This super easy buckwheat bread is incredibly soft, fluffy and tender, and tastes delicious with a texture and look that’s uncannily similar to whole wheat bread! Totally gluten-free and dairy-free too, but you wouldn’t even know! We love making avocado toast with it, or spreading plenty of jam or honey all over. No matter how you eat this gluten-free brown bread, it’s sure to be a favorite!
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My Love for Homemade Bread
Of all the baked goods that one could possibly make, my heart belongs firmly to homemade bread. Whether quick breads or yeasted breads, it doesn’t really matter. Whether made in a loaf pan or freeform artisan bread doesn’t really matter either.
And it seems that you guys share my love of gluten-free bread recipes of all kind. From feedback on my quick breads leavened with baking powder such as my easy honey oat bread, this low carb almond flour bread, and my coconut flaxseed bread, to yeast-leavened breads such as our favorite soft and fluffy gluten-free bread, tender dinner rolls or rosemary focaccia bread, I know just how much you all love bread too.
Baking yeast breads in particular has become a form of therapy. I just love the thrill of mixing the dough together, watching it rise as it doubles in size, then sending it off to the oven to bake. When I pull open the oven door, and the warmth of the oven and aroma of freshly baked bread hits me in the face, I feel like I’ve got a glimpse of bread heaven.
Baking with Buckwheat Flour
If you’ve never cooked with buckwheat before, it’s basically a highly-nutritous grain-like seed that’s a psuedocereal and totally gluten-free, despite the word “wheat” in its name.
Recently, I’ve been playing around with buckwheat flour, and making it at home is actually way simpler than it sounds and much cheaper than if you buy it pre-made. If you’re up to it, have 5 minutes to spare and a high-speed blender on hand, I’ve got a quick tutorial for homemade buckwheat flour to get your started!
Our easy buckwheat cookies have been hugely popular on the blog, and I thought that it was high time to make a loaf of buckwheat bread.
The Fluffiest Buckwheat Bread
Many buckwheat flour bread recipes tend to turn out dry and dense, and I was set on developing a gluten-free brown bread recipe that resembled whole wheat bread in appearance and taste. I also wanted to make sure that it was also soft and fluffy – everything a good loaf of gluten-free bread should be.
After a few tries, I am insanely happy that I’ve got this gorgeous buckwheat bread to share with you. With a beautifully brown crust, a perfect rise, and the coveted holes in the bread, this loaf is tender and moist, you would never guess that it’s both gluten-free and dairy-free!
Gone are the days of gluten-free bread that’s dense and heavy and so hard you could use it as a “doorstop”.
Why This Recipe Works
I’ve never been a fan of complicated recipes, and this buckwheat bread recipe is no different from the other simple bread recipes on the blog. Inspired by my soft fluffy gluten-free bread that everyone seems to love, I’m beyond ecstatic to share this with you.
Just 5 minutes of hands-on time is all you need, and then let it rise for 30 minutes before baking. A foolproof recipe that will always give you a soft, fluffy beautiful dome-shaped loaf that even those who aren’t Celiac or gluten-intolerant will happily eat!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
- Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I highly recommend that you use a good quality gluten-free flour blend that is made of lighter flours and starches such as rice flour, corn starch, or tapioca starch and that includes xanthan gum. I do NOT recommend using flour blends that include heavier flours such as garbanzo bean flour which tend to result in a denser final texture.
- Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum acts as a replacement for gluten in many gluten-free recipes, and is necessary for binding the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend does not include it, make sure you add this in.
- Buckwheat Flour: Since this is a buckwheat bread recipe, buckwheat flour is essential. You can either make your own 5-minute homemade buckwheat flour, or buy it online. If you would like to make this bread with another type of whole grain flour such as millet flour, amaranth flour, or quinoa flour, feel free to replace the buckwheat flour in a 1:1 ratio of the flour you wish to replace it with.
- Psyllium Husk Powder: In this gluten-free brown bread recipe, the psyllium husk powder helps to better bind the ingredients as well as give the bread a whole wheat flavor. I do NOT recommend that you swap out the psyllium husk powder with any other ingredient.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: The apple cider vinegar reacts with the baking powder in this buckwheat bread recipe to help the bread rise even more. If you don’t have ACV on hand, you can also use white vinegar or wine vinegar in equal quantities.
- Warm Water: I use water in this case because I find it easiest. But you can also use warm non-dairy milk such as almond milk or cashew milk if you want to add more flavor. If you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use warm dairy milk instead. Make sure that the temperature is between 105F to 110F (the yeast requires the warmth to be activated, but if the water or milk is too hot, it will kill the yeast).
- Eggs: Eggs give the bread more rise and taste. I personally haven’t tried making this bread with an egg-replacer, so I don’t know how that will go. However, if you do try it, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
How to Make Gluten-Free Buckwheat Bread
1. Grease and Preheat
Grease a 9″x4″ nonstick metal loaf pan with oil and preheat the oven to 350F. Arrange the oven rack to the middle position.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the gluten-free all-purpose flour, xanthan gum (if using), buckwheat flour, psyllium husk, baking powder, salt, instant yeast, and sugar together.
3. Add Wet Ingredients
Add the vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, warm water, and mix well until combined. Next, add the beaten eggs and mix for another minute until you get a dough that resembles thick cake batter (the dough will be sticky and wet, but that’s perfectly fine).
4. Transfer Dough to Pan
Transfer the buckwheat bread dough to the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with a wet spatula.
5. Let Dough Rise
Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and let it rise for the next 30 minutes in a warm, draft-free place until it has roughly doubled in size.
6. Bake
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the bread is dark brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped.
7. Cool Completely
Let the buckwheat bread cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan, before removing and cooling fully on a wire rack.
8. Slice and Enjoy!
Use a serrated knife to slice into the buckwheat bread once it is totally cool and enjoy!
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Cool Completely: Allow the gluten-free buckwheat bread to cool completely before slicing into it as the bread will continue cooking with the residual heat in the loaf even after you remove it from the oven. When the bread is just baked, the crust will be hard, but after cooling down, it will be soft and easy to slice into.
- Use a Serrated Knife: Make sure you use a serrated bread knife with ridged edges to slice the bread as a smooth-edged knife will cause the bread to be flattened.
Recipe FAQs:
To store the bread, place the cooled loaf in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
To freeze, let the gluten-free buckwheat flour bread cool completely and then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Before using, let the loaf thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before slicing and toasting.
Other Yeast Bread Recipes You’ll Love:
- Soft Fluffy Gluten-Free Bread (Dairy-Free)
- Soft Fluffy Dinner Rolls (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Rosemary Focaccia Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Easy Gluten-Free Pizza Crust (Dairy-Free)
- Gluten-Free No Knead Bread (Dairy-Free)
More Bread Recipes to Bake:
P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!
PrintSoft, Fluffy Buckwheat Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This super easy buckwheat bread is incredibly soft, fluffy and tender, and tastes delicious with a texture and look that’s uncannily similar to whole wheat bread! Totally gluten-free and dairy-free too, but you wouldn’t even know! We love making avocado toast with it, or spreading plenty of jam or honey all over. No matter how you eat it, it’s sure to be a favorite!
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (leave this out if your flour blend already includes it)
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/4 cup psyllium husk powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (approx. 105 to 110F)
- 2 large eggs, beaten (room temperature)
Instructions
- Grease and Preheat: Grease a 9″x4″ nonstick metal loaf pan with oil and preheat the oven to 350F. Arrange the oven rack to the middle position.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the gluten-free all-purpose flour, xanthan gum (if using), buckwheat flour, psyllium husk, baking powder, salt, instant yeast, and sugar together.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, warm water, and mix well until combined. Add the beaten eggs and mix for another minute until you get a dough that resembles thick cake batter (the dough will be sticky and wet, but that’s perfectly fine).
- Transfer Dough to Pan: Transfer the dough to the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with a wet spatula.
- Let Dough Rise: Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and let it rise for the next 30 minutes in a warm, draft-free place until it has roughly doubled in size.
- Bake: Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the bread is dark brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Cool Completely: Let the loaf cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan, before removing and cooling fully on a wire rack.
- Slice and Enjoy: Use a serrated knife to slice once the bread is totally cool and enjoy!
Notes
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I highly recommend that you use a good quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that is made of lighter flours and starches such as rice flour, corn starch, or tapioca starch and that includes xanthan gum. I do NOT recommend using flour blends that include heavier flours such as garbanzo bean flour which tend to result in a denser final texture.
Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum acts as a replacement for gluten in many gluten-free recipes, and is necessary for binding the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend does not include it, make sure you add this in.
Buckwheat Flour: Since this is a buckwheat bread recipe, buckwheat flour is essential. You can either make your own 5-minute homemade buckwheat flour, or buy it online. If you would like to make this bread with another type of whole grain flour such as millet flour, amaranth flour, or quinoa flour, feel free to replace the buckwheat flour in a 1:1 ratio of the flour you wish to replace it with.
Psyllium Husk Powder: In this recipe, the psyllium husk powder helps to better bind the ingredients as well as give the bread a whole wheat flavor. I do NOT recommend that you swap out the psyllium husk powder with any other ingredient.
Apple Cider Vinegar: The apple cider vinegar reacts with the baking powder in this recipe to help the bread rise even more. If you don’t have ACV on hand, you can also use white vinegar or wine vinegar in equal quantities.
Warm Water: I use water in this case because I find it easiest. But you can also use warm non-dairy milk such as almond milk or cashew milk if you want to add more flavor. If you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use warm dairy milk instead. Make sure that the temperature is between 105 – 110F (the yeast requires the warmth to be activated, but if the liquid is too hot it may kill the yeast).
Eggs: Eggs give the bread more rise and taste. I personally haven’t tried making this bread with an egg-replacer, so I don’t know how that will go. However, if you do try it, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Cool Completely: Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing into it as the bread will continue cooking with the residual heat in the loaf even after you remove it from the oven. When the bread is just baked, the crust will be hard, but after cooling down, it will be soft and easy to slice into.
Use a Serrated Knife: Make sure you use a serrated bread knife with ridged edges to slice the bread as a smooth-edged knife will cause the bread to be flattened.
Storing/Freezing: To store the bread, place the cooled loaf in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. To freeze, let the loaf cool completely and then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Before using, let the loaf thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before slicing and toasting.
- Prep Time: 35 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Sydnie says
Hi Felicia! What are your suggestions for baking this recipe at a high elevation?? I am at 5000ft above sea level.
Thank you in advance for the help!
Felicia Lim says
Hi Sydnie! I personally haven’t baked at high elevation before, so I googled abit and found this great page that gives you tips for high altitude baking.
Linda says
Thank you Felicia! This is the 2nd time I am making this bread. It came out great the first time and stayed fresh longer than any other GF breads I have previously baked myself.
Felicia Lim says
Hi Linda! So happy to hear that you enjoy this buckwheat bread! Thank you for sharing how it went.
Hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
Philippe Richen says
So after learning how and perfecting Sourdough bread in the last 2 years I suddenly have to follow a foodmap, gluten free, lactose free diet. After tasting store made GF bread I came across this recipe and made it. I am totally impressed on the flavor & Texture and enjoyed it for several days last week. A new loaf in baking as I type and hope to explore other GF bread option. It’s not sourdough but at least I can eat it. Thanks for the recipe.
Felicia Lim says
Hi Philippe! So happy to hear that you enjoy the flavor and texture of this bread 🙂 Thank you for sharing how it went, and I hope to see you on the blog again sometime soon!
Linda says
The parts that didn’t fall were delicious. It did a full rise, baked for 60 minutes and top was dark brown, totally fell during the 10 minutes in the pan. I did use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and it has garbanzo. Eliminated the Guar Gum because the 1:1 already had it. Batter was very, very thick. Weight in gms for flours and psyllium husk might be helpful. Everything was at room temp. Oven temp was right on.
Going to try my own brown rice bread flour mix next time. I really want this to work!!
Felicia Lim says
Hi Linda, something the bread falls after baking when the dough has risen too much before it was baked, so I’d keep an eye out on the dough in the last 10 minutes of the rise, and try to make sure it doesn’t rise higher than the top of the pan. Regarding the batter being very thick, it could be due to the blend with the garbanzo bean flour (which results in denser textures). Perhaps you can try your brown rice bread flour mix and see how that goes. Hope this helps!!
Elizabeth says
Thank you!
Maria Antonia Vidal Barreto says
I loved the recipe and I am anxious to make it, as I have the bucwheat flour from Europe, I just want to know if it is necessary to use xantan or if I can replace it for another ingredient.Thanks…
Felicia Lim says
Hi Maria! You can replace the xanthan gum with equal amounts of cornstarch 🙂 Alternatively, you can also replace the xanthan gum with 2 times the amount of psyllium husk powder. Hope this helps and that you enjoy this buckwheat bread as much as we do!
Joene says
I’ve never written a review before, but this recipe turned out so good that I felt like I had to. This is the first gluten free bread that I’ve made that turned out really good. This is light and fluffy, unlike so many gluten free breads that are heavy or dense. I’ll definitely be trying some of your other gluten free recipes. Thank you so very much for posting this recipe and all of your hard work in developing them.
Felicia Lim says
Hi Joene!! Thank you so much for your kind words, and for taking the time to write a review. It makes me so happy to know how much you enjoyed this buckwheat bread!! It’s definitely one of our favorites too. I hope you’ll enjoy the other gluten-free recipes on the blog (there are plenty of GF bread recipes since bread baking is my passion). See you around the blog again sometime soon!
Susie says
I have made numerous gf breads (Gluten intolerant for about 10 years) and I think this is my favorite so far! Usually gf breads turn out dry, dense and not anywhere near able to make an actual sandwich. Oh my goodness, this turned out fluffy, light, visible air pockets, crispy edges with a touch of sweetness. No issues falling apart after cutting either. I didn’t have psyllium husk and added a bit of xanthum gum and used brown sugar instead. My batter was a bit more liquidy than photo, but doubled in size nicely. Came out perfectly brown after 42 minutes. Still in awe and trying not to eat the whole loaf…thank you for this fantastic recipe!
Felicia Lim says
Hi Susie!!
So happy to hear that you enjoy this buckwheat bread so much!! It is definitely one of our favorites on the blog, and when I first developed the recipe I was honestly in awe at how fluffy it was, how flexible it was and how it stood up to making my favorite sandwiches! Glad to know that it worked without psyllium husk powder as well. Thanks for sharing your tip on replacing it. And hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
xx,
Felicia
Lisa says
Can you adapt this to a breadmaker recipe?
Felicia Lim says
Hi Lisa, I believe you can use this recipe with your breadmaker as long as it has a gluten-free setting. I personally don’t own a bread machine so I can’t say for sure how it will turn out though.
carolyn radach says
I only give this a 3 star right now because it turned out dense, but I liked the taste of it and will try again. I’ve always had issues baking with yeast. I didn’t have a metal pan only a ceramic one. Could that have been the issue?
~Carolyn
Felicia Lim says
Hi Carolyn, sorry to hear your bread came out dense, because this recipe is really fluffy and tender! I don’t think the ceramic pan is the issue with it coming out dense. A metal pan helps to conduct heat all over so the bottom and sides are properly cooked as well, but it shouldn’t affect the dough rising, which is done before baking.
Did you dough almost double in size? You mentioned you have issues baking with yeast, so it could be that your yeast is expired? To check, add the yeast with warm water and sugar, and if it works it should be foamy after 5 minutes. (If you are not using instant yeast (which doesn’t require prior activation), make sure you activate the yeast by combining it with warm water and sugar first), then add it to the other ingredients. Hope this helps!
Diana says
Made this last night. It turned out fluffy and flavorful. I followed the recipe with one exception. I didn’t have regular vegetable oil, so I subbed grapeseed oil for the veg oil.
I will be making this again soon.
Thanks!
Felicia Lim says
Hi Diana! So happy to hear that! 🙂 This buckwheat loaf is definitely one of our favorites too and we bake it very often! Hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon.
xx,
Felicia
Gail says
Followed recipe exactly. Baked it for 70 minutes. After I took it out of the oven it sunk in the center. What could be the problem?
Felicia Lim says
Hi Gail, thanks for writing! Sinking in the center after baking could happen because there might be too much humidity depending on where you live and the GF flour blend used (so you can try to reduce the amount of water by 1/8 – 1/4 cup). Reducing the water amount will make it rise slowly, but it will help it hold it’s shape better. The other issue might be that the dough rose too high before being baked and then collapses after being taken out of the oven – in this case, make sure that you don’t let it rise more than reaching the top of the pan.
Hope this helps dear!
Sabrina says
Hello Felicia,
I’m new here and absolutely cannot wait to try this bread recipe!! I am wondering…how different would it be for me to use a bread maker with this recipe? Have you heard of anyone trying it, or have any suggestions for me to use while attempting using a bread maker vs the oven? Thanks so much!! PS also totally trying out your buckwheat cookie recipe tomorrow with my kiddos. They will be stoked. I’m going to sub the sugar for coconut sugar, but I think they will be AMAZING!!
Felicia Lim says
Hi Sabrina!
Thanks for your lovely words! I believe some readers have tried making this in a bread machine and it should work well (make sure you use the gluten-free bread setting). Would love to hear how it goes if you do make it in the end 🙂 Also, the combo of coconut sugar with the buckwheat cookies sounds amazing!! 🙂
Rebecca says
Hi!
I made this and its pretty good but my recipe turned out super dense and not as fluffy as yours in the picture. I did use Better Batter for my gf flour. I’m not sure how much of a difference that makes. If you take the time to reply thanks!
Felicia Lim says
Hi Rebecca! I just looked at the Better Batter original flour blend and it seems similar to most GF flours. Sometimes, depending on the humidity where you live, the bread dough may be wetter or drier. Normally if it doesn’t come out as fluffy, it might require a bit more water to make the dough wetter. I would suggest adding and extra 1/4 cup of water to the dough the next time you make it to help it rise more (and hence less dense).
Hope this helps!
Have a great weekend and hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
Felicia
carolyn radach says
HI Rebecca, I also use Better Batter for this Buckwheat Bread recipe and had the same thing happen to me. Did you try the fix that was suggested and did it work? Thanks
Carolyn
Juliann says
Hi, I haven’t made this yet but I am excited to try it. My daughter and I are grainfree and are tired of bread recipes with egg. Makes the bread taste too much like egg.
In the meantime, if I were to add amaranth or quinoa flour along with the buckwheat flour do I still use the psyllium husk or does the amount used change? And you noted that if replacing the buckwheat with another grain, did I read correctly, omit the psyllium completely? Thank you
Felicia Lim says
Hi Juliann,
I get what you mean about being tired of bread recipes that taste too much like egg. You’re gonna enjoy this recipe then!
I just made a little correction in the recipe to better explain regarding swapping out flours – psyllium husk powder should definitely stay in, as that helps with the rise and makes the dough stretch better as it rises and domes. You should only swap out the buckwheat for amaranth or quinoa flour if that’s what you prefer 🙂 Hope that’s clear!
Lucy says
Can I substitute applesauce or other in place of eggs?
Felicia Lim says
Hi Lucy, I haven’t tried making it without eggs before, but I believe you can replace the eggs with either applesauce, aquafaba or Bob’s red mill egg-replacer.
Linda Compton says
I made the gluten free bread recipe, after making I noted my gf mix does have garbanzo bean in it so will change next time. The bread is great and so like that it not a “doorstop” . However it didn’t rise, I did use fresh quick rise yeast. My eggs weren’t at room temperature, would that cause it not to rise? There was a psyllium husk and a psyllium hust powder. I bought the powder, correct? Any other thoughts
Felicia Lim says
Hi Linda, thanks for writing.
Let’s troubleshoot. It could be a couple of things – using the mix with garbanzo bean flour may make the bread dough denser and hence harder to rise. Also, if the eggs were very cold, it might have reduced the temperature of the liquids and the yeast needs warmth to work (if the temp is not warm enough the yeast will not be activated and hence not produce the gases required to make the dough rise). Psyllium husk powder is correct. What you can try next time is to use a GF flour blend with lighter flours/starches (such as King Arthur Flour GF multi-purpose baking mix), and make sure that your eggs are room temperature (if taking them out from the fridge, run the eggs under warm water from the tap for a few seconds until they are no longer cold). Make sure your water is between 105 – 115F as well.
Hope this helps!!
Joanna Sawyer says
I am looking at trying this recipe using King Arthur GF all purpose flour with the buckwheat flour, etc, as per recipe. However here you say to use King Arthur Bakimg Mix, but King Arthur says not to use this product to make yeast bread. So I am confused which flour to use. Also, do you use dark buckwheat flour or light buckwheat? I can’t find any groats to grind my own.
Felicia Lim says
Hi Joanna! You can use this flour: https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/gluten-free-all-purpose-flour. You can use dark or light buckwheat flour (whichever you can find). Both will work. Naturally darker buckwheat flour will make the bread darker in color, but taste will be the same 🙂