Best Bread Machine Dough Recipe with step by step instructions: this is by far the best bread machine dough recipe I've come across, and my family loves the smell of homemade bread when I bake this!
BEST Bread Machine Dough Recipe
This is the best bread machine bread you will ever eat. And it's easy. It's a little bit sweet, a little crusty, and softy and yummy on the inside….
You're welcome. 😉
Bread Machine Dough Recipe
Ingredients
Bread Machine Bread Dough Ingredients
- 1 Cup Water Warmed (110 - 115 degrees)
- 1 Tbsp Milk
- 2 Tbsp Oil
- 2 Tbsp Honey If you don't have any, you can skip this, and it will still turn out fine!
- 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 Cups All Purpose Flour You can also substitute with half whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp Instant Active Dry Yeast
Instructions
How to Make Homemade Bread in a Bread Machine
- Heat 1 cup of water to 110 degrees. (If you don't have a thermometer, just use slightly hot tap water and it will be just fine. (really!) I never use a thermometer and never have any problems with my bread machine dough rising.)
- Put all ingredients in the order above into bread machine (you don’t need to stir it , just dump it in!) Water, milk, oil, honey, brown sugar, salt, flour, then finally - yeast.
- Set bread machine on dough setting, and let it make the dough for you over the next couple hours.
- Once dough is made (it takes my machine about 1 1/2 hours to make just the dough), remove dough and place in loaf pan.
- Let bread machine dough rise for about 30 minutes to an hour, until it's around double the size. When I don't have time to let it rise, I just go ahead and bake it a little sooner and it works out fine. This recipe is extremely forgiving! Towards the end of this time, preheat oven to 350.
- Bake bread dough in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, and enjoy!
Note – if you’re away from home during the day you can let the bread machine do all the work for you, I just don’t like the weird shape that my bread comes out in when I use the machine so choose to make it on the dough setting and then bake it in a loaf pan.)
Now serve it up with homemade Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Butter, and ENJOY!
If you don’t have a bread machine . . .
First, say a prayer that you’ll find one at a yard sale (I really do love mine ~ here's a reasonably priced on at Walmart that gets good reviews!)
You'll also want a good bread loaf pan.
Why Easy Homemade Bread Is WORTH MAKING
You may wonder, why do I take the time to make homemade bread when I can easily grab a loaf at the bakery….
Honestly? I've made this recipe for years now about once a month, and every time I pull down my bread machine out of the pantry my family gets a wee bit excited. In fact, when I was driving my 15 year old home from band practice before dinner I said “Guess what I made?”
Nope.
No.
“Some chocolate chip cookies?”
Seriously kid? Nope – not that either. Homemade bread! I really am the best mom, right? 😉
“Mmmmm . . . yup, you really are the best mom.” 😉
Folks, this kid is a sophomore so I only have a few more years to convince him my cooking is worth coming home for once he scoots off to college. If chocolate chip cookies, homemade bread and chicken and dumplings do it, you can bet we'll be eating a lot of those for the next few years . . .
And besides that – it's truly easy to make. It has a few steps, granted, but they're not hard steps!
I can't make it more often than once a month because I have very little self control when it comes to a loaf of warm homemade bread in the kitchen, but when I do it's just a happy treat for the whole family. It's so simple to make and takes about 5 minutes of effort ~ so worth it if your family loves homemade bread too!
Speaking of homemade bread recipes – I think you'll love these too…
If your family loves bread like mine does, try out some Best Ever Cinnamon Bread too.
And try this Macaroni Grill-inspired Rosemary Bread too.
So. so. good.
These Homemade Biscuits are to DIE for…
Garlic Pull-Apart Bread (this one cheats and uses biscuit dough!)
If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE.
2021 Home Planner SNEAK PEEK!
Download your FREE 2021 Home Planner SNEAK PEEK now!
I won't send you any spam, ever. Promise.
Hi, I have tried your recipe for “The Best Bread Machine Dough” three times and have had the same problem each time. The dough rises well over the top of the loaf pan, but when baking, it falls flat and spills over the sides of the pan. It is done baking in about 25 min with s very dark crust. Can you help?
Hi Chris! Hmm, are you baking it in your bread machine, or in the oven? Maybe try baking it in the oven if you usually bake it in the bread machine (or vice versa!). Hope that helps! 🙂
I don’t have a bread machine. I wonder how long I need to let it make dough and rise in a bowl and a kitchen aid mixer
So I tried the recipe in my oster bread machine, and after the hour and a half I took it out and it wasn’t completely mixed, I mixed it in a bowl and put it in the loaf pan so we shall see
I’ve made this a few times and it came out great! One suggestion, you might want to mention that it’s best to grease the loaf pan before baking the bread in the oven. A friend of mine who is not a real seasoned baker didn’t know to do that and her bread stuck to the pan. I actually just sprayed non-stick spray on the pan before baking and it came out easily. Thanks for the recipe!
I don’t have a bread machine so I would also like to know if I can use the same recipe in the oven.
You should be able to mix up the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook (or by hand) and bake in the oven Barbara ~ it may just take a little longer to make the dough! 🙂 Hope that helps!
Could I roll in balls and then place in fridge overnight before rising and bake in the morning? Thanks
I can’t imagine that wouldn’t work Karen – let me know if you try it! 🙂
Can’t find the recipe to use if you don’t have a bread machine. Hoping to try making this bread. Can you help?
Hi Cherylyn! Hmm, you might be able to make this using the dough hook on your stand mixer, but you can also find some non-bread-machine recipes on Google! 🙂 Hope that helps!
I’ve tried a few recipes for bread in my machine over the years, but this one *has been* fail proof so far! Thank you! I use all whole wheat flour and skip the sugar, using 2 tbsp maple syrup instead of honey (we are out) perfect rise and texture, great slice-ability.
Oh and I use my stone loaf pan and bake 40 mins.
Fabulous!! Really enjoyed the bread.
Yayyy! I’m so glad it worked for you (it’s such a great forgiving recipe!) 🙂
I realize this is an old post, however just wanted you to know that I made your Best Bread recipe yesterday and it will be replacing my previous favorite bread machine recipe. Great rise, easy to slice, and most of all- tastes delicious. I made it exactly following the recipe using the honey and let it rise for almost an hour. Thanks!
Yayyy! SO glad you liked it Karen! 🙂
I made your recipe but substituted my KitchenAid mixer for the bread machine. I threw everything in the bowl, mixed it on speed 2 for two minutes, let it rise once (90 min) in a buttered bowl, then patted it out into a 8×12(ish) rectangle, folded it like a letter, put it in a buttered bread pan, let it rise another hour and then popped it in the oven. It looks perfect. (Tried to post a photo but it won’t let me). I can’t wait to taste it.
SO good to know Andrea! Thanks so much for sharing your tip!
Do you think this would be good with coconut or almond flour for a low carb option?
Hmm, I’m not sure if this recipe would turn out with those flours, but you might be able to find a low carb bread machine recipe on Google Shelly! 🙂 Hope that helps!
I made this today exactly as directed. It is amazing! Thank you for sharing!
Can I take out the milk all together?
Thank you for sharing this, my family and I enjoy this recipe very much
I love your recipe thank you! Can i brush the tops with egg wash? and should i do this before the 30 minute rise or after?
So glad to hear that Christian! 🙂 I think you could totally use an egg wash if you like! (I think you could do it before or after the rise ~ if brushing after the rise, just be gentle so as not to deflate the loaf!). Hope that helps!
Where did this recipe go
Tiffany – are you able to see it now? We ran an update and it should be fixed!
I always freeze my dough. I tried to bake with it right out of the freezer. It makes the bread a little tougher and harder for the ingredients to mix in. So either let it sit out or I put it in the microwave for about 6 minutes on 80%. That worked for me, my micro is 1100 watts.it doesn’t hurt the plastic it’s packed in either. So,room temp is best!!
I just made another loaf of your amazing bread recipe. I use Bread Flour. I spray a glass pan with cooking spray, put the dough in and cover with wax paper to rise. Then bake according to your instructions. I’ve had my Oster Bread Machine since 2002 when I began making everything from scratch for my husband who had liver cancer. I can say that this is the Best Recipe I have ever used!! I make it all the time for myself. I just cannot eat store bought bread anymore. It just isn’t the same. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Lorraine
I just made this last night and set it for 1.5 lb loaf and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
Yayyy! So glad to hear that Genevieve! You’re so welcome! 🙂
If I just make the dough in the bread machine, how long and at what temp do I cook it in the oven?
Hi Lindsey! Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes! Enjoy! 🙂
Hi! I just wanted to say I love this bread recipe! I’ve made this a lot for my family & they love it over any store bought bread. It’s such a simple recipe and make our home smell like heaven! Thank you for sharing this!
You’re very welcome Priscilla! SO glad to hear you love it! 🙂
Can you make this Keto for all of us out there that follow the ketogenic life??
Hi Kathy! I would think if there’s an alternative keto friendly flour you could use as well as sugar alternative that might work? My friend Jennifer runs this site and has a great recipe for homemade bread here too though! https://www.isavea2z.com/savory-keto-bread-recipe/
This bread is the best I’ve made yet! Thank you for the recipe
Yayyyy! So glad you enjoyed it Kathrine! 🙂
Hi! Laurie,
My girl friend sent me this recipe for best bread machine dough,
I just bought a new bread making machine,
in the booklet it says avoid perishable food such as milk, egg and cheese,
I really want to try your recipe, can I make the bread in the machine without
transferring the dough to a pan, or is it best o bake in the oven,
this is my firs experience. Thank you so much, Ellen
P.S. the recipe is from passionatepennypincher.com
You definitely can Ellen! The only reason I move it to a loaf pan to bake in is because I have a VERY old bread machine and the loaves turn out like an ugly square when I make them, and I like a pretty loaf. Hope that helps ~ and ENJOY!
Hey Laurie, clearly I’m late in the train here but I’m wondering what is the best way to transfer from bread machine to loaf pan. Got a little smushed when I tried to transfer and a little stuck from the bread machine. You don’t grease both pans do you? Third question, have you ever tried to score the top or is this not the type of bread to do that with? Thank you! I didn’t have time to let mine rise but it was still good!
Hi Torri! Okay – let me see if I can help 🙂 –
– I just used my hands and pull it out of the bread machine, then plop it into a well greased loaf pan. I didn’t grease the bread machine pan though (but have never had issues with it sticking?)
– I don’t score the top but you totally could!
Hope that helps- it really is my favorite (you just inspired me to make this one tomorrow … I can’t wait!) 🙂
I just made this exactly as written. It came out fantastic. I just used the machine for the dough itself, baked it in a loaf pan. Just added some melted butter on top before and after baking. Great recipe. Will try the cinnamon bread next.
Yayyyyy! I’m so glad you liked it Susan! 🙂 (And I think you’ll just love the cinnamon bread!).
I just found this recipe and am anxious to try it based on all the positive reviews. I’m wondering if there is a modification for a 2lb loaf? My machine is that size, and since I’m new at this, I unsure if it will work. I am worried it will burn, or not turn out right. Any suggestions for modifications? Thanks!
O.M.G I am so glad I stumbled on this recipe today!!!!!! I had to use Almond milk to make is safe for my dairy allergic son but that didn’t seem to make the bit of difference. We all LOVED this bread and I have a feeling it will be requested again soon, it was by far the best part of the meal 🙂
Yayyyyy Erica – so glad you enjoyed it!
Enjoy your site. So wish the Printer Friendly button did that…prepared just the recipe for printing. I’m on an Android phone & got a 52 page file which was not Printer Friendly.
For a dairy free recipe, can I substitute soy milk for the milk?
Or can I take the milk out completely (or substitute water or something else?
Thanks!
Absolutely you can substitute Natalie – hope that helps!
I try use oat milk and Oliver oil ,they come out perfect,that is a simply and perfect recipe ,thanks for sharing.
This is the only bread recipe I use. It is awesome. I bake usually 2 loaves every week. My neighbors love it! Thanks for sharing!
So glad you love it Cheryl! 🙂
What setting would you recommend for the machine ? Basic cycle perhaps ?
I use the dough setting ~ hope that helps!
I recently bought multigrain blend bread flour and was wondering if I could substitute this for the white flour.
I’ve made this a few times now and it is by far my favorite recipe! I forgot the oil this time, but I had topped it with butter pieces before baking it and it still turned out amazing. Thank you for sharing.
I just made this with my bread machine dough cycle and finished in loaf pan in the oven. It’s delicious and will be my go to recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing. I’m going to make the cinnamon bread recipe in a couple of days.
So glad you liked it Lorraine – the cinnamon bread is one of my favorites (I may make that one today!)
What is the best way to store the bread??
Hi Angela! I just store it in a sealed plastic bag. Hope that helps!
Fresh longer then most breads I have baked. Love the taste.
Thank you for the recipe. I bake mine in the machine. For this type of bread I like the squate slices for my sandwiches.It’s so easy…got one baking now
OMG tried this recipe and like it very much. The first time turn out a little dry so after talking with my daughter she suggested to add another tbsp of liquid and to use lard instead of oil and that really mage a huge difference. Turn out to be moist. Next I am planning to let rough rise 3 times for a thinner crust. This,was my first time making bread at home and got hooked cause is,way more affordable and fresh all the time.
So glad you enjoyed it Luz – that makes my day! 🙂
Perfect! Tastes wonderful. I baked it in my extra long commercial loaf pan. Lift and wonderful tasting.
So glad it worked for you Laura!
Will you please recommend a yeast? This will be the first time I have made bread with yeast. Also, how do you check the temperature of the water? Thank you for all you do with PPP! I look forward to your videos and emails.
Thanks!
I have made bread for many years and so far this is the best recipe of all the many breads I have made. It was quite a hit with the family. Thank you– BeBe
Thank you for this recipe!!! I had stopped making bread and was ready to take my bread machine off the counter and put it away. I decided to give it one more go and found your recipe online. My previous attempts at bread making produced flavorless bread that was dry and crumbly a day later. But this recipe is flavorful and still moist on day three when I made toast from the last slice. I like simple ingredients and knowing what is in my food. This will be my family’s bread from now on.
This is amazing! On my 4th batch! I love it so much i a man making for my neighbors. Will continue making it. Thanks!!
So glad you enjoyed it Cheryl! 🙂
Could this recipe be used to make rolls instead of loaves?
So far this is the only way I’ve made this recipe. It turned out great! I baked the rolls for 7-10 minutes at 350 or until they’re golden brown.
I’m eating my first slice….It is seriously AMAZING!!!! Thank you so much….it’s perfect and so easy.
Just tried this recipe and it turned out amazing! It was perfect! The texture was perfect, it was moist and delicious. Even my mom-in-law who loves to bake her own bread thought mine was great. Thank you so much!
Hi what can I substitute the milk with to make it non dairy Tx
I made this and it turned out great. I even forgot to put the salt in and it’s still good
I used this recipe today & the bread came out great. My only issue was that my bread machine didn’t mix it completely so I ended up kneading it by hand. To get around this, can I use this recipe in a kitchenaid mixer using the hook?
Actually I found this http://www.jewishcuisine.net/recipes/mixerbread.html. I’ll let you know how it works out.
This was my first go at making homemade bread and let me tell you, I’m hooked!This recipe was so easy and it turned out amazing! My family loved it. My husband loves bread but he is very picky. We only buy uncut bread from a certain local bakery, like I said, VERY picky. He LOVED this bread. In fact he said it was the best he had ever had and would be happy if I would make this instead of buying again. I have made this a few times now and it never disappoints. So thank you for an amazing recipe that will be used over and over again by our family. 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it ~ thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Oh my, this is the best recipe ever! My family absolutely loves it. I’ve tried lots of other bread recipes and by far this is the best. I’ve quit buying store bread and make this instead. I think I am going to try out the cinnamon one this weekend.
So glad you liked it Hillary – it’s one of my favorites too! 🙂
I followed Otto a T and it was delicious. Well, the part I managed to scrape out of the pan. I know better but I didn’t grease the pan and paid the price. What a lovely bread though. So tasty.
If I let the machine do all the work how long will it take from start to finish?
Hi Amy! It’ll take however long your bread cycle takes to run through, typically a few hours. Hope that helps!
This bread is amazing! I have made it twice now, and I really love it. It has a great texture and taste, it’s super simple, and it has turned out perfectly both times. I really wanted to start making all of my bread instead of buying it, and I’m super grateful for a recipe that will make that goal happen! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it Jess! 🙂
I can’t get the print button to work! Looks like a recipe to try!
Hi Lois! I was unable to get the print button to work as well, so I copied and pasted to a blank word document and printed it from there. Hope this helps! 🙂
Why did my bread come out gooey? ☹️
Did you bake it long enough Jordan? I’ve never had that issue (I’m so sorry!) 🙁
Can you freeze the dough to use at a later date? If so, do you rise it at room temperature first? I’d also like to let you know, this is the BEST dough I’ve made so far. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Hmmm Denise – I’ve never tried that but would think that would be okay? Would be worth trying once to see how it goes! So glad you liked the recipe – thanks so much for letting me know!
So the flavor of this is awesome, but my bread (I baked in my machine) collapsed in the center 🙁 what could have gone wrong??
I have no idea Shanda – I’ve never heard of that! You did use slightly warm water as well as yeast? That’s so strange (I’m so sorry!)
I bet you had it set to 2lb loaf…. I’m making now and I thinking mine isn’t going to rise and going to be way over cooked… we shall see
The same thing has happened to me two times. Followed the recipe correctly. Don’t know what the problem could be?? Resetting my settings again. Baked a King Arthur recipe with regular flour and it words. Perplexed.
I halved the recipe as my bread maker is 1lb, but it still made a very small loaf, so next time I’ll just stick with the original. It turned out great though, it tastes wonderful and was super easy to make! Definitely worth a try!
So glad you liked it – thanks so much for sharing!
Prayer Answered;) found my beautiful bread machine for $3 at an Amish yard sale!!
Ready to make your bread this morning.
Love that Angie – what a wonderful way to start off the weekend! I may have to make a loaf myself this weekend 🙂
Just wondering, powdered milk or liquid? Tks 🙂
Liquid Kathy – hope that helps! 🙂
Can this bread be made with gluten free flour? Thanks in advance.
I’m not sure, but it wouldn’t hurt to try a loaf? Let me know if it works for you!
Thanks! We’re enjoying homemade bread again 🙂
Trying this for first time today, what size loaf pan do you use?
Hi Terri! I use a regular size loaf pan – 9″ x 5″ – hope that helps!
When you put it in pan to rise, do you cover it?
I recently found out that I need to go gluten-free free. Do you have a gluten-free recipe for bread?
Janice did you ever find a winning GF flour option?
This is probably a stupid question, but did you use vegetable oil in the recipe?
Yes Lauren, not a stupid question at all! Hope that helps! 🙂
I am at an altitude of 5500. would I need to add any additional ingredients?
I don’t *think* so Nicole but honestly don’t know much about high altitude baking? Found these tips which may help though! http://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Can you use bread flour instead of AP? Do you have to change anything?
I think it would work fine without any changes Kelly – hope that helps!
What size loaf pan do you recommend? I have (2) 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pans that I’ll be using to make two loafs.
I use bread flour all the time! It’s perfect!
Can this recipe be used in high altitudes?
Can you just let the bread machine bake the bread for you, or is it better to remove and bake in the oven?
Hi Lara! You can, but I have a very old model bread machine, and it makes it in a square kind of lump which I just don’t like, so I swap it over and bake in the oven. Yours may do better than mine though!
I need to know what to set my machine to bake – 1, 1-1/2, or 2 lbs.
Thanks!
My guess would be 1.5 lbs because of the quantity for the ingredients. That’s usually the amount for 1.5 lbs.
Hi! It is my first time here and I already loved this site! Just want to ask if this “1 tablespoon milk” is powder or liquid milk. Thank you! xo
Yes I would like to know this also. I’m assuming liquid milk since it did not specify dry milk, however, I know many recipes call for dry milk.
Sorry about that Barbara! Yes, it is liquid milk – hope that helps!
Can’t wait to try this! I tried to pull up the link for the cinnamon bread machine recipe and I think the link is broken. Can you please send a good link? Thank you!
Here’s the recipe Carol – thanks for letting me know (I’ll go update the post!)
I made this the other day with 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup white flour and it was delicious!! Will definitely make this again!!
So glad to hear it worked well with whole wheat flour Cheryl – I’m going to try it this week! Thanks so much for letting me know! 🙂
Ty for your reply, Laurie! I think I have the ingredients and may give it a try with wheat flour tomorrow. I will let you know if I do!
Sounds really good. Can this be made with wheat flour?
Yes Cheryl! I just updated the recipe – I’ve made it before with half whole wheat flour and half wheat flour and it’s been great. I’m not sure if I’d completely use whole wheat flour but it wouldn’t hurt to try? In fact, I may try 2/3 whole wheat and 1/3 white flour next time just to try a little more wheat flour each time. (If you use whole wheat I would definitely be sure to include the honey in the recipe to sweeten things a bit.) I have whole wheat flour in my pantry right now so I may have to try and see how it goes!
Hi Jaime! I do spray the loaf pan with cooking spray before baking ~ I’ll go update the recipe! Thanks for pointing that out Jaime (and hope you all enjoy it!)
Sounds so good as we head into cooler weather! Do you spray or flour the loaf pan before putting the dough in? Thanks– my family has enjoyed many of your recipes!