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Easy Homemade Bread

Is there anything better than warm homemade bread fresh from the oven with butter and jam on it? I don’t actually believe there is!

I love making homemade bread for my family and of course sneaking a piece before I tell everyone it’s done. This easy homemade bread recipe is easy to make and everyone always loves it!

The texture of this bread is perfect and you’ll love it for sandwiches, toast, French toast and whatever your bread loving heart desires.

The dough after it’s first rise.
fresh out of the oven.

What you need to make the easy homemade bread: (printable recipe is below)

makes 1 standard bread loaf

  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter – melted, warm but not hot
  • 2-1/2 to 3 cups flour
  • Egg Wash:
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, add warm water and yeast. Stir together and let sit for 3 minutes.
  2. Add sugar and stir.
  3. Add salt and warm butter. Stir.
  4. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each 1/2 cup.
  5. Add flour until dough isn’t sticky anymore and forms a dough ball. I end up using 3 cups or right around there. Different room temperatures can make the flour amounts differ slightly.
  6. Knead dough for 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with an electric dough hook.
  7. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
  8. Gently press down dough, leaving some air still in the dough.
  9. Form dough into a rectangle like ball and move to a greased bread dish.
  10. Cover loosely with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour – depending how warm your room is, When dough is doubled and fills out the pan, it’s good.
  11. Mix together egg and water to form an egg wash, gently bush on the top of your bread loaf.
  12. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  13. Bake for 45 minutes. After baking ~15 minutes , cover the top of the bread with a loose piece of aluminum foil so the top doesn’t burn.
  14. Allow bread to cool slightly before cutting so the moisture doesn’t steam out of your bread.

Here are a few jam recipes you may love with this bread:

Small Batch Raspberry Jam
Peach Berry Jam
Peach Mango Jam
Tart Plum Jam Without Pectin

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Easy Homemade Bread

Easy and delicious homemade bread recipe.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: bread, Dinner, Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Baked goods, Bread, Dinner
Keyword: bread, Dinner, Easy Recipes, Kids Favorite, side dish, snack, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner
Servings: 1 loaf bread

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter – melted warm but not hot
  • 2-1/2 to 3 cups flour
  • Egg Wash:
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, add warm water and yeast. Stir together and let sit for 3 minutes.
  • Add sugar and stir.
  • Add salt and warm butter. Stir.
  • Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each 1/2 cup.
  • Add flour until dough isn’t sticky anymore and forms a dough ball. I end up using 3 cups or right around there. Different room temperatures can make the flour amounts differ slightly.
  • Knead dough for 6-7 minutes by hand or 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer using a dough hook.
  • Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
  • Gently press down dough, leaving some air still in the dough.
  • Form dough into a rectangle like ball and move to a greased bread dish.
  • Cover loosely with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour – depending how warm your room is, When dough is doubled and fills out the pan, it’s good.
  • Mix together egg and water to form an egg wash, gently bush on the top of your bread loaf.
  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Bake for 45 minutes. After baking ~15 minutes , cover the top of the bread with a loose piece of aluminum foil so the top doesn’t burn.
  • Allow bread to cool slightly before cutting so the moisture doesn’t steam out of your bread.
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)