Soft, Fluffy Buckwheat Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
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! It’s the most popular bread recipe on the blog, and thousands of readers bake and love it! Totally gluten-free and dairy-free too, but you wouldn’t even know!
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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.
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!
I first published this post in 2021, and since then this buckwheat bread has consistently been our popular bread recipe on the blog!
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.
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!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple Ingredients: The main ingredients required for this buckwheat bread recipe are easily accessible at the local grocery store (look at the natural food section or gluten-free section).
- Easy to Make: 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. Just 5 minutes of hands-on time is all you need, and then let it rise for 30 minutes before baking.
- Soft and Fluffy: I’m not kidding when I say this recipe is tender. It’s a foolproof recipe that will always give you a soft, fluffy loaf!
- Totally Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free: The best part is that this recipe is 100% gluten-free and dairy-free, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten or lactose intolerances can enjoy without issues!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for making this buckwheat bread recipe.
(For exact measurements, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
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:Â 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:
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:Â 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:Â 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:Â Transfer the dough to the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with a wet spatula.
Let Dough Rise:Â 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.
Cool Completely Before Slicing: Let the loaf cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan, before removing and cooling fully on a wire rack. Once cooled, Use a serrated knife to slice once the bread is totally cool and enjoy!
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Cool Completely:Â 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:Â 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: To store the bread, place the cooled loaf in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freezing: 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 Homemade Gluten-Free 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!
Soft, 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.Â
- 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
Felicia, YOUR RECIPES ARE A GODSEND!
Thank YOU so much for your lovely words Desiree!! You just made my Monday morning! Have a lovely week and I hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
I bought buckwheat flour from my WinCo store in a bulk bin. it’s grey/brown so my bread is very dark. I didn’t know there is light buckwheat flour nor do I know where to buy it in Arizona? Any suggestions? My bread tastes pretty good.
Hi Cherie!
So happy to hear you enjoy this buckwheat bread. As for the buckwheat flour: Are you able to get whole buckwheat groats? You should be able to find them in the natural food store (or the health/gluten-free section in certain supermarkets).So far the best way I’ve found the get lighter colored buckwheat flour is to grind whole buckwheat groats (see this tutorial: https://www.dishbydish.net/homemade-buckwheat-flour/). Hope this helps!
This turned out INCREDIBLE!
So soft and moist!
A few things I did:
– used 1 tsp xanthan gum
– Omitted psyllium husk (forgot)
– Subbed/ used coconut oil
– used Bobs Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour
– added pumpkin and sunflower seeds on top
– Let rise for over an hour
– baked at 350 for 40 mins
It turned out perfectly!!!
So happy to hear that Z! Glad you loved this buckwheat bread as much as we do!
See you around the blog again sometime soon!
xx,
felicia
I have made this bread and it tastes nice. My loaf pan is 5″ wide and the bread is wider than yours. Is there a way to increase the recipe to accommodate this wider loaf pan to turn out a higher fluffy loaf like yours? Thanks.
Hi, You could probably double the recipe to get a taller loaf 🙂
Thanks Felicia. I just don’t know how to adjust the baking time. I’m guessing it would not be double. What do you think? Thanks.
Hi Bennett, definitely not double the baking time. You can try with 1 hour 10 minutes, and if the loaf is still very wet inside then keep baking it for another 10 to 20 minutes.
could oat flour be used for the gluten free flour?
Hi D.M., I’ve never actually tried using oat flour in place of the GF flour… but I don’t see why it shouldn’t work!
I was very happy when I found this recipe l, but when I went shopping for the ingredients I realized this was not really a buckwheat bread recipe. There is about 1/5 of Buckwheat in this bread, it very misleading. My local bakery makes a 100% buckwheat bread that is fluffy and that’s what I was looking for. In the end I modified your recipe and swapped the amount of buckwheat for the amount of other GF flour (rice flour), omitted the husks and xanthan gum and zi got a beautiful loaf that grew beautifully and is very fluffy. So 75% buckwheat I guess can be labeled as buckwheat bread recipe.
Hi Veronica, glad you managed to get a fluffy loaf even with 75% buckwheat bread 🙂 And thanks for taking the time to give your feedback! Hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
xx,
felicia
Wondering is it nessesary ti use a metal loaf pan, can you use a glass loaf pan?
Hi Camellia! I personally like using a metal loaf pan because I find that metal conducts heat better and more evenly than glass, so the bottom and sides of the loaf also cook and brown evenly. But if you only have a glass loaf pan, you can use that, and once the inside of the loaf is cooked, you can remove the loaf from the pan and place it on a baking sheet and bake it a little more to brown the bottom and the sides. Hope this helps, and I hope you enjoy this loaf as much as we do!
I’ve done baking according to the recipe with slight modification (substitute multi purpose flour with brown rice floor and used arrowroot starch instead of xanthan gum) for my daughter who is allergy to wheat and my diabetic father.
It was my first time baking a bread and it came out excellent with great taste!
Thank you so much for the recipe, loving it!
Hi Rebecca! So happy to hear that you enjoyed this buckwheat bread! 🙂 Glad to have you here, and hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
xx,
felicia
Hi Felicia, thank you for all your amazing recipes however I’m a little confused aboyt this one. Your recipe states that it’s gluten and dairy free but the ingredients include eggs and the method states vegetable oil but the recipe says coconut oil?
Hi Manal, thanks for pointing that out! You can use either vegetable oil or melted coconut oil. Hope this helps!
Does it matter that the warm water cools down a bit when combined with other wet ingredients? I’m new to bread baking!
Hi Jane! The water will definitely cool down abit, but that’s fine! Just make sure to proof your dough in a warm, draft-free environment. All the best with your first foray into GF bread baking!
I failed.. twice! Not sure what I’m doing wrong.. no rise at all. Tested yeast.. bought recommended flour.. all careful but failed. Any further suggestions?
Hi Jane! Sorry to hear your dough didn’t rise. Since you tested the yeast and it works, then it sounds like the water may not have been warm enough (or your dough might have been too dry – dough has to be sort of wet and shaggy, but not jiggly), or the temperature where you let it rise was not warm enough. Make sure the water is between 105-115F (if not the yeast will not be activated). Did you add sugar? The sugar is food for the yeast to feed on so it creates the air bubbles required for the dough to rise. And where did you let the dough rise? I recommend placing the pan in a microwave or oven (with the microwave off or the oven off), as it maintains and warm environment.
HI Felicia
I’m following the recipe but the dough is very dense. More like clay than cake batter. As a result, it does not rise well and then falls after cooking. It seems like it needs more liquid. Could this be caused by the gluten free flour mix? Can you recommend a brand you like. We live the taste. Thanks
Hi Randy! Yes, it could be due to the GF flour blend you used. I recommend King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free all purpose flour. Alternatively, you can add a little bit more of water until you get a cake batter like texture. Glad you enjoy the taste at least! 😉
have you used this recipe in a Bread Machine? if so what setting and any adjustments?
Hi Lisa! Yes, you can make this buckwheat bread in a bread machine on the gluten-free setting. 🙂 I personally don’t own a bread machine, but I know many readers have done it with success 😉
half way through making this..where does the coconut oil comes into recipe? shown in picture of ingredients and not mentioned again.
what quantity?
help
Hi Kerrin, sorry for the late reply! The melted coconut oil (or vegetable oil) used will be added to the wet ingredients.
I’m excited to try this recipe. I’m adjusting it somewhat, because I hope to make cinnamon rolls after the rise. The challenge will be rolling it out without over- flooring. Perhaps a cinnamon Monkey Bread type application will prove easier to accomplish.
Hi CJ! Hope you enjoyed this recipe!
I was so excited to try this recipe but the dough did not rise and the final outcome was not as fluffy. I am wondering what i might have done wrong. Maybe the water I added was not warm enough? Any ideas? Thank you, I will give this another try based on your feedback.
Hi Rose, sorry to hear that your bread dough didn’t rise. Let’s troubleshoot – Did you use any substitutions or follow the recipe as it? Perhaps was your yeast expired? (Do a test by using yeast from the same batch with a bit of sugar and warm water in a bowl – water should be 105-115F). Let the yeast mixture sit for 5 minutes and see if it starts to foam. If it does, the yeast is fine. If not, throw out the yeast and buy a fresh batch that is not expired.
If the yeast works, it could be that the water you used with either not warm enough (and hence the yeast was not activated). Also, did you add sugar? The sugar is necessary for the yeast to “feed” on and create the air bubbles to make the dough rise. Or, the other possibility is that your water was too hot, and that might have killed the yeast. Yeast is fragile, so much sure the water is between 105F to 115F.
Also, when letting the dough rise, make sure to leave it in a warm, draft-free environment – I like to leave it in the microwave with the microwave switched OFF (this helps me to control the environment a bit more).
Also, which GF flour blend did you use? What are the ingredients? I recommend GF all-purpose flour blends that use lighter flours/starches (Such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch) as that will ensure a fluffier final texture. I do NOT recommend using GF flour blends that use heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour aka. chickpea flour) as that will result in a denser final texture.
Hope this helps!! All the best for your second try! Many readers love this recipe and have had great success with it, so it’s just a matter of trying again. Fingers crossed it’ll work out well this time!
Thank you for the tips. I tried again with a new package of yeast and made sure the water was the correct temperature.. the dough did rise this time:). I just had to bake the bread longer as it came out underbaked even after 1 hour.. The bread is so delicious and fluffy..Thank you!!
YAY! So happy to hear that it worked out for you Rose! Yes, depending on the oven and how wet the dough it, the loaf may sometimes need a little extra baking time, but that’s usually not an issue (although it means you have to wait a little long before slicing into it and enjoying!).
Perfect taste and structure! I don’t have psyllium husk and used golden flaxseed meal instead. Came out perfectly.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I guess this is going to be our next favorite bread – competing with your delicious focaccia bread…..
Hi Sylvia! So so happy to hear that you love this buckwheat bread (and the focaccia) as much as we do!! YAY! Thank you for your lovely comment, and hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
Happy new year!
xx,
Felicia