Tag Archives: Sun Bread

Bread? It’s in the Bag!

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It’s been a little while since Pop Goes the Page’s test kitchen rolled out a post (see: Bridgerton cream puffs). So today, Katie’s combining a recipe test, story time, kitchen science, and simple project all in one!

The test recipe was first met with incredulity. Bread in a bag? Really? Could you make bread that easily? Ice cream, sure. But bread? The potential for fail seemed likely. Hmmmm. Take it away, oh brave Katie!

There’s nothing more delicious than a slice of fresh warm bread slathered in your favorite jam or jelly. It’s even better if what you are eating is homemade bread. And not much can beat an easy recipe that has few ingredients and simple instructions. But a recipe designed as a kid friendly activity that you can mix, bake and enjoy together with your little ones? Priceless!

I fully admit I was skeptical when I discovered Susie at Busy Toddler’s Bread in a Bag blog post, but that skepticism definitely made me want to try out this unique recipe. I already had all of the ingredients in my kitchen, so I was ready to bake a fresh loaf of bread – in a bag – to welcome my college-aged kid home for the summer.

Under the careful supervision of my curious pooch, who probably would have helped squish and smoosh the mixing bag if I had let him, I put the ingredients together and made bread. The instructions were clear and straightforward, and the bread came out of the oven perfectly baked. It was super easy and surprisingly fun!

The only step I probably didn’t follow precisely was kneading the dough long enough before letting it rise prior to baking. My loaf of bread was a little denser than expected, but it didn’t make it any less delicious.

For families with young children who are eager to help in the kitchen or for adults who are kids at heart, this bread – in a bag – recipe is fantastic and one I highly recommend!

As it turns out, there are a number of fabulous books to pair with this delightful exploration of bread. Here are a few (with projects!) from our blog!

Bread is Love by Pooja Makhijani, illus by Lavanya Naidu (Roaring Book Press, 2026) Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven (Dutton Children’s Books, 2001)
Hooray for Bread by Allan Ahlberg, illus by Bruce Ingman (Candlewick, 2013)
Nanette’s Baguette by Mo Willems (Hyperion, 2016)
Toasty by Sarah Hwang (Margaret Ferguson/Holiday House Books, 2021)

Good Day, Sunshine Bread

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Who doesn’t love the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven? And thanks to a truly adorable book and recipe, you can also get a little sunshine front and center! Let’s head to Katie’s test kitchen for a look!

It was a snowy day, when the New Jersey skies were dark and gray, that I rediscovered the book Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven (Dutton Children’s Books, 2001 – read here by Camp WildWoodz). In the story, the animals of the town have experienced a long hard winter. They are all ready for the seasons to change and for the sun to return. The local baker decides to mix together her own sunshine from the cozy comfort of her bakery. The end result is delicious hot sun bread, which she shares to the delight of the town and their joy awakens the sun from its winter sleep.

I was surprised that my copy of Sun Bread did not have the recipe, which apparently was not included in later printings of the book. After a quick online search, I was able to find the recipe, along with a few personal minor adaptations and suggestions, in a blog post written by Lisa at Story of a Kitchen.

Bread is relatively easy to make. It just takes time, strong hands and a little patience to allow the yeast to work its magic. I had all of the ingredients in my pantry, so I got to work. I followed the instructions exactly as written by mixing everything together and kneading the dough, adding additional flour along the way.

After letting the dough rest and rise for an hour, I deflated and kneaded the larger ball of dough for a second time. I cut the dough ball in half and started creating my sun face. I decided to make the corona of my sun into simple little swirls.

I left the doughy sun to rise for another hour and then slid it into the oven to bake. I checked the bread after 10 minutes and I’m glad I did because it was already a nice golden brown and perfectly cooked through.

It didn’t take long for my teenager to descend upon the kitchen and ask to try a slice of sun bread. It was absolutely delicious! We tried it plain, with butter, and with a variety of different jams. It didn’t matter what we used as a spread, it was wholesomely good. I wish I could tell you how sun bread tastes the next day, but it didn’t last that long. My family snacked on it throughout the day, and we finished the small amount that was left that evening as garlic bread with our spaghetti dinner.

The sun bread recipe is ideal for parents to make with their children. It’s a super simple recipe to follow, you can be creative designing the sun face and corona, and the end result is scrumptious. And let’s be honest… any day is a good day to brighten your spirits with fresh sun bread!