This easy Spelt Bread recipe is made with 7 simple ingredients for the best everyday bread. Plus, this spelt sandwich bread is naturally vegan & dairy-free for a bread recipe that truly tastes great with any potential toppings!
It's about time I shared one of my go-to bread recipes! This vegan spelt bread is honestly great for sandwiches, topped with mashed avocado or tofu ricotta, served alongside my southwest tofu scramble or even spread with a simple mix of butter and jam. However you serve it, this truly is the best everyday bread!
What is spelt bread?
If you've never tried spelt flour before, it has a slightly nutty and sweet flavor. It's a pretty fine & light flour and honestly tastes a lot like whole wheat flour to me.
While spelt bread may not be gluten-free, spelt is an ancient grain with a stronger husk than wheat and some people actually find it easier to digest than wheat flour.
For this recipe, I decided to opt for a mix of spelt flour and all-purpose flour. The spelt flour gives this bread a nice crumb and nutty flavor, while the small amount of all-purpose flour gives this bread more structure so it can form a beautiful tall loaf of bread.
Ingredients:
Ingredient Notes:
- Yeast: For this recipe I used Red Star active dry yeast which is pretty much my go-to yeast for any of my bread recipes like my Vegan Pizza Dough or even my Vegan Cinnamon Rolls. By the way, if you choose to use instant yeast instead, you can skip the step of activating the yeast in warm water and add it in with the flour.
- Spelt flour: For this recipe I used Arrowhead Mills spelt flour which I purchased at my local Whole Foods. I also highly recommend the sprouted spelt flour from Thrive Market!
- Maple syrup: The maple syrup doesn't make this bread sweet, but really balances out the nutty flavor of the spelt flour. Make sure to use a high quality real maple syrup for this recipe!
How to make spelt flour bread
Make the dough
- First, activate the yeast with warm water.
- Then, mix in the olive oil and maple syrup.
- Gradually add the spelt flour, all-purpose flour, and salt.
- Mix into a thick dough, then remove from the bowl and get ready to knead the dough.
Knead the dough
When it comes to kneading spelt bread dough, I genuinely prefer to do it in my KitchenAid mixer with the bread hook attachment. This dough is a stickier dough, so it can be more challenging to knead by hand. If you do knead by hand, just make sure to do so on a well-floured surface and lightly flour your hands so they don't stick to the dough.
You will know the bread is kneaded enough when it is tacky, elastic, and can be stretched without easily tearing. Again, this bread dough is pretty sticky, so keep that in mind.
The first rise/proofing
Take the kneaded bread and add it to a lightly oiled bowl. I just use olive oil to coat my bowls, but any oil will work here.
Then cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise about 1 hour until doubled in size.
Shape into a loaf bread & second rise
Punch the dough down and add it to a well-floured surface. Then, stretch it into a thick rectangle and roll the bread into a log as pictured below.
Add the bread to a loaf pan and cover with a paper towel or plastic wrap to rise for another 30 minutes.
I like to line my loaf pan with parchment paper and clip it to the sides with oven-safe metal clips. This makes it super easy to remove the loaf from the pan once it is baked!
Bake the spelt bread
As a final step, bake the spelt bread at 350F for 30-35 minutes. This bread really doesn't need a ton of time in the oven to form a beautiful crust. If you'd like a darker crust, just brush the top of the bread loaf with olive oil or vegan butter before baking.
Once the bread is ready, remove it from the oven and enjoy! I just spread a bit of vegan butter on my bread, but it's also great with jam, mashed avocado, blistered cherry tomatoes, tofu ricotta, or as bread to make any sort of sandwich!
FAQ & Tips:
Spelt is an ancient grain that many people consider to be healthier and less inflammatory than wheat. However, it has a similar nutrition profile to wheat. Spelt flour is a great source of fiber which is an important part of any diet too!
No, spelt bread is not gluten-free. Spelt contains a grain flour that isn't wheat, but it still contains gluten.
Spelt bread can be stored at room temperature for 3-4 days wrapped in tin foil. It also can be sliced and then stored in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. I find that storing in the fridge dries out the bread so I don't recommend it.
Yes! Before freezing, let the bread cool completely and then cut into slices. Then, add to a freezer-safe bag and store for later. You can add directly to a toaster or pan fry with butter in a pan to reheat.
This easy Spelt Bread is the perfect everyday sandwich bread made with only 7 ingredients. You are going to love this simple, nutty, and delicious bread recipe- enjoy!
-TSG
More Recipes that taste great with spelt flour:
If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star review on the recipe card. I always appreciate your feedback and support! You can also follow along on my Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest, or sign up for our newsletter!
Spelt Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup warm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dried yeast
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 ¾ cup spelt flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make the Spelt Dough:
- Begin by adding your warm water and yeast to a large mixing bowl. Let sit for 3-5 minutes to make sure the yeast is activated. You will be able to tell if it's bubbling and turns frothy. If using instant yeast, you can skip this step and add the yeast directly to the mix with the flour and salt.
- Next, add the olive oil and maple syrup to the large mixing bowl and whisk together to combine.
- Gradually begin adding in the all-purpose flour & spelt flour about 1 cup at a time. Also, add in the ½ teaspoon of salt at this time.
Kneading & First Rise:
- Once all the flour has been added in, knead the dough. If using a standing mixer, switch the attachment to the bread hook and knead for 5-10 minutes until elastic. If you are kneading by hand, knead on a lightly floured surface for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is elastic. The dough is done being kneaded once it can be stretched without easily tearing and is smooth and tacky. This dough will still be pretty sticky when it is fully kneaded, so make sure your hands are well-floured if kneading by hand.
- After the dough is fully kneaded, add it to a well-oiled bowl for the first rise. I prefer to coat my bowl in olive oil, but any oil works here. The dough will be sticky so you may want to lightly oil your hands before grabbing the dough.
- Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel, place in a warm place, and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size. I like to test my dough by "poking" it with a finger. If it doesn't bounce back and stays indented, it is ready. It is also important to not “overproof” the dough, so do not let the dough sit too long.
Shaping the dough & second rise:
- Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Then stretch it into a thick rectangle and gently roll it up into a log.
- Place the dough into a parchment-lined or well-oiled loaf pan. Then, cover with a towel and plastic wrap and let rise for another 30 minutes. While it is rising, preheat the oven to 350F.
- After 30 minutes, remove the covering from the loaf and add the bread to the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes until cooked through and browning on top. You can tell the bread is done by tapping it out of the oven and it should sound hollow. For a darker crust, glaze the bread with a little olive oil or vegan butter before baking.
- Remove the bread from the oven and place the loaf onto a wire cooling rack for about 10-15 minutes to cool before slicing. Then, slice and enjoy with your favorite toppings!
Notes
- If you don't want to use all-purpose flour, you can use 100% spelt flour for this recipe. Just keep in mind it will end up a little grittier/finer in texture.
- Maple syrup can be subbed 1:1 for honey or agave.
- Olive oil works best, but any liquid oil can be used in this recipe.
- I used my USA Loaf Pan to bake this bread lined with parchment paper.
- I also used Arrowhead Mills Spelt Flour and highly recommend it! Another good option is the sprouted spelt flour from Thrive Market.
- Spelt bread can be stored at room temperature for 3-4 days wrapped in tin foil. It also can be sliced and then stored in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. I find that storing in the fridge dries out the bread so I don't recommend it.
- This bread will not work gluten-free. That includes gluten-free 1:1 flour, oat flour, or other gluten-free flour. Gluten is essential to get the right texture for this bread so please do not try making it gluten-free.
Amanda says
This bread is delicious! I’ve tried several recipes and this is my favorite. Easy and tasty!! Great for sandwiches too, it holds up well.
Peggy says
I made this bread today with some honey cinnamon butter. Yum! It tasted so good with the beef barley soup I made for supper. And it was really easy. Thanks for sharing!
Megan says
So glad you enjoyed it- that butter sounds amazing too!
Andrew says
This bread was so easy and quick to make and absolutely delicious
LeAnna says
I love this recipe and have made it a dozen times. I am having an issue and I'm hoping you can help, some of my loaves have holes in the middle and fall apart. I live at high altitude. Also I am just learning to mill my own spelt and could use advice there if you have any. Thank you!
Megan says
Glad you've enjoyed the recipe! Unfortunately, I know nothing about high altitude baking, but I believe it can affect the rise especially with yeasted recipes. From searching online I saw that high altitude can make yeast rise faster, so it's recommended to lower the amount used. However, I've never tested this or baked at high altitude myself so really can't give any concrete advice here on how to adjust. Sorry I can't be of more help!
LeAnna says
Thank you for your response. Have you experienced a hole in the middle of a loaf before? I’m not sure if it’s altitude, proofing, or needing more gluten. I’ll keep at it!
Megan says
Sorry but not I haven't- I would assume this is probably an altitude problem as I've always made the recipe as written without issues!
Jenny says
I doubled the recipe to make 2 loaves and after 5 cups had to substitute the rest 1/2 cup with bread flour. The dough was incredibly moist so I had to add more bread flour to it. It came out very tasty, just a little soft and crumbly on the inside, maybe I should have baked it an extra 5 minutes (I did 30). This is only my third time making our own bread and the first time using spelt. Now if spelt flour weren't so expensive, it would be even better!
Megan says
So glad you enjoyed the bread!!
Elizabeth says
Hi! Can I use oat flour instead of all purpose flour?
Megan says
No that would not work for this recipe.
Karen Malott says
Why does oat flour not work … I just tried your recipe but put in oat flour instead … that was before I saw the note that it does not work 😂😂😂 I am try to stay off all wheat flour … and from past try’s with spelt flour it is a harder flour to work with … well I will see if it works 😊 I will let you know if it turns out or not
Megan says
Oat flour has no gluten and this bread (and all the yeasted recipes on my site) need gluten to form the structure and texture you see pictured and rise correctly. I'd highly suggest looking up a recipe that specifically calls for oat flour if you are trying to avoid wheat vs. trying to adapt one that needs it.
elizabeth shipley says
I have a bread machine, so could this be made in that machine?
Megan says
Im honestly not sure- I've never used a bread machine so don't hav any knowledge on how to use it or adapt this recipe for it!
Schroomer says
Lovely easy bread and a well-written recipe. Did a double batch and we're looking forward to toast and some grilled sandwiches. Just made apple jelly from our trees and this bread will be a perfect match. Thanks for sharing. A note to KA users. With the dough hook all ingredients in the bowl. At six minutes on medium speed, it was so loose I was thinking of extra flour. At eight minutes it started to tighten up and leave the sides of the bowl. At 10 minutes the mixer sound changed and the dough lifted off the bottom ready for the 60-minute proof. For me and today's weather, the timing was spot on. Thanks.
Megan says
So glad the recipe worked well for you and a grilled cheese and toast with jam sound so lovely!
Maureen Jone says
I like to add sourdough discard to my yeast breads as it adds a lot to the texture and rise but I don’t know the quantities I would add to this. My usual sandwich bread takes 250g water, 500g flour and 100g discard in addition to the salt and yeast butter and sugar. Any recommendations on how much discard to add?
Megan says
I have never tried it with sourdough discard and unfortunately don't have much knowledge on baking with it either. Sorry I can't be of more help here but a different recipe may be best!
Helen Baskerville says
I’ve made this twice now and on both occasions it turned out beautifully. Thank you very much for sharing both your recipe and tips, they made the whole process much easier especially for novice bread maker!
Megan says
So glad all the tips helped 🙂
Paula Blundell says
I love this recipe. I add a TBL of cinnamon and 1 cup of raisins in the dry ingredients and toast it.. it’s our morning staple. When the bread is completely cooled and after we have enjoyed a fresh from oven slice, I slice it, and freeze it for ready to use ease in the mornings.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Megan says
Sounds like delicious additions 🙂
Carey says
My daughter and I made this and it taste amazing and was so easy! We sliced and froze our leftovers and it’s so yummy to pop a slice in the toaster! Making a second loaf now!
Megan says
Sounds perfect and love to hear it freezes well too!
Cynthia says
I just made this and it looks and smells great. I let it rise only about 45 minutes because it looked doubled and the poke test worked. I can't wait to have a slice. I wish I could find spelt flour at more markets. I think I'm going to order some online.
Megan says
Enjoy!!
Carolyn Smith Moorman says
Holy Bread of All Breads!!! I make bread ALL the time. I decided to try a different method tonight! Wowzer! This was perfection JUST as it's written!! Thank you!
Megan says
Yay love to hear that thanks for the review 🙂
Gail Purcell says
Your recipe is great! I did tweak it a little bit; I used white spelt flour instead of all-purpose flour and added 3 Tbsp. potato flour which makes the bread soft and not crumbly. It turned out delicious.
Maria Soares says
Can I skip the all purpose flour and substitute with something else? My husband is a diabetic and can't have white flour
Megan says
The only substitute I've tried is using more spelt flour which should work, but makes a slightly denser bread. Flour alternatives (like almond, coconut, etc) wouldn't work in this recipe though.
Cathy M says
Diabetic here. Used 2 cups spelt, 1 cup white wheat flour. You could also use 100% whole wheat or possibly rye (I have mixed rye and white wheat with great success). I also used 2 T coconut sugar instead of maple syrup (I believe it has a lower gi) and 1 t xanthan gum to help minimize crumbling. Wish I could post a picture because it turned out exactly like Megan's picture even with all my modifications.
Megan says
So happy it turned out perfect for you! 🙂
Sean says
Great spelt bread recipe! Wife and I have gone through 7 loaves now, this is our staple for mornings. The bread is wonderful as is, but I doubled the salt, use bread flour instead of AP, and add 1tbsp of gluten when I make it. I find the bread flour and the extra gluten help it hold together and be a little less crumbly when sliced.
Thanks a bunch for the recipe!
Megan says
So happy to hear this and thanks for sharing your tips! I'll have to try with bread flour next time :).
Audra says
Hello. Made your Spelt bread recipe today. Everything went well with the recipe. The bread rose beautifully. Just finished baking and is now on the cooling rack. Thank you so much for providing this recipe. Looking forward to making many more loaves.
Megan says
Thank you so much for sharing I'm so happy it went well- enjoy it!
Iris says
This is my go to bread recipe. I use bread flour instead of all purpose and found I needed 3 cups of spelt flour. As suggested by others I also added 1T gluten and IT potato starch. This came out light and fluffy.
Megan says
So glad you liked it and thanks for sharing your tips!