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Bread Machine Tips

This section looks at common bread machine recipe issues & problems and how you can resolve them. If you have any great bread machine tips, please contact us and we will add them to this list.

These bread machine tips should be used when you are making various breads from Bread Dad’s Bread Machine Recipes section. This page may have Amazon affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, we make a small commission if you buy products via any affiliate links below. Thank you for your support!

Bread Machine Tips

  • Read The Instructions – Read the instructions that come with your bread machine!!!! Bread machines vary and have different settings. Familiarize yourself with your machine’s specific operating instructions before you start baking. This will allow you to operate your bread machine effectively and safely!!
  • Have Fun – Who cares if you mess up. Have fun & experiment. Try making a variety of different breads and see which ones that your family loves. Also try tweaking an existing recipe that you find on the internet or in your favorite cookbook. For example, if your family really enjoys a specific spice (i.e. rosemary), try adding it to a classic bread recipe (i.e. white bread, oatmeal bread or butter bread) in order to make that recipe even better!
  • Too Wet – If your bread mixture looks too wet (i.e. like soup), you should add more flour. Be safe – When the bread machine is plugged in, don’t place your fingers & hands inside the bread machine “bucket” (loaf pan) as they could be inured by the mixing paddle. Also wear oven mitts as the bread machine & loaf pan can get very hot.
  • Too Dry – If your bread mixture looks too dry (i.e. like a desert), you should add more liquid (i.e. milk or water). Be safe – When the bread machine is plugged in, don’t place your fingers & hands inside the bread machine “bucket” (loaf pan) as they could be inured by the mixing paddle. Also wear oven mitts as the bread machine & loaf pan can get very hot.
  • Fresh Ingredients – Always use the freshest ingredients because generic bottled store ingredients (i.e. bottled no-name dried spices) can be old and lose their flavor “strength”. Also it is often much better to use freshly cut ingredients (i.e. chives) from the store or your own garden versus dried store brand ingredients.
  • Cooling Racks – Place your hot finished bread on wire cooling racks in order to “cool down” and let moisture escape from the bread. Otherwise, your bread will have a soggy bottom.
  • Bread Collapse or Bread Crater – If your bread has collapsed (looks like a moon crater) at the end of the baking cycle, you used too much yeast (don’t guesstimate with yeast – try to follow a recipe’s yeast instructions exactly) or the mix was too wet (you might have to add more flour in the beginning in order to get the dough to the right consistency).
  • Room Temperature – If a room is too cold or hot, it can impact the rising of your bread. Ideally, the temperature in your kitchen should be around 70-80 degrees F.
  • Bread Machine “Hole” – The bread made from most bread machines will have a hole at the bottom of the bread due to the mixing paddle. Given that bread machines are so easy to use, I don’t mind this hole. However, for bread perfectionists who don’t want this hole, they will often remove the dough from the bread machine and finish baking the bread in their oven. For more information, you should read your bread machine instructions about the kneading only setting.
  • Be Safe – When the bread machine is plugged in, don’t place your hands inside the bread bucket (loaf pan) because your fingers & hand could be injured by the bread machine “propeller” (mixing paddle). In addition, you should wear good oven mitts because the bread machine bucket (loaf pan) and bread machine interior can become extremely hot when the bread is baking & when you take the finished bread out of the bread machine. Make sure to read the instructions from the manufacturer of your bread machine (before using the machine) so you can learn how to operate your bread machine safely and effectively.

Additional Bread Machine Tips from Other Websites

  • King Arthur Flour
  • Quaker Oats – Problem of Slow or No Rise (Yeast Breads)
  • Red Star Yeast – Bread Machine Tips

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I want to thank EVERYONE who leaves a comment in our recipe comment sections!! Beginners learn a lot from your tips & recipe variations. Below are some of our recent noteworthy visitor comments.

  • Susanne posted a very nice note about my Bread Machine Raisin Bread and many of my other bread machine recipes – “The raisin bread is outstanding! I’ve made it so many times I no longer have to follow the recipe. All of the Bread Dad recipes I’ve tried have come out perfect and delicious. It’s so nice to not have to experiment with other online recipes—I just go to the Bread Dad site & choose a new variety~~I know it will be great. I’ve made 16 different breads so far & have not been disappointed. Thank you Bread Dad—your instructions & hints are the BEST!“
  • Trisha left a great tip on how to convert my Bread Machine French Bread into a softer Italian bread – “Bread dad single handedly taught me how to use a bread machine to make the most delicious breads! His recipes are always the go-to in our household This French bread recipe definitely gets the most use, though! It has a perfect crumby crust and hard bottom, and if you want it to be a little softer (more like an Italian loaf vs the French loaf) all you have to do is add a small amount of fat (oil, butter, coconut oil, etc) making it a perfect recipe for basically any bread need.“
  • Heather left some amazing details on how to make “cinnamon crunch” bagels & “no boil” bagels in the comment section of my Bread Machine Bagels recipes. Read Heather’s whole comment for extra information – “If anyone wants to try it, I make my bagels into cinnamon crunch bagels by melting some butter, dipping the top into the butter and then dipping the top into a bowl of cinnamon sugar. Then I put it into the oven at 400 for 8 minutes. Take it out immediately and give it at least 5 minutes to cool, unless you want to deal with molten sugar in your mouth.“
  • Janette left me a super nice comment about my buttery Bread Machine White Bread & bread machine recipes – “Love this recipe. Actually, love all the bread dad recipes. I have used this bread for toast, sandwiches, and just bread and butter. Most of the bread dad recipes I use, just go through the dough cycle and then you do the rest…which I love, but this one is soooooo very easy. I seem to be making it every other day. Thanks, Bread Dad! Keep up the great work bringing us fabulous recipes for our bread machines.“
  • Martha converted my Bread Machine Breadstick Recipe into some awesome cheesy breadsticks – “These are quick & easy to make, and they’re a great way to class up any meal from a simple soup & salad to a full on gourmet meal. I just took a batch out of the oven for tonight. This time I split the dough into 16 equal pieces and rolled them into slightly flattened balls, brushed with the EVOO & sprinkled with freshly grated parm. Outstanding! As good, if not better than any artisan bread you may find in the breadbasket at a nice restaurant.“

For more visitor tips, recipe variations & humorous baking stories, please visit Bread Dad’s Noteworthy Visitor Comments page.

 

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By utilizing any of the recipes or information on this website, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions in our legal disclaimer.

Be safe when preparing, handling, consuming and storing food. Do not eat or taste raw dough or batter. Our recipes may contain common allergens such as dairy, eggs, wheat, tree nuts and/or peanuts. Always check for potential food allergies before serving food. Use caution with young children as all foods have a potential choking risk. 

Material on this website may not be copied or reproduced without the written approval of Bread Dad. All rights reserved. This website is copyright protected under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

 

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