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The BEST Honey Bread

This honey bread is so simple and absolutely delicious! Bake it fresh in the morning to guarantee a good day!

What is honey bread exactly?

Honey bread is exactly what it sounds like.  Bread made with honey!  Honey bread is commonly white or wheat bread – this recipe is for honey white bread!  Don’t be fooled by the name, though.  This bread is not a dessert!  While the recipe does include honey, it only adds a subtle sweetness.  Use it to spread on fresh butter, jam, or even to make garlic bread!

*Note: I would not recommend this bread as a sandwich loaf.  You could make sandwiches if you desired to do so.  However, (in my opinion) this bread isn’t sturdy enough to make a proper sandwich.

Why do you add sugar to the yeast?

Fully activating yeast is so simple, and yet so few people know the full process.  Sure, everyone mixes warm water with yeast to activate it, but they are missing one tiny step.  Mix in a tablespoon (or whatever amount you desire/your recipe calls for if I’m being completely honest) of sugar with the yeast and warm water.

Why?  The yeast will feed on the sugar and froth up guaranteeing and beautiful rise for you bread, rolls, or whatever else you are making.  If yeast scares you, there’s a pretty good chance that you haven’t tried this method. 

Can I replace all of the sugar with honey?

Absolutely.  I have tried this, just to be sure that the yeast would still froth properly.  It tasted the same, and still rose perfectly!  This would be more expensive, but swapping out sugar for honey is growing in popularity.

Where is the best place to buy honey for this recipe?

I will always tell you that local honey is best!  Not only does it have a unique taste specific to your area (yep, that’s true!), it also maximizes the health benefits of honey.  It is full of antioxidants, propolis, and pollen – all of which are known to boost the immune system and fight sickness.  Local honey is also known to aid in allergy relief and buying locally will benefit the local economy.

While using regular honey from the grocery store won’t hurt your bread, local honey will only make it better!  Looking for more info on local honey?  Check out these articles:

https://www.mashed.com/1324669/reasons-only-buy-local-honey/

https://universe.byu.edu/2023/08/07/local-beekeepers-vendors-explain-health-benefits-of-consuming-local-raw-honey/

Do I have to knead this bread?

NO!  I love a good kneading session to blow off some steam (trust me it works), but this recipe requires absolutely no kneading.  All thanks to that activated yeast we chatted about earlier. 😉

Does honey bread require a long rise time?

We are in the days of artisan bread OBSESSION.  Don’t get me wrong, I have a cherished sourdough starter and arsenal of sourdough recipes.  Sometimes though, there just isn’t time for a twelve hour rise or stretching and folding. IYKYK.  This bread rises for a short 45 minutes.  This is one of those, out of bread when you wake up, toast on the table by breakfast kind of recipes.

What ingredients do I need to make honey bread?

• Water
• Yeast
• Sugar
• Salt
• Oil
• Honey
• Eggs
• Flour

So now that you know what you need, let’s make some honey bread!

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Warm Water
• 2 Tbsp. Dry Active Yeast
• 1/3 Cup Sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/4 Cup Oil
• 1/4 Cup Honey
• 1 Egg
• 6-7 Cups Flour

Directions

1. Mix warm water, yeast, and sugar, and let froth.
2. In a separate bowl mix salt, oil, honey, and egg.
3. After 10 minutes, combine the yeast and honey mixtures in a mixer on low.
4. Add flour 1 cup at a time. Mix until combined.
5. Divide dough in equal halves and place in oiled loaf pans. Let rise for 45 minutes.
6. Turn oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 30-35 minute or until golden brown.
7. Rub tops of loaves with a stick of butter while still warm.