How to Make No-Knead Einkorn Bread for a Perfect, Quick Loaf Every Time
After breakfast, my daughter started getting a headache. Knowing I cook everything from scratch, surely it wasn’t food. But, what caused her headache? I was on a mission to find out. Upon discovering what wheat flour really is and how I could bake with ancient wheat einkorn to replace my wheat flour. Einkorn was a perfect fit for our baking needs. No-knead einkorn bread is easy to bake, light and fluffy bread, and we could tolerate this grain.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may get a commission if you purchase at no extra cost to you. *Disclaimer: This is not intended to treat or diagnose. This is for informational purposes only and it is your responsibility to educate yourself. Please consult a physician for medical advice.
What is einkorn flour?
Einkorn flour is an ancient grain or the original wheat. Wheat today is not the same. When hybridized it is harder to digest and causes a lot more health problems. Thus, the reason for so many gluten intolerances today. This article explains modern wheat and its differences from ancient wheat.
Also, wheat is heavily sprayed with chemicals and because wheat is hybridized the stalks are shorter for larger yields.
That has come with a price.
Here’s an article about the effects of wheat.
Do you knead einkorn flour?
Einkorn flour is different than modern wheat and you do not need to knead it very long. This recipe is a no-knead einkorn bread that whips up fast and easy.
Can I substitute einkorn flour for regular flour?
You cannot always substitute cup for cup. Einkorn absorbs less water. Here are baking tips from Jovial Foods. Reduce the liquid by about 15- 20% when using regular flour.
How do you get einkorn bread to rise?
Allow it to rise about 40-50%. When I have let it rise over the given time it hasn’t always done as well. Do not let it double in size as it may fall when baking.
Is einkorn inflammatory?
When we changed from wheat flour to einkorn flour my daughter realized so many changes. No more swollen glands, fewer headaches, and overall feeling better. She thought everyone had swollen glands which seemed to cause her many sore throats.
We all noticed positive results from switching to einkorn flour.
How is einkorn flour different?
It is stickier, less starch, and is a little different to work with. As I previously mentioned, einkorn isn’t hybridized and changed for modern wheat for convenience and uses.
Is einkorn flour better for you?
Yes. Einkorn has more protein, it’s easier to digest, has weaker gluten, and has a sweet, nutty flavor. For people with celiac disease, it is not recommended to eat einkorn.
After we had to cut wheat out we ate gluten-free for a while. I didn’t like the flour but I was able to bake some and use an alternative.
Then, we tried grain-free…I learned to bake with almond flour and we had some nice alternatives for some baked bread.
Choose a grain-free diet if you struggle with any flour. Read this about the nutrition of einkorn.
Now, cooking with einkorn has given us a grain we can tolerate, and bake some yummies to satisfy that fresh-baked craving.
No allergic reactions when eating einkorn instead of wheat
- no stomach cramps for my husband….also when he quit eating corn. especially GMO foods.
- no headaches
- no swollen glands
Side note:
I have always dealt with headaches.
Years ago, I noticed I had hormonal headaches, then I noticed I was sensitive to sugar. This was when I was reading labels soon after I was married.
I researched natural remedies for headaches, cooked with whole foods, grains, good sugar, and natural ingredients. Avoiding MSG and other chemicals in my home.
I was careful about wheat because it made me feel very bloated.
So finding out wheat flour could be adding more headaches and the reasons were shocking. Now, I needed to avoid it more than ever.
And knowing how my daughter was dealing with it, We had already changed our diet as I mentioned, but being able to make bread with ancient wheat einkorn has been so wonderful for our family.
We brew feverfew, chamomile, lavender, and willow bark for headaches and that has helped a lot. If you have headaches, look at what you eat and see if you can change a few things.
Tip: Also drinking too much water…I know that’s weird, but too much can flush your electrolytes and may cause a headache. When lessening my water, my headaches got better.
Does einkorn flour taste different?
Einkorn has a nutty and sweet flavor. Its taste is very good, and you’ll probably like it better than traditional flour bread recipes.
We love it!
Is einkorn flour good for bread?
Baking with Einkorn flour has been amazing for bread. We bake Einkorn bread for sandwiches or as a warm, soft, buttery addition to our meals. Grinding the wheat berries is an option, too. We buy ours from Jovial Foods.
Tips for baking with einkorn flour
- The dough is stickier
- Avoid adding too much flour.
- Letting the dough sit for a while will help.
No-Knead Einkorn Bread
And if you want an Einkorn bread recipe without yeast, I have a yeast replacement below the recipe.
Although I really love my einkorn sourdough bread, this quick einkorn bread you can start to finish in 1 1/2 hrs. That is doable!
I bake this in the morning and we can have an einkorn sandwich bread ready to go for lunch. Spread with nut butters or filled with my rotisserie chicken and all the condiments.
My recipe below is for 2 loaves. With 5 kiddos these are eaten quickly!
Tip: Make at least two batches of this and freeze the rest.
Mix dry ingredients
Heated water and honey
Pour slowly into dry and stir
Cover and let the dough rise for 30 min. no rising if you’re baking the no yeast bread.
Pour into two baking pans and rise 10 min. Bake at 375 for about 30-35 min. Brush with melted butter. Two loaves ready to eat! A new kneading tool to stir the dough is now one of my favorites from Jovial Foods.
Where do you buy einkorn flour?
- Local health food stores may carry it
- Azure Standard ( check if delivery is available in your area)
- Jovial Foods
- Vitacost
- Einkorn
Consider getting a grain mill and grinding wheat berries for a fresh, hearty taste.
Making your bread is an old-fashioned skill I hope you try. Baking this no-knead einkorn bread is an easy recipe to start with. If you’ve never made bread, or you struggle with wheat flour; consider trying einkorn and maybe you’ll notice fewer allergic reactions like my daughter. Now, I have confidence my family and you too can enjoy bread again knowing it’s a healthy ancient grain, and so easy to make.
Have you baked with einkorn flour?
Ingredients
Method
- Mix dry ingredients in a large glass bowl. I like to use a fork which incorporates the dry ingredients well.
- Heat water to very hot over 100. Add honey Stir until well dissolved.
- Pour liquid into dry ingredients slowly as you stir. Stir for a few minutes. The dough will come together. Einkorn is stickier so this is normal.
- Cover and rise for 30 min
- Pour and split into 2 buttered baking pans and rise for 10 min
- Bake at 375°F for 30-35
- Pour on melted butter if desired
Notes
- Also, the wheat makes this loaf hearty. Enjoy this easy bread recipe!
- I make this without ginger too. Ginger does help it rise better and you can’t taste it if you’re worried about flavor. I tend to use ginger during the winter months or place dough by the fire.
Hi Lori,
Just made your biscuits with sourdough discard, can’t wait to try!
I’m reading through your recipe for no knead einkorn bread, I cannot find the yeast replacement you mentioned. I have been trying to avoid using yeast.
Thanks,
Gina
I hope you liked the biscuits! I listed the yeast replacement between two of the photos, but I thought I sent a link to that recipe. I am sorry. Here’s my no yeast bread
Perfect! Holds together very well. Nice, open, soft texture. Great fresh out of the oven with salt and butter.
That’s great! Einkorn has an amazing flavor.
Well, I made the loaves 5 days ago. Never tried Einkorn before but purchased the flour a few weeks ago with that in mind. AMAZING taste, nothing like standard wheat, at all. Hubby and I love it, but… had some baking issues that I hope you can help with.
The bread in the pan rose ‘very’ quickly. I used Quick-Rising yeast (Canada) and I’m not sure if that’s the same Active Dry Yeast. We have ‘Traditional’ and Quick Rise’. I’m thinking the Traditional is probably closer to ‘Active’ and I’ll use that on my next try. It was ‘very’ bubbly and I think it was over-proofed. The rise met to just above the pan, but when she cooked she fell in the middle and seems quite dense. It’s also ‘dry’. I’ve baked gluten free for years and it almost seems like one of those loaves. Comes out nice but a day later is dry and dense. Or it could be the nature of einkorn, but you’re the expert.
Regardless, I will try again, using the Traditional dry yeast this time and see how it goes. Oh, one more thing. I wasn’t sure how long to mix the dough after adding the wet ingredients. I used to make standard bread loaves and you always worked it until it was ‘smooth & elastic’ before placing in a bread pan. I obviously didn’t do that here, but I found the flour didn’t mix well, there were still small pieces of dry flour, but Inwas afraid to over mix as it was already rising on me. Sorry for the long post. Edit away!!
I’m so glad you like einkorn. Yes, it was over-proofed because quick-rising yeast is ready out of the package. Active dry yeast needs another ingredient to be active and needs time to rise. I put active dry yeast in the fridge or freezer to last longer. A dry loaf may be because it didn’t cool and cut the loaf too soon, over baking, or storage method. Einkorn doesn’t need to be smooth and elastic, so just mix until incorporated well. And einkorn is better if not risen to double. And you can sift the flour if you find clumps. I hope that helps. Happy baking!
Thank you for your timely response Lori. I’ll be making loaves again tomorrow with the ‘right’ yeast, and I also had thought I’ll sift the flour this time. I think the loaves were over baked. Do you have a thermometer test for doneness, or some hint as to when it’s done? I
Thank you again!
I use a fork to test it but I usually can bake it around 30-35 min and as it cools it bakes a little more.
The temperature test I use for all my breads is 200-205, that works for me