In this article:
We have good news: Great gluten-free bread is possible. All you need are the tools, the right recipes and of course the flour.
Whether you're an experienced baker transitioning to gluten-free or a dedicated gluten-free baker interested in starting your sourdough journey, we've got everything you need to get started baking. Start by making a gluten-free starter, then start baking one of our gluten-free sourdough recipes. We've also got gluten-free tools, ingredients and tossing instructions – let's get baking.
Photography by Patrick Marinello; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Which flour should I use for gluten-free sourdough bread?
Read: Which gluten free flour should I use?
Read: Gluten-free bread: A guide to choosing your flour
You have several options. For the simplest solution, our top recommendation is Gluten-free bread flourwhich, in accordance with its name, is specially designed for baking bread. In addition to inclusion xanthan gumwhich helps bind, this flour also contains gluten-free wheat starch, which helps mimic the flavor of conventional flours and acts as a thickener. As a result, the doughs are easier to work with and shape, and the baked bread has a great crumb and crust that mimics regular breads.
You can also make great gluten-free sourdough bread with ours Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. This flour does not include xanthan gum, which means you can control the amount of xanthan gum you add to the recipe – this is helpful, as gluten-free bread recipes usually need more xanthan gum than gluten-free yeast-free recipes. This flour is also made from a refined starch blend that prevents a tough or gummy texture.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Do I need a gluten free sourdough starter? How can I make one?
Recipe: Gluten-free sourdough starter made with bread flour
Read: How to make gluten free sourdough starter
To start making gluten-free sourdough bread, you first need a gluten-free starter. We recommend this initial recipewhich uses gluten-free bread flour and closely mimics the traditional starter in both process and performance.
(Alternatively, you can also do this gluten free starter recipewho uses Gluten-free dough for flour dough instead of gluten-free bread flour.)
Like the traditional starter, the gluten-free sourdough starter will take a few days and up to a week to get up and running. The good news is that the process for making gluten-free starter is quite similar to conventional starter: You mix flour and water, then let the mixture ferment for several days and up to a week, feeding it regularly with fresh flour and water for fuel. fermentation-enhancing microorganisms.
How to store gluten-free sourdough starter
If you are not baking regularly with your starter, you will need to continue to feed it regularly, in the same way as a traditional starter, to keep it active.
Like regular sourdough starter, gluten-free sourdough starter can be refrigerated between meals. Make sure to feed it at least once a week for long term storage to keep it healthy. If you keep the starter at room temperature, feed it once a day to maintain activity. (If you store your starter in the fridge, you'll want to take it out a few days before baking with it and give it a few servings a day at room temperature until it's nicely bubbly and doubled in size.)
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Ready to bake? Get started with these gluten-free sourdough recipes
Gluten-free sourdough bread: This recipe yields a classic boule, with an artisan-style crust. The secret is gluten-free bread flour, which is used to make both the starter and the bread dough. For the best flavor and texture, let your dough chill overnight before baking; cool bread baked in the oven (for a crispy crust); and resist the urge to slice until it has chilled for several hours (overnight is best).
Gluten Free Sourdough Sandwich Bread: For a firm, cut sourdough sandwich roll, turn to this recipe. He uses gluten-free all-purpose flour in the dough along with a starter made with Measure for Measure flour; additional ingredients like xanthan gum and eggs provide structure and help bind to ensure a soft – not crumbly – texture.
Gluten-free sourdough: If you're looking for a gluten-free all-purpose bread, try this recipe, made with gluten-free all-purpose flour; flat dumplings are great for dipping or folding around fillings to make a wrap. The recipe calls for both gluten-free starter and instant yeast to ensure a reliable rise, and like the other recipes includes both xanthan gum and an egg for the best texture.
Photography by Patrick Marinello; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
The tools you need to make gluten-free sourdough bread
Beat the dough: The unique shape of this whisk makes it great for mixing starter dough and bread, and it's also easy to clean.
Sour kick: This glass dish takes the guesswork out of catering to your gluten-free starter. Its clear sides make it easy to see your engine's activity, and side markings let you gauge how much it's lifted at a glance. The stainless steel hood, meanwhile, keeps the engine cool but is still loose enough to let gases escape.
Bowl scraper: There's no better tool for easing sticky gluten-free bread dough out of the bowl; this scraper is also strong enough to cleanly separate dough and remove dried dough from your counter.
The lame: You can score the bread dough with a sharp knife, but for the cleanest result (which translates into better bread) you need one of these thin, super sharp blades.
Baking stone:If you're ready to rise your gluten-free dough, invest in a baking stone. The heavy stone absorbs the heat of the oven, then transfers it to your bread dough, baking a perfectly crisp, golden crust and resulting in plenty of oven spring for wonderful heights in your bread.
Digital thermometer:Since gluten-free bread retains water longer than conventional bread, using a digital thermometer to measure the internal temperature is the best indicator that it is fully baked.
Can I bake with gluten-free sourdough?
Recipe: Gluten Free English Muffin Bread (see tips at bottom of recipe page)
The gluten-free sourdough toss will not automatically work in any recipe that calls for the conventional sourdough toss; so if a recipe calls for conventional topping, we don't recommend using gluten-free topping instead.
That said, you can experiment with using gluten-free starter to replace some of the gluten-free flour and water in gluten-free recipes, similar to how you might substitute conventional starter in recipes. Pay attention to the flour-to-water ratio when calculating your substitution: Gluten-free starter made with bread flour has a 2:1 ratio, by weight, of water to flour (unlike conventional starter, which has a 1:1 ratio). So, if you're using the flour and water in a gluten-free recipe, 1 cup (about 173g) of flour will equal 1/2 cup (113g) of water and 1/2 cup (60g) of Gluten-free bread flour, approx.
That said, if you prefer to bake with your own gluten-free dough, using a recipe, we recommend it Gluten Free English Muffin Bread. Follow the tips at the bottom of the recipe page for instructions on how to make this recipe with 1 cup gluten-free sourdough.
Visit ours Gluten Free Shop for everything you need for gluten-free baking, from flours, mixes and tools.
