If you love warm bread fresh from the oven (with butter melting on top) as much as we do you'll find tons more homemade bread recipes here.
Don't you just want to spread a ton of butter on a thick, warm slice of this honey buttermilk bread? I do!
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
This truly is a no fail buttermilk bread recipe - millions of readers have tried it and loved it because it comes out delicious, light and fluffy every time!
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.
⭐ Readers say
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Definitely 5 Stars Thank You for posting these awesome recipes. Having you with your background and experience post for all of us who are always looking to find a better way of preparing delicious food is remarkable!! I personally want to Thank You for your kindness and thoughtfulness!💕💕💕. Debra A.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Just made this for the first time, I have never made bread like this. I was worried because the buttermilk mixture was so fluffy but this bread turned out AMAZING! Such a good flavor! It’s subtly sweet and has great texture. Thanks for the recipe! Stacy
🥘 Ingredients
Honey buttermilk bread is so unbelievably light that no one will believe it's made from scratch.
Here are the ingredients for this soft sandwich bread.- 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 make homemade 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
Just follow the images to see how to mix, knead, and shape this easy, homemade sandwich loaf.
Mixing and kneading
How to mix and knead homemade buttermilk bread.- Mix the sugar, ginger, yeast, and warm water and set aside until foamy.
- Whisk the buttermilk, honey, salt, and baking soda together.
- Add it to the yeast mixture.
- Pour into the mixer.
- Add three cups of flour and mix until smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes on low speed of a stand mixer.
- Pour in the butter and blend.
- Switch to kneading hook. Add the rest of the flour, one cup at a time, keeping mixer on low speed.
- When dough pulls from the sides of the bowl remove it from the mixer to a lightly floured surface. Knead it by hand a few times until elastic and smooth
- Place in greased mixing bowl, turn to grease the top, and cover with a clean tea towel. Let rise about 1 ½ hours.
Shaping
How to shape homemade sandwich bread step by step.- 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.
- Shape into loaves.
- Place loaves in pans and let rise until double. Bake.
- Remove finished loaves from oven. Brush with butter.
- Cool and slice.
- Perfect!
🍞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):
- Water
- Buttermilk
- Butter
- Honey
- Sugar
- Salt
- Flour mixed with ginger and baking soda
- Yeast
💭 Tips
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..
- 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 more than 110F. Check with a 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.
- Grease the top of the dough before rising.
- Let the dough rise in a warm spot.
- 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.
- Leftover buttermilk? Here are more of the best buttermilk recipes in my collection!
Buttermilk bread has the softest crumb and velvety texture!👩🏻🍳FAQs
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
Yes! This bread recipe is made with honey but you can use sugar in it instead. Use an equal amount or slightly less sugar.
My favorite is glass.
The loaves bake evenly and the crust is perfect. I've heard good things about cast iron but I haven't tried it yet. Aluminum or metal pans are fine if that's what you have - your crust may brown faster so watch it.
Rub the crusts with butter and cover with a tea towel as soon as you bring them out of the oven if you like soft crust.
If you want a crusty bread don't cover it as it's cooling. You can also brush it with egg white blended with 1 teaspoon of water before baking.
You can use an insta-read thermometer if you like. Push it into the side of the loaf - the center of the bread should be about 200F.
You can also turn the loaf out and tap the bottom. It will sound hollow. After you've baked bread a few times you'll just know.
Try removing a tablespoon of flour and adding a tablespoon of wheat gluten for every cup of flour you add to the bread. This helps it rise better and stay light and fluffy.
Sure, you'll need to halve the recipe and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Be careful not to overknead.
🥫 Storage
- If you're short on time you can let the bread rise in the refrigerator overnight for either the first or second rising time.
- Homemade bread doesn't stay fresh very long after it's baked. Keep it at room temperature in an airtight container for about 2 days.
To freeze
- Baked bread can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months.
- I like to slice the loaves of homemade sandwich bread and place parchment or waxed paper between the slices before freezing. That way I can just remove as much as I need without thawing the whole loaf.
- To freeze the dough unbaked start with double the amount of yeast called for in the recipe. Freeze it after shaping into loaves. When ready to bake let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator then finish rising at room temperature. Bake as directed in recipe.
🎥 Video
Just click on the image below if you'd like to see the full length video on YouTube. It opens in a new tab so you won't lose your place here.
Troubleshooting
If you're having problems with yeast doughs and homemade bread I have answers!
Also - these tips on getting your homemade bread to rise properly are what keep mine high and light!
🍽 Equipment
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If you want to learn how to make homemade bread check out my book. Not only does it contain this honey buttermilk bread recipe, there are recipes for batter, whole wheat bread, cinnamon rolls, and many more!
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📚 Related recipes
📖 Recipe
Honey Buttermilk Bread
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon yeast, or 1 packet
- 1 pinch powdered ginger
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup water, warm, 105F - 110F
- 2 cups cultured buttermilk, warm, 105F - 110F
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, if using table salt use ¾ teaspoon
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 6 cups bread flour, may use all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup butter, melted and cooled so that it is warm to the touch but not hot.
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl mix the yeast, ginger, sugar, and 110F water.
- Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy.
- Whisk the buttermilk, honey, salt, and baking soda together and add it to the yeast mixture.
- Add three cups of flour and mix until smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes on low of a stand mixer.
- Pour in the butter until it is totally mixed into the batter.
- Add the rest of the flour, one cup at a time, keeping mixer on low speed.
- When dough pulls from the sides of the bowl remove it from the mixer to a lightly floured surface. Knead until elastic and smooth. You can also knead in your mixer according to manufacturer's directions.
- Place in greased bowl, turn to grease the top, and cover bowl with a clean tea towel.
- Allow the dough to rise for 1 ½ hours, or until double.
- Punch down and form into two loaves. Place each in a greased loaf pan with seam sides down. Grease tops.
- Cover, and allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until it is just about to the tops of the bread pans.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Bake for 30 minutes. You can cover the tops with foil if they brown too fast.
- Remove from oven and brush top of the loaves with melted butter. Place on cooling rack.
- Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes.
- Gently run a knife around the edge between the bread and the pan to loosen it.
- Turn out and cool completely on a rack.
- Cover the loaves if you want soft crusts.
Notes
-
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..
- Make sure your liquids are not more than 110F. Check with a 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.
- Grease the top of the dough before rising.
- Let the dough rise in a warm spot.
- 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.
Nutrition Facts
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.This recipe has been undated from the original 2008 version to improve reader experience. Last updated December 16, 2020 for better user experience.
Free Bread Baking Mini Series
Get my bread making tips and tricks in this 2 week bread baking email mini series:
- Equipment
- Ingredients
- Rising
- Kneading
- Shaping
- Plus I'll walk you step by step through making 2 different loaves of homemade bread. Recipes included!
Sarah
I have been using the same yeast for at least a month, and it has been fine. As I said, the loaf after the squat loaf rose beautifully. And I use a digital thermometer to make sure my liquids aren't too hot. I've been making yeast rolls and loaves of bread for a few months with my yeast in date. Everything has turned out fine up until I used baking soda. Anyway, I'm about to make my third loaf using your recipe. Minus the baking soda. It's delicious and my whole family lo(a)ves it.😂 We just got hit with a winter storm, so bread is hard to find right now. I'll be making it even after we can find bread again. Thanks for the recipe.
Sarah
I think I figured it out. I used a different measuring cup each time. They both said one cup, but one was larger than the other. So the problem is the amount of flour. Which is weird, because I used another measuring cup, using the recommended amount, but then leaving out some because it seemed too dense. Now I have to question my measuring cups and how much I am actually putting into things. My standard cups seem to be too much for the recipe. I'm sorry for blaming the baking soda and questioning your method. Maybe I will try again with baking soda. Or maybe I will just use the measuring cup I used on the second loaf and leave out the baking soda again. That loaf was the best loaf. So sorry again for blowing up your comment section. But thanks for this recipe and then allowing me to talk through my mistakes. I'll be looking through your other recipes, but don't worry, I'll stay away from your comment section! Thanks once again!
Sarah
I made this twice. Only one loaf at a time. First one, I followed the recipe. It didn't rise much. It was quite a squat loaf. Tasted wonderful. The second loaf, I left out the baking soda and it rose beautifully. It's in the oven now. It smells delicious. I'm wondering if I did something wrong with the baking soda. I thought that baking soda causes things to flatten. Have you or anyone else had problems with it? I'm fairly new to bread making but I've tried a few recipes. So far, yours is the best. I will be using yours again. Thank you!
Marye
Baking soda works with the acid in the buttermilk to help it rise and to make it have a tender crumb. It wouldn't have kept it from rising. More likely the yeast was old, you used too hot liquids.
Maritza
Thank you for sharing your perfect bread recipes!!
Debbie
Interesting to see ginger in it, never seen that in a bread recipe before. Just curious what does the ginger do?
Marye
I got that tip from a 100 year old cookbook. It helps activate the yeast.
Pat
Can you make it with dairy free milk, such as almond milk?
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Marye
Yes - the texture will be a touch different.
Diane
Can I make this in bread machine? It looks delicious!
Marye
I've never done it but some readers have. I think you need to halve the recipe.
Linda
Can you use gluten free flour?
Marye
No.
Charlotte Freeman
Can you use instant yeast?
Marye
yes. mix it in with the dry ingredients and skip proofing.
Lola lola
Can I mix all purpose flower with wheat flower to make the bread
Marye
You can - it won't be as light. If you'd like a whole wheat bread recipe you may like this one - https://www.restlesschipotle.com/molasses-whole-wheat-bread-recipe/
Kim
This looks great and I want to try it. I Wanted to clarify yeast. It says 1 tbl or 1 pack. Which is it? A packet only has 2 1/4 tsp in it. Thanks
KIM
Marye
Either is fine. Or you can do 2 1/4 teaspoons - that's good, too.