

  2. Jennifer says:

    Hi Nicole!

    I think I got it! I only used 2 extra large eggs, and cut down on the water. I baked a lovely loaf of bread! Thanks for your help!

    1. Nicole says:

      Hi, Jennifer,
      Hooray! I’m so glad. I’m sure you have many more lovely loaves of bread in your future! I’m so glad you kept trying.
      Warmly,
      Nicole

  3. Catherine says:

    I’m so glad to hear you’re putting a book together, Nicole! Consider my order placed.
    I have a little note to add about this great sandwich bread. After making it religiously, and successfully, since August, 2009, yesterday for the first time I tried something slightly different. For half of the garbanzo bean flour, I substituted amaranth flour (because I’d bought some, I’ve read it’s nutritious, and I was just curious). The bread came out beautifully, perhaps slightly denser than usual — so one would definitely not want to use too much of this amaranth — and a bit sweeter and more interesting tasting. MOST IMPORTANT: the texture of the crumb is changed to more sturdy and stretchable-without-crumbling, making it even more useful for sandwiches. If you’re already making this bread and thus have all the stuff on hand, this, I think, is a worthwhile tweak to try.
    Thanks, as always, Nicole! This is the only “blog” I’ve ever read, and it’s just so darned useful!
    Catherine

    1. Nicole says:

      Hi, Catherine,
      Thank you for the tip. The bread sounds amazing. I will have to try that. I have never fooled around with Tom’s recipe one iota, but I’m glad to hear that you did!
      Thanks for the kind words about the book. :)
      Warmly,
      Nicole

  4. Wendy says:

    You just made my day! THAT is a book I would buy. In fact, I’ve contemplated compiling my own book from the recipes you’ve posted here!

    1. Nicole says:

      Hi, Wendy,
      Thank you for your enthusiasm about the book. I guess it’s a good thing that I mentioned it, or you’d beat me to the shelves with my recipes!
      Warmly,
      Nicole

  5. Jennifer says:

    Nicole!

    Thank you for getting back to me! I made another load yesterday, and it is so flat! It is the worst one yet, but still yummy!

    The batter is very think and sticky, but is not stiff. It is more “gloppy” than stiff. It does not make a ball. I used my stand mixer, once with the dough hook, and once with the paddle. Perhaps I should add the water in slowly and stop when it is becoming a ball? Also, I realized that I am using extra large eggs, is that too much egginess? How high should I let it rise? When I fill the loaf pan with the batter, it is half full. Shoud it be level with the pan or more? I am actually a great cook, so this is frustrating me! Any help would be welcome! Thank you in advance!

    1. Nicole says:

      Jennifer! You need a yeast bread intervention.
      Definitely do not use the dough hook. And beat the mixture for a long time with the paddle attachment. That activates the xanthan gum, which is what forms something of a net to catch the bubbles the yeast creates during the rising. You should try adding the water slowly, and erring on the side of less. It should be stiff. It would definitely be too sticky to handle, but stiff. Sometimes the problem can be that it is rising too long, but it doesn’t sound like that is what you are experiencing. And how big is your pan? Gluten free batter is heavier than conventional flour, so the dough is heavier. It does best in a slightly smaller loaf pan, say 81/2″x41/2″, for example.
      Keep me posted. Email me for some one on one attention, if you’d prefer.
      Warmly,
      Nicole

  6. Jennifer says:

    Hello Nicole!

    The taste of this bread is so great! But I’m having trouble with the texture. Your photo of the Turkey sandwich has me wondering. My bread does not look like that! I am following the exact recipe, doing the rise in the oven(set at 200 for 5 minutes, then turn off) for an hour, then baking for 40 minutes. During the baking process, it rises beautifully! When it cools, it falls and is very moist. I have made 2 loafs, and they are definitely edible, but are very heavy and moist. Do you think I need to cook it longer?

    1. Nicole says:

      Hi, Jennifer,
      I’m glad you posted. I’m sure we can troubleshoot this. Yeast bread is very sensitive to environmental conditions, so sometimes you need to tweak things. A loaf that rises but then falls almost always has too much moisture. The batter should be very thick and sticky, and sort of stiff. What does your batter look like?
      Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.
      Warmly,
      Nicole

  7. Michele Hamilton says:

    Thanks so much for the wonderful bread recipe! I’ve tried several different recipes and had almost given up until I stumbled across this one. We finished off the first loaf as French toast this morning, and I’ve got our second loaf rising right now. This will be added to our “staples” recipes.

    1. Nicole says:

      Hi, Michele,
      I’m so glad you are having a lot of success with this bread. There’s nothing like a reliable bread recipe. Thank for posting!
      Warmly,
      Nicole

  8. Wendy says:

    Hey Nicole – would you consider writing a blog entry with some of the basic GF cooking tips? ie:
    Tapioca flour = tapioca starch
    Xanthan gum need to be aerated (I never knew that)
    What does “hot water” mean in GF cooking?
    A word or two about flour blends??… I saw you were using Bob’s Red Mill, now you’re using something different? Why? Is it cheaper? Better?

    I’m a scientist by training, and approach cooking the same way….for better or worse. The more I understand, the better success I will have!

    Thanks for this blog! Wish I would have found it months ago! I recommended it to our CSA Group’s communications director to include in the next newsletter.

    Thanks again for all that you do!

    Wendy

    1. Nicole says:

      Hi, Wendy,
      I apologize for taking so long to get back to you in reply to this comment of yours. I think a post with some basic guidelines like you suggest is a great idea. I haven’t announced this yet officially on the blog, but I am in the process of writing a Gluten-Free on a Shoestring book, and it should be in stores by January 2011. So it might take me a little longer than usual to get to a post like that, but it’s on my list. I promise! Thank you for the kind words, and for all your comments. I think the comments are as important as the recipes/posts themselves, you know?
      Warmly,
      Nicole

  9. Nicole says:

    Hi, Catherine,
    I’m so pleased that this bread has made things easier and more enjoyable for you. That’s so important. It really does go a long way in maintaining or regaining a sense of normalcy. Thank you for keeping me posted on your progress!
    Warmly,
    Nicole

  10. Catherine says:

    And since I see you’re talking about your/my favorite bread (two loaves of which are cooling on the kitchen table as a write), let me say that I get a really good rise every time, and I use only a pastry cutter (to make sure the brown sugar gets properly broken up) and a wooden spoon for mixing. It’s requires a bit of muscle, but it works! Occasionally, my husband says, “Shouldn’t we really try some other recipes, just to see?” But I’ve looked at them, and they don’t seem as sensible as this one. (How many egg whites?!)
    I am definitely giving thanks for this bread. It has made the transition to celiac life so very much easier.