FLUFFY Instant Pot Bread Recipes (2024)

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As the features of an Insta-pot wasn’t already amazing enough, we found out that you can use it to make instant pot bread too! Say what?

Learn the technique to convert any bread recipe, or check out our list of 16 other amazing recipes that will make your home smell like a bona fide bakery.

FLUFFY Instant Pot Bread Recipes (1)

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FLUFFY Instant Pot Bread Recipes (2)

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Jump to:
  • How to proof bread in instant pot
  • Instant pot bread recipes
  • Conclusion
  • More Recipes to Try

Recommended products & ingredients

Before we dive in, let’s get a quick crash course on the two main types of bread we’ll be covering: yeast bread & quick bread.

Difference between quick bread & yeast bread

When you make bread dough, you need something that'll get the dough to rise. The ingredient you use is what classifies it as yeast bread or quick bread.

What is yeast bread

Yeast bread uses, you guessed it, good 'ole yeast* to make that happen. The yeast reacts with warm water to ultimately create carbon dioxide, which helps make the bread dough rise.

It takes TONS of time for the yeast to do its thing, so traditionally you just had to be reaaaally patient while the bread “proofs” before you actually bake it. Fortunately, your insta-pot now drastically reduces the wait time.

What is quick bread

Quick bread is any bread that uses a leavening agent other than yeast, such as baking soda* or baking powder*.

The “quick” in “quick bread” refers to the fact that the batter doesn’t require proofing time or a whole lotta kneading. Because you can just pop the batter into the oven, it’s a lot...well, quicker.

Quick breads can be fully cooked using just an instant pot, no other equipment required.

With yeast bread, the instant pot is used to speed up the proofing process and cuts the overall recipe time by A LOT.

Some traditional yeast breads can take 24 hours or more to make from start to finish (nope, that's not a typo!), but the instant pot can cut that down to only a few hours!

How to proof bread in instant pot

Instead of waiting all day for your bread dough to proof, you can make the yeast put their pedal to the instant pot metal:

Step 1. Make the dough as normal according to your recipe. Stop where it begins instructing you to set it aside covered and in a warm place to proof.

Step 2. Put your dough on some parchment paper*.

Step 3. Insert the steamer rack into the inner pot of your insta-pot like normal.

Step 4. Secure the lid firmly.

Step 5. Change your valve setting to VENTING.

Step 6. Turn on the instant pot and press the YOGURT button with LOW HEAT.

Using this method, it will take less than 30 minutes to double the dough size. At this point, take out the dough (which should be a little sticky and bubbly-looking) and knead it a little.

If your recipe calls for you to re-rise the dough, repeat this process one more time. Otherwise, continue on with the rest of your recipe and get baking!

This is a general process for converting bread recipes for the instant pot, but if you want instructions that you can follow to a T, try these delicious instant pot bread recipes.

The process above is a general guideline for converting bread recipes for the instant pot, but if you want instructions that you can follow to a T, try these delicious instant pot bread recipes below.

Instant pot bread recipes

Whole wheat bread

Add extra oomph...well, crunch…to this artisan bread, which contains a variety of seeds and oats. (via Tidbits Marci)

Sourdough bread

Got leftover whey from instant pot yogurt? Then it’s perfect for this Dutch oven style, crusty sourdough bread. (via This Old Gal)

French bread

Contrary to the slow lifestyle pace of the Europeans, this bread is pretty quick to make, clocking in at only 90 minutes. (via Cooking with Karli)

Gluten-free bread

For you low-carb or specialty diet bread lovers, this one’s for you. It comes with walnuts! (via Corrie Cooks)

Cornbread

If y’all like your Southern cooking, then this recipe will have just the Southern charm you're looking for. (via The Foodie Eats)

Dinner rolls

Light, buttery, soft. What else more could you want from your dinner rolls? (via Imagelicious)

Hawaiian rolls

For a sweet spin, add some pineapple juice and coconut milk. No kneading required. Plus, these rolls are vegan! (via Imagelicous)

Artisan

A no-knead rustic bread that only requires 4 ingredients. (via Lynn's Way of Life)

Cheese bread

Brazilian style cheese bread could very well be the best bread you'll ever have. Perfect browning on top. Chewy, cheesy bread. (via Two Sleevers)

Garlic bread

This savory, pull-apart monkey bread is warm, cheesy goodness with rosemary. (via Unicorns in the Kitchen)

Ciabatta bread

This airy, chewy bread makes for fantastic sandwich bread. (via Cooking with Karli)

Pizza dough

This dough makes the perfect amount of thin crust for you to pile on your favorite toppings. (via Instapottin with Poonam)

Zucchini bread

If you’re looking for something light and healthy, try this not-too-sweet bread that’s just right for the morning or with your afternoon tea. (via Ministry of Curry)

Pressure cooker banana bread

This recipes calls for low-carb flour, which makes for a healthier treat that you can have for breakfast or dessert. (via Stay Snatched)

Cream cheese cinnamon rolls

For a more decadent dessert-type bread, try these rolls slathered with cream cheese and cinnamon. (via Lamberts Lately)

Bread pudding

This one’s got the works, with cinnamon, raisins, and a caramel pecan sauce. Mmm... (via Pressure Cooking Today)

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Conclusion

Learn how to use your instant pot to make bread, then try your hand at making these delicious instant pot bread recipes.

Use your insta-pot to proof your yeast dough in way less time, or make quick breads entirely in your insta-pot. When you see how easy it is to make bread with an instant pot, you’ll see why it’s the best thing since...sliced bread!

More Recipes to Try

  • Breads, Desserts, Treats
  • Best Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
  • Best Instant Pot Egg Recipes
  • Best Instant Pot Rice Recipes (+ Free Cheat Sheet)

See all in recipe index →

FLUFFY Instant Pot Bread Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making fluffy bread? ›

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

What makes bread airy and fluffy? ›

Carbon dioxide is responsible for all the bubbles that make holes in bread, making it lighter and fluffier. Because gas is created as a result of yeast growth, the more the yeast grows, the more gas in the dough and the more light and airy your bread loaf will be.

How can I make my bread fluffier instead of dense? ›

Potato Flakes or Potato Water

Starch helps the dough by trapping the gas from the yeast in the dough and makes the bubbles stronger. This helps the bread to rise and be lighter and fluffier. If you are boiling potatoes, you can use the unsalted water in place of the water in your bread recipe to help out the yeast.

Can you rise dough in an Instant Pot? ›

Set a timer for 30 minutes. Check the dough to see if it has doubled after those 30 minutes; if not, take a peek every 10 minutes after up to 60 minutes. Cut your bread recipe's proofing time in half, and that should be about when your Instant Pot bread proofing is complete for the first proof.

Does letting bread rise longer make it fluffier? ›

Does Rising Bread Affect Its Texture? For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.

Is rapid rise the same as instant yeast? ›

Instant yeast may also be marketed and sold as rapid- or quick-rise yeast. This yeast has also been milled into smaller particles so it doesn't need to be dissolved into water. In addition, enzymes and other additives are included to make the dough rise faster.

What makes bread soft and Pillowy? ›

Sugar: Not only does it sweeten the bread, but sugar also retains moisture. This means that adding sugar can indeed make bread softer. Baking Soda: When added, especially in recipes with acidic ingredients, it can make bread soft and spongy.

Does baking soda make bread airy? ›

Baking soda or baking powder are essential for your baked goods to come out light, airy, and with the right texture. Every home needs at least one box of ARM & HAMMER baking soda at all times, for your baking and household needs.

Why is my homemade bread so dense and heavy? ›

Too much extra flour worked into the dough while folding and/or shaping can cause dense bread. Over mixing can cause a dense loaf by the weakening and breakdown of the gluten (not likely to happen if you fold dough or hand knead). The flour you used is a whole grain with coarse bits of bran and grain in it.

Why is my homemade bread dense and not fluffy? ›

The usual reason why bread becomes too dense is due to using flour with low protein content. When your loaf is spongy and heavy, you might have also put too much flour into it or made the dough in a cooler or too warm setting.

What is the best flour for bread? ›

While bread flour is the best option, it can sometimes be used if you don't have bread flour. “Check the protein content,” advises Chef Jürgen, since it can vary from brand to brand, and an all-purpose flour that contains protein on the higher end of the range, 12 to 13 percent, will produce a better outcome.

Do you need to let dough rise twice with instant yeast? ›

With instant yeast, you typically will only need to let it rise once. Instant Yeast will raise a loaf in a hurry and may yield a more light and airy bread. Because this type of yeast usually contains dough enhancers that cultivate a stronger rise, this yeast is best for baking a quick bread dough.

How long do you let bread rise with instant yeast? ›

If a recipe using instant yeast calls for the dough to “double in size, about 1 hour,” you may want to mentally add 15 to 20 minutes to this time if you're using active dry yeast.

Does instant yeast still need to rise? ›

Dough made with instant yeast and shaped into a loaf will rise to its optimal height significantly more quickly than a shaped loaf made with active dry yeast. In fact, instant yeast is equivalent to rapid-acting yeast in initial speed, starting to raise dough almost immediately.

What do bakeries put in bread to keep it soft? ›

Hydrocolloids can retain moisture in the bread. This is important because moisture plays a crucial role in the freshness and softness of bread. By holding onto water, hydrocolloids help prevent the bread from drying out too quickly, thus maintaining its moistness for longer.

Does baking soda make bread fluffier? ›

Baking soda becomes activated when it's combined with both an acidic ingredient and a liquid. Upon activation, carbon dioxide is produced, which allows baked goods to rise and become light and fluffy (1).

What makes bread fluffy baking soda or powder? ›

If you're wondering, “what makes bread rise, baking soda or baking powder?” the answer is both, depending on the recipe. Even though baking soda and baking powder both perform the same job in baking, they are chemically different and cannot be substituted one for one in recipes.

What makes bread puff up? ›

Bread rises because yeast eats sugar and burps carbon dioxide, which gets trapped by the bread's gluten. The more sugar your yeast eats, the more gas that gets formed, and the higher the bread rises!

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