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 baking 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.
“Easy and delicious! The texture is very soft and tender!” – Pat
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- 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: All-purpose flour will also work in this recipe. You may find that you need to adjust the amount of flour, and that’s ok! Just go by feel to avoid adding too much flour.
How to make skillet bread
Step 1: 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.
Step 2: Add part of the flour, olive oil, and salt. Knead on low, continuing to add flour 1/4 cup at a time until it forms a soft, smooth dough that clears the sides of the bowl.
Step 3: Once it forms the dough, continue to knead for 5 minutes on low.
Step 4: Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Form the dough into a tight ball and place in a cast iron skillet. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Step 6: Just before you place the bread in the oven cut two slits width-wise and one lengthwise.
Step 7: Bake. The bread will brown quickly toward the end of the baking time, so keep an eye on it.
Recipe Tips!
- Cast iron skillet: I’ve only used a cast iron skillet to bake this bread.
- Skillet prep: Feel free to lightly coat your cast iron skillet with a little oil. I don’t recommend using nonstick spray as it can damage a cast iron skillet.
- 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 or honey butter. Though it isn’t crusty, this bread is also delicious dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Storage
Store any leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature. The bread will keep for 2-3 days when properly stored.
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 1/4 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: All-purpose flour will also work in this recipe.
- 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.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Originally published 4/21/2020.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Gran says
This bread takes so little time to prepare, but tastes like recipes that require much more. It looks like an Artisan bread . It has an excellent texture and flavor. I used unbleached all purpose flour rather than bread flour without any problems. Another use for my Lodge skillet and seasons it as an added bonus.
Kate says
Thank you so much!!
AKreitzer says
My husband wanted to find a recipe he could make out at our cabin (not a lot of fuss or ingredients). This one worked really well for his first time making bread. The taste was very nice with my mix of wheat/white all purpose flours, and now he’s anxious to try other breads – who knew?!
Kate says
I’m glad that the wheat/white flour mix worked well! Thanks for commenting!
Glenn says
This is the go to bread now for my family
Kate says
Thank you!! I’m glad you and your family like it!
The Dirty Caver says
Well hello! This was unreal. I love my cast iron and this worked out perfect. Thanks
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Jericho says
This is everything! I’m a self-proclaimed connoisseur of great bread…all bread. Who isn’t?! I’ve now made this bread 4 times and every time I’m like “nailed it”. It’s a staple. Even my non bee non bread-eating 6 year old could eat the entire loaf. It’s easy. It has clear directions. I feel capable as a non-baker and beginner. And it’s got loads of flavor, softness and yummy goodness. Did I mention it’s easy and SAME DAY BREAD!?! Off to bake the second loaf in 2 days. Thank you!!
Jericho says
This bread is awesome!! This was my first time making bread. And I wanted something quick with my lentil and chicken sausage stew. Nailed it! I used bread flour. I followed the reco and added butter and large salt crystals on top. Omg. I could skip dinner and eat this instead. Hope there’s some for the kids and hubby! Ha!
Questions along the way that I figured out were
1) what size cast iron? I ended up using a large on but the standard original could work.
2) how do you store this?
Thank you!
Kate says
Hi! Thanks so much! Two good questions. =) 1) I use a 10.25-inch cast iron skillet. 2) I store the cooled bread in a resealable gallon-sized baggie.
David says
I used extra honey to make the bread sweet. Now my kids don’t use unhealthy jelly and jams they just put on the peanut butter and go.
Kate says
That’s so smart! =) Thanks for sharing!
Jocelyn says
Could you make this in a Dutch oven?
Kate says
I haven’t tried making it in a Dutch oven. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Rob says
Made it with bread flour this time and it came out twice as good as it did when I used all purpose flour. This is a fantastic recipe.
Kate says
Thank you! And thanks for sharing your note about using bread flour!
Kristen Ware says
Easy and delicious!
Kate says
Thank you!
anne says
I have made bread in a skillet in the past, however this recipe is the best. The bread was fluffy but hearty. I will be making this bread again !Yum
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it!
Shelley W says
It’s a little sweet for me. Can I cut back on the honey. Otherwise it’s absolutely delicious. I did use all purpose flour instead of bread flour and it worked out great. Making more today!
Kate says
Glad you liked it! You could try cutting it to 1 tablespoon of honey. The sugar in the honey helps to feed the yeast and encourages rising, so you won’t want to eliminate it altogether.
Elle says
Very yummy! This is a great recipe!
Rob says
Made it with all purpose flour and it turned out great. I will use bread flour next time to compare. Fast, easy, and not a lot of cleanup love it.
Kate says
Thank you! Glad that it worked out well for you!
Shel says
This recipe is super easy and perfect! Came out better than I anticipated! So good!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it!
Suzanne says
No where did it say to grease the pan and my bread was stuck to the pan…disappointing!
Kate says
The reason that the recipe doesn’t call for you to grease the pan is because the recipe calls for using a cast iron skillet. A properly seasoned cast iron skillet shouldn’t need to be greased before use. Furthermore, using nonstick cooking sprays can ruin cast iron.
Boomer says
Boom,Suzanne.
megan says
This was a brilliant recipe! Thank you so much :) can these be freezed so I can do them in bulk?
Kate says
Thank you so much! I don’t see any reason why the bread couldn’t be frozen.
Beth says
My kids LOVED this bread! It was soft, fluffy and delicious. The kids are already asking for another loaf.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad to hear that!
Jane Abernathy says
I don’t have a stand mixer.
Kate says
You can mix this bread by hand. You’ll just need to add additional kneading time.
Kelsey says
Love! Soft bread was easy to make.
Kate says
Thanks! =)