Easy Bread recipe made with simple ingredients & detailed instructions showing how to make bread! Best homemade bread recipe for both beginners and expert bakers.
If you love Bread as much as we do, find all of our Best Bread Recipes Here!
Homemade Bread is one of my favorite foods of all time. Can you tell by the name of this site?! There really is nothing quite like a warm slice of fresh bread served with a thick pat of butter on top. Mmmmm! This recipe is perfect. It’s simple to follow, takes about 2 hours to make and yields 2 loaves of wonderful bread. It’s quite versatile too, so feel free to use part whole wheat flour if you’d like. Brush butter on top when it’s out of the oven and partially cooled and everyone will thank you.
Yes, you can make this recipe in a bread machine! Scroll down to see full Homemade Bread recipe and ingredients, with printable instructions for your bread machine.
I love to cook and I am a pretty confident baker, however, one thing I’ve struggled with is finding a really incredible bread recipe. I know- kind of funny being as there are a zillion out there and bread is one of those ‘basics” that almost anyone can make themselves. Nevertheless, I keep trying new recipes and have finally found one I really like and have gotten good results from! Even better- it’s easy and from start to finish it takes just over 2 hours!
Steps for most Bread Recipes
If you’ve never made bread before, here is the basic formula for making your own at home. My recipe below follows this perfectly. It’s so much easier and trust me, the scent of fresh bread baking will make everyone really, really excited for dinner!
Step 1: Assemble Bread Ingredients
You’ll need warm water, granulated sugar, instant OR active dry yeast, salt, vegetable or canola oil and flour. That’s it!
Step 2: Dissolve the yeast and activate it by Proofing
This is a simple process that takes about 5 minutes. You can see a picture below what yeast looks like when it’s proofed. It’s possible to kill yeast if you use too hot of water, so aim for slightly warmer than luke-warm, or about 105°F. Combine warm water, yeast and 1 TBSP of the granulated sugar in your mixing bowl. Give it a quick stir and then let it sit for 5 minutes. You’ll begin to see the yeast puff up until it covers the entire surface of the water.
Step 3: Add remaining ingredients and mix
Add the rest of the sugar, the oil, salt and flour (You can use all-purpose flour OR bread flour!), then mix using an electric mixer until it’s well combined, about 2 minutes. You can mix by hand but it will take longer.
Step 4: Knead the Bread
You might be thinking, “Wait! It’s already mixed!” Ha! Not so fast! Going through the process of kneading bread dough is crucial for bread with great texture. Kneading dough allows gluten to form which enables dough to rise better, be lighter and fluffier. you can knead by hand or with a mixer. I use the dough hook on my mixer and knead for 7 minutes. If you knead by hand, you’ll want to knead for 10-11 minutes, depending on how consistent you are.
Step 5: First Rise
Place your lovely smooth, elastic bread dough in an oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a clean towel. I think plastic wrap works better because it traps hot air inside and thus, my dough requires a shorter first rise. Be sure to spray the side of the plastic wrap that will touch the dough with oil!
If your house is cool, your bread will take longer to rise. In the wintertime when my house is cooler than normal, I like to turn the oven on for 2-3 minutes, then turn it off and let the bowl of dough rise in there. The oven traps the heat for a longtime and it’s the perfect atmosphere for rising dough.
Step 6: Punch Dough and Shape it
Punching the dough down quickly releases any air pockets that have developed and helps your bread have a more consistent rise and texture. Shape your dough by rolling it gently into a ball and rolling it 2 or 3 times on the countertop so that the ball is more oblong. I usually punch down and shape the dough quickly, then place in a greased bread pan.
Step 7: Second Rise
I like to do my second rise in a warm oven that’s not turned on. I turn the oven on just before I punch my dough down, then turn it off once I place the dough in the oven for the 2nd rise. It’s really only on for a minute or two, which is fine! The second rise will help shape your loaf of bread and takes about 30 minutes.
Step 8: Bake the Bread
You’re nearly there! Bread bakes for about 30-40 minutes. You know what I do to make sure my bread is perfectly cooked? I use a digital cooking thermometer! Fully cooked bread will be 190-200 degrees F. Bread recipes that include milk will need to cook until 200 degrees, but since this one doesn’t, I take it out once it reaches 190 degrees. The top will be golden brown.
My all-time favorite cooking thermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Another great thermometer is the ThermoPop which is a more basic version that works just as well!
Step 9: Cool the Bread
Cool baked bread in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then overturn pan and turn loaf out onto a cooling rack or folded towel to finish cooling. If you leave the bread in the pan for much longer than that, you’ll steam it, which may cause some parts of your loaf to go soggy. No one likes soggy bread!
Instant or Active Dry Yeast for Making Bread
If you use instant yeast, you can add it directly to your other dry ingredients when making bread. If you use active dry yeast, you’ll need to first dissolve it in warm water before using it in a recipe. For the sake of ease, I just always buy instant yeast. BUT, this recipe works for both!
Which bread pan is the best?
I bake a lot of bread and the pans I prefer are either aluminized steel or ceramic. Both types of pans will bake bread more evenly and release the bread more easily after baking. I’ve used glass pans in the past and it seems like my bread sinks too often when using them, so I stopped. I also don’t like using dark or nonstick pans because the bread cooks unevenly. It darkens on the outside before the bread is cooked on the inside, so it’s easier to burn.
How to Make Bread
If you’ve never baked homemade bread before, here are a few tips:
Remember to fully knead
The recipe below kneads for 7 minutes and it’s worth it! Kneading dough helps to develop the flavor and texture of the bread, so don’t skimp on kneading time.
Weather can affect your ingredients
If you live in a moist climate, chances are you’ll need at least the recommended amount of flour, maybe even 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup more. Bread dough should be sticky, but still manageable, especially after the first rise. While you’re kneading, the dough should come together and pull away from the sides of the bowl, leaving the bowl mostly clean. I usually aim to have the very bottom of the dough still attached to the bowl. Try not to add too much flour because your bread will be more dense. When you pick the dough up, some will stick to your fingers. After the first rise, it will be easier to handle!
Temperature affects how long your bread takes to rise
If your house is cool, your bread will take longer to rise. In the wintertime when my house is cooler than normal, I like to turn the oven on for 2-3 minutes, then turn it off and let the bowl of dough rise in there. The oven traps the heat for a longtime and it’s the perfect atmosphere for rising dough.
Don’t overwork the dough
Try not to go crazy kneading your bread after the first rise. I usually knead and shape my dough in about 1 minute, then it’s back in the pan to rest, for the 2nd rise. I like to have the pan rise in the oven for this second rise so that I don’t have to worry about moving risen dough. When it’s fully risen, I just turn the oven on and set the timer to bake!
How can you tell if bread is fully baked?
I like to use a food thermometer. Mine is digital, so it’s very easy to use. Fully cooked bread will be 190-200 degrees F. Bread recipes that include milk will need to cook until 200 degrees, but since this one doesn’t, I take it out once it reaches 190 degrees. The top will be golden brown.
How to Store Homemade Bread
You’ll want to store leftover bread in an airtight container. I bought bread bags off Amazon and LOVE them!
Easy Homemade Bread Recipe
This is the recipe you should follow for making homemade bread in the oven:
- 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 5-6 cups flour –You can use all-purpose flour OR bread flour!
- In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
- Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time.
- Knead dough for 7 minutes. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- Punch dough down. Knead for 1 minute and divide in half. Shape into loaves and place into two greased 9×5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30-40 minutes.
- Cool, brush with butter and enjoy!
AVOID SUNKEN BREAD
The easiest and best way to avoid sunken bread is to use a cooking thermometer to check the inside of the loaf. Fully cooked bread will register 200°F on a thermometer. My all-time favorite thermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Another great cooking thermometer is the ThermoPop which is a more basic version that works just as well!
EASY HOMEMADE BREAD RECIPE
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water 110 degrees F/45 degrees C
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 5-6 cups flour You can use all-purpose flour OR bread flour!
Instructions
- In a large bowl, dissolve the 1 TBSP of the sugar in warm water and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
- Mix remaining sugar, salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Dough should be tacky and clean the sides of the bowl save for a small part at the bottom. Too much flour added in yields a dry loaf of bread, so if you're worried you added too much, add a bit more hot water, until you get the correct consistency.
- Knead dough for 7 minutes. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- Punch dough down. Knead for 1 minute and divide in half. Shape into loaves and place into two greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30-40 minutes. Cool, brush with butter and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
I’ve found this recipe works really well in a bread machine! I just had the halve the ingredients so it would fit. You can see and print out the recipe below.
Loaf of Bread in a Bread Machine
- 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 2 TBSP vegetable oil
- 3 cups flour –You can use all-purpose flour OR bread flour!
- Add the ingredients to the bread pan of your machine in the following order: water, oil, flour, sugar and salt. Make a small well in the dry ingredients and add yeast.
- Place bread pan in machine. Close lid and set bread machine to bake a loaf of basic white bread.
- Let bread cool when bread machine has completed the full cycle. (Mine takes 3.5 hours.) Remove from machine & pan. Brush with butter and enjoy!
Easy Bread Recipe for a Bread Machine
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water 110 degrees F/45 degrees C
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 2 TBSP vegetable oil
- 3 cups flour all purpose OR bread flour!
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to the bread pan of your machine in the following order: water, oil, flour, sugar and salt. Make a small well in the dry ingredients and add yeast.
- Place bread pan in machine. Close lid and set bread machine to bake a loaf of basic white bread.
- Let bread cool when bread machine has completed the full cycle. (Mine takes 3.5 hours.) Remove from machine & pan. Brush with butter and enjoy!
Nutrition
**Note: In the pics above, I was only making 1 loaf in the oven. The full recipe yields 2 loaves, so plan accordingly!
Enjoy this bread recipe? Here are even more recipes for homemade bread to try:
Yeast Bread Recipes:
- Homemade Buttermilk Bread recipe
- Homemade Hawaiian Bread
- Honey Oat Bread recipe
- Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Parmesan Garlic Dinner Rolls
- Fabulous French Bread
- Sweet Orange Dinner Rolls
- Homemade Hawaiian Bread
- Easy Homemade Cheesy Breadsticks
- Tomato Parmesan Flatbread
- Potato Bread Recipe
- Soft Cornmeal Dinner Rolls
- Honey Wheat Bread
- Soft White Sandwich Bread
Quick Bread Recipes:
- Best Zucchini Bread
- Pineapple Bread
- Sweet Coconut Bread
- Easy Banana Bread
- Caramel Banana Nut Bread
- Best Pumpkin Bread
Easy Bread recipe made with simple ingredients & detailed instructions showing how to make bread! Best homemade bread recipe for both beginners and expert bakers.
Jennifer says
When I first tried this recipe, I was a first-time bread baker and had never used yeast before. This recipe is easy and delicious! I have made it several times since then with my toddlers; they love to help knead the dough and then eat what they’ve made. I’m glad this makes two loaves because this bread goes fast in our house! I have used all-purpose flour every time and it turns out great.
Jessica says
Love to hear this Jennifer!! : )
Saul says
Loaf tastes slightly sweet. Too much sugar for my taste.
Andrea says
Delicious, easy homemade bread! I used instant yeast and regular all purpose flour and recipe was perfect!
Dani says
My husband and I love this recipe. We don’t even buy store bread anymore, I now make all of our bread. I was wondering if you could freeze this dough? I was trying to plan ahead of the holidays and have some stored and ready to use for various baking activities. Thanks!
Alison says
Absolutely! I like to form the dough into a ball and then store in an air tight container to freeze. Then when I take it out, let it thaw a couple hours on the counter, then put it in your bread pan for the 2nd rise. The whole process takes 3 hours or so- depending on how warm you keep your house.
Pauline Lacy says
I cannot make bread for the life of me but I tried this because it said it was easy and had plenty of great reviews. I AGREE IT was easy and turned out beautiful… it was a little too sweet tho for bread I would serve for dinner… but overall it is excellent
Alison says
Thanks so much Pauline! You can always decrease the sugar if you’d like, but don’t leave it out. I say once you have tried it once adjust the recipe from there, based on what you think.
Karen Galisath says
I am also making this for the first time. I have my dough rising for the first time. Can I put the dough in the refrigerator after the rise and then use in 2 days? Would you recommend this bread for dressing? Thanks.
Jessica says
If you’re going to refrigerate the dough, there’s no need for the 1st rise! Just take it out of the fridge and shape it/ put it in a bread pan. Then increase the 2nd rise to 45 mins- 1 hour and go from there. Yes, it would be perfect for dressing!
Cynthia Hall says
I made this bread for the first time yesterday. My husband and I love it! I have a question. Can I start this recipe in my bread machine and then take it out to bake in the oven? Would I skip the second rise?
Jessica says
Yes, you can mix & do the first rise in the bread maker. Then take the dough out, shape it and continue with the 2nd rise, then bake!
Karen Gallisath says
This turned out to be everything you said it was, best ever homemade bread. I will be using one loaf for thanksgiving stuffing, the other one is gone! Delicious ! I didn’t taste the sweetness , thought it was just right.
Tiffany says
I have always had problems with getting my bread to rise. My house is cold and has vaulted ceilings. The tips you use for getting the bread to rise in the oven are great. I had amazing success with your recipe. Thank you so much!!
Karens says
Hi! I love this recipe so much, its super easy to make and love the taste of the bread. But I was wondering if I wanted to make bigger batches, could I possibly double to recipe, or would that change the bread altogether? Please let me know!
Thank you!
Jessica says
You can double the recipe, just make sure your mixer can accommodate that much flour!
Rachel says
Great taste! Love the crust and texture… but, my loaves look more like biscotti vs nice and round… what do I need to change? I weigh the flour and use a liquid measuring cup… but it’s still a flat, wide loaf…
Jessica says
Shape the dough more when you put it in the pan. Spray your hands with non-stick spray and pat any rough edges. It helps!
Alex says
This recipe has worked very well for me. I had never made bread before and was amazed by how easy this recipe was to follow. Authors explanation of using a warm turned off oven for rises Is genius. Can cut time in half and produce something that looks identical to the photo. All the tips and recipe are greatly appreciated. After baking this bread several times now I can honestly say that this is an extremely solid recipe. Amazing bread. Thanks for sharing =)
Karen Polito says
Made this for Thanksgiving yesterday and it was delicious. Very simple recipe, and everyone loved it. This was my first time making bread from scratch, and now I’m hooked.
When I split the dough into 2 loaves, I kneaded in chopped rosemary and sea salt to one of the loaves. Brushed each with an egg wash- it was amazing!
Jessica says
That sounds incredible Karen!! I’ll have to try adding herbs!
Jessica says
Came out absolutely delicious!!
Jessica says
So glad to hear!!
Ashley says
Amazing recipe!!
Alison says
Thank you Ashley!
Marie says
Thank you for the recipe, the bread’s really delicious! I cut the sugar in half and they turned out perfect for our taste.
Tony says
I’ve made this a few times for my wife and I. It is the best bread recipe out there! We have used all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. You can’t go wrong with either. I like the bread to be a little on the dense side so I stay closer to the 5 cups of flour than 6 cups. Thank you for posting this recipe.
Dave says
I’m a gluten free baker with 9 years experience. I’ve mixed my own blends, bought so many others I can’t enumerate but have found one that is a great performer as recommended below.
Recently, my wife found this lower gluten flour (Heritage Flour from Sunrise Mills). To give you an idea of how forgiving this recipe is – here’s what this EXCITED dumb-dumb did:
I made a 1/2 recipe to evaluate. Now, I’m ready to make ten loaves. So far, this new flour seems to not affect us. Yay! If any of you have ever put up with gluten free breads, you know that if not frozen within three days, it begins to turn to sand and then must be toasted to be eaten. It’s just a characteristic of all starch without the required stretchy, gluten protein for structure.
I was so excited to make this “real bread” for the first time ever and was so busy mixing the dough that I forgot to add the sugar, salt and oil to the proofed yeast. So after the dough and yeast had been mixed, I went ahead and made a syrup with the sugar, salt and a quarter cup of warm water. I then threw that in with a little more flour and worked it thru. It worked. After punching down the first rise, I realized that I forgot the oil. So, I oiled my hands well three times (about 1/8 cup) and kneaded it in. The dough raised perfectly the second time.
The bread came out perfect and so flavorful with great rise, chew and a nice, open crumb. All made without milk or eggs so it should be relatively mold resistant. I can hardly wait to make it correctly the next time.
I recommend that everyone at least try gluten free baking for a couple of weeks and recommend that you buy your flour mix from Gluten-free Jules for perfect results (no affiliation other than she’s a baking friend) in order to truly appreciate the ease of gluten-flour baking. To me, it’s a cake-walk.
Anyway, this is a TEN-STAR recipe for beginners and experienced alike and honestly, you can’t mess it up unless you forget to bake it..
Dustin says
Hey tasteofhome fans, I finally found a splinter free quality banneton proofing basket. I used it already twice, it works great and is extremely easy to clean .Enjoy your homemade bread!
flora says
Great recipe , its so easy to make at home for real, i tried today and it came out nice . I used ghee instead of vegetatable oil but still works so well . I ll reduce sugar and salt quantity next time i make , its alittle sweet but the best recipe among the few i tried . ll always make my bread from now.