All Time Favourite Rice Batter Bread

A naturally gluten-free batter bread built entirely from brown rice flour, which makes it safe for anyone avoiding wheat or other grain glutens. “Batter bread” means no kneading is needed since the dough is more like a thick pancake batter that gets poured (not shaped) into the loaf pan.

The double leavening (both yeast and baking powder) is what makes this work without gluten’s structural backbone. Yeast contributes flavor and slow rise; baking powder gives an immediate lift in the oven that compensates for the lack of gluten development. Honey both feeds the yeast and adds the natural sweetness that brown rice flour can taste flat without. The wax paper trick at the bottom of the pan prevents the dense rice batter from sticking on the way out.

Kitchen Tips

• Use warm (not hot) water to activate the yeast. Water hotter than about 110°F (43°C) kills yeast on contact.
• Let the yeast-water-honey mixture bubble visibly before combining with the dry ingredients. Dead yeast equals dense brick bread.
• Don’t skip the wax paper. Brown rice batter sticks aggressively to ungreased pans.
• The loaf is best on day one; freeze sliced for longer storage. Rice flour breads dry out faster than wheat.

Variations

• Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ½ cup raisins for a sweet breakfast version.
• Stir in ¼ cup of pumpkin puree (cut the water by 2 tablespoons) for orange pumpkin rice bread.
• Substitute white rice flour for half the brown rice flour for a milder, lighter loaf.