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No yeast, no waiting, no nonsense. This quick barley bread mixes up in one bowl and bakes into a rustic loaf with the texture of cornbread and the nutty depth of barley flour. Buttermilk and a little honey keep things balanced without tipping into sweet.
This is easy bread baking. Unlike yeast breads like our sprouted wheat sandwich bread or our oatmeal bread, which take a bit more time and effort, this one’s mixed, baked, and ready in under an hour.
Here is Why This Barley Bread Recipe Works
No yeast: This is a quick bread, which means no kneading, no rising, no babysitting. Just mix, bake, and done.
100 percent barley bread recipe: Nutty and slightly sweet, it gives the bread a unique taste and rustic crumb.
Cornbread Vibes: With its dense, rustic texture, it’s like cornbread’s sophisticated cousin. Just the thing for those hearty soups or stews.
One-Bowl Wonder: Minimal mess, minimal fuss. Mix, pour, bake, and you’re done. This recipe is easy enough to whip up even on busy days.
It makes great toast for breakfast and pairs perfectly with hearty meals like our chili made with dried beans or a cozy bowl of beef barley soup.
Recipe Tips
Measure the flour by weight for the best texture. Barley flour packs differently than wheat flour.
Don’t overmix the batter once the wet and dry ingredients come together; stir just until combined.
Adjust the texture: If you want a softer, more cake-like bread, use 3 eggs instead of 2.
Use a light-colored metal loaf pan if possible. Dark pans can brown the outside too quickly before the inside cooks through.
Check for doneness with a toothpick; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Storing Leftovers
- Room temp: Store tightly wrapped in a zip-top bag for up to 3 days. Keep it on the counter.
- Refrigerate: If your kitchen runs hot or humid, wrap it well and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Just know the texture might firm up a bit.
- Freezer: Wrap the cooled loaf in plastic, then foil, or stash it in a freezer bag. It’ll keep for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm slices in a toaster oven and serve with homemade strawberry jam or a slather of butter.
Barley Bread Questions, Answered
Barley flour doesn’t have strong gluten, so it naturally bakes into a more rustic loaf similar to my buttery cornbread. If you want a softer, less crumbly texture, try adding a third egg as mentioned in the notes.
Yes. You can swap the buttermilk for a non-dairy milk mixed with a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Just keep in mind it may slightly change the flavor and texture.
Not exactly, but it’s made with 100% barley flour and has a rustic texture similar to breads that would’ve been baked in ancient times. Barley was a staple grain in biblical cooking, and this recipe stays true to that spirit by keeping things simple and unrefined.
Barley Quick Bread
If you want a hearty, from-scratch loaf without the wait or hassle of yeast, this quick barley bread fits the bill. Simple, satisfying, and just a little unexpected, in the best kind of way.
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Quick Barley Bread (No Yeast)
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Ingredients
- 3 cups barley flour, 340 grams
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs, (see notes)
- 1 ½ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8½ by 4½ inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
- Whisk the barley flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together.
- In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and honey.
- Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture and stir gently until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the bread loaf pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes
- This is not gluten-free. Barley does contain gluten.
- As one reader noted, adding an extra egg will give the bread a softer, more cake-like consistency. If you want a less rustic texture that isn’t as crumbly, use 3 eggs.
- You can store the bread on the counter in a plastic bag for 2 to 3 days or freeze it for three months.
- To extend the shelf life of baked barley bread, you can wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- When you are ready to eat the bread, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat it in the oven or toaster oven until warmed through.
- Want more ways to bake with barley flour? Check out my buttermilk barley biscuits or my barley pancakes.
Variations:
Honey Nut Bread with Barley Flour: Stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts and an extra tablespoon of honey for added sweetness Garlic and herb barley bread: Mix in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of dried mixed herbs (like rosemary and thyme). Cranberry Orange Barley Quick Bread: Fold in ½ cup dried cranberries and the zest of one orange.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
What gas mark do you bake the bread on?
I believe you will need to bake it at 160°C for a gas fan oven. I got the conversion on this site.
I made this a few weeks ago and then made the Alton Brown Barley Bread recipe today. His had less milk (plain milk), less honey and no baking soda. It came out better. Not nearly as crumbly, much more bread like. Taste better too.
Thanks for your comment. Personal preference. We like the flavor and added moisture that buttermilk produces. Since buttermilk is in this recipe, we have baking soda to help with the chemical leavening of the bread. If you substitute with plain milk, you don’t need the baking soda. As mentioned in the notes, if you are looking for a softer, less crumbly bread, you can add an extra egg.
I’m excited to make this. My mother-in-law is coming in to town from Iran and only eats barley bread, which is surprisingly a hard bread to find in the grocery store. So I’ll make it myself instead. I see in the comments about adding an extra egg. I just want to confirm that the recipe hasn’t been updated and an additional egg would be 3 eggs instead of 2.
Correct, I did not change the original recipe. With two eggs the texture is somewhat rustic and more like cornbread. Three eggs will make it more cake-like in texture. thanks for the quesiton
We are enjoying this barley loaf! We couldn’t find barley flour so we ground our own using our coffee grinder and then sifted it. It worked great! Followed the recipe as written. Only problem was it didn’t rise in the middle. It was finished thru, just dipped in the middle. Why would that be?
That happens if the bread is under-baked. Even if the bread looks done all the way through, it could still be slightly under-baked. I would increase the baking time by a few minutes next time. If you feel that the extra baking time makes it too dry for your taste you can add an extra egg to the batter like the previous reader did.
@Gwen, thanks for your post. I bought too much barley and the coffee grinder idea is perfect.
Great tasting bread! About to make my third loaf, but I have a question: the bread crumbles easily in the toaster, so would it make a difference if I used less baking soda, or baking powder, or just 2 eggs? I’m an amateur at baking, but willing to experiment.
Oh yes, barley flour has less gluten than wheat flour so it does make a looser crumb. An extra egg would help bind it together. I wouldn’t cut back on the leavening though. Thanks for your comment
@Dahn Boquist, Thank you. I’ll try the extra egg this morning. Also, I’m going to use the recipe in a muffin pan, with blueberries in some, walnuts in others, and the rest plain. I’m hoping it works.
That sounds great. It should work fine, it will just need less time in the oven if it is in muffin tins.
@Dahn Boquist, The muffins came out great. The extra egg gave them an almost cake-like texture, softer and more moist, but next time I will add a little more honey to sweeten them up. I’m also going to try something different…a standard wheat bread recipe, with yeast, but completely substituting barley for wheat.
Thanks for the update! Good luck with the yeast bread.
@Skip, I am curious if this worked! I am sensitive to wheat but not gluten so I was thinking about trying this – if you tried it please let me know how it turned out.
It is very tasty, I replaced the buttermilk with almond milk and came out great. However, when I slice it, it is not holding well and breaks down. Any idea what can be done to keep it intact?
There is a higher fat content in buttermilk so you might want to try increasing the oil by a tablespoon or two if you replace the buttermilk with almond milk. Also, make sure you measure the barley flour either by weighing it or lightly spooning it into a measuring cup. If you dip the measuring cup into the flour to scoop it out then it will get packed down and you can have too much flour which will make the bread fall apart.
Can I use water instead of buttermilk?
Sure, the bread will turn out a bit differently. Buttermilk will add some richness, fat, and moisture and will help make the bread tender.
I’m wondering if the honey is essential? Most breads taste sweet to me, so I’m looking for a more savory flavor.
Oh this will definitely work just fine if you omit the honey. You may need to add a tablespoon or two more of the buttermilk. Thanks for the question
This is absolutely the best quick bread. I have never baked with barley before, but the recipe turned out a great quick bread. My hubby wants it to be banana bread. How would I adapt the recipe but still retain the ingredients used in this bread? And thanks so much!!!
I haven’t experimented with banana barley bread yet. You may want to try my spelt banana bread and see if the barley can be substituted for the spelt. The two flours absorb moisture slightly differently but there is enough similarity that it might work well.
I have been baking lots of quick bread too. This looks hearty, healthful and delicious with barley flour.
Thanks Angie!