35 Non-Scary Bread Recipes Anyone Can Bake

Best Ever Banana Bread

Get Recipe

Swiss Beer Bread

This recipe is a favorite of my family because it isn't greasy like most of the other cheese breads I have tried. It will not last long! —Debi Wallace, Chestertown, New York

Favorite Irish Soda Bread

My best friend, Rita, shared this irresistible Irish soda bread recipe. It bakes up high, with a golden brown top and a combination of sweet and savory flavors. —Jan Alfano, Prescott, Arizona

(Try these other Irish soda breads, too!)

Crusty Homemade Bread

Crackling homemade bread makes an average day extraordinary. Enjoy this beautiful crusty bread recipe as is, or stir in a few favorites like cheese, garlic, herbs and dried fruits. —Megumi Garcia, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Chocolate Quick Bread

My husband and I both enjoy cooking, but the baking is left to me. Our sons loved this chocolaty quick bread when they were little—and still do as grownups! —Melissa Mitchell-Wilson, Wichita, Kansas

Basic Homemade Bread

If you'd like to learn how to bake bread, here's a wonderful place to start. This easy white bread bakes up deliciously golden brown. There's nothing like the homemade aroma wafting through my kitchen as it bakes. —Sandra Anderson, New York, New York

Sticky Cinnamon-Sugar Monkey Bread

You can do all the prep work for this monkey bread the night before. I prepare the dough pieces and put all the sauce ingredients in the pan so it's ready for the morning. You can sprinkle chopped nuts in with the dough pieces before pouring the sauce on and baking. — Diana Kunselman, Rimersburg, Pennsylvania

Contest-Winning Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

A touch of cinnamon helps blend the flavors in this tender pumpkin chocolate chip bread. And since the recipe makes two loaves, you can send one to a bake sale and keep one at home for your family to enjoy. —Lora Stanley, Bennington, Kansas

Fluffy Biscuits

If you're looking for a flaky basic biscuit, this recipe is the best. These golden brown rolls bake up tall, light and tender. They're good on their own, but taste even better served warm and spread with butter or jam. —Nancy Horsburgh, Everett, Ontario

Tart Cranberry Quick Bread

My mother always made this cranberry bread. I usually stock up on cranberries when they're in season and freeze them so I can make this year-round. —Karen Czechowicz, Ocala, Florida

No-Fuss Rolls

With only 4 ingredients, these delicious rolls are ready in no time. They're fantastic with herb butter or jam. —Glenda Trail, Manchester, Tennessee

Country Cinnamon Swirl Bread

I'm always busy with three active sons, so this rich quick bread is a favorite. I like to wrap these loaves to give as gifts. —Sharon Walker, Huntington Station, New York

Honey Cornbread

Serving this moist cornbread to family and guests is a pleasure. Honey gives the bread a slightly sweet taste, and most people find it difficult to eat just one piece. —Adeline Piscitelli, Sayreville, New Jersey

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Bread

My family loves quick breads. This one is moist and spicy. If you don't have mini loaf pans it works just as well in regular size pans. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania

French Loaves

My kids love to help me make this delicious bread recipe. It's quite easy, and they enjoy the fact that they can be eating fresh bread in about two hours! —Denise Boutin, Grand Isle, Vermont

Dutch Apple Loaf

Being of Dutch descent, I knew I had to try this recipe for a moist, fruity quick bread. It freezes well, so I often have a loaf on hand for church bazaars. —Gladys Meyer, Ottumwa, Iowa

Golden Honey Pan Rolls

A cousin in North Carolina gave me the recipe for these delicious honey-glazed rolls. Using my bread machine to make the dough saves me about 2 hours compared to the traditional method. The rich buttery taste of these rolls is so popular with family and friends that I usually make two batches so I have enough! —Sara Wing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Herb Quick Bread

This simple bread is especially good with soups and stews, but slices are also tasty alongside fresh green salads. The herbs make it a flavorful treat any time of the year. —Donna Roberts, Manhattan, Kansas

Elvis Banana Bread

As a toddler, my son loved bananas, so we always had them in the house. We didn't always eat them all before they were too ripe, so we experimented beyond basic banana bread. That’s how we came up with Elvis bread! —Liz Somppi, Greenfield, Wisconsin

Icebox Rolls

I remember my mom making these rolls almost every Saturday so they'd be ready to bake on Sunday for company or someone just dropping by. Although they take a little time to prepare, they're really not all that difficult to make. And there's nothing in the stores that can compare to them! —Jean Fox, Welch, Minnesota

Pina Colada Zucchini Bread

At my husband's urging, I entered this recipe at the Pennsylvania Farm Show—and won first place! You'll love the cakelike texture and tropical flavors. —Sharon Rydbom, Tipton, Pennsylvania

Chocolate Chai Mini Loaves

This bread is irresistible! A friend gets mad when I make it because I give her a loaf and she can't help but eat the whole thing! —Lisa Christensen, Poplar Grove, Illinois

Bread Machine Naan

Chewy yeast-raised flat bread is a snap to make in a bread machine. Serve naan with your favorite Indian dish to soak up the curry and sauces. —Shannon Ventresca, Middleboro, Massachusetts

Cowboy Cornbread

This cornbread is richer and sweeter than others I’ve tried, and especially luscious alongside ham and beans. —Karen Ann Bland, Gove, Kansas

Hungry for more? Here’s our cowboy bread recipe that you must try.

Potato Pan Rolls

My family loves these rolls and requests them often. They don't take long to make because you use quick-rise yeast. —Connie Storckman, Evanston, Wyoming

Cranberry Orange Walnut Bread

Coming from Oregon, a state famous for its cranberries, this bread is a given at our house. Each fall my husband and I scrounge around for walnuts to go in it. It's a regular on our table, and not just at Thanksgiving. I freeze the berries so I have a ready supply all year long. —Elaine Kremenak, Grants Pass, Oregon

Cheesy Garlic Herb Quick Bread

This could be the perfect bread for any dish. The sharp cheddar cheese makes it irresistible.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Bacon Walnut Bread with Honey Butter

My savory walnut bread filled with bacon bits and blue cheese dressing is complemented by the sweetness of honey-flavored butter. Cut yourself a thick slice, slather on the butter and enjoy!—Pam Ivbuls, Omaha, Nebraska

Oatmeal Rolls

Most people tell me what they like best about these rolls is they're so moist. I like them because they're simple to make, freeze well and because I grew up on oatmeal and still love it! —Jeanette Fuehring, Concordia, Missouri

Parmesan Zucchini Bread

This loaf has a rugged, textured look that adds to its old-fashioned appeal. The mild Parmesan flavor nicely complements the zucchini, which adds bits of green color to every tender slice. —Christine Wilson, Sellersville, Pennsylvania

Seeded Whole Grain Loaf

My husband and I want whole grain bread, but we don't like the spongy store-bought whole wheat breads. I drastically altered one of my favorite batter bread recipes to create this earthy bread. It is crunchy, chewy and easy. The add-ins are just suggestions. Sometimes I use pepitas, sesame seeds or even 1/4 cup of a multi-grain hot cereal mix. —Amber Rife, Columbus, Ohio

Rosemary Flatbreads

My family loves this as a pizza crust. But with a touch of olive oil and fresh herbs it makes a lovely flatbread appetizer. —Sue Brown, West Bend, Wisconsin

Jalapeno Buttermilk Cornbread

If you’re from the South, you have to have a good cornbread recipe. Here’s a lightened-up version of my mom’s traditional cornbread that tastes just as delicious. —Debi Mitchell, Flower Mound, Texas

Sour Cream Chive Bread

This savory loaf mildly flavored with chives is delicious when served warm with a meal, soup, salad or stew. It also tastes wonderful toasted the next day for breakfast. —Deborah Plank, West Salem, Ohio

Swirl Cinnamon Bread

If you like cinnamon, you’ll love this quick bread! It’s crusty on top, soft and moist inside. Make extra loaves for the holidays and give them to family and friends. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen