Baking Gluten Free Bread in a Breadmaker
Baking gluten free bread in a breadmaker can be an easy entree into baking gluten free bread from scratch. Add the ingredients, push the button and GO! Let the bread machine do the heavy lifting.
Using an easy gluten free bread mix makes things even more of a breeze. (The loaves pictured below are all made with my gfJules Bread Mix, which was just voted #1 Gluten Free Bread Mix again in the 2024 Gluten Free Awards – for the seventh time!)
But which gluten free bread maker is best? Does it have to have a gluten free setting to bake gluten free bread? What gluten free bread recipes work best in bread machines? Read on for answers.
Hop to my Reviews of Best Bread Machines for Gluten Free Bread
All about Gluten Free Bread Machines
For anyone leery of baking gluten free bread from scratch, and for those who don’t have a stand mixer, a bread maker may be your new best friend.
Since the hardest part is often just finding the patience to wait for that yummy nirvana of heavenly yeasty bread aromas to permeate every room of your home, beckoning you to make a sandwich or slather a warm fresh-baked slice with butter … it’s easy to see why gluten free bread machines are so well-loved!
BUT … don’t hesitate to try baking gluten free bread from scratch if you don’t have or can’t afford to buy a gluten free bread machine. The homemade gluten free bread recipes on my site are all designed to be made without a bread machine, though many may be made in a bread machine, as well. And you don’t have to be a bread baking expert to bake them — I promise!
Some of my favorite gluten free loaves are baked in my oven, and some recipes don’t even require a bread pan! Gluten free sandwich bread, challah, gluten free bread sticks, 10 Minute Gluten Free Focaccia … are just some of the amazing homemade gluten free bread recipes on my site that can be made easily without a breadmaker.
Here are some great homemade gluten free bread recipes for bread machine:
- Easy Gluten Free Sandwich Bread or Beer Bread in Bread Machine
- Gluten Free Sandwich Bread in Bread Machine
- Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread in Bread Machine
- Gluten Free Pumpernickel Bread in Bread Machine
- Savory Gluten Free Italian Bread in Bread Machine
Tips for Making Gluten Free Bread in a Bread maker:
1- You don’t have to have the most expensive breadmachine to have the best bread. I travel with my bread makers for many cooking classes, and I won’t risk a big investment being in the hands of the TSA. So I tend to prefer mid-range bread makers like this Oster® for travel. You can usually find this machine for under $100.
HOWEVER … not all bread machines are created equal. Even those that have a gluten free setting. Check out this video to see if your bread machine is going to do a good job on baking your gluten free bread:
I truly love the loaves my reliable, two-paddled Zojirushi® turns out; I don’t risk traveling with it because it is a costlier machine. You can read about the Zojirushi as well as my preferred mid-range and travel machines in my gluten free bread machine reviews.
The process of baking gluten free bread in a bread machine is the same, no matter which model you use: liquids first, then dry ingredients, then yeast. Here’s a quick video showing you how:
(The short video above shows bread being made with my gfJules Bread Mix; to make with a scratch recipe, simply use the ingredients in this Gluten Free Sandwich Bread or Dinner Rolls Recipe)
2- You don’t have to have a bread maker with a gluten free setting to bake gluten free bread. But it helps. If you have an older bread machine without a gluten free setting, make sure it’s totally clean from any gluten residue. If there are scratches on the pan or the paddle, buy new ones because they could house gluten left behind from the last loaf.
If you are in the market for a new bread maker, buy one with a gluten free setting. Check my review of gluten free bread machines though, as they are not all good for baking gluten free bread; just because a machine has a gluten free setting, does not necessarily mean it will produce a good loaf.
3- Using bread makers without a gluten-free setting. Read your manual to find out if it will allow you to, and how to override the pre-programmed settings.
How to Program Your Bread Machine for Gluten Free Bread:
1. a 20-minute mix cycle
2. a 1-hour rise cycle
3. a 1-hour bake cycle
Do not allow the machine to do a “punch down” or second rise! Those are settings specific to gluten breads, but they will damage your gluten free loaf.
4- Always bring ingredients to room temperature before mixing gluten free bread dough. For eggs, heat a bowl of water and put the un-cracked eggs in the bowl to bring them to room temperature.
5- Always put liquid ingredients into a bread maker pan first. Dry ingredients go on top. If you can whisk the dry ingredients together before pouring them into the pan, that is best.
6- Keep a rubber spatula handy and help the bread maker out a bit during the mix cycle. Go around the pan with the spatula to help the ingredients incorporate. Th mixing paddles on bread machines don’t always get the dry ingredients off the sides of the pan, so using a rubber spatula can help. You’ll know after first use if your machine needs a little help mixing or not.
If you don’t want holes from the paddles when you remove them after baking, once the bread is mixed and before the rise, reach into the dough and remove the paddles; use the rubber spatula to help clean them off and smooth the top of the bread before rising. Note: it’s totally fine to leave the paddle inside the loaf as it bakes — it’s purely aesthetic whether you want a hole in the bottom of the loaf or not. With most machines, there is only one paddle, so only one small hole in the bottom center of the loaf.
7- Buy an instant read thermometer. They’re not expensive but make all the difference in helping you decide if your gluten free bread is really fully cooked. Always take your bread’s temperature before you take it out of the oven or the bread maker. It might look and smell done, but if it’s not over 205° F, it’s not done in the middle. Add extra time to your bread maker or put the bread maker loaf pan into your oven on 350° F for another 5-10 minutes (keep taking its temperature).
8- Let your bread cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. Lay the pan on its side for a few minutes, then shift to the other side for a few minutes. Gently remove it from the pan after it has cooled a bit, then cool completely on a wire rack before cutting (if you can resist!).
9- Store fully cooled bread in a zip-top bag on your counter – Squeeze the air out of the bag first, then seal. Depending on the recipe and ingredients, it should stay fresh that way for a few days. Remember: this is homemade bread, not commercially-made, processed bread loaded with preservatives, so it will naturally be softest and taste freshest the first day or two. In France, people still buy fresh baguettes every day — there’s a reason!
10- Never refrigerate your breads or you will dry them out! If you can’t finish the whole loaf before it starts to get dry, you can slice the bread and freeze it in a zip-top freezer bag so you always have bread handy. Put parchment or wax paper between the slices to make separating the frozen slices easier. Then, just toast to enjoy! Or, use leftover bread that’s past its prime in homemade gluten free French Toast!
Bonus #11 – If you really want a tall, fluffy loaf of bread, use a carbonated beverage like gluten free beer, club soda or ginger ale! Check out the height of my gluten-free beer bread! This is my favorite, reliable from-scratch gluten free sandwich bread recipe which can also be made with carbonated liquids.
CLICK HERE TO GET A FREE COPY OF JULES’ “GLUTEN FREE BREAD BAKING” eBOOK (A $9.95 VALUE)
*Some links in this post may be referral links. If you do decide to purchase a product at a retailer after following my link, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog. Read my disclosure policy here.
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I just got a Oster bread maker. Will gluten free flour rise when making rolls? I’m trying the bread cycle to make a loaf of bread. I don’t have a gluten free button.
Hi Teri, the key to gluten free rolls rising is to shape them first, then let them rise. If you want to make rolls with your bread machine, take the dough out right after mixing and before rising. Shape the rolls or put them into pans and then let them rise there before baking. Hope that helps! Here are some more tips for GF bread baking.
~jules
What is your experience with Breville Bread Makers? It has a GF setting… I just got mine. I love Breville products and find them extremely efficient and worth the money.
I can’t wait to hear what you think of it, Jenny. Breville is almost the only brand I haven’t yet tried!
~jules
Hi,
Are you able to say if this breadmaker (link to manual for Tefal OW300170) would be suitable for GF breadmaking? Thanks!
http://www.tefal.co.nz/medias/?context=bWFzdGVyfHJvb3R8MTk1NTc3OTF8YXBwbGljYXRpb24vcGRmfGg5Mi9oMDYvODg3MjMyMTY0NjYyMi5wZGZ8ZThjODRkMmYwZDRhNTNhZTE4Y2Q2ZTBiMTM3NTZjY2U1ZjExOGY1ODBkZmJjM2NiNjUzZjViYWE3MjgxNTNlOQ
Hi Kris, looks like there’s no GF setting on this machine. There is a super fast bread setting that skips the punchdowns, but it also doesn’t bake as long so I’m not sure the loaf would finish baking all the way. If you can, I’d suggest this T-fal instead. Here’s my review of that machine: https://gfjules.com/t-fal-gluten-free-bread/.
~jules
I have the Zojirushi breadmaker. I read that you have it too. Did you change the setting for the gluren-free cycle? The manual says that it will go through rise and punch down cycles. Your tips say that the bread should not be punched down.
Hi John, the “punchdown” in the GF setting on the Zojirushi isn’t really much of a punchdown, so it’s fine to just use the GF setting. I did program it though, mostly because I don’t like waiting so long for the ingredients to come to temperature, because I add my ingredients at room temperature anyway. There is information in the article about what to set for programming, if you prefer.
~jules
I make challah using the dough cycle of my bread machine. Can I just substitute GF flour to make this GF or is something else needed? Thank you.
irene
can I use the gluten free flour in place of regular flour, in a bread machine on the dough cycle? I want to make my challah GF and I normally make the dough in the dough cycle and finish it up by hand.
Thanks in advance for your response.
irene
Hi Irene, you can certainly use your bread machine to make the gluten free challah dough and then finish by hand. I think it’s just as easy to use a mixer since there’s no kneading involved with GF doughs, but it’s up to you. Have you tried my GF challah recipe? It’s a winner!
~jules
I usually use my bread machine to make regular challah dough. I didn’t think I could make a gf challah, so when I found your recipe and flour I was very excited. I just got a new Zojirushi bread machine, but I don’t see a dough making cycle for gf bread. Will you please give me the settings for the homemade cycle for making challah dough. I would assume that when using the bread machine there is no need to proof the yeast, but should I proof the dough before backing? Thank you
Hi Cathie, do you use the machine to mix the dough, then you shape and bake it like regular challah, or do you use the machine to bake the challah dough as a loaf?
~jules
Can I purchase your gluton free bread mix in Canada?
Hi Ann,
We don’t currently sell in any stores in Canada, but we do deliver to Canada. It can be rather pricey to ship from the US, so a lot of my customers have flour delivered to friends in the US who ship to them. We do offer it as an option though, just so you can still have access. We’re working on finding other ways to get my products to our friends over the border with less expense. I hope this helps!
~jules
Really, you have to mention something negative about TSA in a recipe for Gluten Free Bread.
Really, you have to act offended over a casual mention of TSA. Guess we know what it takes to get a…rise…out of you. 😉
I am so sad, and have been crying…do you have a basic GF bread recipe specifically for a bread maker? These mistakes are costing me a lot for GF flour. It is difficult to buy here where it is a rural area. The flour is: PC gluten-free all purpose flour blend. The ingredients are: tapioca starch, modified potato starch, corn flour, modified cellulose, xanthan gum. Pleassssssssssse. Can you help?
Hi Carolyn, I’m happy to help! I must say I’m not familiar with PC flour mix, and all gluten free flour mixtures work quite differently, based both upon the ratios of whole grains to starches and upon the exact flours used. Have a look at this basic sandwich bread recipe and scroll to the bottom of the directions for making in a breadmaker. If you try it with your flour blend and think you’re on the right track but it’s not as delicious as it oughta be (and it IS delicious!), I encourage you to try my gfJules GF blend. We ship right to your door so even folks in rural areas can have access. You can even try a sample for just $5 including shipping. I want everyone to bake happy again, gluten free. No more tears (we’ve all been there, though!). Please have hope and know that this recipe is as good as it looks when made with my blend, and it’s even easier to just make it with my bread mix – dump the mix on top of the liquids and push the button!
~jules
Can I find your flours in Australia? Thanks kindly.
I’ve been buying Pamela’s gluten free bread mix from Amazon and its soooo good!! The only thing I do differently is use Fleshmains (sp) yeast instead of what comes with the individual packages. I searched for mixes because its cheaper then buying all the different flours
I’m glad you’ve found one that works for you, Amy! I agree that the mixes are often cheaper than buying the individual flours, also because sometimes you only need a little of one flour and a little of another, so the remainders end up going bad. That’s why I love my gfJules Bread Mix – it has all the flours and quick rise yeast included so you can just dump it in the bread machine with the liquids and push a button for picture perfect, delicious homemade bread. I’d love to hear what you think about my mix if you try it sometime!
~jules
Hello! Thanks for all the awesome tips on this website! I have a brand new bread baking machine and have made two breads so far. The first one, a very basic one with brown rice flour and potato starch turned out alright, but the second one with almond flour and arrowroot starch not so much. It’s sunken in and totally underdone. :-(. I’ve yet to find any advice on the web about if you can use almond flour when baking with a bread machine. I have the Zojirushi and it does have a gluten free cycle. I assume i might have to select a different course when using almond flour (using blanched almond flour). Very grateful for any advice!
Thank you!
Hi Anja – I don’t bake with almond flour as my primary flour. I use it here and there WITH other gluten free flours. Almond flour and coconut flour require different moisture levels than many other gluten free flours, so just subbing them in will throw off a recipe not originally written for them. Have you looked at any of the gluten free bread recipes on my site, or considered trying my gluten free bread mix? I use it in my Zojirushi bread maker all the time and in fact, when I travel to gluten free Expos around the country teaching how to make GF bread in a bread maker, I’m using my mix and the Zojirushi because I can always count on the results and I’m teaching more about technique than ingredients. Just something to consider. I hope this information has helped!
~jules
Thank you so much, Jules. I will definitely check out the bread mix and the recipes. Yes, using almond flour was not a great idea for me so far. Someday I may try again to bake with it, but will mix it then for sure. Thanks so much for your time. Happy 2016!
And you as well, Anja! Good luck with the bread baking!
~jules
Just an FYI, beer bread by definition cannot be gluten free since beer is made from barley, whet, hops etc which are all gluten. You should update your comments above or some people may be confused and get sick from making “gluten free beer bread”! But thanks for all your info and tips, very helpful!
Hi Diane, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. While traditionally, all beer did contain gluten, there are now gluten-free beers available, but it’s good to point that out again here in this article as well. If you’d like some recommendations on gluten-free beers, take a look at my GF Beer Tasting Notes! Cheers!
~jules
Hi. I have the Zojirushi bread machine. I want to make crescent rolls using your recipe in my bread maker. The problem is I can’t get your GF flour. I need to make this for Christmas Eve and there is not enough time to order. Can I use another brand of GF flour? What do you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Jane, where do you live? There is still time to get my flour to you by Thursday and it’s also available in some stores around the country – you can check the listing here.
~jules
Hi! I am wondering as a vegan what is the best alternative to use rather than eggs in a bread machine? It does not have a gluten free setting, so I would have to try to by pass some options.
I really hate thinking about the billions of baby male chicks that are ground up alive only hours after hatching in the egg industry. Many of them are also suffocated in large plastic bags! This must be banned and people need to know that eggs are not “innocent” products but sources of suffering fro both the hens and the male chicks especially! Even “cage-free, range-free eggs” result in the deaths of male chicks! Anyone reading this-PLEASE think about that and use alternatives or go to a local farmer or a friend who has chickens that they just use for unfertilized eggs! Thanks!!!
Hi Lisa,
I have a long list of egg-free substitutes I recommend for different kinds of baking applications. You can check my article here, but I’ll tell you that I have great success using flaxseed meal + water in my yeast breads in place of eggs — I do it all the time!
I hope you find the article helpful – you can bake nearly any of my recipes egg free, and you might also enjoy my book, Free for All Cooking, which has tons of egg-free vegan recipes!
Do you ever make gluten free bread, with-out yest? Does your bread ever have a hole in it from the paddle?
Hi Amy, I have an awesome yeast-free bread recipe in my GF Bread Baking E-book. I haven’t posted it on the blog yet, but it’s really, really good! Here’s the link to the e-book if you want to check it out: Bread Baking E-book.
As for the hole from the paddle, you can take it out after the mix cycle, or just leave it in and know that there will be a small hole where the paddle was left behind. It happens with all the machines, so it’s up to you whether it’s bothersome enough to make you want to reach into the dough and remove the paddle before the bake cycle. At least you have options!
~jules
Hi Jules, I just got the Cuisinart bread machine. Many of the recipes call for bread flour. Can I use your flour and add something to it to make it bread flour so I can make those or should I just stick with your recipes? I love yours with my stand mixer by the way.
Hi Bonnie – good choice! I love that bread maker. I think the convection bake makes it work a little better than some other brands. Do check with an internal thermometer when the setting is finished, to be sure that the loaf is at least 205F. With some recipes, I’ve had to add time or put the loaf in the pan in my oven to add a bit more time.
As for bread flour, unfortunately, wheat-based bread flour is high in protein and high in gluten, so using those recipes with my gluten-free flour won’t work out so well. I’d recommend sticking with my gluten-free bread recipes for best results.
Have fun baking!
~jules
Iam looking for a gluten free and dairy free banana bread recipe to make in a bread machine. Dose anyone know of a good one?
Thanks
Hailey
Hi Hailey, you could try any of my quick bread recipes and use that setting on your bread maker. With bananas though, you’ll definitely want to mash those before you add them to the bread maker, as the paddle won’t be able to handle that task. Here’s a good recipe for you to try.
I just made your GF beer bread in my new bread machine using the GF setting. it was fabulous! the book that came with the machine only has 4 recipes for GF bread. so my question is can I made the other recipes using your flour and the GF setting on the machine? and can I made the pizza dough from the book and just substitute your flour?
Hi Mauri, so glad you loved the beer bread in your bread machine!! I don’t know anything about the recipes that they offer in the bread machine book you have. I am often skeptical about trying them because they usually call for some odd-tasting or textured flours that require more moisture or fats to cover them up, which my flour doesn’t need. At least you have a great starting point by using my flour in the bread machine in my beer bread recipe. You can try others of my recipes in the machine, or if you try ones from that book and they don’t work so well, you can return to one you know will work great. As for pizza dough – do you have a stand mixer? I find it’s easier to make GF pizza dough with my mixer than in a bread machine. You have to take it out of the machine to bake the pizza dough anyway, so it’s really just acting as a mixer and bread machines honestly don’t make the best mixers!
good point about the mixer – hadn’t thought about it that way! Thank you!
Great, Mauri! You’re welcome!
OK so I am super new to both gluten free AND to baking period lol. Especially bread. My grandma gave Me a breadmaker though and it does not have the GF setting so….HOW DO YOU OVERRIDE the settings so it doesn’t pound it etc???????? I have an Oster Express bake. help!!!!!!!! Thanks (:
Hi Heather – the last reader that asked me about this machine ended up calling Oster and they exchanged it for one with a GF setting because there was no way to manually override those settings. The other option would be to mix the dough separately and then put it into the bread machine pan and just set it for rise and bake (if that’s possible) or rise elsewhere and just set it for bake. I’d try calling Oster first, though — much easier to just start with a machine that does it for you!
Do you have any yeast-free bread recipes? I have mild food sensitivity to gluten, wheat, dairy & many other things but a strong sensitivity or allergy to yeast. I really miss real bread or pizza or all the wonderful things that involve yeast.
Hi Marilyn, I actually have a wonderful yeast-free sandwich bread recipe in my bread-baking e-book and here is my GF flatbreads recipe that is also yeast-free! We use it for pita, naan or pizza crusts!
Is it necessary to use “bread machine yeast” when using a bread machine or can I just use the normal rapid rise yeast. Thanks.
Hi Jules! I just got my bread machine (a Breadman with a GF setting) on Saturday and I used SAF Instant Yeast (since I am a TRUE novice at baking bread, my breads will be trial and error). I actually went on Amazon where they had a yeast comparison chart that really helped me. It was really surprisingly good for a first try! And it rose pretty well, too. I think it will be a trial and error thing unless some more experienced bakers would like to chime in!