This no knead gluten-free bread is an easy yeast bread made with just 6 simple ingredients and no stand mixer or kneading. Ground chia seeds give the loaf structure and moisture, while active dry yeast gives it a reliable rise.
I developed this version to work with a standard gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, and I had the best results with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1. The dough is very sticky, but that is exactly what you want for a soft gluten-free loaf with a tender crumb.
This no knead gluten-free bread recipe works well for sandwiches, toast, or alongside soups and stews. It has a soft crumb, a lightly crisp crust, and a mild flavor that works with both sweet and savory toppings.
This recipe is heavily inspired by Minimalist Baker's no knead gluten-free bread, then adapted through my own testing to work with a standard gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
Recipe Overview: No Knead Gluten-Free Bread
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🕒 Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- 👥 Yield: 1 standard loaf pan
- Flavor: Mild, savory, classic yeast bread
- Method: Mix + rise + bake
⚠️ Most Important Tip: The dough should be very sticky. Don't keep adding flour to make it feel like traditional wheat dough.
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FEATURED REVIEW ★★★★★
This no knead gluten-free bread recipe is so easy! I was able to pull it together on a Thursday night. I appreciated the simple instructions and the photos so I knew that everything looked correct along the way.
- Jan
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Why This Recipe Works
- Ground chia replaces the structure gluten normally provides. It absorbs water and helps the dough hold together without kneading.
- Active dry yeast gave me the best rise. I tested instant yeast too, but the loaf came out denser.
- A standard gluten-free flour blend works. I tested this with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, even though the package says it isn't intended for yeasted recipes.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
You need only 5 ingredients plus water to make this super easy gluten-free no knead bread recipe.
Ground Chia Seeds
I use whole chia seeds and grind them into a fine powder in a clean coffee grinder or spice grinder. Ground chia adds moisture and acts as a binder, helping give this gluten-free bread structure.
I don't recommend substituting ground flaxseed or psyllium husk in this recipe. I tested both, and neither produced results I liked as well as the ground chia.
If you prefer a bread without chia, try my Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread or Gluten-Free French Baguette. For a yeast bread specifically designed to use psyllium husk, try my gluten-free artisan bread or gluten-free white sandwich bread.
All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
I developed this recipe with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. Although the package says it is not recommended for yeasted recipes, it works well in this recipe.
I haven't tested this recipe with other gluten-free flour blends, so I can't guarantee the same results with a substitution.
More Ingredient Notes:
- sugar - A small amount of sugar is necessary to feed the yeast. White sugar has the most neutral flavor, but you can also use brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup in equal quantity.
- active dry yeast - Active dry yeast (I used Red Star) gave the best rise in my recipe trials. I also tried instant yeast in the same quantity, but the gluten-free bread was a little more dense after baking.
You also need water and salt to make this recipe.
See the recipe card for full quantities.
How to Make No Knead Gluten-Free Bread
This no knead gluten-free bread recipe is as easy as mix, rise, and bake!
- Activate the yeast and chia: Warm the water to 105 degrees F (lukewarm). Stir in the sugar and yeast and let it sit until foamy, about 5-10 minutes. If the yeast does not foam, start again with fresh yeast. Stir in the ground chia and let it sit for about 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until thickened.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Meanwhile, mix the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Lightly grease a loaf pan with oil.
- Make the dough: When the liquid mixture has gelled, make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the liquids. Stir until mixing becomes difficult, then use lightly floured hands to continue mixing if needed. The dough will be very sticky.
- Let it rise: Transfer the dough to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Then cover loosely with a kitchen towel and place in a warm location in the kitchen for 1 hour, or until the dough has roughly doubled in size.
- Bake and cool: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, then bake on a middle oven rack for 35 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until a thermometer shows an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
Pro Tip: If the temperature of your home is too cool for a good bread rise, try using your oven! Set the oven to 100 degrees F and then turn it off when it gets to temperature. Then place your covered dough in the oven to rise. Do not turn the oven back on while your dough is inside, and be sure to remove it from the oven before preheating.
When you make this recipe, please leave a rating and review below. I always appreciate the feedback! ❤️
📖 Recipe
No-Knead Gluten-Free Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups water (473 ml)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 pack)
- ⅓ cup ground chia seeds (measured after grinding)
- 3 ½ cups all purpose gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, (480 grams)
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Activate the yeast and chia: Warm the water to 105 degrees F (lukewarm). Stir in the sugar and yeast and let it sit until foamy, about 5-10 minutes. If the yeast does not foam, start again with fresh yeast. Stir in the ground chia and let it sit for about 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until thickened.2 cups water, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, ⅓ cup ground chia seeds
- Mix the dry ingredients: Meanwhile, mix the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Lightly grease a loaf pan with oil.3 ½ cups all purpose gluten-free flour, 2 teaspoons salt
- Make the dough: When the liquid mixture has gelled, make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the liquids. Stir until mixing becomes difficult, then use lightly floured hands to continue mixing if needed. The dough will be very sticky.
- Let rise: Transfer the dough to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Then cover loosely with a kitchen towel and place in a warm location in the kitchen for 1 hour, or until the dough has roughly doubled in size.
- Bake and cool: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, then bake on a middle oven rack for 35 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until a thermometer shows an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Expert Tips
Mix the dough with your hands. After mixing with a wooden spoon, I found that using my hands to make sure the dough was well-mixed and uniform was most effective in creating a consistent gluten-free bread loaf.
Don't add extra flour. The dough is supposed to be very sticky. Adding flour until it resembles wheat bread dough can make the finished loaf dense.
Measure the chia after grinding. You can use a coffee grinder or spice grinder (often they are the same thing) to grind chia seeds. It's best to measure the chia seeds after they are ground, since the volume will change.
Use temperature, not just time, to judge doneness. I bake until the center reaches about 190°F so the middle is fully set without overbaking the crust.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftover gluten-free no knead bread in an airtight container or resealable storage bag at a cool room temperature for up to 5 days. Allow the bread to cool completely before storing.
I do not recommend substitutes for the ground chia seeds in this recipe. I tried the internet recommendations (ground flaxseed and psyllium husk) and neither had results that I recommend.
If you don't have chia seeds, see my other gluten-free bread recipes. None of the other breads on this site use chia seeds.
Rachel says
What is meant by 1 to 1 when baking. I am new to this. Thank you,Rachel
Jamie says
Hi Rachel! 1-to-1 refers to a gluten-free flour blend that is usually rice flour based and intended to replace regular flour cup for cup. It's sometimes referred to as a 1-to-1, measure-for-measure, or cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend. I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 GF flour blend. Happy GF Baking!
saidah branch says
Do you have to grind the chia seeds? I never did that.
Jamie says
I've only made this recipe by grinding the chia seeds. If left unground, I worry that the loaf would sink since their gelling properties wouldn't be properly spread throughout the dough. I use my coffee grinder to grind them.
Jan says
This no knead gluten-free bread recipe is so easy! I was able to pull it together on a Thursday night. I appreciated the simple instructions and the photos so I knew that everything looked correct along the way. I’m looking forward to trying the other gluten-free bread recipes on this site!