The Best Bread Machine Recipe | Cravethegood.com (2024)

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This white bread machine recipe is made with unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour! You'll love this easy bread recipe cause it's perfect for sandwiches and toast and in our humble opinion, it's one of the best bread machine recipes ever.

There's no arguing it, my Mom is 100% the best at baking homemade bread.

Me, on the other hand? It's not one of my skills. She's handed down her recipe to me, tried to teach me, gave up teaching me, then taught my husband instead.

We've all decided that mom’s bread recipe will live on with Kevy. I am justnot good! Haha

My mom created this recipe for me so that I could bake my own bread!

This easy bread machine recipe is dedicated to homemade bread.

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Jump to:
  • Tips + Tricks
  • Ingredients
  • How to make
  • Bread machine recipe troubleshooting:
  • How to store:
  • Other bread machine recipes you'll love!
  • Recommended tools
  • 📖 Printable Recipe
  • A word on flour:

Tips + Tricks

No. 1 --> This bread maker recipe gives a 2 lb loaf. Please double check that your machine has 2lb capacity - or you'll likely have a heck of a mess!

No. 2 --> Check out the information below on the protein content of your flour! It can greatly affect your end result.

No. 3 --> Start with 1 3/4 cups of water. It really depends on your flour and some flours don't like 2 cups of water. The first time you make this, I recommend adding 1 3/4 cup of water and then checking the dough during the first mixing cycle. Check the troubleshooting guide below.

No. 4 --> This recipe makes a delicious sandwich bread, and can be adapted to make cinnamon raisin bread, or my cardamom cranberry bread, or even everything bagel bread, if you like! If you're interested in a whole wheat bread recipe for the bread maker, I've got one of those too.

Ingredients

  • warm water
  • sweetener (sugar, honey, maple syrup etc)
  • oil
  • salt
  • flour (all-purpose, or bread flour, see notes below)
  • bread machine yeast - avoid active dry yeast if possible, to use it you must proof it before baking this bread.

How to make

  1. Add the wet ingredients to the bread pan.
  2. Add the salt and sweetener to the wet ingredients.
  3. Add the flour to the pan, sprinkling it overtop all of the water.
  4. Either sprinkle the yeast on top of the flour, where it's not touching the water or create a well in the flour, then add the yeast there.
  5. Place baking pan in the bread maker and select cycle.
  6. Wait for bread to finish baking, then remove to cool before slicing.
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Bread machine recipe troubleshooting:

Bread too dense:

  1. Type of flour: As mentioned above, if you're using a flour that doesn't have a high enough protein content, you can expect a dense loaf of bread. Protein is necessary for the bread to produce gluten, and as we know, gluten is the amazing thing that gives bread it's stretch and elasticity, and the ability to trap air and create bubbles in bread.
  2. Quantity of flour: I never weigh my ingredients for this recipe, nor do I sift my flour. Here's how I scoop my flour for this recipe - stir the flour in the bag or container well, then use a 1/2 cup measuring cup to scoop the stirred flour into my 1 cup measuring cup. Give it a quick shake, then level with a knife. It's quick and easy, keep it simple!
  3. Yeast - Add this at the very end of the ingredient layering. I toss all the flour into the baking pan, then sprinkle the yeast on top of the flour away from the water and liquid ingredients.

Bread collapsed during baking:

  1. Too much liquid: There is a range of water quantities in the recipe card, start with the least amount of water, and work your way up. It's easier to add a bit of water to the pan while mixing than to start fresh!
  2. Not enough salt: If you're using coarse ground salt in this recipe, you may not be using enough salt! Try adding a bit more next time.
  3. Yeast: Too much or too old yeast can cause your bread to collapse. To avoid this in the future, proof a small amount of your yeast to confirm it's still active, and if so, decrease the quantity in your next loaf by 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoons.

Other problems:

If this is your first time using this recipe, I highly recommend checking in on the recipe while it's 10 or so minutes into the first kneading cycle. At this point, you'll be able to tell if your dough is forming a nice ball and pulling away from the edges.

If the dough is too wet at this time, and not holding a ball, add a couple tablespoons of flour. If the dough is too dry and looking shaggy, add a tablespoon of water.

Check out my guide more information on troubleshooting your bread machine.

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How to store:

Homemade bread doesn't keep long. It doesn't keep any better in the fridge either. We often cut our loaves in half and freeze half and keep the remainder out on the counter. Freezing as soon as the bread has been cut and cooled usually gives me better results.

Try a bread box!

Other bread machine recipes you'll love!

  • Cranberry Walnut Sourdough
  • Bread Machine Yeast Substitute
  • Bread Machine Banana Bread
  • Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough

Ya'll we can't have a bread machine recipe without a bread machine!

Here's the one that I have and I have NO problems recommending it to anyone else. I love all the different features and settings on my Breville Custom Loaf. But most of all, I love love love that it makes a perfect loaf of bread!

📖 Printable Recipe

The Best Bread Machine Recipe | Cravethegood.com (8)

Yield: 10 slices

The Best Bread Machine Bread Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

This white bread machine recipe is so easy and tasty! You'll love it cause it's healthy and perfect for sandwiches and toast alike!

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4-2 cups warm water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sweetener, ex. honey, organic cane sugar, agave, maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon liquid oil, ex. coconut, olive, canola
  • 4 cups all-purpose or bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients into bread maker pan, in that order, being sure to sprinkle the yeast on top.
  2. Set to basic or basic quick - whatever you like.
  3. Walk away. Drink a coffee, read a book, watch Netflix.
  4. When bread machine beeps done, remove loaf pan and turn out onto a tea towel. Stand your loaf upright and allow to cool at least for a bit before you dive in!

Notes

* This bread recipe makes a 2 LB loaf. Please double check that your bread machine has a 2 LB capacity before making this recipe!

*When measuring flour, I use the scoop and level method - Using a flour scoop to fill a measuring cup, then level with the back of a knife. Don't sift the flour first! Consistent measuring is definitely important in consistency between loaf to loaf!

*I've edited the amount of water in this recipe from 2 cups to 1 3/4 to 2 cups. I've gotten some feedback that this results in a pretty wet dough, I've not had that problem in either of my bread machines, which likely due to the protein level of everyone's flour. Please check the notes above in the "A Word On Flour" section OR start with the lesser amount of water and keep an eye on the bread as it mixes and you'll know if you need more.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 359Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 265mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 7g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

A word on flour:

As a Canadian, I use purpose flour for literally all purposes. Here's why it matters to you and the results for your recipe:

  • CANADIAN flour is different than American flour!
  • The protein content in Canadian flour is required by law to have at least 13% protein by weight.
  • The protein content of the flour greatly affects the bread's ability to absorb water, produce gluten, and, therefore, your final results.
  • IF you are using American flour, please use Bread flour specifically - OR ensure that your flour passes the protein content test 12-13%

How to determine protein content in flour:

Simply do a little math - make your teachers proud!

The Best Bread Machine Recipe | Cravethegood.com (19)

Grams Of Protein /
Grams Per Serving = _______

________ X 100 = _________ %

4/30=.1333
.1333 x 100= 13.3%

Pin this awesome bread machine recipe for later!

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The Best Bread Machine Recipe | Cravethegood.com (2024)

FAQs

What's the best flour for a bread machine? ›

Most bread machine manuals and cookbooks call for bread flour rather than all-purpose flour. King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, because it's higher in gluten than national brands of all-purpose flour, works perfectly in the bread machine.

What is the best order to put ingredients in a bread machine? ›

You add the ingredients, and the bread machine makes and bakes the bread in one handy appliance. Liquid ingredients are added first, then oils or fats, dry ingredients, and finally yeast (if your recipe calls for it). The machine will mix, knead, rise, and bake the dough to a beautifully soft bread with a crisp crust.

What is one drawback of using a bread machine? ›

One disadvantage of using a bread maker as opposed to your hands is that the paddles are typically fixed, meaning they remain in the dough when baking, often leaving a hole in the middle of the loaf. Whilst this is not the biggest hinderance, it can be an annoyance to those who aim for gold standard loaves.

Is it cheaper to buy bread or make it in a bread machine? ›

With generic white bread, homemade only saves you about $1.00 per loaf. But for fancier artisan breads, the savings jump to $3.00–5.00+ per loaf.

What flour do professional bakers use for bread? ›

While bread flour is more than adequate for everyday breads, some professional bakers use high-gluten flour with a 14% protein content to provide extra strength to dense, chewy doughs like bagels and pizza dough. High-gluten bread flour gives milk bread it's taut structure and compact (but tender) crumb.

Which yeast is best for a bread machine? ›

The Very Best: Instant Yeast

Instant yeast is the only yeast I ever use in my baking. Always have and always will. The yeast of choice in most restaurant kitchens and commercial bakeries, it's easy and convenient.

Why is bread machine bread not fluffy? ›

Too much heat or humidity might lead to a too-quick rise and a crevice near the center of your bread. Conditions that are too cold might delay proofing or rising, resulting in a super-dense loaf.

Why do you add yeast last in bread machine? ›

Almost all recipes will suggest you add the yeast last, otherwise, the dough won't rise quite as well. For best results, start by following a recipe that comes with your machine, once you have the hang of that, start experimenting!

What is the most important step in bread making? ›

Kneading. Kneading involves stretching and folding the dough in a rhythmical manner that develops the gluten in the flour and releases excess gas. Any large gas holes that may have formed during rising are released by kneading and so a more even distribution of both gas bubbles and temperature also results.

Why are breadmakers no longer popular? ›

Some attribute the demise of the bread machine to the fact that cooks were just disappointed by their results. Lara Pizzorno, the author of Bread Machine Baking, chalked it up to food snobs who regarded the machine as “the electric equivalent of The Bridges of Madison County” in a 1996 article in The New York Times.

What is the difference between a bread maker and a bread machine? ›

VERSATILITY: Your bread maker will be able to create dough only-this allows you to shape your finished bread into buns, braids, etc. Some bread makers also have a “preserves” function where you can make jam. These are the only two things you can really do with a bread machine though.

Is it better to use bread flour in a bread machine? ›

For best results, use bread flour. "Bread machine bread flour" is the same thing as bread flour; both contain more gluten than all-purpose flour.

Is it worth getting a bread maker? ›

But what if you love fresh bread but a busy schedule leaves little time for the many steps of mixing, kneading, shaping, proving and baking your own? In that case, a breadmaker is for you. Plus, if you buy a machine with a timer, the bread can be ready and waiting for you in the morning.

How long does homemade bread last? ›

Baker says the best place to store bread is at room temperature. "Homemade bread stored at room temperature will have the best quality if used within three to five days," she says. "Commercially-prepared bread can be used within five to seven days.

Should I use regular flour or bread flour for bread machine? ›

Even if your all-purpose flour doesn't have enough gluten, it's okay to use it in the bread machine. Again, the worst that will happen is that your bread won't rise as much as it would have with bread flour.

Can I use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour in a bread machine? ›

Can I Use Bread Flour Instead Of All-Purpose. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, but it can be used in place of all-purpose flour and vice versa. However, keep in mind that the higher protein content of bread flour may result in a dry dough or batter, so you may need to add water.

Is there a difference between bread machine flour and bread flour? ›

"Bread machine bread flour" is the same thing as bread flour; both contain more gluten than all-purpose flour. If you don't have bread flour, you can make a substitution: 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon wheat gluten (available at health food stores & some supermarkets) to make 1 cup of bread flour.

What flour is best for bread making and why? ›

Strong or bread flour has a higher protein level that plain flour. It is this protein that contributes to the strength of the gluten. However, this is where it gets complicated. Looking for flour labelled as 'strong' or 'bread' flour is a good idea when you are just starting out on your bread making journey.

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