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3-Ingredient Chia Millet Bread (V, GF, Oil-Free)

My 3-Ingredient chia millet bread is as easy as it is delicious! This crusty loaf is vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, yeast-free, and sugar-free. Slice the bread for sandwiches and toast, and use as a base for all of your favorite toppings and spreads.

avocado slices on top of a slice of chia millet bread

100% Millet Bread without Psyllium

This simple bread has been in the works for some time. It is a variation of my 100% Millet Sandwich Bread.

A sizable number of you asked if I had a psyllium-free alternative to the original recipe (psyllium husk is a key ingredient in the original loaf; it is essential for the bread’s structure and texture). Up until now, the answer was “no”.

Now it’s a “yes”! Say hello to my 3-Ingredient Chia Millet Bread.

overhead shot of millet chia bread

Recipe Benefits

Chia and millet are the superstars of this humble bread.

Chia seeds are the edible seeds of Salvia hispanica. They are high in protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as a host of other nutrients. Chia seeds can be added to smoothies and other drinks, used as egg replacements in many baking recipes, or ground into flour (as it is used in this recipe).

Millet is a high-fiber ancient grain with a low-glycemic index (i.e., no sugar spike after eating). Further, it is high in B vitamins, calcium, iron, potassium, zinc and magnesium. It has a mild flavor, with subtle flavors of dried corn. It is relatively low in cost, too.

In combination, chia and millet constitute a loaf that is:

  • Gluten-free
  • Vegan (egg-free & dairy-free}
  • Yeast-free
  • Xanthan gum-free
  • Oil-free
  • Sugar-free
  • Nut-free
  • High in fiber
  • Only 3 ingredients (plus water & optional salt)
  • Easy to make and bake

Ingredients for 3-Ingredient Chia Millet Bread

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.

overhead shot of Clea glass bowls filled with the ingredients for chia millet bread

To make this simple loaf, you will need:

You will also need some water (I use filtered tap water) to make the dough. Salt is optional, but I recommend adding it, if you eat salt.

Tip: Grind Your Own Millet or Chia

If you have a high-speed blender, or a small electric coffee grinder, you can grind your own flour from whole millet and whole chia seeds in little time.

High speed blenders will turn millet into millet flour in about a minute. The same is true with chia seeds.

If using a coffee grinder, you will need to grind about 1/4 cup (maximum) at a time. Place any extra flour in an airtight bag or container and freeze until next time.

Food processors do not work for grinding whole millet into fine flour (the millet seeds are too hard to be broken down by the food processor blade). Chia seeds, however, are softer than millet seeds and can be ground in a food processor.

How to Make Vegan 3-Ingredient Chia Millet Bread

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

Step One: Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Pan

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Prepare a 9×5-inch (22.5 x 12.5 cm) loaf pan by spraying, greasing, or lining with parchment paper (all to prevent the bread from sticking to the pan).

Step Two: Mix the Dry Ingredients

two photo collage showing the dry ingredients for millet bread

Whisk the millet flour, ground chia (chia flour), baking powder and optional salt in a large mixing bowl until blended. 

Step Three: Stir in the Water

Add the water to the bowl of dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula or large wooden spoon to stir until completely combined into a thick batter.

two photo collage showing the water being added to the dry ingredients to make chia millet bread

Step Four: Transfer Batter to Pan

Working quickly (you want to get the bread into the oven as soon as possible), transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Use a spoon or spatula to spread the batter evenly and smooth the top.

millet chia bread dough in a metal baking tin

Step Five: Bake the Bread.

Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 75 to 85 minutes until risen, the surface of the bread is golden brown and cracked, and a skewer inserted near the center of the bread comes out clean.

Let the bread cool, in the pan, on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.

millet chia bread cooling on a black cooling rack

Remove the bread from the pan and cool the loaf completely on a cooling rack.

Cut into Slices

millet chia bread getting sliced on a grey cutting board

Once cool, cut the bread into slices. This is a sturdy loaf. It is slightly more crumbly than the original 100% Millet Sandwich Bread.

What is the Texture & Taste?

Texture: This is a firm sandwich loaf with a tender, biscuit-y crust.

Taste: The flavor of the bread is a lot like whole wheat bread. The flavor is equally delicious with sweet and savory spreads, fillings and toppings.

So, go ahead, make this your go-to sandwich and toasting bread!

lives of bread on a grey cutting board

FAQ

How should I store the bread?

Store the cooled bread in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator for 1 week, and the freezer for up to 6 months.

Can I use different flours (in place of the millet flour and ground chia)?

No, I do not recommend it. The proportion of wet and dry ingredients is particular to millet flour and chia flour.

The good news is that I have many (MANY!) more easy, minimalist, vegan, gluten-free bread recipes here on power hungry., made with all different kinds of flours. Type “bread” or “sandwich bread” into the search engine for options.

My bread came out gooey in the middle. Why?

The most likely reasons are the following:

  1. Ingredient measurement issue. Weighing flours is the best way to ensure accurate results. But mis-measurement can also occur at times for simple reasons, such as distraction (it happens to all of us).
  2. Oven temperature is off. I regularly check my oven temperature setting using an inexpensive oven thermometer. Check to make sure the oven is accurate before baking. If the oven is too hot, it can force a faster rise to the bread, followed by a collapse while cooling.
  3. Baking powder is old. Expired baking powder will prevent the bread from rising properly, resulting in dense centers.
  4. Waited too long to get the bread in the oven. The baking powder begins reacting as soon as the batter is mixed. For best rising, it is important to get the bread in the oven asap after mixing. In particular, preheat the oven so that it is at full temperature once the batter is mixed. If the mixed bread batter sits around while the oven preheats, it will not rise properly, resulting in dense, underbaked middles.

How Can I Vary the Flavor of the 3-Ingredient Chia Millet Bread?

Consider adding chopped fresh herbs. dried herbs or spices to the bread to vary the flavor. For example, 1 to 2 tablespoons of dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence or 2 to 3 teaspoons of ground cumin, curry powder, garlic powder, or onion power.

You can also add a small amount of sweetness to the bread (about 3 to 4 tablespoons maximum). If using a liquid sweetener, decrease the amount of water by the amount of liquid sweetener you are adding. Consider adding some sweet spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom, as well as vanilla, too.

Happy baking! Let me know if you bake a loaf. I would love to know how it turns out.

avocado slices on top of a slice of chia millet bread

3-Ingredient Chia Millet Bread (V, GF, Oil-Free)

Yield: 1 loaf (14 slices)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

My 3-Ingredient chia millet bread is as easy as it is delicious! This crusty loaf is vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, yeast-free, and sugar-free. Slice the bread for sandwiches and toast, and use as a base for all of your favorite toppings and spreads.

Ingredients

  • 2 and 1/2 cups (400 g) millet flour (see tip to grind your own)
  • 90 grams (3/4 cup, lightly packed) finely ground chia seeds
  • 3 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 and 1/2 cups (593 mL) water

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F(180C). Spray and grease (or line with parchment paper) a 9x5-inch (22.5x12.5 cm) loaf baking pan.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the millet flour, ground chia seeds (chia flour), baking powder, and optional salt until blended.
  3. Add the water to the flour mixture and mix (using a wooden spoon, rubber spatula, or clean hands) until completely blended into a thick batter.
  4. Evenely spread the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 75 to 85 minutes until tuntil risen, the surface of the bread is golden brown and cracked, and a skewer inserted near the center of the bread comes out clean.
  6. Let the bread cool, in the pan, on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.
    Remove the bread from the pan and cool completely on the cooling rack before slicing.

Notes

Storage: Store the cooled bread in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator for 1 week, and the freezer for up to 6 months.

Millet Flour: Millet flour can be purchased or ground at home from whole millet. Use a high-speed blender to grind the millet to a fine flour (it takes about 1 minute), or grind by the 1/4 cup in a small electric coffee mill.

How to Grind Chia Seeds:
Option 1--Grind in a small blender or electric coffee mill: Measure the amount of chia seeds called for in the recipe (in this case, 90 grams) . I suggest pulsing to grind, and shaking the coffee mill or blender (hold on to the lid!) in between pulses to ensure an even grind. Process until the seeds are a fine flour.

Option 2--Grind in a blender or food processor: You will have the best results by grinding more than you need for this recipe. Most regular size blenders need at least 1 and 1/2 cups of ingredients to blend properly. Process the seeds until finely ground. Measure or weigh the amount of ground chia seeds needed for the recipe.

If using cups, rather than weights to measure the flour, lightly pack the chia flour into the measuring cup(s) to achieve an accurate measurement.

Nutrition Information
Yield 14 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 113Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 0mgSodium 124mgCarbohydrates 19gFiber 3gSugar 0gProtein 3g

The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although powerhungry.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands and optional ingredients can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.

Did you make this recipe?

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Lisa

Saturday 10th of February 2024

I love your Millet bread recipe - and stumbled on this version w/chia seeds. It's baking as I write this. I cannot wait to try it.

Camilla

Monday 12th of February 2024

Wonderful, Lisa, I hope that you like it!

Debbie McMurry

Saturday 30th of September 2023

Your cup to gram measurement is off 2 cups flour 240 grams? I made this used the cup measurement cause when I weighed the 2/1/2 cups it was nowhere near 400 grams. Anyway it wasn't bad I only had flax which I grinded to flour but I'm gonna get chia and make it again. Thanks for your hard work

Camilla

Friday 6th of October 2023

Hi Debbie,

I am sorry or any confusion with the bread ingredient quantities.

I am going by the grams per 1/4 cup on the Bob's Red Mill package of millet flour (which is what I use when I do not grind my own). It is 40 grams per 1/4 cup, so 160 per 1 cup (2.5 cups = 400 grams). Please go by the grams rather than cups alone--it is easy for people to get very different cups measurements with flour depending on how the flour is spooned into the cup. I am using 400 grams of millet flour in the recipe, so the grams measurement is definitely the default over the cups. I hope that helps.

I am so glad you were able to make it work, regardless! You are baker, my friend. Cheers to you :)

Iride

Thursday 18th of May 2023

Hi Camilla, just came across to you recipe,it looks really nice! What do you think about using brewers' yeast?

Camilla

Monday 22nd of May 2023

Hi Iride! Thanks you, glad you found the recipe :). Regarding using brewers' yeast: do you mean adding in in for nutrition? You could certainly do that (add a few tablespoons, add a few drops more water, if needed).

Sarah

Thursday 13th of April 2023

Hi- it came out great… BUT it has a bitter taste. I’m unfamiliar with millet flour and chia seeds in bread-so would it be either of those? I can’t eat it on its own; it’s great with jam or honey. Can you help me understand? Thanks.

Camilla

Sunday 16th of April 2023

Hi Sarah, It is definitely not the chia seeds, it is the millet. Millet shouldn't be bitter, but the grains or flour can become bitter if they areola (due to oxidation--the natural oils in millet can become rancid and will have a bitter taste). It is almost certainly not your fault--it is more likely the manufacturer. If you still have the bag, I would suggest returning (or contact the manufacturer). This is something that can happen with all grains, but with millet, it definitely lets to a bitter flavor. I am so sorry this happened to your bread, Sarah!

Anya

Sunday 9th of April 2023

I followed your recipe to a T and unfortunately the taste of baking soda was absolutely overwhelming. In most recipes I know there's the one unspoken act of reducing the taste of baking soda by mixing it with an acid prior to mixing. Getting a reaction started (Bubbles) with vinegar, lemon juice, or even straight up vitamin C powder diluted in water is what gets rid of it. I hope you will update this, because I had to toss the entire loaf due to the sickening taste of 3 and a half teaspoons of baking soda.

Camilla

Tuesday 11th of April 2023

Hi Anya, I am so sorry you had to toss the bread. The issue is that you used baking SODA. The recipe calls for baking POWDER. They are very different and used in very different proportions. Baking powder is made from baking soda plus cream of tartar (which is an acid). You use it in greater amounts than baking soda. Baking soda is much stronger than baking powder and needs to be combined with an acidic ingredient. I hope you will try the bread again with baking powder, as directed :)

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