Two-Loaf Buttermilk Bread

By
Elizabeth Yetter
Elizabeth Yetter
Bread expert Elizabeth Yetter has been baking bread for more than 20 years, bringing her Pennsylvania Dutch Country experiences to life through recipes.
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Updated on 05/19/22
Two loaf buttermilk bread recipe

The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Prep: 3 hrs
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 3 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 32 servings
Yield: 2 loaves
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
112 Calories
2g Fat
21g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories 112
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 214mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 40mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The buttermilk in this bread recipe gives the bread a rich texture and buttery flavor. You can use either fresh buttermilk or buttermilk powder (mixing 1 cup of water with 4 tablespoons of buttermilk powder). The rich taste is the same for either type of buttermilk. If you can’t get a hold of buttermilk, mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon with 1 cup milk.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups water, at room temperature, divided

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 (0.25-ounce) package active dry yeast, 2 1/2 teaspoons

  • 1 cup buttermilk

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 tablespoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

  • 6 cups bread flour

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for two loaf buttermilk bread
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup water and 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool until warm.

    Heat water and butter
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. In a small bowl, add 1/2 cup warm water and the dry yeast. Stir yeast until it is dissolved. Set bowl aside and continue with the next step.

    Stir in yeast
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. In a large bowl, mix buttermilk, honey, sugar, salt, and vinegar. When the butter water is warm to the touch, pour it into the large bowl. Add yeast water.

    Add honey, sugar
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack 

  5. Begin adding bread flour 1 cup at a time.

    Add bread flour
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. When the dough is too stiff to mix with the wooden spoon, about 5 cups, turn out onto a floured board.

    Dough on cutting board
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Knead in the remaining flour until the dough is firm and smooth.

    Knead dough
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack 

  8. Put the dough in a buttered bowl and flip dough so that the top of it is lightly buttered. Cover and let rise until double in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.

    Put dough in buttered bowl
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  9. Punch down dough and turn out onto a floured board. Knead bubbles out of dough.

    Punch down dough
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  10. Divide dough into 2 equal halves.

    Divide dough into halves
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  11. Preheat oven 375 F. Form dough into 2 loaves. Place in buttered bread pans.

    Form dough into two loaves
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  12. Cover and let rise until double in size, about 30 to 45 minutes

    Cover and let rise
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  13. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Brush butter on to bread tops. Using a sharp knife, make 3 light slashes across the bread tops.

    Melt butter
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  14. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans and let cool on a rack or dishtowel.

    Bake bread
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Tips

  • For a beautiful bread, you can braid the bread dough.
  • Use bottled spring water instead of tap water to make your bread. Water softeners and chlorinated public water can sometimes kill the yeast needed to make your bread dough rise.
  • Brush loaves with butter immediately after baking to produce a soft crust.
  • Brush loaves with milk before baking to produce a dark, shiny crust.
  • Brush loaves with egg white before baking to produce a shiny crust.
  • Spraying loaves with water while they bake will produce a crispy crust.
  • When honey is added to bread dough, it helps protect the baked bread's moisture.