Soft Homemade Unleavened Bread Recipe (Fresh Milled, No Yeast)
This soft, homemade unleavened bread comes together in under 30 minutes with just a handful of simple ingredients. Perfect for the Daniel Fast, Passover, or everyday flatbread lovers.
The Ancient Bread Your Kitchen Has Been Missing
There is something deeply satisfying about making unleavened bread at home. No waiting for yeast to bloom, no long rise times, no mystery. Just flour, water, a little olive oil, and a hot pan. In under 30 minutes you have a stack of warm, pillowy flatbreads with a slightly chewy bite and a gentle, wholesome flavor that pairs beautifully with almost anything.
Whether you are looking for soft unleavened bread for Passover, a simple Daniel Fast bread recipe, or just a fuss-free homemade flatbread for a weeknight dinner, this recipe has you covered. These are sometimes called unleavened cakes in older texts, and once you try them fresh from the skillet you will understand why they have been beloved for thousands of years.
Using good flour makes a real difference with a recipe this simple. Because there are so few ingredients, each one carries weight. A quality rolling pin and a well-seasoned cast iron skillet are the two tools that will give you the best results every single time.
What Makes This Recipe Special
Unlike many flatbread recipes that feel dry or cracker-like, this one stays genuinely soft and pliable thanks to two small details: a little olive oil in the dough and the simple trick of stacking the finished rounds inside a folded kitchen towel while they cool. The trapped steam does all the work.
If you have ever wondered how to make manna bread or recreate the kind of fresh, simple bread described in scripture and historical texts, this is as close as a modern home kitchen can get. It is pure, clean, and completely addictive.
Chef's Tip: For the most tender results, do not skip the 5-minute rest after rolling. It relaxes the gluten and makes the dough dramatically easier to roll thin without it snapping back.
Fresh Milled vs. Store-Bought Flour
You can make this recipe with regular all-purpose flour and it will be delicious. But if you have access to a grain mill or a bag of whole wheat berries, fresh milled unleavened bread is on another level entirely. The flavor is nuttier, the texture is slightly more rustic, and the nutritional profile is far richer.
Soft white wheat berries are the best choice for milling here. They produce a lighter flour that keeps the bread tender rather than dense. Hard red wheat will work too, but expect a heartier, more robust result.
No grain mill? No problem. Good quality whole wheat flour from the grocery store is a perfectly wonderful substitute.
Perfect for the Daniel Fast
One of the most common searches that brings people to this recipe is Daniel Fast bread. If you are following the Daniel Fast, this recipe fits beautifully into that framework. It contains no leavening agents, no added sugars, no dairy, and no animal products. Just whole grain flour, water, olive oil, and a pinch of salt.
You can even omit the salt entirely for a fully ceremonial or fasting version, and the bread still tastes wonderful.
- No yeast or baking powder
- No eggs or dairy
- No added sugar
- Simple, recognizable ingredients
Serve it alongside hummus, roasted vegetables, or a simple lentil soup for a complete, satisfying Daniel Fast meal.
Ready to make a batch? Here is the full recipe with all the details:
Soft Homemade Unleavened Bread Recipe (Fresh Milled, No Yeast)
This soft, homemade unleavened bread comes together in under 30 minutes with just a handful of simple ingredients. Perfect for the Daniel Fast, Passover, or everyday flatbread lovers.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour, fresh milled whole wheat adds incredible flavor
- 3/4 cups warm water, adjust by the tablespoon if dough feels dry
- 2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin preferred
- 1/2 tsp salt, omit for a fully ceremonial or Daniel Fast version
Instruction
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt until evenly combined.
Drizzle in the olive oil and use your fingers to work it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Add the warm water a little at a time, stirring with a fork, then switch to kneading by hand once a shaggy dough forms.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth, soft, and no longer sticky. If it tears, knead a little longer.
Divide the dough into 8 equal balls and let them rest uncovered for 5 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a thin round about 7 to 8 inches in diameter.
Heat a dry cast iron skillet or heavy pan over medium-high heat. Do not add oil.
Cook each round for 1 to 2 minutes per side until light brown spots appear and the bread puffs slightly.
Transfer to a clean towel and fold the towel over the top to keep the breads soft as they cool. Repeat with remaining rounds.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Cast iron skillet or heavy skillet
- Clean kitchen towel
- Lightly floured surface
Notes
How to Serve and Store Unleavened Flatbreads
These breads are at their absolute best warm, straight from the skillet. But they are also fantastic at room temperature, and they reheat beautifully.
Use them as a wrap, tear them alongside a bowl of soup, layer them under a pile of roasted vegetables, or simply enjoy them with a drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. They are endlessly versatile.
For storage, keep cooled rounds in an airtight zip bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, freeze them flat with parchment paper between each one, then reheat in a warm dry skillet whenever the craving strikes.
