If you are looking for a sandwich bread that holds up to making sandwiches, this Gluten-Free Oat Bread is a delicious recipe. I tested this gluten-free oat bread recipe for months before I got the crumb right. The secret was to combine oat flour with a yeast-friendly flour blend because oat flour alone made a dense, heavy loaf. This version is soft, easy to slice, and holds up to sandwiches. No xanthan gum, and it works in a bread machine too.
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
The Quick Bite: This gluten free oat bread recipe can be baked in the oven or made in a bread machine. The crust is slightly firm, and the crumb is tender, which is exactly what you want for a sandwich loaf that will hold a filling without falling apart. It is gum-free and has a dairy-free option.
I have been testing the flour blend I use to make this oat bread for months. Many of my readers want to make homemade bread because store-bought gluten-free bread is expensive and often falls apart. It gets tricky because many of the commonly found 1:1 blends don’t work with yeast.
I have found the secret to getting this gluten free oat bread recipe with yeast to hold up to sandwiches was to use a combination of gluten free flour blend and gluten free oat flour. When I tested using oat flour primarily, the loaf was a lot denser. Most gluten-free oat bread recipes I tested before developing my own came out dense or gummy in the center. The combination of psyllium husk powder with both oat flour and a flour blend created a loaf that slices cleanly and holds up in a sandwich bag.
I also ran a test to verify that Earth Balance worked just as well as butter, so if you are dairy-free, rest assured, it does.
This recipe includes my new DIY Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend. This is a gum-free gluten free flour blend, and it works perfectly in regular and yeast recipes. I also tested this recipe using Cup4Cup, which is a blend I often turn to for yeast recipes.
I have several great bread recipes for the bread machine, including this Gluten-Free Bread Machine Bread recipe that gets rave reviews from readers. Also, try my Gluten-Free Buckwheat Bread or this Gluten-Free Boston Brown Bread.
I made the Easy Gluten Free Oat Bread in my bread machine last night. It turned out great. Slices wonderfully, no crumbs or falling apart. It is like bread I remember before being gluten free.
suzanne A., Facebook comment
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I have only personally tested this bread with my homemade gluten-free flour blend. I also recently tested Cup4Cup, and it worked well. Other blends should work, but I haven’t tested them. If you try one, please let me know how it turns out. Note: Use a flour blend that works in yeast recipes! Every blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio, so expect to adjust the liquid or dry ingredient ratio as needed. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
- Gluten-Free Oats – It is critical to use certified gluten-free oats if you have Celiac disease. Oats get cross-contaminated in production, so look for the gluten-free label on your oats. Note: There are no gluten-free oats in Australia. Use gluten free rolled oats or quick oats in this oatmeal bread recipe. Rolled oats give more texture than quick oats, which break apart more and blend in.
- Active Dry Yeast – Double-check the brand you use is gluten-free. Red Star Platinum is NOT gluten-free! (Other Red Star yeast is okay.)
- Psyllium Husk Powder – My blend uses psyllium husk powder instead of xanthan or guar gum. It works well to hold this bread together. If you can’t tolerate psyllium husk, you can swap 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum. The texture of the bread will be a little different, but the loaf still holds together well. Read Why Binders are Important in Gluten Free Baking to learn more.
- Baking Powder – I found that using yeast with a little baking powder helped to improve the rise.
- Eggs – Use large eggs to make this bread.
- Butter – I prefer unsalted butter, but it is a personal preference. Earth Balance dairy-free butter also works in this bread recipe.
- Honey or Brown Sugar – This adds a little sweetness and helps the yeast ferment better.
How to Make Gluten-Free Oat Bread (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Add the yeast and sugar to 110º F warm water. Be sure to check the temperature of the water to ensure it isn’t too hot. Let it sit for 5-8 minutes for the best results until the yeast activates and the mixture is frothy.
Add the eggs and melted butter, and mix.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to blend.
Step 3: Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Mix the two into the dough. Preheat the oven to 175º F, then turn it off. Rise the dough in the oven with the oven door cracked open.
👀 Sandi Says: You should notice that the bread dough is pretty soft. This is normal for this recipe. If your dough is firm, which can happen depending on the flour blend you use, add a little more liquid. You want the dough to be soft enough to allow the dough to rise.
Step 5: Spray the bread pan with oil and put the dough into the pan. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap and place the pan in the oven to rise. I used an 8.5×4.5-inch cast-iron bread pan to make this loaf because it distributes heat evenly for baking.
Step 6: Rise the dough in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. If you are not preheating in a warm environment, you may need to rise your dough longer.
Remove it from the oven and take off the plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
Step 7: Gently press some oats into the top of the bread dough. If you prefer, you can do an egg wash over the top of the bread and then add the oats.
Step 8: Bake the bread for 35-45 minutes, depending on the size of your loaf pan. Use a digital thermometer to test the internal temperature of the bread to see if it is finished baking. The bread should have an internal temperature of 190° to 205° F. If your temperature is lower, return the bread to the oven for 5-10 more minutes.
Step 9: Gently remove the bread from the pan to a cooling rack. Do not slice the bread until it is fully cooled.
Gluten-free bread doesn’t keep fresh as long, so I recommend storing it in the freezer. Slice it and place wax paper between the slices. Freeze in a freezer zip-style bag. Learn how to Store Gluten-Free Bread so you can keep it fresh.
🔑 Sandi says: Check out my top recommendations for the Best Gluten-Free Bread-Making Equipment.
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Bread Machine Instructions:
One of my readers told me she was making this oat bread in her bread machine. I decided to test this personally, because so many readers use a bread machine. Here is how I made this recipe in my Hamilton Beach Bread Machine.
- Put the paddle in the base of the bread machine pan.
- Add the room-temperature eggs, water, and melted butter. (NOTE: if you use Cup4Cup, omit the psyllium husk powder!)
- Add the Cup4Cup flour blend (or another that works with yeast) and the rest of the dry ingredients over the liquid ingredients.
- Sprinkle the yeast over the top.
- Turn on the bread machine using a gluten-free setting.
- If your bread machine doesn’t have a gluten-free setting, do this: Use the “Home Made” custom cycle, programming in about 20 minutes. Mix for 45 minutes. Rise for 90 minutes. Bake for 60 minutes until done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Regular oat bread is not gluten free. Oats are frequently cross-contaminated with wheat in both growing and processing. Gluten Free oats are tested to confirm they meet gluten-free standards and contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten.
The brands of oats I use are Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats, Farmers Know Best, and Quaker Gluten-Free Oats.
Why is my gluten free bread gummy or sticky inside?
If your gluten-free bread dough is too sticky or gummy, it likely means you’ve added too much liquid or not baked it long enough. The best way to fix sticky dough is to add more gluten-free flour or bake it for a longer time period. Some gluten free flour blends are very starchy, and you need to use more flour with these blends than with other blends.
Why didn’t my gluten-free bread rise?
There are several potential reasons why your gluten-free bread may not have risen. Here are the three most common issues I have found in my experience with making gluten-free bread:
- 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 in which you proofed the yeast? It should be no hotter than 110º F.
- Did you use purified water? Chlorine and other chemicals in tap water can kill yeast.
Why did my gluten-free bread fall apart?
If your gluten-free bread is falling apart, chances are that you didn’t 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. Here is a good article on gluten-free binders and how they work.
Ensure the gluten-free flour blend contains either xanthan gum, guar gum, or psyllium husk. Note: One of the blends I often recommend in yeast recipes, 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.
For more bread troubleshooting, read my Gluten-Free Bread Troubleshooting Guide for more information and tips. Whether you’re baking in a bread machine or the oven, my Gluten-Free Bread Guide includes reader-tested recipes, flour tips, and helpful baking tools. I have more Gluten-Free Baking Tips that can also help.
More Gluten-Free Bread Recipes:
Check out my delicious gluten-free bread recipes for more baking inspiration. If you love using a bread machine, check out my best gluten-free bread machine bread recipes.
- Gluten Free Garlic Knots
- Gluten Free Challah (Braided Bread)
- Gluten Free Sourdough Bread
- Gluten Free Panettone Bread
- Easy Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread
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 Oat Bread (Oven Baked or Bread Machine!)
Ingredients
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast * see note
- 1 ¾ cups warm purified water water
- 3 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
- 3 cups gluten free flour *see note
- ¾ cup gluten free rolled oats
- ¼ cup oat flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons psyllium husk powder * see note!
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200º F and then turn the oven off. This will be where you rise the bread dough.
- In a small bowl, add 1 ¾ cups warm purified water water (110º F), 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast, and 3 tablespoons honey. Stir and allow this yeast mixture to sit for 5 minutes until it is bubbly.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the 3 cups gluten free flour, ¾ cup gluten free rolled oats, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ cup oat flour, 1 ½ tablespoons psyllium husk powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk to blend it together.
- Add the 2 large eggs and melted 3 tablespoons unsalted butter to the yeast mixture and whisk.
- Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients and mix into bread dough. Do not overmix the dough.
- Spray an 8.5×4.5 bread loaf pan with oil and add the dough. Do not knead or work the dough. You only get one good rise with gluten free, so rise it in the bread pan.
- Loosely cover the bread pan with plastic wrap and place it in the warm oven to rise for 45 minutes.
- Remove the pan and plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Sprinkle some oats on top of the bread and gently press them in. You can also do an optional egg wash and then sprinkle the oats.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes. Baking time will vary by loaf pan size. You want the internal temperature of the bread to be 190-200º F.
- Remove the loaf pan from the oven and gently remove the bread. Place on a wire rack to cool.
- Do not slice the bread until it is fully cooled.
Nutrition
Notes
- I tested this recipe with my custom DIY gluten free flour blend. The only store-bought blend tested is Cup4Cup, but I tested the old version with dairy.
- This is a gum-free recipe, so do not add xanthan or guar gum. If using Cup4Cup, omit the psyllium and don’t add xanthan gum.
- It is critical to use gluten free oats.
- Make it dairy-free by using dairy-free butter.
- Pre-sliced bread can be stored in the freezer. Place wax paper between each slice to prevent it from sticking together.
- Put the paddle in the base of the bread machine basket (pan?)
- Add the room-temperature eggs, honey, water, and melted butter.
- Add the Cup4Cup flour blend (or another that works with yeast), oats, and the rest of the dry ingredients, on top of the liquid ingredients.
- Sprinkle the yeast over the top.
- Turn on the bread machine using a gluten-free setting. If your bread machine doesn’t have a gluten-free setting, do this: Use the “Home Made” custom cycle, programming in about 20 minutes. Mix for 45 minutes. Rise for 90 minutes. Bake.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
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!
I only have rapid rise yeast. Will that work?
It should work, Renee.
I let it rise for 45 minutes! The. it went in the oven.
How did it turn out, Nancy?
So I have had success with this loaf after about 4 weeks of practice. 2 loaves were a completely inedible gooey mess. But, I tried the Steve’s Bread Flour and a cast iron bread pan, plus less flour(measuring very carefully and NOT packing the cup) and a little less water than called for in the recipe. I also did 3 heaping TBSPs of brown sugar with my yeast mixture. I beat the flour mixture with the yeast mixture on 2 in my stand mixer for 2 minutes with the paddle, then on 5 or 6 for about 2-3 more minutes. These are estimates of time. I stopped when it when the bread dough seemed mixed well and was uniform in texture throughout and had no dry spots or too many liquidy looking areas. I scraped it onto a lightly rice floured surface, never touching it with my hands. I coated my hands in rice flour and then proceeded to flip it around and knead it lightly. It began to form into a loaf shape quite easily! It’s just been put in the oven now. I’ll be back to comment tomorrow on how it turned out! 😀
Hi Nancy, What flour blends were you using when you had the gooey mess? I am assuming you didn’t use my specific flours? Every flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio, and this will affect the moisture of the dough. Steve’s blend is awesome, it has a high liquid need due to its combination of ingredients.I admire your dedication to getting the right blend.
Hi Sandy,
I’ve made about 4 loaves since that last comment, sorry I didn’t come back to let you know how it went. I used the Steve’s Bread flour the first 2 times, but added too much water when stirring by hand and the loaves were gummy and inedible. After reading on your blog about Steve’s Bread flour, I decided to try again and cut down on the water a little and use the stand mixer. I live in a humid environment near 3 rivers, so yeast bread baking is tricky. I had success! It was delicious. I’ve since made 2 more loaves, tweaking the water and flour I add according to the humidity here. The Steve’s flour is amazing! It has such a good texture. I am able to form it into a loaf shape with very little excess flour on my hands. Even my gluten eating husband likes this bread. It’s like real bread. The only thing I might do is add a little more psyllium husk because it can be crumbly. Toasting really helps, though, and it is delicious.😊
You made my day, Nancy. I am so glad you were able to figure out how to make this bread to your liking. That Steve’s flour is magic for gluten-free bread!
I’m going to try this with Cup 4 Cup. Since that brand contains xanthan gum do you suggest leaving out the psyllium?
Hi Melissa, You are correct to leave out the psyllium husk. I haven’t tested this blend in this recipe, so please come back and let me know how it goes. Cup4Cup has dried milk powder, which dissolves when you add wet ingredients. I forsee you may need to add a little more flour to compensate for this.
Great to know! Thanks and I’ll keep you posted…
Just had my first slice! It was excellent!!! By far the best GF bread recipe I’ve tried so far. I ended up adding an extra 1/4 cup of Cup 4 Cup flour and leaving out the psyllium husk. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly as written. Perfection!
I am so glad you loved the recipe! It was good that you added the extra 1/4 cup of flour, thank you for saying that so your comment can help others.
The liquid a
ount of water was too runny. Are you sure about the 1 and 3/4 cup of water?
Hi Beverly, What flour blend are you using? I have only tested this with my blend so far, which is a dense flour blend. If your batter is too runny, you must add more flour. There are several notes in the recipe about this. I hope it helps.
Which psyllium husk powder do you use? Thank you
Hi Michele, I really like Anthony’s brand, available on Amazon. It won’t turn baked goods purple like some psyllium brands.
The ingredient list for Authentic Foods Steve’s GF Bread Blend state: “vegetable fiber (cellulose, psyllium)”. Should I add the additional psyllium husk powder to this recipe when using Steve’s flour?
Thanks!
Hi, you do not need to add any psyllium (also no xanthan or guar gum is needed.) Steve’s blend has a binder in it already that works really well.
I use Pillsbury flour. It has Xanthen in it. Can I just leave out the psyllium husk powder?
Hi Regina, if your blend has xanthan gum, you do not need to add psyllium husk powder.
Sandi
This bread looks great and I’m anxious to try the recipe however I would like to know if I could use ground flax seed instead of Psyllium bark powder? I am new to gluten free baking however I have been baking various other breads including sourdough for a few years.
I am not familiar with the effects of psyllium powder and wondered if ground flax seed would have similar binding effects.
Thank you, your time and efforts in responding to my request are greatly appreciated.
Mary
Hi Mary, I have never tried using ground flaxseed instead of psyllium husk. They behave very differently, and I do not know how flaxseed would work.
hi. I can not find pysiliym husk in the country i am in but they do have psylium seeds that i can powder. wud that work?
Donia
Hi Donia, I haven’t seen psyllium seeds and I am not sure how they work. If you have a different binder, like xanthan gum, you could add 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of that.
Hi Mary, I have never tried using ground flaxseed instead of psyllium husk. They behave very differently, and I do not know how flaxseed works.
Hello, just wondering if I could make this in my breadmaker?? Using a GF setting?
Hi Debbie, I haven’t tested this recipe in a bread maker. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out.
This bread looks really good! I will give it a try. Can I make it in a bread maker?
Hi Deb, I haven’t tested this recipe in a bread maker. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out.
Hi, was just wondering how this bread turned out in the bread maker?
Hi Bonnie, I haven’t heard of anyone trying this recipe in a bread machine.