homemade bread

Apr 4, 2020

Your Quarantine Photos (April 4-6)

The whole world is home and cooking and I love seeing photos of my recipes from all over the world, so please say where you’re from. (I post them manually so you won’t see it right away.) Use this link to send your photo: YourPhotos@JennyCanCook.com

DOMINIQUE MADE MY CABBAGE ROLLS

“Dear Jenny, These were AMAZING!  I used cabbage from my husband’s garden and fresh tomatoes as well.  My family loved it.  The pic is taken before they were baked in the oven.  Love the tip for placing cabbage leaves on top before baking.  They were so moist and yummy. Thanks for the great recipe. ~ Dominique. Btw, I am half Polish. ?”

~ I can only imagine how great these would be with fresh garden cabbage. Thank you very much. ~ jennyJenny Can Cook Cabbage Rolls

JOAN MADE MY SIMPLE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

“This is the bread, just out of the oven.  I have had so many failures with bread baking that I gave up for years.  And then I saw your recipe.  It came out beautifully, but I would like it a little browned on top.  I will not tent it with foil until maybe the last five minutes.  I also split the top and drizzled a little butter, resulting in a moist, flavorful bread.  Thank you, thank you!”

~ Thank you for your photo and I’m glad you got your bread mojo back! ? ~ jennyEasy Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

KATHY MADE MY NO KNEAD BREAD ROLLS

“Hello Jenny, It is my honor to find you and use your recipes.The very first time I cooked bread , was your recipe . I always thought it’s very hard to make a bread but you are making everything absolutely easy and FUN ? Thank you so much . Look sooo good and was so delicious ? Best regards, ~Kathy Alimi.”

~ Your rolls turned out perfect and I like the sesame seeds on top. Thank you for the photo. ~ jennyJenny Can Cook Bread Recipe

CYNTHIA MADE MY EASY CRISPY FOCACCIA BREAD

“Cynthia made this delicious bread from Jenny’s recipe!  Thank you.”

~ Thank you so much! I love this recipe and now I have to make some tonight!  ~ jennyFocaccia Recipe Jenny Can Cook

ANH (from California) MADE MY SOFT & CHEWY OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

“Hi Jenny, We live in the South Bay  area of Los Angeles.  I had finally got a hold of 2 bags of unbleached flour after 3 weeks of searching high and low for them.  With the quarantine order, baking saves my sanity, not to mention my family’s. Here are my first try at your Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.  Thank you for sharing.”

~ They look perfect and I think chewy cookies are comforting. Thank you for your photo. ~ jennySoft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

GRACE (from New Zealand) MADE MY PIZZA DOUGH & CHOCOLATE CAKE

“Hi Jenny , So thrilled my husband discovered your easy, simple and most of all delicious recipes.I made your egg free dairy free chocolate cake and I tell you it was a hit! ( have sneaked a bit of Baileys on the icing ??) It was yum) And also tried your pizza dough couple of times and it was the perfect homemade pizza dough I’ve ever tried. You’ve made our lockdown a not so gloomy place. Thanks  More power to you and keep safe.  Cheers from New Zealand ~ Grace. ❤”

~ My pizza dough is in New Zealand! That’s a tasty looking pizza and luscious looking cake. Thanks for sending your photos. Stay well. ❤️ ~ jennyEasy Homemade PizzaQuarantine Cake

CINDY (from Trinidad) MADE MY CINNAMON ROLLS & OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

“Hi Jenny ..I’m from Trinidad..made these…didn’t have a round pan…but it turned out great..thank you. Thank you for the recipes. ~ Cindy.”

~ Thanks for the great photos. They both look really yummy! ~ jennyBest Homemade Cinnamon RollsJenny Can Cook Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

NANA (from Canada) MADE MY QUICK & EASY SPROUTED WHEAT BREAD

“Hi Jenny, I made your Q & E sprouted wheat bread recipe, using Anita’s sprouted spelt flour (from Costco.)  It turned out great thanks for sharing the recipe! ~ Nana from Manitoba Canada.”

~ Your bread is so beautifully tall. And thanks for the Costco tip. (I’m from Ontario ??)~ jennyEasy Sprouted Wheat Bread

HOLLY MADE MY NO KNEAD CRUSTY ROLLS INTO HOT DOG BUNS

“Made a batch of your No Knead 2 Hour Crusty Rolls into hot dog buns for dinner tonight, they were so good! When this time of social distancing and self-quarantine is over, I will make these to contribute to the many cookouts we will go to ?”

~ I love this! Thanks very much for sharing your photo and this great idea. ~ jennyNo Knead Hot Dog Buns

NICOLE MADE MY FASTER NO KNEAD BREAD

“My first time making bread! We’re so excited to have this with our Zuppa Toscana tonight. Thank you for the Faster no knead bread recipe and great video! ~ Nicole. ?”

~ I’m glad to hear it and Zuppa Toscana sounds so good with this bread! ~ jennyFaster No Knead Bread

THERESA MADE MY QUICK & EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE AND CINNAMON ROLLS

“I don’t know how I found your website  but I am so glad I did.  I made your chocolate cake 2 days ago and your cinnamon rolls today.  They are the best ever….thank you so much for making your recipes so easy to follow.”

~ Thank you for the photos. I’m glad you found me too. ? ~ jennyquarantine chocolate cakebest cinnamon rolls recipe
Mar 15, 2020

Need To Bake Bread?

Wholw Wheat Sandwich Bread

Where’s all the bread? The shelves are empty these days and most of us can’t buy bread. That’s why I’m here! ? If you’ve never baked bread before, I’m here to say you can do it. My bread recipes are very popular because they’re easy. You’ll see a lot of comments like, “This is the first time I’ve ever baked bread and I’m never buying store bought again.”

To help first time bread makers, I’ve put together a list below of some of my easiest and most popular bread recipes. The silver lining in the bread shortage is that you might like your homemade bread so much, you may never go back! Everyone, take care and be well.

Simple Whole Wheat Bread (pictured above)

Simple White Bread

Faster No Knead Bread

2-Hour Fastest No Knead Bread

Easy Honey Wheat Bread

Easy White Bread

Faster No Knead Whole Wheat Bread

More Easy Breads

Kohl’s sells a Dutch oven from Food Network for around $60 (oven safe to 500°F). The ideal size, 5-quart, is on sale now (March 21) online for $48. THIS IS NOT A PAID ENDORSEMENT, JUST SHARING INFORMATION.

Feb 12, 2020

I’m Always Learning

Jenny Can Cook Best RecipesThese are just some of the recipes that I have either improved or simplified since they were originally posted. I’m always learning and improving my skills so if anyone is using a recipe that was posted a while ago or if you printed it some time ago, please check the “Recipe Changes/Fixes” category in my blog.

So far I have made changes to about 100 recipes but many of the changes are minor, like increasing salt or reducing sugar but others, like my 15-Minute Veggie Pasta, now use an easier, faster, all-in-one-pan method. I’m always looking for ways to make something healthier or faster or to simplify the process so every time I cook, if I try a better way and it works, I adjust the recipe and share the exact changes I made in the blog.

I encourage all of my regular cooks to occasionally check the “Recipe Changes” category here in my blog to make sure you are using the newest and best version of each recipe. As I evolve as a better (& simpler) cook, I will continue to occasionally update my recipes. To see if any changes were made to your favorite recipes, click here.

Jun 1, 2019

No Dutch Oven / No Knead Bread

No Dutch Oven No Knead BreadFor anyone who does not have a Dutch oven but wants an easy way to make crusty homemade bread with no kneading and almost no work at all, look what I just made on a baking sheet! It was so easy and the loaf was crusty and delicious.

A Dutch oven with a lid creates steam inside the pot, which produces that crispy crust so I create steam inside the oven by placing a small 5 by 9-inch pan in the oven while it’s preheating. Then when I place the bread in to bake, I pour some boiling water into the little hot pan and whoosh – steam goes all over the place. I close the oven door right away to keep the steam inside and let it bake.

Anyone can make this easy no knead bread on a baking sheet. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Feb 20, 2019

Whole Wheat No Knead Bread (updated)

100% Whole Wheat No Knead BreadI found a better way to make my 100% whole wheat no knead bread. I’m using the same ingredients but I recently found that you don’t always need the resting period for no knead breads while the oven heats up so I tried it with this whole wheat version and it turned out great. And it saves time. I plan to experiment with all my other no knead breads and will report back on each one if they are just as good without the resting time.

I get the best result in my 3 1/2-quart Dutch oven so the bread can not spread too much. Keep in mind that this is a heavier, more dense loaf than the original white flour version but if you want an easy, healthy, high fiber bread recipe, this is it. The only difference between this recipe and the old one is that the old one had a 2-hour resting period before baking. So the total time for this recipe just went from 13 hours to 11 (but you’re sleeping most of this time anyway).

For my new and improved, faster 100% whole wheat no knead bread, click here for the recipe.

Feb 10, 2019

No Knead Multigrain Bread

Easy Mulitigrain No Knead BreadIt must be Sunday because I’m making my favorite no knead bread, the one I love having for breakfast. This easy mulitgrain loaf has two kinds of fiber, one from the oats and the other from whole wheat flour. Oats have soluble fiber and whole wheat has insoluble fiber, the perfect combination of whole grains. No knead loaves made with whole grains don’t form the lovely cracks we see in the white versions but they still form a beautifully crunchy crust.

This recipe uses the overnight method with cold water so I put it together last night before bed and baked it this morning. I’ll be saving a couple of slices and freezing the remaining slices that will last me all week, and then next Sunday….. well…. I’ll make it again. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Jan 29, 2019

Make No Knead Bread in LESS THAN 2 HOURS!

Fastest No Knead Bread Ever

GOOD NEWS! There is an even faster way to make my 2-Hour No Knead Bread. Thanks to a comment by fellow baker, Terry, who simply forgot the 15-minute rest, it turns out you can do without it. So the 2-hour recipe now can be made in 1 3/4 hours! When I saw Terry’s comment I immediately tried it myself. And it worked. I just left out the 15-minute rest and took it straight from the mixing bowl after the one-hour rise, folded it over a few times on a floured surface, and placed in on a sheet of parchment paper. I lifted the parchment and dough, placed it in my preheated Dutch oven, and baked as usual. Look at how well it turned out!

Most bread connoisseurs will agree that the longer the dough rests, the better flavor the bread will develop. This is true but some days I want bread and don’t have much time and I thought this loaf tasted really good.  I’m not sure if I should adjust the recipe so in the meantime, here is all you need to do: 1) Preheat your oven 15 minutes earlier. 2) Skip the 15-minute rest before baking.

Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Sep 5, 2018

Easy Multigrain Artisan Bread

Multigrain No Knead BreadI never knew such a healthy, hearty bread could be so good and so easy to make. It’s probably the no knead bread I make the most because it’s just so easy. I haven’t bought bread in years. All of the bread recipes I post here are ones I make at home and it’s usually the Dutch oven breads because they are so easy to put together.

The prep is barely 5 minutes as you just combine the oats and flour(s) with yeast, salt, and water in a bowl. You cover the dough and let it rest overnight and the next day you fold the dough over a few times, let it rest a while, and bake in a Dutch oven. It’s foolproof. And you get a hearty, crusty loaf of bread you could never buy anywhere that’s so fresh and delicious. This multigrain no knead loaf is usually part of my breakfast and I also love it with a bowl of vegetable soup.

I started the dough last night but I was impatient this morning and didn’t wait the full 2 hours before baking. It was actually 1 hour and 15 minutes so I saved 45 minutes off the resting time. I will try it again with the shorter resting time and if it works once more (and was not a flook) I will adjust the recipe so you can make it faster. To try my multigrain no knead artisan bread, click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Feb 8, 2018

Easy Sprouted Whole Wheat Bread

 Easy Sprouted Wheat BreadI’m so excited to share this new recipe. It’s very similar to my hugely popular simple whole wheat bread recipe. I’ve been curious about baking with sprouted wheat flour and finally decided to give it a try. What a wonderful surprise!

This loaf is soft and delicious with a great texture, and definitely softer than the regular whole wheat version. The dough is a little softer too so I was afraid it might not turn out, but I love it not just for the great taste and texture but because I researched the benefits of sprouted whole wheat flour compared to whole wheat flour. Sprouted whole wheat flour has…

  • More fiber
  • More protein
  • Less gluten
  • More vitamins than regular whole wheat flour, like B, C & carotene
  • More minerals than regular whole wheat flour, like calcium, iron, magnesium & zinc
  • Enzymes that make it easier to digest
  • More flavor because the grains are sprouted

WHAT IS SPROUTED WHEAT FLOUR? Wheat grains are allowed to sprout before milling, producing a living, nutrient-rich food because vitamins & minerals develop that enhance nutrition and digestibility. The major benefit is that those nutrients are in a state that can be more readily absorbed. (I find sprouted wheat flour at Whole Foods and it’s also available online. Once opened, be sure to keep it refrigerated.)

If you like my simple whole wheat bread, this sprouted wheat loaf is just as easy to make. I’m so glad I decided to experiment with sprouted wheat flour. This loaf is softer than the similar whole wheat loaf so if it’s too flimsy for you, try making it with half whole wheat flour and half sprouted whole wheat flour. It will have more body and a really great taste. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Jan 27, 2018

Ten Grain No Knead Bread

Cracked Wheat No Knead Bread

UPDATE – January 2020: Good news! I experimented and found that it’s not necessary to soften the grains with boiling water. You can just combine them with the flours and other dry ingredients and add cool water. Using this overnight method, the grains soften naturally on their own.

(Jan. 2019) Always looking to add fiber to my breads, here is my easy no knead bread made with ten grain cereal. I use dry cereal and soften it for 15 minutes with boiling water and then put the dough together with even more fiber, adding whole wheat flour, bread flour, and rolled oats.

I use Bob’s Red Mill 10 Grain Cereal and instead of cooking it, I just soften it with boiling water for a few minutes.

This cereal contains a fabulous mix of wheat, rye, corn, triticale, oats, soybeans, millet, barley, brown rice, oat bran, and flaxseed meal. Wow! It provides lots of fiber and protein and a nice chewy texture to this wholesome bread. If you can’t find it, you can try another multi-grain cereal. This loaf needs time to develop so it’s made using the overnight method but it’s still very little work, just waiting time (but you’re sleeping anyway!). Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones