Here’s a classic regular bread machine recipe for making a simple loaf of white bread! This recipe is perfect for beginners and will yield a soft, fluffy loaf.
Basic Bread Machine Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup warm water (about 110°F / 43°C)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 3 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional, for extra softness)
Instructions:
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Activate the yeast:
- In the bread machine pan, add the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy and bubbly. This means it’s active and ready to work its magic!
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Add dry ingredients:
- Add the bread flour, salt, and butter (and oil if you’re using it) to the bread machine pan on top of the yeast mixture. Make sure the salt is not directly touching the yeast to prevent it from killing the yeast.
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Set your bread machine:
- Insert the bread pan into the bread machine and select the Basic or White Bread setting (this can vary by machine, but it’s typically the default setting for regular loaves).
- Select the Medium crust setting, or adjust to your preference for crust color.
- Press the Start button.
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Let the bread machine do the work:
- The machine will mix, knead, rise, and bake the bread for you. The total time for a standard loaf is usually around 3 to 3.5 hours, depending on your bread machine model.
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Cool the bread:
- Once the bread has finished baking and the machine beeps, remove the pan from the machine.
- Let the bread cool for about 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.
- Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Enjoy your fresh, homemade bread! This recipe will give you a perfect loaf every time, and you can experiment with it by adding ingredients like herbs, garlic, or even raisins to change things up.
