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This bread machine bread recipe is the foolproof method for getting perfect white bread every time! Just dump in all the ingredients and let the bread maker do all the work! With about 5 minutes of minimal effort you can have soft, warm bread in just a couple of hours!
Included with this Recipe
The Best Bread Machine Bread Recipe
My good friend, Abby, has always made THE best bread. A few years ago, I asked her what her secret is and she told me she always does her bread in a bread machine. I honestly didn’t believe her at first because bread machine bread just isn’t usually good. I had attempted making bread in a bread machine at least a dozen times and I could never make it taste right. It always came out dry and hard. Well, she proved me wrong. Now making bread/dough in the bread machine is my VERY favorite way to make homemade bread. Trust me, you are going to love how easy and delicious this recipe is.
The Secret to Bread Maker Bread
Bread machines are SO convenient. You just put everything right in, push go, and it does all the work for you! The mixing, the kneading, the rising, the baking…everything! Where the bread machine falls short is in the “baking” part. When it comes to baking bread, the bread machine is not your friend. So what is to be done? Shhh.. it’s a secret. Here’s what you do: Dump the dough in a bread pan, put it in a COLD oven (no preheating, YAY!), turn the oven on and bake. It’s THAT easy. Just these few little steps make a world of difference!
How to Make Bread using a Bread Machine (Step by Step)
- First, place 1 cup VERY hot water, 1 egg, 4 tablespoons cold butter, ¼ cup sugar, and 1 ¼ teaspoons salt in the bread machine. No need to mix or anything, just put it all straight in.
- Next, Add 3 cups flour directly to the bread maker. Make a small well in the flour with your hand and add yeast to the well.
- Set bread machine to “dough” for 90 minutes (it should default to 1 hour 30 minutes) and press “start”.
- When your dough is finished, pour it straight into a greased bread pan. If you want to make it look pretty, you can turn it so a smooth side is facing up. Then just tuck down any unruly edges.
- Place the bread pan in the COLD oven. No preheating necessary!
- Set temperature to 350-degrees and set timer for 30 minutes. The bread will rise and bake in this time.
- Remove baked bread from the oven and remove quickly from pan. Place on a cooling rack and brush with butter. Cover with a towel or place in a plastic Ziplock bag to keep from drying out.
What Bread Maker is Best?
Honestly, it doesn’t really matter what kind of bread machine you have. We got the cheapest bread maker on Amazon that had decent reviews. I think it was under $100. Any basic bread maker will do the trick. Just make sure it has a “dough” option so it will stop once the dough is done.
Adapting to Make More Bread Machine Recipes:
We have used this exact dough recipe for all sorts of recipes. Sometimes you have to knead it with some flour to get the right consistency depending on what you are making, but it works like a charm in these recipes:
- BBQ Cilantro Pizza
- Quick and Easy Calzones
- Monkey Bread
- Pesto Rolls
- Samoan Coconut Rolls (Pani Popo)
- Fry Bread
- Breadsticks
Read more: 35+ Dinner Ideas
Frequently Asked Questions
Bread machines usually call for ‘bread flour’. The main difference between bread flour and all-purpose flour is the gluten content (bread flour has more gluten). All-purpose flour is absolutely fine to use! Your loaf of bread may not rise as spectacularly as it would with the bread flour, but there really isn’t much of a difference.
YES! And not only is it cheaper, but you know exactly what is going into it! No mystery ingredients in your sandwich bread.
Broken down, the savings look like this: The average cost of a loaf of basic white bread is around $4 (more or less), making it yourself costs about $1.
(It also tastes better!)
Nope! Just make sure you are using a quick-rise yeast for it to work best. In this recipe, we just use all-purpose flour, no need to spend extra getting special ingredients.
Bread Machine Bread
Video
Equipment
- Bread Machine
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place hot water, egg, butter, sugar, and salt in bread machine.
- Add 3 cups flour. Make a small well in the flour and add yeast.
- Set bread machine to "dough" for 90 minutes (1 hour 30 minutes) and start.
- When dough is finished. Pour directly into a greased bread pan. If needed, gently turn the bread or tuck in the edges so the top is smooth.
- Place bread in COLD oven and set oven to 350 degrees. Set timer for 30 minutes.
- When finished baking, remove from oven and carefully remove bread from the pan (it's ok if it is sticky).
- Place on a baking rack to cool and brush the top with butter. Place a towel over the bread or place in a plastic Ziplock bag to keep from drying out.
- Serve immediately or place in a plastic Ziplock bag to keep from drying out.
If Making Rolls:
- Remove dough from bread machine and place on a floured surface.
- Knead in a little flour if dough is too sticky to handle.
- Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Fold and pinch into dough balls and place in a greased 9×13 glass baking dish.
- Place in a COLD oven and set to 350 degrees. Set timer for 25 minutes.
- Remove rolls from oven and brush with butter.
Notes
- using as a crust to spread with jams, from raspberry to fig to cherry, and drizzled with honey
- toasting and slathering with garlic and cheese, and pairing with soups, salads, and vegetables
- your favorite new sandwich
- French toast, a morning staple
- and finally, the classic bread and butter, not to be overlooked.
Thank you for this recipe! The process of cycle bread preparation comprises seven connected stages: mixing ingredients, rising (fermentation), kneading, second rising, baking, cooling, and eating. You cand find useful information on the bread making process here: https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-bread-making-process-main-steps/
great recipe….added cinnamon and raisins, so good.
Julie, how much cinnamon and raisins did you use?
This is a great recipe.. however, if you have a split oven like I do, the bread will burn during the heat up process. The first time I thought it was just a fluke because I was on the middle rack. I just tried again on the low rack and it still burned. I think this might be best for larger normal sized ovens. We have an LG Signature oven. It’s still edible, but the top is black at parts.
Best I’ve followed so far. Used APF looking forward to repeating with bread flour to compare. Would like to figure out how to get the exterior and shape slight more uniform . Trying to replicate mass produced shape with this tremendously better overall taste.
I tried it today for the first time. It is sitting to cool now. We haven’t tasted it but it did make the house smell good!!
I am trying this recipe for the first time today and I followed these instructions exactly and the dough was to wet so I had to add extra flour and I am praying I did not add to much. I used 3 cups of all purpose flour. Has anyone else had this issue?
Yes me too but I didn’t add more flour.
How did yours turn out?
Mine seemed good even tho I had great doubts!
I don’t have quick rising yeast on hand. Would the recipe work with regular yeast?
Yes, but you need to dissolve the yeast in water first!
I have made this recipe three times now. Currently working on my fourth. This bread is delicious! I added cinnamon in one loaf and it was so good! I also use unbleached flour instead.
My bread maker starts with a 2 # loaf. Would this be considered a 2 # loaf?
I’m not sure! Usually 2# means 2 pounds, so maybe measure the dough before adding it to the machine?
You’re so right! Baking it in the oven made a big difference. Can’t wait to try this method with other bread recipes
I made this in my bread maker and it turned out great! I don’t bake it in the oven though. I put it to the white bread setting and 3 1/2 hours later I got the perfect loaf. It’s ridiculously fluffy, soft, and moist. I’m gonna print this recipe for my mom to try next!
Very good for the white bread!!
For honey wheat bread use half wheat flour and exchange the sugar for honey and follow same directions.
It is the best bread recipe I’ve ever tried!!!!
I’ve never tried my hands on making a bread. Infact, I can’t even bake to save my life but I happen to be in a house with a bread maker and all the ingredients so I tried this recipe and it came out super awesome👌 Next time, I’ll work on making the shape look better but I’m elated! Thank you!!!
What type of flour is used all purpose or bread?
All-Purpose flour!
This was ridiculously easy and so good. I’m happy I kept my bread machine around because I’ll be making bread weekly now. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Amy do you use all purpose flour or bread flour?
The best—and easiest—bread I’ve ever made in my bread machine!! This will now be my “go to” recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Is there any way to double this recipe? It a wonderful recipe and I’d love to make two loaves at once!
We haven’t tried doubling this recipe before, so I can’t say one way or the other. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! Our family loves it. I wanted to share that I make it with 1/4 cup of honey and replace one cup of the flour with whole wheat flour. The bread comes out perfectly every time!
This is by far the best bread machine recipe I have tried…it is now my go to recipe…
Thank you for sharing it.
OMG. This came out delicious and perfect. Thank you for a keeper of a recipe.
The best!
What temperature is the water? I read 105-115oF
Yes that is a good range!