Damper Recipe (3 Ingredient Bread

Name: Damper Recipe (Australian 3 Ingredient Bread)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup Almond milk (any plant milk is fine); 2 cups Self raising flour; 1 tbsp Plant-based butter; 1 tsp Salt

Jump to Recipe

This damper recipe is a celebrated Australian bread. It’s effortless, can be made in an oven or over a coal-fired camp. The outside is golden and crunchy with a filling inside. It's a wonderful 3 ingredients bread.

damper in a cast iron dutch oven — Freshly baked damper bread made in a dutch oven

Damper bread was the first bread I learnt.

I think I was in year four or five, and I loved playing with this easy-to-make dough and then turning it into bread. The classroom smelt divine with baked bread.

It was part of learning our Australian history, learning about how the early settlers came to Australia with little to live on.

Making bread from two ingredients; plain flour and water to make damper, which they cooked over a campfire and carried around in a swag.

Once a jolly swagman… now that song is in my head.

Damper is one of our iconic foods, just like a meat pie, homemade vegan sausage roll and vegemite on toast.

Nowadays, the damper is a little bit fancier, with the addition of milk, and flavourings.

This damper bread recipe is a basic one, which you can vary, see variations below.

😋Why you’ll love this recipe

Damper is yeast-free and requires no leavening.
It’s a quick - simple mix, quick knead and then bake
It’s inexpensive, it’s a 3 ingredients bread (not counting the salt)

✔️What You’ll Need

🥘Ingredient Notes

Self-raising flour - is the easiest to use, however, if you prefer to use plain flour use a couple of teaspoons of baking powder with it to help create a lighter bread.

Butter - I used a vegan butter to keep this a vegan bread, use your preferred brand

Milk - I used almond milk, however, use your preferred milk or water can be used instead

🔪Step by step guide

Step 1 - In a large mixing bowl, add flour and plant-based butter, massage with your fingers until it resembles a sandy mixture.

Step 2 - Create a well and add milk, use a fork to mix together until you need to use your hands to knead the dough.

Dust your hands with flour and need for 1 minute. Create a disk with the dough.

Step 3 - Grease cast iron dutch oven and place dough into it, score dough into 8 pieces, cover with a lid and bake in a preheated oven of 200C (392F) for 35-40 minutes.

Step 4 - Once golden brown and hollow, allow resting for 5 minutes before serving.

🍳Variations

Making damper savoury

Add fresh herbs and black cracked pepper - I love using fresh rosemary

For a cheesy flavour - add some nutritional yeast

Add some chopped olives

Mix in some Vegemite into the dough

Crushed garlic is a huge hit with our family

Making damper sweet

Add chopped dried fruit such as sultanas or apricot pieces with a teaspoon of maple syrup

Damper with golden syrup - this is an Aussie favourite. Add a smear or drizzle of golden syrup to buttered damper bread.

💡What to serve with?

I love making damper whenever I make soup, as my family loves to dunk this Australian bread into it.

Try damper with creamy asparagus soup or my delicious Try my vegan beet soup.

For a sweet damper, try it with my refined sugar-free plum chia jam.

💭Pro Tips

If you don’t have a cast iron dutch oven, simply mould the dough into a disc and place it onto a baking tray and bake.

To know when damper is ready, simply knock on the bottom of the bread if it sounds hollow then it is ready.

Make smaller individual damper rolls by making portioned balls and placing them onto a baking tray

Keep your loaf of damper enclosed in the dutch oven, it will stay soft. If you like the crunchy exterior, sit it out during serving.

bread cut up in pieces with a butter knife on the side

❓FAQ

Can I store damper?

I find storing damper in a snap-lock bag to be the most effective. It is best consumed within a couple of days. Ensure the bread is completely cool before storing.

How do you know when damper is cooked?

Damper is ready when it creates a hollow sound by knocking on the base of the bread loaf.

Dunk this bread into some luscious vegan tomato fennel soup or easy vegan butternut squash soup with coconut milk

Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.

Recipe

Damper Recipe (Australian 3 Ingredient Bread)

This damper recipe is a celebrated Australian 3 Ingredient bread. It’s effortless, can be made in an oven or over a coal fired camp. The outside is golden and crunchy with a filling inside.

Print Pin Rate Save Recipe

Course: Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine: Australian

Diet: Vegan

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 40

Servings: servings

Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

¾ cup Almond milk any plant milk is fine
2 cups Self raising flour
1 tablespoon Plant-based butter
1 teaspoon Salt

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, add flour and plant based butter, massage with your fingers until it resembles a sandy mixture.
Create a well and add milk, use a fork to mix together until you need to use your hands to knead the dough. Dust your hands with flour and knead for 1 minute. Create a disk with the dough.
Grease cast iron dutch oven and place dough into the cast iron dutch oven, score dough into 8 pieces, cover with lid and bake in a preheated oven of 200C (392F) for 35-40 minutes.
Once golden brown and hollow, allow 5 minutes resting before cutting up and serving.

Video

Notes

🍳Variations

Making damper savoury

Add fresh herbs and black cracked pepper - I love using fresh rosemary
For a cheesy flavour - add some nutritional yeast
Add some chopped olives
Mix in some Vegemite into the dough
Crushed garlic is a huge hit with our family

Making damper sweet

Add chopped dried fruit such as sultanas or apricot pieces with a teaspoon of maple syrup
Damper with golden syrup - this is an Aussie favourite. Add a smear or drizzle of golden syrup to buttered damper bread.

💡What to serve with?

I love making damper whenever I make soup, as my family loves to dunk this Australian bread into any type of soup. Try damper with velvety broccoli soup, or creamy cauliflower soup .

💭Pro Tips

If you don’t have a cast iron dutch oven, simply mould the dough into a disc and place it onto a baking tray and bake.
To know when damper is ready, simply knock on the bottom of the bread if it sounds hollow then it is ready.
Make smaller individual damper rolls by making portioned balls and placing them onto a baking tray

Nutrition

N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.

Tried this recipe?Please consider !

If you enjoyed this recipe, consider supporting my work for the cost of a cup of coffee.

Comments

5 from 15 votes (10 ratings without comment)