My Easy Homemade Bread Recipe can be made with all unbleached bread flour for a traditional white loaf or a mixture of white and whole wheat.
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 35 minutesminutes
Rising, Resting, and Cooling Time: 2 hourshours30 minutesminutes
Servings 24servings
Ingredients
3cupsbread flour
2 ½cupswhole wheat flour
1tablespoonsalt
2 ½teaspoonsyeastor one packet
2cupswarm waterbetween 105 and 110 degrees
1tablespoonolive oilplus additional for oiling the bowl and pans
2tablespoonshoney
Instructions
This recipe is quite easily made in a stand mixer with a dough hook. But if you don't have one, that's no problem. All you really need is a big bowl and a wooden spoon. Just follow the alternate instructions I've included in parenthesis for making it by hand.
Measure the flour*, salt, and yeast into the mixer bowl. (By hand: measure into a large mixing bowl)
In a measuring cup, stir together the warm water, oil, and honey**.
Turn on the mixer to its lowest speed for about 15 seconds to just combine the dry ingredients. (By hand: Mix the dry ingredients together with a spoon).
Switch off the mixer and pour in the liquids all at once. Turn the mixer back on to its lowest speed for about 1 1/2 minutes until the ingredients are fairly well combined. (By hand: Use a sturdy wooden spoon to mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined.)
Turn off the mixer and let the dough sit in the bowl for 10 minutes. (By hand: Let stand for 10 minutes).
Turn the mixer on to the second speed and let it run for 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board or counter top. Knead 3 or 4 times until a smooth dough is achieved. (By hand: Turn the mixture out onto a floured wooden board or counter top and knead by hand for about ten minutes or until a smooth dough forms.)
Let the dough sit for a minute while you wash the mixer bowl and oil it with an additional tablespoon of olive oil.
Place the dough into the oiled bowl top side down and then turn it over so that the oiled top is up. Leave it in a warm place covered with a towel for about an hour or until doubled in volume.
Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently deflate it, kneading another three or four times.
Divide the dough in half. Flatten each half into a rectangle. Roll up and form into a loaf shape. Place each loaf into an oiled loaf pan.
Cover and let rise again – about 35 to 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until nicely golden brown. ***
Remove loaves from pans and let cool at least 30 minutes on a wire rack.
Notes
(For a traditional white loaf, use all bread flour)* When measuring flour, fluff it with a spoon and then spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Level the top of the cup for an accurate measure. Do not pack.** If you measure the oil first and then the honey using the same spoon, the honey won’t stick to the spoon.*** If you like a softer, chewy crust, place a pan of water in the oven on the rack below the bread. You can also brush the tops of the loaves with olive oil if desired for a prettier crust.