Easy Homemade Bread Recipe
This easy homemade bread recipe is perfect for beginners. With just a few simple ingredients, it creates a soft, fluffy, and golden loaf that's ideal for sandwiches, pairing with soups, or enjoying with butter and jam. Simple to make and absolutely delicious!
Servings: 1 loaf of bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
- 2 ¼ teaspoon dry yeast
- 2 Tablespoons sugar or honey
- 2 Tablespoons oil olive oil, avocado oil (any neutral oil will work)
- 3 - 3 ¼ cups flour bread flour or unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- butter optional, for brushing on top of bread
Instructions
- Warm up the water until it's a nice, bath water temperature. (See note.) Sprinkle in the yeast and half the sugar. Mix it until the yeast and sugar dissolve. The yeast should get foamy within a few minutes.
- Pour all the liquid ingredients (water, yeast, sugar and oil) into a large bowl of a stand mixer and mix to combine.
- Add half the flour to the bowl and start on low speed and mix the dough with a dough hook attachment, until the it comes together. Add the remaining flour and salt, gradually increasing the speed and knead the dough for 5-10 minutes.
- Brush the bowl and coat the dough in a little bit of oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until it doubles in size 30-90 min.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- When the dough has doubled, place the dough on the counter and shape it into a rectangle. It should be about the width of your bread pan. (I use a 9 X 5 inch bread pan.)
- Roll it up tightly, starting with the short side and then place it seam side down into a greased loaf pan.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and set aside until the dough doubles once again, 30 minutes to an hour.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 23-27 minutes.
- Take the bread out of the bread pan within 5 minutes and let it cool on a rack. Brush the top of the bread with butter to make it more glossy and to make the crust softer.
- Store the bread, wrapped or in a bag, at room temperature, for 3-4 days. Store in the refrigerator if you need it to last 5-9 days. Bread can also be frozen for 1-3 months.
Notes
- Water Temperature: The water should be between 110-115°F. This is the ideal range for activating the yeast without killing it. If it’s too hot (above 120°F), it could kill the yeast; too cold, and it won’t activate properly. You can check the temperature with a kitchen thermometer or test it by dipping your finger in—it should feel warm but not hot.
- Bread Flour vs. All-Purpose Flour: Bread flour has a higher protein content, which gives the bread its chewy, airy texture. If you don’t have bread flour, all-purpose flour will work just fine, though the loaf might be a little softer. If you have access to it, I recommend using bread flour for the best results.
- Sweeteners: You can substitute honey for sugar in this recipe if you prefer. Honey adds a subtle sweetness and can give the bread a slightly richer flavor.
- Optional Step - Brush with Oil: Before baking, you can brush or spray the top of the dough with a little oil. This will help create a more golden crust and prevent the dough from sticking to the plastic wrap.
