Gluten-Free Cottage Cheese French Bread (No Yeast)
This Gluten-Free Cottage Cheese French Bread delivers a crusty, artisan-style loaf without gluten or yeast with oat flour, almond flour, and high-protein cottage cheese. It bakes crispy on the outside and tender on the inside in 30 minutes. No rising time needed and perfect for cheesy garlic bread.
Want a crusty, artisan-style French bread without the hassle of gluten, yeast, or long rising times? This Gluten-Free Cottage Cheese French Bread recipe delivers a crispy outside and tender inside without requiring any specialty flours or complicated techniques. With simple ingredients like oat flour, almond flour, and protein-rich cottage cheese, this bread bakes up with amazing texture and flavor in under an hour. I’m also sharing my easy hack to achieve that perfect golden crust without the traditional steam-baking method.
My family loves this bread because it doesn’t crumble like typical gluten-free options or taste like sand. Everything mixes together in one bowl, making it an easy, nutritious bread with minimal prep that’s gentle on sensitive tummies! We especially love slicing it in half and making cheesy, buttery garlic bread!
Why You’ll Love This Oat Flour French Bread Recipe
- No yeast or rising time: This bread goes straight from mixing bowl to oven, saving you hours of waiting.
- Crispy crust, tender inside: My technique guarantees that classic French bread texture while keeping the inside soft and moist.
- High-protein alternative: The cottage cheese adds protein and moisture that most gluten-free breads lack.
- Beginner-friendly recipe: Even if you’ve never baked bread before, this foolproof method delivers consistent results every time.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here is everything you need to make gluten-free cottage cheese French bread:
Oat Flour: You can make your own by blending rolled oats in a food processor until fine or use storebought.
| Options | w/ Almond Flour | w/o Almond Flour |
|---|---|---|
| Oat Flour | 1-1/4 cups Oat Flour + 1/2 cup Almond Flour | 1-1/2 cups Oat Flour |
| Brown Rice Flour | 1-1/3 cups Brown Rice Flour + 1/2 cup Almond Flour | 1-1/2 cups Brown Rice Flour |
| Gluten-Free Flour Blend | 1-1/4 cups Gluten-Free Flour + 1/2 cup Almond Flour | 1-1/2 cups Gluten-Free Flour |
| Cassava Flour | 1/2 cup Cassava Flour + 1 cup Almond Flour | Not recommended for a ‘bread’ consistency |
Almond Flour: Adds moisture and structure without the gumminess of rice flour. You can swap with sunflower seed flour for a nut-free option with similar fat content and texture.
Parmesan Cheese: Provides savory depth and helps create that crusty exterior. For a dairy-free version, use nutritional yeast or a dairy-free parmesan alternative.
Baking Powder: Make sure yours is fresh (less than 6 months old) or your bread may not rise.
Salt: I prefer fine sea salt, but kosher salt works well too (just use a bit more).
Cottage Cheese: The secret ingredient that adds protein, moisture, and helps achieve that tender crumb. Blend until smooth before using. You can substitute with Greek yogurt.
Egg: For an egg-free version, a flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp water) works surprisingly well.
Sesame Seeds: Add authentic French bread appearance and nutty flavor to the crust. You can substitute with poppy seeds, everything bagel seasoning, or omit entirely.
Egg White: Creates that shiny, bakery-style golden crust. Brushing with olive oil or dairy-free milk works as an alternative.
Easily Adapt This Recipe for Any Diet
This recipe is naturally easy to tweak! Follow these simple swaps to make it work for different dietary needs while keeping the same great texture and flavor.
Gluten-Free: The recipe is already gluten-free as written – just verify your oat flour is certified gluten-free if you have celiac disease.
Dairy-Free: Replace cottage cheese with dairy-free greek yogurt (it needs to be thick. Regular yogurt is too runny). Substitute the parmesan with nutritional yeast or dairy-free parmesan alternative.
Vegan: Use plant-based greek yogurt instead of cottage cheese, nutritional yeast instead of parmesan, and replace the egg with a flax egg. Use plant milk for the egg white wash.
💡 Pro Tip: If you try a substitution, let us know how it worked in the comments!
How to Make My Gluten-Free French Bread Recipe
Here are easy, detailed, step-by-step instructions that are also repeated in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
Step 1: Prepare the Cottage Cheese and Preheat
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Place 1 cup cottage cheese in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. Add the egg and blend just until combined.
Step 2: Mix the Bread Dough
In a large bowl, whisk together 1-1/4 cups oat flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until well combined.
Add the blended cottage cheese and 1 egg to the dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. The dough should slightly stick to your fingers when touched. If it’s too dry, add a little milk and if it’s too wet, add a little more flour.
Step 3: Shape the Bread
Pour some oil in your hands and shape the dough into a smooth loaf on a baking sheet.
In a small bowl, lightly beat 1 egg white. Brush the top of the loaf lightly with the egg white, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.
Step 4: Bake the Loaf
Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack to allow the interior to set properly. If you slice it while it’s still warm, the center can crush and become gummy.
Expert Recipe Tips
Blend the cottage cheese thoroughly: This ensures no lumps remain, which could create inconsistent texture in your bread.
Don’t overmix the dough: Just like with traditional bread, overmixing can make your loaf dense. Mix only until ingredients are incorporated.
Bake right away: Be sure to preheat your oven so you can bake the loaf as soon as it’s shaped. If the loaf is allowed to sit out for too long before baking, the oat flour will absorb more liquid and the loaf will be dense.
Let it cool properly: Resist cutting into the bread while hot, or the inside can squish and become gummy.
Delicious Serving Suggestions
- Garlic herb butter: I like to mix softened butter with minced garlic, Italian herbs, and a pinch of salt for spreading. You’ll love it because it transforms this into the perfect gluten-free garlic bread.
- Soup dipper: Serve alongside tomato soup or a hearty vegetable stew. This simple pairing makes the meal even more satisfying.
- Bruschetta base: Toast slices and top with diced tomatoes, basil, and olive oil. You’ll love how the sturdy texture holds up to toppings without falling apart like most gluten-free breads.
- Sandwich bread: Slice lengthwise for hearty sandwiches that won’t crumble. The protein-rich ingredients make it perfect for filling lunch options.
Do you love gluten-free bread alternatives? Check out more of my easy and no-yeast bun recipes:
- Gluten-Free Cinnamon Pretzel Bites (No Yeast)
- Cheesy Gluten-Free Garlic Protein Bread (No Yeast)
- Greek Yogurt Low-Carb Bagels Everything Seasoning (No Yeast)
- Cheddar Cheese Bagels with Greek Yogurt (No Yeast)
- Oat Cottage Cheese Bread Sandwich Bun Gluten-Free
- Oat Flour English Muffins with Greek Yogurt
- Greek Yogurt Protein Naan Bread (No Yeast)
- Easy Viral High-Protein Cottage Cheese Flatbread
Gluten-Free Cottage Cheese French Bread (No Yeast)
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cups oat flour (150g)
- 1/2 cup almond flour (56g)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (30g)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cottage cheese (blended)
- 1 egg
Bun Topping:
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 egg white
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place 1 cup cottage cheese in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. Add the egg and blend just until combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1-1/4 cups oat flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until well combined.Add the blended cottage cheese and 1 egg to the dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. The dough should slightly stick to your fingers when touched. If it’s too dry, add a little milk and if it’s too wet, add a little more flour.
- Pour some oil in your hands and shape the dough into a smooth loaf on a baking sheet. In a small bowl, lightly beat 1 egg white. Brush the top of the loaf lightly with the egg white, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.
- Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack to allow the interior to set properly. If you slice it while it’s still warm, the center can crush and become gummy.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe has been reviewed by a healthcare professional for its nutritional balance and alignment with healthy eating principles.
This turned out so soft but was still crispy on the outside! The flavor is really good with the almond flour.
Thank you, Jazmin! I have to agree 🙂
I have been looking for a recipe like this and it did not disappoint!! We’re also trying to eat more cottage cheese and you can’t even taste it in this bread. We ate it with some butter and loved it!!
Thank you so much for the review, Maggie! Our family loves it with butter, too 🙂
I am so excited to have a gluten-free french bread recipe to share with you! It is so easy and versatile and I hope you enjoy it 🙂