Honey Buttermilk Bread

First published 2008. Last updated April 16, 2025 for editorial improvements.

Table of Contents

• 🎥 Video: How to knead
• 🧾 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• 📖 Recipe
• 🍞 Bread machine instructions
• 🥫 Storage
• 📖 Variations
• 💭 Things to know
• Troubleshooting
• 👩‍🍳 FAQs
• 📚 Related recipes
• 💬 Comments

🎥 Video: How to knead

If you've never worked with homemade yeast dough before take a look at this breadmaking guide before you get started. It answers about any question you could have.

If carbs are your love language (same), then you're about to fall head over heels. This no-fail buttermilk bread has been strutting its stuff at the top of Google since 2008—because when something’s this fluffy, golden, and foolproof, the internet takes notice. With over 900 five-star reviews and enough Pinterest praise to make a sourdough jealous, this recipe delivers that cozy, fresh-baked smell and soft, buttery bite every. single. time. Love it? Of course you do. And lucky you—there’s a whole carb cave of homemade bread recipes waiting for you right here.

🧾 Ingredients

Honey buttermilk bread is so unbelievably light that no one will believe it's made from scratch.

• I used active dry yeast but you can use rapid rise if you want - just follow the instructions on the packet of yeast.
• Buttermilk in bread adds a little flavor but mostly it creates that soft, tender crumb we all love. If you don't have any you can read this article on how to make buttermilk.
• Salt - kosher salt was used. If you use regular table salt cut the amount by about ¼th or so.
• Bread flour - you can use all purpose flour if you like. There might be a tiny difference in how high it rises. Take a look at this list of different types of flour and how to use them.

🔪 Instructions

Mixing and kneading

1. Mix the sugar, ginger, yeast, and warm water in a small bowl and set aside until foamy.
2. Whisk the buttermilk, honey, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl.
3. Add it to the yeast mixture.
4. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer.
5. Add three cups of flour and mix until smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes on low speed of a stand mixer.
6. Pour in the butter and blend.
7. Switch to kneading hook (dough hook attachment). Add the rest of the flour, one cup at a time, keeping mixer on low speed.
8. When buttermilk dough pulls from the sides of the bowl remove it from the mixer to a lightly floured work surface. Knead it by hand a few times until elastic and smooth
9. Place dough in greased mixing bowl, turn to grease the top, and cover with a clean tea towel. Let rise about 1 ½ hours.

Shaping

1. Punch dough down. You'll want to give it a gentle kneading for a minute or two but nothing like the first time! Don't over-knead it.
2. Shape into loaves.
3. Place loaves in bread pans and let rise until double. Bake.
4. Remove finished loaves from oven. Brush with butter.
5. Cool on a wire rack and slice.
6. Perfect!

📖 Recipe

🍞 Bread machine instructions

Many of you have asked how to make buttermilk bread in a bread machine. One reader, Debbie, did and this is what she said:

"If you want to make it and bake it in a bread machine cut the buttermilk bread recipe in half, set it on white bread setting, and add ingredients in this order (or according to your manufacturer's instructions):

1. Water
2. Buttermilk
3. Butter
4. Honey
5. Sugar
6. Salt
7. Flour mixed with ginger and baking soda
8. Yeast

🥫 Storage

Homemade bread doesn't last long after it's baked. You can wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place in an airtight storage container and keep it at room temperature for about 2 days.

For longer storage cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.

I like to cut it in slices and freeze with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper between the slices. That way I can just thaw what I need without thawing the whole loaf.

To freeze unbaked dough you'll want to double the amount of yeast called for in the recipe and then freeze the dough after shaping it into loaves.

When ready to bake let the loaves thaw overnight in the refrigerator then finish rising at room temperature. It will take a bit longer to rise than normal.

Bake as directed in the recipe.

📖 Variations

This is one of those easy bread recipes that you can change up by adding other ingredients.

• Knead in raisins and add sugar and cinnamon before shaping for a wonderful cinnamon raisin bread - use shaping instructions in this cinnamon swirl bread recipe.
• The rich texture of buttermilk bread makes it perfect for slicing thickly and making into French toast.
• If it gets a bit stale make it into bread pudding. Yum!
• This makes a great buttermilk dinner rolls recipe, too! Just shape into rolls and bake at 375f for 10 to 15 minutes.

💭 Things to know

Expert tip: You may need more or less flour than called for in the recipe. Weather and climate can affect your ingredients - humidity will often mean you'll need at least an extra ¼ cup or so of flour. If you bake bread on a rainy day it will rise higher than on a clear one due to air pressure!

• Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
• Use yeast that is within the sell by date. If your bread dough isn't rising well it could be that the yeast is too old.
• If you're short on time you can let the bread rise in the refrigerator overnight for either the first or second rising time.
• The baking soda does two things… It works with the acid in the buttermilk to help the bread rise high and light and balances any off tastes from the acids in the buttermilk.
• Make sure your liquids are not hotter than 110F. Check with an insta-read thermometer. If the liquids are too hot the yeast will die.
• Be sure to fully knead the dough. It develops the flavor and texture - and will take 8 to 10 minutes by hand of kneading vigorously.
• Grease the top of the dough before rising.
• Let dough rise in a warm spot. A draft-free place is best.
• If you like the crust a darker golden brown brush it with egg yolk mixed with a teaspoon of water just before putting in the oven.
• Cool the baked bread in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out to finish cooling.
• Brush the loaves with butter while still hot and then cover with a clean tea towel while cooling for soft crusts.
• Here's how to use up that leftover buttermilk!

Troubleshooting

If you're having problems with yeast doughs and homemade bread I have answers!

• Yeast Bread Baking Tips
• Yeast Bread Troubleshooting

Also - these tips on getting your homemade bread to rise properly are what keep mine high and light!

👩‍🍳 FAQs

📚 Related recipes

• Whole Wheat Bread Recipe is similar to this buttermilk white bread but in a whole grain loaf.
• English Muffin Bread (Takes an Hour) is an easy, no knead bread that tastes exactly like an English muffin! It's one of the most popular bread recipes on Restless Chipotle.
• Honey Oatmeal Bread is a soft sandwich bread that's perfect for peanut butter & jelly sammiches!
• Rustic Bread in a Cloche is an artisan loaf with a crispy crust. SO good.
• Multigrain Bread is nutritious and full of omega-3s BUT it's also delicious!
• Muesli Bread is my favorite for morning toast.
• Sour Dough Bread (no knead) is perfect for beginners.
• Jewish Rye has that tangy rye flavor - I have the secret!
• Clover Leaf Dinner Rolls are just like Grandma used to make! Soft and fluffy.

This country white bread is a classic recipe that you'll use again and again!