How to make yeasted bread?
Yeasted bread uses commercial yeast (instant, active dry, or fresh) for a faster, more predictable rise than sourdough. From a basic white sandwich loaf to enriched brioche, yeasted breads are the most accessible entry point to home baking.
- Brioche — rich buttery French bread4
The butteriest of all enriched breads, approaching cake territory. Brioche has a golden, tender crumb and an unmistakable richness from a generous amount of butter beaten into the dough. It requires a stand mixer and cold fermentation, but the result is extraordinary.
📌 diy📌 traditional2/27/2026, 2:30:45 PM
🛠️ Stand mixer with dough hook, 9x5-inch loaf pan, kitchen scale
- 100% whole wheat sandwich bread with sponge method4
A soft, flavorful loaf made entirely from whole wheat flour. The sponge (preferment) technique is the key — it gives the whole wheat flour time to hydrate and the yeast a head start, overcoming the challenges that make most whole wheat breads dense and dry.
📌 diy📌 best practice2/27/2026, 2:30:33 PM
🛠️ Stand mixer with dough hook, 9x5-inch loaf pan, kitchen scale, instant-read thermometer
- Bread machine white bread — fully automated4
Set it and forget it. Load the ingredients, press start, and the bread machine handles mixing, kneading, rising, and baking automatically. The result is a soft sandwich-style loaf in about 3 hours with only 5 minutes of hands-on work.
📌 diy📌 commercial2/27/2026, 2:30:20 PM
🛠️ Bread machine, kitchen scale
- Japanese milk bread with tangzhong — pillowy soft4
Incredibly soft, fluffy bread that stays fresh for days thanks to the tangzhong technique — a cooked flour-and-milk paste that allows the dough to absorb and retain more moisture. This is arguably the easiest enriched bread because the tangzhong method is foolproof and guarantees a cottony result.
📌 diy📌 traditional2/27/2026, 2:30:08 PM
🛠️ Stand mixer with dough hook, small saucepan, 9x5-inch loaf pan, kitchen scale
- Challah — braided enriched bread5
A gorgeous golden braided bread enriched with eggs, honey, and oil. The egg yolks give challah its signature rich color and tender crumb, while the braiding makes it a stunning centerpiece. Easier to make than it looks.
📌 diy📌 traditional2/27/2026, 2:29:55 PM
🛠️ Large mixing bowl or stand mixer, baking sheet, parchment paper, pastry brush
- Classic French baguette5
The pinnacle of lean bread baking — just flour, water, salt, and yeast transformed into a loaf with a crackly golden crust and an airy, chewy interior. Mastering baguettes teaches you fundamental shaping and steam techniques that apply to all bread baking.
📌 diy📌 traditional2/27/2026, 2:29:45 PM
🛠️ Baking sheet or baguette pan, spray bottle, sharp razor or lame, oven-safe pan for steam
- No-knead Dutch oven bread — Jim Lahey method5
The recipe that revolutionized home baking when Mark Bittman published it in the New York Times in 2006. Just 4 ingredients, no kneading, and a tiny amount of yeast that ferments slowly over 12-18 hours for bakery-quality flavor. The Dutch oven creates steam for a shatteringly crisp crust…
📌 diy📌 low cost2/27/2026, 2:29:33 PM
🛠️ Dutch oven (4-6 quart), large mixing bowl, parchment paper
- Basic white sandwich bread — the simplest first loaf4
The classic first bread you ever bake. Soft, pillowy sandwich bread from common pantry ingredients with straightforward technique. If you have never baked bread before, start here.
📌 diy📌 low cost2/27/2026, 2:29:21 PM
🛠️ 9x5-inch loaf pan, large mixing bowl, kitchen towel or plastic wrap, instant-read thermometer