Easy Bread Recipe (Soft Bread)

What if I told you that there’s an Easy Bread Recipe that you can cook at home?

Baking your own bread is an affordable, healthy, and convenient hack. You can have it for breakfast, snacks, or even desserts. Besides, how fun would it be to bake your own bread at home, right?

There are lots of oven recipes but cooking bread is definitely a must-try. Have you tried making your own bread before?

This soft and fluffy easy bread recipe will surely give you the best homemade white bread that’s so buttery and milky! What’s the first thing you want to make with the homemade bread?

How to Make the Easy Bread Recipe

In this recipe, you will learn all about making an easy bread recipe. I’ll tell you everything that you will need and do to cook perfect bread for you and your family.

You can even share this recipe with your loved ones to let them experience how fun homemade bread can be!

Ingredients

Let’s start with the ingredients you need to make this easy bread recipe:

Strong bread flour

Did you know that strong bread flour can be up to 14% protein? With this kind of flour, you can make fluffy, soft, and chewy bread at home. The flour will also help with the structure and texture of the bread.

Bread dough may need a bit of kneading, but it’ll surely be worth it. According to the Webstaurant Store, since it has more protein and gluten, strong bread flour can produce light and airy bread.

What other recipes can you make with strong bread flour? Well, you can also use it for No-Oven Bread, Air Fryer Bread, and Braided Bread!

Powdered milk

You might be surprised at how powdered milk can make a difference in your bread recipe. It gives a smooth texture and extra tasty quality to the dish.

Overall, powdered milk can give the bread more volume, better flavor, and a darker crust. Aside from powdered milk, you can also use almond milk, cow’s milk, and plant-based milk for healthy options.

Don’t forget to add this to other recipes, such as Nigerian Coconut Buns, Chin Chin, and Coconut Chin Chin!

Yeast

One of the secret ingredients to homecooked bread is yeast. It causes the bread to rise for the best crust inside and out. The Online Pastry School suggested that the yeast acts as a leavening agent for an airy and light texture.

There are active dry yeast and instant yeast, but I suggest using active dry yeast. You also need yeast to make African Puff Puff, Pizza Dough, and Twisted Korean Donuts.

Salted butter

What I love about using salted butter for bread is that it can make the bread last longer. In fact, you can make the easy bread recipe tastier with the salt from the butter.

According to Baking Bites, salted butter also has leavening properites to help the yeast function better. It’s the same butter I use for Mashed Potatoes, Nigerian Coconut Egg Rolls, and Almond Loaf Cake – I always get the best results!

Eggs

If you really want to make light and fluffy bread, then you should add eggs to the bread dough. As you cook the bread, the egg caramelizes for a golden brown crust.

Don’t worry; there are many egg substitutes you can use for your easy bread recipe. Not only can you use egg for the bread itself, but for the filling too!

Make Egg and Cheese Sandwich, Egg Mayo Sandwich, and Egg Omelet Toast to make your bread and eggs truly worth it.

Seasoning

What seasoning works best for bread? In this recipe, I suggest using salt, sugar and nutmeg. You can get the perfect blend of sweet, salty, and subtle flavors.

There are plenty of other herbs and spices you can use. However, choose ones that best suit the flavor of the bread.

Can you believe that these are all you need to make the easy bread recipe? Buy these on your next grocery trip to cook the best bread ever!

Directions

Now, it’s time to go to the fun part – baking the easy bread recipe!

1. Use a whisk to mix the strong bread flour, powdered milk, granulated sugar, salt, nutmeg, and yeast together in a bowl.
2. Knead the dough in a stand mixer or a hand mixer for 3 minutes.
3. As the dough is kneading, gradually add the salted butter.
4. Then, knead for 12 more minutes. 
5. Use a pastry brush to grease loaf pan with melted butter or oil.
6. Grease the lid of the loaf pan as well. 
7. After kneading, place the dough on a floured, flat surface.
8. Use a dough cutter to divide the dough into three parts, 255 grams each.
9. Then, mold each dough part into a ball.
10. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough slightly. 
11. Roll each portion of dough until it turns into a cylindrical-shaped dough.
12. Place each dough in the baking pan in a vertical position.
13. Cover the baking pan with cling film and cover with the lid.
14. Set the loaf pan aside to allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
15. Before placing it in the oven, remove the cling film and cover with the lid.
16. Bake it in the oven at 150°C for 18 minutes.
17. Once baked, remove the bread from the loaf pan to let it cool at room temperature and enjoy!

And just like that, you can enjoy the Easy Bread Recipe! Cut into it and see how fluffy and heavenly it is. Spread some butter on it or eat the bread itself!

Tips

What to Avoid When Making the Easy Bread Recipe

• Measure your ingredients properly using a kitchen scale or measuring cups. 
• Cover the dough as it leavens to let it rise properly.

• Proofing is the process where you will allow the dough to rise.
• Don’t overproof the dough to easily remove it from the container.
• To avoid over-proofing, use your finger to push into the bread. If the indentation comes and goes quickly, it needs more time for proofing. If the indentation takes time to disappear, the bread has been properly and sufficiently proofed. 
• Also, remember to set your timer for the right time for proofing.
• Use a kitchen timer or the timer on your phone to monitor each step in the baking process. 
• Moreover, do not over-knead the bread because this will leave the bread with a flat and rubbery texture, making it difficult to chew. 

Reasons Why Your Dough is Not Rising

If your dough has not risen during the proofing stage, then the outcome of the bread can be dry, flat, and rough.

Here are some of the reasons why your dough is not rising and also some solutions you can do:

• Check if you can still use the yeast.
• Use room-temperature yeast to let the dough rise properly.
• Don’t forget to knead the dough until it is ready.
• You can knead the dough by hand for about 25 minutes or until ready for baking.
• Let the dough rest at room temperature because yeast is sensitive to temperature. Yeast can die at extremely high or low temperatures.

How to Properly Knead Dough by Hand

Breadmaking is not possible without kneading the dough. Kneading helps you create the structure and texture of the bread. Never forget to flour your surface before placing the dough – this is crucial to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface. 

1. Use the bottom of your hand to push the dough downward and upward simultaneously.
2. Fold the dough in your direction and press it down using the heel of your hand.
3. Practice the downward and outward motions for a better kneading technique.  

As you go along, continue to flour the surface and your hands when you notice that the dough is starting to stick to the surface.

The kneading duration depends on what you are baking but for bread, knead the dough for at least 25 minutes. 

Another way to check if the dough is adequately kneaded is to do the “windowpane test”. Get a small piece of dough and hold it between your thumb, index finger, and middle finger. As you pull your fingers away, notice how the dough stretches out. 

If the dough remains elastic and shows no breakage, then it has been kneaded sufficiently. However, if the dough separates between your fingers, it needs more kneading. 

Easy Bread Recipe Variations

For a gluten-free bread recipe, you can substitute the flour with all-purpose gluten-free flour and add some gluten-free baking soda. You may also add honey, olive oil, or apple cider vinegar for flavor and texture. 

On the other hand, I suggest using unbleached flour and active dry yeast for structure and nutritional value for vegan bread enthusiasts. 

The great thing about homemade bread is that you get to bake bread according to your preferences. You can substitute ingredients for diet-friendly alternatives, and you can even add other flavors of your choice. 

Meanwhile, for a more baby-friendly bread recipe, you can use four simple ingredients: bread flour, dried yeast, olive oil, and water! Mix them, make your dough, put it in the oven, and your baby can have healthy homemade bread!

You can add allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, rosemary, sesame seeds, garlic, and even ginger to give your bread a unique taste.

I also suggest using desiccated coconuts, raisins, and dark chocolate for a pop of flavor and color. For instance, you can use almond milk or chocolate almond milk as a substitute for powdered milk.

Be as creative as you want with your bread but make sure to adjust the ingredients, timing, measurements, and procedure. 

Want more bread recipes? Try these:

• Air Fryer Bread
• Braided Bread
• No-Oven Soft Bread

Recommended Tools

• Oven: Cook the bread in the oven for the best results.
• Loaf pan: this is necessary to give structure and support to the bread
• Stand mixer or hand mixer: A mixer with multiple attachments can come in handy for dough making because you can use its attachments to mix the ingredients and effortlessly knead the dough.
• Pastry brush: Use this brush to grease your loaf or baking pan with oil or butter.
• Whisk: If you don’t have access to a mixer, manually combine the ingredients using a whisk. 
• Measuring cups and spoons: measurements are crucial for baking, so if you don’t have a digital kitchen scale, carefully use these measuring tools. 
• Small glass bowls: For organized baking, prepare your ingredients in glass bowls. 
• Dough cutter: Use this tool to separate the dough into your desired portions
• Rolling pin: roll out the dough using a rolling pin for soft bread.
• Cling film: Cover the dough with cling film to proof.

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How to Serve the Easy Bread Recipe

There are numerous ways how you can serve homemade bread. You can spread butter, mayonnaise, melted chocolate, strawberry jam, peanut butter, almond butter, guacamole, cashew butter, or any preferred bread stuffing. 

It can also be served with a bowl of creamy soup on a cold and rainy day. You can also make sandwiches of different kinds with protein variants, cheese, vegetables, and sauce.

For instance, you can make any of the following recipes:

• Breakfast Sandwich
• French Toast
• Bread Pizza
• Egg Omelet Toast

The leftover bread to make bread pudding, salad croutons, or bread crumbs for other dishes. For beverage options, you can pair it with the following:

• Turmeric Tea
• Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake
• Iced Coffee
• Fruit Smoothie
• Almond Milk

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Place the bread in a resealable bag and keep it in a cool and dry place in your house to last two to three days.

To thaw frozen bread, put it in a toaster with medium to high heat. Or you can let it defrost on your countertop overnight. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the four main ingredients in bread?

The four main ingredients in bread include flour, yeast, salt, and water. These will ensure the structure of the bread, and you can customize the flavor with your preferred seasoning.

What is the secret to making good bread?

According to Baking Mad, the key to preparing good bread is to keep the salt, sugar, and yeast separate in the mixing bowl. Sugar and salt are known to have reduced the effectivity of yeast if combined immediately.

How is bread made simple?

With this Easy Bread Recipe, bread is definitely made simpler. You just need to prepare the batter and dough. Then, let it proof for the right level of rise. Bake it in less than an hour for the best bread recipe!

What makes bread so soft and fluffy?

Get soft and fluffy quality homemade bread by incorporating yeast. It leaves the bread to add air and height to the recipe. You should also add powdered milk because it is responsible for sustaining the rise and containing the moisture in the pastry.