Can I use wholemeal flour in a breadmaker?

Yes — wholemeal works well, though it produces a denser loaf. Try mixing wholemeal with strong white flour for a lighter crumb.

Can I bake rye bread in a breadmaker?

Rye behaves differently to wheat and won’t rise as much. Many bakers blend rye with wheat flour for the best results.

Do I need to add milk powder or butter?

No — these are optional. They’re often suggested to make loaves softer and more like supermarket bread. We recommend skipping them and using the dark crust setting instead.

Can I make dough in a breadmaker but bake it in the oven?

Absolutely — many people use the breadmaker for mixing and kneading, then shape and bake their loaf in a tin or on a baking stone for a better crust.

Which flour is best for a breadmaker?

Strong white bread flour is the easiest to start with. From there, experiment with wholemeal, seeded, or speciality flours — all of which work well in breadmakers.

Make Bake My First Breadmaker Loaf

I’ve always bounced back and forth about breadmakers. They’ll never turn out a rustic, crusty, hand-shaped sourdough, but they do make a very decent loaf — one that’s far better than anything you’ll find in the supermarket. Why? Because you’re in control of what goes in. No mysterious “improvers” to keep it soft for weeks, no extra water to bulk it out — just flour, yeast, water, and a pinch of salt.

So yes, setting my purist streak aside, breadmakers absolutely have a place in home baking. For many people, they’re the very first step away from mass-produced bread — and the first step toward eating better.

A Bridge Between Supermarket Bread and Handmade Loaves

Think of the breadmaker as a stepping stone. On one side you have the sliced, uniform supermarket loaf. On the other, the joy of baking your own bread by hand — whether that’s a simple tinned loaf or a full-blown sourdough. A breadmaker sits comfortably in the middle.

It introduces you to the rhythm of baking, shows you how few ingredients you really need, and opens up the chance to experiment. Our range of flours — whether strong white, wholemeal, or seeded — all work beautifully in breadmakers. Some need a bit more care (rye, for instance, behaves differently to wheat), but that’s part of the learning curve.

At BakeryBits, we even keep a breadmaker on hand for when we’ve run out of fresh bread. It’s great for anyone here to throw in a loaf, then share the results. Some of us even use it for a batch of pizza dough — ready for Friday night pizza at home.

Beyond the Breadmaker

While the very best bread will always come from dough you’ve shaped by hand — with or without a mixer — breadmakers do something important: they connect you to the process. The smell of bread baking, the satisfaction of slicing into something you’ve made, the realisation that bread is just flour, water, yeast and salt — that’s where the journey begins.

From there, it’s not a big leap to try a tinned loaf, or to explore sourdough. Each step builds your skills and deepens your understanding of breadmaking as a craft.

A Few Tips for Better Breadmaker Loaves

There are some tricks, both from us and from the manufacturers. You’ll often see recipes suggesting milk powder or butter. These aren’t traditional bread ingredients — they’re there to help your bread brown in the machine and to make the crumb extra soft and fluffy, closer to supermarket bread.

We’d skip those. Instead, set your breadmaker to the darkest crust setting — you’ll get the same colour and a flavour that’s closer to real bread.

If you’re tempted to make the leap from supermarket “bread” to your first home-baked loaf, why not start here? We’ve put together a recipe that’s our in-house favourite — perfect for breadmakers, and a delicious first step into baking for yourself. Get Baking .

Breadmaker FAQ

Can I use wholemeal flour in a breadmaker?: Yes — wholemeal works well, though it produces a denser loaf. Try mixing strong white flour with wholemeal flour for a lighter crumb.
Can I bake rye bread in a breadmaker?: Rye flour behaves differently to wheat and won’t rise as much. Many bakers blend rye with wheat flour for the best results.
Do I need to add milk powder or butter?: No — these are optional. They’re often suggested to make loaves softer and more like supermarket bread. We recommend skipping them and using the dark crust setting instead. Instead, try enhancing flavour with some seeds or flakes, especially the malted wheat flakes which are a BakeryBits favourite.
Can I make dough in a breadmaker but bake it in the oven?: Absolutely — many people use the breadmaker for mixing and kneading, then shape and bake their loaf in a tinned loaf tin or on a baking stone for a better crust.
Which flour is best for a breadmaker?: Strong white bread flour is the easiest to start with. From there, experiment with our strong flours — all of which work well in breadmakers.