Classic Homemade Bread Machine Bread

🕒 Prep: 10 min
🔥 Cook: 2 hours
🍽 Serves: 12
★★★★★
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There's something truly special about homemade bread, and using a bread machine makes it both easy and rewarding. This Classic Homemade Bread Machine Bread offers the perfect blend of softness and flavor, ideal for any meal.

Ingredients for Classic Homemade Bread Machine Bread

Warm water is the foundation here, activating the yeast and creating the perfect environment for the dough to rise. White sugar feeds the yeast, helping it to grow and rise. The star of the show, bread machine yeast, is designed specifically for bread machines, ensuring a consistent rise. Vegetable oil adds moisture and a subtle richness to the bread. Bread flour provides the necessary protein content for structure, while salt enhances flavor and strengthens the dough.

Tips & Tricks

  • Always measure your ingredients accurately for the best results.
  • If your bread is consistently too dense, try using slightly less flour or check your yeast's freshness.
  • For a softer crust, brush the top of the loaf with butter right after baking.

Serving Suggestions

This bread is wonderful as a base for sandwiches with your favorite deli meats and cheeses. It's also perfect for toasting and spreading with butter or jam. For a warm side, pair it with hearty soups or stews to soak up all those delicious flavors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
Yes, but keep in mind that bread flour has a higher protein content, which helps with structure. Your bread might be slightly less chewy.
What if I don't have a bread machine?
You can knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer and bake it in a traditional oven. However, the machine ensures even mixing and proofing.

Classic Homemade Bread Machine Bread Recipe Walkthrough

Start by pouring the warm water into your bread machine pan. It's crucial that the water is warm but not hot — about 110°F/45°C is perfect. Sprinkle the sugar over the water, followed by the yeast. Let this sit for around 10 minutes, allowing the yeast to activate. You'll know it's ready when it looks frothy.

Once your yeast is activated, add the vegetable oil to the mix. Then, carefully add the bread flour, making sure it covers the liquid completely. Finally, sprinkle the salt on top of the flour. This helps to keep the salt from interfering with the yeast.

Select the Basic or White Bread setting on your bread machine. Start the cycle and let the machine do its magic! You can take a peek during the kneading phase to ensure the dough looks smooth and not too sticky. Once the baking cycle is complete, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack. Allow it to cool fully before slicing for the best texture.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Simple and quick setup — minimal hands-on time.
  • Consistently perfect texture and flavor every time.
  • Versatile for sandwiches, toast, or served with soup.

Ingredients

1 cup warm water (110°F/45°C)
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 envelope (.25 ounce) bread machine yeast
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Pour the warm water into the bread machine pan. Sprinkle the sugar and then the yeast over the water. Allow the yeast to activate for about 10 minutes until frothy.
2. Add in the vegetable oil, bread flour, and salt. Select the Basic or White Bread setting on your bread machine, and start the cycle.
3. Once the baking cycle is complete, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing.

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