Sugar-Free Buckwheat Quick Bread - An easy and delicious bread recipe that's made without yeast or sugar! A great option for those with gluten allergies or on low sugar diets.
The beauty of (buckwheat) bread
There isn't much in this life that's better than freshly baked bread.
The smell, the taste, that first bite smothered with one fat-laden spread or another. It's literal heaven on earth!
I usually try to have some type of homemade bread or muffin to give my kids in the morning before school.
That, in combination with a smoothie, is usually what they eat for breakfast, and it seems to tide them over well until snack time.
A few of their favorite breads already on the blog include this Whole-Grain Spelt Naan, Mixed Berry Muffins, and Low Sugar Chocolate Chip Muffins.
I've gradually been transitioning away from yeast breads in favor of those that rely on a combination of an acidic milk paired with baking soda and/or baking powder.
I find these types of loaves just as satisfying and much faster to make!
I love this Gluten-Free Bread already on the blog, but given that I also love to experiment in the kitchen, I decided to take a stab at a bread free of both eggs and oil and based around one of my favorite flours, buckwheat!
This loaf turned out beautifully, and the addition of cooked quinoa gives it a natural protein boost.
It's also approved by the entire family, which is always nice, though I know I could eat this all myself!
We enjoy this topped any number of ways; for the girls, it's usually a big pat of butter or a drizzle of olive oil, and for me, Laura Scudder's peanut butter.
However you eat it, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Sugar-Free Buckwheat Quick Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups buckwheat flour ground from raw groats (see Notes)
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ cup cooked quinoa
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk (see Notes)
- ½ cup applesauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- To make your 'buttermilk', add 1 1/2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a measuring cup; then, add in enough milk to total 1 1/2 cups.
- Stir and let sit for 2-3 minutes.
- Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt).
- Mix wet ingredients in a medium bowl ('buttermilk' and applesauce).
- Mix everything together, including the quinoa, until well combined.
- Pour the batter (it will be wet) into a well-oiled loaf pan.
- Bake 30-40 minutes until golden and springy to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and cover the pan with a tea towel for 10 minutes while the loaf cools.
- Remove from pan, slice, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Notes:
I only use buckwheat flour ground from these raw groats, but I suspect the pre-ground kind will work here as well.
I use this Homemade Coconut Milk to make the buttermilk for this recipe.
Some of the items I use in this recipe include:
Laura
Greetings, Lauren! I adore your recipes. I used your recipe to make a sugar-free chocolate bread. I used the following. I cannot use buckwheat anymore :(, so I used Einkorn flour instead. Red quinoa instead of white. No applesauce but use grated apple, next time I will just grind up the apple. 1 Tbsp Stevia Leaf Powder plus 6-7 drops liquid Stevia.
I love it. I am so happy with it. It rose very nicely.
Thank you, your recipes are always delightful, and I can count on your recipes to be good.
Kelley
I don’t like using dairy and instead use almond milk or coconut milk, to use your buttermilk can I add the vinegar to either of these milk options for the “buttermilk “? Thanks
Lauren
Yes! I make mine with my homemade coconut milk, and it works great.
Cb
Your link to homemade coconut milk doesn't work. Also do I use the same amount of coconut milk as I would for buttermilk.
Lauren
The link should be fixed now! And yes, the liquid amount would be the same. 🙂
Cb
Thanks! Looking forward to making this.
Denise
What is the bread pan size? Many bread recipes do not state the pan size, but I've noticed that the paleo and gluten-free breads usually use an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" pan. I'm looking forward to baking this buckwheat bread!
Dudley Shumate
I make this bread EVERY WEEK! Getting ready to hit the road for work for a couple weeks and was wondering, have you ever tried freezing it? Thanks for info, I add alot of spices to my loaf and eat with nut butter. SO GOOD!
Lauren
Sorry for the late response, Dudley, I do think this would freeze nicely! Thanks for the comment and rating. 🙂
Dudley
I have made a loaf a week for a year!! Use buckwheat groats instead of quoina. And add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom. It is THE BEST! I eat with different nut butters. 😁
Michelle
Interested to know why you use apple sauce as well as buttermilk? I've tried another "one ingredient only"recipe that uses only water (& some salt). The loaf was too wet after a short bake (40 mins @ 218°C) which that particular recipe called for. I tried dehydrating it in the oven at 50°C without success. Since any gluten-free bread recipe I've tried, seems to end up too "damp", I'm just a little concerned about your very similar recipe with 2 wet ingredients being the same & in my bin because the family finds it tasteless & unpalatable. Getting a bit frustrated with these recipes where the images also don't look at all like the bread coming out of my oven.
Simona
Hi, i tried the recipe, it came out very dark brown, as if i put cocoa in. It was packed buckwheat flour. I also replaced apple sauce with flax seeds meal. Really nice, almost like a cake. I also put oats as i did not have quinoa. Thank you for your ideas, always happy to try new things for my allergic kid.
Lauren
Hi Simona,
There are two variations of buckwheat flour, it sounds like maybe you have the darker variety. Also, the flax will add some darker color. I'm happy you enjoyed it in the end! 🙂
jonathan
Simona, how much flax seed meal did you use? Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Olga
That's an excellent loaf, easy to put together, no yeast, a great way to use left-over quinoa.
The crumb looks good; it's earthy wholesome, very satisfying. Thank you, Lauren!
Lee Rosenthal
would quinoa flour or spelt flour work?
Lauren
Hi Lee,
I'm not sure, it may be worth a shot. I have these spelt biscuits as well, if you're interested: https://www.oatmealwithafork.com/spelt-pumpkin-biscuits/
Sophie
Hi Lauren!
I am interested in making this recipe to slice and use as sandwich bread - would this recipe work for that? Or would it be too sweet? It seems like the other comments on the blog say that they top it with sweet options rather than savory fillings.
Thank you in advance!
Lauren
I've not used it that way, as it's a denser bread. I don't find that it has a sweet taste myself, but you could try replacing the applesauce with pumpkin if you're worried?
Sophie
Hi Lauren,
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly! I think the pumpkin substitute sounds like a great idea. I will report back once I give it a try.
Jan
Can I use the “make your own buttermilk “ recipe with Oat Milk?
Lauren
That should work fine!
Dudley Shumate
Just now made this, subbed steel cut oats for the quinoa and added fresh rosemary from my garden. Holy moly, it is FANTASTIC! I will be making this on a regular basis. Thank you!!
Lauren
Thank YOU for your comment, Dudley. I'm so happy it worked out for you!
Dudley Shumate
I wish I could post a pic, it turned out the most gorgeous golden colour and I don't know why? Nothing in it is yellow? I used very very light coloured buckwheat flour. Oiled the parchment lined pan with olive oil. It's like I put saffron or turmeric in it but I didn't? It's beautiful and tasty!
Ayelet Nevo
Sounds great!
I was wondering is there a way to turn it into a salty bread that can go with anything?
Can I substitute the apple sauce with eggs ?
Coconut milk with almond milk?
Thanks
SGK
The bread was yummy.. made it as is today.
What should I change in the recipe if I wanted to add some veggies (like zucchini) to it? Can I reduce the quantity of buckwheat?
Lauren
Hi there,
I'm not certain about the changes as I've not tried, but you would probably be reducing the applesauce or buttermilk, as zucchini adds moisture.
Liliana
My toddler has a dairy, egg and wheat allergy so it’s been rough trying to find recipes for her, especially since i was never a cook to begin with, but this came out perfect! I followed the recipe and used pre ground buckwheat. Just wondering if you think I can add banana to this to sweeten it up for her? Thanks 🙂
Lauren
Oh, that's great Liliana! Yes, I think that would work...I'd maybe replace the applesauce with banana and more if you need it to get the same consistency. 🙂
Liliana
Ok, I’ll give that a try..thank you!!
Lee
How about quinoa flakes, cooked?
Lauren
I think you'd be better off with just the flakes, as the cooked may add too much moisture? I can't say for certain on anything other than what I've tried. Baking can be tricky, as it is a bit more exact than cooking.
Lee
How would cooked farro work instead of quinoa?
Lauren
It seems like it would, but because farro is heavier, the bread may turn out a bit more dense.
Erin
This has become my new staple bread. I’ve suddenly become gluten, yeast, and dairy intolerant, all at once. I’m feeling my way through a new way of eating, and this bread recipe has helped me feel grounded. Since I’m single and can’t consume a whole loaf in one week, I slice it and freeze half. It freezes and toasts beautifully.
I’ve made this with pure, preground buckwheat (toasted) and pumpkin in place of applesauce, but I find, with the preground dark buckwheat it’s too earthy for my palate (along the lines of a dark rye or pumpernickel).
I’m not a quinoa fan, so I use 1/2 cup rolled oats in its place. It works great.
I’ve added 1 tsp of xanthan gum to give a little more elasticity to the bread.
By far, my favorite is the recipe as written (with the oat substitute and xanthan gum addition). It’s a fantastic base recipe and easy to add herbs/spices to change it up.
Lauren
Thanks so much for your comment, Erin! I've wanted to play around with this more, so you've given me some incentive. I love the idea of adding herbs or even making a cinnamon raisin variation. I'll have to try the oats sometime too! 🙂
Mariah
My Mom and I made this bread today and it looks great!!😊🍞
Shannon O'Connor
Sounds great but I really dislike applesauce. Is there a substitute?
Lauren
I haven't tried anything else myself, but pumpkin puree might work, though it's thicker in consistency. Maybe half pumpkin, half oil...
Shannon
Thank you! Will try it 🙂
Renee
Anyway I can do without buttermilk? Just regular?
Lauren
Hi Renee,
The buttermilk helps the bread to rise, so I wouldn't omit it. You can make your own by mixing 1 1/2 tablespoons of vinegar with 1 1/2 cups milk. See my notes for further instruction. 🙂
Lee
I made as muffins and added an unpeeled chopped apple to the batter. It was great.
Tammy
I made this last night using preground buckwheat flour. I absolutely love it -- thank you! I think the preground flour is probably a bit stronger in flavor than if you grind it yourself, so I will be getting some buckwheat groats and grinding them next time, just for a slightly milder flavor. Even my 6-year-old loved it! She said she likes it better than her usual store-bought Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread! I topped hers with fruit-sweetened jam and peanut butter, and I topped mine with almond butter, hemp seeds, and sliced banana. I love that this bread is oil-free, gluten-free, vegan, and sweetened only with applesauce. It's super filling, too -- and that's saying a lot for this always-hungry, breastfeeding mama! Even my 13-month-old son enjoyed the bread with nut butter and apple butter on top. How do you think this would work with 1/2 buckwheat flour, 1/2 oat flour? I'd love to try some more combos! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes! So excited to have found your blog!
Lauren
Thanks Tammy, your toppings are making me hungry! I think the oat flour would work, though buckwheat is slightly more absorbent, so you may need a tad more. I should try that, I bet the flavor would be great!
Tammy
Great! Thanks for getting back to me! Please comment back if you try it, and I will, too! I think I will be trying it very soon. 🙂
Niki
How well does this freeze or how long does it keep otherwise?
Lauren
Hi Niki,
It freezes fairly well, though it's been a while since I tried. It keeps about one week in the fridge. 🙂
Lee
I used leftover cooked oatmeal instead of quinoa because I had it. So far, so good!
Great recipe
Tilly
This is THE BEST buckwheat bread recipe ever!!!!
I have tried around 10 different recipes for vegan glutenfree oilfree buckweat bread. They all were a disaster.
This bread is amaaazing! So soft, so moist, so tasty!! Yeahhhh am so happy!!!
Thanks Lauren!!!
Danielle
This is fantastic! It feels so much like real bread. Except for the one family member who doesn't like buckwheat AT ALL. Can you make this bread with other gluten free. whole grain flours? Like maybe millet? Thanks!
Lauren
Thanks Danielle! I'm not certain about the millet, though I'm curious myself now and may have to try it! If you try anything, please let me know how it works. 🙂
Georgie
This was wonderful with a big chunk of butter straight out of the oven!
Amy
Do you think this would work if I just omitted the quinoa? My son has 2year old leaky gut and doesn't do well with whole grains yet (he does tolerate when I turn them into sprouted flour) . Or suggestions instead?
We love recipe otherwise! I've made it for my daughter and myself. Lovely toasted with some coconut oil and a pinch of salt and cinnamon. Yum!
Lauren
Hi Amy,
I think it would work, though I haven't tried myself. You could add in the same amount of pumpkin seeds in place of it if you like!
Danielle
Yes! I did it and it was just fine.
Patti
Thanks for another excellent recipe!! It turned out great...pretty close to your pictures too - not bad for my first try ??.
I didn't have any applesauce on hand so I just puréed a raw Apple...it worked just fine.
The breads texture reminds me of banana bread (minus the intolerable bananas ?). I will try toasting it as well.
Thank you once again.
Mary Ellen @ VNutrition
I need some more bread in my life and this look looks sooo good. Really cool that you used quinoa.
My favorite toppings for bread are any kind of nut butter. 🙂
kimmythevegan
Woah this looks good! I was fully expecting this to have gluten in it and I'm SO EXCITED that it's "Kimmy-friendly" =)
I actually haven't tried making homemade bread... I thought it would be a pain, but you make it sound so easy, I can totally try this out.
The only thing - when I try clicking the link for the homemade coconut milk it takes me to the buckwheat groats. I would love to see the recipe for the milk so I can make this awesome bread!
Thanks so much for sharing this at Healthy Vegan Fridays! I'm pinning & sharing =)
Lauren
Thanks Kimmy, I'll change it now! 🙂
kimmythevegan
Thank you!! That "milk" recipe is so easy - I can't wait to make this bread!
Raia
Ahh! Genius, Lauren. 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing it with us at AFT. I'm going to feature it at this week's party! I can't wait to try it. 🙂
Lauren
Thanks so much Raia! I hope you like it if you try it. 😀
Bethany
This bread looks perfect. Yum!
Lauren
Thanks Bethany! 🙂
Lee
I made the recipe as muffins and added a chopped unpeeled apple to the muffin batter. Great
Lauren
Thanks for the comment Lee, I'm happy you enjoyed the recipe!