Cottage bread is a delightful addition to any meal with its soft texture, golden crust, and rich, slightly sweet flavor. This versatile bread is perfect for sandwiches, French toast, or simply enjoying with a bit of butter and honey. One of the best things about cottage bread is that it’s incredibly easy to make, even for beginners. With just a few simple ingredients and steps, you’ll have fresh, homemade bread in no time.
Not only is cottage bread delicious, but it’s also healthier than store-bought options, as it contains no preservatives or artificial additives. Baking it yourself gives you control over the ingredients, allowing you to adjust the recipe to your taste and dietary preferences.
Cottage Bread Ingredients
- Warm water
- Active dry yeast
- Salt
- White granulated sugar
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
How To Make Cottage Bread
Prepare Your Dough
Simply mix the yeast into a bowl of warm water, stirring until it fully dissolves. Let it sit undisturbed for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
After the yeast has activated, combine it with the flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Mix until everything is fully blended.
When the dough begins to form, transfer it to a floured surface. Knead it until it becomes smooth with a slight tackiness. If the dough is too sticky, gradually add more flour while kneading. Shape the dough into a round ball.
Let It Rise
Transfer your prepared cottage bread dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover it. Let it rise for 45 to 60 minutes.
Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down and transfer it back to your floured surface. Use a dough scraper or knife to cut the dough into two portions.
Shape the dough into a loaf by folding it or rolling it up and pressing it into the pan. Place it in lightly greased baking pans and let it rise for 30 to 45 minutes, or until it slightly overflows the edge of the pan.
Lightly press your finger into the dough. If it springs back quickly, it needs more time to rise. If it springs back slowly, it’s ready for baking. If the dough collapses, it’s over-proofed, but it will still bake well.
Bake the Loaf
After your dough has finished rising, set your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the loaves for about 35 minutes. They should develop a golden brown crust on top and produce a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.
Transfer your cottage bread to a cooling rack and let it cool before cutting. It can be tempting to slice it right away, but allowing it to cool helps the bread finish baking inside. Cutting it too soon might result in a slightly gummy texture in the center.
After your bread has cooled, you can slice it and savor it. I love to enjoy freshly baked cottage bread with a little butter and a touch of honey.
For a softer crust, you can cover the bread while it’s still warm, allowing it to “sweat” and release steam that softens the crust. Another option is to brush the crust with a thin layer of butter.
Top Tips
Keep the crust soft: Cover the warm bread to trap steam from the oven. Alternatively, brush the crust with butter which will soften it.
Delicious pairings: Enjoy slices of the bread alongside butter, jam, cheese or cold cuts. It also makes excellent sandwiches or toast for picnics and breakfast.
Allow ample rising time: Be sure to give the dough an hour for the initial rise after kneading. Then another full hour for the second rise after shaping. The extra time yields an impressively light texture.
Use a baking stone if possible: Baking the loaves on a preheated stone in the oven helps produce a crisp brown crust. It distributes heat evenly for perfectly baked bread.
How To Store
Room Temperature Storage
For fresh bread that stays soft for days, place the cooled loaf in a sealed ziplock bag. Storing it this way at room temperature keeps the crumb moist and enjoyable.
Freezing Option
If you want slices on hand for later, cut the bread and place the portions in a ziplock bag before freezing. This comes in handy when fresh bread is needed for quick toast. Simply toast the frozen slices when ready to serve.
More Bread Recipes
Cottage Bread
Ingredients
- 627 Grams Warm Water 2 2/3 Cups
- 18 Grams Active Dry Yeast 2 Tablespoons
- 17 Grams Salt 1 Tablespoon
- 37 Grams White Granulated Sugar 3 Tablespoons
- 28 Grams Butter 2 Tablespoons
- 720 Grams All-Purpose Flour 6 Cups
Instructions
- Dissolve the yeast in a bowl of warm water by stirring gently. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, giving the yeast time to activate and become frothy.
- Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are fully blended.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured surface. Knead it until the texture is smooth but still a bit sticky to the touch. Form the dough into a round ball.
- Put the dough into a greased bowl and cover it. Let it rise for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, press it down gently and place it back onto a floured surface. Using a pastry cutter or knife, divide the dough into two equal parts.
- Shape each portion into a loaf and set them in greased baking pans. Allow the dough to rise for another 30 to 45 minutes, until it just peeks above the rim of the pan. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the loaves for about 35 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the pans and transfer it to a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before slicing.