Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (2024)

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Believe it or not, this delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread recipe really is easy to make – no mixer required! We love it toasted and topped with a thick smear of butter and honey, but it also makes a scrumptious French Toast or grilled-cheese sandwich. What we’re saying here is the bread is versatile! The crumb is so light and springy that nobody will know it’s gluten-free!

Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (1)

What is Walnut Bread Made of?

The best walnut bread starts with the best walnuts. And those come from California, of course! Did you know that over 99% of walnuts grown in the United States are grown in California? Our gluten free bread recipe also has a healthy dose of flavorful raisins from the Golden State. Add in a dash of cinnamon for flavor, California olive oil to keep the crumb moist, and a some honey for sweetness and you’ve got yourself one delicious Walnut + Raisin Bread!

What Gluten Free Flour is Best for Bread?

If you’ve never made gluten free bread, or maybe you haven’t found a recipe that you love, this gluten free bread recipe could be life altering. There are two secrets to success that are non-negotiable: one is you must use Caputo Fioreglut flour. We’ve found that this gluten free flour blend really does make the most delicious breads, pizzas, and focaccias. The other non-negotiable is to bake the bread in a Dutch oven. Le Creuset makes a bread oven solely for this purpose. But any heavy Dutch oven with a lid will work. Baking bread in a Dutch oven helps keep the crust extra crispy — the gold standard for a rustic loaf!

Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (2)

How to Make Gluten Free Bread

You might be worried that the dough is too sticky or it feels like it won’t come together. Don’t worry, it will seem very sticky and shaggy at first but will come together with time. Begin by stirring and kneading the bread in the bowl (it helps contain the mess). When it becomes easier to work with, turn it out onto a lightly dusted work surface so you can shape it. If the bread is sticking to your hands too much, you can lightly oil them with olive oil.

Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (3)
Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (4)
Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (5)
Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (6)
Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (7)
Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (8)
Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (9)
Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (10)
Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (11)

Nobody Will Believe This Walnut + Raisin Bread is Gluten Free

This bread is so delicious it’s practically impossible to tell it’s gluten free. Baking the bread in a Dutch oven ensures a super crispy crust. And the crumb inside is light and airy. We love it on it’s own, but it’s especially delicious when toasted smeared with butter and drizzled with honey. The bread will keep well at room temperature for a few days. If you haven’t used it up by then, slice it, wrap tightly with a layer of plastic wrap then foil and freeze.

Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (12)

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Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (19)

Easy and Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe

Alison Needham | A Girl Defloured

Believe it or not, this delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread recipe really is easy to make – no mixer required! We love it toasted and topped with a thick smear of butter and honey, but it also makes a scrumptious French Toast or grilled cheese sandwich. What we’re saying here is the bread is versatile! The crumb is so light and springy that nobody will know it’s gluten-free!

3.78 from 35 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Proof Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 10 servings

Calories 226 kcal

Equipment

  • Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Bread Oven or Medium Dutch Oven with Lid

  • 9" round proofing basket or medium bowl

Ingredients

  • 3 ¼ cups Caputo FioreGlut Flour 450 g
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast 8 g
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt 7 g
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 10-12 ounces warm water 105°F, 300 – 325 mls
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • ½ cup raisins

Instructions

  • Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast and stir to combine. Stir in the sea salt and ground cinnamon. Add the water, olive oil, and honey and using a rubber spatula or your hands stir to combine. The dough will feel very shaggy adn stiff and will seem like it’s not going to come together. Keep stirring and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Eventually, it will come together into a ball. It should feel very tacky and moist – this is a high-hydration dough. If it doesn’t feel moist enough (when you’ve formed it into a ball it should still feel very moist and tacky) then add a little more water. When you add additional water the dough may begin to feel slippery. Keep stirring and it will come back together again.

  • Once the dough is evenly combined flatten out into a disk inside the bowl and add the walnuts. Fold them in using your hands or a rubber spatula. When they are evenly incorporated, flatten the dough again and add the raisins and repeat the folding process. When the walnuts and raisins are evenly incorporated, turn the dough out onto a work surface that has been lightly dusted with rice flour.

  • Knead the dough until it is smooth, pulling it into a neat ball. Pinch any open seams closed. Dust the smoothest side of the dough with rice flour and place it upside down into a proofing basket (or medium, greased bowl) that has been lightly dusted with flour. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.

  • When the dough is just about ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450°F with the bread oven inside. When the oven comes to temperature, leave the bread oven inside for an additional 15 minutes to make sure it’s really hot when you put the dough in. Remove the towel from the top of the risen dough. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place parchment side down over the risen bread in the basket. With one hand under the basket and one hand on top of the bottom of the baking sheet, carefully flip everything over and set the baking sheet down on the counter. Lift the basket off of the bread. Score the top of the bread in an X pattern with a sharp knife or razor.

  • Remove the bread oven from the oven and lift off the lid. Carefully transfer the scored loaf into the bottom of the bread oven. If you want an extra crispy crust (you do), slip a few ice cubes around the outside of the parchment on the sides of the bread and quickly close the lid to trap steam. Put the bread oven back into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the crust is deeply colored and the bread sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom of the loaf. Now this is the hardest part….for best results, let the bread cool completely before slicing.

Notes

FioreGlut flour can be purchased online. It is the best gluten free flour blend for bread and we don’t recommend substituting it with anything else.

Baking the bread in a heavy Dutch oven helps create a crisp crust. Any heavy Dutch oven will work, just make sure it can go in a very hot oven.

Cooling the bread completely will ensure that the crumb will be tender and not gummy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 226kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 6gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 469mgPotassium: 113mgFiber: 6gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg

Keyword dried on vine raisins, extra virgin olive oil, Gluten Free Bread Recipe, honey, Walnut Raisin Bread, walnuts

Tried this recipe?Mention @cagrownofficial or tag #CAGROWN!

Delicious Walnut + Raisin Gluten Free Bread Recipe | CA GROWN (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to making good gluten-free bread? ›

  1. Use Psyllium Husk Powder as a binder for better Gluten Free Bread.
  2. The benefits of letting your dough rest, my second tip for baking better gluten free bread.
  3. Mix or knead your bread dough thoroughly.
  4. For a better gluten free loaf, use less yeast.
  5. Bake your bread in a tin with tall sides.

How do you make gluten-free bread rise higher? ›

An easy way to create a good environment for gluten-free bread to rise is to turn your oven to 200 F; when it reaches this temperature, turn off the oven and place a shallow baking pan partially filled with hot water on one of the shelves.

Why add vinegar to gluten-free bread? ›

Apple cider vinegar or another acid lightens up the dough. You can add up to 4 Tbsp of acid for 500 g gluten-free flour. Don't worry, you won't be able to taste it afterwards. To lighten up a yeast dough even more, you can add a packet of baking powder or cream of tartar baking powder to 500 g flour.

Why is it so challenging to make good gluten-free bread? ›

Running into problems. Gluten is protein that elasticizes dough, providing structure and enabling it to trap the carbon dioxide generated by yeast. (This is why many gluten-free formulations don't use yeast.) Eliminating it often leaves dough that is runnier than conventional bread dough.

What is the best flour for gluten-free bread? ›

Here are the 14 best gluten-free flours.
  1. Almond Flour. Share on Pinterest. ...
  2. Buckwheat Flour. Buckwheat may contain the word “wheat,” but it is not a wheat grain and is gluten-free. ...
  3. Sorghum Flour. ...
  4. Amaranth Flour. ...
  5. Teff Flour. ...
  6. Arrowroot Flour. ...
  7. Brown Rice Flour. ...
  8. Oat Flour.
Feb 7, 2023

Does baking soda help gluten-free bread rise? ›

Texture and Rise: Gluten-free baking often requires a bit of finesse to achieve the desired rise and texture. Baking soda's reaction with an acid can help achieve that necessary lift, while baking powder provides an extra boost when the batter or dough is exposed to heat.

What does cream of tartar do in gluten-free bread? ›

A: Yes, cream of tartar can be used in gluten-free bread recipes to improve dough stability and rise.

What does egg white do in gluten-free bread? ›

Developing baked gluten-free (GF) products is difficult since gluten is essential for many organoleptic properties like texture and taste. Egg white proteins (EW) show strong cohesive behavior with excellent foaming capacity and stability, which may improve both organoleptic quality and nutritional value of GF bread.

How to make gluten-free dough more elastic? ›

Xanthan Gum: An essential ingredient in gluten-free baking, xanthan gum is a stabilizer that replicates the elastic properties of gluten, helping to bind the ingredients together and create a stretchy texture.

What are the cons of gluten-free bread? ›

In recent years, gluten free diets are a standard among the health conscious. But cutting out gluten altogether isn't necessarily healthier for you. Many gluten free products are high in processed carbohydrates and refined sugar, and eating these products in place of whole grains can lead to weight gain.

Why did my gluten-free bread come out gummy? ›

Gummy on the inside- bake for a longer time. Gluten free bread takes much longer than a regular loaf to bake and therefore a sticky crumb is generally the result of under baking. It is easy to see why this can happen, gluten free bread dough needs more moisture and is often difficult to knead with conventional methods.

Why is gluten free flour not good for bread making? ›

All gluten-free blends are different. Some are starch heavy, some have bean flours in them; some have a binder (like xanthan gum), some don't. This means that you might find a blend that's perfect for cookies, but makes your bread a tiny, solid lump.

Is there a trick to baking with gluten-free flour? ›

Use xanthan gum or guar gum: Gluten-free flours lack the elasticity and structure that gluten provides, so adding a binder like xanthan or guar gum can help to hold the ingredients together and give your baked goods a better texture.

How do you get more air in gluten-free bread? ›

oat flour gives moister, it makes a good base for a soft loaf. Double the baking powder for more air and whip eggs helps. Gums give feel of gluten but be careful with these as too much makes the dough gummy.

What binds gluten-free bread? ›

When making gluten-free breads, flatbreads, etc., Psyllium husk acts similarly to the way gluten would act in traditional wheat bread. It provides the binding properties and elasticity that helps the dough become workable. It gives the structure and support for the bread to rise, as well.

Why doesn't my gluten-free bread rise? ›

Your bread will not rise if your yeast or baking powder has expired. A dense loaf could also be the result of not measuring your ingredients accurately. Weight measurements are best (I have to update my recipes). Otherwise scoop the flour into your measuring cup and level without shaking or packing the flour down.

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