The Best Paleo Bread Recipe (Gluten-Free + Dairy-Free) | Amy Drummond

When our culinary team member Amy Drummond started her quest to make the BEST paleo bread recipe on the internet, with as few ingredients as possible, she knew she was in for a challenge. Gluten-free and keto baking recipes frequently rely on nut flours, coconut flour and arrowroot starch (or tapioca flour) as substitutes for flour and many also use flaxseed meal as an egg substitute. She gathered these ingredients and started experimenting.

"After just a few minutes of measuring and mixing, my first loaf was in the oven. This first attempt resulted in a loaf that had a very strong almond milk flavor and was too dense," she says. 

On her second try, she decided to increase the amount of leavener and use both baking powder and baking soda, plus vinegar for a lighter texture.  She also whipped two egg whites to stiff peaks then gently folded them into the batter to help it rise and got rid of the almond milk, adding a touch of honey for sweetness instead. 

"This loaf looked much more like sandwich bread and had significantly better rise to it but it lacked flavor and had a wet and gummy texture even after allowing it to cool overnight," says Amy. 

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It became clear that the biggest challenge when it comes to baking tasty paleo bread is reducing the moisture while maintaining some elasticity. After a LOT of tinkering with the amounts of arrowroot starch, coconut flour and eggs, she landed on the ratio you see in the recipe below—which resulted in a loaf with the pliability of a soft sandwich bread (light and chewy) without being eggy or overly soggy on the inside. 

However, "I still felt the bread was lacking in the flavor department so I dug around my pantry and decided to mix in some tahini,” she adds. "Even though the tahini was barely noticeable, it helped balance out the flavors."

Ta da! The BEST paleo bread recipe ever. Try it for breakfast, toasted, and topped with almond butter and fruit, to make avocado toast or topped with egg salad. It’s great for lunch, too, with chicken salad, as a BLT, or for grilled cheese.

Amy's Tips: 

• The trickiest part of this recipe is figuring out when it's done baking. (It may look and feel done to the touch on the outside but gummy on the inside.) Not to worry, Amy has you covered: After inserting a toothpick, feel the crumbs stuck to the toothpick. If there are large crumbs that feel very wet continue to bake. When it is done, the crumbs should be very small though they will still be slightly sticky. 
• We know ... hot-out-of-the-oven bread is tempting, but resist the urge to dig in until it’s fully cooled, which will also help prevent a gummy texture. 
• Refined coconut oil, you say? Yep! Using the refined kind instead of virgin coconut oil will help the bread taste more like regular sandwich bread and less like coconut-flavored sandwich bread. 

Get more gluten-free bread recipes here!