Brioche is reminiscent of the first breads ever made. When Marie-Antoinette said, “Let them eat cake!” she was referring to a bread much like brioche, in between an egg bread and cake. I watched Martha Stewart make brioche buns on her Friday, April 30, 2010 episode, and I just had to figure out a way of making a gluten-free brioche. With a few alterations I had much success! They rose very nicely. This gluten free brioche recipe is a sweet, buttery, spongy egg bread and is like nothing I have ever eater before – an experience everyone should have at least once. This recipe is much faster to make than the typical brioche. You do not have to wait several times for the dough to rise, especially the one you wait for overnight. No one would ever guess this is a gluten free brioche, as it does not taste grainy. You may serve it as a dessert or with a meal just as you would serve corn bread. Brioche is very popular in New Orleans.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup milk (or milk substitute), heated to 100°
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast (I use SAF brand.)
- 1 cup tapioca flour
- 1 cup sweet rice flour
- 1 cup white rice flour
- 1 teaspoon xantan gum
- 5 eggs
- 1-1/2 stick unsalted butter (or dairy-free buttery spread)
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1 egg yolk, beaten, (for brushing outside of uncooked buns)
Instructions:
- In a mixer, add warm milk, sugar, salt and yeast. Mix on low (2 out 10 on a KitchenAid mixer).
- Add 1/2 cup rice flour; mix; add another 1/2 cup; mix; set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together remaining dry ingredients: flours and xanthan gum.
- Using a dough hook on your mixer, add about 1/2 cup flour mixture and alternate with one egg, until all is added. Continue to blend using a low speed. Do not add the next egg or flour until each is well blended. Scrape sides and bottom as needed.
- Add shortening and mix thoroughly until you see not more lumps.
- Slice softened butter into 1 Tablespoon slices. Add about 2 slices at a time until each is thoroughly mixed and there are no more lumps. This may take several minutes each time.
- Set aside to rise for 30 minutes. Do not refrigerate.
- Spoon batter equally into buttered muffin tins.
- Bake at 450° for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and lower oven to 350°.
- Brush with egg yolk and return to oven.
- Bake for about 15 minutes or until dark golden brown.

















Would this dough be able to be baked as one large loaf, instead of twelve smaller rolls?
Hi Kaity,
I would imagine that you would need to bake it at a lower temperature for quit a boy longer. Since I haven’t experimented it with it myself I’m afraid I cannot provide specific details. If you do give it a try, please let us know it turns out.
Carla
I’m slightly allergic to baker’s and brewer’s yeast. Any suggestions of a substitute for this Brioche recipe? Thanks!
Wendy, since this is more cake-like, it would probably work if you add about 2-2/3 teaspoons baking powder instead of the yeast.