Gingerbread Bread {Bread Machine}

Why This is the Best Recipe

• Easy Bread Machine Recipe: Just load the ingredients into the bread pan and press START! This bread recipe is easy as that.
• Cozy Gingerbread Flavor: Want to enjoy gingerbread without the trouble of baking pan after pan of cut-out cookies? All the same flavors you love are in this sliceable loaf.
• Perfect for Christmas Mornings: You can enjoy this all season long toasted with a little butter for a quick breakfast or use it in a variety of holiday desserts.

Ingredients

This simple recipe uses pantry-friendly ingredients that come together quickly:

• Molasses: This gives the bread that signature dark color and flavor.
• Ground Ginger
• Bread Flour: You could use all-purpose flour but the loaf will not keep the same shape.
• Brown Sugar
• Butter
• Eggs
• Milk
• Active Dry Yeast: You do not need to use a yeast specifically marked "bread machine yeast" but you can if that's what you already have on hand.
• Kosher Salt

Bread Machine Tips

As the author of The Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook, I'm very passionate about baking homemade bread with a bread maker.

If you're curious and wondering if a bread maker is worth it, not only do I think the answer is yes but I've reviewed the most popular bread machine for beginners.

For this recipe, I used my favorite Cuisinart bread maker because I love how consistent the shape of the loaf it bakes.

You can find all my bread maker recipes and tips here.

The Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook

Is a Bread Maker Worth It?

Essential Bread Baking Tools and Equipment

50 Best Bread Maker Recipes

Add the Wet Ingredients

As with all my bread machine recipes, you'll start by adding the liquid ingredients to the bread machine pan fitted with the paddle attachment.

Add the milk, eggs, molasses, and softened butter. Be sure to dice your butter into smaller pieces first so that it blends more easily into the dough.

Add the Dry Ingredients

Then add the dry ingredients right on top. Add the flour, brown sugar, kosher salt, and dried ginger.

Then dig a shallow well in the center and add the flour.

Baking Instructions

Place the bread pan back into the bread machine.

Select the 2-pound loaf size and the BASIC/WHITE program. Press Start.

Most bread makers take about 3 1/2 hours to finish a 2-pound loaf.

Once the bread has finished, remove it from the bread pan and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Make Ahead Tips

You can bake this loaf up to 3 days in advance or slice it and freeze for up to 2 months.

To reheat the slices, simply pop them in the toaster or warm them gently in the oven.

Variations

• You could add 1/4 cup of chopped candied ginger or golden raisins during the mix-in phase.

Serving Suggestions

The easiest way to serve this gingerbread bread is to slice it, toast it, and spread softened butter or cream cheese over the top.

For a more elegant presentation, you could decorate the top of a completely cooled loaf with my cream cheese drizzle.

You could slice the loaf and use it to make a holiday version of my French toast or use it in an overnight French toast casserole.

Slice the loaf thickly and cube it. Use it to make a gingerbread bread pudding using my classic New Orleans bread pudding recipe. Don't forget the bourbon sauce for drizzling over the top!

Fluffy French Toast

Overnight French Toast Casserole {14 Flavors!}

New Orleans Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Bourbon Sauce for Bread Pudding

More Christmas Breads

Looking for more delicious Christmas breads? Here are a few of my favorites:

German Stollen Buns {Bread Machine}

German Christmas Bread

Fresh Cranberry Bread

French Pear Bread {Bread Machine}