Easy skillet bread recipe! This simple recipe takes just 6 pantry staple ingredients and makes a loaf of light and fluffy bread.
Whether you're intimidated by yeast and looking for a good beginner recipe or just looking for an easy recipe, this is the recipe for you!
This simple skillet bread recipe only takes about 90 minutes total, and it's made with 6 basic ingredients. The hands-on time for this recipe is minimal, and most of the time is just rising or bakign time.
And the recipe makes delicious, fluffy white bread. I serve this as a table bread and just serve it right out of the skillet at dinner.
How to make skillet bread
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir the water, honey, and yeast together. Let mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.
Add part of the flour, olive oil, and salt. Knead on low, continuing to add flour ¼ cup at a time until it forms a soft, smooth dough that clears the sides of the bowl.
Once it forms the dough, continue to knead for 5 minutes on low.
Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
Form the dough into a tight ball and place in a cast iron skillet. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Just before you place the bread in the oven cut two slits width-wise and one lengthwise. Bake. The bread will brown quickly toward the end of the baking time, so keep an eye on it.
Tips
- Water: If you don't have a thermometer, feel the water. It should feel a little warmer than bath water but shouldn't feel uncomfortably warm. If it's too hot for you, it will be too hot and could kill the yeast.
- Oil: I like to use olive oil in this recipe. Another neutral oil should work in place of the olive oil.
- Flour: I haven't tested this recipe with all-purpose or another type of flour.
- Cast iron skillet: I've only used a cast iron skillet to bake this bread.
- After baking, I lightly brush the outside of the bread with butter and lightly sprinkle it with sea salt. It's optional, but the butter does help to keep the crust soft.
How to serve this bread
Since this bread is soft and fluffy, it's great spread with butter. Though it isn't crusty, this bread is also delicious dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
More easy homemade bread recipes!
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Skillet Bread
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water 105–115 degrees
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 ½ - 4 cups bread flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir the water, honey, and yeast together.
- Let mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.
- Add 2 ½ cups of flour, olive oil, and salt.
- Knead on low, continuing to add flour ¼ cup at a time until it forms a soft, smooth dough that clears the sides of the bowl.
- Once it forms the dough, continue to knead for 5 minutes on low.
- Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Form the dough into a tight ball and place in a cast iron skillet. I use a 12" skillet.
- Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Toward the end of the second rising time, set your oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat oven to 400F.
- Just before you place the bread in the oven cut two slits width-wise and one lengthwise.
- Bake for 12-20 minutes. The bread will brown quickly toward the end of the baking time, so keep an eye on it.
- OPTIONAL: I brush a little melted butter over the baked bread and sprinkle sea salt on top.
Video
Notes
- Water: If you don't have a thermometer, feel the water. It should feel a little warmer than bath water but shouldn't feel uncomfortably warm. If it's too hot for you, it will be too hot and could kill the yeast.
- Oil: I like to use olive oil in this recipe. Another neutral oil should work in place of the olive oil.
- Flour: I haven't tested this recipe with all-purpose or another type of flour.
- Cast iron skillet: I've only used a cast iron skillet to bake this bread.
- After baking, I lightly brush the outside of the bread with butter and lightly sprinkle it with sea salt. It's optional, but the butter does help to keep the crust soft.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Free Range Bear
I have made this for my family several times. It always turns out looking like in the photo and tastes better than any bread I have ever tried. We like to cut it in half and freeze one side to use as French toast later in the week.
Kate
Thank you! I'm glad that you like the bread!
Autumn
I just tried this for the first time and it turned out fantastic! And I’m new to baking bread. This recipe is a keeper. Do you have any similar skillet bread recipes that are whole wheat and that have lots of seeds (inside and/or out)? Thanks for sharing a fool proof recipe!
Kate
Thank you so much! I don't have them posted yet, but I do have more versions, including a honey oat bread and a Dakota bread.
Fiona
I made this today and it turned out lovely!
I don't have a stand mixer so I just did it by hand. I also used Five Roses all purpose flour and sifted it as I put it in. It turned out very soft and fluffy!
I also put in a tablespoon of rosemary as I was kneading it, and then gave it an egg wash before putting it in the oven.
This recipe is 100% a keeper. Thank you so much for sharing it!
Kate
Thank you so much!
Shawn
I'm made this recipe with all purpose flour and it turned out great, the only thing I did different was that I; proofed it in the oven by placing it in the skillet and placed a casserole dish with boiled water below it, doubled in size, thx.
Kate
I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing your tips!
Ginger Vosburg
Perfect bread and so easy & quick! It's the family favorite. Thank you for sharing.
Kate
Thank you! I'm so glad that you like it!
Barbie Dombroski
Cant wait to make this bread! Do you think self rising flour will work? If not I have all purpose flour? I just hope mine turns out like the picture of yours in the recipe, it looks beautiful!
Kate
Thank you! Unfortunately, self rising flour won't be a good substitute in this recipe because self rising flour has salt and baking powder in it. All purpose flour would be a better substitute. You may find that you need to use a different amount of all purpose flour. You'll know that you have the right amount of flour in the dough when it feels soft, smooth, and a little sticky. If you give it a pinch, the dough should feel sticky to the touch but shouldn't come off on your fingers. I hope that helps!
Barbie
Thank You Kate!
Looks like I’ll be getting bread flour, can’t wait to make it! Thanks for the recipe😊
Kate
Of course! I hope you like the bread!
Isabelle
Hello. Do you need to cover the skillet while baking? I only have one skillet, no cover. Thanks.
Kate
Hi! No, you don't need to cover the bread while it bakes.