Easy Homemade Bread Recipe

The best thing about this basic homemade bread recipe is that you can use it to make loaf bread, focaccia bread or pizza dough! Using simple bread-making ingredients, such as yeast, flour, salt and water, this easy bread recipe is great to have on hand when you need to bake a fresh loaf of sandwich bread or have pizza night with the kids.

Prep25 min
Total Time3 hr
Skill LevelBeginner

Amount1 loaf

Ingredients & Tools
Instructions

Instructions

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Stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar in large bowl. Let stand 5-10 minutes or until foamy. Add olive oil and salt. Gradually stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes.
Spray large bowl with vegetable pan spray. Form dough into a ball, place into bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Prepare 9 in. x 5 in. loaf pan with vegetable pan spray.
Turn dough out of bowl and punch down. Form into a rectangle, about 8 in. x 12 in. Fold 3 in. of the short sides towards the middle and roll up the long sides as if for a cinnamon roll. Pinch long seam to seal. Place in prepared pan. Brush with beaten egg, if using. Let stand in a warm place 35-45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. Bake 35-38 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to cooling grid.
To prepare dough as focaccia bread: prepare up through step 2. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil on a 10 in. x 15 in. rimmed cookie pan. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to a 10 in. x 15 in. rectangle and place on prepared pan. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and let rise 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F. Drizzle bread with 1 additional tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with any desired toppings, such as sea salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, or thinly sliced onions. Dimple bread with fingers. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until deeply golden brown.
To prepare dough as pizza dough: prepare dough up through step 2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Divide dough in half; dough will make 2 pizzas. Form each piece of dough into a ball and let stand 15 minutes for dough to relax. (If freezing dough for later, wrap dough ball well and freeze up to a month. Let thaw in the refrigerator and bring back to room temperature before using.) Roll dough into a 14 in. circle. Brush pizza pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil and transfer dough to pan. Prick dough with a fork. Brush dough with 1 tablespoon olive oil and bake 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and carefully add desired amount of sauce and toppings. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and crust edges are browned.