This gluten-free Boston brown bread is a lighter, fluffier take on the traditional recipe! While it was not baked in the traditional can, it has all the flavors of molasses you love. It has a texture thatโs soft and satisfying, not dense. Serve it as a side for soups, stews, or simply with a pad of butter. Itโs an updated twist on a timeless favorite, made gluten-free and even more delicious!
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One of my readers, Diane, asked me to create a gluten free version of a bread she used to eat before going gluten free. Although I lived in Boston for years before going gluten free, I don’t recall ever trying the famous canned Boston brown bread.
The original traditional version of this bread is baked in a can, which I felt unsure of. I am a fluffy bread girl at heart, so I packed all the same flavors into a more fluffy version of gluten-free Boston brown bread. This is the best brown bread recipe if you are like me and don’t want to make a dense canned loaf of brown bread. It is delicious!!
I think the thing I love most about this recipe, after the fact that it is fluffy, is that you do NOT need to toast this bread. It is incredible as is!
If you love to bake more whole-grain varieties of bread, try my Gluten Free Multi-Grain Bread or my Gluten Free Buckwheat Bread recipes. I have so many incredible gluten free bread recipes on the blog just waiting for you to make them!
Allergen Information:
This homemade Boston brown bread recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free, and oat-free.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this gluten free brown bread recipe using Namaste Gluten Free Flour Blend. This blend worked really well with yeast. Many 1:1 blends do not work with yeast. For more information, please see my Related Reading section below.
- Binder – If your flour blend doesn’t contain a binder, you will need to add one teaspoon of xanthan gum or use a psyllium husk gel. You can learn more about how binders work in gluten free baking in my Related Reading section below.
- Rapid Yeast – I used rapid yeast in this recipe. Active yeast will also work, but you will need to activate it before adding it to the wet ingredients.
- Flaxseed Meal – I used ground flaxseed meal to improve the texture of the bread.
- Molasses – I used unsulphered molasses to make this recipe.
- Honey – This adds the perfect amount of sweetness to help activate the yeast.
- Oil – You can use any lightly flavored oil in this recipe. I used avocado oil.
- Egg – The original canned recipe doesn’t include eggs, but I found that adding one egg to make this bread fluffier improved the texture of the bread.
- Raisins – Traditionally, black raisins are used. If you only have golden raisins, that is fine to use.
- Water – When baking things with yeast, I highly recommend using purified water because chlorine can kill the yeast, making the bread not rise well.
Sandi’s Pick:
I know I mention a Pullman loaf pan often in my bread recipes. I love using this pan for a few reasons:
- It allows the bread to rise up high in the pan.
- This pan has three vent holes in the bottom to allow even baking.
- It is also very easy to clean!
Tips for Making Gluten Free Boston Brown Bread:
- My favorite place to rise bread dough is in my oven. I preheat my oven to 175ยบ F and then turn the oven off. It really helps the dough rise nicely. Some of my readers like to use a heat mat or the heat base from a yogurt maker.
- Don’t add dried raisins. It will change the texture because it absorbs liquid from the dough.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: Prepare the dried raisins. Put the raisins in a small bowl and add boiling water to cover the raisins. Soaking your raisins will make them more tender in the bread. Soak them for about 10 minutes. Drain them in a colander to remove the extra water.
Step 2: Prepare the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. This includes the flour, rapid yeast, ground flaxseed meal, and salt.
๐ Sandi Says: You are welcome to use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to make the bread dough. Add the wet ingredients to the stand mixer bowl. I still recommend mixing the dry ingredients together before adding them to the stand mixer. This way, all of the dry ingredients are evenly disbursed.
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Step 3: Prepare the wet ingredients. In a smaller bowl, add molasses, oil, egg, water, and honey. Whisk until they are blended.
Step 4: Prepare the dough. Pour the wet ingredients, including the raisins, into the dry ingredients. Mix into bread dough. Note that your dough will be softer and will not be dough you want to work with your hands.
๐ข Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your bread dough is too runny, add more flour; if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 5: Prepare the pan. Line a Pullman loaf pan with parchment paper. I do this for two reasons. It prevents sticking to the pan, and it makes lifting out the baked bread so much easier!
Step 6: Spread the dough out with a spatula or large spoon so the top is flat and the dough is evenly spread out. Place plastic wrap over the top of the loaf pan and let it rise until the dough has doubled in size.
It is important to let the dough rise in a warm spot. See my Tips For Success section above for my best-bread rising advice. When testing my recipe, I noticed the rapid yeast took a little longer to take off and let the bread rise. It will take 45-60 minutes to rise.
Step 7: Preheat the oven to 350ยบ F and ensure the oven rack is in the middle of the oven. I recommend using the Bake setting and not the Convection setting. I find the regular bake setting works much better when it comes to gluten free baking.
This photo will show you what the dough will look like after rising.
Step 8: Bake the bread for 45 minutes. Check the temperature of the bread. When it is finished baking, the top will be golden, and the internal temperature will be around 208ยบ F. Use this digital thermometer because knowing the internal temperature will ensure your bread is baked all the way through.
Step 9: Remove the bread from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes, then gently lift the bread up by the parchment paper onto a cooling rack. You can gently remove the parchment paper so the bread is sitting on the rack to cool.
The final step is having patience. Gluten free bread needs to be fully cool before you slice it. Trust me on this: I have baked so much gluten free bread over the years. This cooling is when the crumb sets, the moisture gets distributed through the bread, and the bread will slice a lot easier.
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can use dried cranberries and other fruit in this bread. Nuts are also a great addition.
I have not tested other blends, but it should work if you use a brand that works with yeast. Note, you often have to go to the brand website to see if the blend works with yeast. You may need to add a little more flour or liquid. You can read more about what blends work with yeast in the Related Reading section below.
You can learn much more about baking gluten free bread from scratch in my Gluten Free Bread Troubleshooting Guide. I cover all of the bread-baking flops and share my best tips to prevent them.
How to Store Brown Bread:
Store leftover bread in an airtight container. If you do not plan to use it within two days, I recommend slicing and freezing the bread in a freezer-safe bag. Gluten-free doesn’t last as long, and it spoils quickly. To thaw, microwave slices of bread for 30 seconds.
Gluten-Free Related Reading
Gluten-free baking is like a science experiment. There are so many things you need to understand the different components of baking without gluten. My Gluten-Free Resources Section is here to help teach you the tools you need to know to become a confident gluten free baker.
My Best Gluten-Free Baking Tips For Better Baking!
Why Binders Are Important In Gluten-Free Baking
The Best Gluten Free Flour Blends – And how to use them!
More Gluten Free Bread Recipes:
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Boston Brown Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
Raisin Soak
- ยฝ cup raisins and boiling water
Bread Dough
- 3 ยฝ cups gluten free flour blend (453.5 grams) * SEE Notes!
- 2 ยฝ teaspoons rapid yeast or one packet
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsulphered molasses
- 1 large egg
- ยผ cup light oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 ยฝ cups water purified!
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Instructions
- Prepare the dried raisins.ย Put the 1/2 cup raisins and boiling water in a small bowl and add boiling water to cover the raisins. Soaking your raisins will make them more tender in the bread. Soak them for about 10 minutes. Drain them in a colander to remove the extra water.
- Prepare the dry ingredients.ย Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. This includes the 3 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend, 2 1/2 teaspoons rapid yeast, 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Prepare the wet ingredients.ย In a smaller bowl, add 3 tablespoons unsulphered molasses, 1/4 cup light oil, 1 large egg, 1 1/2 cups water, and 2 tablespoons honey. Whisk until they are blended.
- Prepare the dough. Pour the wet ingredients, including the raisins, into the dry ingredients. Mix into bread dough. Note that your dough will be softer and will not be dough you want to work with your hands.
- Prepare the pan. Line a Pullman loaf pan withย parchment paper. I do this for two reasons. It prevents sticking to the pan, and it makes lifting out the baked bread so much easier!
- Spread the doughย out with a spatula or large spoon so the top is flat and the dough is evenly spread out. Place plastic wrap over the top of the loaf pan and let it rise.
- Rise the dough for 45-60 minutes until the dough to double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350ยบ Fย and ensure the oven rack is in the middle of the oven. I recommendย using the Bake setting and not the Convection setting. I find the regular bake setting works much better when it comes to gluten free baking.
- Bake the breadย for 45 minutes. Check the temperature of the bread. When it is finished baking, the top will be golden, and the internal temperature will be around 208ยบ F.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes, then gently lift the bread up by the parchment paper onto a cooling rack. You can gently remove the parchment paper so the bread is sitting on the rack to cool.
- Allow the bread to cool fully before slicing. Trust me on this: I have baked so much gluten free bread over the years. This cooling is when the crumb sets, the moisture gets distributed through the bread, and the bread will slice a lot easier.
Notes
- I tested this bread with Namaste Gluten Free Flour Blend and the gram measurement is with this blend. Other blends should work as long as they work with yeast recipes. Check the brand websites because most flour blend companies do not put this info on the bag.
- If your flour blend doesn’t contain a binder, you will need to add one teaspoon of xanthan gum or use a psyllium husk gel. (18 grams, make a gel using 1/2 cup of the water from the recipe.)
- I used rapid yeast in this recipe. Active yeast will also work, but you will need to activate it before adding it to the wet ingredients.
- You can use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to make the bread dough. Add the wet ingredients to the stand mixer bowl. I still recommend mixing the dry ingredients together before adding them to the stand mixer. This way, all of the dry ingredients are evenly mixed.
-
My favorite place to rise bread dough is in my oven. I preheat my oven to 175ยบ F and then turn the oven off. It really helps the dough rise nicely.
- You can learn more about baking gluten free bread from scratch in my Gluten Free Bread Troubleshooting Guide. I cover all of the bread-baking flops and share my best tips to prevent them.
- Store leftover bread in an airtight container. If you do not plan to finish it in 2 days, I recommend slicing and freezing the bread in freezer-safe zipper bags. Gluten free bread doesn’t keep fresh for long. To thaw, microwave slices for 30-35 seconds.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I was so grateful for my reader, who introduced me to this popular Boston bread. She was my inspiration to make a fluffier version and it tastes incredible!