Gluten Free Bread Recipes

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Gluten free bread can seem like a big challenge at first.  If you are just getting used to your gluten free lifestyle, you might be missing bread an awful lot.  Some pre-baked bread can be OK, but it’s just not the same.  And gluten free bread recipes can seem odd if you aren’t sure how the process goes.

It can take a little time to get used to making any kind of gluten free baked good.  The dough is different, the ingredients are different, and it’s a lot stickier than you might expect.  I went through this adjustment and I’ll tell you, it was a little weird at first.  But once I worked with it a few times, I learned how it behaved.

The texture of most kinds of gluten free bread dough will look and feel like extra thick cake batter.  You won’t have a smooth dough ball like you do with regular bread.  I was never much of a bread baker before our lifestyle change, so I didn’t have much to unlearn.  However, if you have handled wheat-based bread dough and pizza dough a lot, here’s a bit of good news.  You won’t have to do much kneading, if any at all.  They are often quicker to the oven and more hands-off.

When working with gluten free bread dough, you’ll need two important tools: water and lots of extra flour.  The dough can easily get very sticky, so you’ll often need to wet your fingers to smooth the top.  It also helps to have a large cup with water nearby for your spatula or scraper so the dough doesn’t stick to it too much.  I use a silicone scraper to help with this.  I dip my scraper each time I need to scoop dough out of the bowl.  I also dip my fingers frequently if I’m smoothing the top of some rolls, bread sticks, or working with pizza dough.

Sometimes you’ll need to use flour instead of water to keep the dough from sticking.  One special type of bread mix creates a stiff dough that you can use to make all kinds of things – rolls, bread sticks, pizza, and even hot fold-over sandwiches.  Another recipe I use to make gluten free tortillas works best with flour as well.  Once you try some different recipes, you’ll figure out what works best for you.

Because of its unique ingredients, gluten free bread can have some baking challenges.  Often, you may find that your bread either turns out too soft in the middle or too dry overall.  I’ve found that it helps to tinker with the amount of moisture.  Your bread pans can also make a big difference.  I’ve had the best outcomes with smaller or narrower pans.  My larger pans have given less consistent results overall.  However, everyone has some unique aspects to their kitchen.

Your pans, your oven, your humidity, and other factors can mean your bread might turn out differently than mine.  Experimentation can tell you a lot.  It’s OK to have a “flop” loaf because you can always turn it into breadcrumbs.  And believe me, breadcrumbs are very valuable for all sorts of recipes.  You’ll be OK – just get into the kitchen and try some recipes.

Once you have some go-to recipes, you might try using them in other ways.  I’ve managed to use a newly-found pizza crust to make some great bread sticks – best my family has had in the last few years.  I have plans to work my best roll recipe into something that works as loaf bread.  At worst, I’ll get more breadcrumbs!  Don’t worry about experimenting too much at first.  Just find a good recipe that works and get familiar with the rhythm of making them several times.  The more familiar you are with the flow of the recipe and the way they turn out, the more you’ll understand how to make adjustments.  And it will be more fun.

Another stand-by piece of equipment is a heavy duty mixer.  I had only used hand mixers before but these aren’t powerful enough.  Depending on your recipe, you may need to run your mixer for up to 9 or 10 minutes.  It may be an added expense for you if you didn’t have one before (like me), but it’s helped my bread results stay much more consistent.  I’m using it nearly every week, so it also stands up to frequent use.  Consider all these things as you take a look at your current mixer.

You can do this!  The recipes are not terribly complicated, especially when you’ve done them a few times.  When you get used to it, gluten free bread is not hard to make.  The day you find a reliable recipe with a great taste and texture will be a truly happy day for you.  You can start enjoying your favorite sandwiches, snacks, and even breakfast foods again.

If you are ready to learn about baking some good bread, look through the following links for gluten free bread recipes and other great information.

Check out these terrific gluten free bread recipes and ways to use gluten free bread:

Gluten Free Cornbread
Gluten Free Rolls
Gluten Free Stuffing
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Gluten Free Pizza Tassies

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