Our Best Bread Recipes (2024)

F&W's fantastic recipes for homemade breads and biscuits include savory rosemary-potato focaccia rolls, sweet cinnamon banana bread and more.

01of 19

Halvah-Stuffed Challah

Our Best Bread Recipes (1)

Blogger Molly Yeh fills this braided bread with a mix of halvah (the confection made with crushed sesame seeds and honey) and tahini. Yeh recommends using an extra-smooth, pourable tahini (Whole Foods' 365 brand is a good bet), but if your tahini is cakey and thick, she advises mixing it with warm water until spreadable.

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02of 19

Homemade Bagels

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The trick to these crisp, chewy bagels is the poolish, a fermentation starter (also known as a mother dough) made with bread flour, yeast and water. It is quickly assembled the night before the bagels are made.

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03of 19

Irish Brown Bread

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Even though this bread is dense, hearty and complex-tasting, it requires no yeast and therefore no rising time. Cathal Armstrong says he likes it best "fresh from the oven and with lots of Kerrygold butter."

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04of 19

Pull-Apart Cheesy Onion Bread

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This recipe is as fun to eat as monkey bread (little balls of yeast dough that are baked in a pan together, then pulled apart at the table) but a lot less time-consuming to make.

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05of 19

Jessamyn's Sephardic Challah

Jessamyn Waldman, founder of Hot Bread Kitchen, grew up in Canada eating challah, the Jewish Sabbath bread. Unlike the eggy challahs of the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe, this version comes from the Sephardic Jews of the Mediterranean, who flavored their challahs with caraway and anise. Many challahs are braided, but this one is twisted into a round, turban-shaped loaf.

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06of 19

Honey Spelt Bread

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Lionel Vatinet sweetens his bread with local honey, which may benefit the immune system and help to combat allergies.

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07of 19

Crusty White Bread

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To make a chunky bread, fold in 2 1/2 cups toasted sunflower seeds, 5 cups soaked and drained dried currants or 6 cups walnut halves in Step 3, after folding in the salt water.

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08of 19

German-Style Pretzels

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These chewy pretzels from chef Hans Röckenwagner develop a shiny, professional-looking crust as they bake.

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09of 19

Rye Berry Bread

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Thinly sliced, toasted or not, this dense, hearty whole-grain bread is wonderful topped with smoked salmon, sour cream and chopped onions, or with bitter orange marmalade. Allow time for the sponge to sit overnight.

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Chocolate Brioche with Sichuan Peppercorns

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Gontran Cherrier, who has an eponymous bakery in Paris's 18th arrondisem*nt, spent several years in the pastry kitchen at elite Paris restaurants like L'Arpège and Lucas Carton. So when he creates a bread, he often thinks about pairing it with a dish. He made this light chocolate brioche with foie gras terrine in mind; the Sichuan peppercorns add a spicy, aromatic kick that's good with rich foods. The brioche is also delicious with strawberry jam or quince paste.

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11of 19

Strawberry-Pecan Quick Bread

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As this loaf bakes in the oven, the texture of chewy dried strawberries softens slightly. Buy your dried strawberries at a specialty food shop or health food store that rotates its stock frequently to make sure that they're plump and moist.

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12of 19

Yogurt-Zucchini Bread with Walnuts

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This moist, nutty bread is a terrific way to use up late-summer zucchini. The walnuts in the bread are super-heart-healthy, and the yogurt adds moisture without any fat.

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13of 19

Raisin Rye Bread

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Lionel Vatinet developed this hearty bread—a good source of fiber—to satisfy his Eastern European customers.

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14of 19

Persian Flatbread

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Nan-e barbari is a classic Persian flatbread that gets crisp and golden in the oven, thanks to roomal, a flour paste that's spread over the bread before it's baked. Jessamyn Rodriguez likes to serve it with feta and olives.

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15of 19

Focaccia with Caramelized Onions, Pear and Blue Cheese

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In a class at Point Reyes's culinary center, students learn to top focaccia with pears and blue cheese.

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16of 19

Monkey Bread with Honey-Bourbon Sauce

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Michelle Gayer of Salty Tart bakery in Minneapolis smothers her monkey bread with honey-laced brown butter before baking then serves the pull-apart bread with a cream cheese–based dipping sauce that's spiked with bourbon.

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17of 19

Focaccia with Roasted Squash

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Michelle Gayer tops her sensational focaccia with sweet, tender strips of roasted butternut squash scattered with thyme and drizzled with honey.

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18of 19

Irish Soda Bread

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This soda bread has no eggs, no butter, no sugar, and no raisins—just baking soda, flour, buttermilk, and salt. Enjoy it with a swoop of good Irish butter.

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19of 19

Birote (Guadalajaran Sourdough Bread)

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Birote (pronounced bee-row-teh) is a crunchy, darkly baked sourdough bread said to have a flavor unique to the environment of Guadalajara, but if you grab your favorite beer and some limes, you'll come pretty close!

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Our Best Bread Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the most delicious bread in the world? ›

World's best breads: the list of winners
  • Butter garlic naan (India)
  • Nan-e barbari (Iran)
  • Pan de yuca (Colombia)
  • Focaccia di Recco col formaggio (Italy)
  • Baguette (France)
  • Naan (India)
  • Piadina Romagnola (Italy)
  • Tarte flambée (France)
Oct 4, 2023

What makes the tastiest bread? ›

12 tips for making perfect bread
  1. Use the right yeast. ...
  2. Store your yeast properly. ...
  3. Treat salt with care. ...
  4. Take your time. ...
  5. Try different flours. ...
  6. Consider vitamin C. ...
  7. Practice makes perfect. ...
  8. Don't prove for too long.

Why do they call it peasant bread? ›

In the past, peasant bread was made with what was available to the farmers who were considered poor. These farmers managed the whole process of growing wheat, milling flour, and baking bread.

What is a Nigella bread? ›

Introduction. Look, the name is meant to be a bit of a joke, but what I'm talking about is a pitta-like bread, glazed golden with beaten egg and sprinkled with nigella seeds. This is what I make when I'm in mezze-mode.

What is the healthiest bread to eat? ›

Here are our top 7 choices for wholesome, nutrient-dense breads.
  1. Sprouted whole grain. Sprouted bread is made from whole grains that have started to sprout from exposure to heat and moisture. ...
  2. Sourdough. ...
  3. 100% whole wheat. ...
  4. Oat bread. ...
  5. Flax bread. ...
  6. 100% sprouted rye bread. ...
  7. Healthy gluten-free bread.

What is the hardest bread to make in the world? ›

Little did I know that baguettes are considered the most difficult bread to bake, and “the art of artisan breads.” For the first six months, I baked three baguettes every day, generally wondering why anyone would go to all of the trouble.

What is the secret to good bread? ›

A general rule of thumb when bread baking is to keep your yeast, salt and sugar separate from each other when adding to your mixing bowl. The sugar and salt can both kill the yeast which will reduce the effectiveness of the yeast if they come into contact at the early stages of bread baking.

Why does bakery bread taste better? ›

Processing: The bread-making process used by large-scale commercial bakeries is often different than the process used by small artisanal bakeries. This can affect the flavor and texture of the bread. Ingredients: Grocery store bread may contain lower-quality ingredients or fillers that can affect the taste.

What is the best flour to use for bread? ›

While bread flour is the best option, it can sometimes be used if you don't have bread flour. “Check the protein content,” advises Chef Jürgen, since it can vary from brand to brand, and an all-purpose flour that contains protein on the higher end of the range, 12 to 13 percent, will produce a better outcome.

What is a farmhouse bread? ›

(ˈfɑːmˌhaʊs ləʊf ) or farmhouse. noun. British. a large white loaf, baked in a tin, with slightly curved sides and top. Organic bread is available as either traditional farmhouse tin loaf or white batch loaf.

What do the French call a loaf of bread? ›

A baguette is a French bread shaped like a long, thin loaf with a crisp and crunchy crust. A baguette is made of wheat flour, yeast, salt, and water. It is characterized by the crisp and crunchy crust but is soft inside. Baguette is widely known for its taste and texture; it is usually baked in a stone oven.

What is the old name for bread? ›

The Old English word for bread was hlaf (hlaifs in Gothic: modern English loaf), which appears to be the oldest Teutonic name.

What is Elvis bread? ›

Serves 8. This "Elvis" banana bread is loaded up with a smooth and creamy peanut butter glaze and brown sugar-candied bacon. It's just basically freakin' awesome. 55 min. 2 hr 25 min.

What is Pullman style bread? ›

The Pullman loaf, sometimes called the "sandwich loaf" or "pan bread", is a rectangular loaf of white bread baked in a long, narrow, lidded pan. The French term for this style of loaf is pain de mie, or, less commonly, pain anglais.

What is African bread? ›

Adopted from Indian cuisine, African bread known as chapati has been a part of East African cuisine for centuries. The East African recipe is slightly different from its Indian counterpart. This bread accompanies African soups and stews well. Preparation is minimal, making this a great choice for cooks in a pinch.

Which country has the tastiest bread? ›

Iceland. Iceland is considered one of the countries with the best bread in the world, much of which can be attributed to the unique methods it employs for its bread-making. The Icelandic rye bread is high in sugar and is baked underground using bubbling lava sand as the heat source.

What is America's favorite bread? ›

White bread is the most popular bread in America, accounting for over 50% of all bread sales. It is a versatile bread that can be used for sandwiches, toast, and more.

What is the best tasting bread for sandwiches? ›

The 6 Best Bread for Sandwiches
  1. Bread Rolls. A roll is a small and fluffy piece of bread that can be eaten on its own or used to make a sandwich. ...
  2. Brioches. Brioche is a sweeter option that works with almost everything. ...
  3. Wraps. ...
  4. Sourdoughs. ...
  5. Oil-Based Loaves. ...
  6. Baguettes.

What is the most popular bread in us? ›

The most popular type of bread, according to our study, is sprouted bread. It's the most commonly searched bread type in four states — Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, and Illinois.

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