Gluten-Free Oatmeal Steamed Bread w/ Makgeolli (오트밀 찐빵)

Here’s a gluten-free, oatmeal steamed bread recipe that’s made with 100% oats (no other flours). Chewy, sweet and tender, it’s a recipe that even my carb-loving parents love because of the sweet, yeasty flavor that comes from Makgeolli, a Korean rice wine drink.

I’m always experimenting on new ways to incorporate whole grains in my baking (and sometimes steaming – as most Asian-inspired desserts are). And since I’ve been trying to help my parents reduce their carb and gluten-intake for their health, one day I decided to try using oatmeal flour instead of the plain flour I usually use to make steamed bread. And yes, it totally worked!

Even using oatmeal flour (basically ground up oats), the steamed bread turned out fluffy, soft, tender, chewy and basically everything I love about steamed breads. The addition of Makgeolli, a type of Korean Rice Wine / Rice Liquor that has a mellow, sweet rice flavor, is what helps this steamed bread recipe produce that sweet, slightly fermented, yeasty flavor that everyone loves. Keep reading to see what other ingredients you’ll need to make these yummy bread!

Ingredients Used to Make This

_{**I’ve linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂}

• Oatmeal / Oat Flour – Oat flour is a whole grain flour that’s made out of rolled oats. The rolled oats are just simply blitzed and processed until it resembles a fine, powdery flour. It’s also a healthy gluten-free alternative to white flour that’s rich in manganese, biotin, vitamin B1, magnesium and fiber. The fiber can aid in digestion and keeps you full for a longer time. The vitamins and minerals in oat flour can also help you maintain good health and well-being. In addition, it has a direct impact on your energy levels, brain function and cell metabolism.

• While you can buy oat flour in any major grocery store, you can make your own oatmeal flour by grinding either old-fashioned (rolled) or quick-cooking oats in the food processor (like how I made it below). If you want to keep this strictly gluten-free (some oats are produced in the same facility as wheat), be sure to buy the one with the GF label like this one.

• Eggs – I used regular large eggs. I haven’t tried using egg replacements like flax or chia yet, so you might not get the same results if you decide to substitute.
• Salt – Pink Himalayan salt is what I have at home, so it’s what I use, but you can use any kind for this recipe.
• Brown Sugar – You can use any granulated sugar of your choice, but I used brown sugar. You can also use less processed sugars such as coconut, date and maple sugars. Honey and maple syrup should also work, too. For a lower carb, lower calorie option, use sugar-free sweeteners such as monk fruit sweetener or stevia (but you’ll have to convert according to package instructions).
• Baking Powder
• Yeast (optional) – I add this to boost the “yeasty” doughy flavor of the steamed bread, but it’s completely up to you if you’d like to leave this out.
• Olive Oil – Instead of olive oil, you can use coconut oil, or avocado oil here if you’d like.
• Makgeolli – other rice wine, rice milk or even almond milk can be used instead

What is Makgeolli / 막걸리 (Korean Rice Wine)?

Makgeolli is a type of Korean Rice Wine / Rice Liquor that has a mellow, sweet rice flavor that is usually added to Korean steamed breads to add a slightly fermented, yeasty flavor. You can find Makgeolli in most Korean grocery stores, but you’re welcome to substitute this with other rice wine, rice milk or even plain almond milk. Note that if you are using rice milk or almond milk, you probably don’t want to omit the yeast, as that will be what supplies the yeasty/rice flavor you’ll be missing had you used Makgeolli.

For the Add-Ins I used

• Walnuts – I love the chew and extra nutrition walnuts provide to the steamed bread but there are plenty of other ingredients that can be used instead. For example, you can use other nuts such as cashews or pecans if you don’t have walnuts.

Recipes that Also Use Oatmeal (HERE)

How to Make

Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:

• You don’t have to keep this plain. Add some nuts, dried fruits or mini chocolate chips to keep this cake interesting.
• Double Chocolate Chip donuts! Just add 2 Tbsp of cocoa powder and fold in some chocolate chips to the batter.
• Coffee or mocha? Add either a teaspoon of coffee extract or espresso powder.
• Do you like Chai or Cardamom? Try adding a tsp of Cardamom Powder or Chai Tea Powder to the batter with the other dry ingredients.

How to Make this Healthier

• Make this even healthier by adding a handful of other nuts, seeds and dried fruits to add texture and nutrition.
• Did you know that cinnamon, matcha and turmeric are all good sources of antioxidants? Add a teaspoon or two of some of these superfood powders to make this recipe even better!
• Want to increase fiber? Add a Tablespoon of ground flaxseed
• You can also reduce the sugar by half (to make this less sweet), or substitute the sugar with a sugar-free substitute.

What are some ways you can eat these?

• Plain and warm, served with jam or butter
• Drizzled with honey, maple syrup

How to Store

• You can store these breads covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. For longer storage, you can place them in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze up to 4 months.

More Bread Recipes (HERE)

Final Tips

• Steaming time will vary based on the size of your steamer, as well as the temperature. Steam until the center of the steamed bread is no longer sticky, and until a toothpick comes out clean/dry when poked into the middle.