Easy Perfect Yeast Bread

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Last Updated on October 30, 2025 by Melanie

Easy Perfect Homemade Yeast Bread – Simple no-fail yeast dough makes the best artisan loaves. Easy peasy, no mixer required. These rustic loaves are amazing and the perfect versatile loaf for dinner, sandwiches and more!

this Recipe

What you’ll love about this bread dough recipe:

• No mixer required! Knead by hand directions.
• Recipe uses only 4 ingredients plus water!
• It’s the perfect beginner’s yeast bread loaf.
• This simple method is forgiving. You don’t have to get it perfect!
• It makes two beautiful, fresh loaves.

Ingredients needed for this recipe

• flour
• yeast
• salt
• sugar

Tips for better bread:

• I use a stone because it heats up ahead of time. Sliding the dough onto a baker’s stone allows the crust to bake up with a crisp outer shell. With results like you would expect from a bakery.
• Preheating the oven to a high temperature about 30 minutes before baking is also essential for baking the bread quickly and perfectly.
• At home we don’t have a commercial oven but we try to mimic that but heating the oven hot and adding steam. This is why we heat up water and add it to a try in the oven while the bread bakes. It creates a steam environment that helps the bread bake up with a nice browned crust and a perfectly cooked

I come to you fully confident with this recipe. I’ve made it over 50 times and if you’ve been to my house for a meal recently I’ve probably served a loaf of this with the meal. I came across this recipe over a year ago. I’ve served it for our Christmas ‘cheese’ party, with soups and for some of my favorite sandwiches.

So this recipe has been baked up in my kitchen plenty. I hope that you find it easy to make as well. It really is the easiest most perfect yeast bread recipe I’ve come across yet!

Featured Comment

This was SOOO good! I’ve tried a bunch of bread recipes lately and none were THIS easy or even close to this good! Want to try some inclusions next but this recipe alone is AWESOME!! Thanks

It’s foolproof as well. And if yours don’t look this good the first time around… just know that mine probably didn’t look this good the first time either. But it’s not just the looks that get you with these loaves.

It’s the crisp crust and soft crumb that rises and bakes all within 2 hours. And it leaves you with these gorgeous artisan loaves that look like they came straight from a bakery. You’re sure to impress all your guests with these.

This recipe works amazingly well with my recent appetizer recipe.

I’ve had such rave reviews whenever I serve these to our friends. In fact one went home with the recipe, made it the next day and sent me pictures to show it off his beautiful creation. And this friend was a novice bread baker. He had never baked bread before. So if he can do it….so can you!

I truly feel that’s what I love most about bread. It gives you such a satisfaction of knowing you created this thing of which you are about to partake among friends that will fuel your body and fill your soul. It’s just like the wonderful mercy of our Savior. The pure joy of your soul being filled by the Maker himself.

Frequently Asked Questions for this Easy Perfect Yeast Bread

1. I don’t own a baking stone. What can I use? If you don’t have a baking stone, use an flat baking pan or invert an edged cookie sheet. Use parchment with a dusting of cornmeal. Place your loaves on the parchment-lined baking sheet. When it’s time to bake slide the parchment and loaves into the oven.
2. How can I store this? This bread is best served the day you bake it. However, to store for up to 24 hours, place it in a plastic bread bag. If you need to store longer than 24 hours, I recommend freezing in a resealable freezer bag for up to 1 month.

Til we meet and eat again,

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Description

The easiest yeast bread I’ve ever made. So good that I make it several times each month. Makes 2 loaves, so you can share or freeze one for later.

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 cups warm water (not over 110°F)
• 5 1/2 to 6 cups All-Purpose Flour
• cornmeal or flour for dusting
• boiling water

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Instructions

1. In a large bowl mix together the yeast, sugar, salt and water. Let this stand until the yeast is dissolved. Gradually add the flour, one cup at a time to the liquid and mix thoroughly until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface to knead. (This may be a little messy, but don’t give up!)
2. Knead It: Fold the far edge of the dough back over on itself towards you. Press into the dough with the heels of your hands and push away. After each push, rotate the dough 90°. Repeat this process in a rhythmic, rocking motion for 5 minutes, sprinkling only enough flour on your kneading surface to prevent sticking. Let the dough rest while you scrape out and grease the mixing bowl with a few drops of olive oil (preferred) or non stick baking spray. Knead the dough again for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Let It Rise: Return the dough to the bowl and turn it over once to grease the top. Cover with a damp towel and keep warm until the dough doubles in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours.
4. Shape it: Punch down the dough with your fist and briefly knead out any air bubbles. Cut the dough in half and shape into two Italian- or French-style loaves. Place the loaves on a cookie sheet generously sprinkled with cornmeal. Let the loaves rest for 5 minutes.

Bake it:

1. On the stove in a teakettle or pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil.
2. Lightly slash the tops of the loaves 3 or more times diagonally. I use this lame. Brush them lightly with cold water.
3. Place an aluminum roasting pan on the bottom of the oven. Fill the pan with 1″ of boiling water. Slide loaves onto baking stone in a cold oven. I use this pizza paddle to put the bread into the oven. Bake at 400°F for 35 to 45 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.Allow bread to cool before slicing. I usally wait a minimum of one hour to cut the bread. It really helps to have a sharp serrated bread knife for smooth cuts and so the bread doesn’t tear.

Alternate method:

1. For a crustier bread, let your shaped loaves rise for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 500°F and place an empty cast-iron or aluminum roasting pan into the bottom of the oven. Preheat for at least 15 minutes. I usually preheat for 30-t0 minutes. This allows the stone to reach a high temperature. Meanwhile, heat 1 cup of boiling water on the stove. Brush the loaves with cold water, and place them in the oven. Pour boiling water into the empty tray. Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 400°F and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove loaves from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
2. * If you don’t have a baking stone, you are welcome to try using an inverted cookie sheet. Please note your bread’s crust will not be as crisp.

Notes

Recipe from King Arthur Flour

You can use instant yeast if you don’t have active dry yeast in your stash. Use an equal amount and add it simultaneously in the ingredient process.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Bread
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Farmhouse-White Sandwich Bread

 Italian Ciabatta

 Rustic Italian Loaf

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