Gluten-free honey oat bread made with just a few simple ingredients, with no refined flour (oat flour only), refined sugar, or dairy! Like a bowl of oatmeal, but in bread form.
This honey oat bread has been one of the most popular recipes on my blog AND on YouTube for EIGHT years! Still to this day, the only thing more popular and loved is probably my honey oat flour muffins. It's so popular that I not only came up with a savory version, but also pretty much every other version you could think of, like pumpkin, zucchini, banana, etc. Mr. Hungry often calls this bread "Lord of the Rings" bread, and I mean, he's not wrong since it's made out of just oat flour with no yeast or gluten to give it a traditional bread structure.
I like to think of it like a bowl of oatmeal in bread form; that's exactly what it tastes like. But, this isn't your traditional sandwich bread; it's more like a muffin or quick bread (think banana bread). And despite Mr. Hungry's nickname for this bread, he actually loves it. Neither of us is a big bowl of oatmeal fan, so this recipe has always been a go-to for us to incorporate more oats into our diets in a fun and delicious way. It helped me a lot when nursing my babies to keep my milk supply up because I could eat it with just one hand.
Today I'm updating this post with some new photos (some photos are still original, because I still love them), and I'm including brand new process shots just to show you exactly how easy this recipe is to make.
How to Make Honey Oat Bread
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Step 1: Combine your wet ingredients, including honey, eggs, and milk. I used a whisk by hand, just make sure you have all that honey fully incorporated with milk and eggs.
Step 2: Grind oats into oat flour. Not shown, please see this post on How to Make Oat Flour in less than 2 minutes if you've never made oat flour.
Step 3: Combine oat flour with salt, baking powder, and baking soda. If you've just made your oat flour, you can add these ingredients to your food processor or blender and process for 10 seconds to incorporate.
Step 4: Add flour mixture to wet ingredients. The batter will be runny, but should have some resistance. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, 4-6 minutes. This allows the oats to begin to absorb some liquid.
Step 5: Prepare your bread pan. You can shove a big piece of parchment paper into the bread pan, covering the whole bread pan, OR you can cut a piece for the bottom and spray the sides. I do recommend using some parchment paper, though. I like to at least have it at the bottom, because I know for the sides I can run a knife around the dish, but if it sticks at the bottom, that's not as easy to deal with. And oats are sticky by nature.
What size bread pan? I typically use my glass Pyrex bread pan, which is 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5. You can use metal baking pans of slightly different sizes, which will just change the cooking time. The wider the bread pan, the faster it will typically bake.
Step 6: Bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes. I know this is a wide range, but cooking times will vary with bread pan sizes, oven variations, and altitude.
Step 7: Ideally, you let this cool completely OVERNIGHT. I usually let it cool in the pan for a couple of hours, then on a cooling rack for a couple of hours, before bed, I'll wrap it in Saran Wrap so it's ready for breakfast the next day. The longer you let it cool, the less crumbly it will be, but since this bread is like a muffin, it is a bit crumbly either way.
Honey Oat Bread Ingredients: Swaps and Substitutions
This recipe is dairy-free and gluten-free (if you use gluten-free oats) as written. See below for swap and substitution ideas. Load the comments on this post to read a ton of suggestions on swaps and substitutions readers have tried!
- Oat Flour – I prefer to make my own, but you can also buy it. Make sure it’s ground super fine with a food processor. Get step-by-step instructions on how to make oat flour in this post.
- Original Non-Dairy Milk – Any non-dairy milk will work here, but you’ll want the original unsweetened version, not vanilla. I’m not sure if cow's milk will work, though, because it has more fat and protein in it. If you don’t have nondairy milk on hand, I would use water and maybe a splash of vanilla extract. It's basically going to be the same result.
- Honey – You can substitute brown rice syrup for honey if you would like. I've had several readers use other sweeteners like maple syrup, but I haven't tried it personally.
- Eggs- I have not tried to replace them with more flax or chia eggs, but several readers have. Again, check the comment section for suggestions!
- Salt – do not omit
- Baking Soda & Powder – do not omit
How to Store and Freeze Honey Oat Bread
To Store at Room Temperature (up to 3 days) or in the refrigerator (up to 1 week.) Let the bread cool completely after baking. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container
To freeze for up to 3 months. Let cool completely. Never freeze warm bread—it causes ice crystals and fogginess. Wrap in plastic wrap or foil. Then place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or an airtight container. For Slices (great for individual portions): Slice the bread once fully cooled. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap. Store slices in a zip-top freezer bag.
How to Thaw: Let thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight. Individual Slices: Thaw at room temp or pop in the microwave for 20–30 seconds.
Honey Oat Bread - Gluten & Dairy Free
Equipment
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bread pan
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Food Processor or high powdered blender if making own oat flour
Ingredients
- 2.75 cups oat flour
- .75 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk
- ½ cup honey
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F.
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Using a food processor grind 3 cups of old fashioned rolled oats into fine oat flour. You want 2.75 cups of oat flour so if you end up short, grind more oats into flour. You want to grind for at least two minutes so that your oat flour is very fine. (or you can purchase fine oat flour.)
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Add salt, baking soda, and baking powder to the oat flour in the processor. Process or hand mix for 10 seconds.
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In a large bowl, whisk together honey, eggs, and unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
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Next, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until totally combined. The batter will be runny, but should have some resistance. Let the mixture sit for five minutes.
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Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan, slightly overlapping the edges of the bread pan. Place parchment paper in bread pan and spray parchment paper and sides of bread pan with cooking oil. Add the mixture to your parchment paper-lined bread pan, sprinkle with oats for decoration, and place on the middle rack of the oven horizontally.
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Bake for 35-45 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool COMPLETELY, ideally overnight. The bread is made just from oat flour, so it is a bit crumbly. If you let it cool completely overnight, it will be far less crumbly!
Video
Nutrition
carrie this fit chick says
This looks SO MOIST!!! I would love some of this with butter and honey!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
it's so good we are annihilating it!
Tina Marie Cotterill says
This bread was soooo good! Turned out perfect!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you loved it!
Emily @ Pizza and Pull-ups says
This looks awesome, I love quick breads. I imagine it smells amazing while baking. Thanks for sharing.
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious says
Glad you got some rest lady! I got caught up on a bunch of things too and passed my last final. WOOHOO!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
CONGRATS!
Susie @ Suzlyfe says
I love quick breads. Too much. I just at 5 muffins. (not kidding). Don't judge me.
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
I don't judge... I JOIN
Emily says
Lately, I am obsessed with making breads - and mini muffins! I'll be adding this recipe to my baking this weekend. Looks amazing! #client
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Let me know how it goes!
Nicole Carr says
The bread looks amazing. I am 110% sure that it will be very tasty to eat.
Robbie - Caterers Yorkshire says
My mouth is watering, this looks delicious, especially with the honey on top! I will definitely be making this over the weekend
Holly Jensen says
Just made a loaf last night. Wonderful, what is the best way to store the bread? Counter or fridge?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Great question! I kept mine in the refrigerator 🙂
Sarah says
I made this bread tonight and while it doesn't look impressive, it seriously tastes amazing!! I'm going to make this all autumn and winter long as a healthy addition to dinners. I only wish I knew your serving sizes so I can know how thick to cut my pieces of bread??
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Thanks for bringing this to my attention! It's ten slices, I just updated it!
Ana says
Hello...can I use another ingredient instead honey?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
You can use maple syrup or brown rice syrup!
Dean Taylor says
what if I just wanted a savoury bread?
Would excluding the honey make the batter not work?
Also, I wonder if adding a few bananas would make this a simple banana bread 🙂
I read alot about soaking oats before using them too to remove phytates etc, I wonder if soaking the oats would be an issue, then draining and blending them (to make the flour), though it would be moist, I wonder if it'd work
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Hi Dean! I think that soaking the oats will make it too moist as will adding bananas. But let us know if you try it and have success!
Dean Taylor says
Right I see, might need to dehydrate then 🙂
How about not adding honey (for savory bread)?
Thanks a lot!
Patty says
The first time I made this, I found it too sweet for my liking, so the next time, I used less than 1/4 cup honey, and added a touch more milk (I use dairy), and found it perfect. Because there is no yeast (which needs sugar in order to work), you shouldn't technically need any honey, but a little adds a nice flavour, and I'm sure the honey also helps hold the loaf together. I also add a couple of tablespoons of ground flax, which helps with binding.
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Thanks for your substitutions! Yes the honey acts as a binder, flax is a great addition as it also acts as a binder.
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Hi Dean! There is now a savory version of this bread up on the blog: https://hungryhobby.net/savory-oat-flour-bread/
Molly Cosper says
You could make the flour out of sprouted oats 😉 I am an oat soaker too and just use sprouted oats in things like this where I need oat flour or for granola bars
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
That's a great tip! Thanks!
Alison says
Could I substitute something for the eggs? We are egg-free at our house.
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
You could try a flax egg, chia egg, or egg substitute but I haven't tried it so I'm not sure if it will work! If you try it let me know!
Meg says
I use a flax substitute for the eggs. I've done it a few times now and it always works great! (1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp water for each egg)
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Oh, thank you! That's good to know this bread works as a vegan bread as well thank you for letting me know!
Sheila says
I’ve made the bread multiple times with flax eggs works good.
I’m going to try next time using maple syrup in place of honey.
Great bread tho! A favorite
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Thank you so much for sharing! I LOVE to hear how the modifications go and it helps other people as well!
Meg says
My little girl has gone gluten-free so I gave this bread a try...I've made it quite a few times now and even my kids that don't need to be gluten-free prefer this bread over their "normal" bread! It's so yummy! So glad I found it!
Julie says
Thank you Kelli for the brilliant recipe! My bread just came out of the oven and it is awesome! The smell and texture is wonderful! Definitely will make it again. Thanksjuli again! 😋
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Yeahhhhh!!!! So glad you love it as much as we do!
Linda says
Can you use yeast instead of baking powder and soda for a light bread. Would that work?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Hi Linda, I actually hardly ever bake with yeast so I don't know. My guess is that it would not work the same, but let us know if you try it!
Joy says
In the video for this bread, you use a metal pan. Which works better, metal or glass? And if the metal pan makes better bread, what brand and size are you using? Thanks!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Hi Joy! I've used both types of pans and they both come out well. The metal pan I have is 9 x 5in, the bread comes out a little shorter in this pan but longer width wise. I also have a glass pyrex bread pan that is 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5, the bread comes out a little taller but shorter width wise. Whichever you decide to use should be okay, just make sure you to use parchment paper and it should be fine!
Kaleia says
Thanks for the awesome recipe! I was wondering if I could exclude the honey? I'd like to make a plain oat bread.
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
I have not tried it! The honey acts as both a binder and a wet ingredient. If you try it I would suggest increasing the milk content, I'm just not sure by how much. You want it to have the same viscosity as what is in the video or it may crumble and fall apart. Let us know if you try it, I'm sure other people may want to know how it goes as well! Good luck!
Kaleia says
Thank you, will let you know.
Claire says
Could you use coconut oil or olive oil in place of the honey to get a more savory effect?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Hi Kaleia, since oil is a fat and honey is a starch, their consistencies are different. I don't think this would work. However, I've had the request to make an unsweetened version of this bread several times now. So I'm thinking about trying to modify it myself. Stay tuned!
Cassi says
Any luck with an lightly/unsweetened version of this recipe? This bread is perfect for my son but doesn’t go with tuna fish very well😜
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Just posted a savory version of this bread! Here is the link --> https://hungryhobby.net/savory-oat-flour-bread/
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
I just posted a savory version of this bread! Here is the link --> https://hungryhobby.net/savory-oat-flour-bread/
Eylul says
Just making this right now, thanks a lot for the recipe! I'm the only one in the family who's into oats,so I'll probably be the only one devouring it 😀 I wonder if it would freeze well? Has anyone tried to maybe freeze it in slices and throw it in the toaster when needed?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
I feel like I did freeze half of the loaf (totally together not in slices) once and then defrosted the whole thing and it was fine. If you try freezing and toasting individual slices like you said please let us know how it goes!
Eylul says
That's great news, thanks! I followed the recipe exactly and it tastes amazing btw. I'll try freezing it and let you know 🙂
Laura says
I love this recipe! I freeze slices separated by parchment paper. The slices are great toasted and topped with ghee & honey. And we just made waffles & mini donut shapes—both delicious.
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Thank you, Laura! So glad you hear you liked the recipe!
Brittany says
This is my first time trying one of your recipes, and it was a success! I made it last night and probably ate about a quarter of the loaf by myself! I ate it plain and also with some flavored honey butter, and it was delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
So glad you liked it, Brittany! I need to get some flavored honey butter that sounds DELICIOUS!
Rebeccca says
Made this bread yesterday and it turned out INCREDIBLE!!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Thank you for sharing! Enjoy!
Jess says
What would you substitute instead of the almond milk? Dairy or is just water ok?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
I think water would be just fine! (I haven't tried it though.)
Dima says
Hello, can I replace almond milk with coconut milk?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Hi! You could use the kind of coconut milk that comes in the carton but not canned coconut milk. Thanks!
Lily says
Made it tonight, and it is sooooo good! Didn't make any substitutions, except for baking the batter in muffin tins rather than a bread pan. Quick, easy, delicious, and healthy bread recipe to suit my many allergies!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
I'll have to try making it in a muffin tin that sounds like a great freezer-friendly version! How many muffins did it make for you?
Chang says
Yummy said my tummy! We made this recipe this morning. It was SO delicious. Definitely going to bake this often. Great recipe share. Thanks so much . . .
Kari Bohning says
Could I use Xylitol in place of the honey and had the same amount of liquid to for the honey?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
unfortunately that wont work honey acts as a binder
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Here is a savory version with less honey I just posted! https://hungryhobby.net/savory-oat-flour-bread/
Michelle R Kilner says
I just made this bread for my family and we love it!!! I added 2tsp of xanthan gum to help with the crumbly issue some people said they had. It turned out PERFECT! Smells and tastes like the expensive muffins I had and loved at a gathering some time ago. This will be a regular in our home from now on. I might even try adding raisins to it some time soon.
Thank-you for this great recipe!
Tanvi says
Great recipe - going to try this out today! If I want a more savory bread, what can I swap out the honey with?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
I actually have a savory recipe coming this week!
CARTER says
Can this be made in a bread machine?
Do you think the eggs can be replaced with aqua fib?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
I've never used a bread machine so I'm not sure! I've also never baked with aqua fib either so I'm not sure! If you try it please let us know how it goes!
Giselle says
it's my second time making this oatmeal bread! i absolutely love it.
i use unsweetened date syrup instead of honey and use much less of it, cause i like it more savoury.
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Thanks for sharing your modifications! I also recently posted a savory version! --> https://hungryhobby.net/savory-oat-flour-bread/
Grace C. says
Excited to find this recipe since I have tons of oat flour just waiting to be used. I do have a question. Here’s the standard: For a recipe that calls for metal pan, and if using glass dish, reduce oven temp by 25 degrees and bake up to 10 min longer. So if baking with metal for a recipe that calls for glass (as yours does), do I increase baking temp by 25 degrees and decrease baking time by 10 min? So 375F and 30 to 35 min? Or do I simply bake at 350F and increase baking time by 10 min? Note: my gas oven typically runs 15-25F hotter. I don't have glass pans, only metal ones.
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Hi Grace, I've made this recipe in both types of pans. I usually keep it at 350F and watch it, it does cook a bit quicker in metal pan but I think that is because my metal pan is wider than my glass pan so the bread is more spread out allowing it to cook faster. I wouldn't worry about changing the temp just reduce the cooking time and watch it. You'll know it's done when you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. Also, I like to "feel" the top of it to make sure it's set and has a little bit of resistance. It should be golden brown. I hope that helps!
Peyton payne says
This is my favorite bread recipe EVER! We are gluten free and it’s heavenly.
I am trying to get the bread to rise a little more, will letting it sit longer than just 5 minutes give it an extra rise, even without yeast? I am hoping the baking soda and powder still act as the rising agents as I am hoping letting it rise for 15 minutes or so will still work.
Any ideas if using yeast would work? Just looking for a higher bread. Thank you!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Could you bake it in a skinnier taller pan? Just a thought! I'm not sure about the yeast, my husband is allergic so I don't ever use it.
peyton says
I would if I had one! I let it rise longer and it definitely was a taller loaf but split at the top. Just hoping to use it more for larger sandwiches. Thank you!
adams@nationalrestaurantny says
Yum this looks amazing thanks for sharing this recipe and nutritional info! Can’t wait to try this recipe out!
eatfrysmith says
Delicious and nutritious recipe, I love this dish, thank you for your inspiration
Zayna says
This was DIVINE!!! I did however make a few changes; I reduced honey content to say 2 Tbsp, added 2 tsp of coconut flour at the end, swapped the baking soda and baking powder measurements and I also put sesame seeds ontop. Brilliance
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
YUM!!!!
Williams says
I love to cook! Learning and updating new recipes for daily menu makes me more interested and love my work. Today's my lucky day, BOWL HONEY OAT BREAD is great, just follow the instructions and everything is easy, I like that. Thanks for your sharing
Peyton says
Help! How can I turn these into rolls for thanksgiving?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
I don't know about rolls, but you could do muffins! Just start checking them at about half the baking time, because they will cook faster!
Peyton says
Oh genius!!!! Perfect I’m excited
Shelley M says
Maybe adding a baking binder or pectin(which I see in recipes) never used thie. Or guar guar or xanthan gum would prevent the crumbling???? It's in oven now just as directed by you... Looks delicious, can't wait!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
That's a good idea! Let me know if you try it!
Mary Margaret Regan says
This is a wonderful recipe. Thank you! I substituted unsweetened organic coconut milk and added 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon...and a bit more oat flour to counter the liquid of the vanilla. It is so yummy I'm already on my second piece. Next time, I may add finely chopped walnuts for texture and a sprinkle of rolled oats on top as in the photo. Cheers!
Colleen says
I have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease. I have been craving bread. Store bought simply won't do-so gross! I was in tears this morning and starting scanning the internet. All I wanted was a piece of toast. When I saw this recipe I was so excited because it had simple ingredients and not the 5-8 eggs I find in other recipes. It is so delicious and smells amazing! This is a keeper for sure! Thank you for making my day!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Ahhhh this made me so happy (that you liked the bread)! A Celiac diagnosis is life-changing (I don't have it but I work with clients who have it all the time) I'm so glad this bread was able to help you! I'm not sure if you've seen an RD yet to help you navigate your needs and review issues of cross-contamination, but just make sure you buy gluten-free oats to avoid cross-contamination. Also, about 90% of my recipes are gluten-free, and all of my meal plans are gluten-free so if you need help getting started I hope all those resources help you!
AAB says
This was delicious. I added nutmeg to mine but that was the only addition.
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Yum! I'll have to try that!
SB says
Not bad. Especially if you like the tastes of oats. A little too bland in my opinion. However, I think some chopped up pecans and something to add a little more sweetness would be great!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Yum! I like to eat mine with peanut butter on it!
Suzanne says
This looks so good! Does it crumble very easily? Good for sandwiches or as a dessert bread?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
It's very sweet so more of dessert bread. 🙂
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
I mean I've had mine stay good 2 weeks in the fridge or more!
Rebecca says
This is one of favorite gluten free breads. I decided to do a little experimenting to see if it might help with the texture (tends to be a little chewy). I used 2 cups of oat flour and 3/4 cup of Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free flour. I followed the recipe for everything else though. Changing the flour slightly helped so much with the texture and even gave the bread a whole wheat flavor. Turns out delicious every time! <3
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
YUMMMMMMMMM!!!!!! I've experimented around with this too, I just haven't posted anything because most of my readers prefer the use of oat flour only in my recipes. But, thank you for sharing because there may be other people who want to try this with a mix of flours!
Maryann says
My husband said ,This is bread? It's not some kind of yummy treat? Hes asking for seconds. We love it.
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
That's basically what my husband says too! Thanks for trying my recipe!
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What a perfect gf/df bread for morning toast or snack!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
Enjoy!
Kelli Shallal MPH RD says
so good!