How to bake extraordinary gluten-free bread – even on a weeknight

Yes, you can fit bread baking into your routine! We're showing you how extraordinary bread is achievable on just about any weeknight — especially with the help of an overnight rise in the fridge or filling ingredients prepped ahead of time. This is Extraordinary Bread: Weeknights. 

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No matter how busy your schedule or stressful your weekday gets, you deserve fresh-baked, flavorful bread. And if you're baking gluten-free, good news! We've compiled our favorite gluten-free bread recipes (because great bread doesn’t always include gluten) with tips on how to match the flavors in our Extraordinary Bread: Weeknights collection. 

Since most yeasted bread recipes can't be easily made gluten-free with a simple flour swap, we’ve come up with a number of creative workarounds inspired by our Extraordinary Bread recipes to still give your bread baking a remarkable feel, even on boring but busy weeknights.  

Alyssa Rimmer

For a flavor-forward bread like Pane Bianco … bake our Gluten-Free Focaccia  

Think of focaccia as a blank canvas, ready to take on any flavor combination you wish. The soft, dimpled dough takes particularly well to the same delicious fillings you’d find nestled in our Pane Bianco: shredded cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. With its golden-brown crust and flavor-packed add-ins, it’s sure to be a crowd favorite — and takes just over two hours from start to finish.  

For a sweet treat like the Filled Wool Roll … bake our Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls  and add a creamy fruit spread

Take the breadbasket staple up a notch and give it a sweet spin! Make the sweetened cream cheese spread from our Filled Wool Roll using gluten-free versions of these staple ingredients.  After the pillowy rolls have cooled, slice each one in half. Add a schmear of the bright, zesty filling that combines freeze-dried raspberries, lemon zest, and cream cheese. Add the top half and enjoy as dessert or an anytime snack. 

For a savory showstopper like Tahini-Scallion Rolls … bake a variation of our Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls  

Use our favorite gluten-free cinnamon roll dough and swap out the cinnamon-sugar filling with a different spin, inspired by our Tahini-Scallion Rolls. The combination of nutty tahini and sharp scallions is balanced by a drizzle of honey. They’re fit for any occasion, whether a savory brunch centerpiece or showstopping side dish at the dinner table.  

Liz Neily

For a cheesy, comforting bread like Gruyère-Stuffed Crusty Loaves … bake Gluten-Free Cheesy Soda Bread

Don’t let this simple-looking bread fool you. The best part of this quick bread is that it comes together in under an hour (no proofing needed!) — making it an easy fit into any weeknight schedule. The second-best thing is its rich, robust flavor thanks to a hunk of grated cheddar and plenty of buttermilk — think of it as a cheesy, gluten-free cousin to our Gruyère-Stuffed Crusty Loaves. 

For a hearty, stuffed bread like the Stuffed Breakfast Braid … bake our Gluten-Free Filled Bread

What starts with a convenient box mix turns into a masterpiece layered with the fillings from our Stuffed Breakfast Braid — think sausage, cheese, spinach, onions, and hardboiled eggs. Prepared in a loaf pan, the layers alternate bread and filling for a beautiful, striated effect once sliced. 

John Sherman

For an inspiring dinner like Artisan No-Knead Pizza Crust … bake our  Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

Take your pizza game up a notch with toppings that go well beyond pepperoni or chopped basil. Baking Ambassador Martin Philip came up with a trio of contrasting flavors and textures for our Artisan No-Knead Pizza Crust, but they could be applied to any pizza with tomato sauce and cheese for an instant upgrade: thinly sliced winter squash, punchy pickled red onions, and a final drizzle of herb vinaigrette to bloom on the hot surface of the pizza. (For full details on how to make Martin’s special pizzas, the Veg Vinaigrette or the Smoky-Sweet, check out the baker’s tip at the bottom of the Artisan No-Knead Pizza recipe page.)

For more gluten-free bread-baking tips, check out our blog posts that cover how to use xanthan gum, making tangzhong with gluten-free flour, and an overview of gluten-free yeast baking.  

Cover photo (Gluten-Free Cheesy Soda Bread) by Liz Neily.