Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread -- The Loaf That Held Us Together

Everything stopped. The schools closed Thursday. The governor issued orders. The word that had been gathering became real and here and immediate and suddenly our schedule, our routines, our entire structure was just — rearranged. Overnight.

We sat at the dinner table that first evening of shutdown and everyone was quiet for longer than usual. Then Noah asked, "Are we going to be okay?" And I said yes. And I meant it, but I also understood that I was speaking from the kitchen, from the pantry I'd stocked, from the habit of preparation that had always been my default.

The next morning I took stock. We had two weeks of staples. I ordered more. I started a spreadsheet of what we had and what we'd need and how long it would last. Gary called it the "siege pantry plan" and didn't mean it as a criticism. He was grateful. He is always, I think, grateful for the way I manage the infrastructure of our life, even when he doesn't say it directly.

I made a big batch of bread that first Friday. The house smelled like yeast and warm flour and something stabilizing. I posted a short video just — talking. No recipe. Just: I'm here, this is what I'm doing, we can do this together. It got 200,000 views in 48 hours. Two hundred thousand people found my kitchen on a Friday when the world had just turned strange. I kept answering comments until midnight.

That Friday loaf wasn’t fancy — it didn’t need to be. It needed to smell right and feel right and fill the house with something that said we are still here, still doing this. I’ve been baking gluten-free for years because Noah can’t have wheat, so this sandwich bread is the one I always come back to: reliable, sliceable, the kind of thing that makes a house feel like a home when everything outside has gone sideways. If you’re stocking a pantry and feeding a family that needs steadying, this is the loaf I’d point you toward first.

Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes (plus 1 hour rise) | Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
• 1 cup warm water (105–110°F)
• 1 tbsp honey or granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (with xanthan gum)
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch
• 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado or light olive oil)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Activate the yeast. Combine warm water, honey, and yeast in a small bowl. Stir gently and let sit for 5–8 minutes until foamy. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast may be old — start fresh.
2. Mix dry ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, tapioca starch, salt, and baking powder.
3. Add wet ingredients. Add the eggs, oil, and apple cider vinegar to the dry ingredients. Pour in the activated yeast mixture. Beat on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until a smooth, thick batter forms. Gluten-free bread dough is wetter than traditional dough — this is expected.
4. Transfer and smooth. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan well with oil or nonstick spray. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a wet spatula.
5. Let rise. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and set in a warm spot. Allow to rise until the dough crowns about 1 inch above the rim of the pan, approximately 45–60 minutes.
6. Preheat and bake. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the loaf for 40–45 minutes, until deep golden brown on top and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 205–210°F.
7. Cool completely. Remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing — cutting too early results in a gummy crumb. The wait is worth it.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 165 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 27g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 210mg