Gluten-Free Flour Blend: I highly recommend using a good quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that is made up of lighter flours and starches such as rice flour, corn starch, potato starch and tapioca starch (this will ensure you get a lighter texture). I do NOT recommend using a flour blend that includes heavier flours such as garbanzo bean flour as that will result in a denser final texture.

Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours. If your gluten-free flour blend does not include xanthan gum, make sure to include this in the mixture.

Sugar: I like having a bit of sweetness in this bread, but if you prefer your bread not to be sweet, you can simply leave it out. I used granulated white sugar, but you may also use light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, or coconut sugar if you prefer (note that the darker sugars will make the dough and the insides of the soda bread slightly darker in color). If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I highly recommend using granulated monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic-index and will not raise your blood sugar).

Baking Soda: Since this is soda bread, we definitely need to include baking soda, so make sure you don’t leave it out.

Baking Powder: I like adding a bit of baking powder to help the dough rise a little more. If you are Celiac or have gluten intolerances, make sure you use certified gluten-free baking powder.

Coconut Oil: I like using refined coconut oil for baking as it has a neutral taste and flavor (as opposed to extra virgin coconut oil that has a more pronounced coconut smell and taste). Make sure your coconut oil is solid before incorporating it into the flour mixture. If your coconut oil is liquid, let it sit for 15 minutes in the freezer and it will turn solid. If you are not lactose-intolerant or vegan, feel free to use normal dairy butter instead.

Almond Milk: I like using my 5-minute homemade almond milk. You can also use other non-dairy milks such as cashew milk, tigernut milk, rice milk, coconut milk, soy milk, or sunflower seed milk. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, you can use normal dairy milk.

Lemon Juice: In this case, lemon juice is required as an acid to react with baking soda to form bubbles of air that will create the leavening effect. If you don’t have lemon juice, you can also use another acid such as apple cider vinegar or white vinegar in equal quantities.

Cast Iron Skillet: I highly recommend baking the loaf in a cast iron skillet because it ensures that the bottom of the loaf turns out crust and brown too (since cast iron can retain heat very well).

Storing/Freezing: To store the bread, cover it with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 5 days. To freeze, cover the cooled bread in plastic wrap or a freezer-safe airtight container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the bread to thaw completely overnight before slicing into it and toasting.

This recipe was originally posted in March 2021, but has since been republished to include clearer step-by-step instructions, as well as recipe notes and substitutions.

Adapted from: My Gluten-Free Kitchen