Fresh bread is one of the most satisfying and enjoyable recipes to make at home. It's delicious, nutritious, and makes the whole house smell great.
This homemade honey bread recipe doesn't require any eggs, milk, or butter, so you can probably bake it on a whim without needing a run to the grocery. This also makes it incredibly budget-friendly. All you need is water, yeast, honey, oil, salt, and flour, and even those ingredients have room for flexibility.
It's called Honey Bread and uses honey instead of sugar, but this bread isn't any sweeter than regular sandwich bread.
Bread Making Tips
The oil can be whatever type you have on hand. Olive, canola, or coconut all work beautifully. If you use coconut or another oil that is solid at room temperature, gently heat it until it's melted before pouring it into the mixture. For oiling your loaf pan, I find a solid oil like coconut is the easiest to use.
Your choice of flour is also flexible. All-purpose flour, whole wheat, or bread flour all work just fine in this recipe. You can also use a blend of flours. It's the perfect recipe to use up the end of a bag.
Start by blooming your yeast in warm water. The water should be around 105 degrees F (just above body temperature), so it should feel very warm but not too hot to the touch.
The amount of flour will depend on the weather, humidity, and where you live. You'll need more flour in wetter environments. Where I live (in the desert), 5 cups is usually enough, but you'll likely need more if you live anywhere with rain. Keep adding it until the dough stops sticking to your fingers. It can still be tacky, but your hands shouldn't be a big goopy mess from kneading.
I like to leave the dough to rise in the oven (turned off), especially for the second rise. That way, when it's doubled in size, I can leave it in place and just turn on the heat to start the baking process.
When they're done, don't leave your loaves to cool in the loaf pans. The pans trap steam, which can make the bottom a bit soggy. No one wants a soggy bottom.
Actually, I prefer to bake this bread flat on a cookie sheet rather than in the classic loaf pan. It's not firm enough to stand up very tall and spreads into the wide circle you see in the pictures. When you slice it, the pieces end up shaped a little like biscotti. A loaf pan is the best way to make a square slice for sandwiches, but I prefer these thinner slices. They're perfect for spreading with butter, hummus, cheese, peanut butter and honey; you name it!
If you're baking it on a sheet pan, dust a thick layer of flour under your dough before its second rise, to keep it from sticking.
The Easiest Honey Bread
Ingredients:
2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon (or 1 packet) instant yeast
1/4 cup Don Victor Pure Honey
2 Tablespoons oil (olive, canola, coconut, etc.)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5-7 cups flour (all-purpose, whole wheat, bread flour, etc.)
Instructions:
Heat your water until it feels very warm to the touch but not scalding. In a mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Wait 5 minutes for the yeast to bloom.
Add oil, honey, salt, and 2 cups of flour and stir until combined.
Continue stirring and gradually add 3 more cups of flour. When the mixture becomes too thick to mix, turn it out onto a clean, well-floured surface and knead to continue incorporating more flour. Keep adding flour until the dough is no longer sticky.
Knead the dough for around 12 minutes until it is soft and smooth.
Leave the dough in an oiled bowl, covered with a clean cloth or plastic wrap, in a warm place. Wait until the dough has doubled in size. Depending on the temperature, this usually takes around an hour.
Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and cut it in half. Shape each half into a rough rectangle and place each into an oiled loaf pan. Put the two loaf pans back in a warm place until the dough has risen over the edge. This usually takes 30-60 minutes.
When the loaves have risen, bake in a 350 degree F oven for 35 minutes. The top should be golden brown and sound hollow when you tap on it.
Cool your bread for 5 minutes in the loaf pans, then remove them to a wire rack or kitchen towel to finish cooling.
Without eggs, milk, or butter, this easy bread is a delicious vegetarian staple. It's easy on the planet and easy on your budget, the perfect combo for Earth Day!
Give it a try and enjoy your whole house smelling like a bakery. You'll never go back to store-bought.
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