Buttermilk Bread is the perfect foil for a BLT, a turkey club, a PB&J, or a Bombay Sandwich. It’s also great for toast or just spread with a bit of butter, jam, or Quince Jelly. Or even just eaten all by itself. What I’m saying is, Buttermilk Bread is about to become your new best friend.
I did not grow up in a house where bread was baked. In fact, despite being an amazing cook, my mother is afraid of bread. No, she’s not a low-carb dieter or even a gluten-free devotee. It’s not actually eating bread that scares
Bear in mind that I’m talking about a professional foodie—once a restaurant critic and food writer—who routinely makes desserts with names that include words like “soufflé” and “brulée.” A woman who once called cassoulet “a simple one-pot meal.”
In the kitchen, there are, in fact, only two things that intimidate my mother: The impending arrival of guests (see my previous post, Roasted Red Pepper Soup) and baking bread.
“That whole yeast thing just scares me,” she shrugs. “And all that kneading and rising? I’m sure I’d do it wrong and, oh, I don’t know…” her voice trails off and suddenly she’s busily whisking a roux or butterflying a pork loin.
Homemade Bread Is Easier than You Think
My mom is not alone in her bread-o-phobia. A lot of people dismiss any fleeting urges they might have to bake bread. They think it’s too difficult, time-consuming, or technically challenging.
But here’s a delicious secret: Freshly baked homemade bread is a cheap trick that never fails to impress precisely because most people never bother to try it.
The truth is, the simplest kitchen science leads to awe-inspiring results. Use the right flour and give your dough ample time to rise. In other words, just find a good recipe and follow the instructions. You will be pleasantly surprised and delighted by the fragrant, tasty, soul-satisfying loaves that issue forth from your own oven.
Our Magical Asiago Fig Bread, which you’ll find the recipe for in The Lazy Gourmet, is a perfect example of this: A no-knead bread that only requires lots of rising time.
Buttermilk Bread Is Super Easy To Make
This quick and easy Buttermilk Bread recipe is shockingly easy to make, and the whole thing can be done in an afternoon. Plus, it’s a great way to use up that quart of buttermilk you bought for a recipe that required only a few tablespoons—this one uses a whole cup and a quarter.
What’s the Difference Between All-Purpose and Bread Flour?
The most important thing I’ve learned in my bread-baking experiments over the years is that the flour you choose matters. What’s the difference between bread flour and all-purpose flour, you might ask? Bread flour has a higher protein content, and protein is what gives bread its loft.
You’re Going to Love this All-Purpose Sandwich Bread
This fluffy, slightly sweet, slightly tangy bread is the perfect foil for melty butter, peanut butter, jam, honey, or any other spread. It’s great for sandwiches and makes a fantastic bread pudding, too.
Oh, and did I mention that it is really easy to make and basically foolproof? I’m planning to bake up a loaf for my mom the next time she visits and really
Need ideas for using up leftover buttermilk? Try these recipes
Easy Buttermilk Bread
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 3 1/4 cups 390 grams bread flour, divided
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons a 1/4-ounce packet instant or quick-rise yeast
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk any fat content
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan, using about 1 tablespoon of the butter.
- In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer, if you have one), combine 1 ½ cups (180 grams) of the flour with the sugar, salt, and yeast.
- In a small saucepan, heat the buttermilk and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture reaches about 130 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer (Don't worry if you don't have an instant-read thermometer. The mixture should be warm, but not hot to the touch).
- Remove from the heat.
- Using the stand mixer fitted with the flat beater or a hand-held electric mixer, add the warm buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and combine well.
- Add the egg and beat 1 minute more.
- Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups (210 grams) flour and continue mixing for 5 minutes. If you are using a hand-held mixer, you’ll need to scrape the dough off the beaters several times.
- After a few minutes, scrape it onto a board, wet your hands and, without drying them, knead the dough another minute or two. To be honest, the dough will be quite sticky and floppy at this point, so it's more flopping it on top of itself a few times than it is actually kneading. You may need to re-wet your hands to keep the dough from sticking too much.
- Transfer the dough into the prepared loaf pan and spread it out to the corners.
- Cover loosely with a clean dishtowel and place the pan in a warm place (like a sunny windowsill, provided the day is not too hot, or in the oven with the light turned on if your house is chilly) and let rise about 1 hour, until the dough rises above the top edge of the pan.
- While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- When dough has risen sufficiently, make a shallow cut lengthwise down the center of the loaf (this keeps it from pulling away from the sides of the pan as it bakes).
- Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and brush it over the loaf.
- Bake in the center of the preheated oven for about 35 minutes, until the top is firm and lightly browned.
- Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes.
- Remove bread from pan and cool completely on the rack before slicing.
Video
Nutrition
The ingredients listed are great, although I leave the egg out. Egg can make for a smaller crumb, (cake like). For all those who read this, if your reading this you are most likely more than a one time bread maker. I make bread weekly and I have constant success. Big secret to great bread is to get yourself a kitchen scale. They are ailable all over the internet at very reasonable price, got mine for $17.00 and use it everytime I make bread. Reason: 20 ounces of flour needs 1 and one half cup liquid for best possible out come. That liquid can be what ever you like.
20 ounces of flour (spoon about half this into small bowel and set aside)
add your yeast (one pacckge dry yeast is great)
add the sugar (for me that is one table spoon)
Now add the real warm liquid 1 and 1 half cup (I often use 1 cup buttermilk 1half cup water.)
With a spoon mix this up real good and set aside for 10 minutes. (this is important)
Then with the flour that you set aside ( add 1 teaspoon salt and mix it in) now add this mix to your first mix that set for 10 minutes) Mix it all together and dump it out onto your board for kneeding. Just go ahead and begin kneeding, the bits of flour and scrapes from the bowel will all kneed right in.
When the dough feels smooth spread it out and spread a teaspoon butter on it and fold it up and continue kneeding it in. (Yes it will make a little mess, keep kneeding and it will all come together perfectly and be great. Now do that again, spread out the dough and spread another teaspoon butter on it, and kneed that in.
Now that your dough is nice and smooth place it in a greased bowel and let rise a while, until double or close to it.
Now your ready to punch it down and formit and place in your greased pan for final rise. When just above the top of pan, place in pre heated oven (375 degrees) and bake for 35 minutes. Thats it.
This sounds like a lot more work than it is. Give it a try, It’s fun, and the results are so very good that you will want to do it again. This one loaf of bread will inspire you to do it often. I never buy bread, I make mine like this every week.
Thank you so much Tom! I love making bread, but I am a bread snob and have yet to make a loaf I could say was better to slice and use for sandwiches than the $4 store bought bread. I am going to follow your instructions with this recipe. I’ve never made it exactly the way that you have described with the butter. I’m super stoked!!!
I put the ingredients of this recipe exactly, except for only putting 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast instead of 2 1/4 teaspoons in my bread machine on basic bread cycle (3 hrs). and it turned out delicious, for those out there who dont feel like kneading! 😀
Five stars! 👍🏻
Tried it and came out amazing!!!
I don’t have a mixer. Can i use a fork/whisk/spatula to mix the ingredients?
You don’t have to use a mixer, but it will take considerably longer by hand. I would use a wooden spoon over a fork/whisk/spatula. Keep in mind that this dough is very sticky.
The buttermilk loaf is rising in the pan at this time. I am excited to see how this recipe performs.
I make my own butter (my wife loves it) so I took the buttermilk from it for this recipe.
im thinking of making this today,im 56 years old and dont understand why my mother never baked breads and other yummy stuff like this,i just started making bread and a few other things,i made soft pretzels yesterday. omg im amazed at how good they taste,so yah im on a flour,yeast water,salt buttermilk adventure,going to try your recipe and will be back to let you know what i think,i feel that guy tom,commenting on your recipe the way he did,is just wrong,he needs to make his own and let people tell him how to do it,idk just thought it was weird he came onto your recipe to tell everyone not to use an egg ,i fully believe if you use an egg,it makes it lighter and fluffier,so yah tom,go get your own recipes going,i will come have a look,thanks for sharing your recipe,cant wait to start it.thank you
I have made this several times. Always a great loaf except maybe this time… I accidentally added about a cup to much flour. I will have to wait and see. Raise is going on now. I do highly recommend this recipe.