Transform Your Favorite Recipes for Bread Machine Success
Sneak Peek: Looking to turn Grandma’s classic bread recipe into a bread machine masterpiece? This guide walks you through every step to adapt traditional bread recipes for your bread machine with ease.
If you are looking for the Soft Garlic Breadsticks recipe that used to be on this post, click here.
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Do you have a favorite recipe for Grandma’s bread or an old newspaper clipping for bread you’ve always wanted to try? Do you have a bread machine you want to use?
Find the recipe. Let’s talk about adapting it like I did in the picture above with Helen Corbitt’s monkey bread. Keep a tradition going or start a new one with the help of your bread machine.
Happy Bakers Speak Up
“This is an amazing resource. VERY THOROUGH!!!!! Much appreciated. Hubby has taken to making bread in bread machine and was wondering if he could use our regular bread recipes, and you have opened up a new world to him. Thanks!” —ROB and GEORGIE
First Steps Before You Begin
- Check your bread machine’s capacity:
- 1 lb. loaf: 2 to 2 2/3 cups flour
- 1.5 lb. loaf: 3 to 3 3/4 cups flour
- 2 lb. loaf: 4 to 5 cups flour
- Determine your machine’s loaf size:
- If you’re unsure, fill the pan with water, 1 cup at a time, and count how many cups it holds.
Adjusting Recipe Size to Match Your Machine
- Too large? Scale the recipe down. Divide all ingredients proportionally.
- Too small? The loaf may bake shorter and denser. Consider increasing the recipe size or baking in the oven instead.
- Overloading your bread machine can strain the motor and create a sticky mess.
Step-by-Step Guide to Converting Recipes
1. Calculate Flour
- Combine all flour and flour-like ingredients (e.g., oatmeal, vital wheat gluten).
- Tip: Use bread flour for better rise and texture when actually baking your bread in the machine. Bread flour’s extra protein may require slightly more water.
2. Scale Ingredients
- Divide or multiply all ingredients proportionally to match your machine’s capacity.
- Quick Tip for Odd Measurements:
- Use kitchen scales for precise weights.
- Ask a virtual assistant to halve fractions like 1/3 cup.
3. Measure Liquids
- Include eggs, milk, yogurt, juices, and water in your liquid total.
- Treat viscous ingredients (e.g., mashed bananas, Greek yogurt) as half-liquid.
- Start with 3/8 cup liquid per cup of flour as a guideline.
4. Choose the Right Yeast
- Use instant, quick-rise, or bread machine yeast. These don’t require pre-dissolving and rise faster than active dry yeast.
- Substitute instant yeast for active dry yeast by reducing the amount by 1/4 teaspoon.
5. Don’t Skip the Salt
- Salt controls yeast growth, preventing overproofing.
- Use 1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup of flour. Adjust slightly if using kosher salt.
6. Use the Right Amount of Sugar
- Yeast thrives on sugar but too much can slow it down. For sweet breads, allow extra rising time.
- Tip: Skip pre-activating yeast with sugar when using instant yeast.
- Read more about the effects of sugar in yeast bread.
7. Handle Fats Wisely
- Substitute butter for shortening or use oil for a different texture.
- Add fats under the flour to prevent coating the yeast prematurely.
8. Add Mix-Ins Carefully
- Limit add-ins (seeds, nuts, dried fruits) to 1/2 cup for a 1 lb. loaf.
- Add them during the machine’s beep or knead them in manually during shaping.
Tips for Assembling Ingredients
- Layer ingredients properly: Liquids first, followed by salt, fats, flour, and yeast.
- Room temperature ingredients: Not necessary for most machines. Kneading friction warms the dough sufficiently.
- Hold back liquid: Reserve about 1/4 of the liquid and adjust as needed during kneading. After making your recipe several times, you won’t have to do this.
Troubleshooting Common Dough Issues
- Crumbly dough? Add liquid.
- Rubber-ball dough? Add liquid.
- Runny dough? Add flour.
- Sticky dough? Add small amounts of flour until it pulls away cleanly from the sides.
This step is the most important thing you can do when using a bread machine to ensure success.
FAQs
Can all bread recipes be adapted for bread machines?
Most can, but very wet doughs or recipes designed for slow rises (e.g., refrigerator doughs) may not work well.
What if my bread machine has no “add-in” beep?
Manually add extras like raisins or nuts during shaping or before the final rise.
Can I bake directly in the machine?
Yes, but shaping and oven-baking often yield a better crust and loaf shape.
Parting Thoughts: What recipe do you want to try in your bread machine? I can’t wait to hear about it. Pictures in my email are even better.
What Would You Like To Read Next?
- 6+ Bread Maker Tips You Need To Make Marvelous Bread
- Why Baking Bread Machine Dough in the Oven is Better and How To Do It
- How to Make Herb Dinner Rolls With Your Bread Machine
- Condensed-Milk Soft White Bread Recipe
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.