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Sometimes you just come across the perfect recipe by accident – and this gluten free chocolate chip brioche is exactly that!
A super soft and pillowy enriched gluten free bread speckled with dark chocolate chips, it’s the dream gluten free bread for breakfast or brunch.
I love a gluten free brioche and after perfecting my gluten free brioche burger buns, I set my sights on a sweet bread loaf.
When I discovered this gluten free choc chip brioche recipe, I was actually attempting a different recipe and made double the quantity of dough I needed.
But after the first bake turned into a disaster, I quickly decided to throw the remaining dough into a quick, brioche-style loaf, and hope for the best.
And my goodness me, it was the best gamble I’ve ever taken!
This brioche loaf looks absolutely gorgeous and is INSANE when eaten still warm with all the melty choc chips inside.
It also makes excellent gluten free French toast which was what most of this loaf got made into over the following days!
What is gluten free brioche?
Brioche is a French bread which is enriched with butter and eggs.
This gives it a lovely rich flavour and keeps it super soft and fluffy inside.
I love enjoying gluten free brioche warm from the oven as part of a hearty brunch.
It’s also amazing toasted or you can make it into the best gluten free French toast.
The addition dark chocolate chips gives it a lovely sweetness and makes this gluten free choc chip brioche extra special.
You could use milk chocolate if you prefer but I like dark chocolate as it’s not overpoweringly sweet then.
Working with gluten free bread is a little different to ‘normal’ bread – the lack of gluten really affects the texture.
Don’t be alarmed that it doesn’t resemble a pliable, easy-to-knead dough though, as I promise the end results will be worth the journey!
What ingredients do I need?
There’s a full printable recipe card below, but for the shopping list you’ll need the following:
- 150ml milk
- 40g caster sugar
- 7g dried yeast
- 300g FREEE gluten free bread flour
- ½ tsp xanthan gum
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs (plus 1 extra beaten egg for brushing)
- 75g butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100g dark chocolate chips
For the flour I use the FREEE gluten free white bread flour which is available in most UK supermarkets.
For those that don’t have access to this, I’d recommend using a blend made up of rice, potato and tapioca flour to replicate this.
The concept of a gluten free brioche bun is that it is an enriched dough.
This means it contains milk, butter and eggs which give it a lovely soft texture and enhanced flavour.
CAN THIS BE MADE DAIRY FREE?
What this does also mean, is that I haven’t yet managed to create a dairy free or vegan version yet.
I’m not sure how well it would work to just straight-swap the dairy and egg for dairy free versions, so without trying it myself I wouldn’t recommend it.
That being said, if you’re an experienced vegan baker and give this a go, I’d love to hear how you get on and what works for you!
WHICH YEAST IS GLUTEN FREE?
I am based in the UK and there are several yeast products here which are gluten free and readily available.
I always use either the Allinson’s Easy Bake Yeast or the Dove’s Farm Quick Yeast.
You can also use the Allinson’s Time Saver Yeast, though be aware that you may not need to prove the dough for as long if you use this.
All of these yeasts are gluten free in the UK.
The Dove’s Farm one is certified gluten free and found in the free from aisle.
The Allinson’s yeasts are free from gluten and can be found with the ‘regular’ baking goods.
TESTING IF YOUR YEAST IS ACTIVE
It’s very important with any bread recipe that you activate the yeast before using it.
To do this, all of my gluten free bread-based recipes start by mixing the yeast with warm milk (or some of them with water) and sugar.
I’d strongly recommend using a food thermometer like this one to ensure the water or milk is around 40’C – skin temperature.
Too hot and it will kill the yeast, which means your bake will not rise.
When left in a warm spot for 5-10 minutes, the yeast should form a frothy top a bit like the head on beer.
This means your yeast is active and you’re good to go!
If your yeast doesn’t froth up after 10 minutes, it’s likely it is dead and you’ll need to discard it and start again.
Sometimes yeast can go out of date so this could be a reason for it not frothing.
You also need to make sure the water is warm – not hot.
If you don’t have a food thermometer, when you pop your finger in it, it should be a warm, comfortable temperature, around the same as your skin.
If it feels hot or cold, it’s likely that it’s not the right temperature, which is why I can’t recommend spending the £8-10 on a thermometer enough!
My gluten free chocolate chip brioche recipe
If you’re looking for the ultimate sweet bread then this gluten free chocolate chip brioche recipe is perfect.
It’s made in a 2lb loaf tin making a lovely loaf big enough for the whole family.
If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!
And please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me.
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Brioche
This Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Brioche recipe is a super easy sweet gluten free bread. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or for French toast! This recipe makes one 2lb loaf - enough for around 12 slices - and freezes well.
Ingredients
- 150ml milk
- 40g caster sugar
- 7g dried yeast
- 300g FREEE gluten free bread flour
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs (plus 1 extra beaten egg for brushing)
- 75g butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100g dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Take a 2lb loaf tin, grease it but some butter and then line with a sheet of baking paper. You want this to overhang the long edges enough that you can lift the finished loaf out when cooked. Set to one side.
- Measure out the milk into a small pan and warm it on a very low heat until it is around 40'C - I'd recommend a food thermometer to get this right but if you don't have one, you want it to feel around the same temperature as your skin. Remove from the heat and pour into a jug.
- Stir the sugar into the warm milk and until dissolved, then add the yeast and stir again. Leave in a warm spot for 5-10 minutes for the yeast to activate. It should form a lovely froth on top when it's ready.
- Add the gluten free bread flour, xanthan gum and baking powder to a large mixing bowl and stir to mix together.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract to a mug and and lightly whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave (in 10 second intervals so it doesn't burn).
- Once the yeast/milk mixture is active (frothy), pour it into the flour along with the egg and the melted butter. Using a wooden spoon, beat the mixture together vigorously to combine it into a thick, sticky dough. Pour in the chocolate chips and mix again until they are evenly distributed. The dough will be quite stiff and sticky to stir - you'll need some elbow grease!
- Generously flour the worktop with extra gluten free flour and turn the dough out onto it. Dust your hands with flour and gently knead the dough a little - try not to incorporate too much flour into the mix - until it forms a smooth ball.
- Separate the dough into seven pieces, roughly the same size, and roll each piece into a ball. Place 4 of the pieces into the lined loaf tin along one side, then place the other 3 balls into the gaps. it should look like this:
- Cover the tin with a piece of oiled clingfilm, then place in a draft-free, warm spot to prove for around 60 minutes. You want the dough to puff up nicely like this:
- When the dough is nearly done proving, preheat the oven to 180'C / Fan 160'C / Gas Mark 4. Remove the clingfilm from the loaf and then brush with beaten egg all over.
- Once hot, place the bread in the centre of the oven and bake for 40 minutes. If it starts to go too brown on top, cover with foil before continuing the bake. The bread is ready when it's golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the top and bottom.
- Remove the cooked loaf from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for at least 20-30 minutes before eating. You want to eat it warm - NOT hot!
Notes
- This gluten free brioche is best eaten fresh from the oven (after 30mins to cool) - otherwise it is best refreshed in the oven for 4-5 mins. You can also microwave them for 10-20 seconds to refresh before eating. It also freezes well.
- If the yeast/milk mixture doesn't form a froth after 10 minutes it's likely that it is dead. Discard and test your yeast - if it still doesn't froth you'll need a fresh batch as it won't activate and rise.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 238Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 210mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 2gSugar: 10gProtein: 5g
NEED SOME MORE GLUTEN FREE Bread RECIPES?
If you want to have a go at some of the other gluten free baking recipes on the blog, why not give some of these a try? They’re perfect to satisfy any cake cravings!
- Easy gluten free hot cross buns
- Gluten free brioche burger buns
- Salted caramel hot cross buns
- Gluten free cinnamon rolls
If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram.
And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!
Oh – and don’t forget to sign up for my e-newsletter where you’ll know about all my latest posts and competitions first!
LIKE THIS Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Brioche RECIPE?
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Oh my goodness! I want to make this so much, but I recently found out that I can’t eat any rice at all anymore. That presents a problem with gluten free flour mixes. Rice flour is everywhere. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.
Hi Sarah, you will be amazed but I wasn’t aware of gluten-free food and drinks until the beginning of this year. But when I did, there is nothing that I go without checking the labels. Also, it has eased inflammation and bloating problems. Anyways, I would definitely give this choco-chip brioche recipe a try and let you know how it came out to be, HA HA. Thank you.