If there’s one thing I’ve been cooking a lot lately, it’s soup. So. Much. Soup.
I can’t say I’m mad about it – it’s perfect for these chilly days and making up a big pot in advance has been great for quick lunches or easy dinners.
And what do you need with soup? A nice loaf of bread, of course.
This honey oat bread is my hands-down favorite. It’s soft and chewy with just the right tough of sweetness. It’s also fool-proof – every loaf I’ve made turns out beautiful.
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Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup old fashioned oats + 1-2 Tablespoons for topping
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (or 1 package)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup honey + 1-2 Tablespoons for topping
I love this recipe because there’s nothing fancy here – all of the ingredients are things I regularly have on hand.
Directions
- In a stand mixer, combine the flour, oats, yeast, and salt.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk but do not boil. Stir in the butter until melted. Stir in the water and honey.
- Add the wet ingredients to the stand mixer bowl. Mix with a dough hook until it comes together, then increase the speed to knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If the dough is still wet and sticky halfway through kneading, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until it’s barely tacky.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and place in a warm place until doubled in size – about 30-60 minutes.
- Turn the dough out on a floured surface and flatten into a 9×12 rectangle. Starting at one of the short sides, roll up tightly, and transfer to a greased loaf pan. Cover with a towel and put in a warm place to rise until doubled – another 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Warm the honey for topping slightly and brush over the risen loaf. Sprinkle with oats for topping.
- Boil 2 cups of water and place in a baking dish in the lower rack of the oven. Place the loaf on the rack above to bake.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the pan of water. Continue to bake for another 35 minutes or so, until golden. The bread should sound hollow when tapped when it’s done.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely before slicing.
The added step of adding boiling water to a pan underneath the bread during the first few minutes of the bake gives an incredible result – the bread is so soft and fluffy this way! You don’t want to leave it in for the whole bake time, though. The first few minutes is enough to do the trick!
You’ll also want to wait until the loaf is completely cooled to cut if you want nice slices. I generally bake the bread the day before, slice at room temperature, and then wrap it in foil to warm up in the oven just before serving.
What to Serve with Honey Oat Bread
This is, hands down, my favorite bread to make with soup. What soups? Pretty much all of them, but Olive Garden-style Minestrone, Dill Pickle Soup and Cheeseburger Soup are all in heavy rotation these days.
Other soups we love include Buffalo Chicken Chowder, Southwestern Broccoli Chowder, Slow Cooker Pepperoni Pizza Soup, and Creamy Tomato Basil.
Recipe for Honey Oat Bread
Honey Oat Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup old fashioned oats + 1-2 Tablespoons for topping
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (or 1 package)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup honey + 1-2 Tablespoons for topping
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, combine the flour, oats, yeast, and salt.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk but do not boil. Stir in the butter until melted. Stir in the water and honey.
- Add the wet ingredients to the stand mixer bowl. Mix with a dough hook until it comes together, then increase the speed to knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If the dough is still wet and sticky halfway through kneading, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until it's barely tacky.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and place in a warm place until doubled in size - about 30-60 minutes.
- Turn the dough out on a floured surface and flatten into a 9x12 rectangle. Starting at one of the short sides, roll up tightly, and transfer to a greased loaf pan. Cover with a towel and put in a warm place to rise until doubled - another 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Warm the honey for topping slightly and brush over the risen loaf. Sprinkle with oats for topping.
- Boil 2 cups of water and place in a baking dish in the lower rack of the oven. Place the loaf on the rack above to bake.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the pan of water. Continue to bake for another 35 minutes or so, until golden. The bread should sound hollow when tapped when it's done.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Adapted from Bakingdom
