Cuban Bread Recipe

Introduction

This Cuban bread comes together with a hands-on starter and a dough that yields a soft, flavorful loaf with a crisp crust. It’s a comforting weekend project that fills your kitchen with irresistible aromas and creates bakery-style loaves at home.

Ingredients

• ½ cup Water
• ½ cup Bread flour
• ½ tsp Dry active yeast
• 1 Package (about 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast)
• 1 tbsp Honey
• ½ cup Warm water
• ¼ cup Lard (about 4 tablespoons)
• 2 tsp Salt
• 2-3 cups Bread flour

Instructions

1. Step 1: Making the Overnight Starter: whisk together water, bread flour, and yeast in a small bowl until fully mixed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Step 2: Making the Bread: in a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix the package of active dry yeast, honey, and warm water. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to wake up the yeast.
3. Step 3: Melt the lard in the microwave until just melted, being careful not to overheat.
4. Step 4: Add the melted lard, salt, 2 cups of bread flour, and all of the overnight starter to the mixer bowl. Mix on medium-low until well combined and the dough forms.
5. Step 5: If the dough seems sticky, add more flour gradually in ¼ cup increments until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
6. Step 6: Increase to medium-high and mix for 3–5 minutes to develop the dough’s elasticity.
7. Step 7: Transfer the dough to a bowl greased with vegetable oil, cover, and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
8. Step 8: Preheat two baking sheets and line them with parchment paper, then dust with flour.
9. Step 9: Turn the dough onto a floured surface, shape into a large rectangle, and cut it in half lengthwise into two long strips. Roll each into a log shape and place on the prepared sheets.
10. Step 10: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
11. Step 11: Cover the loaves and let them puff up a bit more, about 30–45 minutes. Gently poke the dough with a finger; if the indent remains, they’re ready to bake.
12. Step 12: Lightly flour the tops and blade-cut down the middle of each loaf.
13. Step 13: Bake for 20–25 minutes, switching the pans halfway through, until the loaves are a nice golden brown.
14. Step 14: Remove from the oven and let the loaves cool completely before slicing.
15. Step 15: Slice and serve the Cuban bread fresh, or store for later enjoying.

Tips & Variations

• For a softer crust, brush the loaves with warm water halfway through baking and cover loosely with foil toward the end.
• If you don’t have lard, substitute with unsalted butter, though flavor will differ slightly.
• Using a baking stone and steam in the first 5 minutes can help achieve a crisper crust.

Storage

Store cooled bread in a paper bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze; reheat in a warm oven to restore tenderness and crust.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this without an overnight starter?

Yes, you can skip the overnight starter, but the flavor and texture will be different. The starter adds depth and a lighter crumb.

What if my dough is very sticky?

Add flour a little at a time until the dough pulls away from the bowl sides. The dough should be soft but manageable, not overly sticky.

Cuban Bread Recipe

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A classic Cuban bread recipe featuring a flavorful overnight starter and a soft, airy crumb with a characteristic long, thin loaf. The dough uses a combination of lard and bread flour for a traditional texture and crust.

• Author: Maya
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Breads
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Cuban

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Overnight Starter

• ½ cup Water
• ½ cup Bread flour
• ½ tsp Dry active yeast
• 1 Package (about 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast)
• 1 tbsp Honey

Dough

• ½ cup Warm water
• ¼ cup Lard (about 4 tablespoons) melted
• 2 tsp Salt
• 2–3 cups Bread flour
• 1 Package (about 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast)

Instructions

1Making the Overnight Starter: Whisk together water, bread flour, and yeast in a small bowl until it’s all mixed up. Cover with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge overnight. 2Making the Bread: In a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix your package of active dry yeast, honey, and warm water. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to wake up the yeast. 3Melt the Lard: Melt your lard in the microwave until it’s just melted, being careful not to overheat. 4Combine Dough Ingredients: Add the melted lard, salt, 2 cups of bread flour, and all your overnight starter to the mixer bowl. Mix on medium-low speed until everything is mixed well and the dough forms. 5Add Flour Gradually: You might need to add more flour, just do it a little bit at a time (like ¼ cup at a time). The dough shouldn’t be too sticky; it should pull away from the sides of the mixer when it’s all mixed in. 6Knead the Dough: Turn the mixer speed to medium-high and let it go for 3-5 minutes. This will make the dough nice and stretchy. 7First Rise: Once the dough’s done mixing, put it in a bowl greased with vegetable oil, cover it up, and let it chill until it doubles in size. That’ll take about an hour. 8Prepare Pan and Shape: Get two baking sheets ready with parchment paper and a sprinkle of flour. 9Shape the Loaves: Put the dough on a floured surface and shape it into a big rectangle. Cut that rectangle in half lengthwise so you’ve got two long strips. Roll each strip into a long log shape, like a skinny baguette. Put both on the floured parchment-lined baking sheets. 10Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). 11Second Rise: Cover the loaves and let them sit until they puff up a bit more, about 30-45 minutes. Lightly poke with a finger; if the poke springs back slowly, they’re ready. 12Score the Loaves: Sprinkle a bit of flour on top of the loaves and make a long cut down the middle of each one. 13Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, switching the pans halfway through. They should be a nice golden brown color. 14Cool and Serve: Let the loaves cool down before you slice into them. Enjoy your homemade Cuban bread!

Notes

• For a lighter crumb, you can reduce the lard by 1–2 tablespoons and substitute with olive oil.
• Keep an eye on the oven during the last 5 minutes to prevent over-browning; if needed, cover with foil.
• The overnight starter adds tang and depth—don’t skip it if you have time.
• Flour quantity may vary; add flour gradually to achieve a dough that cleans the sides of the bowl but isn’t dry.
• Two loaves bake best—rotate pans halfway through to ensure even browning.

Keywords: Cuban bread, yeast bread, homemade bread, traditional Cuban, oven-baked bread