Homemade pita bread recipe
An easy recipe for homemade pita bread recipe kids will love making and eating!
Homemade pita bread is a delicious snack or accompaniment to a meal. These are so much softer and nicer than shop bought ones and, best of all, super easy to make.
My kids and I enjoy making homeamde bread and pizzas. It’s lovely to bake something together that doesn’t involve lots of sugar for a change, and getting to knead the dough, as with any bread recipe, is a great tactile job for kids to get involved in.
Shop bought pita bread is a staple in our house, but if you’ve got a little bit of time, then these homemade pita bread’s are worth the effort. They’re light and fluffy and soft in a way that shop bought ones will never be. And although you need a bit of time, it’s mostly just so the dough has a chance to prove. It’s not a difficult recipe, and a great one to make with kids.
You can make this pita bread recipe easier and quicker by using a bread maching or free-standing mixer with a dough hook if you have one, although my kids always enjoy getting to knead the bread dough by hand.
Once you’ve made your pita bread, why not try it with some homemade 5 minute hummus.
How can kids help make homemade pita bread?
Pita bread, like most bread recipes are great for getting kids busy in the kitchen. They are such kid friendly recipes, with opportunities to measure and mix ingredients as well as kneading the dough.
My kids love kneading bread dough, although you can cheat and get it done a bit faster if you use a mixer. We tend to do a bit of both so my kids get a chance to do a bit of kneading but we use our mixer just to help us out a bit.
There are a few extra steps making pita bread compared with some other bread recipes as you have to divide the dough mixture up before rolling the pita bread shapes. But this a good way of praciticing some maths skills (fractions), and are all, great ways of letting kids help in the kitchen.
Why aren’t my pita’s puffing up?
If your pita’s haven’t puffed up it is likely because your oven temperature is too low. Make sure you have your oven as hot as it will go and preheat a baking tray or baking stone to bake the pitas on. The heat will create the steam you need to puff up the pitas.
How long do homemade pita breads keep?
The pita breads will keep in an air tight container for a few days. Reheat them before you serve them.
If you want to keep them for longer, you can freeze them once they’re baked for up to a few months. Again, reheat them before you serve them.
What other easy bread recipes can i make with my kids?
If your kids enjoyed making these bread sticks they might also some of our other easy bread recipes for kids including:
Soft bread rolls
Easy white bread recipe
Soda bread
Homemade bagels
Hedgehog rolls
English muffins
Breadsticks
Homemade naan bread
Dough balls
Useful equipment
You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make this pita bread.
Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Mixing bowl
Wooden spoons
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Baking tray
Baking stone
Wire rack
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Difficulty: A bit harder
Time: 30 minutes + 1-2 hrs proving + 15 minutes baking
Serves: makes 6 pitta bread
Ingredients
350g (2 3/4 cups) white bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp easy-blend yeast
210ml lukewarm water
1 tbsp olive oil
How to make homemade pita bread
Mix together your ingredients
Get your kids to measure the flour (350g) out and add it to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer.
Add the salt (1.5 tsp), sugar (1 tsp) and yeast (1 tsp) into different corners of the bowl. You need to be relatively accurate with these measurements so you might be better doing this bit yourself or just getting your little one to help you.
Pour the water (210 ml) and oil (1 tbsp) into the bowl a little at a time. Make sure the water is lukewarm/tepid. If you put your finger in it, it should feel not too hot but not too cold.
Use a spoon (or your hands) to mix until all the flour comes away from the side and you have a soft dough. You might not need to add all the water or you may need to add a splash more – you want the dough to be soft, not sticky.
If you’re using a free-standing mixer, attach your dough hook and let it all mix in until there is no loose flour at the bottom of the bowl.
Kneed your dough
Put a little oil or flour on your work surface to stop the dough sticking. Put the dough on top and start kneading. You’ll need to do it for 5-10 minutes until it looks smooth and elastic. This is a great job for little chefs, as they can’t really go wrong. Just make sure they are working the dough, pulling it and rolling it so it becomes quite elastic.
If you’ve never kneaded any dough before, check out our guide on how to knead.
Again, if you’re using a mixer, you can leave that to most of the hard work for you. We often let our mixer knead the dough for 5 minutes or so, then finish it off by hand. That way you can be sure it’s been worked enough, but still give kids the chance to have a turn.
Once you’re done, place it in a clean bowl, cover it with cling film and leave it somewhere warm until it has doubled in size (at least an hour).
Preheat the oven to 250C / 480F
Place a baking tray or baking stone on the middle shelf to warm up.
Make the homemade pita breads
Once the dough has doubled in size, pour it out on to a lightly floured work surface and knock it back (fold it inwards again and again until the air has gone – or just get your kids to man handle it!)
Split the dough into 6 equal sized balls then roll each into a 3-5mm thick oval/round shapes.
Remove the baking tray from the oven, sprinkle with flour or spray a little oil on it and place the pita bread on it.
Bake for 5-10 minutes. They’re ready when they’ve started to colour and puff up into really nice big pockets.
Serve and enjoy!
Pita bread recipe
Ingredients
- 210 ml water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 350 g white bread flour
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp easy-blend yeast
Instructions
Mix together your ingredients
- Measure the flour into a bowl. Add the salt, sugar and yeast into different corners of the bowl.
- Pour the water and oil into the bowl a little at a time. Use a spoon (or your hands) to mix until all the flour comes away from the side and you have a soft dough. You might not need to add all the water – you want the dough to be soft, not sticky.
Kneed your dough
- Put a little oil on your work surface to stop the dough sticking. Put the dough on top and start kneading. You’ll need to do it for 5-10 minutes until it looks smooth. Once you’re done, place it in a clean bowl, cover it with cling film and leave it somewhere warm until it has doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 250C and place a baking tray or baking stone on the middle shelf.
Make the pitta breads
- Once the dough has doubled in size, pour it out on to a lightly floured work surface and knock it back (fold it inwards again and again until the air has gone – or just get your toddler to man handle it!)
- Split the dough into 6 equal sized balls then roll each into a 3-5mm oval shape. Remove the baking tray from the oven, sprinkle with flour and place the pitta breads on it.
- Bake for 5-10 minutes. They’re ready when they’ve started to colour – some of ours also puffed up really nicely into big pockets.
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Similar recipes
If you liked this homemade pita bread recipe you’ll love some of our other bread recipes, including our easy white bread recipe for kids.
This recipe was first published in August 2019, and republished in March 2023 with new images.
jennie jones says
will try tomorrow.
Lucia Poves says
Thanks Helen for this fab pita recipe. It’s so easy to make and it tastes so good that everyone in the family loves it. We stopped buying ready made pitas from the supermarket when we tried these and now we make them home all the time.
cookingwithmykids says
I’m so glad you like it! I think all homemade bread is nicer than shop bought stuff if you have time to make it.