Easiest Baked Bread

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Delicious homemade bread with just five simple ingredients! Seriously... Keep scrolling because you won't want to miss this one

We are huge fans of any simplified recipe, and this one is no exception! If you haven’t baked bread before, all you need are 5 simple ingredients, and in about three hours, you’ll have two perfect loaves of bread that will have you asking, why didn’t I try baking bread before?

WOT we love about this recipe: You don’t need any special kitchen equipment; we whipped this up with everyday basic kitchen items you most likely have!

We suggest trying this bread with our recipe for Vegan Butter.

Easiest Baked Bread

Total Time 3

Servings loaves

Ingredients

4½ cups unbleached bread flour, divided
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2¼ tsp instant yeast
2½ tsp Kosher salt
1⅔ cups water, lukewarm (90°F to 110°F)
½ cup yellow cornmeal, for coating the pan

Instructions

Measure flour by spooning it into a measuring cup, then leveling it off with a butter knife. You do not want to pack your flour. Filling your measuring cup and then leveling it off with a butter knife is a great technique.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 4 cups of bread flour, sugar, instant yeast, salt, and lukewarm water. Stir together using a stiff spatula or wooden spoon and mix until everything comes together in a rough, shaggy ball of dough.
On a lightly floured countertop, turn the dough onto the surface, and sprinkle a little flour on top. Knead the dough by folding the far edge towards you and using the heel of your hand to roll it away. Use the extra ½ cup of flour while you are kneading the dough. Repeat this and knead for about 5-6 minutes or until the dough is bouncy and smooth.
Place the dough in a bowl that’s been lightly greased with vegetable oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to create an airtight seal on the bowl. This is important for the dough to rise. Cover the plastic wrap and bowl with a dish cloth to help lock in the heat. Let the dough rise at room temperature until it's doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours. The temperature of your room should be at least 65 degrees.
After the dough has risen until double in size, on a lightly floured countertop, gently turn out the dough and cut it in half. Pat each half into a rough 6” x 8” oval. Working with one piece of dough at a time, grab a short side gently fold the dough over, and gently roll the dough into a log about 10” long. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.
On a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper, sprinkle the yellow cornmeal and place the loaves, seam-side down. Using a fine mesh sieve, sprinkle a little flour evenly over each loaf. Using a serrated knife, slice 4 diagonal cuts about 1/2” deep into each loaf.
Cover the loaves loosely with greased plastic wrap, and then cover the plastic wrap with a dish cloth to keep in the heat. Let rise for 45 minutes. They should become nicely puffy and almost double in size.
Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 450°F.
When your bread is risen, use a sieve to dust the loaves again with a thin coat of flour. The slashes help the bread rise evenly as it bakes.
Bake the bread for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown, and the loaf sounds hollow to the touch when you tap it on the bottom. The interior temperature of the bread should register at least 190°F on a digital thermometer.
Turn the oven off, crack the door open, and allow the bread to remain inside for 5 additional minutes; this helps keep the crust crisp. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it on a rack.