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The cold weather has me longing for simple, satisfying foods—the kind my nana’s nana made for her family to stave off the bone-chilling Russian winters. Since old-world soups like Russian borscht and cabbage soup are practically in my DNA, they’re frequently simmering on my stove.
Unfortunately, what’s not in my DNA is the home-baked bread those soups demand, and this winter, I decided it was time for a change. So I set about searching for a great recipe for home-baked bread that wouldn’t take all day to make. Fortunately, Joanna Gaines—a shortcut queen—shared one of her sweet bread machine recipes.
Why Does Joanna Use a Bread Maker?
“The thought of homemade fresh bread used to overwhelm me,” Joanna wrote in a Magnolia blog post. Same, Joanna! Proofing the yeast, kneading the bread, letting it rise—it all seems pretty daunting. But Joanna reminded me of the kitchen gadget that was so popular a decade ago: the bread maker.
If a bread machine can deliver homemade bread with only a few minutes of hands-on time, it’s worth the investment. So, take a look at our Test Kitchen’s recommended bread machines, if you don’t already have one!
How to Make Joanna’s 3-Minute Bread Recipe
glebchik/Shutterstock, Brian Ach/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
This has be one of the best sweet bread machine recipes out there. It takes 3 minutes to prep and pop in the bread machine.
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 package (1/4 ounce) bread machine yeast
Tools You’ll Need
Directions
To make this bread, simply add all the ingredients to the bread machine, set the machine to “basic” and push start. It’s honestly that easy.
Editor’s Tip: Many bread machine manufacturers recommend adding all the liquids first, then salt and the flour, and finally sugar and yeast (which you don’t have to proof for this recipe).
Here’s What I Thought
After three hours, my house smelled like a bakery. I removed my bread from the machine and cut into a softly crusted loaf of sweet bread. It was tasty, definitely one of the best sweet bread machine recipes I’ve ever made. This loaf was great for breakfast and would be amazing as French toast.
How to Make This Recipe Your Own
For a non-sweet bread, Joanna recommends reducing the sugar to a quarter cup. This makes for one heck of a tuna melt. Thank you, Joanna Gaines, for your infinite kitchen wisdom!
Our All-Time Best Bread Machine Recipes
Braided Onion Potato Loaf
Ever wonder why a bread recipe includes mashed potatoes? The potato's starchy quality absorbs liquid during the kneading stage, and it holds onto that liquid during baking. The bread finishes with a crisp, brown exterior crust and a flavorful, moist interior that helps the bread keep longer. —Joan Ranzini, Waynesboro, Virginia
Cinnamon Swirl Breakfast BreadMy aunt gave me the recipe these pretty, rich-tasting loaves many years ago. It's one of my favorite bread machine recipes. —Peggy Burdick, Burlington, Michigan
Need a new bread machine? Take a look at our picks for the
best bread machines of the year.
Sour Cream Chive BreadThis savory loaf mildly flavored with chives is delicious when served warm with a meal, soup, salad or stew. It also tastes wonderful toasted the next day for breakfast. —Deborah Plank, West Salem, Ohio
Bread Machine PanettoneThis bread machine panettone is easy to make. Every tender, moist slice is filled with candied fruit and raisins. —Josephine Bianchi, Bristol, New Hampshire
Pumpkin Spice BagelsEnjoy pumpkin pie flavor with these classic bagels. For a change, adjust the spices to suit your taste buds. —Kristy Reeves, LeRoy, Kansas
Mini Maple Cinnamon RollsMaple syrup sweetens these lovely little cinnamon buns. I make the dough in my bread machine before popping the rolls in the oven. My husband prefers them warm. —Juanita Carlsen, North Bend, Oregon
Pepperoni Cheese BreadAs a stay-at-home mother of two little girls, I pack a lot of activity into my days. The bread machine makes it a snap to turn out this attractive loaf that gets its zip from cayenne pepper, pepperoni and Mexican cheese. —Dusti Christensen, Goodridge, Minnesota
Seeded Whole Grain LoafMy husband and I want whole grain bread, but we don't like the spongy store-bought whole wheat breads. I drastically altered one of my favorite batter bread recipes to create this earthy bread. It is crunchy, chewy and easy. This is one of those bread machine recipes I make over and over. —Amber Rife, Columbus, Ohio
Vegetable & Cheese FocacciaMy family eats this flavorful bread as fast as I can make it. Sometimes I add different herbs, red onion or crumbled bacon. It's one of my best recipes!
—Mary Cass, Baltimore, Maryland
Bread Machine Pumpkin Monkey BreadI love making this pumpkin monkey bread for a holiday brunch. Leftovers reheat well, and the sauce is good enough to make extra to use as waffle and pancake syrup. —Emily Main, Tonopah, Arizona
Bread Machine NaanChewy yeast-raised flatbread is a snap to make in a bread machine. Serve naan with your favorite Indian dish to soak up the curry and sauces. —Shannon Ventresca, Middleboro, Massachusetts
Soft Giant PretzelsMy husband and our friends and family love these soft, chewy pretzels. Let the bread machine mix the dough, then all you have to do is shape and bake these fun snacks. —Sherry Peterson, Fort Collins, Colorado
For something even simpler, look through our collection of
easy bread machine recipes.
Garlic Herb Bubble LoafI adapted an old sour cream bread recipe for this deliciously different pull-apart loaf that smells heavenly while baking. It has a light crust, tender interior and lots of herb and butter flavor. We think it's wonderful with a hot bowl of potato soup. —Katie Crill, Priest River, Idaho
Golden Honey Pan RollsA cousin in North Carolina gave me the recipe for these delicious honey-glazed rolls. Using my bread machine to make the dough saves me about 2 hours compared to the traditional method. The rich buttery taste of these rolls is so popular with family and friends that I usually make two batches so I have enough! —Sara Wing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Calzone RollsBig pizza flavor comes through in these rolls, thanks to the peppers, mushrooms, olives and pepperoni. This recipe makes two pans of rolls, and you can make the dough in a bread machine. —Barb Downie, Peterborough, Ontario
Pecan Raisin BreadWe love raisin bread and also enjoy the nutty flavor of pecans, so I decided to combine the two for this delectable loaf. This is one of my favorite bread machine recipes—it smells so good and tastes even better. —Lora Sexton, Wellington, Texas
Soft Garlic BreadsticksI rely on a bread machine to mix the dough for this buttery garlic breadsticks recipe that is mildly seasoned with garlic and basil. I like to use this dough when making pizza, too. —Charles Smith, Baltic, Connecticut
Sun-Dried Tomato FocacciaThis bread looks inviting and doesn’t disappoint when you take a bite. The sun-dried tomatoes and red onions give it an extra-special appearance, fit for any celebratory meal. —Kathy Katz, Ocala, Florida
Onion French Bread LoavesSince I love variety in my cooking, I tried adding dried minced onion to my usual recipe in attempts to copy a bread I had tasted, creating these two tasty loaves. Using the bread machine on the dough setting is a great timesaver. —Ruth Fueller, Barmstedt, Germany
Chipotle Focaccia with Garlic-Onion ToppingChipotle peppers leave some people tongue-tied; others can't get enough of the smoky heat. I came up with this recipe for chipotle, roasted garlic and caramelized onion focaccia. Some wanted it spicier—it's only a medium heat pepper—and some like it just the way it is. Add more if you crave the fire. —Frances "Kay" Bouma, Trail, British Columbia
Frosted Cinnamon RollsThese pretty cinnamon rolls are absolutely marvelous and taste just like the ones sold at the mall. Topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting, they are best served warm with coffee. Or reheat leftover rolls in the microwave and enjoy any time of day. —Velma Horton, LaGrange, California
Hawaiian Dinner RollsPineapple and coconut give a subtle sweetness to these golden homemade rolls. If there are any leftovers, they're great for sandwiches. —Kathy Kurtz, Glendora, California
Veggie Pull-Apart BreadA bread machine hurries along the dough-making process, but chopped vegetables, bacon and cheese make the buttery wreath unforgettable. —Christi Ross, Guthrie, Texas
Herbed Onion BagelsI create my delightful bagels by adapting several other recipes. I enjoy them spread with cream cheese or onion and chive cream cheese. —Pam Kaiser, Mansfield, Missouri
Soft Oatmeal BreadMy husband loves to make this bread. With its mild oat taste and soft texture, it's sure to be a hit with the whole family. Slices also are delicious toasted for breakfast. —Nancy Montgomery, Plainwell, Michigan
Flavorful Herb BreadThis bread is one of my favorites. It has a wonderful texture and slices beautifully, and the flavor of the herbs really comes through. (
Psst—If you don't have a bread machine on hand, learn
how to make bread without one!) —Gerri Hamilton, Kingsville, Ontario
Garlic Parmesan BreadThis hearty aromatic bread has just a hint of honey and garlic. It's one of my favorite breads. It goes with anything from bologna sandwiches to spaghetti. —Jami Blunt, Hardy, Arkansas
Rosemary-Garlic Focaccia BreadThis bread smells wonderful when it’s baking in the oven. I make it mostly during the summer when rosemary is abundant in the garden, but also around the holidays when rosemary plants are available in stores. —Tammy Bollman, Minatare, Nebraska
