Bread vs. Dough: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on September 26, 2023
Bread is a baked food product made from dough, usually containing flour, water, and yeast. Dough is a mixture of flour, water, and often yeast, that is yet to be baked.
Key Differences
Bread is the result of baking a mixture of flour, water, and other ingredients, while dough is the raw, uncooked blend of those same ingredients. Bread is what you have after the baking process, often characterized by a crusty exterior and softer interior. On the other hand, dough is the pliable, often sticky mass that is shaped and then transformed into bread.
Dough serves as the starting point in making bread, pastries, or other baked goods. Bread, in contrast, is the finished product, what we slice for sandwiches or serve as a side with dinner. Dough is generally elastic and can be easily molded, while bread has a set form that can only be altered by cutting or breaking.
In terms of texture, bread is solid and holds its shape, while dough is malleable and often sticky. Bread can be enjoyed as-is or toasted, while dough requires cooking to be safely and pleasantly consumed.
Bread often has a complex flavor profile developed during the baking process. Dough, however, has a more basic, starchy taste, as it hasn't undergone the chemical changes that occur during baking. Bread can be eaten independently or used to complement other foods, but dough is typically not consumed until it has been baked into bread or another product.
Bread has many variations—white, whole grain, sourdough, rye, etc., whereas dough is more of a blank canvas, ready to be turned into any of these kinds of bread or other baked items. Bread is often the subject of cultural, historical, and even religious significance, while dough is simply a stage in the journey toward making bread or similar products.
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Comparison Chart
State
Baked
Unbaked
Texture
Solid, crusty
Pliable, sticky
Edibility
Ready to eat
Requires cooking
Flavor
Developed through baking
Basic, starchy
Variations
Numerous (e.g., white, whole grain)
Generally uniform before baking
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Bread and Dough Definitions
Bread
To cover food in breadcrumbs before cooking.
I will bread the chicken before frying it.
Dough
A soft or malleable substance, likened to bread dough.
The playdough is as soft as bread dough.
Bread
A baked food made from a mixture of flour, water, and yeast.
I sliced the bread for our sandwiches.
Dough
A starting material in a process.
He is still raw dough; he needs more training.
Bread
A form of communal or shared food, often in a religious context.
They broke bread together at the church supper.
Dough
An investment or amount of money put into something.
She put her dough into the stock market.
Bread
Currency or money, in slang terms.
He earns his bread as a freelancer.
Dough
Money, in slang terms.
He made a lot of dough from his business venture.
Bread
A staple food made from flour or meal mixed with other dry and liquid ingredients, usually combined with a leavening agent, and kneaded, shaped into loaves, and baked.
Dough
A soft, thick mixture of dry ingredients, such as flour or meal, and liquid, such as water, that is kneaded, shaped, and baked, especially as bread or pastry.
Bread
Food in general, regarded as necessary for sustaining life
"If bread is the first necessity of life, recreation is a close second" (Edward Bellamy).
Dough
A pasty mass similar to this mixture.
Bread
Something that nourishes; sustenance
"My bread shall be the anguish of my mind" (Edmund Spenser).
Dough
(Slang) Money.
Bread
Means of support; livelihood
Earn one's bread.
Dough
A thick, malleable substance made by mixing flour with other ingredients such as water, eggs, and/or butter, that is made into a particular form and then baked.
Pizza dough is very stretchy.
Bread
(Slang) Money.
Dough
Money.
His mortgage payments left him short on dough.
Bread
To coat with bread crumbs, as before cooking
Breaded the fish fillets.
Dough
(transitive) To make into dough.
The flour was doughed with a suitable quantity of water.
Bread
(uncountable)
Dough
Paste of bread; a soft mass of moistened flour or meal, kneaded or unkneaded, but not yet baked; as, to knead dough.
Bread
A foodstuff made by baking dough made from cereals.
We made sandwiches with the bread we bought from the bakery.
Any leftover bread can be put into the pudding.
Dough
Anything of the consistency of such paste.
Bread
Food; sustenance; support of life, in general.
Dough
A flour mixture stiff enough to knead or roll
Bread
(countable) Any variety of bread.
Dough
Informal terms for money
Bread
Money.
Dough
A mixture of flour, water, and often yeast, used for baking.
She kneaded the dough before letting it rise.
Bread
Breadth.
Bread
A piece of embroidery; a braid.
Bread
(transitive) To coat with breadcrumbs.
Breaded fish
Bread
To make broad; spread.
Bread
(transitive) To form in meshes; net.
Bread
To spread.
Bread
To cover with bread crumbs, preparatory to cooking; as, breaded cutlets.
Bread
An article of food made from flour or meal by moistening, kneading, and baking.
Bread
Food; sustenance; support of life, in general.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Bread
Food made from dough of flour or meal and usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked
Bread
Informal terms for money
Bread
Cover with bread crumbs;
Bread the pork chops before frying them
Bread
A source of sustenance or livelihood, often symbolic.
Bread is the staff of life.
FAQs
What is dough?
Dough is an unbaked mixture of flour, water, and often yeast, used for baking.
Can I eat dough raw?
Consuming raw dough is generally not recommended due to the risk of bacterial contamination.
Is bread always made from dough?
Most bread is made from dough, but some variations use batter or other methods.
Is dough only used for making bread?
No, dough can also be used to make pastries, cookies, and other baked goods.
What is bread?
Bread is a baked food made from a dough of flour, water, and often yeast.
Are there gluten-free versions of bread and dough?
Yes, both bread and dough can be made using gluten-free flours.
How do you store dough?
Dough can be refrigerated or frozen for later use.
What does 'earning one's bread' mean?
It means earning a living or making money to sustain oneself.
Can dough have ingredients other than flour, water, and yeast?
Yes, dough can include ingredients like sugar, salt, fats, and flavorings.
Is all dough leavened with yeast?
No, some doughs are leavened with baking powder or soda, or are unleavened.
What does 'dough' mean in slang?
In slang, 'dough' often refers to money.
Can you make bread without baking it?
Some breads, like flatbreads, can be cooked on a stovetop, but most require baking.
How do you store bread to keep it fresh?
Bread is best stored in a cool, dry place, and can be frozen for longer storage.
Can you over-knead dough?
Yes, over-kneading can result in tough bread.
Why is bread significant in many cultures?
Bread often symbolizes community, sustenance, and historical or religious traditions.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
