How To Soften Hard Bread (2024)

Emily Han

Emily Han

Emily Han is a Los Angeles-based recipe developer, educator, herbalist, and author of Wild Drinks & co*cktails and co-author of Wild Remedies. For recipes and classes, check out her personal site.

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updated May 2, 2019

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How To Soften Hard Bread (1)

What can you do with a rock-hard loaf of bread? Besides using it as a doorstop, there are countless recipes that take advantage of stale bread — or you can use one of these simple techniques to soften it quickly…

In the oven: Preheat oven to 200° or Warm setting. Wrap the bread in a damp (not soaking) towel, place on a baking sheet, and pop it in the oven for 5-10 minutes.

In the microwave: Wrap the bread in a damp (not soaking) towel, place it on a microwave-safe dish, and microwave on high for 10 seconds. Check and repeat if necessary.

In both cases, keep a close eye things so the bread doesn’t overcook and the towel doesn’t catch fire!

Do you have any other tips for softening hard bread?

(Image: Emily Ho)

How To Soften Hard Bread (2024)

FAQs

How To Soften Hard Bread? ›

In the oven: Preheat oven to 200° or Warm setting. Wrap the bread in a damp (not soaking) towel, place on a baking sheet, and pop it in the oven for 5-10 minutes. In the microwave: Wrap the bread in a damp (not soaking) towel, place it on a microwave-safe dish, and microwave on high for 10 seconds.

What does it mean when bread gets hard? ›

As bread starts to cool, however, water leaves the starch and moves into other parts of the mixture, allowing starch molecules to return to their crystallized state. It's this recrystallization – not drying – that makes bread go hard, and it happens even in humid conditions.

Why is my bread tough and chewy? ›

The flour you used may have contained too much protein. Protein is one of the ingredients that help yeast bread brown. Use bread flour that is purchased at a grocery store or a national brand of all-purpose flour.

How do you soften hard bread on the stove? ›

Let your bread cook for 6-7 minutes.

Set a timer on your stove, microwave, or phone for about 6 minutes, and check on your bread after the timer is up. Your loaf should be warm and soft. If your loaf is very wet, you may need to extend the cooking time to 10-12 minutes.

How do you soften hard dough? ›

Take it out of the fridge and let it soften at room temperature for while, perhaps 30 minutes to an hour. If you are in a particular hurry, divide the dough into smaller parts; a small amount of dough will warm more quickly than a large lump. Do not put it in the microwave oven. Do not put it in a conventional oven.

How to make hard bread soft again? ›

Wrap the bread in a damp (not soaking) towel, place on a baking sheet, and pop it in the oven for 5-10 minutes. In the microwave: Wrap the bread in a damp (not soaking) towel, place it on a microwave-safe dish, and microwave on high for 10 seconds. Check and repeat if necessary.

Does vinegar soften bread? ›

And It's not just cakes that benefit from a touch of vinegar, but also biscuits, muffins, and even bread. So when it comes to bread, it's the same concept – vinegar inhibits gluten formation which leads to a more relaxed and extensible dough, resulting in a less dense and chewy bread.

How to soften stale bread without an oven? ›

Step 2: Microwave Method
  1. Moisten a section of paper towel long enough to completely cover your loaf of bread (or the portion that you intend to eat). ...
  2. Wrap your portion of bread in your damp paper towel snuggly.
  3. Place your covered loaf or slice into your microwave.
  4. Microwave for 10 seconds.

What additive makes bread soft? ›

Reddi-Sponge is a reducing agent made with dairy whey and L-cysteine and I bet that 6% level really gave you a soft and extensible dough. The best suited product for your application is an additive co*cktail made with SSL (sodium stearoyl lactalate) and distilled mono-diglyceride.

How do you make bread soft and spongy? ›

Final answer: Baking soda is used to make bread soft and spongy. Q. Baking soda is used in small amount in making bread and cake. It helps to make these soft and spongy.

What happens when bread goes hard? ›

"Staling" is a natural process that occurs when the water and starch molecules that were made spongy during baking begin to rearrange themselves once the bread has cooled. The water moves out of the loaf's interior, migrating towards the crust and eventually into the air. The starches re-harden and then, poof!

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