This Amazing Gluten-Free Sourdough Honey Bread is so delicious, and it’s made easy with a gluten-free starter. Paired with a little yeast, the starter gives this loaf a great crumb and real sourdough flavor.

I’ve been changing up my gluten-free bread recipes for a long time, trying to get the perfect result. The change in this one was using yeast along with the gluten-free starter. I’ve also been favoring psyllium husk over xanthan gum as a binder, because I like the results better.

When I first looked up what psyllium husk is, one of the top results was Metamucil. That wasn’t the result I was looking for, but maybe you were! LOL. It turns out psyllium is a fiber from the husks of the Plantago ovata plant’s seeds. How do scientists figure this stuff out?

The other key ingredient is apple cider vinegar. I’m convinced it has a lot to do with why my Gluten-Free Honey White Bread is such a winner, so it went in here too. And the honey adds a lot. It gives the crust a beautiful color and the bread a gentle sweetness. If you want to see my other favorite loaves, they’re all in 7 Gluten-Free Bread Recipes I Actually Bake.

Jump to Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Sourdough Honey Bread

• Real sourdough flavor. The gluten-free starter gives it that tangy, complex taste.
• A better crumb. A little yeast alongside the starter gives a lighter, more open texture.
• It holds together. Psyllium husk and two eggs give the loaf structure.
• Lightly sweet. Honey balances the tang and browns the crust.

Key Ingredients for Gluten-Free Sourdough Honey Bread

Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter

The starter brings the flavor and helps the rise. Make sure it’s active and bubbly. I made mine with this recipe from Fresh Is Real.

Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Flour and Cassava Flour

Bob’s 1-to-1 is the base, and a half cup of cassava flour adds a little chew. For more on gluten-free flours, see my Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free Flours for Bread Making.

Psyllium Husk

My favorite gluten-free binder. It forms a gel that gives the dough stretch and the bread structure.

Honey and Apple Cider Vinegar

Honey adds sweetness and color, and apple cider vinegar helps the texture.

Dry Milk Powder, Eggs and Olive Oil

These add richness and help the bread stay soft.

Club Soda, Yeast, Baking Powder and Baking Soda

The bubbles in the club soda, plus the yeast and leaveners, help lighten the loaf.

How to Make It

• Bloom the yeast with the starter and honey for about 10 minutes.
• Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, and mix the wet ingredients in a stand mixer.
• Add the dry ingredients and the club soda to the mixer in three additions. The dough should be more like dough than batter.
• Cover and let it rise in a warm spot for 2 hours. Knead briefly with a dough scraper, shape it on oiled parchment and let it rise another 30 to 60 minutes.
• Dust the top with flour and a little oil, slide it onto a baking stone and bake at 350°F for about 60 minutes. Check that the inside has reached about 210°F.

Tips for the Best Loaf

• Feed your starter first. A lively starter makes a big difference.
• Find a warm spot for the rise. Gluten-free dough is slow in a cold kitchen.
• Use a thermometer. About 210°F inside means it’s done.
• Cool it completely. Slicing too early makes the inside gummy.

A Little Sourdough History

Sourdough is the oldest way to leaven bread. Long before commercial yeast existed, bakers kept a starter of flour and water full of wild yeast and bacteria, feeding it and passing it down for years. In America, sourdough is famously tied to San Francisco and the Gold Rush. Prospectors carried their starters with them, and the old-timers were nicknamed “sourdoughs.” A gluten-free starter works the same way, just with gluten-free flours.

Serving Suggestions

• Toast: with butter and jam, or honey.
• Soup and stew: thick slices for dipping.
• Sandwiches: turkey, avocado or a grilled cheese.
• Breakfast: topped with a fried egg.

More Gluten-Free Breads to Try

• 7 Gluten-Free Bread Recipes I Actually Bake
• GF Sourdough Honey Bread
• Gluten-Free Psyllium Husk Bread
• Gluten-Free Maple Syrup Sourdough Bread

Final Thoughts

If you keep a gluten-free starter, this is the loaf to bake. It takes most of an afternoon, but most of that is the dough rising on its own. Slice it thick, serve it with good butter, and let me know in the comments how yours turns out.