A super easy, totally foolproof, quick yeast-free Spelt Bread that is ready from start to finish in a little over an hour. It's rustic, full of nutty, hearty flavours and perfectly soft and fluffy inside!
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In a little over an hour, start to finish, a gorgeous warm loaf of completely yeast-free Spelt Bread could be yours to enjoy.
We're talking wholesome, rustic bread that can be made with nothing more than a bowl and a spoon and a loaf pan. We're talking so easy it's crazy and we're talking so tasty when schmeared with vegan butter that you might want to double up the recipe because one loaf will be gone before you know it.
The spelt flour gives this yeast-free bread a nutty, savoury, hearty flavour just like it does in my Vegan Spelt Pancakes. It's soft and fluffy on the inside and slightly crusty and chewy with a scattering of nubbly, toasty oats on the outside. If you'd rather bake with white flour though, go check out my No Yeast White Bread which is an adapted version of this recipe, or my vegan soda bread.
This Spelt Bread is virtually foolproof. Just like my no yeast flatbreads, you don't have to worry about having yeast on hand. You don't have to worry about kneading. You don't have to worry about rise times. It’s just a quick, easy, and very delicious savoury quick bread made with simple ingredients that you can whip up at the last minute.
And we all know that there are few better things than freshly baked bread pulled straight from the oven, and as much as I love baking bread like my Easy Whole Wheat Bread with yeast, sometimes it's nice to have a super quick emergency bread option up your sleeve. Like when you run out of yeast or you decide to make soup for dinner last minute and need a tasty accompaniment.
This Spelt Bread is here for all of your "need bread quick" emergencies and then some because once you've tried it you'll be wanting to make it on the regular.
Ingredients & equipment notes
Here is what you'll be needing to make this Yeast-Free Spelt Bread and why:
- Spelt flour: A flour you see used here on AVV a lot because it's my absolute favourite. It has so much nutty flavour and a light but hearty, fluffy texture when baked. I highly recommend keeping a bag in your pantry. And if you buy it especially for this recipe check out my healthy vegan banana bread and Vegan Spelt Pancakes to help use it up!
- Oats: For texture, toasty oaty flavour, nutrition and presentation.
- Maple syrup - Real maple syrup, not the fake stuff. Its flavour really compliments the spelt flour and oats. It's not enough to make the bread sweet, but adds depth.
- Molasses - Not enough to taste molasses-y, but what is there compliments the spelt, maple and oats flavours and adds depth to the breads flavour.
- Baking powder & baking soda - Both for extra fluff and height. The bonus baking soda reacts with the acidic molasses to boost the ooomph from the baking powder.
- Oil- Not absolutely essential and it can be omitted if you are oil-free, but it does improve the texture slightly and works as a preservative too.
- Salt: Essential in bread for flavour.
You will also need an 8.5 x 4.5-inch or a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Either is fine.
How to make my Easy Spelt Bread
This is the bread recipe you've been waiting for. It's so simple!
Step 1: Grease and line a 9" x 5" (or similar) loaf pan. This USA Pan Loaf Pan is my personal favourite.
Step 2: Add all of the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk them up.
Step 3: Add all of the wet ingredients to another bowl and stir them up (it starts off looking white because the molasses sinks, then turns orange once it's all mixed together).
Step 4: Pour the wet into the dry and mix gently. A wooden spoon or a spatula is great for this.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the tin and top with some oats then bake.
And here's what your gorgeous loaf of Spelt Bread looks like when it's done:
Success Tips
- Follow the recipe exactly and weigh the flour. I know I bang on about this every single time but it's so important if you want the very best result. This scale is really inexpensive and accurate.
- Don't over-mix the batter. Just mix it gently and only enough to incorporate the dry flour.
- Be sure to sprinkle the top with some extra oats. It makes it look pretty!
- Try to let it cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into it. Notice I say "try". It's very hard to resist and no judging from me if you don't ;O)
Freezing instructions
Cook the spelt bread as per the instructions and cool it thoroughly on a cooling rack. Wrap well or place in an airtight freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Allow to defrost at room temperature on a cooling rack so it doesn't get damp. Eat as it is or reheat it in a warm oven. 350°F (175°C) for about 20 minutes should do it. You don't need to put it in a pan. Just sit it straight on the oven shelf.
I like to make two loaves at a time and keep one to eat, then freeze the other for another day.
Ways you can adapt this recipe
This Spelt Bread is pretty perfect as it is but you could:
- Use beer instead of the water/milk (have you tried the yummy beer bread recipe in my cookbook yet?)
- Add some herbs and vegan cheese to the batter
- Make it as muffins instead of a loaf. (Bake at the same temperature for 20 to 25 minutes. Check done-ness with a toothpick/metal skewer).
- Add another couple tablespoons of maple syrup and a couple of handfuls of dried fruit for a sweet, fruity spelt bread.
- Use quinoa flakes instead of oats
- Use all purpose or wholewheat flour but be sure to weigh it o you get exactly the correct amount. 1 cup of spelt flour weighs less than 1 cup of all purpose or wholewheat flour.
Recipe
Easy Yeast-Free Spelt Bread
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 3¾ cups (430 g) spelt flour
- ½ cup (45 g) rolled/old fashioned oats , plus a few more for sprinkling on top. (Do not use steel cut oats)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda , (bicarbonate of soda in the UK)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 2¼ cups + 2 teaspoons (550 mls) water or plant-based milk
- 1 tablespoon molasses , regular or blackstrap
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup , or 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil of choice , such as avocado oil, light olive oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, canola oil or melted refined coconut oil (measured after melting) - see notes for oil-free option
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf (or similar) with a little oil. Lay a rectangular strip of parchment paper down the middle to stop the bottom of the bread sticking and to act as handles for lifting the loaf out after it's baked.
- To a large mixing bowl add the spelt flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk to combine.
- In another bowl add the water/milk, molasses, maple syrup and oil. Whisk them together well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together gently. Mix until you can no longer see any dry flour but treat it gently and don't beat it hard or use an electric mixer. The batter will be like cake batter consistency.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, scatter some more oats over the top and bake for about 1 hour 5 minutes until it's risen and golden and starting to come away from the edges of the pan. A toothpick or metal skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. Cooking times vary depending on your oven and the pan you use so it might need a few minutes more or less.
- Lift the loaf out of the pan and place on a cooling rack. Tip it gently to the side to remove the parchment paper and allow to cool.
NOTES
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Regina Breckner says
This is the most amazing recipe! It is so incredibly versatile! I have made so many different variations; zucchini, carrot, lemon poppyseed, almond poppyseed, cinnamon, and chocolate. We love it so much, I just ordered a 50lb bag of spelt flour. I keep mason jars of the dry ingredients ready to go for quick assembly. Thank so much,Mel for this perfect recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so pleased you're enjoying it Regina and thanks so much for stopping by to leave a review/rating. It's much appreciated!
Anne says
Thanks for this recipe...it's a regular for us now...have to stop The Husband from eating a fill loaf in one go!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
Ha ha! That's a good problem to have. You could always double it and make 2!
Joana says
I used this recipe first time ever baking and it was delicious! Today I used it again with pea milk and coconut oil, plenty of seeds and goji berries. So so so Delicious!!! Thank you :)
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Joana. I'm really pleased you are enjoying it!
brenda says
Delicious, easy to make, great texture and healthy! Makes beautiful toast as well. I've gifted a loaf to a few friends & family & they rave. Thank you, Love it!
A Virtual Vegan says
So pleased you're enjoying it Brenda!
Ellie says
I can't seem to find or order rolled oats. Is it okay to use either quinoa flour or oat flour as a substitute for rolled oats?
A Virtual Vegan says
You can't use flour to replace them because it will make the batter too dry. Rolled oats are sometimes called old fashioned oats if that makes a difference. Quick oats will be fine too, or quinoa flakes. You could probably get away with omitting them altogether too although you'll lose a bit of the texture that they give. Hope that helps!
Nina says
I hate kneading dough and waiting for it to rise, so this looked like the perfect bread recipe for me! I was out of spelt flour, so I used white whole wheat flour and it turned out perfect! I used half lite canned coconut milk and half water and subbed applesauce for the oil. I loved the results. I figured the lite coconut milk would give the bread the fat that the oil would have otherwise. I sprinkled the oats on top as well as 'everything but the bagel' seasoning. My whole family loved it. Thank you for the easy recipe! Much easier to make instead of dinner rolls or biscuits.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you and your family enjoyed it Nina!
Suzanne says
Thank you soooo much for that recipe. Made it last week exactly as per recipe, it was greeeeat. Made it again this morning, with the beer version, well i.e. one little bottle of beer and some water to get the full liquid quantity. Well, turned out yummy!!!! This is now in my regular to do even when confinement will be over ? Miam!!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
Yay! So pleased you're enjoying it!
Kayla says
Do you know of a gluten free flour I could use inplace of the spelt?
A Virtual Vegan says
I would imagine that a good all purpose GF flour would be ok but it hasn't been tested that way so I don't know for sure.
Anna says
This worked so well! I didn’t use any molasses and it turned out just fine. Made some of my own cashew nut butter and it goes amazing with this! Thank you. I’ve been looking/trying for a good spelt bread recipe that didn’t require eggs. This one is it! :)
Samara says
Lovely tasting bread! Perfect as we didn’t have any yeast or bread flour in the cupboard during lockdown! Will definitely make this one again thank you so much for the recipe ?
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Samara!
James Weatherley says
Can this recipe be cooked in a slow cooker?
A Virtual Vegan says
I have no idea. It's not something I've ever tried.
Denise says
I made this and underestimated the rise. Had to lose the top crust to get it out of the oven??. Nice treat whilst the rest was cooling. An absolutely amazing recipe and one I will return many times. Going to try the variations.
A Virtual Vegan says
Oooops! I've had that happen with a loaf of bread before. Glad you enjoyed it and at least you know to adjust the oven shelf for next time!
Caroline says
Amazing recipe! It's so delicious. We had it with soup and it was so good.
Regina M Breckner says
Carolyn,
Did you use plant based milk or water? Thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
You can use either. It doesn't make a huge difference.
Terri says
I made two loaves last night and we LOVE this bread!! It is so filling and yummy! Mine didn't look exactly like yours, it raised up very high! I used brand new baking soda...could that be it? I also used blackstrap molasses, so it wasn't orange- more grey. I did double the recipe as I was making two loaves. This is going to be a staple in our house. Very easy to make. ?
A Virtual Vegan says
Maybe blackstrap molasses is slightly more acidic than regular molasses and caused a bigger chemical reaction with the baking soda? Or your baking soda or baking powder could be extra potent. Different types of pans make a difference too. Regardless though, it sounds like a success and I'm really pleased you are enjoying it!
jacqui says
This looks like a great recipe. Can i replace the maple syrup with molasses? I think that would be less sweet which would suit me. thanks.
A Virtual Vegan says
It already has molasses in it. I wouldn't add more as the flavour will be too strong. It's not enough maple syrup to really make it sweet. It's there to add depth of flavour. It works so well with spelt flour. You could safely omit it though if you really don't want to use it.
jacquie says
oh but i love the taste and perfer to the taste of maple syrup. But i will just leave it out. thanks for the help.
Hani says
Hi Mel
I like this recipe and wanna try it but I don't like my bread to be sweet, can I omit the sugar and maple syrup?
Thanks
A Virtual Vegan says
You can omit the maple syrup if you like although it does add depth to the flavour. I don't recommend omitting the molasses. It's so important for flavour in this recipe. It won't affect how the recipe technically works if you choose not to use it though.
Frances says
You mention not to miss the molasses but I cannot use it. Would u still recommend still trying it or could I add some sort of seasoning to replace it.
A Virtual Vegan says
It adds depth of flavour and colour which is why I recommend not missing it. But if you can't use it just omit it. There isn't really anything else you can replace it with. The bread will still be nice without it!