11 recipes for baking great homemade bread

Whether you’re just getting started on your bread-baking journey, ready to transition into the world of sourdough or simply interested in some new spins on old favourites, read on to find plenty of inspiration. Bready, set, bake!

Soda bread

If you’ve never made bread before, good old Irish soda bread is definitely the easiest place to begin.

Cheese and onion soda bread

Now that you’ve mastered the classic, try this cheese and onion spin on it!

Stout bread

Brown bread is another so-simple recipe to master. This one uses Irish stout to add moisture and depth of flavour.

Seedy oat bread

This seeded loaf is full of fibre. Our top tip? It freezes well, so double the recipe and keep one for another time!

Porridge bread

We love how the yoghurt in this oat bread provides both flavour and moisture.

Bacon and cheese loaf

These easy yeasted white bread is a great crowd-pleaser, and the bacon can easily be omitted if you’re catering for meat-free eaters.

Garlic and rosemary focaccia

Fans of Italian food will definitely want to try this herby, garlicky focaccia.

Buttermilk batch bread

One of the champions of “real bread,” Patrick Ryan of The Firehouse Bakery and Bread School has a buttermilk batch recipe that’ll have you making your best-ever sambos.

White sourdough

If you’re just starting out on your sourdough journey, you could do a lot worse than learn from Patrick Ryan! Here’s his recipe for basic white sourdough.

Soft sourdough dinner rolls

These soft sourdough rolls are one of our all-time favourite savoury bakes, and they always disappear from the Test Kitchen within minutes.

Cranberry and walnut sourdough

Looking for a seasonal spoon on your usual loaf? This cranberry and walnut bread brings a little something special.