Garden Herb Bread (BM)

This is the bread machine loaf for anyone who wants to step up from plain white. The base is a simple sandwich bread (bread flour, milk powder, sugar, butter, water, salt, yeast), but four dried herbs go right into the dough: chives, marjoram, thyme, and basil. The herbs perfume the entire loaf as it bakes and turn an everyday white bread into something that smells and tastes like an Italian focaccia, only softer.

Use it for any savory application: sliced for ham and cheese sandwiches, toasted as a base for bruschetta, or torn alongside pasta dinners and soups. The herbs balance out so no single one dominates, but if you have favorites in the garden you can lean into them. Fresh herbs work too, just use more than you would dried since fresh has less concentrated flavor.

Kitchen Tips

• Add the ingredients in the order your bread machine specifies (usually wet first, then dry, then yeast on top).
• Use the basic white cycle. The fast or rapid cycle does not give the herbs enough time to perfume the dough fully.
• If you want a more pronounced chive flavor, use freeze-dried chives. They are more potent than regular dried.
• Brush the warm loaf with melted butter and an extra sprinkle of the herb mix for a more aggressive herbal hit on the crust.
• Store wrapped in foil rather than plastic for the first day. Plastic traps moisture and softens the crust.

Variations

• Add grated Parmesan to the dough for a savory, cheesy version.
• Stir in garlic powder for a garlic-and-herb variation.
• Swap basil for fresh rosemary and add a touch of black pepper for a more rustic Mediterranean loaf.