Bake to Basics: 5 Bread Baking Recipes Every Beginner Should Try

Welcome to the big, beautiful world of bread baking! We will be your guide to baking success on this delicious journey. Baking with yeast, or at least the idea of it, can be intimidating to a lot of people – yeast is alive, after all. But with a few helpful tips and foolproof recipes we’ll break down that barrier to help you discover the wonderful joys of home baking.

The ‘Knead to Know‘ Yeast Basics:

As we’ve mentioned, yeast is a living organism! It is the essential ingredient for raising our breads and creating those flavors and smells we cherish so dearly.

Yeast does not like the heat. Yeast cells will start to die around 130˚F. In your recipes, use liquid temperatures that are warm but not too hot to touch.

Active Dry Yeast or Instant Yeast? You can use them interchangeably! For best results, active dry yeast should be rehydrated before incorporating with the dry ingredients, whereas instant yeast can be added right in with other dry ingredients. Keep an eye on your dough, as rise times may vary between yeast types.

Check out our helpful Baking Steps Guide for more tips.

5 Bread Recipes Anyone Can Bake

1. Simple White Bread for Beginners

The best thing since sliced bread? Literally. Only 5 ingredients, a golden-brown crust, airy crumb, all in one easy sandwich bread recipe. This loaf is perfect for beginners and experienced bakers alike! This beginner recipe is written to use common kitchen tools, so no special equipment required. Be sure to check out our Bake Along Video Tutorial as well.

View the Simple White Bread for Beginners blog.

Mastered this recipe? Use this same dough to make a family size woven bread, twisted savory pesto bread, or braided cinnamon knots.

2. No Knead Pizza Dough

Everyone needs a go-to pizza recipe in their back pocket. This pizza dough uses 6 ingredients and skips the kneading all together! Just mix, rest, shape, top, and bake!

Take pizza night a step further with homemade pizza sauce, or give your dinner rolls a pizza party makeover with pizza pull-apart rolls.

View the No Knead Pizza Dough recipe blog.

3. Homemade Dinner Rolls

The perfect homemade dinner rolls recipe. They are soft, fluffy, flavorful, and foolproof. Serve warm with a spread of sweet honey butter.

Master the dinner roll, then explore flavor varieties like these oatmeal molasses dinner rolls or sweet potato dinner rolls.

View the Homemade Dinner Rolls recipe blog.

4. No Knead Artisan Bread 4 Ways

Start with an incredibly versatile 4-ingredient dough and discover how easily achievable artisan bread can be! Follow along with a full step-by-step video tutorial to make a boule, baguette, pain d’epi, and fougasse.

Other artisan baking favorites to try: braided Italian bread and homemade ciabatta.

View the No Knead Artisan Bread 4 Ways recipe blog.

5. Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Quick and easy cinnamon rolls recipe, perfect for beginners with only one rise. Each cinnamon roll is extra soft with the most delicious cinnamon swirl!

Other cinnamon roll varieties you may like: peach pie cinnamon rolls and strawberry sweet rolls with vanilla cream cheese glaze.

View the Easy Cinnamon Rolls recipe.