11 Ways to Add More Flavor to Your Bread
Sneak Preview: Disappointed in bland bread? Here are 11 simple tips to make your homemade bread more flavorful, whether you’re using a bread machine, stand mixer, or mixing by hand.

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If you have been disappointed in the flavor of your bread, whether made with a bread machine or otherwise, I have some insights and ideas for you.
But first, a parable…

A Tale of Two Trees
Our neighborhood has both majestic oaks and fast-growing cottonwoods. Oaks grow slowly, rewarding patience with strength and beauty. Cottonwoods, with shallow roots and weak wood, quickly exhaust themselves and cause problems.
The lesson? Like oaks, great bread takes time. Allowing dough to rise slowly creates better flavor and texture. Bread-making, like nature, thrives on patience.
This brings us to the number one way to make more flavorful bread.
1. Slow Down the Fermentation Process
Like the beautiful oak in my story, extraordinary results take time! The first three tips are about ways to build more time into the breadmaking process.

- Ferment dough in the refrigerator overnight to develop complex flavors.
- Keep proofing temperatures between 75–78°F (24–26°C). Use a quick-read digital thermometer (paid link) to find an ideal proofing spot.
- Avoid using the QUICK DOUGH cycle on your bread machine, as it doesn’t provide enough time for flavor development.
2. Decrease the yeast

- Adding more yeast does not increase the yeast flavor. It only serves to make the dough rise faster, which is unnecessary and counterproductive. (See #1)
- Reduce the amount of yeast in older recipes.
- Any time you use the more potent instant yeast (perfect for use with a bread machine), use less, at least a half teaspoon less than active dry yeast.
3. Try Pre-ferments

- Mix flour, water, and a tiny amount of yeast. Let it sit for several hours or overnight.
- Add the pre-ferment to your main dough for richer, more complex flavors.
- These recipes all contain pre-ferments that contribute to a richer, more complex flavor in the final product.
4. Add Flavorful Ingredients

The list is endless. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
- Options:
- Cheese, seeds, nuts
- Herbs, olives, dried fruit, or fresh fruit
- How to Add:
- Blend soft ingredients like mashed bananas at the start.
- Add sturdier ingredients (nuts, cheese, and dried fruit) during the last 5 minutes of kneading.
- Mix in forgotten ingredients by hand before shaping the dough. This method works well for herbs or small chocolate pieces as well.

5. Use Fresh, High-Quality Ingredients

- Check expiration dates on flour and yeast.
- Store whole-grain flour in the fridge to prevent rancidity.
- Grind your flour for the freshest flavor.
6. Don’t Skimp on Salt
- Salt enhances flavor and balances sweetness.
- Start with 1 tsp of salt for every 3 cups of flour, adjusting to taste.
- If you are watching your salt intake, see this post about cutting back salt in bread(Focus on #4.)
7. Use a Sourdough Starter or Starter Discard

- Sourdough starter or discard adds tangy, complex flavors.
- Use starter in bread machine recipes like these sourdough rolls or sandwich bread.
8. Experiment With Baking Methods

- Use a Dutch oven or pizza stone for a better crust and deeper flavor.
- If you typically use a bread machine, consider switching to the DOUGH cycle, then shape the bread by hand and bake it in a conventional oven.
- Invest in high-quality pans (like these USA Pans -paid link) for even browning and better crust texture.
- Note: I avoid baking bread in glass pans. The glass gets hotter and tends to dry the bread, especially in the corners. Decrease the oven temperature by 25˚F.
9. Try Different Glazes

- Add flavor and shine with glazes like honey butter or sugar syrup.
- Use glazes to “glue” seeds, spices, or coarse sugar to the crust.
10. Avoid Underproofing or Overproofing

- Underproofed bread: Lacks flavor and texture because of the shorter fermentation period. It may be slightly acidic or have a pronounced yeast flavor.
- Overproofed bread: Bland, deflated, and often a volcano or flat top. This often happens when using a bread machine to both mix and bake your bread. A computer doesn’t recognize less-than-optimal conditions for proofing bread.
- Use the finger test: Press two fingers into the dough. If it partially fills back in, it’s ready to bake.

11. Don’t Over-Knead or Under-Knead
- Over-kneading destroys gluten, reducing flavor and structure.
- Under-kneading leads to weak gluten that can’t hold flavor compounds.
- Bread machines rarely over-knead, but monitor closely with stand mixers.
Parting thoughts: Making flavorful bread takes time, high-quality ingredients, and a willingness to experiment. Don’t rush the process—great bread rewards patience.
a Paula-ism
Great bread isn’t as simple as making brownies—yeast has its rules, and respecting them makes all the difference.
Questions? Email me: 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.