Orange Bread Recipe for the Bread Machine
This bread machine orange bread recipe makes a lovely, aromatic bread that’s perfect for your breakfast toast. The bread is soft, but firm. AND it’s delicious!

Last Updated May 22, 2026 – Originally Published May 31 2009
This orange bread recipe is one of the first bread machine recipes I ever made. It’s fun to look back on those early days. When I first got my bread machine, I was fascinated watching the dough mix and knead through the little window on top.
This bread machine orange bread recipe makes a lovely, aromatic bread that’s perfect for your breakfast toast. The orange flavor isn’t overpowering. The crust on the top of the loaf is flaky and the bread is soft, but firm. It’s delicious!
Orange Zest
This recipe calls for orange zest.
In talking with people I’m always surprised at how many people don’t have zesters. They’ll use a potato peeler or a cheese grater and it’s not an easy process.
I found it’s well worth it to get a proper zester. It saves you tons of time and trouble instead of trying to zest with a potato peeler.
The only problem is that once you’ve used one of these, there’s no going back. Potato peelers are fine for potatoes. Cheese graters are great for cheese. But for orange and lemon rinds, you need a zester.
Updated Recipe
I first added this recipe to the site in 2009. In 2026 I made two changes:
- Doubled the amount of orange zest from 1 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons.
- Changed the milk amount to 1 1/3 cups plus 1 Tablespoon of milk.
Interested in fruit breads? If so, check out this recipe for Cherry Bread using dried cherries.
Making Orange Bread
This makes a two-pound loaf of bread. Use the basic setting with medium crust.
Follow the instructions that came with your bread machine in terms of which ingredients to put in the machine first. With my machine, I add the liquids first.
Bread Machine Diva Tip: The recipe calls for a beaten egg. I like to measure the milk into a measuring cup first, then add the egg and beat it right in the cup. That helps distribute the egg evenly throughout the dough.
Check the dough after five or ten minutes of kneading. By that I mean, pop the top of the bread machine and see how the dough is doing. It should be a smooth, round ball.
If it’s too dry add liquid a teaspoon at a time until it looks right. If it looks too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks right.
Orange Bread Recipe – Two Pound Loaf
Again, this makes a two-pound loaf of bread. Use the basic setting with medium crust.
1 1/3 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon
1 Egg, beaten
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 teaspoon orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
3 Tablespoons Sugar
4 1/4 C. Bread Flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
See below for metric measurements, as well as nutrition information, for this orange bread recipe for the bread machine.

Orange Bread Recipe
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 Cups (315.45 ml) Milk
- 1 Tablespoon Milk (Listed separately because the recipe software requires two lines.)
- 1 Egg beaten
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 teaspoon Orange Zest add more zest for a stronger orange flavor
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
- 3 Tablespoons Sugar
- 4 1/4 Cups (531.25 g) Bread Flour
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Instructions
- This makes a two-pound loaf of bread. Use the basic setting.
- Follow the instructions that came with your bread machine in terms of which ingredients to put in the machine first. With my machine, I add the liquids first.
- Bread Machine Diva Tip: The recipe calls for a beaten egg. I like to measure the milk into a measuring cup first, then add the egg and beat it right in the cup. That helps distribute the egg evenly throughout the dough.
- Check the dough after five or ten minutes of kneading. By that I mean, pop the top of the bread machine and see how the dough is doing. It should be a smooth, round ball.
- If it’s too dry add liquid a teaspoon at a time until it looks right. If it looks too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks right.
Notes
Nutrition
All information presented within this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on breadmachinediva.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. I try to provide accurate information to the best of my ability; however these figures should still be considered estimates.










Got the idea to make this for french toast, I thought it would be easier than zesting orange into my custard (which I normally do). It worked! What a time saver for the Christmas breakfast. Big beautiful loaf, perfect texture for slicing and absorbing the custard. I served with orange curd and a pat of Pulgra for a little decadence. Wow is this a winner recipe. Thanks!
The recipe sounds delicious. I live at what is considered a “high altitude”. At the beginning I was measuring by cups, etc. The bread never turned out. I found recipes by weight. They turned out PERFECT. At our altitude, weight is the only thing that works – oz or grams.
Can you substitute lemon zest for the orange zest?
I haven’t tried that, but I bet it would work. I think it would also taste great!
The recipe has orange zest as the only orange flavor, is that correct?
Yes, that’s correct.
Great Bread! Followed the recipe exactly and add the juice from the orange until the dough ball was smooth. Will defiantly make the again.
Hey Marsha. I’ve been playing with this for a bit; my first one was okay (humidity kinda killed it) but I needed to make this a 1 lb loaf. I did the following to adjust:

1 C orange juice (nearly 4 oranges with a bit of water to compensate)
1/4 C warm water
2 tbs butter (for the oil, just cuz!)
1/4 C sugar
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 (depending on humidity) bread flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
SECRET INGREDIENT: 1 TBS espresso coffee powder (it could go stronger as well)
Baked on White Bread cycle in my Zoji.
I think it came out deeelicious!
Wow!! I’ve got to try this. Thanks so much for sharing!!
I made it but added in drained canned mandarin oranges. Heavenly!