Easy 5 Star Homemade Bread recipe made with simple ingredients & detailed instructions showing how to make basic bread! Thousands of comments & reviewers agree this is the BEST homemade loaf for both beginners and expert bakers.
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.
A decade ago when I was just beginning to bake confidently, I still struggled with making bread. I tried countless recipes and none of them were quite right. I found this one and never looked back. It uses basic ingredients, comes together fast and I love the bread it makes. It’s soft, chewy with fantastic flavor. Feel free to reduce the sugar if you prefer. Enjoy the process and enjoy that bread!
Where to start on your bread making journey
This is a very comprehensive post with tons of information I’ve gleaned over the years making bread. Where would you like to start first?
JUMP TO–> LEARN THE BASIC STEPS TO MAKING BREAD
JUMP TO–> HELPFUL TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR FIRST LOAF OF BREAD
JUMP TO–> GET THE OVEN BAKED BREAD RECIPE
JUMP TO–> GET THE BREAD MACHINE BREAD RECIPE
Basic Steps for Making Basic Yeast 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!
BEST BREAD PAN?
I bake a lot of bread and the pans I prefer are either ceramic, glass or cast iron. These pans will bake bread more evenly and release the bread more easily after baking. I 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 the coloring is uneven. Read more about which bread pan is the best here!
Helpful Tips when Making Your First Loaf of Homemade Bread:
If you’ve never baked homemade bread before, here are a few tips:
1. 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.
2. 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!
3. 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.
4. 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!
Easy Homemade Bread Recipe
Here are the ingredients for the oven baked recipe, which yields 2 loaves of bread:
— WATER: You need 2 cups warm water. (110° F/45° C) I recommend you take the temperature using a cooking thermometer until you get the hang of how warm the water should be. If your water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and your bread will be dense and flat!
— SUGAR: We add 1/2 cup white sugar. You are welcome to reduce this even further and use just 1/4 cup.
— YEAST: We add 1 TBSP + 2 tsp active dry yeast to the dough to help it rise.
— SALT: You need 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to enhance the flavors in the bread. If you’ve never had bread with not enough salt, it does not taste good! I forgot to add it once. Don’t do that.
— OIL: We used 1/4 cup vegetable oil but you can also use coconut oil or canola oil. I’ve tried it with light olive oil and it just has a strange aftertaste that I don’t love.
— FLOUR: You’ll need 5-6 cups flour. You can use all-purpose flour OR bread flour!
How to Make 5 Star Homemade Bread
In a large bowl, or a stand mixer, dissolve the sugar in the warm water. I just combine the two and whisk it slightly to dissolve the sugar. Stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
Add in the salt and oil. Begin to mix, using a rubber scraper or the dough hook on your stand mixer. Add the flour one cup at a time, reserving the last cup of flour to see if you need it. You might not use all of the flour. The dough should pull away and clean the bowl, sticking on the bottom in a small circle about the size of a quarter. If your dough does this with just 5 cups of flour, do not add more. However, if your dough still sticks to the bowl, add more a couple tablespoons at a time until it cleans the bowl, sticking in just a small circle on the bottom.
Now knead dough for 7 minutes. Set a timer as a full knead is important! Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise in a warm area until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Knead for 1 minute and divide dough 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° F (175° C) for 30-40 minutes. Cool, brush with butter and enjoy!
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.
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° F/45° C
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 ½ TBSP active dry yeast
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 5-6 cups flour all-purpose flour OR bread flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl, or a stand mixer, dissolve 2 TBSP of the sugar in the warm water. I just combine the two and whisk slightly to dissolve the sugar. Stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
- Add in remaining sugar, salt and oil. Begin to mix, using a rubber scraper or the dough hook on your stand mixer. Add the flour one cup at a time, reserving the last cup of flour to see if you need it. You might not use all of the flour. The dough should pull away and clean the bowl, sticking on the bottom in a small circle about the size of a quarter. If your dough does this with just 5 cups of flour, do not add more. However, if your dough still sticks to the bowl, add more a couple tablespoons at a time until it cleans the bowl, sticking in just a small circle on the bottom.
- Now knead dough for 7 minutes. Set a timer as a full knead is important! Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise in a warm area until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- Punch dough down. Knead for 1 minute and divide dough 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° F (175° C) for 30-40 minutes. Cool, brush with butter and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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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!
Can you Make this bread in a Bread Machine? YES! Here’s how:
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.
Bread Machine Ingredients
You’ll use the same ingredients, only HALF of them, so you can fit them in a 1-lb bread machine.
— WATER: You need 1 cup warm water. (110° F/45° C)
— SUGAR: We add 1/4 cup white sugar. You are welcome to reduce this even further and use just 1-2 tablespoons.
— YEAST: We add 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast to the dough to help it rise.
— SALT: You need 3/4 teaspoons salt to enhance the flavors in the bread. If you’ve never had bread with not enough salt, it’s… not good. I forgot to add it once. Don’t do that.
— OIL: We used 2 TBSP vegetable oil but you can also use coconut oil or canola oil. I’ve tried it with light olive oil and it just has a strange aftertaste that I don’t love.
— FLOUR: You’ll need 3 cups flour. You can use all-purpose flour OR bread flour!
Making your Loaf of Bread in a Bread Machine
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
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How to Store Basic Bread
You’ll want to store leftover bread in an airtight container. I bought bread bags off Amazon and LOVE them!
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 5 Star Homemade Bread recipe made with simple ingredients & detailed instructions showing how to make bread! Thousands of comments & reviewers agree this is the BEST homemade bread for both beginners and expert bakers.
Rochelle says
I’m one of those crazy people who researches EVERYTHING. I may have seven or eight different tabs open to get info on whatever my latest obsession is. After binge watching the Great British Baking show, and having a Kitchen Aid stand mixer that’s only seen the light of day to make mashed potatoes, I thought it was about time I tried to bake. I wasn’t trying to create a “show stopper,” but would settle on a simple loaf of bread.
This recipe was so easy! I had all the ingredients except for the white sugar. I used unprocessed sugar instead and it still came out great! The flavor was incredible, and I’m going to use the recipe for Thanksgiving dinner rolls..unless I decide on another one of your recipes. My husband grew up eating his mother’s homemade bread which he describes as a loaf of crust. He was pretty happy with the outcome and has now requested that I try and make Hawaiian Bread. I had planned on making an Oat Wheat Bread recipe I saw on the site. Heading to the market after I finish up here. I’m intrigued by the Hawaiian Bread recipe, can’t wait to try it. I wouldn’t change a thing about this recipe, and am interested in how I can make different varieties (garlic, parmesan, herbs, etc.) without blowing it. Thanks! I’m so happy I found this site.
Rachel Turner says
That’s why I’ve been researching bread recipes due to the British Baking Show lol! You inspired me to try this recipe. I hope mine turns out as good as yours. Who knows, maybe turn it into a showstopper 🙂
Marta says
I have always wanted to bake my own bread. It just seemed so intimidating and there are millions of recipes out there. I’m so happy to have come across this recipe. I knocked it out of the park and my confidence is through the roof. It is absolutely perfect. I now feel like a baker. Im going to use unos to make sandwiches and toast. I cannot believe I know how to make tasty bread from scratch! Thank you for the recipe.
Alison says
Marta, I love everything about this! I hope you have many more wonderful bread making experiences!
D J Richert says
I did not make this recipe because, Why? I have tons of other recipes and this one had way too much sugar and oil in it for my taste. However, bread is super easy to make and anybody that actually has any skill can knock it out no problem. The most important thing is to not get the water for your yeast too hot. A good rule of thumb is if it burns your finger when you place it in the tap it’s too hot. Just make sure the water is hot but not so hot that it burns your fingers and you’ll be O.K.
Jessica says
Yes, this is a sweet bread recipe. Sometimes that’s what you’re looking for. 😉
Pang Yang says
I was looking for a easy bread recipe to follow. It’s my first time ever making bread and my third time using yeast. I’m so happy I came across your website because you made it so easy for me to understand the entire bread making process AND how to work with yeast. Thank you so much!
Alison says
Pang, I am so glad this could help you!
Kevin says
Awesome 👍 my 11 yr old was eating it plain !! Awesome recipe
Alison says
That’s awesome Kevin! Thank you so much!
Tim says
I’ve made this recipe about 20 times now Probably 18 of those times the loaves collapsed to some degree. What am I doing wrong?
Olivia says
There are a couple things that can cause a loaf of yeast bread to sink. To avoid this, here are some suggestions:
1) Try using less water or milk. Remember to look at your dough after a few minutes of kneading and see if it’s a smooth, round ball. If the dough is too dry add liquid a teaspoon at a time until the dough balls up. If it looks too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks as expected.
2) Try using a little more salt (¼ teaspoon).
3) Try putting in more flour (1-2) tablespoons.
4) Try decreasing yeast (¼-½ teaspoon).
5) Make sure it’s the right type of yeast.
6) Make sure it’s the right type of flour.
Brenda Kervin says
I loved this recipe.
Alison says
So happy to hear this Brenda!
Nancy O'Byrne says
made the Hawaiian Bread today, Made some rolls, Think I cooked some of the rolls a bit too long but the taste is good. Also made a loaf, best you could ask for. Thank you for this site with such good instructions on how to make different breads. Second time now that I have tried to make yeast bread and it has all been good.
Alison says
Thanks Nancy! It’s great to hear the instructions were helpful!
Barb says
Hi
Just found your recipe sounds really good n easy. I have a question. Have you tried it on a baking stone shaping the dough into rounds? If so, how’s it come out? I think I might try it. Thanks for the recipe btw
Jessica says
I’ve baked it on a large sheet and it was gorgeous! So your baking stone would likely work well.
DJ says
I have made this bread many times. Always come out perfect and delicious
Alison says
Glad to hear it DJ!
Andrea says
So easy 😁 Even with baby distractions!
Christine says
So easy! I used my KitchenAid dough hook and kneaded it that way. No fuss and all one bowl! So tasty and moist! Love this recipe!
Marcella says
I am making this bread recipe for the first time today, rising right now for the first round, but don’t have a thermometer on when it’s ready, how long do we bake the bread in the oven without a thermometer???
Jessica says
Just bake it for about 35 minutes and take it out.
Heather Matheis says
I made this recipe, and it turned out absolutely delicious. My husband said this bread was really really really good. I did notice though that my loaf collapsed at the end of baking. Perhaps opening the door made it collapse, not sure. But it was still absolutely delicious. I also used more butter instead of the milk. I did a butter and water ratio instead of milk because I was out of milk. But it still turned out amazing! However, can I substitute instant yeast for active dry?
Jessica says
Yes, you can use instant yeast! I wish I could explain why some loaves collapse at the very end- I feel like it’s just random. I’ve baked SO many loaves over the years and once I think I’ve figured it out, I de-bunk my own idea, LOL. I do find that using a ceramic or cast iron pan helps.
Melissa says
It’s more like a sweet bread to me its very good
Alison says
Thanks Melissa!
Coral R. says
Quick question, do I just use regular all-purpose flour or is this bread flour used in this? I was just getting ready to make this with all purpose when my husband mentioned something about bread flour.
Jessica says
I’ve used either with great success. But I do use bread flour most of the time because it yields a chewier bread, which I love.
Sara says
I haven’t made it yet but i’m planning on making it later today to go with the shepherd’s pie i’m making tonight. I have a couple silly questions first though. What kind of flour, all purpose vs bread flour (just covering my bases) and if i only want one loaf, can i just use the recipe for the bread maker?
Jessica says
If you have bread flour, I always prefer to use that, but it’s not necessary. And yes, the one loaf version is perfect in a bread maker! ENJOY!
Marie Daugherty says
Just made this bread it is the best thanks for the recipe i will be making this many times
Alison says
So glad Marie! Thank you for sharing!
Krim says
I made this bread recipe earlier today and the bread came out so tasty! My husband and I have been snacking on it all day.
This was my first time making bread and the instructions were super simple to follow.
I’ll certainly be making more.
Alison says
I’m so happy to hear you and your husband have been enjoying this, Krim!
Rachel Turner says
I have tried many times to make breads. Sometimes, they are not good, other times decent. This time was perfect! It did take a very long time to proof, longer than recommended. (We are having a cold front though). I’m not sure if the weather has anything to do with this or not but I needed a little extra flour. It was like melted marshmallows until I added more flour. I also made these in smaller gift size pans, perfect if you love the crust. This will be my new go to bread recipe! Thank you!
Patrick says
The recipe worked fine, though I used about 1Tbsb of molasses instead of sugar (don’t care for overly sweet bread). I also used 160g (~1.5C) of whole wheat flour. The only knock I have is that I would have really liked weight measures. With baking it is important to be precise, and I don’t mind having measurements in cups as long as it is also given by weight. Not so pedantic that I have to have it in grams, oz would be fine also.
Jessica says
Good thoughts Patrick!