Although I avoid grains, my family (and son, in particular) sometimes enjoy sandwiches for lunch during the week. Many store-bought breads have a ton of ingredients, some of which aren’t easily recognizable. This makes the homemade variety of bread a healthier alternative. I chose to use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but it can easily be modified to include healthier grain options.
If my family is going to have bread, this six-ingredient recipe is a good alternative to the store-bought variety. They love eating it and I love knowing what was put into it. Feel free to modify the recipe to include the ingredients that will work best for your family.
Let’s get into how to make this simple six-ingredient bread!
Ingredients
This homemade bread recipe has only six simple ingredients:
- 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
- 2/3 cups sugar (our preference is coconut sugar)
- 1 1/2 Tbsps. active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 tsps. salt
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsps. melted butter
- 6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
This six-ingredient bread takes about 30 minutes of active preparation, plus about 30 minutes to cook. You can expect to have fresh bread warm from your oven in about two and a half or three hours. I use a KitchenAid stand mixer, which takes away some of the kneading. However, you can just as easily bypass the stand mixer and do it all by hand.
To make this six-ingredient bread:
1. Proof the Yeast
Begin by dissolving the sugar in the warm water (make sure the water is about 110 degrees F). Once the sugar is dissolved, stir in the yeast. Let it sit (proof) until the yeast looks foamy and creamy. If it doesn’t get foamy, it means either your water was too hot or your yeast was too old (check the package to make sure it hasn’t expired before you begin).
The amount of time this step takes depends on the warmth of your kitchen … the warmer it is, the quicker it will proof. The temperature of my house is set at about 72-74 degrees and this process took about 10 minutes.
2. Add Salt, Melted Butter, & Flour
The next step in making six-ingredient homemade bread is to stir in the salt, 1/4 cup of the melted butter, and the flour into the proofed yeast. If you’re using a KitchenAid stand mixer, add the yeast mixture, salt, and melted butter (make sure it’s not too hot) and mix on low until combined. Otherwise, follow the same process, but stir by hand.
Slowly stir in the flour to the mixture. If you’re using a KitchenAid stand mixer, the flour will fly out of the bowl if you mix it too quickly. Add enough flour so your dough has a smooth surface. This will typically take between six to seven cups of flour. If you aren’t using a stand mixer, add flour and knead the dough by hand until the surface is smooth.
3. Let the Dough Rise for 1 Hour
Now it’s time for you to go find something else to do and let the yeast get to work. Place your dough in an oiled bowl. I use a glass bowl coated with cooking spray.
Once the dough is in the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth. You need to let it rise covered until it’s doubled in size. This typically takes about an hour, but the amount of time it takes to rise will depend on the warmth of your kitchen.
Once your dough has about doubled in size, you’re ready to move on to the next step.
4. Form the Dough into Loaves & Let it Rise Again
Once your dough has doubled in size, punch it down and spend a few minutes kneading it on a lightly floured surface. You should knead the dough until you end up with a relatively smooth surface.
After your dough has a smooth surface, divide it in two relatively even portions.
Next, form the dough into loaves and place them into well-oiled bread pans. Again, for this portion of the step, I prefer to use cooking spray.
Cover the pans with a dry towel and let them rise for about 30 minutes. The dough will typically be at the top of the pan or about one inch above it.
5. Bake the Loaves at 350 Degrees for 30 Minutes
Once the loaves have finished rising, brush melted butter on the top of them (this helps the browning process). You can also cut slits into the top, for a decorative touch. Place the loaves in a pre-heated 350 degree oven and let them bake for about 30 minutes or until browned on the top.
When the loaves are lightly golden in color, remove them from the oven, brush them with a little more melted butter, and let them cool. Once cooled, slice and enjoy. Store the loaves in an airtight container or gallon-size freezer bags. This bread doesn’t have any added preservatives, so to make it last longer you can also freeze it and take it out when you’re ready to enjoy it.
Six-Ingredient Homemade Bread Wrap Up
This six-ingredient homemade bread recipe is simple to make. While I avoid grains, my family enjoys them from time-to-time. Knowing the ingredients that went into what I’m feeding my family gives me a certain level of comfort.
If you try out this recipe and have comments or suggestions, feel free to share them with us! Enjoy!
Meraki Endeavors 