Never sure when your loaf has finished baking? Checking the internal temperature is the best way to tell if your bread is done.
Baking bread is a labor of love. You mix, knead, wait on the proof, punch down and proof again. It’s a lot of work before your loaf even hits the oven. Baking bread is the last hurdle, and for new bakers, it can be challenging to get it just right. Bake too long and the bread tastes burnt; not long enough and you’ve got an underdone, sticky mess inside. The best way to avoid the over- or underbaked bread? Internal temperature checks.
What is bread’s doneness temperature?
Maggie Knoebel, culinary assistant in the Taste of Home Test Kitchen, explains that the best way to tell if your bread is done by checking its internal temperature. She recommends using a quick-read thermometer for an accurate gauge. Maggie says the internal temperature of fully baked bread should be anywhere between 160 and 185ºF.
“That’s when gluten starts to coagulate,” she explains. That means the bread is firming up inside and is no longer raw.
You might think that you can gauge whether or not your bread is done by its appearance, but Maggie warns that looks can be deceiving, particularly when it comes to large loaves, whole wheat breads or rye breads, loaves that are egg-washed and even breads that contain chocolate (like this babka).
“With a big crusty bread or ones with darker dough like pumpernickel, it can be hard to tell what’s going on inside,” Maggie says. “Don’t go by sight!”
Instead, Maggie recommends sticking an instant-read thermometer into the center of the loaf (this is Maggie’s go-to thermometer).
What About Rolls?
The only exception to this rule would be small rolls and flatter breads like naan and focaccia. Maggie says that you can typically go by sight and touch with these varieties. These types of bread are done when they’re golden brown and when they spring back after you press the top of them (kind of like with cake).
With a good thermometer and a few good recipes, you’ll be set to make perfect bread!
When Should You Check Bread’s Internal Temperature?
Since you want to avoid overbaking your bread, Maggie recommends checking the temperature early and erring on the side of caution.
“Test your bread a few minutes before the low end of the time range in the recipe,” she says. So if your recipe says 35 to 40 minutes, start testing around the 30-minute mark.
