Every loaf and cookie you donate starts with one of our program recipes, and we've made them easy to find and easy to follow. Our Recipe Wizard lives on your volunteer dashboard and walks you, step by step, to the recipe that fits your kitchen, your schedule and your skill. Whether you bake with a local hub or as a Direct Ship baker, here's how it works.
Step 1: Open Program Recipes
Sign in to your volunteer dashboard and click Program Recipes.
Step 2: Choose what you'd like to bake
The wizard asks, "What do you want to bake?" You choose what you wish to donate:
- Bake Bread: our signature sandwich loaves, Satisfying Whole Wheat, Honey Oat and Sunflower Rye
- Bake Energy Cookies: quick and easy, in two amazing flavors
- Bake Special Items: our seasonal dinner rolls and holiday cookies
From there, the wizard walks you to the version that suits you. For example, Honey Oat comes in three versions, from a quick instant-yeast loaf to a 100% natural sourdough.
Step 3: Bake with confidence
Everything you need is in one place. Each recipe is updated regularly and includes:
- Helpful tips, tricks and videos to ensure your success
- A full list of ingredients, with acceptable substitutions
- Direct links to the supplies you'll need. Many ingredients are linked right from the recipe, so they're easy to find.
The wizard also shows the right ingredients for where you bake. Local bakers see our Flour Fundraiser flours, and Direct Ship bakers see options available near them. Learn more in Flour Substitutions.
Bake the batch that fits your kitchen
Every kitchen has its limits: how many pans we have, the size of our mixer, or whether we have one oven or two. That's why you can easily adjust the batch size in the wizard to match the quantity you wish to bake. The recipe scales right along with you.
See what your donation is worth
Every donation is a gift of time, talent and treasure. To help you understand the dollar value of your gift, each recipe includes an estimator that gives you a reasonable picture of the cost of each ingredient, including the packaging.
Please keep our recipes in the family
Our program recipes are part of what makes Community Loaves meaningful to our volunteers, so we ask that you not share them. Instead, share the joy! Invite friends and family to join you in our Bake a Difference program.