Gluten Free Savory Quick Bread with Bacon and Cheese

This Gluten Free Savory Quick Bread with Bacon and Cheese is the ultimate no-fuss bread that’s rich, flavorful, and ready in no time. Serve it alongside a steaming bowl of chili or soup, toast it for a hearty breakfast, or transform it into a gooey grilled cheese - the possibilities are endless. Unlike traditional bread, it’s quick to mix, bake, and enjoy - no yeast or rising time required.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I tested this Gluten Free Savory Quick Bread with King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob's Red Mill 1-1. I highly recommend using King Arthur in this recipe. The bread has a wonderful crumb and structure while the bread made with Bob's Red Mill deflated once it was done baking. To be honest, this could have also been a user error, and I plan on retesting this recipe with Bob's Red Mill.

Buttermilk: Buttermilk gives this savory quick bread just the right amount of tang while reacting with the leavening to help it rise properly. Its acidity also keeps the crumb soft and tender, preventing the bread from becoming dense or dry. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute whole milk, though the crumb will be slightly tighter and the bread won't rise as tall. I don't care for "homemade buttermilk" so it's not something I test my recipes with.

Sour Cream: I use full-fat sour cream for this savory quick bread.

Bacon: Make sure to properly cook the bacon and allow it to drain on a piece of parchment paper before adding it to the batter. And don't waste that bacon fat - we add that to the recipe as well. You can replace the bacon with cooked pancetta or ham.

Cheese: I recommend using a flavorful cheese or even a blend of cheeses. Sharp cheddar cheese is always a reliable choice, while Gruyère or Fontina adds a more gourmet touch. For a fun twist, Pepper Jack brings a bit of spice, and smoked Gouda adds a subtle smokiness to the bread.

Tabasco: A few dashes of Tabasco (or any hot sauce) won’t make this gluten free savory quick bread spicy - it simply brightens and balances the cheesy flavors. If you’d rather skip the heat, you can you skip this ingredient.

Spices:  Aside from the tobassco I like to add some freshly grated black pepper, a little smoked paprika and some dried garlic powder to this recipe.

Recipe Testing Notes

A few weeks ago, I sent out a reader survey and several of you asked for a gluten free savory quick bread. Honestly, it wasn’t even a recipe that had been on my radar all these years - but it makes perfect sense. Sometimes you just want a quick, no-fuss bread to serve alongside a giant bowl of chili or soup, without having to deal with yeast or rising times.

My first test bake was just cheese and milk. While the bread tasted fine, it felt like something was missing. For the next round, I added bacon and chopped scallions (green onions). The idea was solid, but if I’m being honest, the bread mostly tasted like onions—and it was very soggy. I’m still not entirely sure if that was from the extra moisture in the onions or if I simply underbaked it.

For the final test, I eliminated the onions and swapped the milk for buttermilk. That turned out to be the right combination. The bacon and cheese, along with the spices, give the bread great flavor. Plus the buttermilk helps it rise while creating a tender crumb and a beautifully browned crust.

I haven’t tested this recipe using dairy-free substitutes. Because it relies on sour cream, buttermilk, and cheese for both flavor and structure, it may not be suitable for those with dairy allergies or intolerances.

How to make a Gluten Free Savory Quickbread

This recipe comes together in no time once you have the bacon prepared and the cheese shredded. Clearly, those things can be done ahead of time.

1. Step 1: Spray a 8.4” x 4.5” x 4.1” Pullman loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line it with parchment paper and set aside until needed.
2. Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350F.
3. Step 3: Cut the bacon into approximately ½-inch pieces and fry it over medium-low heat until crisp and brown. This should take about 6-8 minutes.

4. Step 4: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Let it cool while you prepare the rest of the quickbread batter. Be sure to reserve the bacon grease.

5. Step 5: In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, sour cream, room temperature egg, a dash of hot sauce (if using), and about a tablespoon (give or take) of the bacon grease. Whisk until smooth, then set aside.

6. Step 6: In a large mixing bowl combine the gluten free flour (containing xanthan gum), baking powder, kosher salt, and spices. Whisk until combined.

7. Step 7: Using a box grater, grate the cheese of your choice. I like to grate about two-thirds of the cheese and dice the remaining portion into small cubes. This creates little pockets of cheese in the finished quick bread.
8. Step 8: Add the grated and cubed cheese along with the cooled bacon to the dry ingredients.

9. Step 9: Using a spatula, gently fold the bacon and cheese into the dry ingredients.

10. Step 10: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

11. Step 11: Using a flexible spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. The batter for this gluten free savory quick bread will be thick!

12. Step 12: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. The batter will be thick and may be a bit tricky to smooth out - I like using a small offset spatula for this.

13. Step 13: Bake the quick bread at 350°F for 65-70 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches approximately 200°F.
14. Step 14: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan (use a small offset spatula if needed) and allow it to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. The longer it cools, the better the crumb will be.

Serving Ideas

Here are some fun and delicious ways how to serve this savory quick bread. And to be honest, there are no wrong or right ways to serve this. It's one of those breads where anything goes.

• With soup or chili: Thick slices are perfect for dunking into chili or your favorite soup.
• Gluten Free Grilled Cheese: turn this gluten free bacon cheese quick bread into a delicious grilled cheese.
• A fancy PB Sandwich: Use slices of this quick bread to elevate your peanut butter sandwich. If you like add a drizzle of honey, sliced banana, or even a sprinkle of flaky salt.
• Breakfast toast: Toasted and topped with eggs, or used as the base for an easy breakfast sandwich.

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.