Gluten-free bread makes me happy — when it’s truly good. After many trials, this is the gluten-free loaf I keep returning to. I love the subtle flavor of millet flour, the crisp, substantial crust and the soft, airy crumb. It’s sturdy enough for sandwiches and simple to mix up when you want fresh bread without eggs or dairy.
Mastering a Delicious Gluten, Egg and Dairy-Free Bread
This recipe started as a French-style loaf. I spent a long time trying to produce neat baguette-shaped loaves, but because gluten-free dough behaves more like a thick batter, it often spread along the pan instead of rising tall. The result was long, thin loaves with flat tops that didn’t look very appealing.
Eventually I switched to a regular loaf pan and the results improved. The top still has a rustic look, but the flavor and texture are exactly what I want, and the loaf is perfect for sandwiches.
Like most homemade breads, this one is best hot from the oven, though it’s still excellent when cool. Freshly baked, the crunchy crust and chewy interior with a smear of butter are hard to beat.
I usually favor grinding my own grains and using economical flours like rice and cornstarch in many recipes. For this loaf, however, a specific blend of flours and starches gives the best texture. I’ve experimented with substituting only cornstarch or rice flour and had mixed results — nothing matched the balance achieved by this combination. Fortunately, potato and tapioca starch are affordable and worth including.
Gluten, Dairy, and Egg-Free Bread Recipe
A dependable, grain-free styled loaf that’s soft inside with a crunchy crust — ideal for anyone avoiding gluten, eggs, and dairy.
- Author: Elise
Ingredients
- 1 cup millet flour or a millet/sorghum flour blend
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup tapioca starch
- 1/3 cup potato starch
- 1 1/4 teaspoons guar or xanthan gum
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 heaping Tablespoon sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup warm water (about 110°F / 43°C)
Instructions
- Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the olive oil and warm water, stirring until everything is incorporated. Beat the batter vigorously for three minutes — a stand mixer makes this easy and consistent.
- Scrape the batter into a greased loaf pan (or a regular baguette pan if you prefer). Mound the top slightly to encourage a nice rise.
- Let the batter rise in a warm spot for 40–50 minutes, until it has increased a little more than double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (about 200°C). Bake the bread for 40–50 minutes. Avoid using convection, as it can brown the crust too quickly.
- The loaf is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the sides. For a precise check, the internal temperature should be about 205–215°F (96–102°C).
- When finished, remove the bread from the pan immediately and cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
- Resist the urge to eat the whole loaf at once — though with butter, it’s tempting. Enjoy!