Easy Little Bread

The simple, easy little bread you should make right this minute - yeast-based, farm-style, made from rolled oats and a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flours.

Easy Little Bread

I'm eating a slice of butter-slathered homemade bread. And quite frankly, it might be the least interesting looking bread you've ever set eyes on. That said, at this particular moment, there isn't anything on this earth that would taste better. I'm convinced of it. It reminds me of the bread my dad would sometimes bake for us as kids. A dead simple yeast bread recipe made from ingredients I can nearly guarantee you have on hand. My dad's bread was made using all-purpose white flour, whereas this bread is made with a white, wheat, rolled oat blend. I've baked it three times this week, after I came across the recipe for it in a beautiful, heartfelt cookbook by Natalie Oldfield.Easy Little Bread Recipe I snapped a few shots of the book to give you a sense of it. See below. Super cute, right? I love the grids of vintage family pictures, and the soft color palette of the recipe pages. It's a collection recipes inspired by the notebooks of Dulcie May Booker, written by her granddaughter Natalie. It was published in New Zealand, then Australia and the UK. I stumbled on my copy of it the other day at Omnivore Books here in SF, although I don't think it's been published in the U.S. yet. Easy Little Bread Recipe

The recipes are classic and no-fuss. The kind that can and (clearly) have been whipped up a hundred times over - scones, fruit pies, chocolate cake, lemon bars, shortbread, and a selection of savory dishes as well.

Easy Little Bread Recipe

So, to all of you who still shy away from yeast-based recipes - you've got to try this one. You can have the dough in the pan in 5-10 minutes. It sits around for 30 minutes while I'm in the shower, then straight into the oven. Thank you Gran & Natalie. It's a beautiful book.

Also! If you're ready to use your oven some more, here’s where you can browse all the baking recipes. This focaccia is a beauty, and this braided onion bread is also a delicious stunner. Don’t miss this black bread, or the Big Sur Bakery Hide Bread. And this oatmeal bread is so good, with lots of opportunity for variations. Have fun baking!

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Easy Little Bread Recipe

4.23 from 35 votes

Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cups / 300 ml warm water (105-115F)
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
  • 1 tablespoon runny honey
  • 1 cup / 4.5 oz / 125 g unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup / 5 oz / 140 g whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup / 3.5 oz / 100 g rolled oats (not instant oats)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted, for brushing
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, sprinkle the yeast onto the warm water and stir until the yeast dissolves. Stir in the honey and set aside for a few minutes, until the yeast blooms and swells a bit - 5 - 10 minutes.
  2. In the meantime, mix the flours, oats, and salt in a large bowl. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir very well.
  3. Brush a 8-cup loaf pan generously with some of the melted butter. Turn the dough into the tin, cover with a clean, slightly damp cloth, and set in a warm place for 30 minutes, to rise.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C, with a rack in the middle. When ready, bake the bread for 35-40 minutes, until golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan. I finish things up by leaving the bread under the broiler for just a heartbeat - to give the top a bit deeper color. Remove from oven, and turn the bread out of the pan quickly. Let it cool on a rack so it doesn't steam in the pan. Serve warm, slathered with butter.
Serves
12
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
 
If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it - tag it #101cookbooks on Instagram!

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Recipe Rating




Comments

Wonderful recipe! Baked this bread following the recipe for Easy Little Rye Bread in Near and Far. Enjoyed with a bit of butter and pickled beets and Swiss cheese on the side.

Kiley

I've been making this bread from your site for a few years now. Still a favorite. I like to brush more butter on top of the loaf before popping it under the broiler. So good.

hannah

    Thanks Hannah!

    Heidi Swanson

We make this bread weekly. It makes the most excellent slice toasted with dinner and slathered in butter. Love this one!

Amy S.

    That's fantastic Amy! Thanks for the comment.

    Heidi Swanson

I've baked this bread so many times! The recipe is foolproof and does not need any tweaking. The bread is tasty, comforting and pretty enough to be given as a gift. Than you so much for sharing this recipe, this bread has been a good friend to our family for so many rainy weekends!! <3 <3 <3

mayra

    Thank you Mayra!

    Heidi Swanson

Such a great little loaf of bread. I did have to let it rise about 15 min longer. Cutting off the end and slathering with butter is what Sunday's are made for. Looking forward to having for breakfast till it gone.

Jennifer

It has become our go to all time classic homemade bread! Thank you for the recipe

Mania

Oh, such a delicious recipe. I was looking around for a bread recipe and I found your website. I was thinking to surprise my wife on my day off. :). I'll prepare it as soon a.s possible and I let you know about the results. Also, I wanted to mention that I love the detailing and beautiful photos. Thank you so much.

Chef Bega

I love this bread so much, and make it quite regularly.

Maryam

My 14-year-old just made it for our bedtime snack. Delicious!

Jennifer Jo

    Fantastic!! Love it.

    Heidi Swanson

This bread looks delightful. I'll have to make it and post about it on my blog.

Spatoola

Another fabulous recipe from my absolute favorite website! Thanks, Heidi! I substituted equal parts spelt flour in place of wheat flour, and the loaf turned out so wonderfully crunchy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside! I am enjoying a piece now, warm from the oven, with some curried egg salad (another treat from your website)! My taste buds are in culinary heaven!

Kipper

We'd just returned from vacation, and I needed to make a loaf of bread but didn't have the energy or time to bake a two-day loaf like normal. I'm a big follower of Peter Reinhart's methods, but wanted to give this recipe a try. For the amount of time and effort (almost none), this bread is a winner. The taste is good, and it's moist and hearty. Definitely not really designed for sandwiches, but great for toast, etc.

LB

I enjoy cooking, but don't bake. This was my first attempt! The bread is hearty with wonderful flavor ... and it's easy to make. It came out perfectly ... enjoyable warm, cold or toasted! No more store-bought bread for me! Thanks for making me an accomplished baker!! ;)

Dr. Ron

Gorgeous book. We live in New Zealand and this conjours up fabulous childhood memories of all the food my mother and grandmother would make! My children (and their parents!!!) love the Napoleons on 43, such an easy treat!!

Amanda

I adore this bread! Already made it 3 times myself after seeing your post - tomorrow will be 4th time! Its the easiest, most delicious bread recipe I've found to date!

Bella Farber

Made a double batch for a gathering this past weekend. Easy to make and it turned out great. I'm thinking even my super-picky hubby will like it.

Pam

I made this last night after work and was so excited about my first attempt at a yeast bread! It was so wonderful that I had to eat it two ways (once with butter, once with butter and honey...for the record I preferred just butter). However, I wasn't able to get a golden color on the top (the heating element on the top of my oven doesn't seem to work). Would it help to brush the top with some of the melted butter right before baking? Thanks for sharing this!

nicole

Baked this a few days ago and it was so Easy and Delicious! Toasted it was wonderful, but just out of the oven with some butter was just the Best! Thanks!

Ingrid

Great recipe, easy an delicious. I love your blog. beautiful photos and simple recipes.

Angélica

Heidi, As if I needed another reason to adore you, you go and post this bread recipe. From the moment I saw your photo, it was on my to-bake-ASAP list, but you know how time disappears. Anyhow, I finally made it yesterday and am officially obsessed. I subbed white ww for white all purpose and threw in some sunflower seeds. I let it cool slightly, toasted a teeny bit, and served alongside an uber drippy fried egg- perfect for sopping up the yolk :) Thank you for your another healthy staple recipe and continuous inspiration on so many levels! Keep the goodness coming!

KarmaCucina

Hi Heidi, I have never baked a bread before but wanted to know if you could help. My dough - it's currently in the 30 min rise phase - seems really dry. Is this how it's supposed to be? I can't wait to try this bread but am worried that I'm already on the wrong track. I did not have a thermometer so did not measure the water temp for the yeast... Thanks.

Lee

We were have a torrential rain storm here on Long Island yesterday so figured it was a good time to try this recipe. It doesn't get much easier than this. Wasn't sure if my husband would try it but I cut him a slice while it was warm, spread on some of the leftover melted butter and he was in "bread heaven" He loved it. This morning had it toasted. Thanks for sharing this great recipe.

lorna

I had to give this bread a try today. Mine came out really flat (I blame the yeast, it was really old). But it's still incredibly delicious. I subbed some granola for part of the oats and I like the nutty result. Greetings from Finland!

Heli

Thanks for this easy little recipe, Heidi. I always seem to struggle with proofing yeast & though this time was no exception the resulting loaf is toothsome & tender & crunchy in all the right places. I also made up a couple of jars of Mark Bittman's 'Minimalist' blueberry jam this morning, so I'm looking forward to some seriously awesome toast this week :) On another note: After buying and gifting two copies of 'Super Natural Everyday' & then waiting for it to come back in stock in Canada I *finally* have my own copy and I'm not going to give it up! I buy so many cookbooks but yours are the ones I return to over and over--and more importantly: Your recipes are the ones that inspire me the most and often result in riffs and 'cook with what I have' interpretations that always seem to turn out spectacularly. In fact, one of the things I like the most about 'SNE' are the recipes that seem similar to those from the blog but feature new, slightly different flavours and ingredients. The Roasted Delicata Squash Salad with harissa and miso dressing comes to mind--that recipe has become a favourite and a staple in my kitchen (my friends always request it!) and I loved the play on it in the new book. I can't wait until the farmer's market starts bursting with winter squash so I can try it out! Congrats again on the well deserved success of this superb new book and thanks again for all of the great recipes here at 101cookbooks. You've changed the way I think about food and cooking and I love it :) HS: Thanks for the nice note Lynne :)

Lynne

I wanted so much to make this bread this morning. I have many different flours in the house, but no unbleached all purpose flour :(

Monica

This was the ugliest and tastiest loaf of bread I ever baked. It was also the fastest. Yup, I will be baking it again :-)

pRiyA

I just love your blog! It's these simple, wholesome recipes that make me so happy. What a beautiful cookbook you found! Keep up the good work!

Bex

tossd in some raw sunflower seeds and dry milk powder. Rich and hearty. Don't even need butter! thanks!

Christine

Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, and to Natalie and her Grandma! You all demystified my first yeast bread in the most delicious way. It is quite empowering to make my own bread and this quick recipe is sure to be a oft-repeater.

Yvana

I made a variation of this (used maple syrup instead of honey, and ground up some quick-cook steel cut oats to make oat flour) and baked it in my muffin tin and the result was amazing. Individually portioned muffin-shaped pieces of bread!

Anastasia

This bread recipe sounds delicious, I have to try this. I like the fact it's easy and a quick recipe which is very important to my life right now. Simple and easy is good.

Dennis

with 191 comments why post another?... because i made this for dinner and keep slicing off another piece each time i go in the kitchen. if, like me, you are lazy and have nothing but eggs in the fridge, fry up one, throw it on a slice of this with an herb and a cheese of your choice and your partner will think you are amazing.

erin

I've been reading your blog for a while, but didn't actually try a recipe until now, and it turned out beautifully! This is actually the first bread I've ever made. I made it with white whole wheat flour, and a bit of bread flour. I'm excited to bake this again, and try variations. Siobahn's ideas of lavender and rosemary sound wonderful.

Katherine

Great recipe and no false advertising. Easy peasy lemon squeezy as my daughter says. Just trying a version with chia seeds at the moment. Am also going to try a little bit more honey and lavender as well as a rosemary version.

Siobhan

I don't have a bread pan (I usually just go free-form), but I tucked this dough into a tin-foil pie pan. That was the best idea I had all day. I'm waiting for it to cool right now. And salivating like Pavlovian dog. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

Kristen

What a beautiful little bread. I started to make this loaf at 11 am and had it to eat with a gorgeous soup, with a lovely friend by 12:30. I used a mix of two spelt flours...white and wholemeal...Yum! Perfect. Now I just love watching my daughter and her beautiful little friend eat it after I told them I made it!! Wholesome and delicious!

Kyle

I made the bread first thing this morning and it was wonderful. Fresh from the oven with butter and then later toasted for a salmon salad sandwich. Easy & delicious! Thanks.

Carol Peterman/TableFare

I've made this twice in three days. I made a maple butter to spread on this for breakfast, which made the bread even more amazing.

Keithjr

I made your bread this morning, and I'm absolutely hooked. I sprinkled oats, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds on top, and loved the effect of a quick broil at the end. Thanks for the tip. And also for providing something so rare: a recipe for a good, quick yeast bread.

Eve Hill-Agnus

Oh, Heidi, I am IN LOVE with this bread!! Thank you so much for sharing it! Have you tried it after it cooled? Does it taste good cold, or is it good reheated/toasted? I guess I'll find out soon! It's so soft and lightly chewy on the inside and the crust is crusty/chewy, such a delight. And I love the texture the oats give to it.

Naomi

Just realised that in my tiredness last night I didn't read the comment above mine, and that Natalie had already connected with you! Note to self... read properly. Anyway its so lovely that so many people have been touched and inspired by Natalie's book.. and I've just signed up to follow your blog this morning....looking forward to reading more! Am off to Dulcie May Kitchen to have one of their fabulous coffees, be tempted by their delectable delights, and do a bit of crochet before work. Have a great day or night on the other side of the world!

Libby Nicholson-Moon

This has to be the discovery of the year... along with the corn salad, that is! I just made it and treated myself to a warm slice with loads of butter and honey... sheer joy! Thanks soooo much for sharing this recipe, Heidi. Judy

Judy Lenzin

This cookbook is so sweet (and makes me think of my granny). Sometimes the simplest recipes are the most successful.

Keely

A friend sent me the link to your blog, because I am a friend of Natalie Oldfeild, and I go to her cafe up the road from my house. I am a freelance writer, and actually was the writer for her last book, Grans Family Table, translating not the recipes, but her thoughts into chapter introductions, etc etc. They are a lovely family... her Mum and Dad and sister work in the cafe. I will send Natalie a link to your blog, as I'm sure she would love to send you a message. I love your books too.. may have to buy one!! or two. I'm an avid food and wine lover, and have a large organic garden where I live, that my husband and I live out of. Lots Love from Auckland New Zealand. HS: Thanks for the nice note Libby! Libby

Libby Nicholson-Moon

Thanks Heidi for sharing this recipe. It is such a pleasure to listen to all those people out there sharing and enjoying food that was such a big part of my life growing up. It is why I wrote Gran's Kitchen in the first place. To honor those moments spent sharing food with family and also to encourage others to continue sharing which you have done by sharing a recipe from my book. Thank you also to those of you that have contacted me via my website, facebook & twitter. I love to hear your stories and your delights while making and sharing food. Enjoy the cooking journey, and as my Gran used to say. 'It's not what you do but how much love you put into the doing' - Keep up sharing that love!
HS HS: I love the book Natalie - so happy to have stumbled on it here. Hope to visit the cafe at some point - that would be a real treat.

Natalie Oldfield

This cookbook looks adorable... I will have to get it! I can't wait to try the bread recipe. It looks delicious.

Kristin@ www.freshequation.blogspot.com

What a lovely cookbook! Thanks for putting it on the radar! The bread looks heavenly too!

Kat @ Big Apple Little Kitchen

Love the concept of the book; I remember many, many wonderful afternoons spent at my own gran's...And the bread sounds wonderfully simple; I've been on a rolled oat kick, so I really should try this...

katy from DiningwithDusty

I made this bread yesterday and it is gone! Just made it again today since I still want more:) It is just the easiest recipe ever! Thank you for posting the pics Heidi as they tell the story behind this precious recipe. I am so in love with this recipe I have gone and bought the book too! Keep em coming!!!

Kara

What a great recipe:-) I love to find old recipe books like that... I will try yours:-)

Donna Chernow

Yummy!I'm in a bread baking moodand this one looks delicious...I'll definetely try it! Thank you :)

El pasticcio

I love, love this post. I want to make this bread immediately despite the 108 degree day outside! It also make me happy that I can justify making it, because it is so quick, even though I have less than two weeks to pack up our whole house before our family of six moves from TX to WA. Thank you for sharing that adorable book.

Laura

Love the book and the bread recipe can't wait to try it!

Pam Groth

I am eating this bread right now with fresh greens from the garden, and it's delicious. Thanks for posting such wonderful recipes with gorgeous photos!

hilary

I made this over the weekend & I must conclude that I don't know how to make bread as it turned out as hard as a brick!

Dawn

I made it today. The quickest bread I've ever made and so tasty! Definitely a keeper.

Sini

This recipe is exactly what I've been looking for! I just made a bread recipe with similar ingredients from the 70s, hippy cookbook, Laurel's Kitchen, to disasterous results. Let's just say I'm going to turn the loaves into dog biscuits for my dog. So I will try this! You are amazing! I love all your recipes. I recently made the chocolate pudding with curry and coconut and got rave reviews. And i made the pasta with harissa (I live in Israel so it's easy to get), olives, pine nuts and lemon zest. Can you do something on ghee? I can't get it right

Abigail

I baked this last night and my fiance and I managed to eat the entire thing before, during and after dinner. And we're not huge bread eaters, either! Simply wonderful, and a recipe that will be frequent rotation in the years to come. Thanks Heidi!

Stephanie

I think the bread looks beautiful. There's nothing better than the homemade kind!

Caitlin

Oh wow Heidi - I have this book as it appealed for many of the same reasons it does to you. Thanks for reminding me it was on my shelf and your adaptability has reminded me to include my family "touches" into recipes I try today. Love your blog!

Ngareta

I love simple. And bread. Perfect!

Michelle @ Find Your Balance

I've definitely been into the idea of baking breads recently. This recipe sounds yummy! :) Thanks.

Sara B.

Hi Heidi, I made your bread yesterday and it was absolutely gorgeous. Last 3 months I bake and cook only your recipes from your book or your website because I love them all. I'm from the Czech Republic ( I don't know if you know where it is, but it is in the middle of Europe and the capital city is Prague ) and they don't sell your book here but I found one american bookstore on the internet with acceptable delivery prices and they sent me all your cookbooks, so I have them all. Your cookbooks completely changed my lifestyle and I also became a vegetarian because the food is so delicious. Sometimes I have problems with the conversions because we have here grams, not cup, and for example I don't know how many grams is one US cup of flower. I also love your photos of SF and I plan to go there, maybe next year as soon as I save some extra money. I am sorry if in the text are some mistakes because my english in not so good and I would like to thank you that you share with us so many delicious recipes. Bye

Eva

Great recipe

Preti

I made this the other day, with some changes based on what I had on hand, and it came out delicious. I supposed more APF for the whole wheat because I didn't have any, and when I measured out the oats I realized I was a half cup short, so I searched the cupboard for anything interesting to add and came up with cornmeal. I also doubled the recipe in hopes that I'd get a nice tall loaf. Putting double the recipe into one regular loaf pan made it puff over the top just a bit and make for a nice sized loaf for slicing into sandwiches and toast. I baked it about five more minutes to make up for the extra volume.

Mara

Love the recipe but making bread is easier said then done in my household. My last bread experiment didn't go over to well. Let's just say that it didn't rise at all and leave it at that, lol. The pic that you posted looks so good though, I may have to give this recipe a shot. Fifth times a charm right, lol. Hopefully me and my daughter can try this out mid week before she goes back to school. Thanks! Tisha

Tisha @ Wedding Aisle Runners

What a sweet and lovable cookbook. It actually reminds me of my grandma..... I love the recipe and it wonderful name. Love your blog, You inspire me everyday

Reem

I just made this bread today, and it really was easy to make, I love that it takes so little resting time. Oh, and it tastes great, it is dense but not dry and the oats add a flavor that reminds me of bananas. I don't know what it is, but if I didn't know better I would bet there are bananas in this bread... Thanks for the recipe!

Lena

This smells SO good. It's out of the oven in 15 minutes and I couldn't be more excited. There's also a first-try pot of your 10-minute couscous soup on the stove, it's going to be a good night! Thanks for all the quick, easy, student-budget-friendly recipes Heidi, I don't know what I would do without your site. You (and Deb at SK, too) consistently save me from ramen & excess pizza!!

leilani

Heidi, Can you tell me where you purchased your butter? It looks so yellow and delicious, I would love to know more about where it is from.

ryan

Just made this in a 4 cup loaf pan with 280g whole wheat pastry flour (all I had on hand) and coconut oil instead of butter to grease the pan-I lost a good chunk of the loaf to the bottom of the pan when I turned it out, so I'll use butter next time. I'll halve the salt for the next loaf as well, but othewise this is a doughy, toothsome, delicious, EASY!! recipe! Thanks for sharing, Heidi!

Morgan

It's a cool, rainy day here on the coast of Maine, and I just dropped all of my housework to make this bread. Can't wait for it to come out of the oven!

Jen

So good, made it last night with corn salad, shaved fennel salad, sunburst carrot salad. Wowed the guests yet again with deliciousness from Heidi. So beautiful, healthy AND yummy. Love you here in Cambridge, MA, Heidi.

Nikki

I live in NZ and oddly enough I picked up this very book last week. It's a great little book especially for a beginning baker I thought with lots of simple family favorites and easy to make recipes. So nice to pay my regular visit to your blog and see a little slice of New Zealand sitting there :)

Lisa

Thank you so much.. So I have a wonderful bread to break my fasting. It's Ramadhan here now.

Me Anthony

I love the ratio of flours in this recipe: more whole grain flour than white flour.

Dr. Sarah Cimperman

I read this recipe yesterday before going to bed and knew I'd want this loaf for breakfast today. I used a mixture of oats/pot barley flakes and rye flakes for the 1 cup of oats, and brushed the pan with slightly salted organic butter from a local farm. Once the bread was done, I brushed a slice with some of the remaining melted butter, had two slices with a side of berries from the Farmer's Market around the corner I ran to while the bread was in the oven... And let me just say, this was the most perfect way to start the weekend. Thank you!

Jenna

uber cute

thetwicebitten

I only have standard 1.5 quart loaf pans. Would this still work? Do you think I need to a 3/4 recipe?

Maryam

What a fabulous book. I often use some of my grandmother's recipes, there is something very comforting about methods that have passed down the generations. I will definitely be ordering this book and making the bread. GG

GG

What a cute and sweet cookbook! Delicious looking brear :)

Heather @ Get Healthy with Heather

What a lovely book and what a nice recipe!!!!. Surely i will cook it this week. All the best from Argentina.

Eugenia210

Great recipe! I love having fresh-baked bread at home and I'm always in the market for a quick, stress-free path to that goal. This hit the spot!

Ben

Loved the bread! Have made it twice. The first time it turned out beautiful .The second time doughy and sticky ...... Any idea why!!

Brenda Chesler

What a Delicious looking! It's make me hungry! I can't wait to eat this :) thanks a lot for sharing.

Mithun

PS-I did use instant yeast added to the dry ingredients, and since I took the advice of letting it rise while I was in the bath, I have no idea how long it rose for, but it turned out great. To the poster who wanted to try this, go for it, it seems to be very forgiving.

Cristina

I made this last night. It is so easy, like making muffins! Thanks so much for posting this, it is exactly what I need: a no-knead bread that does not take 24 hours to make. Wonderful.

Cristina

Heidi, I have to admit that I rarely comment on your posts despite the fact that i've been reading for nearly two years and creating dozens of your fantastic recipes. It makes me sad. I wish I would have quit my lurk status months ago and left you notes from time to time. I'm afraid that I have neglected to take my own advice and "tell the people who inspire you that they do, share love, share kindness...." etc. Somehow when I scroll through your posts and see #'s like 128, 215, and more I wonder if it would even matter. What's so special that I have to say? I forget, that THANK YOU. Is special enough, most of the time. Thank you for your authenticity and for curating the best of the season's bounty for me to play with. Your orange-oat scones, carrot fennel soup, six seed soda bread, and now this gem have made countless appearances at family gatherings, potlucks, and simple dinners alone. Thank you, thank you, thank you. :-)
HS: Kelsey, thank you! Seriously, thank you for the comment. I love knowing some of the recipes on this site make the leap off the site into your homes. Its one of the things I love about working on the site, and one of the things that keeps me excited about trying new ideas, or sharing what I'm excited about at the moment. Thanks for making my night. Enjoy your weekend, and wow - your site is really, really lovely :)

Kelsey

fancy seeing this on your site! we made this bread so many times when we first bought the book but for now we seem to have a certain yoghurt biscuit gracing our plates! i want to thank you for your amazing books. our daughter is vegetarian and finding variety for her is a never ending search - you have opened up a whole new perspective on the topic - simple and stylish, good and groovy. easy mid week cooking and the dishes are the main event - for us all. tonight its otsu noodles. can't wait! good vibes to you from aotearoa x

louise hatchard

That book looks so lovely! (The bread ain't half bad either...)

Sophie Delphis

Hello, the instant I saw the recipe I made the bread! Super simple and amazing flavor... Just once question, the bread dough was really wet. Did I get my measurements wrong? Or is it supposed to be that way? Still the (very liquid) dough did rise well and I did get a lovely loaf out of it..half of it we finished the same day! And the next day when I went to slice of pieces from the remaining half I found that it was a bit sticky...don't know where I went wrong!

Ambika Kumar

I made this simple, yet delicious bread tonight! Thank you ever so much for sharing.

Lindsey

that is the sweetest, most heart-melting, gem of a cookbook i have ever laid eyes on....thanks so much for sharing, heidi.

g,

I love the idea of no-knead bread. I am a decent cook and a fairly good baker, but my kneaded breads always turn out to be a hot mess. But this? This I can do.

Mads

I love this old fashioned recipe and the photos are beautiful! Reminds me of a recipe my grandmother used to make when I was a kid. She never measured anything exactly - I was always fascinated by that! This bread looks to be simple enough for me to make - hot bread just out of the oven with a little butter sounds divine! Thank you!

Lisa

That book looks adorable, indeed!! Sadly, I don't have any of my grandmother's old recipes, but I do have my grandmother-in-law's books which is a treasure for sure. This bread will be made soon - this weekend perhaps. Looks lovely, especially with cold thick butter.

kickpleat

I wish my grandmothers were an endless trove or recipes, but instead, sadly, they are both masters of the Entenmann's coffee cake and Wonder bread. Although I'm a long way from being a grandmother, I aspire to be one who whips up homemade bread on a daily basis.

talley

Love it! Thanks for sharing such a jewel of a book.

Amanda

I love sweet little breads like this! Easy and satisfying. Guess I'll just whip up a batch tomorrow morning for breakfast...

Rocky Mountain Woman

This bread looks fabulous. It looks wonderfully doughy.

Pippa @ Sunday Suppers with Pippa

What a delightfully simple recipe! I have always wanted to make my own bread. Cannot wait to try it this weekend :) I

Marina

I HAVE this book!!!! But I haven't made this yet....going to this week, thanks for reminding me about it!

Amanda

If I only have white AP flour, is it a 1-to-1 substitution for the whole wheat and oats? I have a lot of "instant" or "quick cook" oats, but not the "old-fashioned rolled oats" or whole wheat flour.

Avidan

I made the bread the evening I received the recipe. It will have a better looking texture if you use oat flour instead of whole rolled oats. (Thanks to your delicious oatmeal soda bread recipe, I always have a lot on hand.) And I used warm buttermilk instead of water. It was dense, but not flat on top like your photo. I love your website!

parishioner

My family is from NZ, and this one made me smile. That's what we called my grandmother! She was a fabulous cook. Thanks for bringing back the happy memories.

Joey

It seem not too difficult. I am not a "baking" person, specially about all kinds of flour found in recipes. Not really can understand them. Not sure can I just use normal flour to bake this.

love cooking

oohh, such a great book! is the first time I write a comment, but I always read your blog. beautiful photos, as usual!

donatella

I made this bread last night and wanted to eat the whole thing in one sitting!! Half way through the cooking time I gave it an egg/cream wash to give the top a beautiful shine.

Shay

I made this last night for my Dad, who's trying to eat more healthily (he's a coke & oreos kinda guy). I made one small change, substituting 1/2 cup of the whole wheat flour for a 1/2 cup of buckwheat flour. It's delicious & sooooo easy. Thanks for the recipe!

Sara

Such simplicity, and I love how quick this bread is to make. I can just picture it now, still warm from the oven with butter melting into the nooks and crannies. And you are right - I have all the ingredients in my pantry. Might just need to make this one.

Marianne

ps...what do you think could be used in place of honey to make this one vegan for my sweetheart ?

erin fae

So practical and possible for anyone wanting to have a go at making their own bread. Once you start I believe there is no going back to bought bread ever.

Sherilyn @ Wholepromise

Oh fun! I love simple recipes like this - I'll be making this over the weekend. I also love quite simple and plain cookbooks, with heart. I love it. Must buy it!

Maggie at Eat Boutique

Love it. As simple as that. Yum.

Oana from dishchronicles

just love in name! too cute. And that cookbook looks like a winner because love this recipe and love the pics in the book! So cute.

Pure2raw twins

Nothing better than bread and butter! Yum!

Betsy @ BMoore Healthy

This book is a total delight! I love it

Maria

I love how quick this bread is to make! And it sounds so tasty... I'd slather a slice with some yummy almond butter and drizzle with honey, I think.

Katie@Cozydelicious

Just pulled this out of the oven, cut a slice, and slathered it with butter as directed. My mouth is oh-so-happy!

Amy @Science&Cookies

Just pulled this out of the oven, cut a slice, and slathered it with butter as directed. My mouth is oh-so-happy!

Amy @Science&Cookies

This sounds very comforting. I never bake bread but you have inspired me :)

Adelina

What an adorable book. So charming.

Kelly

before i even read the entry, i was scanning the pictures and recognized the same edmond's baking powder tin we have in our Kiwi-American Kitchen.

Erin Fae

Thanks to this..love this recipe

cybermales

Do you think the bread would dome up a bit more if I turned up the heat? Or do you think that would leave it raw on the inside? Thanks for gorgeous recipe! Love the short rising.

allison

What a great recipe AND cookbook....the book is so beautiful - I can see why you treasure it.

Ann

I look forward to trying this wonderfully easy and I'm sure tasty recipe. The book looks wonderful and a real treasure in so many ways. The corn recipe of a few days ago came out delicious. I added a few pistachios and it was great. Thanks for all your amazing recipes that are so simple, yet healthy.!

Pat in New England

I wonder how this would work using spent grains from home brewing in place of the oats. I've wanted to start it, but really don't want things to go to waste if at all possible.

Russell

Reading this post got me so excited - the Dulcie May bakery is just around the corner from my house, and it is a favourite with my whole family for its old-fashioned cooking (my Dad especially). I really want to get this book! Andrea x

Andrea

I've seen that book at the local bookstore here in Sydney and have it on my wish list. Might as well take the plunge, I love the vintage feel to it! Thanks for sharing this recipe, I have recently taken up baking yeast breads and this one looks easy and quick to do. Thnx Heidi!

Sneh | Cook Republic

Most adorable cookbook! I want to scoop her up!

marissa borelli casellini

Looks simple yet delicious, like you could eat it all day long. And the cookbook it came from is just adorable! I love it when a recipe comes hand in hand with a time, place, and people.

Kathryn | Dramatic Pancake

I think I must have that cookbook! What a wonderful way to compile a family story and a lifetime of cooking.

Lucy

The book is available on Amazon including a Kindle version which is quite reasonable.

tucsonbabe

Great recipe!..not sure what I love more on your pages.... the content or the pics..they always get my mouth watering. Just love your blog..keep up the good work and I promise I'll keep it up in the kitchen! :)

Shanghai Cat Lady

I love, love, love this. Seriously so inspired. I can't wait to try this recipe. Wish me luck on my first bread attempt!

Liz@TheHappSpace

just made this and it's WONDERFUL and so easy! thank you!

Katy Taylor

This recipe is very similar to a wheat-oat bread recipe that I've been fiddling with for months. It's from an old cookbook that we've had for years, and it's full of wheat, wheat berries, and oats. What is it about denser wheat breads that they don't brown nicely on top? I always have to turn the broiler on, too.

Margie

I'm mostly partial to the typed card. So endearing.

lori

I have never seen or tasted a bread like this. It looks like a cross between a quick bread and yeast bread... and will probably exactly the right combination. Gran always knows best... :)

Jennifer @ Raisin Questions

I doubt a week will pass before this sits, piping hot, butter-slathered, on our dinner table. oh, heidi. this looks like a winner.

molly

What a beautiful book!!!! I love the look of it, so sweet. And that bread looks delish. Could be great with a bowl of soup, too.

The Elegant Eggplant

It's so nice to see something from New Zealand on here. The bread looks wonderful and I will make some tomorrow with my mum.

Kimberley

A wonderful looking recipe. Simple is what I love in cooking. I just put the cookbook on my Amazon wishlist. Now I must talk my wife out of starting that low carb diet today...

DrDan

What a great recipe. My four year old was able to do most of it - a perfect activity for us to do together and we loved the finished product. I was able to order a used copy of the book through B&N's website and am looking forward to receiving it. Thanks!

Debbi

I'm always on the lookout for good quick bread recipes that don't compromise on flavour and texture - and I love your soda bread - so this looks like one to try!

Ruth

Just made this bread as a lovely accompaniment to dinner. It was so good and so easy! The only thing I might change is to cut back on the salt. (Maybe because I used salted butter on the top it was a little too much?) I am looking forward to toast and jam tomorrow morning.

Jennie

I love simple bread recipes! I made a cilantro scallion bread last week and since then, i've been craving a good bread recipe. also, i totally need to check out omnivore now that i'm settled in!

heather @ chiknpastry

My mother always made bread when we were kids and I used pretty much this method. I make bread like this as well (minus the honey) and it turns out well every time, I use different types of flour, sometimes, wholemeal, sometimes just white. Whenever I try a more complicated recipe it doesn't work out!

angela

i'm very intimidated by yeast but this looks do-able! plus honey...if you add the words "honey" to anything i'll eat it.

lynn @ the actor's diet

It's not often that I make bread at home. I used to (still!?) have a bread maker which may be in my basement somewhere... But this...this I can do. Looks so easy! I just made an herb butter that I would love to smother all over this.

greenthyme

What a great story and you managed to make the bread look both interesting and delicious with your photo - my mouth is watering! Can't wait to try this.

Emily

I hate that my oven is broken because this is exactly what I want this weekend. The book looks great too - I hope they release it here at some point.

Hungry Sofia

I am totally making this bread. It seems so simple, that I'm already thinking of variations! Carrot and rye, basil and tomato, sweet chai spice bread?mmm...thank you!

Laura M

What a fantastic book. I have to get a copy.

Roger Stowell

Oh what I would give to have a loaf of this in my kitchen for breakfast right now!

Mary (What's Cookin with Mary)

eLLO! That recipe looks to DIE FOR! I'm afraid I may be too impatient to bake it. Is there any possible substitute for a G-ma recipe?

Rachael

We all love simple and we all love bread, so this is a winner. I do a very similar one with oats and seeds with one rise, but have been to lazy to write it up. Crumbs, you beat me to it! Btw, it's beautiful as is - bread always is.

kellie@foodtoglow

I love how quickly this yeast bread comes together and that it even has oats in it. Yum! Can't wait to try it.

Carissa

You're such an inspiration. This post is just so lovely. Food memory is something that is so deep and so pure for me. This cookbook looks darling. I'm really hoping to carve out some time this afternoon for this recipe. I'm excited for the use of oats. I can practically taste it thanks to your pretty picture! Thanks again for sharing! So lovely. As always. :)
HS: Thanks Nik - hope you like it!

Nik

I've never commented on your blog, but I have made every single recipe you've posted since last summer!! Its how i taught myself how to cook! I'll be making this bread today, thanks!!
HS: I love getting comments like this. So happy to be able to help :)

Girl in the pink

This bread doesn't look uninteresting at all! It's gorgeous. I love looks of the texture on top of the loaf + all of the little nooks in each slice for butter to melt inside. The photo captures it perfectly.

Ashley

I am in love with this post for so many reasons. To me this is what cooking is all about; love, family, people...sharing. The book looks exquisite as well and I will be searching for it. Thank you for sharing, Chandra
:) Thanks Chandra.

Chandra Paton

Thanks for sharing! I'm always on the lookout for a good bread recipe. I'm a big fan of bread baking!

Samantha @ Bikini Birthday

Bread making was until quite recently my culinary white whale. As you say, there is nothing on earth better than a fragrant, warm, yeasty, unfussy loaf of bread. I can practically smell yours! And what a sweet looking cookbook.

Maia

This bread reminds me of one I used to make with my mom when I was a little girl. I love the name too "easy little bread"--how cute!

Gretchen @ flowercityfoodie.com

lovely. It's funny what memories the food of our youth evokes and how nice for them to have their family and their recipes captured that way. I love having these quick recipes tucked away to try. Am making dinner for a friend this weekend who is recuperating from surgery and this sounds like a perfect accompaniment.

Nancy (guinnah)

Thanks, Heidi. I am currently living in New Zealand, though only for another 5 months, and I love seeing things from this amazing country. This book is wonderful, and I am going to have to search for it. The savoury muffin/scone culture has overtaken my life. ;)

Anonymous

bread making is so cool. Thanks heaps for this fantastic recipe :)

Julie K.

I am in love with that book. Not that I have it, but the pictures you took of it are incredible. I agree, love that soft color palette and the warm yet breezy vintage look. And the bread? ARE YOU KIDDING? in my face, now please.

Bev Weidner

Oh Dear Heidi, This brings back such wonderful memories of my Grammy and my two Great Grammies. They brought me up and I watched and learned with the wood stove and gleaming chrome trim. The most wonderful things baked and cooked on that black wood stove. The LOVE in that kitchen with the three of them would be exactly as pictured her in this lovely book. I wish I could have one of them. Maybe when it comes out in America. Thank you so much for sharing this one with all of us.

Beverly Jane

what a delightful recipe! Really, everyone should try yeasted bread if they haven't yet.

Michelle

This looks beautiful and is making my stomach growl. Any thoughts on letting it rise in the refrigerator overnight? I'd love to make it at night and put it in the oven when the alarm goes off so we can have it for breakfast. Thanks!

Stephanie

What a wonderful book! Thanks for the tip and the bread sounds scrumptions.

Ann-Louise

What a beautiful book! I may have to try this today - it looks like "comfort" bread. :)

Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table

Coincidentally, I just posted about a bread loaf as well that my husband loves to bake...old fashioned banana bread. That cookbook looks like something I wish I could put together about my husband's mother. It's beautiful and very emotional I'm sure.

Snippets of Thyme

As I sit here reading this over a slice of my own homemade bread (just a simple no-knead loaf, slathered with peanut butter and homemade jam, with a sprinkling of cinnamon), my whole heart is warmed by the thought of this charming book and easy little recipe. Can't wait to make Gram's sweet petite loaf.

Meister @ The Nervous Cook

I don't know of anything better than bread.

A Teenage Gourmet

I love it when a homely food turns out to be delicious. It looks really healthy, too.

Sue/the view from great island

As soon as this heat lightens up a bit, I am going to bake this bread. I know my girls will LOVE it!

Kelly

interesting...i am totally afraid of yeast breads most of the time, but this one sounds completely doable! now i'll be dreaming of it slathered in butter for the rest of the day til i get to make it.

Heather (Heather's Dish)

I love to think of Ms. Dulcie living on in a sense through all these blog readers baking her bread. Isn't it funny how something as simple as a loaf of bread can make so many people feel good? Thanks for sharing the recipe. I plan on making it tonight. It will be my first yeast bread!

Julie

Were you reading my mind?? I have been wanting to make a homemade yeast bread for two days now! I'm SO glad you posted this recipe -- I'm absolutely making it today. Hands down.

Alicia @ Treble Tart

this looks like a great book! i love the layout.

jen

We need more of these types of recipes - demystifying the art of basic bread making, instead of scaring people away with beautiful yet overly elaborate techniques. We also need more of this type of book; a real cook book by a really normal person who shares her many years of cooking experience. What a great find. I'll try and source it here in London.
HS: Agreed! :)

adam and theresa

After seeing the recipe, I went to their website. Sadly, Dulcie May passed away in 2009. I cannot wait to see what other tasty recipes are in the book. I love old family favorites!

melissa

Oh what a perfect recipe - thanks!

Simply Life

This is great timing as I was thinking I should start baking my own bread. I'm not much of a baker but this recipe looks simple enough. Thanks, Heidi!

mary

The minute I saw the recipe here I decided to take a break from my writing project and make this bread. Yes, it is dead simple (great for a person like me who loves to cook but is often averse to baking), and yes I did have everything on hand to make it. It's a delicious bread; I had a slice with cheese for my lunch, and then another with a bit of raspberry habanero jam from the farmers market. Thanks!

Gloria

I saw this blog entry in my Facebook feed at 11:30. By 1:05 and I was eating fresh, no-hassle bread. I even misread the recipe and used oat flour instead of oats. It is lovely and almost gone, as everyone came out of the woodwork when they smelled bread cooking. I have been hoarding whole-grain based sourdough starters and reading every lovely whole grain baking book (oft-mentioned here), but I am reticent to bake bread frequently, as it feels like such a time-sink. Now I have no excuse. Thanks much to you and to Dulcie!

Julie C.

made this recipe this morning. super easy and tastes great. the only thing i may do next time is cut back a tiny bit on the salt. also, i dry herbs from my garden in the summer and my first thought when i tasted this bread was how perfect it would be as a savory type bread--i think next time i may experiment by adding some dried rosemary. :)

sherry caldwell

This cookbook has the same nostalgic feel of a recipe book I picked up while I was living in NZ. It is perfectly simpleand a good representation of the country's culture. Thank you for sharing!

Justine

I am definitely going to make this Heidi. The cookbook sounds delightful. Thank you!

Linda Sheehan

Oh Heidi! Darn you, I just went and bought that cookbook because it looks so darn good in your post. This makes my 250th cookbook...I've been making your recipes, both from Super Natural Every Day and your blog, a lot lately - and I absolutely love them. Each one I try is fabulous and I've been able to adapt them for the vegetables I have on hand with delicious success. I will be making this bread this week and I might make your corn soup again (from a previous post) to go with it. Thank you so much for educating and inspiring.
HS: Thanks Dana :)

dana

This Grandma can hardly wait to make "Easy Little Bread" with my own grandkids. I am sure they will top it with pb! Thank you!
HS: It makes great toast Dorothy! They'll love it :)

Dorothy

Can't wait to make this bread! AND - can't wait to put together a cookbook like this for my family! Just got a MacBook Pro, and I bet I could do it! Thanks for the idea.

marilyn

Ha, I just made bread yesterday! Clearly, it is bread o'clock around the internets :-P I'll have to try this one next!

Tegan

Looks like a NZ brand of bread called Vogels! I must try it!

Rebecca

This sounds lovely! I really like name of this. So classic.

Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar

Just gorgeous. Those sorts of recipes, like precious china, need to be handed down and preserved. Have just ordered the book. Can't wait to read it with a cup of tea and a slice of this with creamed honey.

Tori (@eat-tori)

This bread sounds wonderful and the recipe reminds me of my granny (who is 95) and still bakes the most amazing bread in her giant brick oven.

Maria @ Scandifoodie

Aww, very sweet nd beautiful book

Gary

I love the idea of making my own bread, but I just can't find the time to make it, or so it seems. But this recipe sounds easy, and the bread looks delicious. I think I'll give this a try, perhaps I can have my homemade bread.

Lena

Ever since I checked out The Enchanted Broccoli Forest at the library and discovered how wonderfully easy yeast bread is I have been baking a couple of loaves a week. This looks like a great new recipe to try!

Kelby

How gorgeous! I love that it uses oats. Can't wait for the temps to cool off a bit so I can fire up the oven to bake this :)

DessertForTwo

What a beautiful cookbook! And that bread with the butter melted on it looks absolutely delicious :)

Anjali Shah

Aha, I thought that book looked familiar. Love seeing New Zealand books featured on your site Heidi :-) There seems to be a explosion of "what my gran" style cookbooks coming out of NZ in the last few years.

Emma Galloway

The bread logs wonderfully doughy--just the way I like it! The last time we made homemade bread it also ha d oats in it. I think it makes extra moist. :)

J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog)

Thanks for sharing some shots of that sweet cookbook-love it! Can't wait to try the bread recipe.

la domestique

i'm so happy to see you mention this book! i live in auckland, new zealand. the author of that book, or their family, have a cafe just down the road from our house called the Dulcie May Kitchen. they actually sell this book inside. I saw the cover and thought oh that looks so familiar!! The next time I go I'll bring it up! I'm not sure if its in the book, but my favourite thing from there is this scone-ish cinnamon roll. What a small world!!!

Lena

At 11:30pm, working on my computer in my basement, I read your post. At 12:30am, I went upstairs to get a drink of water and mix up the dough. It all came together in a jiffy. I especially liked watching the yeast bloom in the water. I had never seen that before. At 2:30am, I'm still plugging away at the computer having now been fortified with two slices of bread with butter. It had wonderful texture and flavor. When the rest of the house wakes up, they will be so happy to eat this bread for breakfast.

Heather

Can't wait to try this lovely recipe. The food at the Dulcie May Kitchen is wonderful too. I'm lucky enough to live quite close by!

Marie

That looks like a completely charming book. Thanks for the show & tell (and the bread recipe). I decided that I'm not a fan of soda bread (but I was a fan of how fast it was), so this "Easy Little Bread" looks perfect!

Stephanie

il à l'air succulent

poucinette

Looks fantastic, just perfect for every occasion and mood it seems like... Can't wait to try it. Thanks for sharing the cookbook. So lovely! I don't know what it is about families and grandmas in the kitchen but it's just about as cozy and comforting as it gets.

Amy

What a great recipe! I make breads that look like this one all the time so I think it looks delicious. What a lovely little cookbook! I love great finds like that. Thanks for showing us through pictures.

Laura @ SweetSavoryPlanet

I heart this cookbook already! How sweet is that?? Heidi you still inspire me everyday!!!! My blog is growing!!!

Saran

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