Description
This Easy Homemade Bread recipe guides you through making a classic, soft, and golden loaf with simple pantry ingredients. Perfect for beginners, it involves activating yeast, kneading dough, letting it rise, and baking to achieve a delicious homemade bread that’s great for sandwiches, toast, or snacking.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water (110°F/43°C)
Instructions
- Activate the Yeast: In a bowl, combine the warm water and sugar. Sprinkle the active dry yeast on top and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes bubbly, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt to evenly distribute the salt.
- Combine Mixtures: Pour the activated yeast mixture into the bowl with the flour and salt. Stir until a shaggy dough begins to form, ensuring all flour is moistened.
- Knead the Dough: Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it by hand for 8-10 minutes. Kneading develops the gluten, resulting in smooth, elastic dough ready for rising.
- Let It Rise: Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size, which shows the yeast has fermented well.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Punch down the risen dough to release air bubbles, shape it into a loaf, and place it into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
Notes
- Use warm water at about 110°F to properly activate yeast without killing it.
- Kneading time is important to develop gluten for a good bread texture.
- Allow enough rising time in a warm environment for best results.
- Check bread doneness by tapping the bottom—it should sound hollow.
- Let the bread cool before slicing to prevent a gummy texture.
