No Yeast Bread
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No yeast? No problem. You can still make bread! This is an easy bread recipe (no yeast!) and is made with just 7 simple ingredients. Learn how to make bread without yeast.
Is there anything more magical than homemade bread? You’re shaking your head no, right? I agree. Maybe a slice warm form the oven slathered with some cinnamon honey butter or my 3 ingredient honey butter.
However, right now finding a packet of yeast is like finding a unicorn. So what’s a girl to do? Bake bread without yeast. Now you might be asking, “Wait is that possible?” It definitely is. Enter this super easy, ready to bake in minutes, no yeast bread recipe.
What does it taste like?
This no yeast bread recipe is buttery. Soft. Slightly crumbly with a crispy exterior. This recipe is essentially an Irish Soda bread recipe. Called soda bread because it relies on baking soda (and baking powder) to rise.
It’s made with buttermilk and sweetened with honey making a slightly dense soft bread that’s pretty addicting stuff.
How do you make bread without yeast?
So in order to make bread without yeast we are going to need to rely on another form of leavening agent. Basically baking powder and baking soda.
Baking powder and baking soda are not the same so make sure you read those labels. You can read more here about Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda.
It’s always important to make sure your leavening agent hasn’t expired yet. If it’s expire then it won’t create bubbles (aka make your bread rise).
To test for baking powder: Add a 1/2 teaspoon to about 1/4 cup of hot water. If it bubbles, then it’s still good to use. If it doesn’t then time to throw it out and buy new!
To test for baking soda: Add a 1/2 teaspoon to about 1/4 cup of an acid (such as lemon juice or vinegar). If it bubbles, then it’s still good to use. If it doesn’t then time to throw it out and buy new!
What Makes A Quick Bread A Quick Bread?
So a no yeast bread recipe is also known as a quick bread. A quick bread is called a quick bread because it can be mixed up and baked right away. Unlike a yeast bread which takes time to rise before you can bake it a quick bread can go in the oven immediately.
Basically. Bread. Now.
Recipe Ingredients
I adapted this no yeast bread recipe for my my Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread Recipe. But this time I used all purpose flour, skipped the orange and raisins, and sweetened this bread with honey instead of sugar.
What resulted is a moist, fluffy bread with a crispy exterior. It’s a bit dense and crumbly. Buttery. Delicious.
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Sugar (or Honey) -I’ve made it both ways and both were delicious! I added that to the dry ingredients before I add the butter. This just adds a touch of sweetness. If you use granulated sugar instead of honey, add an extra tablespoons.
- Butter – I recommend unsalted butter vs. salted butter. Here’s How To Soften Butter Fast (3 ways!)
- Buttermilk
- Egg
That’s it!
How To Make This No Yeast Bread – Step By Step Photos
Step 1: Mix Your Dry Ingredients
Start by pre-heating your oven to 375°F degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
And you can make this bread in your stand mixer all in one bowl. After you have measured all your dry ingredients into the bowl.
Step 2: Add softened butter
You want to add softened butter to the dry ingredients.
HEATHER’S BAKING TIP: If you forgot to take the butter out early (I do this all the time, so I hear ya) then here are 3 fast ways to soften your butter.
Step 3: Add buttermilk and egg
Once your butter has been incorporated, then add in your buttermilk and egg. Buttermilk has to give the bread such great flavor and moisture. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, then you can make your own buttermilk at home.
Step 4: Shape
And that’s it. You just need to simply pat the dough into a round onto a cookie sheet with parchment paper, a 9-inch cake pan, or into a cast iron skillet. The cast iron skillet method will cause the bread to spread a little less.
Step 5: Score The Bread
With a serrated knife, cut an “x” into the top of the bread.
You can brush the top with a little bit more buttermilk and a sprinkle of salt or oats for a bit more crunch.
Step 6: Bake the bread
Then it’s time to bake the bread in a preheated 375°F oven for 40-45 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Soften your butter. Make sure your butter is softened so that it can be easily incorporated into the dough. You can let the butter sit on the counter for 3o minutes to an hour, cubed, for it to soften quickly. Here are 3 more ways to soften your butter quickly.
- Careful Measuring. Be sure to measure your flour correctly. Too much flour will result in a dense bread. I recommend first by stirring the flour before you start to measure. Then scoop the flour into your cup with a spoon and level off with a flat edge.
- Do not overmix. Because this is essentially a quick bread, meaning it’s leavened with baking soda and baking powder too much mixing can result in too much gluten being formed. And too much gluten will result in an overly chewy bread.
- Make An X. You want to make an X in the top of the bread with a sharp knife. This will help the bread expand as it’s in the oven.
Recipe Variations:
- Add cheese – Shredded cheddar cheese would be fantastic here. Or maybe parmesan. Gouda.
- Raisins and caraway seeds – This is what I added to my whole wheat Irish Soda bread version.
- Herbs – Diced dill, or chopped rosemary would be fantastic.
- Jalapenos – A little heat and kick would be a nice addition. Maybe with the addition of cheese as well!
No Yeast Bread FAQ’s
Buttermilk is an acidic ingredient which reacts with the baking soda. So using regular milk will throw off the chemical balance in this bread. If you only have regular milk, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or vinegar) to your milk and let sit for 10 minutes.
You want to let the bread cool first before storing. I recommend wrapping the bread in plastic wrap or storing in a plastic bag. It will be freshest up to 2 days. You can also freeze the bread as well for up to 3 months.
You can read the How To Freeze Bread (+ FREE printable) here.
This bread relies on the baking powder and baking soda. So make sure that your leavening agents haven’t expired!
You can, but I recommend using an extra tablespoon.
No Yeast Bread Recipes
You can check out my complete list of no yeast bread recipes here. But here are a few to get you started:
Tools Needed:
- Stand Mixer
- Whisk
- Cookie Sheet (or 9-inch cake pan, or cast iron)
- Silicone baking mat or parchment paper
If you like this recipe, the be sure to leave me a comment and star rating below!
No Yeast Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups (480 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar (or honey)
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened, cut into tablespoons
- 1 cup (240 mL) buttermilk
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375oF degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Or you can bake this in a 10- inch cast iron skillet (which will cause the bread to spread less.) Or an 8 or 9 inch cake pan would also work.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Stir to combine. Add in the butter and stir to combine. Add the buttermilk and egg and stir to combine.
- Turn the dough onto your cookie sheet and shape into a ball. Pat down slightly into about a 8-9 inch circle. Brush the top with more buttermilk or a sprinkle of salt (or oats. Using a serrated knife, cut an “X” across the top of the bread. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature of 190oF. Cool on a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- Tools: Stand Mixer | Whisk| Cookie Sheet | Silicone baking mat
- Buttermilk substitution: Buttermilk is an acidic ingredient which reacts with the baking soda. So using regular milk will throw off the chemical balance in this bread. If you only have regular milk, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or vinegar) to your milk and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Storing bread: You want to let the bread cool first before storing. I recommend wrapping the bread in plastic wrap or storing in a plastic bag. It will be freshest up to 2 days. You can also freeze the bread as well for up to 3 months.
- Check your leavening agent expiration dates. This bread relies on the baking powder and baking soda. So make sure that your leavening agents haven’t expired!
- Whole wheat flour substitution: You can use whole wheat flour, but I recommend replacing half of the AP flour with whole wheat flour. Or try using white whole wheat flour which is 100% whole wheat but softer in texture than regular whole wheat flour.
- Gluten free version: I haven’t made it gluten free myself. But when I do make something gluten free, I like to use Cup 4 Cup flour. It has the best texture, you would never know it’s gluten free.
I’ve never made Irish Soda Bread before but I’m interested in trying this no yeast bread recipe. It looks so great! Thanks for this.
Thanks AlSilva! I know you’ll love it 🙂
So rustic, delicious and easy. Thanks for another great recipe.
Of course 🙂 Thanks Megan!
Love that gorgeous crumb and I cannot wait to try this easy bread recipe without yeast. The detailed steps are quite helpful for beginners.
Thanks Vidya! Glad you found the steps helpful.
Loving how simple this recipe is! Can’t wait to try it.
Thank you Safiya!
I love how light and fluffy this bread turned out despite not using any yeast! It was a great side dish for our dinner tonight!
Thanks Anjali, glad you loved it! And yes it’s a perfect side dish to dinner!
Do you have a gluten free bread recipe for bread machine and or a gluten free bread recipe
Thank you
Hi Lynn! I don’t.. but anytime I bake gluten free I just use a 1 to 1 gluten free flour that I can just swap and use instead. My favorite is Cup 4 Cup but I also like Bobs Red mill 1 to 1 baking flour mix.