Legit Squishy-Soft Gluten Free Bread Recipe

Learn how to make the best squishy soft gluten free bread easily from scratch! This homemade sandwich bread is made using *for real* simple ingredients, requires just a dump and mix, one rise, and, honestly, will be the end-all for GF bread searches. If my word isn't good enough, read the hundreds of 5-star reviews below, or better yet, make this easy loaf today and let me know what you think!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 55

Rising 45

Servings

Author Melissa Erdelac

Ingredients

3 cups (438 g) gluten free all purpose flour Cup4Cup gluten free flour highly recommended - see recipe notes for optional milk powder addition and alternative flour notes
1 (9 g) packet (2 ¼ tsp) instant rapid rise yeast
1 tablespoon (11 g) psyllium husk powder (optional) helps with bread moisture & structure (what is psyllium husk?)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½* cups (338 g) warm water (110°F) *see recipe note if using alternative flour
2 large eggs room temperature
¼ cup (85 g) honey
¼ cup (55 g) oil any preferred

Instructions

Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix together gluten free flour, yeast, optional psyllium husk powder, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined.
3 cups gluten free all purpose flour, 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) instant rapid rise yeast, 1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder (optional), 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
Add warm water, eggs, honey, and vegetable oil. Mix on low speed to let the dough come together, about 1 minute.
1 ½* cups warm water (110°F), 2 large eggs, ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup oil
Increase speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes, scraping down paddle and bowl halfway through. The batter will be stiff, but sticky.
Grease a 9X4 baking pan (recommended). Pour into the pan and smooth top evenly with a spatula. Spray a large piece of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray. Lay the plastic, greased side down, over the pan.
Set in a warm, draft-free place to rise until the bread reaches two-thirds to the top of the pan (do not let it go over this point because it rises more in the oven). This should take about 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350°F.
Remove plastic and bake bread on middle rack for 40-50 minutes, tenting a piece of foil loosely over the bread halfway through. The internal temperature of the bread should read 205°F.
Allow the loaf to cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then remove to a cooling rack. Allow bread to cool completely, at least 2 hours, before slicing. For best results, serve the bread at room temperature, toasted, or grilled. Chilled, cold bread has an adverse effect on texture.

Notes

Adding Milk Powder

This is a new addition to the recipe, so it's completely optional, but adds moisture to the bread. Recently Cup4Cup removed milk powder from their formulation, so now I remove 2 tablespoons GF flour and replace it with 2 tablespoons gluten-free certified milk powder. You can do this with any GF flour blend, it doesn't have to be C4C.

Alternative Gluten-Free Flour Adaptations

KA Measure-For-Measure - I find this flour to be more absent of flavor and moisture, so adding an additional ¼ tsp salt, as well as modifying with milk powder (use method explained above) can help. I also recommend cutting the water to 1 ¼ cup + 2 tbsp (305 g) to build out the structure and prevent the bread sinking during cooling.

King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour - I recently tried this and loved the results! It has a great taste and nice soft texture. My only recommendation would be to cut back on the psyllium husk powder to 1/2 tbsp since it's already in the flour's blend.

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-To-1 Baking Flour - I worked with this flour quite a lot to try to mimic the texture with C4C. To counteract a "spongy," wet crumb I recommend omit milk powder, cutting water to 1 ¼ cups (295 g), and adding ¼ cup cornstarch to the dry ingredients.

Psyllium Husk Powder

I've made the bread multiples with and without the psyllium husk powder. It doesn't affect the taste, but it does help maintain moisture, prevents the bread from becoming crumbly, and makes it softer.

Psyllium husk powder is very affordable to buy, lasts a long time, and greatly improves GF breads texture because it helps absorb moisture.

I recommend the psyllium listed in the ingredients because the lighter color doesn't affect the bread. Some powders are darker, which will make GF baked goods a grayish, purple color.

How to Make in a Bread Machine

Although I have not personally tried making this recipe in a bread machine, several readers have written in and said they've had great results using one!

You will need a bread machine with a gluten-free setting. Add all the wet ingredients to the bottom of the bread baking pan. Then add the dry ingredients over that. Start the bread machine and set it to the "gluten-free" setting.

Freezing / Storing

Gluten-free bread does not have the shelf life like normal bread. Refrigerating will dry it out, and is not recommended. It may be wrapped tightly and left at room temperature, but will lose optimal taste and texture quickly.

For best results, slice and freeze the bread after it has completely cooled (at least 3 hours). Pull slices as needed from the freezer to defrost or toast from frozen.

Generally GF bread requires toasting or a buttered griddle to taste good, but not with this recipe. Room temperature bread is exceptionally soft and fluffy.

However, please note, if pulling from the freezer and serving at room temp, thoroughly defrost the bread first. If it is chilled slightly it will become more crumbly.

Nutrition