One of our favourite recipes to cook with kids is bread. A simple tradition we have is to bake a loaf of bread at home once a week with the kids. This easy bread recipe is ideal as you can use it for a 2lb loaf or you can make it into some extra cute little hedgehog rolls. The kneading, watching it rise and then enjoying the finished loaf is fantastic for the kids and it does taste extra nice as well.

When I set about making bread with the kids we tried a few different recipes.
But we settled on this one as it's easy to remember and they can do a lot of it themselves.
Ingredients for Easy Bread Dough
3 cups strong bread flour
pinch of salt
1 packet of quick action yeast
2 tablespoons of vegetable or sunflower oil
1 cup of warm water
1 tablespoon of sugar

We now have the Easy Bread Dough Recipe as a visual recipe card in our store. For you as a parent the easy recipes here on Rainy Day Mum are set up as printed sheets like the image above.
For your older kids we have created a recipe booklet which contains the recipe so that they can flip through and follow as they cook.

The recipe card can be purchased by clicking on the button below or you can join our Rainy Day Mum Recipe Club and get the recipe cards FREE ahead of time as well as special offers and brand new recipes to cook with your kids regularly just sign up at the end of this recipe.
Making bread with kids
Although I normally cook with the kids on the kitchen counter with them standing on a footstool - because of kneading the bread I have found that the kids find it easier to make bread at the table where they can knead the dough easier.
First off add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix well.
Make a well in the middle and add in the oil and the warm water (it should be hand hot and no more).
Stir the mix until it comes together and then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead.
A tip that I learnt from watching The Great British Bake Off - lightly oil your hands and the dough won't attach as easily.
It takes about 5 - 10 minutes to knead the dough into a nice smooth dough, and I often find myself taking a turn with the kids as well.
Once the dough is kneaded and smooth make into shapes that you want and then put in a warm place to double in size - this takes around an hour.
Decorate if you wish
Preheat the oven to 180C (my setting for my fan assisted oven)
Then bake for 15 - 20 minutes for rolls, 20 - 30 minutes for loaves. When turned over the bread when tapped should be hollow sounding.
Leave on a wire wrack to cool if you can!

Easy Bread Dough - Cooking with Kids
Equipment
- Bowl
- spoon
- Loaf Tin
Ingredients
- 500 g strong bread flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 packet quick action yeast
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil vegetable oil will work as well
- 240 ml warm water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Put the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix.
- Make a well in the centre of the bowl
- Add in the vegetable oil and the warm water
- Mix with a spoon until a dough is formed
- Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface
- Knead for 5 - 10 minutes until smooth
- Make into shapes or put in a loaf tin
- Leave in a warm place for around an hour until doubled in size
- Decorate if you wish
- Preheat the oven to 180C
- Cook 15 - 20 minutes for shaped rolls or 20 - 30 minutes for loaves
- Test to see if cooked by tapping the bottom with your knuckle - hollow sound = cooked
- Leave to cool and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition

Shop this Recipe
We have included affiliate links to some of the products and resources as an associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Why not bake this bread and then serve on this handmade Breaking Breadboard from Etsy. It's made in the UK and ships World Wide.
This is by far the best cooking with kids set I have found that includes everything that you need to start cooking and baking. The apron is ideal to grow with your child and the knives included will cut through fruit and vegetables but not skin so they are great for learning to use a knife safely.
More Easy Recipes to Cook at Home with Kids
- Yummy Pizza Wheels to Cook with Kids
- Easy Jam Tarts
- Thumbprint Cookies with a recipe for homemade strawberry jam as well

Cerys Parker
Cerys is a marine biologist, environmental educator, high school teacher and mum. Realising that life doesn't have to be put on hold and you don't just have to survive whilst the kids are young she shares ideas to inspire you to LIVE with the kids, with activities to do together, recipes to cook and enjoy and family travel to make memories to last a lifetime.
Loraine says
The only thing I found with this recipe is no oven temp was given..
Rachel says
At what oven temperature did you bake this at?
Samantha @ Stir the Wonder says
This sounds like a lot of fun! Thanks for linking up at the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop! We hope you join us again next week!
Jen Walshaw says
I love making bread, but it is my failing and I will eat it hot!
Lee says
I had some dough rising and checked my email -- to find this post! Some of the buns are now hedgehogs. 🙂 Adorable!
~Lee