If your gluten-free bread turns out gummy, dense, does not rise, or collapses in the oven, you are not alone. I have been troubleshooting these baking problems for over 15 years, and my gluten-free bread troubleshooting guide will walk you through exactly what went wrong and how to fix it, based on real testing and reader feedback.
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
Gluten-free bread was one of the most challenging things for me to learn how to make when we first went gluten-free back in 2010. Back then, you couldn’t buy gluten-free bread in grocery stores. It was make your own or have no bread. Over the past 15 years, I have tested dozens of gluten-free flour blends, binders, and baking methods. I created this guide to help troubleshoot the exact issues I used to face. Whether your bread turns out gummy, collapses in the oven, or something else entirely, I’ll walk you through what went wrong and how to fix it.
One of the biggest issues I hear people struggle with is baking gluten-free bread. I totally get this struggle because when I first started to bake gluten-free, everything was different when it came to gluten-free baking! Every flour blend will perform differently in a gluten free bread recipe. This is because each gluten-free flour blend has a different weight based on its starch content.
Every gluten free flour blend also has a different grain-to-starch ratio, and this can affect so many things when you bake gluten free bread. Different grain-to-starch ratios affect how much liquid you need and the bread’s structure. Some flour blends require significantly more liquid in a recipe than others.
I have a lot of baking resources to help you on my blog. These Gluten-Free Baking Tips can help you learn how to become a better gluten-free baker. If you are new to gluten-free, be sure to check out my Gluten-Free Resources page for helpful articles to get you started.
Let’s break it down by problem and solution. I will try to give the best fixes to try. If you are new to gluten-free bread baking, don’t miss my Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free Bread Recipes that work because it’s packed with tested tips, flour advice, and reader-favorite recipes.
What gluten-free flour blends work with yeast?
One of the main reasons people fail when baking gluten-free bread is the gluten-free flour blend they use. Many gluten-free flour blends are incompatible with yeast, but few people realize it.
Always read the back of the flour bag and check the brand’s website for more information. Popular blends like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure do not work with yeast. Bob’s states this on their website, not on the product itself, while King Arthur states it on the back of their flour bag.
Here are some gluten-free flour blends that work with yeast:
- Authentic Foods Steve’s Gluten-Free Bread Blend – This is my all-time favorite gluten-free blend for bread, but it will not work in a bread machine.
- Better Batter – This is a great blend for making bread.
- Jules GF – I have only tested this blend in my gluten-free sourdough bread recipe.
- Namaste Gluten-Free Flour
- Cup4Cup – Note: Cup4Cup has recently undergone a formulation change, and I haven’t yet tested this new flour formulation in my yeast recipes. Although Cup4Cup’s website states their original gf flour blend doesn’t work with yeast, I have had excellent luck with this blend. Their Wholesome Flour Blend works well with yeast as well.
- My DIY Gluten-Free Flour Blend also works really well in yeast recipes.
- I also love using my homemade Gluten-Free Whole Grain Flour Blend.
- Pillsbury Gluten-Free Flour Blend
My Gluten-Free Bread Machine Bread recipe is a great option with directions for both the bread machine and oven baking.
How to Adjust Your Dough as You Go:
Not all blends behave the same way in terms of grain-to-starch ratios, so you may need to tweak things mid-recipe to make your bread recipe work. Here’s how:
- Not sure what the dough should look like? Your bread dough should be soft and tacky, but not wet like cake batter unless the recipe creator specifically tells you it should be. If you are using Authentic Foods Steve’s GF Bread Blend, the dough should be completely workable enough to make braids.
- Is the dough too sticky? Add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time, gently mixing it into the dough until you have the right consistency.
- Is the dough dry or cracking? Add 1 teaspoon of warm water at a time and work it into the dough until the dough is wetter and easier to work with.
Why is my dough sticky?
Sticky gluten-free dough usually means there is too much liquid or you are using a starchy flour blend. This happened to me while testing Cup4Cup in a bread recipe that used Authentic Foods Steve’s Bread Flour Blend. That particular flour blend needs much more liquid, and in that test, the Cup4Cup dough was sticky and wet.
Start by adding a few tablespoons of gluten-free flour and mix gently until the dough holds its shape.
Why didn’t my gluten-free bread rise?
If your gluten free bread didn’t rise, here are some things to check:
- Was the yeast expired? Did you use the right type of yeast that the recipe called for? (Active dry yeast or Rapid-rise yeast.)
- What temperature was the water you used to proof the yeast? The water should be no hotter than 110º F.
- Did you add some sugar, honey, or something for the yeast to eat to the water you proofed the yeast in?
- Did you shape the dough, then let it rise, or did you let it rise, then shape it? You only get one good rise with gluten-free dough, so it is critical to shape the dough before the big rise.
- How did you rise the dough? In winter, it’s much harder for the yeast to grow. I always preheat my oven to 200°F, then turn it off. I rise my shaped bread in this nice warm oven. (Cover it with plastic wrap so the dough doesn’t dry out.)
Also, note the type of yeast you use. Always check that it is gluten free. Most yeast is gluten-free, but the Red Star “Platinum” is NOT gluten-free.
👀 Sandi Says: You only get one good rise from gluten-free dough, so be sure to shape it or get it into the loaf pan before it rises!
Why did my gluten-free bread turn out gummy inside?
Many ask why their gluten-free bread is gummy. This can have several causes, and I know it’s really frustrating when bread turns out gummy. Here are common reasons:
- The most common reason your bread is gummy, sticky, or doughy in the middle is that your bread didn’t bake long enough. Gluten-free dough needs to be baked much longer than regular bread dough.
- Your recipe had a high level of liquid ingredients.
- You used a very starchy gluten-free flour blend.
- You cut the bread while it was still hot. See the above photo for an example. This bread was not fully cooled, and you can see the inside is sticky.
How long should gluten free bread cool before cutting?
Always let the bread fully cool to room temperature. The crumb keeps setting as the loaf cools, and cutting early releases steam and leaves a gummy center, as shown by the photo above. This takes several hours. I recommend letting it cool for 3-4 hours, then checking the internal temperature. You want it to be close to room temperature. My favorite method is to let it cool overnight.
Why did my gluten-free bread fall apart?
If your gluten-free bread is falling apart, it is most likely because you did not use a binder in the flour blend. Gluten in wheat is the “glue” that holds regular baking together. Gluten-free flour doesn’t have the same “glue,” so you have to add it.
Make sure the gluten-free flour blend contains xanthan gum, guar gum, or psyllium husk. A few brands use pectin for binding. Note: Authentic Foods Steve’s Gluten-Free Bread Blend uses vegetable fiber, which includes psyllium husk. If your blend doesn’t have one of these, you must add it to your ingredients.
Read more about how binders work in gluten-free baking.
Why is my gluten-free bread dense?
If your gluten-free bread turned out dense, it is likely you didn’t use enough liquid so the yeast could easily rise. Dense, heavy dough is more difficult for yeast to expand. Accurately measuring your dry ingredients is critical. Measure by weight when you can. If you don’t have a digital scale, I recommend using either the spoon or the leveling method to measure your flour.
Spoon Method: Alternatively, you can use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour. Leveling Method: Place the measuring scoop into the flour and fill it. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour.
These photos show a loaf that sank and collapsed. This was from too much liquid in the dough.
Why did my gluten-free bread collapse during baking?
If your gluten-free bread collapsed during or after baking, it is likely because of too much liquid in the dough or overproofing the yeast. This has happened to me a few times, usually early on in testing a new gluten-free bread recipe.
Look at the photos above. This is an early test of gluten-free Hawaiian bread I was working on. It had way too much liquid. Once I fixed this problem, the next loaf turned out perfect.
You can also read my guide to the Best Gluten-Free Flour Blends. I discuss the gluten-free flour blends and which are best for which types of recipes.
Why won’t my gluten free dough rise?
If your bread didn’t rise, there are several things to check:
- Check your yeast’s expiration date.
- Did you use tap water? Chlorine inhibits yeast growth. I always recommend using purified water in yeast recipes.
- Was the water too hot? Water over 110ºF can kill yeast before it even starts to activate.
- Did you use a 1:1 flour blend that doesn’t work in yeast recipes? Always check the manufacturer’s website to confirm a blend works in yeast recipes.
How do I know when gluten free bread is done?
A loaf can brown on the outside while the center is still setting. Gluten-free bread has a slightly higher internal temperature than wheat bread. I look for an internal temperature of 210ºF when my bread is fully baked.
Why does my gluten-free bread taste sour?
This problem is less common with gluten-free bread, but if you taste a sour flavor and didn’t make sourdough, you probably let your dough sit too long and the yeast over-fermented.
Does the weather affect gluten-free baking?
Yes! In humid environments, you may need slightly less liquid. If your house is cold, proofing will take longer. High-altitude baking will also require adjustments to liquid, rise time, and baking time. Keep notes based on your kitchen environment because small changes make a big difference.
If you love to bake, read my Gluten-Free Cake Troubleshooting and Gluten-Free Cookie Troubleshooting Guides, too!
Do the tools you use matter?
Absolutely. Having the right mixing bowls, digital scale, and pans (especially Pullman or loaf pans with high sides) can dramatically improve your results. See all of my favorite gluten-free bread tools here. I also have a lot of key sourdough-making tools I recommend.
Great Gluten-Free Recipes To Try:
- Gluten-Free Garlic Knots – These are delicious and go well with any pasta sauce.
- Gluten-Free Oat Bread – This is a great loaf with the perfect texture.
- Gluten-Free Brioche – This brioche is fluffy and delicious.
- Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread – This fluffy, sweet bread is one of my family favorites!
Need help troubleshooting your gluten-free bread?
Leave a comment with what happened and what flour blend you used; I am happy to help you figure it out!
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!
Hello Sandy. I mixed 1 cup gluten-free bread flour, 3/4 cup greek yogurt, dash of salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder. I mixed the dough and kneaded it for 4 minutes then rested it for 30 minutes. The dough was soft but started cracking around the edges when rolling it out. I did regular bread flour recipe the same way and it came out perfectly. Could you tell me what I can change in the recipe to keep the dough from cracking when I roll it out.
Hi Walter, I am not super familiar with the Greek yogurt bread recipes that are out there on the internet. I am sorry I can’t give better advice; I would suspect the dough cracked because it was dry and needed more moisture.
Hi Sandi,
I’ve been trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong in this gluten free bun recipe that I’ve been trying to make bread with.
I use 1/2 cup each cassava flour and coconut flour, 2 eggs, I’d like it egg free, 2 tbsp psyllium with 1/2 cup water, one full droper Stevia, one tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp warm goconut oil, bake at 400f for 55 minutes. it comes out firm outside and so moist or wet inside that I have to toast it to eat it. the buns I made are to small and this recipe works for them but I want bread for sandwiches. I can’t use rice or chick peas or oat flours only the ingredients in my recipe, the others I’m sensitive too, even eggs but I’ve tried replacing them with egg replacer and the coconut oil with banana but it didn’t
work at all, very wet and
dissapointing. Is there any hope for this recipe or is it just for buns and not bread. It tastes really good.
Judy
Hi Judy, I am at a disadvantage here because I don’t have experience using coconut flour, Cassava flour, nor Stevia. Are you using those flours because you are grain free? (Just a side note, Cassava flour is very high in lead. It has been in the news a lot, and even Consumer Reports is advising to not use it.)
I’m trying to make gluten free greek yogurt bread, but it keeps coming out dense and gummy inside. I used fat free yogurt, so I added a tablespoon of olive oil. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Sunny, I have never made a Greek yogurt bread, so I am not sure. I am happy to give thoughts if that can help. Can you email the recipe so I can take a look? Also, what flour blend are you using, and are you converting a non-gf recipe to gf? admin@ fearlessdining.com Thanks, Sandi
I should add that this happens with your’s and other people’s recipes.
I have several times experienced big and small holes in the upper center of part of the loaves (meaning it doesn’t go through the whole loaf). It doesn’t happen all the time and does not seem to matter which bread blend I use. I wondered if it was the way I was pouring or spooning the batter into the loaf pan. I tried to remember to smooth out and press down on the dough, but wonder about inhibiting the rise then. But when I do that it has helped, although not every time. Any ideas?
Hi Corie, These are great questions and I would need a more information to help. First, what recipe did you use? Which flour blend, and how did you rise the dough? Let me know and we can troubleshoot together.
Hey Sandi,
My first batch of GF bread (not the exact recipe above) turned out good, but my mom thought it was too “yeasty” tasting.
The next batch’s dough looked promising, but after baking the outside shell was very hard (the inside was still good).
Have you ever came across something like that?
Hi Eden, Without seeing the recipe it is hard to say. How much yeast did the recipe call for, and was it active or rapid yeast? Too much yeast flavor can also come from overproofing. How long did you rise the dough, and in what temperature?
If a GF bread recipe calls for a pysillium husk gel mixture, and I want to use Steve’s GF bread flour blend, which already contains pysillium, do I totally omit it? Thanks!
Hi Lena, Sorry for the delay in answering your question, I was out of town. You do not need to use a psyllium gel if you use Steve’s blend.
Psyllium Gel
▢20 grams whole psyllium husks use 18g if using powder
▢260 grams water warm or room temperature
Dry Ingredients
▢130 grams tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
▢100 grams potato starch or cornstarch
▢170 grams sorghum flour or brown rice flour
▢15 grams sugar or honey or maple syrup
▢7 grams instant yeast if using active dry yeast, activate it with some of the water or milk from the recipe
▢7 grams xanthan gum or guar gum
▢8 grams baking powder don’t use baking soda
▢12 grams sea salt
Wet Ingredients
▢100 grams milk use plant-based milk for dairy-free
▢2 eggs or use 2 flax eggs instead (10g of flaxseed powder mixed with 110g of water and left to sit for 10 min)
▢30 grams sunflower oil or any other vegetable or seed oil
I have made this recipe over 10 loaves now and have only gotten 2 that do not have a huge hole in the center leaving the loaf useless.
I have proofed for multiple different times up to the recommended 5 hrs and same result each time.
Thoughts? Do i need to do more folding of the dough when out of the mixer?
Hi Paul, This isn’t my recipe, so without making it personally, I can only advise. Is this an AI generated recipe, or a legit recipe from a trustsed gluten-free blogger? First, if you use psyllium husk, you should not use xanthan gum. Adding two binders is overkill and can really mess with the texture of the bread. It is a very starchy flour mix you are using, and 5 hours is a very, very long time to proof bread. It should double in size within an hour.
how can I make a gluten free bread dough that can be rolled out onto a cookie sheet .I then top with sliced apples/ prunes or kraut then bake and brush with melted butter and sugar after baking.all the recipes I have tried the bread is to sticky to roll.
Hi Bob, I have one thought. What about pizza dough? I say this because gluten-free bread dough tends to be wetter than regular dough. You may also want to try a flour blend like Authentic Foods Steve’s Bread Blend (on their website and Amazon). It is magic in a bag and it can be rolled, braided etc. It also has a higher moisture need which may help since you are using wet ingredients. Another option could be this rolled pizza sauce and pepperoni: https://www.fearlessdining.com/gluten-free-pizza-rolls/
Can I bake your gluten free oat bread with egg substitute? If yes, do I need to change any measurements?
Hi Adrienne, I have not tested an egg free version, but in the comments, read Kelly B’s comment. She talks about using flax eggs.