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This homemade bread is always a family favorite and can be done so easily with this perfect recipe my grandma handed down to me. Making bread is easier than you think!
My miracle no knead bread is another one of my favorite bread to make, but it is also just as easy as this homemade bread. Bread is so rewarding to make and tastes even better than store-bought!
Grandma’s Perfect Bread Recipe
I am so excited to be sharing my Grandma’s perfect bread recipe with you! She was the best baker and although I love her homemade pancakes and her no fail pie crust, you just can’t beat her bread recipe. So many memories came to me as the bread was baking, and the wonderful fresh smell filled my house. I remember her fresh warm bread was always ready for us when we went to visit. It was gone as fast as she would slice it up.
My grandma’s homemade bread recipe is a must-try for anyone seeking a simple bread recipe. With just a handful of ingredients, you can create a loaf of bread that will make you never want to buy bread at the store again!
Homemade Bread Ingredients
With these simple ingredients that you already have at home, this bread comes together quickly and easily. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all of the exact measurements.
- Warm Water: The temperature should be around 105-115 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t make it too hot or it will kill the yeast.
- Sugar: The sugar sweetens up the bread.
- Salt: Just a pinch of salt will enhance all of the ingredients.
- Yeast: Make sure your yeast is active and fresh.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works best, but you can also use whole wheat flour too.
- Oil: I used olive oil, but vegetable oil will also work.
How to Make Homemade Bread
Only six ingredients to make a simple homemade bread that is delicious in every way. It is a tried and true favorite that my grandma was so generous to pass down to me. I love this bread so much and love the texture and flavor that it has to offer. The dough is made in a stand mixer but can be done by hand as well. Kneading the dough in between each rise of the dough helps form the dough but also gets out any air bubbles.
- Make the dough: In a stand mixer, add the warm water, sugar, salt, and yeast. Let the yeast proof until it bubbles for about 5 minutes. Using the dough hook, start adding the flour one cup at a time until the dough combines and forms a soft dough.
- Knead the dough: On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic and form a ball. Add the oil to the large bowl, add the dough to the bowl, and cover. Let rise for about 1-1 1/2 hours or until it has doubled.
- Form loaves: Grease and flour two 9×5 inch pans. Punch the dough to release the air. Lay the dough onto a flat surface and cut it into two loaves. Roll each loaf up and place it into the loaf pans. Let rise for about 1-1 1/2 hours or until it has doubled again.
- Prep: While the dough rises for the second time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bake dough: Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on the tops. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
Tips for Making Homemade Bread
- Proof the yeast: Add the yeast to the warm water. In about 10 minutes, the combination will have tiny bubbles and the smell of yeast. This indicates that the yeast is still good.
- Knead dough: For the first rise, it is best to knead the dough for about 5 minutes. This will help flavor and texture. After the first rise, you only need to knead the dough for 1-2 minutes.
- Seasonings: Add your favorite bread seasonings to the dough for added flavor. I love using Italian seasoning!
- Room Temperature: The warmer the room temperature is in your home, the quicker the bread will rise.
- The Weather: Did you know that the weather has an effect on cooking bread? Usually, places that are more moist will need to add 1/4 cup of flour more. While making the dough, if you notice the dough is not pulling away from the sides of the bowl easily after the first rise, this will be the time to add in a little extra flour.
- How to know if the bread is fully cooked: To know if your bread is fully baked, use a food thermometer. A fully baked loaf will be about 190 degrees Fahrenheit. The top of the bread should be a light golden brown color.
Jams and Butters to Serve with Bread
Homemade bread is warm and delicious! Comforting and tasty side dish or have it fresh out of the oven as a snack. Enjoy this bread with a simple layer of butter over top or with my homemade strawberry jam.
Storing Homemade Bread
Usually our baked bread does not last long enough to even store it or keep out longer than that day. Now though is a great time to have some on hand and be prepared when my family does need bread. With growing boys and a bigger family, all together we are needing more groceries and bread is one of them.
- At Room Temperature: Place the loaf of bread or sliced bread in a ziplock bag or airtight container. Make sure to seal it tightly, close it off from the air getting into the bag, and drying it out. Keeping the bread unsliced until you are ready to eat is best. The bread should last about 5-7 days.
- In the Refrigerator: Storing the bread in an airtight container in the fridge will last about 7-9 days.
- In the Freezer: My grandma’s bread freezes well so I always make an extra loaf or two! Store it in an airtight container in the freezer and it will last about 2-3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
More Delicious Bread Recipes
Homemade bread is the absolute best! It pairs perfectly with any meal and there are so many different flavors and ways to make it! Here are some more delicious and easy bread recipes for you to try.
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Grandma’s Perfect Homemade Bread
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon yeast
- 5 cups all purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons oil I used olive oil
Instructions
- In a stand mixer add the warm water, sugar, salt and yeast. Let the yeast proof until it bubbles for about 5 minutes. Using the dough hook start adding the flour one cup at a time until the dough combines and forms a soft dough.
- On a floured surface knead the dough until smooth and elastic and form a ball. Add the oil to the large bowl and add the dough to the bowl and cover. Let rise until it has doubled 1- 1 1/2 hours.
- Grease and flour 2 9×5 inch pans. Punch the dough to release the air. Lay the dough onto a flat surface and cut into two loaves. Roll each loaf up and place into the loaf pans. Let rise until it doubles another 1-1 1/2 hours.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on the tops. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is my first time to make any kind of bread. I followed instructions and could not be happier. It was not sticky for me. Perfect.
Made it today…..made one loaf and rolled the second one out spread with a mix of cream cheese and butter, sprinkled with a mixture of brown sugar, dried cherries, dried apricots (both small diced), cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and slivered almonds. Spread with Swiss buttercream frosting after they cooled…..very good cinnamon rolls for breakfast.
Hi Gregg, thanks for sharing! Sounds amazing!
Thank you, I’m a Chef and baker but the formula I use at work makes wayyyyy to much (need a 20 quart mixer) and I did not feel like doing the math to size it down. Decided to try this one and it was perfect after adding a bit more flour to the mix to get the consistency right. As they said in my artisanal bread baking class….3 things you always need at the mixer….extra flour, extra water, and Chef….so true almost always need to adjust the mix depending on humidity and other factors.
I don’t understand this recipe..Does the oil only go into pan that bread rises in? Please answer back so I can make my bread.
Hi Glory, thank you for your question. Yes, the oil is there to coat the bowl the bread rises in so it doesn’t stick to the sides. and can rise freely. I hope this helps! Let me know how it turns out!
I made this last week using the recipe as directed. It got too soupy. I couldn’t form a ball, I had to pour it in the pans. Today I made it using only about 1 1/2 cups of water. It formed a beautiful ball. Please let me know if the water amount is correct. I hope it comes out correct today. Thank you and God bless you.
Hi Judy! The soupy dough is likely a result of the climate difference between your location and ours. Bread can be very temperamental and need adjusting to everyone’s individual homes/climate. 2 1/2 cups is what I have found to be necessary for this recipe, but I’m glad 1 1/2 cups of water worked for you!
Make bread for the first time and I used your recipe, absolutely delicious. How do you store it and how long does it last?
I used honey instead of sugar. I know the recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups of warm water; however next time, I’ll only use the amount it takes to make the dough kneadable. For me, the amount of water was too much.
I made this bread today for the first time. I did have to add more flour but it turned out very good. My granddaughter said it’s “so good”. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I made this bread today for the first time. I did have to add an additional 1 1\2 – 2 cups of flour. I’m in Texas with high humidity. I mixed it in a stand mixer. The dough was very soft & doubled both times. My granddaughter said it’s “so good”. I think she ate three slices & two myself. I will definitely be making it again. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
This is now my go to recipe for bread! Love it!
Love this recipe! My family loves the taste of this bread better than the store bought!
Your grandma’s recipe calls for shortening, but it is not in your recipe. Where do you use the shortening?
It appears the oil is a substitute for the shortening. The handwritten recipe calls for 4 tablespoons oil or shortening. I hope this helps! 🙂
Found it easy to follow directions didn’t find the dough soupy but was a tad sticky untill you worked it on the flour can’t wait to see an taste final product
I found the directions very easy to follow. I had no trouble with ingredients. Everything came together as expected. Dough is rising now. Looking forward to tasting. ❤️
Thank you for sharing.
This recipe is amazing. Yeah the dough is a bit sticky but if you follow the recipe the bread comes out almost perfect… I’ve added cheese and jalapeños and twisted it and it comes out amazing. Really incredible base recipe… I recommend a stand mixer with dough hook and then kneading with heavy flour until it’s just right (still sticky but manageable) and the large amount of oil perfects it. A+++
What kind of yeast are you using?
Definitely need more flour! It was soup until I added about another cup of flour. Hopefully it turns out!
I am SO GLAD I am not the only person who ended up with kindergarten paste instead of a workable dough. But I poured it into a loaf pan, baked it, and did my best to eat the crumbly, sunken-middle bread. I bake a lot, but I also give a recipe a first try as written.
Will it do it self last overnight Africans made