6+ Bread Maker Tips You Need To Make Marvelous Bread
Sneak Peek: This collection of 6 bread maker tips (+ 1 bonus tip about dense bread) is for beginners and experienced bread machine users.
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Are you unpacking a new machine or digging one out of the attic? If Santa brought you a bread maker or the shutdown has inspired you, you might be wondering where to start.
You could read the manual. (Just kidding! Who has time for that?)
I’ve gathered more than six breadmaker tips to build your confidence. At the end of this post, I’ll share the most popular bread recipe on this website. It’s beginner-friendly and an excellent place to start.
Why Do I Need Tips and Tricks? Isn’t a Bread Maker Supposed To Be Easy?
When I first started using my bread machine (paid link), I was infatuated with the smell of fresh bread–especially when using a timer to make it overnight. What an enticing wake-up call!
But as I always say, “Even bad bread tastes good when it’s warm.” Don’t be fooled.
The reality of tighter-than-they-were-before jeans inspired me to be pickier. I decided that good-smelling bread didn’t justify the thick crusts, holes in the bottom, and awkwardly ugly loaves I was offering my family.
I threw out the bread maker manual and experimented with recipes I loved. I questioned everything.
The result is a different way to use a bread machine, along with more than 67 bread-maker recipes published on this website. But don’t worry about all that right now.
Remember that any advanced skill (making high-quality yeast bread qualifies) will take practice and experience.
Six Bread Machine Tips + 1 About Dense Bread
1. Start simple.
- (If you are already an experienced bread-maker, skip this one.) If you have never made bread before, use a bread machine mix from the grocery store and observe the consistency of the dough in various stages.
- Begin with a simple recipe like this bread machine pizza dough. It’s my favorite, and it’s almost foolproof. Or try my classic dinner rolls. They will build your confidence.
2. Be cautious about substitutions.
In the beginning, try to follow the ingredient list as carefully as possible to maximize your chances of success.
- Substituting whole wheat or all-purpose flour for bread flour isn’t always a 1-to-1 swap. Different flours absorb moisture differently and have varying gluten levels, impacting the texture and rise.
- All yeast is not the same. You can substitute active-dry yeast for instant or bread machine yeast. (Instant, bread machine, and rapid-rise yeast are interchangeable.)
However, active dry yeast is slower on the uptake. Add 1/4 teaspoon extra yeast if you are substituting for instant yeast.
Instant yeast saves time as it does not need to be dissolved. Traditionally, active-dry yeast needed to be dissolved. The modern formulation can now be added directly to your flour.
Dissolve it according to the package directions if it makes you feel better. No worries!
3. Don’t be afraid to open the lid.
Check your bread machine after one minute to ensure the kneading paddle is engaged and the dough is clumping. If not, the paddle might be missing or disengaged—use a wooden spoon to adjust. It could also be in the preheat phase, with no action until ingredients reach the same temperature.
At 15 minutes, check again.
- Too moist: Dough will be soupy—add flour 1 tbsp at a time until a tacky ball forms.
- Too dry: Dough will form a ball that doesn’t touch the sides—add water 1 tbsp at a time until tacky.
Read more about this secret to success with a bread machine.
While experience helps, I hope you’ll have beginner’s luck, and your bread turns out perfectly the first time!
4. Stick with the “DOUGH” cycle on your bread maker.
If you haven’t read my blog before, I rarely bake bread in my machine. I use the dough cycle to mix the ingredients. Then, I remove the dough to a floured surface to shape it. Finally, bake it in a conventional oven.
This method gives me more control, more shaping options, and a better crust on the finished product. If I’m going to ingest luxury calories, they must be worth it. Bread baked in a bread machine rarely makes the cut.
What if you have no oven or are a fix-it-and-forget-it kind of baker?
Keep reading if you prefer using an automatic bread maker for the entire process.
5. How to get a better-looking loaf when using the bread machine for baking your bread:
- Check the manual for when the final rise begins in a regular cycle.
- Remove dough and kneading paddles at the start of the last rise.
- Reshape dough (braid, form balls, twist, or roll).
- Place the dough back in the pan and continue the cycle.
- For some machines, unplugging and replugging may pause and resume the cycle.
- This extra step improves the shape and top and reduces bottom holes, though the crust may still be thick and tough.
6. Invest in quality bakeware and accessories.
If you want to bake your bread-machine-mixed dough in a regular oven, you will want a nice crust on your bread. Purchase high-quality pans with a superior non-stick finish so your loaf will fall out easily.
A few suggestions:
I highly recommend the last three items if you want to become an excellent home baker. Check out my favorites in my Amazon store, or follow the links below based on your preferred loaf size.
- Two heavy-duty pizza pans (for pizza) with a dark finish (Check eBay for these. Defunct pizza restaurants often sell them.)
- Two (8-inch or 9-inch (paid links) with 2-inch high sides) heavy-duty cake pans with a dark interior or gold finish
- An 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pan(paid link) and a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan(paid link) for recipes containing approximately 2-1/2 to 3 cups of flour or a 10-inch loaf pan(paid link) for a 2-pound loaf.
- A heavy-duty baking sheet
- Instant-read thermometer (paid link) or this smaller one (paid links)–help to gauge when the bread is fully baked. It’s more accurate than thumping the bottom like a watermelon.
- Dough scraper (paid link)
- Freebie shower caps–perfect for covering pans of formed dough for the second rising
7. Consider the ambient temperature.
Ambient temperature: Refers to the room where your bread machine sits.
- Room temperature impacts how fast dough rises, even with a built-in heating element.
- In a chilly room, dough may not rise fully during the DOUGH cycle—let it continue proofing in the machine.
- Removing too early prevents yeast from fully developing, leading to less flavor and a denser texture.
What to do when your house is too cold
- Consider moving your machine to a warmer spot in the house.
- Throw a blanket over the bread machine to help with proofing in a chilly room.
- Remove the blanket before the machine starts heating if you’re baking in the machine.
If you are using the DOUGH cycle
- Transfer dough from the bread machine to another bowl, cover it.
- Place the bowl in a warm spot (85˚F oven, water heater, etc.).
- If the dough hasn’t doubled in the DOUGH cycle due to cool temps, let it continue proofing in the machine.
- Allowing full proofing ensures proper yeast development and better flavor and prevents dense texture.
Another option is to use your microwave oven as a dough-proofing box.
What to do when your house is too warm
When your house is too warm or humid, your bread may overproof and turn out flat on top. You can read about over-proofed dough in a bread machine and what to do about it here.
Bonus Tip: Why Is My Bread Too Dense?
This is the most common complaint from new breadmakers: dense bread due to improper rising within the machine’s allowed time. There are many possible causes. Read this exhaustive list of 26 reasons your bread is dense, including many bread machine-specific issues.
Here’s a sampling:
- Flour Measurement: Did you measure accurately? Too much flour makes bread dense and crumbly. A digital scale (paid link) is worth it for consistent results.
- Whole-Grain Flour: Whole wheat dough doesn’t always rise as high or as fast. Use the whole wheat setting or DOUGH cycle for better control.
- Salt Balance: Did you reduce or omit salt? Salt regulates yeast activity. Too little results in overactive yeast (flat top); too much slows it down.
- Flour Type: Did you use all-purpose instead of bread flour? Bread flour’s higher gluten content helps loaves rise better.
- Yeast Type: Used active dry yeast instead of instant? Active dry yeast can be slower—add 1/4 teaspoon more.
- Ingredient Temperature: When using the machine to actually bake your bread, were the ingredients at room temperature? Cold ingredients slow yeast action, affecting rise. For the DOUGH cycle, this isn’t as crucial since kneading creates heat.
FAQs About Using Bread Machines
Good question. It depends. Read this post about what a bread machine does and why you might need one.
Nothing. Americans call it a bread machine, while other English-speaking countries call it a bread maker.
It can be. It depends on the baker’s skills in making the bread by hand. Without years of experience, I think the best bread machines will do a better job of kneading the dough. Kneading by hand takes stamina and a second sense to “read” the dough.
The answer depends on three things: 1) opinion, 2) personal standards for good bread, and 3) how a bread maker is used.
The Final Analysis
A bread maker is like an automatic washer and dryer. If you use it for every piece of clothing because “that’s what it’s made for,” you’ll end up with fading, shrinking, and unraveling. Machines need human discretion.
The same goes for a bread maker: using it to mix, knead, and bake every recipe because “that’s why you bought it” may lead to some unappetizing surprises.
Don’t forget: Learn how to use a bread machine (in cooperation with your brain and your oven) to make marvelous bread. Sign up for my free bread-machine email course.
Parting Thoughts: Don’t settle for homemade bread that’s only “good enough” because it smells nice while baking. Start with the most popular recipe on this site: Bread Machine French Bread—perfect for beginners. You’ll find step-by-step instructions and pictures for making a crusty loaf using a bread maker. Let me know how it turns out—I can’t wait to hear!
P.S. Are You Looking To Buy a Bread Maker?
Are you wondering which is the best bread maker or machine for a home baker like yourself, considering ease of use, available counter space, and storage? Do you really need a 13-hour delay timer, a nut dispenser, or a cycle to make gluten-free loaves? Should you buy a Zojirushi Virtuoso, a Cuisinart Compact, a Hamilton Beach Homebaker, or another brand? Read about what to look for in a bread maker.
Wondering which bread maker is best for a home baker like you? Consider ease of use, counter space, and storage. Do you need a 13-hour delay timer, nut dispenser, or gluten-free cycle? Should you go for a Zojirushi Virtuoso, Cuisinart Compact, Hamilton Beach Homebaker, or another brand? Read on to learn what to look for in a bread maker.
If you have questions or suggestions, email me privately for a quick answer: Paula at saladinajar.com. Hope to see you again soon!
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.