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.
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, then baked. You’re going to learn that the hardest part about this recipe is waiting to eat the bread!
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.
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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.
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Can I use this recipe in a bread machine?
Yes. This recipe will work great in a bread machine.
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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.
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.
Rachel l love your rye bread I have made storybook also when I type the Italian meat receipt STORYBOOK comes up it want let me type the word anyway I have made it twice and the second time it was better I added peppers olives mushrooms EXCELLENT I will be making calzone tomorrow
I love this recipe! I do use bread flour. I have to make this two times a week for my family. No more store bought.
I made this bread today, and followed the recipe to the letter. The bread was the best I’ve ever made. Untill now I haven’t had much success at baking bread. My crust is usually over done, and my crumb is always too dense. But this recipe turned out perfect. The crust was perfect and the crumb was light and fluffy. I bought two glass loaf pans just for this recipe and I really think they made a difference. I also used instant dry yeast this time (per the recipe), instead of the active dry yeast I usually use. It is a little easier.
Rachel, Your recipes and videos have really helped me step it up a knotch. Thanks for another great recipe, and thanks for making me look good in the kitchen.
God Bless!
Easy to make and it turned out well. It’s a little salty for me so I might cut back on the salt a teeny bit next time. Check the first rising, mine was ready in just an hour and you don’t want it to rise too much more than double. It can deflate. Definitely will make again! Thank you.
Mine was ready in an hour also.
This recipe was so easy and so so yummy!!! This recipe was my first time making successful bread!! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!! We will definitely be making this often!!
I recently starting following you on this channel. I love your show you make things easy to understand. Thank you for taking the time to show us ,
love all you recipes!!i have made your chocolate chip cookies and amazing chocolate cake soooo many times.!i have made quite a few of your other recipes and they were all amazing!may i use buttermilk instead of regular/2% milk for the bread?
This is the second time I have made this bread and I must say I love it. I made white bread the first time and am making half white and half wheat this time. I do have one problem though (which did not seem to alter the bread itself) My dough was very sticky. I added more and more flour hoping that would help, but it didn’t and I was afraid of adding too much. It didn’t look like they dough in your video. What am I doing wrong?
If you are sure that you measured all of your ingredients accurately, then it could just be due to altitude or temperature. When making bread, you have to go with how the dough feels more than following the recipe exactly because there are so many variables in bread making. If you feel like your dough is way too sticky, then it just needs more flour that day. If your dough is too dry, don’t be afraid to add more liquid.
Hi, I would like to try this recipe, but can I leave the loafs to rise overnight outside or I the fridge and bake them in the morning?
Yes, you can put the dough in the fridge for the first rise overnight. Make sure it is in an airtight container or just covered tightly with plastic wrap so the dough doesn’t dry out. In the morning, take it out and let it come to room temperature and then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Easy recipe and tastes great! Thanks 😊