From sandwiches to French toast, this soft and fluffy millet bread is the perfect gluten and dairy free loaf for just about any dish. With a light, tender center and golden brown crust, this homemade bread is just as delicious the next day as it is fresh from the oven. And if you're curious about millet flour, check out this post with more information about this fascinating grain.
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Millet Bread Taste & Texture
This is one of my favorite gluten-free breads to make because the taste of this millet bread is very, very mild - very close to a storebought bread. Aside from being naturally gluten free, the millet flour in this recipe contributes a mildly sweet flavor and a delicate, yet firm crumb. This is not a "100% millet flour bread" although millet flour is the main flour in this recipe, it also contains a blend of flours and starches that contribute to the irresistibly soft and chewy texture. Plus the starch keeps the bread soft so it doesn't dry out so quickly.
Looking for more gluten-free bread recipes? Check out this sorghum flour gluten-free bread recipe and this delicious gluten-free sandwich bread.
Gluten-Free Millet Bread at a Glance
If you’ve ever made yeast bread from scratch before, you know it can be a lengthy process. The best thing about this millet bread recipe is how quickly it can be mixed together. Like these yeast rolls in under an hour or these breadsticks, you can easily make this recipe from start to finish in just an hour and a half. Here are a few more reasons why this is sure to be your new go-to bread recipe:
- It is both gluten and dairy free
- You can easily make your own millet flour at home using a high-speed blender if desired (directions are in the section below)
- It makes the perfect chewy, all-purpose bread with a mild flavor
- It stays fresh for up to 2 days in a well sealed bag on the counter!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Active Dry Yeast - The yeast is essential in this recipe because it causes the bread to rise. Instead of active dry yeast, you may use instant yeast. Instant yeast does not need to be proofed and can be added directly to the dry ingredients.
- Granulated Sugar - Because sugar is needed in this recipe for the yeast to work properly. I would not recommend substituting with a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup as it changes the balance of wet to dry ingredients.
- Water - There is no alternative for the water in this recipe.
- Millet Flour - This recipe was tested using the Nuts.com brand of millet flour. Nuts.com is budget friendly and a great quality product. Other brands may work here but I haven’t tested any in this bread. Keep in mind that results may vary with different flour brands. Half of the millet flour can be substituted with teff flour if desired – the total weight between both flours should equal 120 grams. Find out more about substituting gluten free flours here.
- Tapioca Flour - This recipe was tested with the tapioca flour from Nuts.com. Tapioca flour and tapioca starch are the same thing so they can be used interchangeably. Corn starch or potato starch may be substituted for the tapioca starch.
- Brown Rice Flour - The recipe has not been tested with anything other than brown rice flour, but here if you want to try something else, here are some alternatives to try. The Nuts.com brand of brown rice flour was used and it works very well here.
- Ground Flaxseed - This recipe was tested using Bob’s Red Mill brand of golden flaxseed meal. Ground chia seeds could also be used in place of the flaxseed.
- Xanthan Gum - Xanthan gum functions as a binder. Psyllium husk powder could be used in place of the xanthan gum.
- Salt - There is no substitute for salt in this recipe. Although, if you are following a low salt diet, it can be omitted.
- Eggs - Regular eggs work best in this bread recipe. I would not recommend using an egg alternative here.
- Olive Oil - Olive oil can be substituted with vegetable oil.
- Honey - Maple syrup can be used as a substitute for the honey.
Exact measurements and directions for making this millet sandwich bread are in the recipe card below.
How to Grind Millet Flour
Making your own millet flour at home just requires the right tools and some patience. I recommend grounding only the amount that you will use immediately as freshly ground millet flour can spoil quickly.
- Start with hulled millet - rinse it in a colander and spread it out on a lint-free towel to dry completely.
- Use a high-speed grinder like this one, and grind the millet grains, a little at a time, until it resembles flour.
- Use a fine mesh strainer to sift any large pieces from the flour.
- Grind again if needed.
This freshly ground flour is best used immediately. Store any remaining flour in an airtight container in the refrigerator to use within 1 week or freeze it for longer storage. Follow this flour storage guide for more information.
How to Make Millet Bread
Step One: Add the warm water to a liquid measuring cup. Then, add the active dry yeast to the warm water and stir to combine. Set aside to proof for 5 minutes.
Step Two: In a medium bowl, combine the gluten-free flours, ground flax seed, and xanthan gum until combined.
Step Three: In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, olive oil, honey, sugar, and yeast mixture. Mix for 30 seconds on low speed.
Step Four: Add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer bowl and mix on low speed for another 30 seconds.
Step Five: Stop the mixer and scrape down the batter from the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula and then mix again on medium speed for 3 minutes.
Step Six: Prepare an 8"x4.5" baking pan by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray. Scrape the bread dough into the pan.
Step Seven: Let the batter rise in the pan for 35 minutes or until the top of the dough barely crests over the top of the pan. Note that allowing the batter is rise for too long can cause it to overflow or collapse in the oven.
Step Eight: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the bread batter is done rising, bake it in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 210°F. After removing the bread from the oven, let it cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Then, turn the bread out of the pan and let it cool completely before slicing.
Serving Millet Bread
The good news is that this bread can be served many ways:
- Add some butter and jam to each slice
- Toast each slice and serve it with avocado on top
- Make sandwiches
- Slice thick slices and use them for French toast
- Leave the loaf unsliced and cube it for this French toast casserole
Storage Tips
This millet flour bread will last for 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature. If you need to store it longer than that, slice the entire loaf and place small pieces of wax paper in between each slice. Place the entire sliced loaf back into an airtight container and freeze. Slices can be taken directly from the freezer to the toaster.
Pro Tips
All gluten free breads are not created equal. There are many factors that come into play when it comes to achieving the best taste and soft, chewy texture. With a few simple tips, this homemade millet bread will come out perfect every time.
1. Use room temperature ingredients (except for the warm water)
Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature for this bread recipe. The warm water is the only exception here. It needs to be at approximately 100°F to properly activate the yeast. Using room temperature ingredients allows them to easily combine during mixing.
2. Measure the flours by weight
Using a digital kitchen scale to measure the flours by weight will yield the best results in this recipe. Measuring by cup is not quite as accurate as using weight measurements. This will make certain your bread comes out soft and fluffy! Check out my baking masterclass for more info about this.
3. Let the batter rise only until it reaches the top of the pan
The bread batter needs time for the yeast to produce enough carbon dioxide for the bread to rise. Allow the batter to rise just until the top rises over the top of the pan, about 35 minutes. Letting the batter rise too much can cause it to overflow or collapse in the oven.
4. Helpful tools
Here are a few tools that will make prepping your millet bread super easy:
- Digital scale
- Liquid measuring cup
- Medium bowl
- Stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- 8”x4.5” loaf pan
- Instant read thermometer
FAQs
Yes, millet is naturally 100% gluten free. It is a cereal grain that is often ground into flour to be used in baking. It is a great option to use in gluten free baked goods as part of a flour blend or on its own. Because many grains are at high risk for gluten cross-contamination, be sure you choose a certified gluten free millet flour.
The great thing about this millet bread is that it makes a great substitute for traditional wheat bread. It is just as versatile and can be served in a variety of ways. This bread is excellent for sandwiches, toast, garlic bread, this French toast casserole, and more!
Once baked and cooled, this bread will stay fresh for up to 2 days at room temperature in a sealed plastic bag. After 2 days, slice and freeze it for longer storage.
More Yeast Bread Recipes
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Recipe
Millet Bread (Dairy Free)
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup water 100 F
- 120 grams millet flour about 1 cup
- 90 grams tapioca flour about ¾ cup
- 75 grams brown rice flour about ½ cup
- 27 grams ground flax seed about ¼ cup
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons honey
Instructions
- In a measuring cup, add yeast to warm water. Stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine the millet flour, tapioca flour, brown rice flour, ground flax seed, xanthan gum and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, olive oil, honey, sugar and yeast mixture. Mix for 30 seconds.
- Add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer and mix for 30 seconds. Scrape batter down. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Spray a 8"x4.5" baking pan with cooking spray. Scrape batter into pan.
- Let rise for 35 minutes or until batter crests over the top of the pan.
- Bake 350 F for 35-40 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 210F.
- Let cool for 15 minutes. Turn bread out of the pan and let cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Flours and starches are Nuts.com brand, other brands may work, but they haven't been tested.
- Tapioca starch and tapioca flour are the same thing.
- Half of the millet flour can be substituted with teff flour - weight should equal 120 grams between both.
- The Bob's Red Mill brand of golden flax seed meal was used in this bread.
- Egg substitute is not recommended in this recipe.
- Test for doneness with an instant read thermometer (210 F)
- Bread will stay fresh for up to 2 days in a sealed, gallon plastic bag. Or slice and freeze for longer storage.
Carol
This sounds great and looks a delicious. I have everything in the house…..all the grains in the freezer. I have no energy, but would like to make this healthy bread. Do you think I could make it in my bread machine? I have not used it in a while. Can I freeze slices? Thank you.
Christine
Hi Carol,
Thanks - so I'm not sure how it would do in a bread machine so I wouldn't recommend it. But it's an easy recipe to mix - if you have a stand mixer, it does all the work for you. Then just scrape it in the pan, rise and bake. I just won't recommend something unless I've had success with it. But to answer your other question, yes, you can absolutely freeze slices. I have a sliced loaf in my freezer right now - it's perfect!
Hope that helps!
Christine
Linda
Hello, Is there anything I can substitute for the xanthan gum? Thanks
Chris Adams
Hi Christine,
I would love to know the answer to the xanthan gum question. My husband has an allergy to both xanthan gum and psyllium husk. Would a combination of chia seeds and flax seeds work?
I would love to make this recipe by replacing that 1 ingredient.
Thanks!
Christine
Hi Chris,
Thanks for asking. So yes, I would suggest trying ground chia seeds since the recipe already has flax seed in it.
Christine
Donna
Hi, I just made this for the second time and both times it sunk in the middle. I followed the directions, except I did need to let it rise closer to an hour both times because it took that long to “crest over the top of the pan“. My pan is an 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5” glass Pyrex. Do you know why this could be happening? Is it from over rising or something else?
Christine
Hi Donna,
Thanks for writing - so let's see, are you making any substitutions and are you measuring the ingredients by weight?
Let me know that and we'll see what might be happening - I've never tested it in a glass baking pan, so I'll have to see if that might have something to do with it.
Let me know!
Christine
Brenda
I also had the issue of rising time. I let it rise for more than an hour, and it didn't quite make it to the top. I decided to bake it at that point rather than let me already-heated oven sit empty longer! The bread came out pretty well, although not as high as I would have preferred.
Christine
Hi Brenda,
Thank you for sharing this - it's interesting that it didn't rise as high as it should have. Although I try to be very careful on the rise time because every environment is different. Sometimes people barely make it 30 minutes before they need to bake it. It all just depends I guess.
Sounds like it baked up nice though.
Christine 🙂
Wanda
Hi I would like to know if Guar gum can be substituted for the xanthan gum?
Christine
Hi Wanda,
Thanks for asking - yes it can.
Christine
Angela
Can you substitute xanthan gum with psyllium husk?
Christine
Hi Angela,
I haven't done it in this recipe, but that should work just fine.
Christine
Alene
Hi. Is there any way to get rid of the rice flour? Thank you.
Christine
Hi Alene,
So I haven't tested sorghum flour in this recipe, but that is the one I'd suggest testing with.
Christine
Cary
I like this. It came out nice and soft inside with a crispy crust--but mine did not rise as much so it was like an oval rectangular shape. Next time I'll try subbing in applesauce for the oil.
Christine
Hi Cary,
Glad you enjoyed it. I'd be curious how the applesauce works. Please let me know.
Christine
claudia
Hi! Can I use a hand mixer? I don't have a stand mixer.
Christine
Hi Claudia,
You can, just follow the same mixing instructions and time frame.
Christine
Brenda
I am making this recipe now. I followed the instructions to a T, weighing the ingredients (with the exception of those that specifically referred to a measure, ie, 1 cup of water, 1/2 tsp salt, etc.) All ingredients were room temp. The batter has been sitting in the prepared pan for close to 20 minutes, in a draft free, warmish area, and it has not risen one bit. To me, with my experience baking GF bread, the yeast sitting in the warm water for 5 minutes didn't seem very long tie to activate it. Is this because this is essentially a batter VS a dough? It seems almost like a quick bread, but with yeast as the rising agent. Do I leave the batter until it has raised, even though that will take longer than the suggested 35 minutes? Thank you.
Brenda
I am giving this recipe 5 stars because the flavor and texture are great. I had an issue with my batter taking a long time to raise (not sure why) but I like the flavor of this bread so much that I will give it another go. This recipe was easy to follow, and the results are very good. This is my first recipe from the Zest site, but I will be trying others. Thank you.