Easy Homemade Bread Recipe: Fresh, Fluffy, and Foolproof

This easy homemade bread recipe is perfect for beginners and delivers fluffy, golden loaves every time 🍞. With just a few ingredients and simple steps, you’ll have fresh bread that’s great for toast, jam, or sandwiches. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll want to make again and again. Keep reading to see how it’s done!

Golden loaves and thick slices of Easy Homemade Bread on a wooden board, ready to enjoy with butter, jam, or alongside a warm meal.

This homemade bread recipe came to the rescue last week! Here in Knoxville, TN, we have been under a stay-at-home order for more than a month now because of the Coronavirus. To limit my exposure, I’ve only been going to the store when absolutely necessary or when I need multiple items. But last week I ran out of sliced bread and didn’t have any other reason to go shopping.

That’s when I pulled out this trusty homemade bread recipe and baked two loaves. I had forgotten how simple it was, and the kids devoured it! So, I thought I would share the recipe with y’all, too!

Getting Started with This Easy Homemade Bread Recipe

Making a homemade bread recipe from scratch is simpler than you might think! With just a few basic ingredients, you’ll be on your way to baking warm, fluffy loaves in no time.

Slice of Easy Homemade Bread topped with a melting pat of butter, highlighting the fluffy texture and warm, fresh-from-the-oven feel.

Step 1: Homemade Bread Recipe Ingredients

The ingredients for homemade sweet bread are easy, and you probably already have them on hand! Here’s what you need:

  • 5-6 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 2 packets (or 1 1/2 Tbsp) Active Dry Yeast
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 2/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 Tbsp Kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Several thick slices of Easy Homemade Bread displayed in a row, showing the tender interior and slightly golden edges of each piece.

Step 2: How to Make Homemade Sweet Bread

In a microwave-safe bowl (I use a 2-cup measuring cup), heat 1/2 cup of water in the microwave for one minute. This will bring the water to boiling. Then add tap water to measure out 2 full cups. This should reduce the temperature to 110 degrees, the perfect temperature for yeast bread.

Add 2/3 cup and 1 extra tablespoon of granulated sugar to the water and stir it until it dissolves. Then sprinkle your yeast on top and let it sit for 10 minutes. It should be frothy.

Don’t let it sit longer than 10 minutes.

Next, pour the yeast mixture into a standing mixer with the bread dough hook attachment. Add in 1/4 cup of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt. Turn the mixer on medium/low and let the ingredients incorporate for a minute.

Stand mixer using a dough hook to mix ingredients for Easy Homemade Bread, just before flour is gradually added into the bowl.

For this homemade bread recipe, add one cup of flour at a time. Turn the mixer to medium, let it run until the flour is incorporated, turn it off, scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula, and then repeat these steps until a dough ball forms to the hook. You will probably end up adding about 4 or 5 cups of flour. Save the rest of the flour for kneading.

Step 3: How to Knead Bread Dough

Once the dough ball has formed, you’ll need to flour a flat surface and knead the dough for 6 minutes. (This should be 6 minutes of continuous motion.) As the flour begins to incorporate, sprinkle more so that the bread doesn’t stick to the counter.

Hands kneading a ball of dough on a floured surface while making Easy Homemade Bread, building gluten for a fluffy final texture.

Kneading the dough is absolutely essential to this homemade bread recipe because it develops the gluten. This gives bread its airy, fluffy inside. If you don’t know how to knead bread dough, I strongly encourage you to learn Paul Hollywood’s technique in this video (it starts about minute 3:30). I use this in all my bread recipes, especially my extra fluffy cinnamon rolls, and they come out perfect every time!

You will know the bread dough is ready when you can pull a small piece of the dough up toward you without it tearing.

Now, form the dough into a ball and place it into a greased glass bowl. Cover it with a towel and let it rise for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.

Smooth, round dough ball resting in a glass bowl after kneading, ready to rise and become soft, fluffy Easy Homemade Bread.

After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, cut it in half, and form two loaf shapes. Be careful not to overwork the dough. Be gentle and soft.

Place these into two greased bread tins and let them rise again for 30 minutes. No need to cover them this time.

Two loaf pans filled with unbaked Easy Homemade Bread dough just before the final rise, sitting on a lightly floured countertop.

Step 4: Baking the Homemade Bread

While the homemade bread is rising, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Then, bake the bread for about 30 minutes. The tops should be golden, and the bread pulled away from the sides.

Two golden loaves of Easy Homemade Bread still in the pans just out of the oven, showing risen tops and lightly browned crusts.

Once this homemade bread is out of the oven, it is hard not to cut it right away! The kids love it when I make this homemade bread recipe because they can always smell it when it is done and come running when the timer goes off!

I let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then slice it up. It tastes great with butter, jam, or even cinnamon sugar. Once cooled, it is great for sandwiches as well.

Sliced Easy Homemade Bread topped with red fruit jam beside a half loaf, showing its fluffy crumb and perfect snack-ready size.

If you would like to store this homemade bread for later, you’ll need to keep it in an airtight container. I put leftovers in a ziplock bag and store it at room temperature. It will keep like this for about four days.

Loaf of Easy Homemade Bread on a wooden cutting board with slices cut and a bread knife nearby, ready for sandwiches or toast.

Save this pin for later, and if you try this homemade bread recipe or have any questions, drop me a line in the comment section below. Happy cooking, y’all!

Graphic with loaves of Easy Homemade Bread and text overlay that reads “Easy Homemade Sweet Bread – perfect for toast and more.”
Heidi Davison

Head Baker & Owner

Hi, I'm Heidi, Head Baker and Owner of Heidi's Bakery in Knoxville, TN.

What began as a blog to share family recipes has become a thriving bakery, thanks to community support.
Many recipes here are from my family’s cookbook. Give them a try and leave a comment below!

Heidi Davison the Owner of Heidis Bakery

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