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Simple Homemade Bread

Beginner-friendly homemade bread recipe using just five ingredients. No special equipment required—just a bowl, your hands, and a little patience to make warm, golden, soft bread perfect for sandwiches or buttered slices.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 3 cups all purpose flour plus a little more for dusting
  • 1 packet 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar or honey
  • 1 cup warm water bathwater warm, not too hot

Method
 

  1. Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl and stir in the sugar or honey.
  2. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
  3. Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
  4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  5. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, until doubled in size.
  6. Punch the dough down gently, turn it out, and shape into a loaf, tucking the seams under.
  7. Place the loaf into a greased loaf pan or onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  8. Cover again and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes until puffy and about 1.5 times its size.
  9. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) during the second rise.
  10. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
  11. Transfer the baked loaf to a wire rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Always use fresh yeast and give the dough enough time to rise in a warm environment. You can customize the bread by adding herbs, garlic powder, or even cinnamon and raisins once you are comfortable with the base recipe.