Easy Yogurt Bread

Name: Easy Yogurt bread
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 100 min
Ingredients: 7 fl oz warm water (200 ml); 1 tsp yeast ((7g sachet) dried active for hand baking); 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp low fat natural yogurt (100 g ); 3 cups + 6 tbsp strong white bread flour (425 g); 1 tsp salt (1 tsp)

Published on May 7, 2014 by Helen Best-Shaw 40 Comments
Last Updated on May 24, 2021

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Yogurt bread is the softest, lightest fluffiest loaf you’ll ever bake. As easy to bake as it is to slice, it’s perfect for sandwiches, and toasts beautifully. People won’t believe it is homemade.

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Yogurt Bread

Home baked bread is a delight, and I can’t remember the last time we bought a loaf from the shop. We usually make sourdough, but sometimes you want a classic white bread – tall and soft and perfect for slicing, toasting and sandwiches.

Adding dairy to a loaf makes for a much softer crumb – you can use milk, melted butter or yogurt.

We nearly always have a pot of natural yogurt in the fridge; it is an adaptable ingredient – add to smoothies, on your breakfast, topped with seeds as a snack, whizzed into dips and as a cooling antidote to over spiced dishes! It’s also a great addition to bread recipes, as I’ve done here.

Why You Will Love This

Adding yogurt is an easy hack for the softest, fluffiest loaf you will ever make.
Using yogurt makes the dough rise quicker and more than usual, so you get your bread faster.
Once baked the loaf slices beautifully.
You can freeze and then toast from frozen, so it is perfect for batch baking!

How to Make Yogurt Bread

Here is how to make it, step by step with additional hints and tips.

Firstly measure out the ingredients. The water should be lukewarm: if it’s cold straight from the tap, add a splash of boiling water. It doesn’t have to feel warm, just “not cold”. Use either cup measurements or by weight – don’t mix and match the two.

Fuss Free Tip

Yeast choice – you can use quick yeast or activated yeast in this recipe. Activated yeast needs to be dissolved in water, while quick yeast can be mixed with the flour. The instructions are for activated yeast – if using quick yeast add it along with the flour.

Step one – pour the water into the bowl of a stand mixer, if you have one. Don’t worry if you don’t, just use a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast and swirl to dissolve. Then add the yogurt.

Step two – Add the flour and salt. If using a stand mixer, mix using the dough hook on a low speed for about 5 minutes, until smooth and stretchy.

If you’re not using a stand mixer, mix with your hand in the bowl until the dough has come together, then turn out and knead on the work surface until it has become a smooth, pliable, stretchy dough. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes.

Step three – place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a tea-towel, plate or similar (a clean plastic shower cap is ideal) and leave somewhere relatively warm until doubled in size. This will take about forty five minutes.

Dough Rising Tip – if you re new to bread making and want to see how much your dough has risen, use a straight sided transparent plastic pot, one where the dough completely covers the bottom. Mark the side with a bit of tape or a marker pen, and when it’s risen to twice that height, it’s ready. This is much easier than trying to guess when a ball of dough has doubled in size.

Step four – turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Butter a 1lb/450g (9″ x 5″) loaf tin – I find that butter works much better than oil and the loaf comes out of the tin much easier. Fold the dough into thirds, and then roll into a tube as long as the loaf tin.

Place the dough into the tin, cover again with the shower cap (if you have one), pulling it up to give the dough space to rise. If you don’t have a shower cap, place the tin in a plastic bag and tie shut, of cover with some cling film. Place the tin in the warm location used in step three above.

Step five – After about 15 minutes rising time, heat the oven to GM7 / 220C / 425F. Leave the dough to rise for about a further 15 to 20 minutes, until it’s just springing back when pressed. Bake for about 35 minutes. The yogurt bread is cooked when it sounds hollow when removed from the tin and tapped on the bottom.

If in doubt pop the loaf back on the oven shelf (out of the tin) for another 5 minutes.

Hints, Tips and Variations

If you are using activated yeast it is important to make sure it has properly dissolved before you add the flour. Some sources tell you to add a spoon of sugar and wait until it is frothy, but we have never found it makes a difference. BUT if you have had the yeast for some time it might be an idea to add a little sugar and to wait to check if the yeast is still good.
Timings vary dramatically by age of the yeast, temperature, brand of flour, humidity and altitude. Go by the volume of the dough, not the time.
For a crustier loaf place a small dish of water in the oven under the bread as it bakes.
This recipe freezes very well – we slice and then toast from frozen. Once you are confident double the recipe and make two loaves.

For another delicious bread recipe using fermented milk, make my kefir raised bread. Or love bread in general? See all our bread recipes!

More Easy Bread Recipes

If you love this try some more bread recipes

And to go on your bread!

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A plate with a slice of white yogurt bread spread with butter and jam. so shown is a loaf of bread, dish of berries and cup of coffee

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4.89 from 18 votes

Easy Yogurt bread

This white yogurt bread recipe makes the lightest, fluffiest loaf; it slices thinly, perfect for sandwiches & toast. You won't believe it is homemade! Use either cup or gram measurements - don't mix and match!

Servings: slices

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr 40 mins

Ingredients

7 fl oz (0.85 cups) warm water (200 ml)
1 tsp yeast ((7g sachet) dried active for hand baking)
1/4 cup + 3 tbsp (0.40 cups) low fat natural yogurt (100 g )
3 cups + 6 tbsp (3.4 cups) strong white bread flour (425 g)
1 tsp salt (1 tsp)

Instructions

Pour the water into the bowl of a stand mixer, if you have one. Don’t worry if you don’t, just use a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast and swirl to dissolve.
Add the yogurt and mix into the water, then add the flour and salt. If using a stand mixer, mix using the dough hook on a low speed for about 5 minutes, until smooth and stretchy.
If you’re not using a stand mixer, mix with your hand in the bowl until the dough has come together, then turn out and knead on the work surface until it has become a smooth, pliable, stretchy dough. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes.
If kneading by hand put the dough back in the bowl then cover with cling film (or a plastic shower cap) and leave to prove until doubled in size (in a warm place for about 35 mins)
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Butter a 1lb loaf tin – I find that butter works much better than oil and the loaf comes out of the tin much easier. Fold the dough into thirds, and then roll into a tube as long as the loaf tin.
Cover again with the shower cap (if you have one), pulling it up to give the dough space to rise. If you don’t have a shower cap, place the tin in a plastic bag and tie shut. Place the tin in the warm location used in step three above.
After about 15 minutes rising time, heat the oven to GM7 / 220C / 425F. Leave the dough to rise for about a further 15 to 20 minutes, until it’s just springing back when pressed.
Bake for about 35 minutes.
When it is done it should turn out of the tin and sound hollow when tapped. It always takes longer to bake than you think it will, so my general rule of thumb is that if you are unsure give it another 5 mins.

Notes

Yeast choice – you can use quick yeast or activated yeast in this recipe. Activated yeast needs to be dissolved in water, while quick yeast can be mixed with the flour. The instructions are for activated yeast – if using quick yeast add it along with the flour.

If you are using activated yeast it is important to make sure it has properly dissolved before you add the flour. Some sources tell you to add a spoon of sugar and wait until it is frothy, but we have never found it makes a difference. BUT if you have had the yeast for some time it might be an idea to add a little sugar and to wait to check if the yeast is still good.
For a crustier loaf place a small dish of water in the oven under the bread as it bakes.
Timings vary dramatically by age of the yeast, temperature, brand of flour, humidity and altitude. Go by the volume of the dough, not the time.
This recipe freezes very well – we slice and then toast from frozen. Once you are confident double the recipe and make two loaves.

Nutritional Information

This recipe is 5 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Yogurt bread

Amount Per Serving

Calories 161 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 241mg10%

Potassium 69mg2%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 5IU0%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Baking, Bread

Cuisine: Baking, Bread

Keyword: Loaf, white loaf

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Update notes – Recipe published May 2014. Updated with expanded method, step by step photos and hints & tips August 2020.