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October 23, 2019

Ultimate Guide to Homemade Bread

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The Ultimate Guide to Homemade Bread starts with a classic base recipe and then covers all of the common substitutions to guide you in customizing your bread to your own needs so you can create your own perfect loaf. 

Homemade Bread

There is probably no smell on earth that is more inviting, comforting and symbolic of home than homemade bread. It is like a magnet for family and friends. Many of us have a recipe we’ve tried or one that has been passed down through family and friends. But making bread is also a science. There is a lot that goes into it and there are a lot of possible variations. We’ve included some of those here. After making many loaves of bread and trying many variations, the recipe we decided we like best for its taste and texture is made with milk instead of water, and requires very little kneading.

You will start by warming the milk in the microwave, and then combining that with all of the other ingredients in a stand mixer and letting it knead until a dough ball is formed. This only takes a couple minutes. That dough is placed in a greased bowl to rise for 90 minutes and then transferred to two greased bread pans to rise for another 60 minutes. The bread is then baked for 20 minutes covered and 20 minutes uncovered. Then, it will cool for another 20 minutes. You’re going to learn that the hardest part about this recipe is waiting to eat the bread!

My Other Recipes

 

SUBSTITUTION GUIDE

  • Water vs. Milk

    Milk changes bread recipes by producing a softer loaf, due to the milk fat content, which also gives bread a richer flavor. Bread made with milk browns more easily than bread made with water, as lactose or milk sugar will caramelize as it bakes.

  • Oil vs. Butter

    Butter has a lower smoke point than oil, meaning it will brown before oil will when baked. While butter and oil are interchangeable in the same amount when making bread, using butter does produce a better flavor.

  • Honey vs. Sugar vs. Sugar Replacement

    Honey and sugar are fairly interchangeable. You can replace sugar with honey in the same amount. Sugar replacements vary and usually come with instructions for substitution and what amounts to use. The kind of sweetener you use in making bread will alter the end result. Honey may add a floral element, depending on the source of your honey, while artificial sweeteners may add a metallic after taste.

  • Instant Dry Yeast vs. Active Dry Yeast

    This recipe calls for Instant Dry Yeast which requires no proofing time. If you choose to use active dry yeast in this recipe you can do so in the same quantity and proof the yeast by adding it to the warm milk along with the sugar and letting this mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.

  • Wheat vs. White

    Wheat flour is heavier and more coarse than white flour and will produce a more dense bread.  You can use all wheat, a combination of half wheat and half white flour, or use all white flour. The results are pictured below.

Visual Differences Between Whole Wheat and All White Bread

  • What if I don’t have a stand mixer? Can I make homemade bread by hand?

    You don’t need a stand mixer, you can knead this bread by hand. It is physically more work, but it doesn’t require a lot of kneading. You only need to knead the dough until all of the ingredients are combined and a dough ball forms that is smooth and elastic and slightly tacky to the touch.

  • Can I use this recipe in a bread machine?

    Yes. This recipe will work great in a bread machine.

  • Should I use a glass bread pan or a metal bread pan? What is the difference?

    Glass and metal conduct heat differently which means they bake bread differently too. A glass bread pan will produce a softer, less crispy crust. A metal bread pan, especially a darker metal bread pan, will produce a crispier crust that is darker brown in color. You can see the visual difference in the photo below with the loaf made in a metal pan on the left and the loaf made in a glass pan on the right.

Visual  Difference between metal pans and glass pans for baking bread

 

If you’re looking for more bread recipes, here are some of our favorites:

  • Best Homemade Dinner Rolls
  • Homemade Rye Bread
  • Easy Homemade Pita Bread
  • Irish Soda Bread
  • Garlic Parmesan Herb Bread

 

Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.

Homemade Bread Recipe

Ultimate Guide to Homemade Bread

The Ultimate Guide to Homemade Bread starts with a classic base recipe and then covers all of the common substitutions to guide you in customizing your bread to your own needs so you can create your own perfect loaf. 
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Rising Time2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time3 hrs 25 mins
Print Pin Rate
Servings: 2 loaves

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon instant dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 5 1/2-6 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • In a microwave safe bowl or cup, warm the milk until it is warm to the touch, 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the milk, sugar, yeast, salt, melted butter, and 5 cups of flour. Knead on a low setting for 1 minute until combined, Slowly increase speed and add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough forms a smooth and elastic ball that is soft and tacky, but not sticky. 
  • Put the dough ball into a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 90 minutes until double in size.
  • After 90 minutes, divide the dough into two equal pieces. Roll or press each piece into a 9-inch by 7-inch rectangle. Roll each lengthwise into a tight roll and pinch the ends shut.
  • Transfer each loaf into a lightly greased 9-inch by 5-inch bread loaf pan. Cover and let rise for an additional 60 minutes until double in size.
  • Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
  • Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan and letting it cool completely.

Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS

  • Water vs. Milk

    Milk changes bread recipes by producing a softer loaf, due to the milk fat content, which also gives bread a richer flavor. Bread made with milk browns more easily than bread made with water, as lactose or milk sugar will caramelize as it bakes. 
  • Oil vs. Butter

    Butter has a lower smoke point than oil, meaning it will brown before oil will when baked. While butter and oil are interchangeable in the same amount when making bread, using butter does produce a better flavor.
  • Honey vs. Sugar vs. Sugar Replacement

    Honey and sugar are fairly interchangeable. You can replace sugar with honey in the same amount. Sugar replacements vary and usually come with instructions for substitution and what amounts to use. 
  • Wheat vs. White

    Wheat flour is heavier and more coarse than white flour and will produce a more dense bread.  You can use all wheat, a combination of half wheat and half white flour, or use all white flour. 
  • Instant Dry Yeast vs. Active Dry Yeast

    This recipe calls for Instant Dry Yeast which requires no proofing time. If you choose to use active dry yeast in this recipe you can do so in the same quantity and proof the yeast by adding it to the warm milk along with the sugar and letting this mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes before proceeding with the recipe. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75inch slice | Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Homemade Bread

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Filed Under: Breads, Loaves, Video

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dana H says

    November 15, 2019 at 6:45 pm

    5 stars
    Made this bread with my daughter tonight. It’s delicious and so much easier than my mother’s recipe. Thank you for this recipe!! 🖤

    Reply
  2. Mariette says

    October 27, 2019 at 5:29 pm

    5 stars
    I just made this bread and it’s the easiest and the best tasting bread I have ever made. So easy to do. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Elaine Ness says

    October 26, 2019 at 10:12 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Rachel,

    I just made this wonderful recipe tonight and it is just great. I live in Ecuador and make bread 2 or 3 times a week. The bakery stuff here is pretty bad. Up until now, I had a go-to bread recipe but this one surpasses the other. It has an official place in my recipe box.

    Thnka you for sharing it.

    Reply
  4. Donna says

    October 26, 2019 at 10:06 am

    Thank you for these notes on substitutions. I’ve been baking at home for decades. My first experience was when my mom was away for a weekend and I attempted to make bread. I was a novice at the time and either the yeast wasn’t prepared properly or I was impatient. Nothing happened. So I put the dough in the garbage can under the cabinet of the sink. I went to dispose of something hours later and voila my dough had risen to a lovely height. Patience is one of the keys. I’ve baked your cinnamon buns, dinner buns and today it is your bread. Thank you so much. These are 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Star recipes.

    Reply
  5. Julia Swarner says

    October 24, 2019 at 2:40 pm

    1 tablespoon of salt seems like a lot of salt for bread. Can the salt be decreased without it affecting the bread?

    Reply
    • Rachel Farnsworth says

      October 27, 2019 at 4:20 pm

      It provides the best flavor and the correct ratio of salt to yeast.

      Reply
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