How to Tell When Bread Is Done

The three tests, in order of reliability

Test	How good is it
Internal temperature	The only one that is not a judgement call. A thermometer settles it in three seconds.
Tapping the base	Reliable once you know the sound, and it needs no equipment. Requires turning the loaf out.
Colour on top	The weakest. An egg-washed or sugared loaf browns long before the centre is cooked.

Internal temperature

Push an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the loaf, aiming for the centre and avoiding the tin.

Type of bread	Done at
Lean loaves — baguettes, ciabatta, rustic rounds	93 to 96 C / 200 to 205 F
Soft sandwich loaves and rolls	88 to 93 C / 190 to 200 F
Enriched doughs — brioche, milk bread, cinnamon rolls	88 to 91 C / 190 to 195 F
Quick breads and banana bread	93 to 99 C / 200 to 210 F

Enriched doughs come out lower because the extra fat, sugar and egg keep the crumb soft. Taking a brioche to 96 C dries it out. Several recipes here name the number directly, including Classic Rye Bread and Jalapeño Cheddar Bread, both at about 93 C / 200 F.

The tap test

Turn the loaf out and tap the underside firmly with a knuckle. A baked loaf sounds hollow — a distinct, resonant knock. An under-baked one sounds dull and solid, because the centre is still dense with moisture.

It genuinely works, and it is what several recipes here use as their check. The only difficulty is that it takes a couple of loaves to learn what hollow means. If you have a thermometer, use both once or twice and you will have calibrated your ear permanently.

What each type looks like when it is right

Tin loaves

Deep golden on top, risen well above the rim, and shrinking very slightly from the sides of the tin. That pulling-away is a useful secondary signal — it means the crumb has set.

Crusty rustic loaves

Deep brown, genuinely darker than looks comfortable. Lean doughs have no sugar or fat, so they need real colour to develop flavour. Pale crust on a Dutch oven loaf means it came out early.

Rolls and buns

Golden on top, and joined where they touch. Pull one from the edge and look at the side — if it is still pale and doughy where it met its neighbour, the batch needs a few more minutes.

Bagels and pretzels

Boiled before baking, so the crust is already set when they go in. Judge these on colour alone: deep glossy brown. Internal temperature is unreliable in something that thin.

Then leave it alone

Bread is still cooking when it comes out. The residual heat finishes setting the starches, and cutting in early releases the steam doing that work — which is what leaves a gummy band near the base. Give a tin loaf an hour on a rack, a rustic round closer to two.

Rolls are the exception and are best eaten warm. Small enough that the crumb sets almost immediately.

If it is under-baked and already out

A loaf that has cooled can go back in at 190 C / 375 F for 10 to 15 minutes. It is not ideal — the crust will be thicker than intended — but it beats a raw centre. This does not work once the loaf has been cut.