The Best Gluten Free Baguettes

These are THE BEST gluten free baguettes you’ll ever try – and they’re incredibly easy to make! They look and taste like proper artisan baguettes with a soft, chewy open crumb with plenty of holes and a deliciously crisp crust. There’s honestly nothing quite like a freshly baked baguette slathered in butter – and now, you no longer have to miss out on that just because you can’t eat gluten!! 

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I’ve made approximately 5,731 baguettes in the last two weeks (or at least it feels like that) – partly because I was optimising and perfecting this recipe… and partly because they make THE MOST AMAZING sandwiches and I simply can’t get enough of them.

These are the best gluten free baguettes you’ll ever try. They are PERFECTION. And the great thing is that they’re really *really* easy to make.

Here’s why you’ll LOVE these gluten free baguettes

• Soft, chewy open crumb. When it comes to baguettes, you want your crumb to be soft and airy, with plenty of holes for butter to soak into – and this recipe achieves exactly that. It also has just the right amount of chewiness, perfectly mimicking that of regular baguettes made from wheat flour.
• Deliciously crisp crust. It’s not a baguette without that thin, crisp crust that shatters as you bite or cut into it. It’s not too thick or unpleasantly crunchy or hard – instead, it’s just crisp enough to give a wonderful textural contrast to the soft interior.
• The flavour is incredible. The recipe uses a mix of tapioca starch, millet flour and sorghum flour (with substitution options listed!) and I find that this flour mixture mimics the flavour of regular wheat flour really well. It’s not exactly the same but it’s close – and, more importantly, it gives these baguettes a really delicious, rich flavour. And don’t be afraid to bake them until the crust is quite dark (as you can see in the photos). It’s not burnt – instead, it’s perfectly browned and caramelised, and that contributes A LOT of extra flavour.
• They look like PROPER baguettes!! Sure, flavour and texture are the most important parts – but, honestly, I looooove how gorgeous these baguettes look. They look like *proper* baguettes, with their pointy(ish) ends, rustic crust and nicely rounded shape. I’m particularly proud of how well the scored parts expand in the oven – I know, it’s a weird thing to be happy about, but after making approximately 5,731 baguettes, you find joy in odd places.
• Really easy to make. The dough is ridiculously simple to prepare, the shaping takes a bit of practice (but you’ll be a pro by your third batch, promise) and while using a baking steel gives the best and most consistent results, I’ve also tested baking them on a pre-heated large baking sheet and the results were *perfect*. 

Before we get to the bits and bobs of making these amazing baguettes – if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my newsletter to keep up to date on the latest recipes and tips!

Note: the whole recipe, including the ingredient quantities, can be found at the bottom of this page – just scroll down to the bottom, or click the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of this post.

How to make THE BEST gluten free baguettes

First of all, a small disclaimer: these are technically demi-baguettes. Traditional baguettes are typically around 24-30 inches (60-75cm) long, whereas demi-baguettes are only half the length. I rolled mine to a length of about 13-15 inches (33-38cm), which works great for most standard home ovens.

The ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make the gluten free baguettes:

• Psyllium husk. This acts as a gluten substitute and it’s what gives the baguettes their chewy texture. Psyllium husk gives you a gluten free dough that you can actually handle, knead and shape into the individual baguettes. It also gives the dough enough elasticity and extensibility so that it can expand, first during proofing and then as it enters the oven. You can’t substitute the psyllium husk with another ingredient. This recipe uses WHOLE psyllium husk, but you can also use psyllium husk powder – if you use the powder form, use only 85% of the amount listed in the recipe below. I also recommend using “blond” psyllium husk, as it won’t add any colour or flavour to your baguettes or other bakes. You can read more about the role of psyllium husk in gluten free baking here!
• Warm water. You’ll use the water to make a psyllium gel: just mix the psyllium husk and water together until evenly combined. The mixture will form a gel within about 15-30 seconds.
• Tapioca starch. (For substitution options, check out the Substitutions section or the recipe below.)
• Millet flour. (For substitution options, check out the Substitutions section or the recipe below.)
• Sorghum flour. (For substitution options, check out the Substitutions section or the recipe below.)
• Sugar. You can use either caster/superfine or granulated sugar for this recipe. This helps with browning and giving the yeast an extra activity boost, but it doesn’t actually make the baguettes sweet.
• Salt. It’s important to add salt to any bread recipe, as it brings out all the flavours.
• Instant yeast. You can also use active dry yeast, but you need to activate it first – for more details, see the Substitutions section and the full recipe below.
• Olive oil. This is a somewhat unusual addition to a baguette recipe, but I’ve found that adding a few tablespoons of olive oil to the dough results in a more open final crumb and a crust that’s both thinner and crisper. You can substitute the olive oil with other oils, such as sunflower or vegetable oil – but I personally love the extra depth of flavour that it adds.
• Apple cider vinegar. This creates a slightly acidic environment in the dough, which boosts the yeast activity and helps to achieve a more open, airy crumb in the final, baked baguettes. And don’t worry: you can’t actually taste the vinegar in the final, baked baguettes!

Making the dough

You can make the dough by hand or using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Both options work great, you’ll just need to knead the dough a bit longer if you’re doing it by hand.

The final dough should be smooth, with no lumps of un-mixed flour or psyllium gel, and it should come away from the sides of the mixing bowl. It will be fairly soft but it shouldn’t be too sticky to the touch (note that this refers to when you gently touch it with clean hands – it will stick to your hands as you’re kneading it).

Resist the temptation to add more flour to the dough, as that can make your baguettes dense and dry.

Shaping the baguettes

When you shape the baguettes, work on a lightly floured surface. Note the emphasis on the “lightly” – you really want just a sprinkling of flour (I usually use millet flour for this) on your work surface, otherwise you could incorporate too much extra flour into your dough. Also, the baguettes are much easier to roll to their final length on a surface that isn’t overly covered in flour.

First, divide the dough into three equal pieces (each should weigh about 330g) and give them a gentle knead to make sure that they’re smooth with no craggy patches.

To shape the gluten free baguettes:

1. Take a piece of dough and pat it down into a rough rectangle, about ½-¾ inch (1.5-2cm) thick. I usually pat it down to a size of about 6×4½ inches (15x12cm) but don’t worry about the exact dimensions, they’re not really important.
2. Working along the wider end, fold the dough over itself and press down gently to seal. Continue folding the dough over itself (and pressing down to seal) so that you’re essentially rolling it up into a log.
3. Pinch the seam together to seal it. Don’t worry if your dough isn’t perfectly smooth at this point, it will smooth out even further when roll it into the typical baguette shape in the next step.
4. Use the palms of your hands to roll the dough back and forth until you reach the desired length – aim for a length of about 13-15 inches (33-38cm). While you’re rolling it, make sure that you also create the tapered shape: you want the baguette to be thicker in the middle and gradually taper to the ends. You can shape your baguettes with rounded or sharp, pointy ends, whichever option you like best.

Proofing

This recipe requires just a single rise, which makes the whole process much quicker.

To proof the baguettes, you can either use a proper baguette proofing couche (canvas/linen cloth) – or DIY it like I did and use a large kitchen towel. 

Place the couche or large kitchen towel on a large baking sheet or cutting board (or just directly on your work surface if you don’t intend to move the baguettes while they’re proofing), and tightly roll it up on one end to create a stable “bookend”. Dust it lightly with some flour (I usually use millet flour for this) and then create folds in it.

Then, arrange the baguettes (seam-side up) between the folds – this helps to maintain their shape and prevents them from spreading out as they’re proofing. 

Proof the gluten free baguettes in a warm spot for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until they’ve doubled in size. Cover them with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film to prevent them from drying out.

The baking setup

Here’s the oven setup I recommend:

• A baking steel on the middle oven rack. A baking steel will give you the best and most consistent results (in terms of both texture and appearance) because it’s amazing at both storing and conducting heat. However, if you don’t have it, you can also use a large baking sheet (at least 16 inches/40cm long, so that it can accommodate the baguettes) turned upside-down. I’ve baked a batch of baguettes with the baking sheet instead of the baking steel, and they turned out amazing.
• A baking tray on the lower oven rack. You’ll add ice cubes to this tray to create steam in the oven in the first 10 minutes of baking. This will maximise oven spring and give you gorgeous gluten free baguettes with an open, light crumb. Because the baking tray will be preheated, it will experience quite the temperature change when you add the ice cubes – so, don’t use a glass baking tray (as it could shatter). I recommend cast iron, but a metal baking tray will also work great.

You need to preheat your oven with both the baking steel (or baking sheet) and the baking tray inside it. Everything needs to be screaming hot when you bake your baguettes.

Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 45 minutes at 480ºF (250ºC). You want your oven and baking steel (or baking sheet) thoroughly preheated before you put in the baguettes – this ensures maximum oven spring and therefore the prettiest (and most delicious) baguettes. In practice, I usually turn on the oven as soon as I’ve arranged the baguettes in the couche/kitchen towel and let them to proof.

Scoring the baguettes

Once your baguettes have doubled in size, transfer them to a large sheet of parchment/baking paper that’s placed on top of either a large pizza peel or a large baking sheet with no rimmed edges. The parchment/baking paper needs to be of the right size so that it can fit onto your baking steel/baking sheet.

To transfer the baguettes from the couche or kitchen towel, you can use a transfer board (transfer peel) or simply pick them up VERY GENTLY with your hands – be careful not to deflate them. Remember that they are proofed seam-side up, so make sure that you place them onto the baking paper seam-side down. Space them out as much as possible, so that they’ll have plenty of space around them during baking.

Then, use a bread lame or a sharp knife (held at about a 45º angle) to score each baguette with 3-4 lengthways slashes.

And don’t worry if your scoring isn’t perfect on the first (or the second… or the twentieth) try. Scoring takes A LOT of practice and, honestly, I’m still not happy with mine… yes, even after making all those 5,731 baguettes.

Baking the gluten free baguettes

Slide the baguettes, along with the parchment/baking paper, onto the hot baking steel or baking sheet. Place 4-5 ice cubes into the bottom baking tray and immediately close the oven door.

Bake the baguettes at 480ºF (250ºC) with steam for 10 minutes. Don’t open the oven door during that time.

After the 10 minutes, open the oven door to let out the steam and remove the bottom baking tray. Close the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 425ºF (220ºC) and bake for 15-20 minutes longer or until the baguettes are deep golden brown.

Remove them from the oven and cool them on a wire rack until they’re *at least* lukewarm before you cut into them. I know that it’s super tempting to eat them while they’re still hot, but the crumb needs time to cool down and fully set. If you cut them while they’re still hot or too warm, you’ll find the crumb quite sticky.

And waiting those extra 15 minutes or so is really 1000% worth it. Just look at that gorgeous open crumb!!

How long do the gluten free baguettes last?

Like most baguettes, these are at their very best on the day of baking. However, they keep really well for up to 3 days in a bread box, paper bag or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel. I recommend toasting them on day 3.

Note that as they stand, their crust will lose its crispness and it will become softer. They will still be delicious, but their texture will inevitably change.

Possible substitutions

Although all the ingredients in the recipe should be easily accessible either in your local grocery store or online, I still wanted to include a list of substitutions you can make. (NOTE: all substitutions should be made by weight and not by volume.)

• Instant yeast: You can use active dry yeast instead, in which case you’ll have to activate it first. Use 120g (½ cup) of the water and half of the sugar listed in the recipe to activate it – just mix them all together and allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes or until it starts frothing and bubbling. Then, add it to the dry ingredients along with the psyllium gel, olive oil and vinegar.
• Psyllium husk: YOU CAN’T SUBSTITUTE IT WITH A DIFFERENT INGREDIENT. But if you use psyllium husk powder as opposed to the whole psyllium husk, use only 85% of the weight listed in the recipe.
• Tapioca starch: You can use an equal weight of cornstarch (US)/cornflour (UK), potato starch or arrowroot starch instead.
• Millet flour: You can use an equal weight of finely ground/milled brown rice flour instead.
• Sorghum flour: You can use an equal weight of white teff flour, light buckwheat flour or oat flour instead (the latter only if you’re not sensitive to oats).
• Olive oil: You can use an equal weight of sunflower, vegetable or your favourite cooking/baking oil instead. I haven’t tested this with coconut oil, so I can’t guarantee how well it will work.

A note on measurements (tl;dr: if possible, use a scale)

While I’ve included the volume measurements (cups and spoons) in the recipe card below, if at all possible (and I really cannot overemphasise this): USE METRIC GRAM MEASUREMENTS IF YOU CAN.

They’re much more precise and produce more reliably delicious results. This is true for pretty much all of baking – a kitchen scale will invariably give better results than cups and tablespoons.

Recommended products for making gluten free baguettes

Below, you will find the tools that will help you get the best results when you make your own gluten free baguettes. Note that not all of them are strictly necessary – a baking steel can be replaced with a large baking sheet, you can use a large kitchen towel instead of the proofing couche and you can score the baguettes with a sharp knife instead of the bread lame.

However, these are the tools that will give the best baguettes, simply because that’s what they were created and optimised for. For instance, the baking steel will give you the most gorgeous baguettes with the best crust because it’s so amazing at storing and conducting heat – and it also has numerous uses beyond just making baguettes: it’s great for baking pies (to prevent a soggy bottom, just place your pie dish onto the pre-heated baking steel), for making pita bread and in general for baking all sorts of bread.

• baking steel
• bread lame (scoring knife)
• baguette proofing couche
• baguette transfer board (transfer peel)
• pizza peel
• KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer
• oven thermometer

And there you have it! This covers absolutely EVERYTHING you need to know in order to make the most fabulous gluten free baguettes.

Just be warned that once you’ve tasted them and seen just how easy these are to make, you’ll want to make them over and over… and over again. 

Happy baking!

More gluten free bread recipes

If you’re looking for more amazing gluten free bread recipes (that are nearly indistinguishable from their “regular” equivalents made from wheat flour), you’re definitely in the right place!

• The Ultimate Gluten Free Bread (Artisan Style Loaf)
• Gluten Free Seeded Loaf (Mixed Seed Bread)
• Quick & Easy Gluten Free Naan
• Easy 5-Ingredient Gluten Free Flour Tortillas
• The Softest Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
• The Ultimate Gluten Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
• The Softest Gluten Free Dinner Rolls

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