Here’s a simple, reliable homemade bread recipe — soft inside with a golden crust 🍞
🍞 Easy Homemade Bread (1 Loaf)
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 packet (2¼ tsp) active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup warm water (about 110°F / 43°C)
- 2 tbsp olive oil or melted butter
Instructions
1️⃣ Activate Yeast
In a bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast.
Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
2️⃣ Mix Dough
Add oil, salt, and 2½ cups flour.
Mix, then gradually add remaining flour until a soft dough forms.
3️⃣ Knead
Knead 8–10 minutes by hand (or 5 minutes with a mixer) until smooth and elastic.
4️⃣ First Rise
Place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise 1–1½ hours, until doubled.
5️⃣ Shape
Punch down dough. Shape into a loaf and place in a greased 9×5-inch pan.
6️⃣ Second Rise
Cover and let rise 30–45 minutes, until slightly above the rim.
7️⃣ Bake
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25–30 minutes until golden brown.
It should sound hollow when tapped.
8️⃣ Cool
Remove from pan and cool completely before slicing.
🔥 Tips
- For a softer crust, brush top with melted butter after baking.
- For crusty bread, place a small pan of water in the oven while baking.
- Bread flour gives more chew; all-purpose works fine.
If you’d like, I can give you:
- A no-knead version
- Whole wheat bread
- Sweet Hawaiian-style bread
- Or quick soda bread (no yeast needed)
