3 Ingredient Bread (no yeast)

4.78 from 18 votes

Apr 9, 2023

(updated Apr 12, 2025)

Making homemade bread doesn't have to be intimidating or require lots of ingredients. This easy no-knead bread recipe for 3 ingredient bread is made in a loaf pan and is perfect for sandwiches. The recipe is similar to quick breads in that there is no yeast and the texture is heartier and denser than a yeast bread recipe. The secret to three ingredient bread with no yeast is using self-rising flour. Combining this type of flour with a mild beer and sugar makes the bread rise while it bakes. And because there’s no yeast, it requires no extra rising time.

Loaf of 3 ingredient bread with a slice taken out and butter off to the side.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The secret to 3 ingredient bread

The secret to making this delicious homemade bread lies in the power of self rising flour. Self-rising flour is a combination of low-protein flour, baking powder, and salt. With the leavening agent (baking powder) already in the flour, you do not need to worry about adding additional ingredients to your bread.

You might be tempted to skip the self-rising flour if you don’t have it in your pantry. Don’t substitute it for all-purpose flour or another type of flour. Here’s why: the bread will not rise without it.

Overhead of a freshly baked loaf of three ingredient bread.

World’s easiest beginner bread to make

If you are new to baking homemade bread, this is the recipe for you. As a seasoned home baker with dozens of bread recipes on my site, I can say with confidence that this one is the easiest bread recipes for beginner bakers.

Key ingredients to making bread without yeast

In addition to self rising flour, you will also need a mild beer, something like Coors Light, Budweiser, or Michelob Ultra. If you can’t find one of those, look for a pale lager. I used Landshark lager and it turned out beautifully.

I tried this recipe using a darker beer and it did not work well. A more heavily flavored beer like Guiness or an IPA (India Pale Ale) will change the flavor and texture of this bread when baked. A mild beer turned out to be the magic type of beer for this recipe.

The third key ingredient is sugar. The sugar helps balance out the bitterness of the beer. You may substitute the granulated sugar for brown sugar for a flavor variation.

You’ll notice in the recipe a fourth optional ingredient listed in the recipe: butter. Hear me out: this bread will turn out well without the added butter. I have tried it that way and it works nicely, especially when topped with butter or jam or served as the side dish for soup or stew.

In my opinion, you should include the butter. Butter makes almost everything better, this bread included. The butter does not get incorporated into the bread dough, but rather used to create a nonstick surface on the pan and to top the dough and baked bread when it’s fresh from the oven. If you opt not to use butter, it is a good idea to spray the loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray such as Pam, before adding the bread dough in and baking.

Ingredients needed to make 3 ingredient bread.

How to make 3 ingredient bread with self-rising flour

3 ingredient bread dough. — Stir dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon. Stir in the beer and mix until a shaggy, sticky dough forms

Dough for 3 ingredient bread. — Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 15 minutes

Transferring 3 ingredient bread dough to a loaf pan for baking. — Transfer dough to loaf pan

Brush the top of the bread dough with melted butter. — Brush 3 tablespoons melted butter over top, smoothing the top of the bread dough a bit as you brush on the melted butter. Then bake in the preheated oven 35-40 minutes

Brush the freshly baked loaf with melted butter. — After removing from the oven, immediately brush the top of the loaf with remaining melted butter

How to store 3 ingredient bread

Store your bread in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature on the countertop for 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, tightly wrap the bread in plastic wrap or parchment paper and place it in a sealed container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to three months.

If you have leftover self-rising flour sitting on your counter or in your pantry, use it to make pancakes, biscuits, or banana bread.

Ready to try a homemade bread recipe with yeast? Lazy No-Knead Quick Ciabatta is just the recipe!

FOR ALL MY FAVORITE BAKING TOOLS INCLUDING THOSE USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE, CHECK OUT MY BAKING RESOURCES PAGE!

Like this recipe? Follow me on Pinterest for lots more recipes just like this one! And don’t forget to pin this recipe for later by clicking on one of the images below the recipe. Or, click on any of the images in this post to save to Pinterest.

Did you enjoy a KICKASS BAKER recipe? Please share a comment and leave a 5 Star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rating on this recipe! We appreciate you sharing your feedback!