10+ Easy Bread Recipes for Beginners and Busy Cooks

Making bread at home sounds intimidating, right? But honestly, it doesn’t have to be.

There are plenty of easy bread recipes out there that don’t ask for much time or fancy gear. With just a handful of ingredients, you can whip up fresh, tasty bread in your own kitchen.

You don’t need to be a pro to start baking bread. All you really need are some clear instructions and a few things from your pantry.

Homemade bread is perfect for sandwiches, toast, or just snacking straight from the loaf.

1) No-Knead Artisan Bread

No-knead artisan bread is about as easy as it gets. Mix flour, yeast, salt, and water together into a sticky dough—no kneading required.

Let the dough hang out for several hours or even overnight. That long rest makes the bread flavorful and gives it a nice texture.

When you’re ready, bake it in a hot Dutch oven or heavy pot. You’ll get a crusty outside and a soft, chewy inside.

This method’s a favorite because it takes almost no effort. There’s a great version over at Vegan Huggs.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water

Cooking Instructions:

1. Mix flour, yeast, and salt in a big bowl.
2. Add warm water and stir until it all comes together.
3. Cover and let the dough rest for 12-18 hours at room temp.
4. Heat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and pop a Dutch oven inside to preheat.
5. Plop the dough into the hot Dutch oven.
6. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 minutes more.
7. Cool before slicing—if you can wait.

2) Classic White Sandwich Bread

Classic white sandwich bread is soft, fluffy, and honestly pretty forgiving. It calls for flour, yeast, milk, and just a bit of sugar.

The dough is easy to handle and rises well. After baking, you’ll have a golden loaf with a tender crumb.

If you want a straightforward loaf for sandwiches or toast, this one’s a winner. There’s a helpful guide at Easy White Sandwich Bread recipe page.

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp)
• 1 cup warm milk (110°F / 43°C)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup warm water (110°F / 43°C)

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix yeast, warm water, and a pinch of sugar. Wait 5-10 minutes until it gets foamy.
2. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a big bowl.
3. Add the yeast mix, warm milk, and butter. Stir until you’ve got dough.
4. Knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth.
5. Pop the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1-2 hours.
6. Punch it down, shape into a loaf, and put in a greased loaf pan.
7. Cover and let it rise again for 30-45 minutes.
8. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes until golden.
9. Cool before slicing, if you can resist.

3) Easy 5-Star Yeast Bread

This bread is so simple, you probably have everything you need already. If you want soft, fresh bread fast, this is your go-to.

Just mix, let it rise, and bake—no complicated steps. The dough comes together in a snap.

Yeast gives it a nice lift, so your bread turns out light and fluffy. You don’t need to knead a ton, which is always nice for beginners.

After baking, you get a loaf with a good crust and a pillowy inside. It’s great for sandwiches or toast, and you can even freeze extra slices.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (450g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm water (110°F / 43°C)
• 2 tablespoons oil

Cooking Instructions:

1. Mix yeast, sugar, and warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add flour, salt, and oil. Stir until everything’s combined.
3. Cover and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
5. Shape dough into a loaf and put it in a greased pan.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.
7. Let it cool before slicing.

You can check out the details at Easy 5 Star Homemade Bread recipe.

4) Overnight No-Knead Bread

Overnight no-knead bread is a lifesaver if you want fresh bread with almost no effort. Just mix the ingredients, stash the dough in the fridge overnight, and bake it the next day.

That slow rise in the fridge does wonders for the flavor. You get a lovely crust and a soft, chewy inside—kinda like what you’d find at a bakery.

The best part? You only need a few ingredients and about 90 seconds of prep. If you’re short on time but still want homemade bread, this one’s for you.

Here’s a detailed version: overnight no knead bread recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix flour, yeast, and salt in a big bowl.
2. Add water and stir until everything’s wet.
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight (10–12 hours).
4. Heat oven to 450°F (230°C).
5. Dump dough onto a floured surface and shape into a ball.
6. Put it in a hot, oven-safe pot with a lid.
7. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 10-15 more.
8. Cool before slicing. Or just tear off a piece—no judgment.

5) Simple Homemade Bread with Pantry Staples

You can make delicious bread with just a few basics—flour, yeast, salt, and water. No fancy tools needed.

Just mix everything in one bowl and let it rise for about an hour. Bake it and you’ll have warm, fresh bread with a crispy crust.

This one’s so easy, even kids can help stir the dough and watch it puff up. It’s a fun way to get into baking with stuff you already have.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups warm water (about 110°F / 43°C)

Cooking Instructions

1. Combine flour, yeast, and salt in a big bowl.
2. Add warm water and stir until you get a sticky dough.
3. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel.
4. Let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
6. Shape dough into a ball on a floured surface.
7. Place on a baking sheet or in a Dutch oven.
8. Bake 30-35 minutes until golden and crusty.
9. Cool before slicing.

Want more ideas? Check this simple 4-ingredient bread recipe.

6) Amish White Bread

Amish White Bread is soft, a little sweet, and totally doable at home. It’s perfect for sandwiches or just slathering with butter.

Start by mixing warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it get bubbly so the yeast wakes up.

Add oil, salt, and flour to make a soft, workable dough. The dough rises twice, which makes the bread fluffy.

Bake at a moderate temp for a golden crust that’s not too dry.

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water (110-120°F / 43-49°C)
• ⅔ cup white sugar
• 1½ tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 6 cups bread flour

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix warm water, sugar, and yeast. Wait 5-10 minutes for bubbles.
2. Stir in oil, salt, and 4 cups of flour. Add more flour until you get a soft dough.
3. Knead for 10 minutes on a floured surface.
4. Put dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled (about 1 hour).
5. Punch it down, shape into two loaves.
6. Place in greased pans, cover, and let rise again (about 30 minutes).
7. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes until golden.
8. Cool before slicing.

Here’s the full recipe if you want to dive in: Amish White Bread recipe.

7) Quick Stretch & Fold Yeast Bread

This bread skips kneading and uses a stretch-and-fold trick instead. Just mix water, salt, yeast, and flour.

Every 30 minutes for the first two hours, gently stretch and fold the dough. This helps build strength and makes the dough nice and elastic.

You don’t need to fuss over it. Just a few folds and the dough’s ready to rise, shape, and bake.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix water, yeast, and salt in a big bowl.
2. Add flour and stir until you have a shaggy dough.
3. Cover and let rest. Stretch and fold the dough every 30 minutes for 2 hours.
4. Let it rise until doubled, about 1–2 hours.
5. Shape the dough and place it on a baking sheet.
6. Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 30 minutes until golden brown.

8) No-Mixer Basic White Bread

You don’t need a mixer for this simple, tasty white bread. The ingredients are basic—odds are, you’ve already got them in your kitchen.

It’s perfect for sandwiches or just slathered with butter. You’ll mix and knead the dough by hand.

It takes a bit of effort, but honestly, it’s not hard. The bread turns out soft, with just the right crust.

Let the dough rise twice before baking. That’s how you get a fluffy inside.

Bake at 375°F (190°C) for a golden color that looks almost too good to slice.

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (one packet)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or other oil

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix warm water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes.
2. Add flour, salt, and oil. Stir everything together.
3. Knead the dough on a floured counter for 8–10 minutes.
4. Put dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 hour.
5. Punch it down and shape into a loaf.
6. Place in a greased loaf pan, cover, and let rise another 30 minutes.
7. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30–35 minutes.
8. Let it cool before slicing—if you can wait.

9) Peasant Bread with Lift and Slap Technique

This peasant bread uses a rise and fold method called the lift and slap. It builds the dough’s strength without heavy kneading.

You just lift the dough and slap it down—kind of satisfying, honestly. The dough stays soft and is easy to handle.

No fancy tools, just your hands. This way, the bread gets a lovely open crumb and a crust that’s hard to resist.

Let the dough rest between lifts so the gluten can relax. After a few rounds, shape it and let it rise again.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp instant yeast
• 1 ¼ cups warm water (about 110°F / 43°C)

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix flour, salt, yeast, and water in a bowl until everything’s combined.
2. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
3. Lift and slap the dough on the counter 4–6 times.
4. Cover and rest for another 30 minutes; repeat the lift and slap twice.
5. Shape dough into a round and let it rise for 1–2 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C).
7. Bake on a hot pan or stone for 30–35 minutes, until the crust looks golden.

10) Soft Oil-Infused Sandwich Loaf

This bread turns out soft and moist thanks to the oil in the dough. You can use vegetable oil or olive oil—whichever you prefer.

It’s got a mild flavor and a tender crumb. The dough mixes and kneads easily, so it’s a good pick if you’re new to bread-making.

You’ll get a light, fluffy loaf that’s perfect for sandwiches or toast. Baking it in a loaf pan keeps its shape and makes slicing a breeze.

The crust comes out soft, not tough or crunchy.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (110°F / 43°C)
• 1/4 cup oil (vegetable or olive)
• 1/4 cup milk

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix warm water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Wait about 5–10 minutes, just until it gets foamy on top.

2. Grab another bowl and toss in the flour and salt. Pour in your yeast mixture, along with the oil and milk.

3. Stir everything together to make a dough. Once it comes together, knead it for 8–10 minutes until it feels nice and smooth.

4. Pop the dough into a greased bowl and cover it up. Let it rise for about an hour, or until it’s doubled in size.

5. Punch the dough down gently. Shape it into a loaf and set it in a greased loaf pan.

6. Cover the pan and let it rise again, this time for 30–40 minutes.

7. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30–35 minutes. You want it golden and sounding hollow if you tap it.

8. Let the loaf cool before you slice it. It’s tough to wait, but it’s worth it.