How to Make Bread from Scratch

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Making bread is an easy, enjoyable, and inexpensive recipe for both beginner and seasoned chefs. You can make bread at home either with or without yeast as a leavening ingredient for the recipe. Once you’ve learned how to make bread, you can add tasty ingredients, like cheese, nuts, fruit, and spices, to give it a flavorful kick!

Ingredients

Simple Homemade Bread Recipe

  • 1 package of dry active yeast
  • 2.25 cups (530 mL) of warm water
  • 6.5 cups (832 g) of flour
  • 3 tbsp (37.5 g) of sugar
  • 1 tbsp (17.06 g) of salt
  • 2 tbsp (36.88 g) of canola oil

Bread without Yeast Recipe

  • 2.25 cups (288 g) of flour
  • 1 tbsp (4 g) of baking powder
  • 1.5 tsp (9 g) of kosher salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1.5 cups (350 mL) of milk or buttermilk
  • 6 tbsp (110.64 g) of canola oil
  • Spices (optional)
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Baking Homemade Bread

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    Fill a large bowl with warm water, preferably filtered or boiled to remove any traces of chlorine. Then, pour in the dry yeast and wait for it to dissolve, stirring occasionally to help the yeast combine with the water. Be sure to use dry active yeast, rather than quick yeast. [1]
    • The yeast may begin to bubble when you add it into the water and as it dissolves.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    Add the 3 tbsp (37.5 g) of sugar, 1 tbsp (17.06 g) of salt, and 2 tbsp (36.88 g) of canola oil, stirring the mixture. Pour in the flour and beat the mixture until it is a smooth, batter-like consistency. [2]
    • Remember, you aren’t pouring in all of the flour just yet, as this can cause the dough to become too stiff.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    Begin adding the remainder of the flour into the bowl, stirring and beating the dough after each addition. Continue stirring and working the mixture until it has a smooth, near-solidified consistency, like a very soft dough. [3]
    • It’s important to work gradually, as adding the flour all at once can make the dough crumbly and dry.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a small area, and then carefully dump the contents of the bowl onto the counter. Cup your hands around the dough to make sure that it stays in a contained area and doesn’t spread across the counter before you begin kneading. [4]
    • If the dough seems to have a liquid consistency, continue stirring the mixture until it becomes more solid and dough-like.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    Roll, squeeze, press, and pull on the dough to add some elasticity to the bread. This will incorporate air pockets into the dough, activating the yeast so it will expand and grow. Once the dough has an elastic consistency, stop kneading. [5]
    • If you knead the dough for too long, the bread will likely be tough and too chewy.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    Spray the inside of a bowl with oil or fat, and carefully pick up the dough and transfer it into the bowl. In the bowl, spin the dough around and flip it over in the bowl to ensure that all sides are coated with the preferred fat. [6]
    • This helps to give the bread a crusty outer shell and keeps the dough moist while it rises.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    Drape a towel over the top of the bowl so that it’s covered completely. Then, put the bowl in a sunny window or on the counter under the light so that it is slightly warm as it rises. Check the bowl after 1 hour, and if it hasn’t grown to twice its size, let it sit for an additional 15-30 minutes. [7]
    • Some doughs require colder temperatures to rise, but warm temperatures will help this simple dough rise quickly.
    • Giving your bread plenty of time to rest ensures it will be the shape you want.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    Pull the dough out of the bowl and use a knife to slice it into approximately equal halves. Then, use your hands to shape them into loaf-shaped tubes, and place each in a pan that has been sprayed or coated with fat. [8]
    • The halves don’t have to be perfectly equal, so you don’t need to worry about weighing or measuring the dough.
    • The fat will ensure a crispy, solid crust on the outside of the bread.
  9. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    Cover each pan with a towel and set them on the counter. This is the final rise, and will give the loaves time to “rest” and grow a bit more before going into the oven. After 30 minutes, check each loaf to make sure it has risen slightly in the pan. [9]
    • Depending on the temperature and humidity, some loaves won’t rise very much in the pans. As long as the dough grew during the first rise, your loaves will likely turn out fine!
  10. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    Remove the towel from the pans and place them on the center rack of the oven. After 30 minutes, check the bread by pulling it out of the oven and carefully tapping on the crust. If it sounds hollow, the loaves are ready! Let them cool completely before slicing. [10]
    • If they don’t sound hollow, bake them for an additional 5 minutes to ensure the middle of the bread is completely cooked.

    Tip: Avoid using a toothpick to check the doneness of your loaves, since puncturing the crust can cause the loaf to cool quickly and form holes in the bread.

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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Making Savory Bread without Yeast

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  1. Turn on the oven before you begin working so it heats to the right temperature. Then, spray or coat a pan with a layer of butter or any type of cooking oil so the batter doesn’t stick to the inside of the pan as it bakes in the oven. [11]
    • For this recipe, you’ll only be making one loaf, so you only need to grease one pan.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    In a large bowl, combine 2.25 cups (288 g) of flour, 1 tbsp (4 g) of baking powder, and 1.5 tsp (9 g) of kosher salt. If you’re adding any spices, such as rosemary, thyme, or oregano, add small pinches to the mixture to ensure they aren’t overpowering. [12]
    • Don’t be afraid to get creative with a variety of different savory and sweet spices, like cinnamon, cloves, or even pumpkin spice!
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    In a different bowl, use a spoon or a whisk to combine 3 large eggs, 1.5 cups (350 mL) of milk or buttermilk, and 6 tbsp (110.64 g) of canola oil. The mixture should be smooth and liquid. [13]
    • It’s important to keep these ingredients separate from the dry ingredients, because you want them to be completely combined before they’re absorbed by the dry ingredients.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    Stir the ingredients together until the batter is smooth, with no lumps or dry ingredients remaining. It may take 1-2 minutes for the ingredients to fully combine. Make sure you stop stirring as soon as the dry ingredients have dissolved. [14]
    • If you like a tougher bread, you can stir the batter for 1-1.5 minutes after all of the dry ingredients are dissolved. This will incorporate air into the batter, which will cause it to rise more quickly and form a denser loaf.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make Bread from Scratch
    Pour the batter into the greased pan and then place the pan on the center rack of the oven. After 40 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean with no residue, the loaf is ready. [15]
    • If the toothpick has a sticky residue on the outside, bake the loaf for an additional 5 minutes to ensure that the center is completely cooked.

    Adding Ingredients to Your Bread

    Sweet : cranberry, orange, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon sugar, chocolate

    Savory : bacon, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, chives, olives, basil, rosemary

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What Are Tips For Baking Bread From Scratch?


Community Q&A

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  • Question
    My bread dough rises well the first time and again the second time after being shaped. It will rise in the oven for a short time and then it collapses on top. What am I doing wrong?
    Community Answer
    Splash a jug of water into the oven for steam. It'll allow the gluten and yeast to develop that little more before it gets killed.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 6 Helpful 13
  • Question
    I would like to make bread dough ahead of time and maybe freeze the unbaked loaves. How would I do this?
    Meagan Jewett
    Community Answer
    Freeze your dough in an air tight container. When you go to cook it, let the dough sit out and thaw before you put it into the oven.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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  • Question
    My dough rises well the first time and the second time after being shaped, immediately when it enters the oven the size will not remain the same, it will collapse. Can I cover it inside the oven again?
    Ann Hupe
    Community Answer
    Skip the second rising and shape the dough and place in the loaf pan (or on a stone if doing it freeform) and have the second raising in the oven. Be careful not to be tempted to let it rise a lot in the oven, or it will collapse during baking.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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      Tips

      • Be patient when it comes to letting your bread rise. Depending on the temperature and humidity in the kitchen, it can take longer for some doughs to rise.
        Thanks
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • You can mix other ingredients, like cheese, spices, nuts, and berries, into the bread for a tasty, flavorful version of the recipe. We add crushed walnuts and olives to ours and it's delicious!
      • You could make sourdough with canola oil, butter, safflower oil...lots of variations! We typically make our sourdough with olive oil because of the antioxidants, and it always tastes great.
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      Things You’ll Need

      • Oven
      • Loaf pans
      • Mixing bowls
      • Towel
      • Whisk
      • Spatula

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/basic-homemade-bread/
      2. ↑ https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/basic-homemade-bread/
      3. ↑ https://lilluna.com/basic-homemade-bread-recipe/
      4. ↑ https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/basic-homemade-bread/
      5. ↑ https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/basic-homemade-bread/
      6. ↑ https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/basic-homemade-bread/
      7. ↑ https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/basic-homemade-bread/
      8. ↑ https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/basic-homemade-bread/
      9. ↑ https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/basic-homemade-bread/
      1. ↑ https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/basic-homemade-bread/
      2. ↑ https://bakerbettie.com/basic-quick-bread-recipe-sweet-or-savory/
      3. ↑ https://bakerbettie.com/basic-quick-bread-recipe-sweet-or-savory/
      4. ↑ https://bakerbettie.com/basic-quick-bread-recipe-sweet-or-savory/
      5. ↑ https://bakerbettie.com/basic-quick-bread-recipe-sweet-or-savory/
      6. ↑ https://bakerbettie.com/basic-quick-bread-recipe-sweet-or-savory/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To make bread from scratch, dissolve a package of yeast in warm water, then mix in sugar, salt, canola oil, and 3 cups of flour. Stir until the mixture is smooth, with a batter-like consistency, then add the remaining flour a little at a time. Once you’ve mixed in all of the flour, knead the dough on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes. When the dough feels smooth and elastic, place it in a greased bowl and let it rise until it doubles in size, then divide the dough into 2 loaves and place them in greased bread pans. Let the loaves rise for another 30-45 minutes, then bake them at 375°F for 30-35 minutes. To learn how to store your dough, read on!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Carmen

        Oct 20, 2022

        "It was really good! We tried it with butter."
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