French Baguettes (Gluten & Dairy-free)

The days of being able to buy freshly baked French baguettes are limited now to those rare gluten-free bakeries. But this recipe gives you the wonderful texture, flavour, and joy a freshly baked French baguette provides. Whether you create the dough first thing in the morning for a fresh blt baguette by lunchtime. Or the night before for freshly baked bread with your morning cup of joe. With this gluten and dairy-free baguette recipe, you'll never have to miss out on the joy of freshly baked bread again.

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Why make this french baguettes recipe?

As a lazy Sunday treat to dip into your coffee as you listen to the rain outside. To stuff with bacon, lettuce, and tomato to take with you on your weekend hike. Or even slathered in butter while tucking into some pea soup at lunchtime. These are just a few reasons why you should learn this gluten-free and dairy-free baguette recipe. Also, with the prices of gluten-free bread soaring through the roof. Who doesn't want to learn how to make nicer-tasting bread for half the cost?

Ingredients you'll need

I always recommend using the best quality ingredients and sustainably sourced when possible. Also, if this is your first time cooking gluten-free for someone with Coeliac disease, I always recommend checking the ingredients label before using because Gluten can sneak into recipes when you least expect it. Below is each ingredient you will need:

• Luke warm water - If you're in a region where tap water is safe, then lukewarm tap water straight from the tap is all you need. If not, pour bottled water into a heatproof and place in the microwave. Then blast the water in 10-second intervals until the water is about 38ºc (100ºf).

• Dry active yeast - Essential for making the baguettes rise and giving it that delicious bread flavour. It's worth noting, dry active yeast can be processed in factories that handle wheat, barley, and rye. For this reason, always check that the yeast you use is certified gluten-free if baking this french baguette recipe for someone with coeliac disease.

• Gluten-free white bread flour - I only bake with a gluten-free white bread flour blend from Doves Farm FREEE foods. Which is a blend of rice flour, potato flour, tapioca flour and xanthan gum. You could experiment with alternative brands of gluten-free white bread flour or your own gluten-free bread flour blend, but recipe results may vary.

Additional note: You can swap 50-100g of white bread flour for brown bread flour or whole grain flour to add an extra depth of flavour, but you might need to reduce the water ratio.

• Tapioca starch - Give the baguettes a fluffy and chew texture. You can omit it at a 1:1 ratio for gluten-free bread flour. But this might cause the baguette to lose its deliciously chewy crust.

• Salt - Table salt is all you need, don't be afraid of adding a little bit salt into your baked goods as salt helps enhance flavours.

• Xanthan gum - Depending on the gluten-free flour blend you use. You might want to omit the xanthan gum or reduce the amount. It's typically use to replace gluten and provide more structure to the bread.

• Dairy-free butter - You'll need a vegan block butter in this recipe as it's solid at room temperature. Luckily enough, there are tons of dairy-free/vegan block butters on the market these days. I tend to either use Stork Block butter or Naturli Vegan block, the latter is my preferred due to being less processed.

• Egg White - I only cook with organic free-range eggs. However, I am conscious that cooking gluten-free is already very expensive, so any quality egg will do. The egg quality won't change the flavour of this bread.

• Apple cider vinegar - I tend to use apple cider vinegar as I love the subtle flavour it provides. However, any light vinegar will work in its place. Stay away from using barley malt vinegar, as this isn't gluten-free.

• Honey - Honey is used in this recipe to help the feed the yeast and make the bread rise more. Alternatively, you can use maple syrup instead of honey in this recipe. I have tried this and achieved great results.

• Neutral Oil - I suggest sticking with a neutral oil for this recipe as it's only used to grease a bowl in which you will allow the dough to raise in.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question you want to ask that isn't in the frequently asked questions section, please send me your question or drop a comment at the bottom of the recipe. I try to answer every question, ensuring you create perfect recipes every time.

Can I make this french baguettes recipe gluten free?

This recipe is 100% gluten-free, using Dove's gluten-free bread flour blend. It's a blend of rice flour, potato flour, tapioca flour and xanthan gum. I also add extra tapioca starch to create a springy texture and chewy crust that gluten provides in a French baguette. Although you can easily trick gluten eaters into thinking it's not gluten-free with how delicious these baguettes are.

It's also worth noting, as someone with Coeliac disease, that all the recipes on my blog are 100% gluten-free. With this in mind, do be cautious of cross-contamination if your household kitchen isn't 100% gluten-free and you are cooking for someone with Coeliac disease. As well as making that all the ingredients are gluten-free. Especially when using mass-produced dry active yeast, which can come from factories that handle gluten-containing products. Check all your food labels before using them in your gluten-free bakes.

Can I make this french baguettes dairy free?

Most of the recipes on my site are dairy-free due to my partner being lactose intolerant, and that's the case with this French baguette recipe. The butter I use in this recipe is Naturli vegan block, which is a vegan block butter. I recommend using a vegan block butter as it's solid at room temperature. You could experiment with using oil, but it could cause the dough to become too sticky.

Can I make this french baguettes recipe vegan?

I haven't tried making this French baguette recipe vegan, but there are only two ingredients in the recipe that you would need to do swaps with to make it vegan. You can easily swap the honey for maple syrup at a 1:1 ratio. I have done this swap when I have run out of honey in the house and still achieved delicious results. The second item you will need to replace is the egg white. For this, I would recommend either creating your own aquafaba. Or if you're feeling lazy, use Oggs Egg Alternative Aquafab, which you can store in the fridge. I have not tried the egg white replacement method in this recipe yet. So, your result may differ from the original recipe.  

How do I store these french baguettes?

These French baguettes taste best either straight out of the oven or on the same. They will last 48 hours in an airtight container, but if you're storing them for this long, I suggest wrapping them in a damp tea towel or paper towel and giving them 30 seconds in the microwave to rehydrate the baguette.

Can I freeze these french baguettes?

You can freeze these French baguettes but you have to parbaked them first. Throw a couple of ice cubes in the oven and place them in the pre-heated oven at 230ºc (450ºf) for 18 minutes. Lift out and allow the baguettes to cool before freezing them. Once cool place in an airtight container and freeze for up to one month. You can cook them straight from the freezer. Heat the oven to 230ºc (450ºf). Once heated pop them in the oven for 10 minutes. Ensure they are piping hot before lifting them out and then allow them to cool.

Recipe

Here's my recipe for these quick and easy french baguettes that are 100% gluten and dairy-free.

Special Equipment  

• Stand mixer with a dough hook

• Bench scraper

Ingredients

Dough

• 250g gluten free bread flour

• 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum

• 35g tapioca starch

• 8g yeast

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 3/4 cup warm water

• 1 egg white

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 15g butter melted
  

Method

This recipe is relatively simple to make. However, it will take time to go through each step. I recommend making the dough in the morning or the night before you want to eat these baguettes.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Rest Time: Min 2 hours

Bake Time: 15 minutes

Make the dough

1. Mix 1 tsp of active dried yeast into the jug of warm water.

2. Add the dry ingredients, gluten-free bread flour, xanthan gum, tapioca starch and salt into the bowl of the stand mixer. Stir by hand until so that everything is evenly distributed.

3. Make a well in the centre of your dry ingredients.

4. Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and pour the yeast water, egg white, vinegar, honey, and melted butter into the well. Lowering the dough hook and mixing on low for 5 minutes.

5. Increase the speed for 3 minutes until the dough is slightly whipped and stretchy.

6. Dust a work surface with flour. Form the dough into a ball on the work surface.

7. Place the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with cling film or a tea towel.

8. Leave the dough to rest in a warm place for an hour. You will want it to rise to 1.5 times the size. Place it into the fridge for two hours.

Make the baguettes

1. Lift the dough out of the fridge once it has been there for a couple of hours.

2. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

3. Lightly dust a clean work surface with plain bread flour.

4. With a bench scraper, split the dough into two equal portions

5. Roll the dough out, on the floured work surface into two long baguette shapes. About six inches in length.

6. Place the baguettes onto the baking sheet.

7. Cover with cling film and a tea towel. Leave in a warm place to proof for 30 minutes. It won't increase that much in size due to being gluten-free.

Cook the baguettes

1. Preheat the oven to 225ºc (450ºf)

2. Gentle dust the baguettes in flour and slice three lines into the baguettes.

3. Throw a few ice cubes into the oven and place the baguettes on the middle shelf for 18 minutes to cook. Then turn the tray around and bake for another 5 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Allow the baguettes to cool for 5 minutes before eating. If you want a softer crust, wrap the baguettes in a clean tea towel to allow the steam to soften the crust.

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For more gluten and dairy-free recipes inspiration, visit proudlyglutenfree.com