Homemade Bread Recipe: Why You’ll Never Buy Bread Again

There are very few experiences in the kitchen that match the quiet satisfaction of pulling a golden, fragrant loaf of bread out of the oven. The crust crackles softly as it cools. The inside is pillowy, warm, and tender. The entire house smells like something wonderful is happening — because it is. Baking bread from scratch is one of those fundamental cooking skills that, once you try it, changes the way you think about what belongs in your kitchen.

This recipe uses just five straightforward ingredients. No bread machine, no stand mixer required, and no experience necessary. Just a bowl, your hands, a little patience, and the kind of result that makes store-bought bread feel like a compromise. Once you taste a slice still warm from the oven, you’ll understand why homemade bread has a way of becoming a permanent habit.

Ingredients

• 4¾ cups (570g) plain flour, plus extra for kneading
• 1 tablespoon (10g) dry active yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⅓ cups (320ml) warm water
• 4 tablespoons (60ml) olive oil

That’s the entire list. Five pantry staples, nothing more. The simplicity is part of what makes this recipe so enduring and so easy to repeat.

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