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High protein (7 g per serving), delicious and easy 2 ingredient chia bread made with chia seeds & baking powder (plus water and optional salt). This wonderful bread is vegan, keto, paleo, oil-free, grain-free, nut-free and sugar free (zero grams).
I have been meaning to experiment with a chia seed version of 2-ingredient flax sandwich bread for some time. Ever since I began creating chia flour (ground chia seed) recipes last year (like these chia breakfast cookies and 3-ingredient chia oat rolls), I suspected that I could make it work.
I finally made the time and got to testing, and…my suspicions were correct! It only took about a dozen trials, but I made it work. Hurrah!
A fabulous bonus of using chia seeds for this bread: each serving has 7 grams of protein!
Introducing my 2 ingredient Chia Bread. It is 100% chia seeds (no other flours or starches) and it is nutty, delicious, and easy to make.
Table of Contents
- Recipe Benefits
- Ingredients for the Bread
- Tip for Ready-to-Use Chia Flour
- How to Make 2 Ingredient Chia Bread
- Step One: Preheat the Oven and Prepare Baking Pan
- Step Two: Grind the Chia Seeds into a Fine Flour
- Step Three: Combine the Dry Ingredients in a Bowl
- Step Four: Add the Water
- Step Five: Shape the Loaves
- Step Six: Bake
- Step Seven: Cool the Bread
- FAQ
- How Should I Store the Bread?
- Is this a High-Rising Bread?
- How Do I use the Bread for Sandwiches?
- My Bread is Gooey Inside. Why?
- Related Recipes
- 2 Ingredient Chia Bread (V, GF, K, Oil-Free) Recipe
Recipe Benefits
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Gluten-free
- Grain-free
- Oil-free
- High fiber (14 grams per serving)
- High protein (7 grams per serving)
- Sugar-free
- Paleo-friendly
- Keto-friendly
- Easy to make
- 2 ingredients (plus water and optional salt)
Ingredients for the Bread
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- Chia seeds (or ready-to use chia flour)
- Baking powder
You will also need some regular tap water. I like to add some salt, but it is optional/adjustable according to your needs.
Tip for Ready-to-Use Chia Flour
My recipe calls for grinding chia seeds into a fine flour. This is simple to do in a blender (high speed or regular) or a small coffee mill.
If you prefer, you can skip the grinding and use ready-to-use chia flour. You will need to use an equal weight of chia flour to replace the chia seeds.
Second, be sure that it is finely ground chia (flour consistency) as opposed to chia meal (coarsely ground chia seeds). In order for this recipe to work, the seeds must be finely ground into a flour.
If you have a package of chia meal, not flour, place it in a blender and pulse until it is a fine flour.
How to Make 2 Ingredient Chia Bread
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
Step One: Preheat the Oven and Prepare Baking Pan
Preheat the oven to 400 F (200C) degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step Two: Grind the Chia Seeds into a Fine Flour
This is a very important step. Using a blender or a clean coffee mill, grind the chia seeds into a fine flour. A fine consistency is critical for the texture and rise of the bread.
Step Three: Combine the Dry Ingredients in a Bowl
In a large bowl, whisk together the finely ground chia seeds (chia flour), baking powder, and the (optional) salt.
Step Four: Add the Water
Next, stir in water. It will come together together into a thick, somewhat gooey dough (note: the dough will become less gooey in 1 to 2 minutes as the chia seeds absorb the water).
Step Five: Shape the Loaves
Divide the dough into three equal portions. With damp hands, shape each into a flattened 8-inch (20 cm) long log.
Make 4 deep diagonal slashes through the top of each loaf.
Step Six: Bake
Bake the loaves in the preheated oven for roughly 55 to 60 minutes until risen slightly, the slashes on top have opened up some, and the surface of the loaves appears dry. The loaves will be deep brown in color.
The crust of the bread should be hard (great-crustiness).
Step Seven: Cool the Bread
Transfer the loaves to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Bread, complete!
FAQ
How Should I Store the Bread?
Store the cooled bread in an airtight container at (cool) room temperature for 3 days, the refrigerator for 2 weeks, or the freezer for up to 6 months.
Is this a High-Rising Bread?
No. It does rise some, and puffs out a small amount (you will see a separation of the deep cuts once fully baked).
The bread has a pleasant crust and a fluffy interior.
How Do I use the Bread for Sandwiches?
Slice the bread lengthwise for wonderful sandwiches. One half of one loaf, sliced lengthwise is perfect for a sandwich.
My Bread is Gooey Inside. Why?
The bread should not be gooey inside, at all. If your bread comes out gooey in the middle, it is most likely due to one or more of the following reasons:
- The loaves were made too short and/or thick. The loaves should be about 8-inches in length, and flattened approximately 3/4 to 1 inch thickness, maximum.
- Slashes were not made, or were not made deep enough.
- The bread was not baked long enough. The bread may look done before 55 to 60 minutes have passed. That does not mean that it is cooked on the inside. Bake for the entire 55 to 60 minutes.
- The bread was not cooled before slicing.
- Inaccurate measurement of ingredients. With minimal breads such as this one, accuracy of measurements is critical. I strongly suggest using a kitchen scale for measuring the chia seeds.
Happy baking!
Related Recipes
2 Ingredient Chia Bread (V, GF, K, Oil-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/4 cups, 200 g chia seeds
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- Optional” 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 237 mL water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a blender or clean coffee grinder, grind the chia seeds into a very fine flour.
In large bowl, whisk together the chia flour, baking powder and (optional) salt. Add the water, stirring until completely combined (the dough will look thick and somewhat gooey at first). - Divide the dough into 3 equal portions, With wet hands, shape each piece into a 8-inch (20 cm) long, flattened (about 3/4 inch to 1-inch thick) baguette style loaf.
Space the loaves at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet. - Using a sharp knife, make 4 deep diagonal slashes into the top of each
- loaf.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 55 minutes until risen slightly, the slashes have opened up some, and the surface of the loaves appears dry. - Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Chia Seed Grinding Tips: Grind the chia seeds into a fine flour (not a rough meal consistency). For best results, be sure to use fresh chia seeds; the oils in chia seeds can turn rancid if not stored properly and will develop "off" flavors. If Using Pre-Made Chia Flour: If using packaged chia flour, make sure it is finely ground (i.e., not chia meal, which has a coarse consitency). If you have chia meal, grind it in a blender or coffee mill until fine. Also, be sure to use an equivalent weight of chia flour, not volume (i.e., 200 grams chia seeds is 1 and 1/4 cups, but 200 grams of chia flour is closer to 1 and 2/3 cups).
Tip: For larger sandwich-style slices, cut the bread lengthwise. It is easier if you first cut the loaf in half, crosswise, then slice each half lengthwise.
I am super pleased with how this bread turned out! Thanks for this wonderful recipe. As someone who has food allergies to multitudes of things, I was getting super bored with my diet and then I stumbled across your website.
This was so easy to make, and turned out exactly as described! I have eaten it with coconut butter and even coconut yoghurt on top and both are delicious. I am sure it would be great with other spreads too 🙂
I am so happy to read your comment, Jade! Wonderful that it worked out and you are enjoying it with a variety of delicious sounding toppings 😍 Welcome back to bread!
A preheated oven of 400 degrees is fine. what do you turn the oven down to to cook the chia bread. Leaving at 400 is too hot and burns the bottom.
Hi Snowpup,
I bake the bread at 400F without any problems. If yours burned on the bottom, it could be that your oven runs hot (you can check with a stand alone oven thermometer–I love mine, it is easy to check that the oven is at the correct temp. Many ovens run hot, especially at higher temp settings. You can then adjust your temp setting down, as needed). I also want to check that you are using a light-colored baking sheet/pan. A dark sheet will easily burn the bottoms of just about everything, especially at temperatures over 350.
Cheers.
I love this recipe! I make smaller “buns” instead of loaves and make a crisp cross slash across the top before baking. (I make 9 buns per recipe, baking time about the same). The breads are small but mighty, very filling and so nourishing. I love having this option for incorporating chia seeds into my diet. Thank you, Camilla!
I am so glad you love the recipe, Danielle! And thank you for sharing your buns variation, sounds perfect 😊
Came out perfect!! I was hoping someone would bake them as round buns, too, and tell us how they adjusted the cooking time.
Excellent, Cindi, I’m so glad you like the bread! Regarding rolls: baking time would depend on how big or small you make the rolls. In general, you could aim for about 1/2 the time (for first check), add more time as needed. Cheers.
Turned out gummy/slimy for me, but I was able to make an adjustment that I really enjoy! (Swap out egg whites for the water, but beat them to firm peaks first with the salt. It’s about 6 egg whites.) Baking powder and chia seeds get mixed together in a bowl, then whisk/fold into whipped egg whites super fast and dump into bread pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Higher temp might be better, but I haven’t tried. Anyway, mix fast and don’t be too perfectionistic or it deflates and turns to glue, lol.
This was super easy and quick to make. My loaves came out very small though, they looked like baked potatoes. Maybe I didn’t flatten them enough. They did rise well though. I feel like they could use a bit more salt, but overall I’m shocked at how the texture is like bread. It’s crazy! Could I make this in a loaf pan?
Why does it taste fishy?
Hi Claudia,
I am so sorry that your bread tasted fishy. It is not the recipe, it is the seeds: when chia seeds go rancid, they can develop a fishy taste. This is also true of flax seeds. The fish taste indicates that the oils within the seeds have oxidized and are no longer fresh. You can smell the seeds when they are at room temperature or after grinding–if there is a hint of fishiness, they are spoiled and should not be used. In the future, be sure to store the seeds in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent them from becoming rancid.
Do you measure your chia seeds by grams before or after grinding? Does it make a difference in weight once the seeds are ground?
Hi Sandy,
I measure the chia seeds and then grind most of the time. However, sometimes I make an extra big batch of chia flour so I measure 200 grams of flour to use in the recipe. You will need to use 200 grams either way.
Never mind I’m a dip stick 😳
Oh, ok! No, you are not ☺️ I do the same all the time! Cheers
You need to make this printer friendly. 33 pages?
Oh no, I’m sorry that’s happening, Ron! I show 2 pages when I try to print.
I am going to try making this in the next week, but I also have Almond Flour. I am wondering if I can add Almond flour to this recipe and what other adjustments would be needed to accommodate the Almond flour. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Hi Laura! I think you would have to treat it as a little bit of an experiment. With such a minimalist recipe, it’s hard to predict how substitutes will affect the outcome. I suggest starting by substituting a small amount of the chia flour with almond flour. Use an equal weight of almond flour to the chia flour you leave out. Chia is very absorbent, so you will most likely need to reduce the water some. Cheers!
I’m allergic to Gia seeds. Can the recipe work for flaxseed?
Hi Cookie,
Yes! Here is the recipe, with flax, that inspired this chia bread: https://www.powerhungry.com/2019/06/27/2-ingredient-flax-sandwich-bread-vegan-keto-grain-free/
I have a version of the flax bread s rolls, too: https://www.powerhungry.com/2022/06/03/easy-2-ingredient-fluffy-flax-rolls/
And a super fast microwave flax bread: https://www.powerhungry.com/2022/09/07/2-minute-2-ingredient-flax-bread-v-gf-oil-free/
I made smaller, mini breads rather than loaves. They are terrific! I love chia seeds, it is amaz8ng you figured out how to make bread with them. Thank you!
I’m so glad you like the recipe, Gina!
Thank you for the recipe! The bread tastes really good but mine had barely any rise. Followed the recipe to the T, any ideas what could have gone wrong?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Iva,
I’m glad you like the bread! The loaves do not have a high rise, but they should have some. If they did not really rise at all, it could be that your baking powder has lost some or all potency.
This looks great. Would flax meal work in place of chia flour/ground chia seeds?
Hi Linnie! Yes indeed, this recipe was inspired by my 2 ingredient flaxseed meal bread. Here you go! https://www.powerhungry.com/2019/06/27/2-ingredient-flax-sandwich-bread-vegan-keto-grain-free/
I think you are gifted in this area of discovering “alternative” and satisfying recipes! I made this bread today and it was so fun and yummy! It really worked! Who knew?!
I’ve also made the pepita tofu various times and I love it.
It’s fun and satisfying to have alternative recipes like these so that I can enjoy textures and flavors I love but need to stay away from (gluten, soy, etc.)
So, heartfelt appreciation to you.
Robin! This sweet comment is a gift, thank you so much. I could not be happier to hear that you are enjoying the recipes, and finding new ways to love cooking and eating a variety of different foods .
I have a lot of yeast. Would it be possible to use yeast instead of baking powder?
Hi Danielle! I think there is a very good possibility it could work, but it would take a bit of experimentation. Especially depending on the type of yeast (active regular, or instant). The recipe would need a bit of sugar (2 to 3 teaspoons?) to activate the yeast. You would also need to let the bread rise ( time would depend on the yeast type).
Delicious! I cannot eat flax seeds so THANK YOU for this chia version of your flax bread. It is so good and filling. I cannot say enough good things.
You are very welcome, Dawn!
I love this bread!!!! It came out perfect, just like the pics you have. I love the flavor and it is very filling. I’m making a second batch today. Love that it has so much protein, too!
I am so happy you gave this a try Mia, and so pleased that you like it so much! ????