by Erin McKenna
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
⅓ cup (35 GRAMS) ground flaxseed (flax meal)
2⅔ cups (266 GRAMS) gluten-free oat flour
½ cup plus 1 teaspoon (63 GRAMS) teff flour
⅔ cup (128 GRAMS) potato starch
½ cup (60 GRAMS) arrowroot
2 tablespoons (12 GRAMS) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
Lightly grease a 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf pan with oil.
In a small bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir once and set aside to proof until it bubbles, about 10 minutes. Add the 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil and give it a stir.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseed, flours, potato starch, arrowroot, cocoa powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and, using a rubber spatula, stir until it is the consistency of cake batter. If the dough is too thick, add additional warm water one splash at a time. Pour the dough into the prepared loaf pan, cover with a dish towel, and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bake the bread for 20 minutes, and then rotate the pan 180 degrees. Bake until the crust is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour before slicing.
bread evolution
fresh bread the next day
Gluten-free, vegan breads, free of preservatives and other unseemly ingredients that help fake freshness over time, are delicate. You will find that they need to be eaten the day you prepare them. There are, however, two tricks to get a few extra days’ life out of them:
1. Slice, double wrap, and freeze all the baked bread you won’t use immediately after it cools. When you’re ready for it, toss the bread in the toaster for as long as you desire.
2. Prepare your dough and bake only what you need (in small loaf molds or muffin rings). Wrap the unused dough in plastic wrap and toss it in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to five days. When you’re ready for the next batch, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for at least one hour. Remove the plastic wrap and bake as indicated in the recipe, but mind your baking times: They will vary slightly depending on size, obviously.
bread mix-ins
With nearly all of these bread recipes, you can have fun with mix-ins, which are simply ingredients you love, have lying around, and want to experiment with but which are not found in my ingredients list. Here are the rules:
1. Nuts and Seeds: All of your wildest combinations will work structurally, as long as the new ingredients are fresh. The one strict rule, though, is to use no more than ¾ cup of any nut or seed combination in any given recipe.
2. Herbs: Although you can experiment with dried herbs, I find the flavor to be overpowering and a bit … corporate? I don’t usually have a single problem with dried herbs, but in these breads, they seem to overpower the love. I avoid them. I do, though, recommend using whatever fresh herbs your heart desires. Just don’t use more than 2½ tablespoons total per loaf.
3. Spices: Ground ginger, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and/or a pinch of cinnamon can breathe fiery new life into these breads. Start with a teaspoon of whatever freaky thing sounds good to you and taste the batter until you reach the desired flavor pitch. I recommend going teaspoon by teaspoon because failures are costly.
pumpernickel bread
As a kid I was very fearful of any breads darker than those that are bleached into electric-white submission. Pumpernickel was the most suspect of all given its blackened hue and sinister crust. Had it turned bad? Who left it out too long?
But did you know that pumpernickel is actually kind of sweet and among the most delicious breads out there? True. Of all the breads in this chapter, this makes my favorite toast. Drench it, please, with Butter. Add a mellow jam or marmalade if you must, but it isn’t necessary.
makes one 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf
2 tablespoons (28 GRAMS) melted unscented coconut oil, plus more for the pan
1½ cups (339 GRAMS) warm rice milk (about 100°F)
1 tablespoon (22 GRAMS) agave nectar
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1¼ cups (175 GRAMS) Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
½ cup (50 GRAMS) gluten-free oat flour
2 tablespoons (15 GRAMS) teff flour
¼ cup (28 GRAMS) ground flaxseed (flax meal)
3 tablespoons (18 GRAMS) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons vegan sugar
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons (32 GRAMS) unsweetened applesauce
Lightly grease a 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf pan with oil.
In a small bowl, combine the warm rice milk, agave nectar, and yeast. Stir once and set aside to proof until it bubbles, about 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, ground flaxseed, cocoa powder, sugar, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the oil, vinegar, applesauce, and the yeast mixture and, using a rubber spatula, stir until it is the consistency of cake batter. If the dough is too thick, add additional warm water one splash at a time. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, cover with a dish towel, and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bake the bread for 20 minutes, and then rotate the pan 180 degrees. Bake until the crust is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour before slicing.
sandwich bread
I worried for a long time over what to call this bread. Is it simply white bread? Is it peasant bread? Ultimately, it is mother to the others in this chapter—it is, in fact, the core of the entire book. Sandwich Bread, as I finally cleverly dubbed it, is as formidable on sandwiches as it is dunked into a bowl of fresh, deep-green olive oil. I use it for French Toast, croutons, bread salad, and anything else that calls for something absolutely reliable.
makes one 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf
2 teaspoons melted unscented coconut oil, plus more for the pan
2¼ cups (508 GRAMS) warm water (about 100°F)
2½ tablespoons (55 GRAMS) agave nectar
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup (192 GRAMS) potato starch
1 cup (100 GRAMS) gluten-free oat flour
¾ cup (90 GRAMS) millet flour
½ cup (60 GRAMS) arrowroot
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons xanthan gum
1½ teaspoons salt
Lightly grease a 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf pan with oil.
In a small bowl, combine the coconut oil, warm water, agave nectar, and yeast. Stir once and set aside until it bubbles, about 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the potato starch, flours, arrowroot, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and, using a rubber spatula, stir until it is the consistency of a cake batter. Add more warm water one splash at a time if the batter is too thick. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, cover with a dishtowel, and let rise for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bake the bread for 20 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake until the crust is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour before slicing.
salty-sweet sesame bread
BabyCakes NYC’s first shop, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, is a few steps from Chinatown. In this neighborhood, you can find some of the most fascinating culinary experiences on the planet. I can enjoy only, like, six of them. But when walking by the area’s many bakeries, it is impossible to ignore the fleets of golden bun tops that are lined up in the windows like plump and glittery city-dwelling s
unbathers. Those beautiful things were on my mind when I was developing this recipe.
makes one 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf
3 tablespoons (42 GRAMS) melted unscented coconut oil, plus more for the pan
2 cups (452 GRAMS) warm water (about 100°F)
¼ cup (88 GRAMS) agave nectar
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
2¼ cups (225 GRAMS) gluten-free oat flour
¼ cup (30 GRAMS) garbanzo–fava bean flour
⅓ cup (40 GRAMS) arrowroot
⅔ cup (128 GRAMS) potato starch
½ cup (65 GRAMS) toasted sesame seeds, plus more for sprinkling
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt, plus more for sprinkling
Lightly grease a 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf pan with oil.
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil, the warm water, 2 tablespoons of the agave nectar, and the yeast. Stir once and set aside to proof until it bubbles, about 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, arrowroot, potato starch, sesame seeds, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and, using a rubber spatula, stir until it is the consistency of cake batter. If the dough is too thick, add additional warm water one splash at a time. Pour the dough into the prepared loaf pan, cover with a dish towel, and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a cup, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons agave nectar and 1 tablespoon oil. Brush the dough with the mixture and sprinkle with salt and additional sesame seeds.
Bake the bread for 20 minutes, and then rotate the pan 180 degrees. Bake until the crust is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour before slicing.
wrap bread
If you are one of those super-prepared, always-thinking-ahead sorts, this recipe is perfect for you. It is easy to pull together, stores very well in the freezer, and is extremely versatile. Be sure to roll it out thin; it tends to puff up quite a bit during the cooking process. This can also serve as pita bread, if you happen to pull together some falafel balls or the Hummus. Just roll the dough out as instructed, cut into 8-inch circles, fold into half-moons, seal the sides with your fingertips, and bake!
makes 4
1 cup (140 GRAMS) Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
¼ cup (25 GRAMS) gluten-free oat flour
½ cup (60 GRAMS) arrowroot
2 tablespoons (28 GRAMS) vegan sugar
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (198 GRAMS) room-temperature coconut milk
¼ cup (56 GRAMS) melted unscented coconut oil
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, arrowroot, sugar, yeast, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the coconut milk and oil and, using a rubber spatula, stir until a thick dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add warm water one splash at a time. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Roll out the dough until it is a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Remove the parchment paper, slice the dough into 4 equal-size rectangles, and put them on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the bread until very lightly golden, 10 minutes.
Let the wraps cool on the sheet for 10 minutes before serving.
flax meal bread
Without any justifiable reason other than the fact that all of my recipes have long reaped the rewards of this wonder ingredient, I am very proud of flax meal’s success. These last few years ground flaxseed (also known as flax meal) has gone from a relatively obscure little health-based ingredient to a fully recognizable and branded mass-market success. I use it often, but usually in small doses. Until this recipe, that is! The mega fiber and omega-3s from the flax, combined with chia seeds, should make this your go- to bread when you’re feeling bad about overindulging at the dessert station.
makes one 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf
2 tablespoons (28 GRAMS) melted unscented coconut oil, plus more for the pan
1½ cups (339 GRAMS) warm water (about 100°F)
2 tablespoons (44 GRAMS) agave nectar
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup (140 GRAMS) Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
¾ cup (75 GRAMS) gluten-free oat flour
¼ cup (30 GRAMS) teff flour
½ cup (60 GRAMS) arrowroot
⅓ cup (64 GRAMS) potato starch
¼ cup (28 GRAMS) ground flaxseed (flax meal)
¼ cup (41 GRAMS) chia seeds
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon (16 GRAMS) unsweetened applesauce
Lightly grease a 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf pan with oil.
In a small bowl, combine the warm water, agave nectar, and yeast. Stir once and set aside to proof until it bubbles, about 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, arrowroot, potato starch, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour in the oil, applesauce, and yeast mixture and, using a rubber spatula, stir until it is the consistency of cake batter. If the dough is too thick, add additional warm water one splash at a time. Pour the dough into the prepared loaf pan, cover with a dish towel, and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bake the bread for 20 minutes, and then rotate the pan 180 degrees. Bake until the crust is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour before slicing.
spicy vegetable cornbread
At the bakery we are all constantly barraged with requests for this recipe, which is so flattering and impossibly sweet and undeniably charming. But at the same time, I’m eager to get this recipe in your hands so we can get back to talking about what I should do next with my hair.
makes one 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf
½ cup (112 GRAMS) melted unscented coconut oil, plus more for the pan
⅔ cup (150 GRAMS) rice milk
1 tablespoon (15 GRAMS) apple cider vinegar
¾ cup (105 GRAMS) Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
½ cup (58 GRAMS) corn flour
½ cup (66 GRAMS) cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup (176 GRAMS) agave nectar
⅓ cup (80 GRAMS) unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ onion, chopped fine
½ zucchini, chopped
¼ cup (23 GRAMS) broccoli florets, halved
Freshly cracked black pepper
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf pan with oil.
Pour the rice milk and vinegar into a small bowl, but do not stir; set the mixture aside to develop into a buttermilk.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, red pepper flakes, and salt. Pour in the oil, agave nectar, applesauce, and vanilla and, using a rubber spatula, stir well. Pour in the buttermilk. Stir gently until a slightly grainy batter is formed. Fold in the onion, zucchini, and broccoli. Pour the dough into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the black pepper over the top.
Bake the cornbread for 30 minutes, and then rotate the pan 180 degrees. Bake until the crust is golden and a toothpick inserted in the c
enter comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the bread cool in the pan for 30 minutes before slicing.
carrot bread
In each of my bakeries, carrot cupcakes are best sellers. No doubt this is because of the incredible moistness and subtle sweetness carrots provide. In order to make this bread I used the same ratio of carrots to flour that I do in a cake batter, but I reduced both the sugar and the fat to give it a lighter, more airy crumb. I especially like to make this recipe with walnut oil, but coconut oil is absolutely perfect as well.
makes one 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf
3 tablespoons (39 GRAMS) walnut oil or melted unscented coconut oil, plus more for the pan
1½ cups (339 GRAMS) warm water (about 100°F)
4 tablespoons (56 GRAMS) vegan sugar
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups (280 GRAMS) Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
2 tablespoons (15 GRAMS) arrowroot
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1½ teaspoons salt
2 cups (254 GRAMS) firmly packed shredded carrots
¾ cup (96 GRAMS) chopped walnuts (optional)
Lightly grease a 7 by 4 by 3-inch loaf pan with oil.
In a small bowl, combine the oil, warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir once and set aside to proof until it bubbles, about 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, arrowroot, xanthan gum, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and, using a rubber spatula, stir until it is the consistency of cake batter. If the dough is too thick, add additional warm water one splash at a time. Fold in the carrots and the walnuts (if using). Pour the dough into the prepared loaf pan, cover with a dish towel, and let the dough rise for 1 hour.