Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

Try this amazing homemade olive oil rosemary bread. Moist, fluffy, and with a punch of herby flavor, it’s the unique loaf you’ve been looking for!

There’s nothing quite like the aroma of freshly-baked bread. And when you mix fresh herbs into that bread? It’s almost droolworthy.

I think we can all agree that if you’ve never made bread before, the idea of using yeast might be intimidating.

But let me assure you that it’s MUCH easier than you think. And when you start with a tried-and-true recipe like this delicious rosemary bread, you’ll feel like you’ve gone beyond a basic loaf and made some fancy high-end restaurant bread!

REASONS TO MAKE ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL BREAD

This rosemary olive oil bread recipe is ridiculously easy to make! It’s also:

• Frugal. Homemade bread is WAY cheaper than store-bought bread. When I compared prices for my No-Knead Artisan Bread, my homemade version came out to 25¢. A similar bread at the store costs at least a few dollars!
• Better for you. When you look at the label on a loaf of bread from the store, you see all kinds of unnecessary ingredients and preservatives. Homemade bread gives me the ability to avoid these and feed my family good food.
• Fancy (and still cheap). Rosemary olive oil bread fits into the “artisan bakery bread” category and costs even MORE than plain sandwich loaves. Make it even fancier by serving alongside a delicious herb-infused oil.
• SO GOOD!! Rosemary olive oil bread needs to be in your bread rotation because it is mouthwateringly delicious. The bright, herby flavor adds an extra touch to the typical sandwich loaf and makes a unique addition to dinner.

ROSEMARY BREAD RECIPE INGREDIENTS

This rosemary bread recipe includes ingredients you’d expect to see when baking bread.

• Warm Water. 105–110 degrees is perfect for blooming the yeast.
• Olive Oil. A bit of fat makes for a richer bread dough, and olive oil helps the bread turn out moist and soft.
• Salt. To enhance the flavor.
• Sugar. Sugar feeds the yeast and activates it. Granulated sugar, like turbinado, works just fine.
• Bread Flour. The higher protein content in bread flour gives you a chewier texture and a better rise. If you only have all-purpose flour, that works too.
• Active Dry Yeast. To expand and create all those fluffy pockets in your finished loaf of bread.
• Rosemary. I usually use dried ground rosemary, because that’s what I have on hand, but I’ll use fresh rosemary if I have it (and I typically use double the amount).
• Egg (optional). For brushing the crust, so it has a crusty, golden brown finish.

Psst! If you’re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!)

HOW TO MAKE ROSEMARY BREAD

My recipe for homemade rosemary olive oil bread follows the instructions for a basic bread recipe with only a few changes.

Step 1. Proof your yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook.

If you’re brand new to baking with yeast, this Beginner’s Guide to Baking with Yeast is SUPER helpful..

Step 2. Stir in the remaining ingredients (except the egg wash), including the rosemary and olive oil.

Step 3. Knead in a stand mixer (I have and LOVE this one) or by hand for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour to your kneading surface if necessary.

Step 4. Cover and let the dough rise for about an hour, until it has doubled in size.

Step 5. Punch down and turn the dough a few times. Divide into two loaves and place dough in parchment-lined loaf pans. (See variations below if you don’t have loaf pans.)

Step 6. Let the dough rise again for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400F.

Step 7. Lightly slash the top of the dough with a sharp knife with a shallow cut, just enough to aid in the rise while baking. Brush with the optional egg wash if using.

Step 8. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and a flick to the top sounds hollow. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Then slather on the butter and enjoy!

Storage: Store olive oil rosemary bread in an airtight container on the counter for up to four days. Or slice it and freeze it for up to 3 months! Read all about freezing bread and baked goods here.

RECIPE ROSEMARY BREAD TIPS

• This recipe calls for bread flour, but you can substitute all-purpose flour + vital wheat gluten. Use 1 Tablespoon of vital wheat gluten per cup of flour.
• You can use whole wheat flour as well, but it won’t be quite as light in texture. I sometimes go 50/50 with whole wheat and all-purpose.
• If your dough seems sticky, you can add additional flour one Tablespoon at a time.

VARIATIONS FOR ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL BREAD

Bread recipes are typically not forgiving when you make changes. But there are a few variations you can make to this recipe and still get great bread!

• Flavor Variations
  • Use fresh rosemary. I almost always use dry because that’s what I have, but fresh rosemary is wonderful. I like to double the rosemary when I use fresh herbs.
  • Replace rosemary with Italian seasoning. This substitute can be made 1 for 1. This is a GREAT option if you are out of rosemary.
  • Make rosemary garlic bread. In addition to the rosemary, add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to the dough. This will REALLY kick it up a notch!
• Baking Pan Variations
  • Use a Dutch oven for a crusty loaf. Instead of making two loaves, form the dough into a round ball and place it in a Dutch oven lined with parchment paper. Add a lid and bake for the same amount of time. This creates a “crusty” crust, perfect for tearing and dipping into olive oil.
  • Bake the recipe rosemary bread in your crockpot to keep the house cool. To conserve energy or keep the house cool, use this tutorial to cook your bread in a slow cooker.
  • Make a rustic round loaf with a baking stone. We use this baking stone for pizza, but it comes in handy for our favorite 90-Minute Man Bread Recipe. A baking sheet will work too.

HIGH PROTEIN ROSEMARY BREAD

I’m a pro at adding extra protein to smoothies. And I’ve written about high-protein snacks like Energy Bites, Chocolate Hummus, and Trail Mix.

But what about adding protein to bread?

Try these ideas:

• Use vital wheat gluten. You can add up to 2 Tablespoons of vital wheat gluten to a recipe without it being affected (in fact, it can help improve the rise!). Vital wheat gluten has around 12g of protein per Tablespoon.
• Use whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour naturally has more protein than white flour. And bread flour has an even higher protein content.
• Incorporate oat flour. Oatmeal has more protein than wheat. You can easily substitute up to ½ cup of oat flour in any bread recipe without affecting the end result.
• Add egg whites. An egg white has 5g of protein. You can add up to two egg whites per loaf of bread.
• Add cottage cheese. My homemade Hawaiian Roll recipe uses cottage cheese to help make the rolls extra fluffy. A ¼ cup of cottage cheese will add 6-12g of protein, depending on the type you use.
• Add a scoop of unflavored protein powder or collagen. I have not tried this myself since I prefer to drink my collagen in a smoothie, but considering protein powder is a dry ingredient, it should blend in super well with a bread recipe. (This is my favorite collagen.)

BREAD ROSEMARY FAQS

MORE BREAD RECIPES

• Rosemary Sea Salt Flatbread
• Cinnamon Raisin Bread
• Jalapeno Cheddar Bread
• Foolproof Focaccia Bread
• Brioche Bread
• Homemade Beer Bread
• Maple Oatmeal Bread

WATCH HOW TO MAKE ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL BREAD