If you have been searching for a gluten-free bread machine recipe that actually works, one that turns out soft, sliceable, and tastes like squishy Wonder Bread you remember from childhood, I made this for you. After 15 years of testing this recipe in my own kitchen for my kids, I have perfected this method to ensure your loaf never turns into a “brick.”
When we first went gluten-free almost 15 years ago, we could not buy a loaf of gluten-free bread in any grocery store. My kids were young and picky, and it was challenging to think of things to pack in their lunchboxes. I spent years perfecting this gluten-free bread recipe to work in my bread machine. My kids wanted a bread that was fluffy, not dense.
I made this recipe as easy as possible for you to make, and it is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, with options for egg-free and gum-free as well. Hundreds of readers have made it and shared their success! If you don’t have a bread machine, you can bake it in your oven. See my Gluten-Free Bread Recipe.
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
Tested Gluten-Free Flour Blends
For best results, use one of the flour blends that I tested.
- Works: Cup4Cup (both the old version and new version), Sandi’s DIY All-Purpose Flour Blend.
- Doesn’t Work: Bob’s 1:1, King Arthur Measure for Measure, and bean flour blends. Always check the bag and the website of any gluten-free flour blend to ensure it works in yeast recipes.
Reader-tested blends (please see the comments for reader comments using these blends):
- Walmart Great Value Gluten-Free Flour
- King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour
- Premium Gold Gluten-Free Flour Blend
- Two readers commented that they swapped gluten-free oat flour for the sorghum flour in my blend.
The rest of the ingredients:
- Flaxseed Meal: I add flaxseed meal because it adds moisture, extra binding, and structure. Use finely ground. If you use a 1:1 blend, omit the flaxseed meal.
- Eggs: Use large eggs. For egg-free, many readers have had success swapping Just Egg liquid replacer.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Boosts rise and improves texture.
- Baking Powder: Use aluminum-free.
- Sugar: Just a couple of tablespoons to activate the yeast and balance the flavor.
- Yeast: Always confirm it’s gluten-free. (Red Star Platinum is not gluten-free.)
Allergen Substitutions:
This recipe is very forgiving, and you can swap these common allergens and still make a great loaf of gluten-free bread in your bread machine.
- Egg-Free: Replace the eggs with Just Egg.
- Gum-Free: Use my DIY gluten-free flour blend with psyllium husk instead of xanthan gum.
- Yeast Swap: Use rapid yeast if needed. The same quantity works.
- Alternate Flours (reader-tested): Great Value GF flour and Namaste have been reported to work by readers, but I haven’t tested them personally.
A Note From My Kitchen
I spent years testing this recipe specifically in my bread machine because gluten-free dough behaves very differently in a bread maker. Small changes, like blending ingredients first, choosing yeast-compatible flour blends, and scraping the sides of the bread pan early, make the difference between a dense loaf and a soft, sliceable one.
I know most of you prefer using a gluten-free flour blend, but many 1:1 blends do not work in yeast-based recipes. I did test one flour blend, Cup4Cup, in this recipe, and it worked well. If you use a different flour blend, check the back of the bag and the brand’s website to confirm it is suitable for yeast recipes.
How to Make Gluten-Free Bread in Your Bread Machine (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together before adding them to the machine.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to a mixing bowl. Blend the wet ingredients until smooth.
Testing Tip: I know many recipes tell you to add the wet ingredients, then the dry ingredients, to the bread machine. Mixing them first helps prevent pockets of unmixed flour, evenly distributing the eggs, oil, and vinegar, and it promotes an even rise, especially important in gluten-free baking.
Steps 3 and 4: Pour the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients. Do not stir them together; the machine requires these layers to activate the yeast.
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Step 5: Sprinkle the yeast evenly on top, then start the gluten-free setting. Use a homemade cycle if your machine doesn’t have one (see the Bread Machine Tips below).
Step 6: Do not skip the 5-minute scrape! Use a butter knife to scrape the flour down from the sides and corners of the bread machine. Gluten-free dough does not ‘self-clean’ the pan walls like wheat dough does. This step ensures you do not end up with crusty flour patches on your finished loaf.
Step 7: Let the bread sit for 10 minutes after baking is finished, then remove it from the pan to cool. This keeps the bottom from getting soggy.
Do not slice the bread too soon! Let the loaf cool completely (100%) so the crumb can set. This will prevent gumminess. The slices of bread should feel soft and springy. The crust should feel firm, but not hard like a crusty bread.
Store your freshly baked bread properly! Read How to Store Gluten-Free Bread so you can keep it fresh longer.
Bread Machine Troubleshooting:
Here are some tips to help you know which settings to use when baking this bread recipe. I use a Hamilton Beach machine, but bread machine settings vary by brand and model. Here’s how to get the best results:
Why is my bread underbaked?
If your bread is underbaked, it means your bread machine’s gluten-free setting is too short. You can tell if your bread is underbaked because it will be doughy in the middle, which can cause the top to sink. To fix this problem, run a short “bake-only” cycle to finish the browning.
What adjustments do I make if I live at a high altitude?
Yeast can be a lot more active at higher altitudes. This article explains how to adjust your ingredients so your recipe will work in a bread machine.
What if my bread machine doesn’t have a gluten-free cycle?
If you have an older bread machine or a machine without a gluten-free setting, these settings can be used. Use the Homemade setting:
- 20 min mix
- 45 min rise
- 90 min bake
Why didn’t my bread rise properly?
The most common reasons are inactive yeast, chlorine in tap water, or you used a gluten-free flour blend not designed for yeast baking. Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure state on their websites that they do not work well in yeast recipes, yet many people try to use them anyway. Also, check your bread machine’s baking cycle length.
I have a lot more troubleshooting advice available for you. Read my Gluten-Free Bread Troubleshooting Guide. Also, check out my top recommendations for my favorite Gluten-Free Bread Making Tools.
New to gluten-free bread baking? Don’t miss my Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free Bread Recipes That Work. It’s packed with all of my gluten-free bread baking tips, gluten-free flour advice, and reader-favorite recipes.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
This gluten-free bread machine recipe makes a 1.5-pound loaf.
Always add the wet ingredients to the bread machine first. It helps prevent flour pockets at the bottom of your bread loaf. Note, I recommend always blending the wet and dry ingredients in mixing bowls first, then pouring them into the bread machine with the wet ingredients first and the dry ingredients on top.
Insert a toothpick into the center of the bread. If the toothpick doesn’t come out clean at the end of the cycle, immediately start a ‘Bake Only’ cycle for 10-minute increments. Once the machine cools down, you can not easily start it back up, so check it the second the timer beeps.
Thank you for coming up with this seriously easy, no-fail recipe. My wheat-eating husband said it’s his favorite bread ever, including regular gluten bread.”
Angela H., Facebook comment
More Gluten-Free Bread Machine Recipes:
I have several great bread machine recipes, and you can get all of these delicious gluten-free bread machine recipes in one place. If you prefer to bake bread in the oven, check out all of my delicious gluten-free bread recipes!
1. Gluten-Free Hawaiian Bread – This bread is easy to make in your bread machine or oven.
2. Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bread – This whole-grain blend is deliciously easy to make if you prefer a whole-grain sandwich bread.
3. Several readers have made my Gluten-Free Oat Bread in their bread machines.
Love This Recipe?
💬 Did you make this gluten-free bread machine sandwich bread recipe? Drop a comment below, and let me know how it turned out! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
The Best Gluten-Free Bread Machine Recipe (Fluffy Like Wonderbread!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup sorghum flour 156.09 grams
- ½ cup brown rice flour 88.1 grams
- 1 cup tapioca starch 143.4 grams
- ½ cup potato starch 93.4 grams
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum free
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup light oil * see note
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast rapid rise also works
- 1 ½ cups warm purified water * SEE NOTE
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add 1 cup sorghum flour, 1/2 cup brown rice flour, 1 cup tapioca starch, 1/2 cup potato starch, 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal, 2 tablespoons cane sugar, 1 teaspoon xanthan gum, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder and whisk to blend.
- TIP: Always blend the dry ingredients before adding them to the bread machine. Dumping everything in at once can lead to uneven mixing, which affects how well the bread turns out.
- In a smaller bowl, add 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup light oil, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 cups warm purified water, and whisk to and blend.
- Check that the paddle is securely attached to the bread machine's spinner and spins freely. Pour the mixed wet ingredients into the machine's bread pan.
- Pour the whisked dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients, ensuring an even layer.
- Dump the 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet) on top of the dry ingredients. Close the lid, select the gluten-free setting, and press start. If your bread machine has no gluten-free cycle, refer to my notes below.
- If your bread machine has this setting, use it. After 5 minutes, take a soft rubber spatula and push the flour down from the sides of the pan. This tip will help prevent unmixed flour pockets on the side of your bread.
- The dough should look wetter than traditional bread dough and that’s exactly what you want. Once mixing stops, you can remove the paddle with long tongs or wait until the baking cycle is complete.
- When the cycle ends, let the bread sit in the pan for 5 minutes. Gently slide the bread out of the pan and place it on a cooling rack. This prevents the bread from overcooking and drying out from the residual heat in the bread pan.
- The only downside to using a bread machine is the little paddle comes off into your bread. The bread stays hot for some time so I highly recommend you using tweezers or these pointed tongs to remove the paddle. It is easier to remove when the bread is hot.
- Do not slice the bread until it has fully cooled to room temperature!!! (I know it is tempting to eat warm bread, but this is critical!!) This helps the crumb set and prevents the bread from becoming gummy.
Notes
- Many bread machine recipe directions will say you can dump all of the ingredients into your bread maker. Do not do this! When you are mixing as many ingredients as are needed for gluten free bread, you risk the ingredients not getting mixed thoroughly, and that can affect how the bread turns out!
- Most yeast is gluten-free, except for Red Star Platinum. It has wheat. As always, check the ingredients label for any yeast you buy. Also, check the expiration date of the yeast to ensure it has not expired.
- Always use purified water when baking with yeast. Tap water often contains chlorine and other chemicals that can weaken or even kill your yeast, preventing your bread from rising properly. Choose filtered or bottled water free from these additives to get the best rise and texture.
- I prefer light oils, including avocado and canola oil. You can use other oils, but they may impart a flavor to the bread, which can be good or bad.
- Note: Cup4Cup recently changed its flour blend formulation to remove the dry milk powder. It behaves a little differently. I haven’t had a chance to retest this recipe with the new flour blend formulation, but two readers have and wrote to tell me the new blend works well. If you use Cup4Cup, add 3 cups Cup4Cup instead of the individual flour/starches. Omit the xanthan gum, vinegar, and flaxseed.
- WATER – For some reason, some readers have reported the middle caved from the batter being too wet, indicating there is too much water. Others don’t experience this. I am assuming it is the bread maker, they live at a high altitude, or if someone is using cup measurements. If you notice the bread sinks in the middle, use 1 1/4 cups of water.
- You can bake this bread in your oven. The full directions are here in my Gluten-Free Bread recipe.
- Store leftover bread in an airtight container. Gluten-free bread tends to spoil fast, so I recommend slicing the bread and freezing the slices. I flash freeze the slices, then put them in a freezer-safe zipper bag.
- Undercooked Bread: If the gluten-free setting underbakes, run a short “bake-only” cycle to finish browning. The gluten-free time/cycle settings differ for every machine and model number. I am not sure why this is, but I am noticing it. Here are things I noticed and some ideas to make your machine work in this recipe:
- High Altitude: Yeast can be more active. Use less yeast and consider baking in the oven instead.
- No Gluten-Free Cycle? If you have an older bread machine or one without a gluten-free setting, use the “Home Made” cycle: 20 min mix, 45 min rise, 90 min bake.
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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.
More Gluten Free Bread Recipes:
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
If using Cup4Cup, do you still use the tapioca starch and the potato starch? I want to make this bread tomorrow, so I hope you can answer quickly. Thank you.
Hi Susan, you do not need to add the starches if you are using Cup4Cup…it is already in the mix.
Can white rice flour be subbed for the brown rice flour? TY!
Hi Deb, In this instance I do not think you can make this substitution. I haven’t tested it so I do not know if it would turn out well.
Very tasty! Probably the best GF bread with a bread machine I’ve tried so far (and that’s quite a few!). I made it with the Cup4Cup flour per the notes. I did have to cut the water down to 1 1/8 cup to keep the middle from falling in, but I’ve had to do that with other recipes too. I think it’s my bread machine. I need to try more of your GF recipes!
Hi Beth, it is probably the Cup4Cup and not the machine. Cup4Cup has dried milk powder in the blend, and I suspect it liquefies when the wet ingredients are added…making it a little wetter.
Thanks for the info! I’ll keep that in mind. I can only get Cup4Cup in my small town and that’s in only one place. The other has no GF flour. I will try ordering different individual flours online to make your blends. 😊
I would just stick with the Cup4Cup, but maybe reduce the liquid slightly in my bread machine recipe. It is a great blend for so many things.
Can I use Authentic Foods Steve’s Bread blend for this recipe?
Hi Rita, That blend does not work in a bread machine.
Hi, if using your blend with psyllium husk, how much instead of the listed ingredients do I use?
Hi Sharon, If you are making my blend with psyllium husk, you would just use the total 3 cups of my blend. Skip the xanthan gum.
Thank you! I’m making this bread today, I can’t wait!
Thank you for the wonderful recipes. I have read in some places that gluten free flours should be refrigerated after opening the package. Is that necessary? Or can I just store my flours in an air tight container on the shelf?
Thank you!
Hi Teresa, It really depends on the flour brand. I know Better Batter GF Flour says not to refrigerate because it can activate the leavening agents.
This bread is delicious, and the gluten-free recipe works wonderfully with my new breadmaker! Thank you!
I am so glad you loved my bread recipe. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know.
Beware! Just Egg has transglutaminaise and does not say gluten free on the packaging.
First, I have not tested Just Egg in this recipe. I have a reader who tested and used it. According to Celiac.com Just Egg does not contain gluten ingredients and the company declares allergens. https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/is-just-egg-gluten-free-r5420/
Hi, I made this bread today in my Hamilton Beach Breadmaker and it looked like it was going to be fantastic until there was about 40 minutes left on the bread machine timer and the loaf sunk right to the bottom of the pan. I’m wondering if you can help me try and figure out what went wrong. I’ve picked off some of the edges and the taste is amazing. Not sure if it was too wet or there might have been too much yeast. Thank you.
Hi Darlene, I am happy to help troubleshoot. First, did you use my exact ingredients, or did you substitute anything? Did your machine have a GF setting? When bread sinks, it means too much liquid. How did you measure your flour? This is a good guide to troubleshooting bread too: https://www.fearlessdining.com/gluten-free-bread-troubleshooting/
Hi Sandi, I weighed all my flours and followed it exactly. I thought afterwards that I used instant yeast, not active dry yeast. I’m thinking that might have made a difference. Also, we live at sea level and perhaps the flours are a little damper. I will definitely try it again though and let you know. Thanks for your help.
If you are at sea level, it could be part of the reason…I know those at high altitude need to adjust as well. I would definitely try adding more of the rice and sorghum flours and see if that helps.
I’m making your bread now in my bread machine with one to one gluten-free flour but I’m surprised that your recipe doesn’t say to warm the water first. Why is that missing from the recipe I feel like every other recipe I’ve read said the water Hass to be warm to activate yeast
Hi Bob, it may vary by bread machine, but my machine heats before it starts to mix so in this scenario, warm water isn’t needed. If you want to use warm water, you definitely can.