The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
I’ve spent countless hours perfecting this gluten-free bread recipe, and I’m convinced it’ll change how you think about gluten-free baking. No more dense, crumbly loaves that fall apart the moment you touch them. This bread actually behaves like bread should — soft, springy, and perfect for everything from morning toast to late-night sandwiches. The secret lies in getting the flour blend just right and understanding how xanthan gum works its magic.
Why You’ll Love this Perfect Gluten-Free Bread
Every bite of this gluten-free bread delivers the soft, pillowy texture and rich flavor you’ve been missing since going gluten-free.
I love how this recipe creates actual bread — not that dense, crumbly stuff that falls apart when you look at it wrong. The xanthan gum and cream of tartar work magic together, giving you bounce and chew that rivals any wheat loaf.
Plus, it slices beautifully without turning into a pile of sad crumbs. You’ll finally have sandwich bread that doesn’t require structural engineering just to hold your turkey and cheese together.
Ingredients for Perfect Gluten-Free Bread
The secret to incredible gluten-free bread lies in getting your ingredient lineup just right. I’ve learned that each component plays a specific role — the xanthan gum gives you that stretchy, chewy texture while the cream of tartar adds lift and tenderness. No shortcuts here, but nothing too fancy either.
- 3 cups (420 g) gluten-free flour blend
- 3 teaspoons (15 g) xanthan gum
- 2 ½ teaspoons (8 g) instant yeast
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 g) cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) warm milk
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 egg whites (50 g)
A few things worth mentioning: make sure your flour blend already contains some rice flour and potato starch — those store-bought blends usually have the ratios figured out better than we can at home.
The milk should feel pleasantly warm on your wrist, not hot enough to kill the yeast. And those egg whites? They’re doing serious work here, creating structure and lift that gluten normally handles.
Don’t skip the apple cider vinegar either — it sounds random, but it helps activate everything and gives you a better rise.
How to Make this Perfect Gluten-Free Bread
Making this bread is surprisingly straightforward once you get the hang of the rhythm. Start by whisking together all your dry ingredients — that’s the 3 cups gluten-free flour blend, 3 teaspoons xanthan gum, 2½ teaspoons instant yeast, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt — in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine your wet team: 1½ cups warm milk, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and 2 egg whites. I like to give the egg whites a quick whisk before adding them, just to break them up a bit.
Then pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and start mixing. Don’t worry if it looks a little shaggy at first — gluten-free dough has its own personality.
Here’s where things get interesting: you actually need to knead this dough, even without gluten. Give it a good 3-4 minutes of mixing and folding — your hands work fine, or use a stand mixer with the dough hook if you’ve got one. A professional stand mixer can make this kneading process much more efficient and consistent for gluten-free baking. The dough should come together into something that’s slightly sticky but manageable.
Shape it into a loaf and pop it into a greased 9×5 pan, then let it proof in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. I usually turn my oven light on and stick the pan nearby — that gentle warmth works perfectly.
When it’s puffed up nicely, bake at 350°F for 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it.
The hardest part? Waiting for it to cool before slicing. Trust me on this one.
Substitutions & Variations
While this recipe works beautifully as written, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t tinkered with it about a dozen different ways.
Swap the milk for oat or almond milk — just warm it first. No xanthan gum? Psyllium husk works, but use half the amount. I’ve tried honey instead of sugar, and it adds lovely depth. Want herbs? Rosemary’s my go-to.
For a richer loaf, use whole eggs instead of just whites. The vinegar can be swapped for lemon juice in a pinch. Each tweak changes the personality slightly, but they all work.
What to Serve with Perfect Gluten-Free Bread
Once you’ve got this gorgeous loaf cooling on your counter, the real fun begins — deciding what deserves to share the plate with your handiwork.
I’m partial to slathering thick slices with salted butter and a drizzle of honey. Classic? Absolutely. Perfect? You bet.
This bread also makes killer toast with avocado and everything seasoning, or try it with cream cheese and fresh berries.
For something heartier, pile on turkey and swiss for sandwiches that actually hold together — no sad, crumbly disasters here.
French toast weekend, anyone? This loaf handles it beautifully.
Final Thoughts
You know what? Making gluten-free bread doesn’t have to feel like rocket science. Sure, it’s trickier than regular bread — the dough feels different, acts different.
But once you nail this recipe, you’ll wonder why you waited so long to try. I love how forgiving this method is.
Forgot to let it proof in a warm spot? No disaster. Overmixed slightly? Still delicious.
The key is treating gluten-free baking like its own thing, not a substitution game. Trust the process, embrace the stickier texture, and celebrate when that golden loaf emerges.
You’ve absolutely got this.
