World’s Easiest Bread Loaf (with Self-Rising Flour)

This super simple bread loaf is made with self-rising flour and just a few pantry staples, making it perfect for beginners or last-minute baking. Soft on the inside with a golden crust, it’s a quick, no-yeast recipe you’ll turn to again and again!

Can I Make Bread in a Hurry? 

This was my question as I stared at three large bags of self-rising flour that had accumulated in my bakery closet. I can’t tell you why I have so many bags of self-rising flour. I rarely use the stuff, unless I’m baking my 2-ingredient biscuits. But today, as I prepped two sourdough loaves, I almost ran myself out of all-purpose flour and found myself staring at all of that self-rising. 

And that’s when it hit me: If I can make biscuits out of self-rising flour, can I actually make a loaf of bread? 

I went online in search of a recipe that looked both simple and doable. And that’s when I found this 4-Ingredient Bread Loaf recipe from Mom Prepared.

There are a lot of other similar recipes out there, but this one looked the easiest, and that was my goal—to make something super simple, super fast, and super tasty. 

So, I grabbed my loaf pan and got busy making this bread.  I’ll share more in a bit about how it turned out but let’s talk about what you’ll need to make it. 

Ingredients for 4-Ingredient Bread Loaf

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need to make this loaf. These are simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. If you don’t happen to have self-rising flour, don’t fret! You can make your own. For each cup of flour you add 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. 

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 1 ½ cups warm milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

That’s it, my friends! Just four simple ingredients to make this delicious loaf of bread. 

How to Make the World’s Easiest Bread Loaf

This comes together in minutes! No proofing time. No stretching or folding. No kneading. Nothing! Just mix it up, plop it into a prepared pan, and you’re off to the races! 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside. 

In a large bowl combine flour and sugar. Whisk together. 

Make sure the milk is warm but not hot. Add melted butter to it. 

Pour the milk and butter into the dry ingredients. 

Using a bread whisk (or blending fork) to work the ingredients together. 

Transfer your shaggy dough to the loaf pan. 

Smooth out the top as best you can. Use a sharp knife to score the dough down the center. 

Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until golden brown. 

Remove and place on wire rack to cool. 

Remove from pan.

Slice and serve with butter, jam, or whatever you like! 

What to Expect from this Loaf of Bread

Is it a traditional bread? Is it a biscuit? Is it a soda bread? It’s all of the above, my friends. I would say this loaf reminds me most of my Irish Soda Bread, or even my 2-Ingredient Biscuits. It's definitely got that biscuit vibe. I happened to be making beef stew at the same time I baked this bread and I knew it would be a perfect complement! That golden crust is crisp, the inside is soft and loaded with flavor, and slathered with butter. . .it’s absolutely beyond delicious. This would be great for breakfast with preserves and butter, or terrific in the evening with garlic and herbs. More than anything else, I’m thrilled to have found a loaf of bread that requires zero proofing. These magic moments don’t come along very often, so when they do, I’m all in! 

Variations to this Recipe

You can change this versatile base recipe up so many different ways. Here are some suggestions: 

Make an Italian loaf! If you like the flavors in my Easy Italian Herb Loaf, you can add those same Italian herbs and seasonings to this loaf before baking. Brush with garlic butter when you’re done and serve with olive oil. (Yum!) 

Cinnamon-Sugar: Sprinkle in cinnamon and sugar or layer it in for a striped effect. (I think this would be delicious.) 

Irish Soda Bread: Turn this into an Irish Soda Bread by doubling the sugar, adding buttermilk in place of milk and adding a cup of Craisins or raisins. (Delicious!)

Other Breads from Out of the Box Baking

If you love breads, we’ve got you covered. Here are some fan favorites: 

• Cheesecake Factory Honey Brown Bread Copycat
• Sourdough Discard Focaccia
• Easy Homemade Sourdough
• Dave’s Killer Bread Copycat

That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe. 

If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you're at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 165 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.