This soft and fluffy homemade bread is one of the most rewarding recipes you can make. It's made with simple ingredients like flour, sugar, and water, and can be made in a stand mixer or by hand. It requires a little bit of patience for the rising, but the end result is as fluffy as a cloud.
Looking for more easy bread recipes? Try my zucchini bread next!
About This Recipe
The smell of freshly baked bread is one of my favourite smells in the world. It's warm, inviting, and smells oddly nostalgic. When you make this recipe, your entire house will smell like a bakery!
If you've never made bread before, it's actually incredibly simple. All you do is combine the ingredients into a dough and wait for it to rise. The waiting is the hardest (and longest) part.
Generally, recipes will ask you to wait approximately 60-90 minutes for the first rise and 45-60 minutes for the second rise. But the actual time can be much longer depending on the ambient temperature of your home, especially if you're living in a colder climate or you keep your house cold.
The best way to tell the dough is ready is just by using your eyes. After the second rise, the dough should be about ½ inch above the loaf pan. If it hasn't reached that level yet, just let it rise for longer. It can take anywhere from 30 extra minutes to 4 more hours.
Key Ingredients
The ingredients for this bread recipe are very simple. You probably already have them in your pantry.
Flour: I used all-purpose flour. When measuring, make sure to spoon the flour into the measuring cup to prevent compacting it; this will give you the most accurate measurement.
Sugar: I used ⅓ cup for this recipe, but you can cut this down to 2 tablespoons, if you prefer. But keep in mind, cutting down the sugar may slow down the fermentation slightly.
Instant yeast: You can use active yeast or instant yeast for this recipe. If you use active yeast, you'll need to activate the yeast in warm sugar water first.
Salt: For flavoring the bread.
Oil: Gives the bread a moister crumb.
Warm water: I recommend heating it to around 110°F to jumpstart the fermentation.
Melted butter: For brushing on the finished loaf. Gives the crust a nice shine.
Instructions
STEP 1: In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
STEP 2: Add the warm water and oil, and knead with the dough hook - or use your hands - for 5-7 minutes until relatively smooth.
STEP 3: Shape into a ball, transfer to a greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.
STEP 4: Let the dough rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes. It should look like the picture above.
STEP 5: Punch the dough down and shape into a log, and place in a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.
STEP 6: Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for another 45-60 minutes, or until the dough is ½-inch above the loaf pan. If it's not rising, you just need to give it more time. In cold climates, it can take up to 4 more hours.
STEP 7: Bake at 350°F for 28-30 minutes until golden brown on top. If the top is browning too fast, place a piece of tinfoil over the top. Allow the bread to rest in the pan for 30 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!
📋 Recipe
Simple Homemade Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and levelled)
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (about 1 packet)
- ¾ teaspoons salt
- 1 cup warm water (around 110°F)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Mix to combine. Add the water and oil and mix on medium speed until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl, about 8-10 minutes.
- Roll into a ball and transfer to a greased bowl. Let it rest in a warm place for 60-90 minutes until doubled in size. For this warm place, I usually just preheat my oven for 30 seconds, then turn the light on, place the dough inside, and shut the door.
- Punch the dough down and shape it into a log to fit in a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for another 45-60 minutes, or until it has risen above the loaf pans. If you live in a cold climate, this can take up to 4 more hours.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F for at least 15 minutes. Bake for 28-30 minutes until golden on top. If the crust is browning too fast, you can place a piece of tin foil over the top.
- Remove the loaf from the oven and brush with butter. Let it rest in the pan for 30 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!
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