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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Carla Biggs says
This is an ABSOLUTELY AMAZING RECIPE!!!! SO easy to make and SO delicious!!!
Thank you so VERY MUCH for this, tou are a GENIUS VEGAN BAKER!!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Ana says
The best and the easiest spelt flour bread I have ever made.
Alice Pipe says
Hi.
I made it your lovely bread today.
The flavours are so good.
Only thing is it was so crumbly.
Anything I can do to change this please? Maybe more oil? I used almond milk & olive oil.
Thank you so much. Alice
Melanie McDonald says
Glad you're enjoying the flavour! Did you weigh the flour? Cups are not accurate and it's really easy to end up with more flour (sometimes up to 50%) than intended. That could well be the reason it's crumbly. If you don't already use one I'd highly recommend investing in a digital kitchen scale. You can pick them up for about $20 and they really make a huge difference to how recipes turn out. You shouldn't need to increase the oil or milk. Hope that helps!
another Beth says
I made this with sprouted spelt flour- using the 430g measure instead of cups which would have been way off for the weight of this flour. It made a wonderful loaf! So thankful to have a yeast free bread that I can slice thin without crumbling! Thanks a million
Joni says
Why is mine dry?
Shelley says
1st time using sprouted spelt flour. 1st time eating it too. I'm not much if a bread maker but I've decided I won't eat store bought breads anymore.
I used the 1X on the recipe. It gave me 1 loaf - pan size 9 by 5.
I had enuf to make a few muffins in my air fryer but chose to just dump the rest in a small pan. To the small loaf, I threw in a sugar and cinnamon and hoped for the best.
Perfect recipe for me to start learning to use this flour. My cook time for the 9by5 loaf was bout 48min. I think I could have added all the dough. I will next time .
Thank you so much for sharing this and answering all the questions I had before I had to ask.
Patty says
This was a super quick and easy recipe - it came out perfect!!! Love how simple it is. The flavor and texture were great.
What’s the best way to store it ? And does it need to be refrigerated?
I Love all your recipes !! 😊
Melanie McDonald says
Thank you, Patty! I'm really pleased you're enjoying it. As much as I dislike using them, it keeps best if stored in a plastic bag. Or if you have one, a cake storage container. Don't store it in the fridge. Room temp is best.
Bud P says
Have you tried brown rice or oat flour in this recipe? Spelt doesn’t sit well with me. If I changed out the spelt for the one of the other two flours, do I need to adjust the recipe? Thank you
Melanie McDonald says
I haven't but both are gluten-free and spelt isn't, so they won't work well without some pretty major modifications.
beth says
I subbed dark brown sugar for molasses, used avocado oil, and I did not spoon the batter into the loaf pan (nope!) but I was very gentle about the pour. It came out absolutely yummy. I'm making this one for the rest of my days. So sick of bread made from rice flour. I have a wheat allergy but I can do gluten, so this loaf is perfect for me. Thank you! I wonder if the oats are only there for texture?
Atara Dahan says
1. How dense is this bread?
2. How much lemon juice + baking soda would I use instead of the baking powder?
3. How sweet is this bread?
4. Can I use applesauce instead of oil, or I should just leave it out?
Thanks!
Claudette says
Color me happy Mel,
Baked my first loaf of Spelt bread using your recipe.
End result was spectacular💥
Thank you for sharing your recipe online.
Will be trying others from your creative list of Spelt baking.
Happy new everything to you in 2023🥳
Joyfully, Claudette
Melanie McDonald says
I'm really pleased you're enjoying it! The spelt pancake recipe is one of my faves 😉
Patti says
If I leave out the oats, shouldn’t I cut back on the liquid ?
Melanie McDonald says
I haven't tested the recipe without the oats so I'm not sure whether that would be necessary or not.
Ja'Net says
I am looking forward to making this recipe. Can I omit the oats or use spelt flakes in place of the oats?
Melanie McDonald says
I haven't tried it without the oats but I should think you could just omit them without causing any issues. Spelt flakes would work instead too.
Ja'Net says
Thanks for the prompt reply, Melanie. I think I'll try it with spelt flakes. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out. Thanks again for responding so quickly.
Kim Clark says
My regular bread recipe and it’s irreplaceable , thank you. Now I find myself needing to double the size, and have purchased a double size pullman loaf/bread pan. How long do you think I should try baking it for, Mel? In my toaster oven as that’s what I have right now. And thank you for making the vegan transition so very smooth and easy. Love and light from Scotland.
Melanie McDonald says
I'm so pleased you're enjoying the recipe! It's hard to say about timings without having tried it, and I've never used a toaster oven or a pullman pan. I think it's just going to be a case of checking with a toothpick or skewer a lot with the first one. Your first loaf will be a bit of an experiment and might end up less than perfect because it will be open, poked, and prodded a lot.
I'm thinking though that it might not take any longer because pullman pans tend to be narrower and also because the lid will trap the steam which will make it cook a bit quicker. So I'd use the original bake time as your starting point.
I'd be really interested to know how this recipe does in a pullman pan. I'm thinking it might end up a bit dense? I might be wrong though. Good luck!
Brenda says
I just made this simple recipe,
And was I pleasantly surprised!
My bread was moist and yummy 😋
Thanks for a quick satisfying recipe.
Johanne says
Sooooo yummy!!!! Thank you so much for sharing this delicious and easy recipe. Gorgeous photos by the way!