Homemade Bread made easy with simple ingredients & detailed instructions with photos. Make our best homemade bread recipe and enjoy the great flavor & texture!
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 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.
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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!
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 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!
- 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.
- After the first rise, don’t overwork the dough. 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.
- 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 result in soggy parts. No one likes soggy bread!
Easy Homemade Bread
- 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
- 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!
Homemade Bread made easy with simple ingredients & detailed instructions with photos. Make our best homemade bread recipe and enjoy the great flavor & texture!
- 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
- 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 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!
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.
Easy Homemade 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
- 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!
Homemade Bread made easy with simple ingredients & detailed instructions with photos. Make our best homemade bread recipe in your bread machine and enjoy the great flavor & texture!
- 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
- 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!
**Note: In the pics below, I was only making 1 loaf in the oven. The full recipe yields 2 loaves, so plan accordingly!
Enjoy this Homemade Bread recipe? Here are even more bread recipes to try:
Jan says
Can this dough be kneaded with dough hook on stand mixer?
Jessica says
of course!
HP says
This bread turned out really nice, but it’s SO sweet! If you don’t want super-sweet bread I would cut the sugar in half. Otherwise, if you’re looking for a light sweet bread, this is amazing.
Jessica says
Thanks Helen!
Veronica says
This came recipe came out perfect! My husband and I loved it! We will be making again!
Jessica says
I’m so happy it came out well and that you both loved it Veronica!! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know!
Ann M. Kostoff says
It calls for 1 1/2 tab. Of yeast, does that equal 1 package of yeast or 2 packs
Jessica says
I’ve use 2 packets of yeast. 🙂
Brad Reddekopp says
Can the amount of sugar be reduced without affecting the rising? I’m just wondering how much of the sugar is for flavour and how much is needed for the yeast.
Jessica says
Hi Brad, I’ve cut the sugar in half with good results!
Asma Khan says
can we put two tsp of sugar instead
Jessica says
of course!
Dave says
Your bread machine recipe sucks, my dough is all crumbly and in many pieces. my original recipe although heavier works way better than yours…
Sorry, but I thought your recipe would be quicker….
NOT..
Jessica says
Hi Dave– it sounds like you didn’t do something quite right! I’d double check your measurements and maybe try again?
Natalie Banister says
Hey! I have a couple of questions! Could I use honey instead of sugar,if so how much? and… if I plan to include wheat flour do i still use the same bread machine setting stated in the recipe? thanks!
Jessica says
I’ve never tried this recipe with honey before, but I’d opt for half the amount of sugar. 🙂
kati says
what type of flour should be used in making the bread
Bread flour, all purpose self rising, or unbleached all purpose.
Thank you
Jessica says
I prefer bread flour or all purpose.
Kim DAVIS says
Never made bread before. Turned out great for a first timer. Thank you for sharing
Nellie says
So glad your first bread-making experience was a successful one Kim!
Edirin says
I make my bread by hand, but I noticed each time I use the 2 cups of water or milk mentioned. It gets unbearable to handle all sticky and wet, is it possible to reduce the liquid to a cup and half.
Jessica says
You’re of course welcome to reduce the milk! Tell me how it turns out!
Balendra Singh says
The whole process of bread making requires precision and only with constant experience as well as highest skilled are able to become professional bakers.