The Ultimate Gluten Free Bread Troubleshooting Guide (2024)

FAQs

Why is my gluten free bread machine not rising? ›

The dough hasn't achieved enough elasticity to rise. Normally this elasticity is provided by gluten, so it can be hard to obtain in gluten-free recipes. Easy enough to test: take your dough out of the bread machine after it finishes kneading, and let it rise on the counter (without any additional kneading).

One of the challenges is that when gluten-free dough is thickened with additives like starches and gums, it becomes sticky. Some bakers dust sticky dough with flour, but that's problematic with gluten-free formulations.

Dense loaf- you may need to use more liquid, gluten free dough is usually wetter than regular wheat flour dough resembling a thick brownie batter. How much liquid is enough in a recipe ultimately depends not on formulas but in observation. You may need more or less liquid than the recipe specifies.

A note about moisture in gluten-free bread recipes: getting the right amount of moisture in GF bread dough is crucial to success. If the dough is too moist, the bread will rise well but sink in the middle when baking. If it is too dry, the bread will not rise.

An easy way to create a good environment for gluten-free bread to rise is to turn your oven to 200 F; when it reaches this temperature, turn off the oven and place a shallow baking pan partially filled with hot water on one of the shelves.

Yeast is too hot Yeast may have been dissolved in water that was too hot, or the liquid ingredients in the recipe may be too hot, causing the yeast to die. Yeast needs to be warm - not too hot, not too cold. Yeast is too cold If the other ingredients are too cold, it could cause some of the yeast to die.

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

Aaron Reed, senior food technologist, Cargill, echoed that bread is the hardest product to replicate when developing a gluten-free product. To help maintain loaf form, he suggested using setting ingredients, such as egg whites or other proteins, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose or methylcellulose.

If you'd like to turn your favorite bread recipe into a gluten free one, look no further than Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour. A great substitute for traditional bread flour, it is designed to be used in nearly every wheat flour recipe.

The addition of vinegar and sour cream helps the dough to be a bit more flexible when rolling out and also to brown slightly more easily when baked in the oven. Rice wine vinegar doesn't have a strong taste so it is useful for this dough, but it can be replaced with other acids.

Why is gluten free bread so hard to make? ›

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 will need to make the bread and the structure of the bread.

Cool bread slowly.

When your bread is done cooking, turn off the oven and open the door so that the bread can cool slowly. Taking the bread out of a hot oven and quickly transferring it to a cool counter can sometimes cause the loaf to sink in. If it still sinks, it may have too much moisture to support itself fully.

Avoid overproofing.

Gluten-free bread doughs are much more delicate than their wheat counterparts. If you overproof your dough because you went too long or because your environment is warm, your crumb will likely detach from your crust during baking, creating a large air pocket and a very gummy interior.

FODMAP Intolerance: Another vital cause of ongoing symptoms is FODMAP intolerance. This is common in people with celiac disease and is blamed for most gluten sensitivity cases. FODMAP intolerance creates symptoms such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea even after eliminating gluten.

The best way to tell if the bread is done is to insert an instant read thermometer all the way to the bottom of the loaf (but not touching the pan). The temperature should be approximately 205-210º F when it is done.

You have to have the correct balance of structure (gum or other binder) and liquid. To troubleshoot gluten free dough with too much binder, add more water or other liquid and allow it to rise again. If your dough doesn't rise enough, you can also add additional yeast the next time you make it.

Please also try adding an extra 10-20 ml of water to the loaf. There may be too much salt or sugar. Excess of these ingredients can inhibit or even kill the action of the yeast. The wrong type of yeast may have been used.

If your bread machine does not have a gluten-free setting, you will want the setting that only has one mixing cycle (it's often the quick, rapid, rapid rise, one rise or basic feature). Gluten-free bread does not need a second rise.

Yes. Self rising flour is made with all purpose flour, salt and baking powder, and it can be made at home. Gluten-free self rising flour should also contain a baking binder.