💘 It’s Date Night! 💘
Experiential date nights are a great time to learn something new with those you love. How about trying one of these four date night bread recipes to make with your sweetie? These are fun and easy recipes (rated by skill level below) so you can choose one that’s right for you and that special someone, sweetie, friend, kids, or just by yourself to learn something new!
My recipes are all written with great care and very specific instructions. Therefore, they are easy to follow for any bread baker, novice, apprentice, or expert. Come along and give them a try and you will find that with minimal effort, you can be eating great, homemade bread in your very own home! How great is that?
Bread Baking Gifts: Essential Equipment
Looking for a gift idea that can be used for years to bake bread with those you love? Here are three inexpensive tools that I use daily and that I highly recommend. Buy one and wrap it up with a printed copy of one of these date night bread recipes and you have a beautiful experiential gift for that special someone. Looking for something else or a bread cookbook? Check out my Recommended Products page.
Recommended Gift Ideas:
A bench scraper slices and portions dough, slides under dough after it is formed to move to a pan, plus makes quick work of cleaning up dough stuck to your countertops.
A kitchen scale measures ingredients precisely, absolutely essential for the “chemistry” of baking.
A Danish dough whisk is a fantastically strong piece of kit for mixing thick bread doughs by hand, no-knead bread doughs, & cookie dough.
Four Date Night Bread Recipes, In order of Difficulty, Least to Most
1. A Pesto Flavored Flatbread
This Pesto Flatbread is particularly easy and quick especially if you use a store-bought pesto. On a difficulty scale of 1 to 5, I would rate it a 1. I really enjoy the Mezzetta brand of Italian sauces, but any good quality pesto will do fine. Don’t forget to pick up some pizza sauce, too! This flatbread makes a perfect appetizer. Just drizzle with some olive oil and serve alongside a charcuterie board of olives, cheeses, and deli meats. It’s even a great receptacle for toppings, such as pizza sauce, cheese, veggies, salami, etc. Broil for a few minutes, then slice diagonally, sprinkle with fresh basil, and you have an attractive flatbread pizza appetizer.
Gift Ideas for this Date Night:
2. Naan Flatbread Appetizer with Apple Cranberry Chutney
This Naan Flatbread is quick and easy. I would rate this recipe a 1 out of 5 on a difficulty scale. To make it even easier, make only the flatbread without the chutney. However, do not worry, the chutney is super easy, too! The naan flatbread does double duty as a great flatbread pizza, too. So make a bunch and get the whole family involved making their own mini-pizzas or stash some away in the freezer for quick meals.
Gift Ideas for This Date Night:
3. Anpan Sweet Buns – International Flavor!
Want to take a culinary “trip” to Japan with your sweetie? Try making these Anpan Sweet Buns. They are wildly popular in Japan and found in most bakeries. I would rate these a 3 out of 5 for difficulty. The added difficulty comes from making the filling and then placing the filling and forming the dough ball around it. No worries, though! I provide step-by-step instructions with pictures. The filling can sometimes be found pre-made in Asian grocery stores if you want to skip this step. Or, make your own according to the recipe from dried adzuki beans, which you can find in the dried beans section of specialty bulk food shops, at an asian foods store, or by ordering online. These buns are soft, delicious, and a real international treat!
Gift Ideas for This Date Night:
4. Bread for Two
A rustic and simple white bread recipe that makes perfectly small rounds for two. I would rate this recipe as a 2 out of 5 in difficulty, only because forming the boules takes a little practice. Serve as is or turn these into bowls by cutting off the top, scraping out the inside, and adding your favorite soup. Recipe makes four small boules, one or two for now, and the rest in the freezer for later. What could be better?
Gift Ideas for This Date Night:
Bonus! Chocolate Sourdough with Dark Chocolate Bits & Cranberries
What would a Date Night list of recipes be without some chocolate? I include here a fun flavored Chocolate Sourdough recipe. I would rate this recipe a 4 out of 5 on the difficulty scale. Only because you must have a sourdough starter to make this recipe. If you do not have a sourdough starter and are still looking for a fun bread with chocolate flavor – try the Chocolate Twist, a medium difficulty bread made with chocolate and Nutella – oh so delicious.
Gift Ideas for This Date Night:
Sharing Is Caring
Why not make someone else’s day by bringing them some delicious bread that you and your special someone made? Treat a solo neighbor or a single friend with some of these yummy breads and they are sure to remember it as a wonderful gift! Take a picture of your efforts and post to Twitter, FB, or IG, be sure to tag @christinasbreadbakes. I love to see your fresh baked goodies! Happy baking, Bread Bakers.
What fun idea for date night! Can’t wait to try these with my husband.
Hi Brittany – Thanks for visiting and enjoy baking with your partner!
What a wonderful idea!
What a great idea!
Hi Maria – I am glad you found these ideas fun, happy baking with your loved one!
Wow, how perfect are these!! They are incredibly delicious and I will be coming back again for more!
Hi Samantha – Thanks for visiting, see you again soon with more delicious recipes!
I’ve always been a little intimidated to make sourdough, but the chocolate bread looks amazing! I think my husband and I will give this a try.
Hi Bobbie – I was intimidated, too. Check out this link to keeping your own rye sourdough starter. You will be a pro in no time!
fantastic bread idea! I made this and enjoy this
Hi Maria – Thanks for your comment! I am happy you enjoyed these recipes.
This year, we are looking for chocolate sourdough, and the helper has gained some experience already! It is going to be fun!
Hi Mihaela – I am glad you found my post. Enjoy trying this amazing sourdough combo!
The chocolate sourdough is a winner! Yum!
Hi Addie – I totally agree – bread & chocolate? What’s not to love! 😂
this is a total Ghost moment!
Hi Nancy – Thanks for visiting! I hope you enjoy baking one of these.
My SO and I love cooking together. Making bread will be a great date night undertaking.
Hi Cindy – I love that you & your SO enjoy cooking together. Have fun baking one of these in your kitchen!
I love this list! I want all of them for V-day but that pesto bread is calling my name. Thanks for putting this one together!
Hi Emily – There’s just something about pesto, right?!
I can’t wait to try the Anpan sweet buns, they look and sound amazing! My hubby doesn’t enjoy cooking but my daughters love to make breads with me. These all look amazing, but these sweet buns are calling my name.
Hi Dawn – These sweet buns are really special, I hope you and your girls enjoy making them and trying something from Japan!
Love this collection, particularly the sweet buns. Can’t wait to try it.
Hey Shilpa! Thank you. The sweet buns are really special and full of flavor, enjoy!
Such delicious recipes! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Elizabeth – Thank you for visiting, taking a moment to read, and comment!
I love this! My husband and I love to make food together, however we have never made bread together. We can’t wait to try some of these!
Hi Kayla – I am glad this collection inspired you, happy baking with your hubby!
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Making bread together with your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day would be the perfect date. I would love to try the anpan sweet buns; it looks delicious! Well, pretty much everything here is so delicious! Thanks for the great tips!
Hi Colette – The anpan sweet buns are a great choice, have fun!
All of these breads look amazing. I would especially like to try the pesto and naan breads. Great recipes and post!
Thank you, Greg. Enjoy baking these breads, homemade is best!
Someones! My little helper loves “boxing” the dough haha and we all love a crunchy crust!
Hi Mihaela – Enjoy “boxing” one of these doughs with your little helper, love it!
My husband and I love freshly baked bread! How to decide which to make first!! Lol…
Enjoy, Christie!
Fabulous bread ideas! My guy wouldn’t enjoy cooking with me but he loves to help with the tasting!! LOL
Hi Sue – I totally understand, invite a friend to bake with instead!
I don’t have a hubs but I definitely want to try these. They look so yummy!!
Hi Kathy – Husband is 100% optional. Grab a friend and your favorite beverage to have a go, these are fun recipes to make together!
I love this idea! Hmm, the boyfriend and I may have to try out those sweet buns. I enjoy cooking with him, he keeps everything fun. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Leslie, they are so fun and delicious to make, enjoy!
What a great idea! Plus recipes already tried and tested:) Saving this in my Valentine’s board, too:))
Hi Mihaela – Thanks for saving my post! I hope you get to experience one with your special someone.