Recipes
Homemade Kefir Bread
2025-12-27
Kefir bread is the answer to wanting fresh homemade bread without dealing with yeast, kneading, or a long rise. Kefir’s acidity reacts with baking soda to lift the dough almost immediately, so the whole process from mixing to a finished loaf takes about an hour, oven time included.
The texture lands somewhere between a dense quick bread and Irish soda bread rather than a light, airy yeasted loaf. Kefir’s mild tang works well with butter, salty cheese, or a bowl of soup, which makes this bread just as fitting for breakfast as it is alongside dinner.
The one trick worth knowing is to keep the mixing brief. Unlike yeasted dough, which needs a long knead to develop gluten, kefir dough wants a light touch — once everything is combined into a shaggy mass, stop working it. Overmixing turns the crumb tight and rubbery instead of soft and pleasantly open.
This loaf keeps well: wrapped in a paper bag or kitchen towel, it stays fresh at room temperature for a couple of days, and sliced portions freeze nicely for later — just toast or warm them briefly in the oven after thawing.
Ingredients
- 400 g all-purpose flour
- 300 ml kefir, room temperature
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp flax or sesame seeds for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a loaf pan or baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
- Pour in the kefir and oil, then mix into a soft, slightly sticky dough — stop as soon as it comes together, since overworking it makes the loaf dense.
- Shape the dough into a round loaf or transfer it to the pan, smoothing the top with wet hands.
- Score the top a few times with a sharp knife and sprinkle with seeds if using.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing so the crumb fully sets.
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