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Ranch Loaves are a favorite at our house. They are incredibly tasty and a perfect fit for chicken, beef, or pork dinners. Even sliced with a piece of cheese or slathered with butter makes a great snack.
A Favorite Memory
I’ll always remember when our oldest daughter brought her new boyfriend (and now husband) to our home for the first time. It was a Saturday morning, and I was busy in the kitchen making this bread to have for our supper. Family and a few friends were crowded around our kitchen table visiting. Hungry people.
We were trying to decide what to make for lunch, and then my first batch of bread came out of the oven. Now, you have to understand how wonderful this bread smells. Homemade bread from the oven in any normal circumstance is pretty magical, but there is something about this bread that just makes a person drool. I think it’s the ranch seasoning mix.
So, I thought to myself, “Okay, it makes 4. I’ll go ahead and give them some now.” They devoured the first loaf within minutes. I’ll never forget the pleased look on Dave’s face when I placed a second loaf on the table.
I admit that I derive an insane amount of pleasure when the men in my family enjoy my food. And this is where it begins. Eyes that glitter and shine in anticipation. Long story short, I sacrificed a third loaf when it came out of the oven. I’m not even sure what I made for supper that night, but I’ll always remember serving that bread to Dave for his first visit to our house. I think he even made special requests for it from then on. I’m sure that I obliged. That’s how I am; just ask our two newest sons-in-laws.
Oh, and long ago, our middle daughter took this recipe to the county fair and received a purple ribbon. So, it’s award-winning! But we already figured that out, right?
Ingredients for Ranch Loaves
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
Directions for Making this Recipe
Gather the ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Place buttermilk in a small saucepan along with butter and heat on low until 110-115°F. Your butter should just be starting to melt at this point.
Make the Bread Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm buttermilk and butter, granulated sugar, and large eggs.
Mix together the ranch dressing mix, instant yeast, kosher salt, and 4 cups all-purpose flour in a medium bowl. Add to the egg mixture and beat until smooth.
Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
Alternately, you may use the electric mixer with kneading hook to knead the dough for the same amount of time.
Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Form and Bake Dough
Preheat oven to 350°F. Punch down dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into fourths. Roll each portion into a 14″ x 12″ rectangle. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Pinch seams to seal and tuck ends under.
Place seam side down on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
With a sharp knife or lame, make five shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Brush with melted butter. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Makes 4 loaves.
To store, wrap loaves in aluminum foil individually, and then place in 2 gallon freezer bags. When ready to serve, you may opt to heat bread in the foil in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes until warm. You may store in freezer for up to 3 months.
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Ranch Loaves
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Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups warm buttermilk (110-115 degrees)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons ranch salad dressing mix
- 2 tablespoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 8-9 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Gather ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the table or counter.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Heat buttermilk in a small saucepan along with butter, until milk reaches 110-115℉. The butter should be starting to melt at this point.
Make the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm buttermilk and butter, granulated sugar, large eggs, ranch dressing mix, instant yeast, kosher salt, and 4 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
- Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. (Or use kneading hook and electric mixer to knead the dough.)
- Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Form and Bake Dough
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Punch down dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into fourths. Roll each portion into a 14-in x 12-in rectangle. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Pinch seams to seal and tuck ends under.
- Place seam side down on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. With a sharp knife or lame, make five shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Makes 4 loaves. May wrap and freeze if desired.
