42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (2024)

From perfect sourdough to zesty cornbread to drool-worthy banana bread, these recipes will have you firing up your oven in 3...2...1...

So you tried sourdough andit didn’t work outfor you. Or maybe it did, but you’re looking for a new glutinous challenge. We’ve got some ideas, from classic to sweet to a little out there. (Tomato bread—it’s a thing.)

We do havea sourdough recipeif you’re ready to get back on that horse. It’s a pretty easy one with directions included for a nearly foolproof starter, so we think you’ll be set up to succeed. Other classic loaves in the list includerye,an Irish soda bread, and maybethe most tender and delicious whole-wheat loafever.

For something a little different, try a flatbread, that staple of the Middle East and North Africa that is at least as versatile as pizza crust—and which actually does make a good pizza crust, come to think of it.Top it with veggies, make ita platform for minted lamb, or use it to scoop up your dinnerEthiopian style.

Bread isn’t just for the evening meal, of course. We’ve got several biscuit recipes, includingthe most buttery, flaky treats imaginable, courtesy of Northern California’s Manresa bakery. These biscuits were a favorite ofSunsetstaff, and flew off the test kitchen cooling racks when the recipe was being scaled down and adapted for home chefs.

We’ve got rolls and cornbread perfect as a side to just about any dish. And we’ve included a few sweet loaves as well, some of which just about double as dessert—likecranberry-orange bread with Grand Marnier glaze—and some of which are simply classic, likebanana bread. Happy baking!

Favorite Bread Recipes

Classic Loaves

Flatbreads

Cornbreads

Rolls, Breads, and Biscuits

Sweet Breads

Classic Loaves

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (1)

1 of 9James Carrier

Sunset Centennial Sourdough

Make the West’s iconic bread from scratch using our easy, no-fail starter recipe.

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2 of 9Alex Farnum

True Whole-Wheat Bread

A bread that’s 100 percent whole-grain can be dense and dry, but this one, by Lorrette Patzwald, who works with Ponsford’s Place in San Rafael, California, is a revelation—moist and springy, with amazing depth of flavor.

More Videos From Sunset

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3 of 9James Carrier

Leek and Walnut Bread

Leeks and crunchy walnuts flavor this hearty whole-wheat loaf.

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (4)

4 of 9Annabelle Breakey

Beer Rye Bread

This recipe produces a mild-tasting loaf with a tender crumb.

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (5)

5 of 9Alex Farnum

Classic Zucchini Bread

This recipe is neither oily nor dry, but perfectly moist.

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6 of 9Iain Bagwell

Irish Soda Bread

Our fruit-studded, gently sweet classic bread includes plenty of butter, and baking powder as well as soda for a lighter texture.

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7 of 9Angela Wyant

Farmer John’s Favorite Pumpkin Bread

Rich spice flavors shine in this tender, cakelike bread. You can store this bread airtight at room temperature up to three days or freeze up to three months.

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (8)

8 of 9David Prince

Winter Squash Chai Bread

Flavorful chai and colorful squash make this sweet quick bread a warming winter treat.

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9 of 9Iain Bagwell

Garden Tomato Bread

The most important ingredient: ripe, juicy tomatoes!

Flatbreads

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (10)

1 of 9Yunhee Kim

Zaatar Flatbreads

We like to experiment with different blends of zaatar, the Middle Eastern spice mix—one day Lebanese, the next Israeli, Jordanian, or Syrian.

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (11)

2 of 9James Carrier

Brunch Flatbread with Eggs, Bacon, and Frisée

The dough for these flatbreads can be made the night before serving.

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3 of 9Dan Goldberg

Injera (Ethiopian Flatbread)

You can’t have Ethiopian food without injera. And if you’re making injera, why not make Ethiopian food to go with?

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4 of 9Annabelle Breakey

Lamb Flatbread Pizza with Feta and Mint Salad

Our speedy version of lahmajoun, the spicy lamb flatbread of Turkey and Armenia, disrupts the weeknight dinner routine in the best possible way.

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (14)

5 of 9Annabelle Breakey

Herbed Flatbread Pizzas

“This recipe originated from a surplus of backyard ‘weeds’—overgrown herbs. It’s perfect for the summer, and goes well with a big salad.”

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (15)

6 of 9Norman A. Plate

Grilled Rosemary Flatbreads

An essential dipping snack for any cookout.

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7 of 9Thomas J. Story

Asparagus Insalata Piadine

“Don’t wait for your guests to sit down for these,” says chef Michael Chiarello. “You gotta make ’em and eat ’em.”

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8 of 9Iain Bagwell

Grilled Eggplant Naan Wraps with Tahini-Yogurt Dressing

You may want to make extra, because leftovers are fantastic for lunch the next day.

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9 of 9Thomas J. Story

Grilled Pork Souvlaki with Fresh Pita

Most of this can be done ahead, the meat and pita cook in minutes, and it’s easy to serve.

Cornbreads

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (19)

1 of 7Thomas J. Story

Brown Butter Maple Cornbread

Make this for a crowd or eat it mid-Netflix binge in your coziest pair of pajama pants—we won’t judge. Try it with spicyjalapeño butter.

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (20)

2 of 7Thomas J. Story

Buttermilk Cornbread

Chef Cindy Daniel learned how to make this moist cornbread from her mom while she was growing up in Louisiana.

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3 of 7Rachel Weill

Cornbread with Whipped Lardo

Though this jalapeño-studded cornbread is on the sweeter side, when combined with the whipped lardo—a fluffy mix of butter and fresh lard—it’s a wonderful meet-up of porky and cakey.

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4 of 7Aya Brackett

Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread

This is a great cornbread for testing unusual cornmeals—or, for a denser bread, you can use all cornmeal instead of mixing it with flour.

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5 of 7Shelly Strazis

Roasted Chile Cornbread

Roasted chiles make everything better.

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6 of 7James Carrier

Blueberry Cornbread

Doug Case calls this cakelike cornbread with blueberries “easy comfort food,” and we had to agree.

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7 of 7James Carrier

Very Good Cornbread

This cornbread is very good, or we would’ve given it a different name.

Rolls, Breads, and Biscuits

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1 of 10Leigh Beisch

Chive and Thyme Pull-Apart Rolls

Show off your garden herbs with these buttery rolls. Show off your Hulk-like strength by tearing them to pieces.

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (27)

2 of 10Leigh Beisch

Overnight Soft Herb Rolls

These rolls are so good, we could eat a dozen. (And we have!)

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3 of 10Leo Gong

Squash Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls

Soft, cheerfully orange, and slightly sweet.

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4 of 10AnnabelleBreakey

Buttery Dinner Rolls

This dough is so easy to work with that we find ourselves making it over and over again, with slight variations.

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5 of 10Leo Gong

Coconut-Milk Pudding Rolls

The coconut milk added after the dough rises creates a thick pudding on the pan bottom—sort of a reverse frosting.

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6 of 10Thomas J. Story

Mark Klever’s Dutch Oven Biscuits

Mark Klever, the general manager at Belcampo Farms, learned to make these biscuits from his grandmother. He renders his own lard from Belcampo’s free-range pigs, and he bakes up a batch for his family nearly every week, just like his family used to do.

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (32)

7 of 10Iain Bagwell

Summer Berry Cobbler with Sour Cream Biscuits

We suppose you could just make the sour-cream biscuits on their own…

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8 of 10Thomas J. Story

Buttermilk Biscuits

Use a cast-iron pan for that old-timey frontier flavor.

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9 of 10Thomas J. Story

Manresa Bread’s Buttery Biscuits

These towering, extravagantly layered squares might remind you more of puff pastry or croissants than the often-humble quick bread.

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10 of 10Brown Cannon III

Cornmeal-Crusted Buttermilk Biscuits

When you can’t plan far enough in advance to make bread, make these biscuits instead.

Sweet Breads

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (36)

1 of 7Leo Gong

Oatmeal-Currant Breakfast Bread

You’ll want a bacon omelette with this one.

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2 of 7Tina Rupp

Blueberry-Banana Bread

Break out the cream cheese!

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3 of 7Alex Farnum

Chocolate Banana Bread

This dense, moist bread tastes so chocolaty that you’d never guess it’s made with prune purée instead of butter.

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4 of 7Angela Wyant

Farmer John’s Favorite Pumpkin Bread

Rich spice flavors shine in this tender, cakelike bread.

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5 of 7

Pineapple Guava (Feijoa) Quick Bread

Pineapple guava, also called feijoa, is a fruit that adds a sweet-tart-floral flavor.

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (41)

6 of 7Leigh Beisch

Cranberry-Orange Bread with Grand Marnier Glaze

This bread is a versatile, easy-to-make crowd-pleaser.

42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (42)

7 of 7Annabelle Breakey

Orange Hot Cross Buns

Making your own candied orange peel is worth it!

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42 Bread Recipes That Will Vastly Improve Your Life (2024)

FAQs

Is bread improver the same as yeast? ›

The main ingredient in bread improver is yeast. It usually also contains emulsifiers, which help to make the loaf soft and fluffy. It may also contain an enzyme which can improve the texture of the bread as well as help it to last longer, or asorbic acid (vitamin C), which can help the dough to rise.

What to eat when all you have is bread? ›

Here are nine delicious ways to do it:
  • Make bread soup. ...
  • Make savory French toast. ...
  • Put an egg in it. ...
  • Or, put an egg on it. ...
  • Put beans on it. ...
  • Or top it with clams. ...
  • Turn it into "pizza" ...
  • Or go the avocado toast route.
Jan 11, 2018

What should I put on bread? ›

5 healthy toast toppings
  1. Avocado. Give cheese on toast a miss and instead use sliced or mashed avocado to top wholegrain toast or crumpets. ...
  2. Mashed or sliced banana. ...
  3. Berries and low-fat Greek yoghurt. ...
  4. Pure nut butters. ...
  5. Chia and berry 'jam'

How can I improve my bread making? ›

Follow these tips for bread that comes out right every time.
  1. Use the right yeast. ...
  2. Store your yeast properly. ...
  3. Treat salt with care. ...
  4. Take your time. ...
  5. Try different flours. ...
  6. Measure carefully. ...
  7. Consider vitamin C. ...
  8. Practice makes perfect.

Do bakeries use bread improver? ›

Bread Improver has been a staple ingredient in bakeries for many years and offers benefits for every baker.

Is vinegar a bread improver? ›

Vinegar is a sour-tasting liquid used as a leavening agent, pH regulator, acidulant, preservative, antimicrobial agent and dough improver.

What does not eating bread do to your body? ›

By decreasing carbohydrate consumption such as bread, the body burns stored energy as glycogen (which is the image of stored carbohydrates in the liver and muscles), which leads to water loss and weight loss.

What happens when you stop eating bread everyday? ›

When the body's consumption of carbohydrates decreases, it begins to burn energy stored in the form of “glycogen”, which is the image in which it is stored carbohydrates in the liver and muscles), and this leads to water loss, and weight loss.

What not to put in bread? ›

Mineral water is not recommended in bread making since the minerals found in water will slow down the fermentation. Breads made just with water will turn out with a crispy crust and a chewy texture. Think country bread. Beside water, milk is the second most used liquid ingredient.

What do you sprinkle on bread before baking? ›

Topping bread dough with seeds and grains is a simple and effective way to increase the nutrition, flavor, and texture in a baked loaf of bread.

What gives bread the best flavor? ›

Fat. If you're looking to ramp up the taste of your favorite bread recipe, we recommend adding a bit of fat. A fat like butter, olive oil or coconut oil in small quantities will help your bread achieve a higher rise and it will also boost its flavor by tenfold.

What are the common mistakes in bread making? ›

Bread Baking Mistakes Everyone Makes
  1. Using the wrong type of flour. Africa Studio/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Not measuring your ingredients precisely. ...
  3. Forgetting to add salt. ...
  4. Using the wrong type of yeast. ...
  5. Using dead yeast or killing it yourself. ...
  6. Adding too much water too quickly. ...
  7. Only using a stand mixer. ...
  8. Over or under-kneading the dough.
Aug 21, 2023

What is the secret to making homemade bread? ›

Try a thermometer. For the best bread, controlling the temperature of the dough is just as important as proper ingredient measurements or good scoring. A dough that is too cold won't ferment at a rate that produces good volume, strength, or flavor.

Is water or milk better for bread making? ›

The fat and lactose in milk help with tenderizing the crumb of the bread making it softer and sweeter. The crust of the bread also gets more caramelization.

What is another name for bread improver? ›

A dough conditioner, flour treatment agent, improving agent or bread improver is any ingredient or chemical added to bread dough to strengthen its texture or otherwise improve it in some way.

What is a substitute for bread improver? ›

Bread improver is an unflavoured acidic substance. You can substitute with citric acid, vinegar or even orange juice for bread improver. The vitamin C in orange juice helps the gluten form. You can replace the water with an equal amount of fresh orange juice for a lighter rise and texture.

What is the purpose of a bread improver? ›

Bread improvers are manufactured for the many styles of dough making and mixing equipment in use today. Bread improvers rapidly modify the gluten structure in a dough, to produce a matrix so that the minimum amount of gas can be retained and hence assist the expansion or leavening of the dough.

What is the best substitute for yeast in bread? ›

You can substitute yeast with equal parts lemon juice and baking soda. So if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of yeast, you can use half a teaspoon of lemon juice and half a teaspoon of baking soda. Keep in mind that the bread will not need the typical proofing time and the dough will begin rising right away.

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