How To Fix Undercooked Bread, Without Overcooking It

Nothing beats homemade bread, except for maybe a loaf from your favorite local bakery. Still, it pays off to make a homemade loaf to have control over ingredients and flavors, and it's a rather fun pastime for any level of home baker. It's quite the process, however, no matter which bread recipe you follow, and one key step is to know when it's ready. If by chance the outside is golden brown and you find the inside undercooked, you need to know how to resolve the issue so all of that effort doesn't go to waste.

Luckily for you and that made-from-scratch brioche or sourdough, there's an easy way to fix the doughy issue. First, set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is high enough to finish cooking the inside but low enough to not burn the crust. If the exterior of your bread is browned, or you're afraid of burning it, loosely tent it with aluminum foil before it goes back inside. Depending on how undercooked the bread is, it can take between 10 and 20 minutes to finish off. This also works if the bread is already cooled, so don't worry if it's been a bit since it came out of the oven.

When it's time to fix undercooked bread, the next step is to know when it's ready so you don't overcorrect. As you're now aware, looking at the outside doesn't necessarily reveal if it's done inside. However, there are many other easy ways to know when bread is done baking. First, use a thermometer to check for an internal temperature around 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't have a thermometer in the kitchen? Try the touch test for a firm texture or tap the bottom for a hollow sound, both signs that the dough is fully baked. As a final option, insert a toothpick or cake tester in the center of the bread, and it should come out relatively clean. 

Every bread has a slightly different cooking temperature and time, but these fixes should work with any variety. Although it will certainly help with larger, denser loaves that require more time compared to thinner options like pita. Test out your new skills with our homemade sandwich bread recipe that needs to bake for around 40 minutes. Or lean into the craze with our fresh-baked sourdough bread that requires 30 minutes in the oven — and can easily be fixed with these tips if the inside is undercooked.