Why Homemade Vegan Bread Often Fails (And How to Fix It)
Vegan bread should be soft, airy, crusty—or chewy if you’re going rustic. But too often, it’s a letdown: gummy inside, dense outside, or just refusing to rise.
It’s not just the lack of eggs or milk. It’s understanding the chemistry of bread—and adjusting plant-based baking techniques to match.
Here’s why your loaves might be failing—and the simple tweaks that make all the difference.
🍶 1. You're Using the Wrong Plant Milk
Not all dairy-free milks behave the same.
Avoid flavoured or sweetened milks (they throw off taste)
Use soy or oat milk for consistency and structure
Warm the milk slightly before mixing—cold liquid can shock the yeast
🧪 Plant milk isn’t just filler—it affects rise, flavour, and browning.
🧂 2. You're Not Adjusting for Egg Removal
Eggs provide binding, moisture, and richness. Without them, you may need to:
Add a flax egg or aquafaba for binding
Use olive oil, vegan butter, or mashed potatoes for softness
Add a touch of lecithin (found in soy) for better crumb structure
💡 Enriched breads need fat + binder—even without eggs.
🍞 3. Your Dough Isn't Hydrated Enough
Dry dough = dry bread. Many vegan flours (especially wholemeal or spelt) need more moisture.
Start with a slightly sticky dough
Let it rest (autolyse) before kneading—it allows full hydration
Add water gradually, not all at once
🥄 Sticky dough at first = fluffy loaf later.
⏳ 4. You're Rushing the Rise
Yeast needs time—and patience.
Let the dough double in size in a warm, draft-free spot
For better flavour, use a longer, slower proof (try cold-proofing overnight)
Avoid overproofing—if it collapses in the oven, it rose too much
⏰ Time builds flavour. Don’t rush the rise.
🌡️ 5. Your Oven Isn't Hot Enough (Or Too Hot)
Oven issues ruin great dough.
Preheat fully before baking
Use an oven thermometer—most ovens lie
Bake with steam (add a tray of hot water or spritz the oven) to create the crust
🔥 No steam = dry crust. No heat = flat loaf.
🧠 Final Thought: Vegan Bread Isn’t Second-Best
It’s not “good for vegans.” It’s just good bread—when you honour the method.
Use the right liquids. Embrace stickier dough. Let the yeast do its slow, magical thing. And don’t be afraid to treat it like a craft.
Because once you get it right, vegan bread becomes more than possible—it becomes irresistible.
💬 What’s your go-to plant-based bread recipe or trick? Share below and help the community rise together.