• bevchris on July 14, 2017

  I made the peasant bread but added 1/2 potato flakes and reduced the flour a little. The end result was very nice and I will make it this way again.

• eliza on March 20, 2017

  I read about this book on a gardening blog and it intrigued me, so I tried a recipe (the anadama bread) from an online preview. I bake a lot of bread and I'm always interested in trying a new method. This bread was certainly easy to make. The resulting loaf had an odd spongy texture that didn't appeal to me at all, although its taste was acceptable enough. Although I’m one to not throw out good food, sadly most of this became compost. Would probably benefit from a second rising. Not a bread for purists.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• The peasant bread master recipe

  • vickster on August 11, 2017

    I was excited to finally try this bread from Alexandra Stafford's book. It is a very easy, fast recipe, with little hands-on time. Next I am going to try some of the variations.

  • hirsheys on September 01, 2018

    Earlier this summer I had grading to do at home, so I flirted briefly with the idea of running to a nearby bakery to get some yummy bread so that I could make myself a tomato sandwich for lunch. But then I felt far too comfy in my jammies and did NOT feel like getting dressed. So, instead, I remembered the description of this no-knead bread on Chowhound and decided to give it a go. I found the recipe online, and sure enough, in just a couple hours I had two adorable little loaves of chewy bread that were perfect for tomato sandwiches. Yum! The method worked great (though I didn't butter the bowls enough - next time maybe I'll use oil?)

  • westminstr on December 03, 2018

    I used a half recipe to make the cutest little loaf of bread ever! Everyone loved it. I subbed active dry yeast (mixed the sugar into the lukewarm water, then added yeast and waited until foamy) and a scant tsp of David's kosher salt. Excited to try variations, especially with some whole grain flours added. I have a slow oven, baked the extra five minutes and glad I did.

  • stockholm28 on December 03, 2018

    There are lots of raves about this bread, but I was disappointed. I liked the buttery crust, but I thought the yeast flavor was a bit too strong and the texture reminded me too much of a dense loaf cake. It was much better to me on day two when I used it as toast. I might try another of her recipes, but I will probably look for one with another grain. I did like how easy this was and it was definitely superior to the supermarket bread that I grew up eating. I think JIm Lahey’s No Knead bread is fantastic and that crusty, chewy style of bread is really what I prefer so I will probably continue to choose that when cooking for adults. However, I might give this a try when cooking for my crust-hating niece and nephew. I could see how this one might even entice a very picky kid to eat the crust.

  • BethNH on December 07, 2018

    I followed the recipe exactly - even weighed the flour. The bread never made even a loose ball but I figured I’d forge ahead. After the first rise I was concerned about the loose dough - more of a batter really - but I put it in the two bowls and let them rise. After baking I was very surprised to find two lovely brown loaves of bread. Delicious and super easy!

  • Lepa on December 12, 2018

    This was extremely easy to pull together and I was quite pleased with the result. I'm a bit spoiled by living down the road from Tartine Bakery and it's nothing like the bread I can buy from bakeries in SF but I was satisfied with the effort to result ratio. It was pretty good slathered with lots of fancy German butter. My kids loved it because the crust is so soft. We ate a loaf with soup and then they had a final piece with butter and jam for dessert.

  • stockholm28 on December 19, 2018

    UPDATE: My second attempt at this resulted in much better results. I took some suggestions from sallyt and nannybales on the chowhound COTM THREAD. I made half a recipe and used 12 g dark rye, 64 g whole wheat, and 180 g AP flour. I extended the second rise to 30 minutes and I baked until the internal temp was 205 F. I liked this variation much better. I still prefer the Lahey no knead bread, but this is quite a satisfactory option when one does not plan ahead.

  • stef on June 30, 2019

    A good recipe. Makes a nice soft crumb bread. My dough had to rise 1 1/2hrs the first time and 30 minutes the second.

  • ChristineL32707 on July 03, 2019

    This is the easiest bread ever! The loaves had a lovely crust and the inside was soft and delicious. I’ll be making it again and again - especially in the fall and winter when it’s soup and stew season. The dough was sticky and didn’t make much of a ball. I had to butter up my hands and plop it into each bowl. Both loaves rose nicely though. And it was so so good!

  • anya_sf on March 24, 2020

    Very easy. For some reason, the bread stuck to the bowl even though I buttered it well (I had no problem with the other breads I've made from the book). I liked the bread on its own, but didn't love it, but it was perfect for cheese fondue.

  • lizbot2000 on November 27, 2020

    Delicious and easy. I'll be making iterations of this for years, I think. I've already bought this book for my sister in law, who is excited about baking bread but says she never has time. I think this will be perfect for her.

  • Hawaii on February 11, 2022

    Delicious bread! This is a lovey homey simple bread that deserves all the praises for what it is. No, it's not sourdough and it doesn't have a Tartine-like shattering crust; this is the anti-artisan bread. It's simple and easy and takes very little planning. The crust is buttery and has a nice bit of crunch on the first day. It's just easy deliciousness. My family loves it and this recipe will be in my rotation for a long time.

  • jimandtammyfaye on June 07, 2023

    Impressive outcome for such a simple recipe. Used one of the 2 loaves as a birthday gift, along with a bottle of dipping oil and a little ceramic dipping bowl.

  • jdejong on September 19, 2024

    I purchased this book last month after enjoying the author’s Pizza Night cookbook. I was skeptical of baking in the Pyrex bowls, but this turned out impressively well for such little effort. I baked the loaves in 1.5 quart bowls and increased the recipe to one and a half as the book suggested. I added a few minutes to the baking time and next time I will let them go just a bit longer to increase the golden color. This bread was delicious grilled on our Baking Steel griddle in the leftover bacon fat for BLTs with Heirloom tomatoes. I plan to experiment with some of the recipe variations soon.

  • PennyG on October 06, 2024

    This was easy and delicious, albeit after the day it’s baked, it’s better toasted. I’ll be making this often - buttered hot out of the oven for Sunday evening dinner, then for toast the next few days.

  • fultre on September 30, 2025

    This bread is loved by all in our family. I especially appreciate the ease of making and the short time from start to finish. I make one loaf in a larger Pyrex bowl to avoid the step of separating the sticky dough into two parts.

  • Lhughes2 on January 03, 2026

    Gave this cookbook and the quart bowls to all my family during Covid. They all still make this bread.

  • westminstr on February 26, 2026

    Recently made again after quite a while. I used a mix of bread flour, AP flour and 12g rye flour for a half recipe. Did the first rise on the proof setting, second on top of the radiator. Baked on convention & didn’t need extra time. Everyone liked it!

  • Embry on March 26, 2026

    Made 1/2 recipe good bread but not a lot of flavor

  • eejackson on March 28, 2026

    I have made this made this bread so many times and will make it many more, I'm sure. It's a very loose dough. I don't make two loaves; I plop it all in a single well-buttered 2 qt. Pyrex bowl. No changes needed to baking instructions. One of the bonuses is the recipe is so easy to remember. I don't love it the day after, but that's rarely a problem. Three hours start to finish for oven-fresh yeast bread is delightful.

• Three seed bread

  • Lepa on December 06, 2018

    This was the first bread I made from this book and we didn't love it. It wasn't salty enough, had an off taste from the canola oil and lacked flavor. I'm concerned the canola oil was responsible for the taste so I might try grape seed oil next time.

  • anya_sf on March 19, 2021

    I enjoy seeded breads and quite liked this one toasted with butter and jam. Using 25% white whole wheat flour worked well here.

  • hbakke on June 02, 2024

    This was a nice bread. I don't particularly love pumpkin seeds, so I probably wouldn't repeat, but everyone else enjoyed it. I used salted (already toasted) seeds.

• Rosemary semolina bread with pine nuts

  • ChristineL32707 on July 21, 2019

    Rosemary Semolina Bread is perfect for sandwiches, with a softer, “creamier” texture. I toasted pepitas and used them instead of pine nuts. Loved the crunch! I will be making this again. My dough generally turns out sticky, but the results are always excellent.

  • anya_sf on March 09, 2020

    It was easy to halve the recipe, and then I didn't have to divide the sticky dough - just used the forks to tip it into the baking dish. My family nearly finished the whole loaf with dinner (eggplant cheesecake). It was delicious.

• Quinoa and flax bread

  • bching on November 05, 2018

    Very good. Like the walnut bread I cooked from this book, the loaf needed the maximum time plus a few more minutes in the oven. I substituted mustard seeds for the flax seeds in the recipe thinking mustard would complement the roast marrow bones I was also serving. I was right! I'm thinking that caraway seeds would also make a good replacement.

  • Lepa on December 20, 2018

    I liked the crunch in this bread. I'm still not sure the flavor/texture is great.

  • westminstr on September 30, 2019

    For this bread I subbed white sesame seeds for the flax seeds. I also used white quinoa. This was great bc the kids couldn't see the different colored seeds in the bread (everything white on white). Really liked the flavor, the seeds added some complexity to the basic peasant bread.

  • ChristineL32707 on November 02, 2019

    I've made this twice, using tricolor quinoa. I didn't have flaxseeds so I added flax meal, which gave bread a nice flavor. This is delicious for slicing and buttering (of course!), sandwiches - and makes fabulous toast!

  • anya_sf on March 18, 2020

    I used half white whole wheat flour and multicolor quinoa, which was also pretty. The texture of the bread was slightly crumbly. It made good toast, especially with saltier toppings.

  • hbakke on February 25, 2023

    We all enjoyed this simple bread. I liked the added texture from the quinoa (I used a tri-color quinoa and flax meal in place of flax seeds). I would make this again.

  • PennyG on December 30, 2024

    Another winner from this great book. I used Chia Seeds rather than Flax Seeds. Delicious! Love the crunch.

  • westminstr on February 26, 2026

    Made with quinoa & hemp hearts & olive oil, we unanimously preferred the plain version. Not sure if it was the hemp hearts or the olive oil but the texture & crunch wasn’t as good as the other loaf.

• Beer bread with golden raisins and walnuts

  • Maefleur on June 05, 2018

    I subbed dried cranberries for the golden raisins. Added a sweet/tart flavor and a pop of color.

  • hirsheys on November 15, 2019

    This was quite good - the raisins add sweetness that balances the beer flavor. I subbed pecans for the walnuts, and while I like the taste of the nuts, I just don't like nuts in bread, so next time I'd leave them out. Good all in all.

  • anya_sf on December 24, 2021

    For the beer, I used a mixture of stout and double IPA, so I think the type of beer is fairly flexible. The bread was really delicious. We just had it buttered, but it would be great with cheese.

• Walnut bread

  • bching on December 29, 2017

    disappointing gummy texture.

• Honey whole-wheat bread

  • hirsheys on September 08, 2018

    Like the other breads in the book, this bread is super easy to make and came out absolutely delicious. So far, this might be my favorite. It tastes similar to my favorite whole wheat bread from the Tassajara Bread Book (Tassajara is still my fave, but this one is WAY simpler). My cornmeal had a bug in it (ew), so I replaced it with a little instant cream of wheat (thinking it might add a similar texture). I don't think it did, but it worked fine. Next time, I'd like to try it with the cornmeal, though I think extra flour would be fine, too. I think any sweetener would work, though I think tasty/flavorful is key, so wouldn't use agave or very light honey.

  • BethNH on April 03, 2019

    Not wanting to leave the house to buy bread I made half or a recipe of this bread to go with soup for dinner. I was a little too anxious and pulled the bread out of the oven too early. I decided to put it back in the bowl and bake a little longer and the bread did not suffer from the 5 minute it spent out of the oven. Another delicious bread from this book. It really is a life changer for me to decide I want some bread and be able to throw this together in minutes and have bread with about 10 minutes of hands on time.

  • hbakke on May 17, 2023

    Easy and delicious. Mine was a tad overbaked at 40 minutes, so I'd check it earlier next time.

  • anya_sf on June 23, 2023

    Fairly moist, somewhat dense loaf. Nice toasted with butter and/or honey. I had fine-grind cornmeal, so there was less texture than there might have been.

• Anadama bread

  • eliza on August 06, 2017

    Oh dear, this was not good. I made this bread a while back, and didn't care for the texture. The flavour was just ok; a bit too sweet for me, but the odd spongy texture is what really let this down, making this my least favourite bread I've made (…possibly ever). A single rise is just not enough to produce an accepatable bread texture. I definitely won't repeat this one as there are so many far superior bread recipes out there.

  • hirsheys on October 20, 2018

    An interesting, extremely molasses-y bread. For me, this wasn't salty enough. I'm not sure if this is because I used Diamond Crystal salt (in other breads, I used Morton), or because this particular bread isn't salty enough. Next time, I will try it with more salt. (As usual, I cooked it for the extra 5 minutes...) (Too dense, as well.)

  • hbakke on May 22, 2023

    I mistakenly used blackstrap molasses which gave the bread a little too bitter flavor. It wasn't a bad loaf, but I think I'll try this again with regular molasses or sorghum syrup.

• Oatmeal-maple bread

  • hirsheys on September 01, 2018

    I didn't take good notes on this, but it was easy and came out yummy. Looking forward to trying it again. ETA: go heavier on salt next time and make sure to cook at least the extra 5 mins.

  • BethNH on December 19, 2018

    Once again I really had to trust the process. At the end of the first rise the dough was quite loose. I scooped it out with my hands into the buttered bowls and left it to rise. It rose better than the peasant bread. I baked it for 40 minutes and it produced two lovely brown loaves of bread. This bread is SO GOOD. It's slightly sweet but I could not taste maple syrup. It's wonderfully soft. It's delicious plain or toasted. I will make this again and again. The only change I made was to use white whole wheat because it's what I prefer.

  • stockholm28 on January 12, 2019

    This bread is quite dense and slightly sweet. The maple flavor is not really noticeable beyond the sweetness. I preferred this as toast and this bread really seems more suited to the breakfast table. I did have to cook it the extra 5 minutes. Also note that this recipe uses 2 cups water. She lists 1 cup boiling water in the ingredients list but the instructions have you add another cup of water after the oatmeal soaks in the hot water for 10 minutes. I missed this step initially.

  • westminstr on September 30, 2019

    This was delicious and the whole family enjoyed it (even E). Subbed spelt flour for WW and bread flour for AP. 1 extra tsp of water (half recipe) & baked the extra 5 minutes as usual. The bread had a gentle sweetness, not overbearing, and we enjoyed it with dinner, slathered with salted butter.

  • skvalentine on October 08, 2021

    This bread is a treat. As a bonus, your home will smell amazing while you're baking it!

  • hbakke on May 07, 2023

    Slightly sweet bread with a crispy crust. I would make this again.

  • PennyG on November 11, 2024

    Another winner from this book. I’ll be making this often!

• Multigrain cereal bread

  • hirsheys on October 07, 2018

    As per usual, I added the extra 5 minutes to my bake time (knowing my oven). Just like the others, this bread is delicious and super easy. It was a great way to use up the cereal I bought for a different recipe. I liked the texture the cereal added to the bread, though I don't think the taste is terribly different than the other wheat breads.

  • stockholm28 on December 19, 2018

    I also liked this bread. I used Bob’s 10 grain cereal which was leftover from my experiment with the Smitten Kitchen bread. I did not care for the SK bread which I thought tasted too much of beer. I liked this much better. I really preferred it as toast for breakfast. My second rise was about 40 minutes and I baked it to an internal temperature of 205 F as suggested on chowhound COTM thread.

  • Jviney on July 09, 2019

    I was craving a grainy bread and this was perfect. Just a hint of sweet from the maple syrup and a lovely flavor and texture. With all her breads, I use Diamond Kosher salt and round the two teaspoons she calls for. Made this bread with avocado toast in mind, and it will be excellent.

  • bwhip on February 15, 2021

    Delicious bread - and so quick and easy! I formed it into a single standard loaf pan, and it was the perfect size. Great texture with a little crunch in the crust, and lovely flavor with just a hint of sweetness from the maple.

  • anya_sf on May 31, 2023

    Flavorful bread with a coarse, nubby texture from the cereal. Really great toasted. I made 3/4 recipe as one 8.5"x4.5" loaf. Baking time was slightly longer.

• Bulgur bread

  • hbakke on December 21, 2023

    A bit more dense/heavier than other bread loaves I've made from this book, but the bulgur gave it a nice nutty flavor. I would make this again.

  • PennyG on October 07, 2024

    Oh! This is amazing … had sliced and buttered straight from the oven with dinner last evening. I toasted and buttered it for breakfast this morning. Just a bit of chew from the bulgur, tasty … delicious! This is going into the rotation.

• Kalamata olive bread

  • hirsheys on May 28, 2019

    This was also an incredibly wet dough for me, but that was entirely user error. I halved the recipe up until the water, then flaked and put the entire amount of water in! Ugh. I didn't want to end up with two loaves of bread, so I added an extra cup of flour (so like a 1.5x recipe). I baked this in a loaf pan, which worked fine for the amount of dough, and I just baked it a lot longer to make up for the super wet dough. In the end, I was shocked that it ended up being pretty yummy, despite all my attempts to mess it up. Next time, I'll use the rosemary as called for (I used thyme, since that's what I had) - I think that the rosemary would taste better with the kalamatas. Still, a pretty good outcome.

  • Lhughes2 on January 03, 2026

    Great flavor!

• Rye bread

  • hirsheys on September 01, 2018

    Like the other breads in this book, this is easy as pie to make, and this time I was able to make one of them in the correct sized bowl (1 QT) and it came out SO cute. The flavor of the rye is pretty subtle, but it's tasty, and the crumb is nice. I cooked it for the extra 5 minutes and felt it needed it. (That has been true every time I've made these breads.) I think the oil in the bread is a bit much, however. I may lower the amount next time and/or leave it out entirely. Finally, I made the mistake of putting one of my bowls fresh out of the oven in my sink with water in it and it immediately cracked - so watch out for that!

  • westminstr on September 30, 2019

    Made a half recipe with a bit of extra water and 5 minutes longer baking, as per usual for me with her recipes. Delicious!

  • hbakke on March 12, 2023

    The rye flavor was faint, but the caraway seeds were a nice addition. Perfect low effort/high reward bread. I would make this recipe again.

  • jdejong on September 28, 2024

    Used dark rye flour from Bob’s Red Mill. Increased the amount of Caraway seeds. A delicious bread to serve with homemade soup. Great result for so little effort.

  • anya_sf on July 31, 2025

    Very good for little effort. Mild rye flavor even using dark rye flour. The bread stayed fresh for days.

  • PennyG on April 06, 2026

    Another winner from this book! I increased the amount of caraway seeds.

  • Embry on April 20, 2026

    Tasted ok but didn't like texture. Made 1 loaf. No caraway

• Cheesy cheddar and Parmigiano bread

  • anya_sf on July 20, 2020

    Yum. My family nearly finished one loaf with dinner. I used pecorino instead of parmigiano and did add cayenne, which I think added very subtle heat, but not the hot sauce.

  • hbakke on January 12, 2021

    This is a great, easy recipe. I did the initial proof for 1.5 hours (maybe my yeast was old) and it still wasn't doubled in size. My bread was a bit overcooked at the specified time, so I might check it earlier next time.

  • pattyatbryce on January 09, 2022

    Fantastic and still so easy.

  • PennyG on November 17, 2024

    Wow-eeeee! I am loving this book. Another winner … absolutely delicious. ETA: This makes awesome toast next morning.

• Potato bread

  • hirsheys on May 28, 2019

    Nice. The dill seed is an interesting new taste for me. This isn't my favorite bread in the book, but it's yummy.

  • skvalentine on June 16, 2026

    Delicious! So light and fluffy. I omitted the dill because I wanted a plain bread for tomato sandwiches. Will make again!

• Sheet-pan mac 'n' cheese

  • rmkeller on May 14, 2017

    This one's a keeper! Came out just as I expected it would and was delicious. More steps than I would normally go to for mac 'n' cheese but totally worth it for an occasional special version.

  • doughet on March 31, 2020

    Very tasty! Steve made the bechamel; I cut up everything else and assembled it. Easy dinner while sheltering in place at home. Made in two smaller sheet pans and put one in the fridge before cooking for a few days later.

  • anya_sf on April 19, 2020

    I lightened this ever so slightly by using 3 Tbsp butter in the bechamel and in the topping. This version of mac 'n' cheese did not have the same cheese flavor as traditional, but was delicious nonetheless - it was all about the crunchy topping. Some rosemary might be nice in the topping, and a firmer mozzarella may be better than fresh, as the delicate flavor was lost here. Still, everyone had seconds.

  • ellencooks on December 05, 2018

    I loved the crunchy topping but I missed the sharpness of Cheddar.

• Peasant pizza

  • ellencooks on May 18, 2017

    I was surprised by how good this was! I've been using a dough I make the night before and let rise overnight. This was easier and faster. I've successfully frozen half and made a great pizza camping in a skillet.

  • hirsheys on November 15, 2019

    This dough is easy as pie and tastes great, plus the suggested toppings are like a pseudo Tarte Flambee (my favorite!) Plus it was very quick. Very happy to have found this recipe!

  • anya_sf on May 22, 2021

    I used this topping with a different pizza dough, adding thin slices of russet potato (soaked in water, then patted dry), which is one of the seasonal variations. Delicious!

• Spicy jalapeño, corn, and Jack bread

  • ellencooks on May 30, 2017

    I included the seeds of the jalapeño because I wanted it to have a little kick. This was excellent!

  • Jviney on May 03, 2018

    One of my favourite variations. Last time, I included one large jalapeño and I think next time I would up it to two, or add the seeds. Great recipe.

  • BethNH on January 07, 2019

    The addition of grated Monterey Jack cheese makes for a nice moist loaf of bread. I subbed pickled jalapenos for fresh because that's what I had. The green flecks throughout the loaf makes for a very attractive bread. The flavor of the jalapenos is not very pronounced - more like a background flavor. We served this with beef stew and it was delicious.

  • hbakke on February 27, 2023

    Very nice, easy bread. I used a huge jalapeño and the bread wasn't spicy at all. I might add more jalapeño next time. We loved the cheese and bits of green onion dispersed throughout the bread.

• Summer tartines with burrata, avocado, herbs, and seeds

  • Jviney on April 23, 2018

    This was a surprising find in the greatest way - so delicious, different than anything I’ve had before.

• Dark chocolate bread

  • Jviney on May 03, 2018

    This one didn’t quite do it for me...it was as if I was expecting a sweet loaf and got a chocolate savory? Not sure my mind could figure out how to categorize it.

  • cucinahalcon on November 20, 2018

    Too bitter. Seemed like it should be a quick sweet bread, but the yeasted chocolate was odd.

  • Cathyschuh on March 01, 2020

    I added dried cherries and used very good chocolate and we both loved it. Tastes like our local Zingerman's chocolate cherry bread and smells delicious.

  • ChristineL32707 on July 07, 2019

    Perfectly delicious - warm with butter and a bit of honey. Will try it toasted with smashed sugared berries on top. Make it again!!

• Hearts of romaine with bacon crumbs and blue cheese-buttermilk dressing

  • Jviney on May 03, 2018

    Worth the effort - go make this! It was so good!

• Toasted coconut loaf

  • cucinahalcon on November 20, 2018

    So good. We prefer it without the toasted coconut.

  • stockholm28 on January 12, 2019

    I wanted to love this, but it was just o.k. for me. It is very dense and was quite moist (almost cake-like) 15 minutes after baking, but became drier and more bread-like by the next day. I preferred it toasted. I did wish that I had some lime curd or nutella to top it with as I think that would have been quite an improvement. I’ve now made 4 types of bread from this book and have thought all were fine but none were great. I think this kind of bread is just not my favorite style. I’ll keep these recipes in my backpocket for when I need something quick, but when I have time to plan I will always choose the Jim Lahey no knead bread,

  • hbakke on December 17, 2023

    Interesting bread. Not very sweet...more of a savory bread with a light coconut flavor. We enjoyed this toasted, spread with a little butter. Would be tasty with the recommended chocolate hazelnut spread.

• Pissaladière with anchovies, tomatoes, and onions

  • Lepa on November 26, 2018

    This was very easy to make and so impressive (and delicious!) My family loved this. I used quartered cherry tomatoes since tomatoes are no longer in season and they worked well.

  • anya_sf on May 30, 2024

    Really tasty, even when baked a few hours ahead. My onions took longer than 15 min to caramelize.

• Stuffing with kale, cranberries, and chestnuts

  • westminstr on December 03, 2018

    I've made this stuffing for two different thanksgivings, subbing veg stock for chicken. It is a GREAT thanksgiving stuffing. It has a lot more vegetable matter than most stuffings, which is a plus for me. You have to make the bread pieces small to start with - they shrink down in the toasting stage but they absorb the broth and grow tremendously while baking! I usually up the dried cranberries a little. I especially love the leftovers, the bread and kale are so crispy and delicous when reheated in the oven!

• Buttermilk pull-apart rolls

  • westminstr on January 02, 2020

    I didn't love these as much as everybody else (though I have to say my husband loved them!). It's also the case that a dinner roll isn't my favorite form of bread. And there were a couple of issues that could have contributed to my less than outstanding results. First, I didn't have an 8 inch pan so I ended up using a 9 inch pie plate, thinking that would provide roughly the same cubic area, but the shape suffered from the sloped sides. Second, I didn't intend to do this, but due to the timing of life I baked these several hours ahead and then reheated them - so we didn't get to enjoy at their just-baked best. Third, I used bread flour instead of AP flour which could have been a mistake. And finally, while I normally love the buttery crust on these breads, I didn't really love the melted butter brushed on top. I found it a bit greasy in both taste and texture. I think if I were to do dinner rolls again, I would go the Truman route and bake the regular bread in muffin tins.

  • hirsheys on September 25, 2019

    Fantastic and easy!!! Especially good when warm. (I used bread flour and baked for the longer time, like I always do with this book...)

  • stockholm28 on January 03, 2020

    I liked these, but mine did not look as good as Hirsheys. I made them as directed up through forming the dough balls. I then put them in a 9 inch pan and then into the fridge overnight. In the morning, I took the rolls out and left on the counter about 30 minutes before baking. I did like the butter and salt on top and thought they were best right out of oven. I did find them dense (like all the bread recipes in this book).

  • julesamomof2 on July 21, 2021

    These did not turn out for me at all and I don't know why. I used brand new yeast and followed the directions to a T. I also have a new oven with a 'proof' setting (80') and used that too. My results were dense and the the dough was so sticky it didn't stay put in individual rolls and I ended up with one big mass. I am going to keep trying but will try another recipe.

  • meginyeg on April 04, 2021

    Really enjoyed these. Came together quickly and easily. Non fussy shaping. Will make again.

  • stef on December 25, 2019

    This recipe comes together so easily. A really nice tender bun.

  • anya_sf on March 10, 2020

    I figured this recipe gave me license to not shape the rolls too perfectly. I refrigerated the shaped rolls overnight, then let them rise for an hour at cool room temperature. After 25 min in the oven, they still seemed a little pale, so I left them in for another minute, but didn't want to risk overbaking them, so I took them out. They probably could have used another minute or two. They were very soft and tender with an open crumb and almost spongy texture. We liked them, but they were definitely rustic. The flavor was buttery and needed the flaky salt sprinkled on top.

  • Cathyschuh on March 01, 2020

    I thought these were wonderful, nice texture, easy and delicious

• Cinnamon-sugar monkey bread

  • westminstr on January 02, 2020

    Made as written in a 9 inch springform, and these are probably one of the most delicious things I have ever baked! We loved them so much.

  • okmosa on January 17, 2022

    These are GREAT! I took anya_sf's lead and shaped the dough the night before, put it in the refrig, and proofed the next morning. It's winter now & the house isn't especially warm, so I allowed an hour to proof. I'm not sure how different a cast iron skillet would be, but I used a dark metal 9" pie pan and I left them in the full amount of time, maybe a couple minutes over. And the glaze seals the deal - perfect! To play to my tastes a little next time - I'll try to sub a small portion of the flour with whole wheat and cut back on the butter some.

  • anya_sf on March 15, 2020

    This relatively lean, not super sweet version of monkey bread was enjoyed by my family. I shaped the dough the night before, refrigerated overnight, then proofed and baked in the morning. Baked in a cast iron skillet, the exteriors got rather crispy/chewy, especially on the bottom; the interiors were tender and fluffy.

• Whole-wheat sandwich bread

  • PennyG on October 06, 2024

    This had nice flavor, but was a bit dense. I did substitute whole-wheat flour for the white-wheat flour (as the recipe said I could). I ate this buttered straight from the oven, then as toast the following few days. I didn’t use it for sandwiches as I had originally intended. Next time I will use the white-wheat flour and see if it makes more of a sandwich-bread texture.

  • anya_sf on May 20, 2021

    A perfectly fine, somewhat coarse, whole wheat sandwich bread, good for minimal effort. Note that the instructions call for extra water which is not listed in the ingredients - at first I didn't notice that, but realized the dough was too dry and had to stir it in at the end, which took a fair amount of muscle.

• Savory monkey bread with Gruyère, scallions, and bacon

  • hirsheys on June 28, 2019

    Delicious and relatively easy. Half a recipe is plenty - fills a loaf pan. Not convinced the poppyseeds add much, so will leave them out next time.

• Brioche with hazelnut cream swirl

  • hirsheys on December 17, 2018

    I'm not convinced that the hazelnut swirl is worth the trouble, to be honest. It's quite yummy, but man, what a megillah (Yiddish for elaborate process, basically). On the other hand, the brioche is amazing - light and fluffy and like falling off a log. I will definitely make it again (just not filled with anything.) This recipe makes 2 loaves.

  • lizbot2000 on November 27, 2020

    I made this without the hazelnut cream because I needed brioche for a bread pudding recipe I wanted to make. It turned out great, and quite a few slices didn't make it to the bread pudding after all. This is the second loaf of bread I've cooked, and it turned out gorgeous. These look really impressive. I made one in a loaf pan and one in the pyrex bowl recommended for the peasant bread. I preferred the look of the round one.

  • anya_sf on February 02, 2024

    I used leftover hazelnut cream from a different recipe and just made 1 loaf. I didn't actually find shaping to be that difficult. The hazelnut cream was less prominent than expected, but I may not have had quite enough. Eaten the day after baking, we enjoyed this toasted with butter and/or raspberry jam. I think it would also make delicious French toast.

• Cabbage soup with Gruyère-rye toasts

  • hirsheys on October 11, 2020

    This wasn't my favorite - I didn't love the flavor of the caraway. I served it with sourdough gruyere toasts, rather than rye. To be fair, I didn't make the recipe completely as written - I sweat the cabbage, rather than poached it. Didn't seem to make much of a difference.

• Light brioche

  • hirsheys on January 30, 2021

    Delicious. Easy and good. Use AP, not bread flour (like usually do with Bread Toast Crumbs breads.)

  • anya_sf on June 20, 2020

    While this bread is not quite like real brioche, it is much easier to make and its lack of richness is perfect for bostock or French toast. The crumb is coarse and open, relatively sturdy, but not heavy.

• Breakfast strata with sausage, onion, and cheddar

  • okmosa on November 23, 2024

    I made a combination of this breakfast strata and on from Beatrice Ojakangas. I definitely leaned toward Italian and subbed parsley for the cilantro.

• Hamburger buns

  • julesamomof2 on April 27, 2020

    I did not have success with this recipe. I adore the author's peasant bread and have made it many times. This was just like that but shaped differently and topped with seasonings. I was expecting something lighter and fluffier, more bun like. These turned out too heavy and dense to be a true hamburger bun.

  • Jenny on April 10, 2021

    First time making hamburger buns - and Ali's recipe was so easy - was almost easier than going to the store to pick up the buns I forgot! I used a spice mix from Skordo with sesame seeds (white and black) and flake sea salt. I think these will be my go to from now on. These are a little sturdier than the flimsy buns you buy at the grocery - and I like that,

  • skvalentine on February 07, 2022

    These were tasty, although chewy rather than soft. But I loved not having to go to the store to make burger night happen! Will make again.

  • ChristineL32707 on April 07, 2020

    Top with Everything but the Bagel seasoning and rock on!

  • JulieCruz on July 31, 2024

    Great recipe, the dough was a sticky Doug but other than that easy to work with. I cut the recipe in half for only 4 buns. Next time I will add a topping but they were very tasty just bald.

  • Jviney on March 19, 2019

    These are good! It’s the peasant bread recipe but baked differently, obviously. I topped mine with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and minced dried garlic. My family really liked them.

  • stef on April 13, 2020

    Hardly any hands on work. They are good but I'll make them smaller next time

  • meginyeg on April 17, 2021

    Like others we found these dense. But they were easy and tasted good.

  • meginyeg on April 16, 2023

    Made again. Still chewy but delicious.

  • anya_sf on August 17, 2020

    Very easy to make and not bad. These buns are quite sturdy and chewier than most burger buns, so they work best for burgers and sandwiches that don't need a soft bun. My burgers were quite tall and could have used softer buns, but these did the job and tasted good.

• Gluten-free peasant bread

  • locopomtini on February 21, 2023

    I used the GF flour mix recipe. The dough was like thick, pancake batter. I let it rise 1.5 hours until I could see significant bubbles. I proofed in my oven. I “overgreased” the bowls because of previous bakes with the regular peasant bread recipe sticking to bowls. Had to bake much longer to made sure the Dough hit 210° still had to keep baking because of doughy center. That being said this is a great gluten-free bread. Wonderful texture! Would not know it was gluten-free if I had not made it myself. Not grainy, but soft and nice chew. Super easy with great results. Could use some salt. Can’t wait for my GF husband to try!

• Focaccia with grapes, pancetta, and rosemary

  • stef on August 18, 2019

    Oh I made this last weekend. Topping was rosemary, olive oil and fleur de sel. Fantastic dough for minimal work

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2021

    I made 1/2 recipe using red onions (a bit less than called for), green grapes (a bit more), and blue cheese in lieu of pancetta. Sprinkled some flaky sea salt on top to make up for the saltiness of the pancetta. It took about 5 extra minutes to bake (maybe due to more grapes). Very tasty. Next time I will definitely add pancetta.

  • ChristineL32707 on August 18, 2019

    Fantastic dough. Followed recipe; chilled overnight and let it come to room temperature in the same bowl, uncovered. Divided in half and used two different toppings: 1 - Hunts Fire Roasted Tomatoes (canned), drained; chopped garlic; parmesan cheese; sprinkle of kosher salt and 2 - Walnut pesto (olive oil, walnuts, fresh basil, salt) smeared all over the top with generous sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese. Follow instructions after that. YUM! Can't wait to create other variations.

• Soft sandwich bread

  • anya_sf on March 09, 2020

    I used about 1/4 white whole wheat flour, which was undetectable in the baked loaf. I made 1 loaf, but next time will make 2, as I can think of many uses for this bread (grilled cheese and french toast come to mind). The bread sliced neatly and had a soft, springy texture and pleasant flavor. Very nice for very little effort.

• Earl Grey tea bread

  • hbakke on January 07, 2024

    My Earl Grey tea was on the older side, which I think affected the flavor of the bread. The bread was tasty, but orange zest was the prominent flavor. I would make this again with fresh(er) tea bags.

• Cinnamon-swirl bread

  • anya_sf on November 05, 2020

    Easiest cinnamon-swirl bread I have made and fabulous toasted. I used a leftover egg white rather than whole egg for the egg wash. The dough gets stretched wider than the length of the pan so it either must be folded or squished to fit in the pan; I squished it, giving the loaf a wrinkled look which actually wasn't too bad looking. My dough took 25 minutes to crown the rim of the pan.

• Seafood bisque in bread bowls

  • anya_sf on May 10, 2020

    I ended up with 4 cups of shrimp stock, so just added 2 more cups of water to the soup. This isn't exactly a bisque since it's not completely smooth, and I made it more like a chowder, not bothering to peel the potatoes, dicing the vegetables larger, and adding 2 diced carrots. The flavor from the shrimp stock really made the dish, so don't skip it if at all possible. I would have preferred a thicker soup; next time I will thicken it with flour or cornstarch prior to adding the seafood. I didn't make the bread bowls, just served bread on the side.

• Roast chicken legs and toast

  • anya_sf on May 30, 2020

    My chicken legs were much larger, so I roasted them 45 minutes before adding the bread. I used leftover seeded multigrain no-knead bread instead of peasant bread, and it worked okay, although the seeds were maybe not ideal for this, since the bread is basically large croutons. I didn't check the bread closely enough (note: check the bottoms of the slices, not the tops) so it got a little dark. I doubled the lettuce and there was enough dressing. Quite tasty.

  • Jviney on March 06, 2021

    We really enjoyed this. I had honey whole-wheat (from this book) left over from this week and used that. Would probably back off the garlic to one clove next time, as the dressing was extra zingy. Quick meal, big payoff.

• Summer vegetable strata with green pepper, corn, and zucchini

  • Lhughes2 on January 03, 2026

    Love this recipe when corn is in season. Great for breakfast and lunch.

• Frangipane

  • stef on April 11, 2021

    A quick, delicious frangipane to make. I use my small food processor.

• Broiled French toast

  • anya_sf on March 22, 2020

    I used soft sandwich bread from the same book, which has a fairly coarse, open crumb, so the texture of the French toast was not as soft and creamy as it might have been with a different bread, which is either good or bad depending on one's preference. My broiler has hot spots, so I had to rotate the slices multiple times to cook them evenly. I appreciated that none of the custard was wasted. We enjoyed this, but it won't replace our favorite French toast recipe.

  • a_hint_of_rosemary on August 08, 2024

    This irresistible Broiled Savory French Toast provides the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Totally hits the spot with the crispy parmesan crust coating the thyme-infused custardy bread. Add a drizzle of maple syrup with a fried egg and some bacon on the side. If you're not a fan of too much sweetness at breakfast, this is a wonderful choice.

• Grilled chocolate and crème fraîche sandwiches

  • Jviney on February 13, 2020

    I planned this as my personal reward after hosting my son's kindergarten class Valentine's Day party, and it did not disappoint. Hint of lemon, sweet and tangy, warm and filling. Loved it. I used Nutella instead of making my own chocolate-hazelnut spread. It was delicious.

• Chocolate-hazelnut spread

  • Ducksinarose on April 18, 2025

    Used toasted hazelnuts from Trader Joe’s. Followed instructions to toast with poor results (burnt hazelnuts). Decided to use toasted hazelnuts out of the bag. The result is delicious - with a peanut butter like consistency, not as liquidy as Nutella. I used 3 tbsp of grape seed oil to get it more liquidy:

• Greek panzanella

  • Lhughes2 on January 03, 2026

    Delicious! Lovely flavor combo.

• Halloumi and bread skewers with bagna cauda

  • Jviney on July 29, 2019

    Very good, easy to make. I used short skewers - a little difficult to keep the halloumi from falling apart on the skewer but well worth the effort. Will make again for sure.

• Green gazpacho with tomato salsa

  • teandoranges on April 10, 2025

    Made this as directed, but subbed rice vinegar for the white balsamic, and it was too sweet, but I don’t think I would have liked it much anyway.

• Classic fondue

  • anya_sf on March 24, 2020

    Definitely a delicious classic. This recipe makes a generous amount of fondue and we couldn't finish it. The peasant bread was a great vehicle for the cheese. We also had thinly sliced fennel as kind of a palate cleanser and green salad on the side.

• Spicy broccoli sautè

  • anya_sf on March 09, 2020

    This was a very nice way to dress up broccoli. I skipped the red pepper flakes as my son doesn't care for them.

• Sautéed greens with lemon-parsley crumbs and poached egg

  • anya_sf on June 23, 2020

    Super quick and easy. I used mixed "super greens" (baby chard, tat soi, arugula, spinach), adding 1 crushed garlic clove to the greens and using less oil. I ate all of it myself for dinner and quite enjoyed it. Next time I'll use half the vinegar to start and taste before adding more, and will check the eggs after 3 minutes, since they were barely runny after 4.

• White bean gratin with sausage

  • eejackson on April 16, 2026

    Delightful. Warm, comforting, and filling. I made it with canned beans, so I did boil the onion, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme in a few cups of water for maybe 15 minutes before I added the beans. I recommend using a good olive oil because its flavor is prominent in the crumbs, but considering I made it with Polska kielbasa as that was what we had on hand, and the bread I turned into crumbs would have been tossed soon if I hadn't used it, this was a very inexpensive dinner. All the stars! Will definitely try this with other types of smoked sausage. I think it would also be good with no meat, as a side or vegetarian option.

• Orecchiette with brown butter, Brussels sprouts, and crumbs

  • teandoranges on April 10, 2025

    The Brussels sprouts were a lot of work, longer and not as tasty caramelizing on a sheet pan. The dish itself was bland, I added roasted cherry tomatoes and red pepper flakes and that helped a lot.

• Baked pasta with mushrooms, Fontina, and crumbs

  • bching on November 02, 2021

    We loved the final results., and the technique of mixing the uncooked pasta into a thin bechamel is elegant. I agree with Anya_sf: this serves 6 for dinner and 4 ounces of cheese is plenty. The recipe is in general poorly written. The ingredients aren't listed in the order used, and divided uses are not noted.

  • anya_sf on November 08, 2020

    This baked pasta method (baking uncooked pasta in lots of liquid) was new to me and I was slightly skeptical, but it worked perfectly using penne pasta. Unfortunately, I had to use supermarket fontina so the pasta wasn't as flavorful as it would have been with real Italian fontina, but it was still delicious. 1 cup diced fontina was closer to 4 oz, not 8; I used a heaping cup (5 oz) which seemed like plenty. In our house, this only served 4-6 for dinner.

• Mustard-roasted chicken with lemon-thyme bread crumbs

  • anya_sf on April 08, 2021

    Dried thyme worked fine. There was enough coating for 9 drumsticks. The chicken was really tasty, both hot out of the oven and cold the next day.

• Broiled striped bass with capers and crumbs

  • Lepa on March 06, 2020

    I make a fish with mustard/mayo sauce and love it. I thought this would be better because it has a simlar sauce plus breadcrumbs but unfortunately it tasted pretty bland.

  • anya_sf on March 20, 2020

    I doubled the recipe and used skinless tilapia. My broiler was broken, but roasting at 500 degrees on a foil-lined sheet pan worked fine. Tilapia is pretty bland and needed a generous amount of salt and pepper, but the crumb topping was really tasty. I look forward to making this with other fish.

  • Jviney on February 26, 2020

    This recipe has a great effort to value ratio. I made it with halibut I had on hand; husband and I ate it and loved it.

• Broiled lamb meatballs

  • anya_sf on July 27, 2021

    There wasn't quite enough liquid to soften all the bread - I'd add 1-2 extra Tbsp next time. Subbed cilantro for the parsley (what I had on hand). Chilled the mixture 2 hrs before shaping. Rather than broiling, the meatballs roasted at 375 F for about 30 min, which was probably a little too long. Still, they were flavorful and fairly juicy.

• Virgie's meat loaf

  • anya_sf on March 16, 2020

    Another cook who made this said it cracked on top and recommended using a meat loaf pan, so I did. Unsurprisingly, the meat loaf took an extra 20 minutes to cook through. When I unmolded it, it cracked anyway, so the pan didn't really help. My ground beef was 85/15 and I skipped the butter on top, but the meatloaf was plenty juicy anyway. The texture was quite coarse; perhaps I should have worked the mixture more. The flavor was very good - classic meat loaf flavor.

  • ellencooks on December 05, 2018

    This was fantastic! Excellent flavors, moist... I froze half of it raw for later and that cooked up great as well.

  • kaufmanap on December 04, 2020

    Love this classic meatloaf recipe. Like most meatloaf recipes, I found it very forgiving and flexible. It was moist and extremely flavorful. I actually had an additional pound of meat by mistake and it wasn’t an issue. Loved the fresh breadcrumbs moistened by buttermilk and the addition of hot sauce. Additionally I cooked it “free-form” in a 9x13 baking pan instead of a sheet pan since mine warped 15 min into the bake and I was concerned that the fat/juice would spill and the overall bake would be uneven. In spite of all of this, the dish whipped up quickly and was a big hit w 3 big eaters and made enough for leftovers!

• Coffee gelato with cocoa crumbs

  • anya_sf on March 31, 2020

    Great gelato recipe with no eggs required. The hardest part about making this was getting the mascarpone cheese warm enough to blend in my cold kitchen (I had to microwave it). 2/3 recipe barely made a pint of gelato, so there's no way the full recipe makes 1.5 quarts, since gelato doesn't have a lot of air whipped into it. The gelato was creamy and delicious even without the crumbs, but the slightly bitter cocoa crumbs gave it something extra. There were extra crumbs.

• Focaccia for sandwiches

  • anya_sf on May 10, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe in a 9"x13" sheet pan. While this didn't have the depth of flavor of overnight focaccia, it was quite good for such a quick and easy recipe, perfect if you didn't plan ahead. I used rosemary in the topping for extra flavor. The texture was great - bumpy, chewy, full of holes.

• Eat Your Books

  One of my favorite books of all time - filled with great easy recipes.

  Full review

• Food in Jars

  ...if you’re looking to up your bread baking game in an approachable way and then find some new ways to make good use of every last morsel of the bread you made, you should check it out.

  Full review