My Favorite Sandwich Bread Recipe
Often when people are first diagnosed with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, they envision a bread-free life. They build sandwiches with lettuce wraps, corn or brown rice tortillas, or they choose to go without….opting instead for a life of soup and salad. Although I adore homemade soups and salad, every now and then a girl wants something to sink her teeth into. I’m easily seduced by a delicious sandwich dripping with pesto mayo, roasted red peppers, olives and peperoncinis. I’ve been known to pass up a slice of cake for one of these.
But every good sandwich needs a good foundation.
Bread.
I frequently hear discussions about the shortcomings of gluten-free bread, and most of you are probably all too familiar with what they are. So when I decided to develop a recipe for gluten-free sandwich bread that would be my pantry staple, I made a list of all my favorite characteristics of a traditional, wheat-based loaf. Even though it has been many years since I’ve tasted wheat bread, I’ll never forget it.
These are the things I loved about a loaf of sandwich bread from my gluten eating days:
- soft
- flexible
- springy
- open crumb
- hint of caramel flavor
- slight nutty flavor
- not dry
- substantial texture that doesn’t fall apart
These eight characteristics were a must have in my gluten-free loaf and I didn’t plan on compromising.
With this list in hand, I headed to the kitchen, and I baked. A lot. I made hundreds of loaves over the past 5 years and the successes and failures have taught me volumes about gluten-free baking. The final reward for my efforts is this bread…..and seeing my son’s face when he has a slice of it with butter and cinnamon sugar. He tells me it’s “the best” and for now, that’s all the encouragement I need.
*I know this isn’t an exciting holiday recipe, but I’ve been wanting to share this for awhile, so here you go! Next up, my favorite Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Cinnamon Roll recipe. Stay tuned later this week. 
My Gluten Free Sandwich Bread
- 1 ¾ cups (255 grams) brown rice flour
- ¾ cup (100 grams) tapioca starch
- ½ cup (80 grams) potato starch
- 3 tablespoons ground flax (I use golden flax)
- 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum (I use Authentic Foods’ corn-free xanthan)
- 1 ½ teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast (most packets are 2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoons molasses (the molasses and brown sugar are vital to developing a nice “wheaty,” “malty” flavor)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup olive or canola oil
- 1 cup warm milk or milk substitute
→ Place the dry ingredients (brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, ground flax, xanthan gum, sea salt, active dry yeast and brown sugar) into the bowl of your standing mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine.
→ Add the remaining ingredients (molasses, eggs, oil, and milk) to the bowl and starting out on slow speed, gradually increase to medium-high speed and mix for 2 1/2 minutes on medium-high. The dough will look like a very thick waffle batter and should not even come close to forming a ball. Please see the picture below for an idea of how it should look.
→ Remove bowl from the mixer and scrape the dough from the paddle attachment. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl (don’t be too fussy about this part) and cover the bowl with oiled plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour in a sufficiently warm, 80 degree place (this is crucial, so try to make the extra effort to find a good spot. I use the top of my toaster oven set on warm. I have to put an upside down, metal cake pan on top of it, and then place the bowl of dough on that, so that the bottom doesn’t get too hot).
→ After one hour, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Deflate the risen dough gently with a spatula and scrape it into a well-greased loaf pan (I use pan spray). Use your spatula to level off the dough the best you can.
→ Cover lightly with the oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise for 20-30 minutes more in a warm place. When the bread is ready to bake, It will be level with the top of the pan (for an 8.5 by 4.5 inch pan) or almost level with the top if you are using a (9 by 5 inch pan).
→ Gently remove the plastic wrap without deflating your loaf and set it on the center rack of your preheated oven.
→ Bake for 50-55 minutes. The loaf will be a deep, dark color and should register 205-210 degrees if you stick an instant read thermometer in the center. If you are using a dark colored pan, you may need to reduce the time by 5 minutes.
→ Remove the bread from the oven and cool for 5-6 minutes before carefully turning the loaf out to finish cooling on a wire rack. It will easily tumble out of the pan.
→ Cool completely before slicing. Once the bread is cool to the touch, you can put it in freezer bags and freeze for a month or two. I remove a slice at a time, as needed. Pop in the toaster or bring to room temperature and it is almost as good as the day it was baked. * If the slices aren’t completely cool when you put them in the freezer, they will stick together. A bit of patience seems to pay off later in reducing frustration! I learn everything the hard way.
This makes me hungry on a full stomach!
That’s what I aim to do!
I just met someone who can’t eat gluten and I was wishing I had a few more recipes that were gluten-free to try out for when she comes over. She has often complained about bread, so I’ll have to give this a try!
Thanks Jen. That would be so sweet of you to give this a try for her sake!
Looks wonderful! Do you know if I could make this without eggs or by using egg replacer? My son is allergic to eggs and I would like to make him something besides rice and chicken
I would love to hear about it if you try making this with an egg replacer! I haven’t made it with one, but I have used Ener-G in the past with good results in other recipes. Just make sure you substitute with an equal amount of liquid to replace the 3 eggs. Good luck. I know how challenging it can be to come up with new ideas for what to feed kiddos with allergies!
Congratulations on finding such a great bread recipe – quite a challenge in a gluten free world! I’m a HUGE fan of sandwiches, so I understand wanting a good bread – and it looks delicious!
A beautiful loaf! This bread looks so smooth and tasty. a perfect recipe, it seems.
Happy Holidays!
Cheers,
Rosa
The bread looks soooo lovely, delish and soft!
Congratz to find this bread recipe, and now we can make it at home… tq for sharing!
and yes, when our love ones yes tq and smile while having our creation… thats all we need
Happy holiday to u!
You are life savor for all the people who needs gluten-free food! This bread looks very moist and delicious! I know whom to introduce when I find someone who needs gluten free food!
I made this bread yesterday, and had my first slice for breakfast, today. Very tasty, and so much better than plunking down big bucks for supermarket gluten-free loaves. I really appreciate your detailed directions! My crock pot was in use, so I let the dough rise in close proximity to it. Thanks, and happy new year.
Thanks for commenting Margo! I always love to hear about how things work out and I’m really glad to know that all the directions helped. My tendency is to write a small novel, but I try to edit myself a bit so people don’t get overwhelmed by seemingly endless instructions!
Cheers, Terris
This is probably one of the most beautiful gluten free breads I have ever laid eyes on!!! xo
Thank you Cara!
Could I put this in my bread maker..? My mother in-law got me one for Christmas so I wouldnt have to heat up the house during the summer time with the oven. I should probably get it broken in.
Someone else just asked about this and I’m sorry to report that I just don’t know. I don’t have a breadmaker, so I couldn’t guarantee how it would turn out. Want to give it a try and let us all know?
Cheers, Terris
Do you think that you’d be able to use a breadmaker for this?
Hi there and thanks for stopping by Free Eats! I really wish I had a good answer for you, but I don’t own a breadmaker so this recipe has never been tested in one. I just couldn’t vouch for the results. I would love it if someone would try it and let us all know. Another reader wrote me that she was going to give it a go in her Breadman, but I haven’t heard back. Happy baking! -Terris
Great Ill give it a shot and let you know
Awesome!!
it does look pretty good, I was searching for a simple sandwich bread recipe, I will try yours!
I am So excited to try this…any idea of whether it will work in a bread machine? I have a new one with GF setting….
Hi Lisa! Thanks for stopping by. I’m unsure about how this would work out in a breadmaker. Unfortunately I don’t own one, so I can’t test it out for you! If you do decide to give it a try, please come back and let us all know how it turned out.
Happy Baking!
This bread is AMAZING! I just made it and am SO happy with how quick and easy it is, and how “normal” it tastes! hahaha Thanks SOOOO much!
(I was out of ground flax, so I omitted that…turned out perfect!)
I’m SO happy you liked the bread recipe and took the time to let me know! It is a celebration indeed when one finds a gluten-free loaf that tastes normal AND is easy to make.
I crank out two loaves of this every Sunday evening, cool, slice and freeze for the upcoming week. It takes me about 15 minutes of total work now that I’ve made it so many times! (not counting the rise and bake time of course)
This is one of the most tastefull gluten-free bread receipes. I have already made this bread 2 times. I was tired of having to pay large sums of money for gluten-free bread in health stores. (They werent as good as this). I replaced half the brown rice flour with sorghum once and It came out well too. Thanks for the wonderful receipe.