10 Best Yeasts for Baking in 2022 (Chef-Reviewed)

With yeast being such an essential ingredient when baking, it's important to understand how to use it in order to get the best results. In this buying guide, we'll explain the difference between active dry yeast and instant yeast, share options that are suitable for sweeter recipes, and also advise you on how to maintain the yeast's quality. 

Active dry yeast and instant yeast both cause doughs to expand, but there's one big difference in how they are made. Knowing how to use each type of yeast will help you choose the type that suits your needs best.

Active dry yeast is the original type of yeast, and it has been used by generations of bakers. It comes in the form of fine granules.

If active dry yeast is near its expiration date or hasn't been stored in ideal conditions, you'll want to prove it's alive with a pinch of sugar and warm water around 105 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit. If bubbly foam rises to the top after 10 to 15 minutes, your yeast is still alive. This means you can go ahead and use it! However, if the mixture doesn't bubble, that is a sign that your yeast is dead. 

If you'd like to save time, consider using instant yeast. Since it is ground into even finer granules, it dissolves quickly and is designed to be added directly to your dry ingredients. You don't have to proof instant yeast at all.

Due to its fast-acting nature and quick absorption rate, instant yeast is ideal for dough that will be proofed at room temperature. It is also commonly used in bread machines and allows you to make bread with just one rise.

If you're planning to bake sweet treats, such as cinnamon rolls or brioche, you might want to purchase osmotolerant yeast. 

In a small amount, sugar can help accelerate the fermentation rate. But when the amount of sugar is more than 10 percent of the flour weight, it can hinder the fermentation process by taking water away from the yeast. 

Therefore, sweet doughs take a while to rise or might even end up not rising at all. But osmotolerant yeast is a special kind of yeast that can grow in low water conditions and, therefore, works particularly well in sugary doughs. 

However, most brands don't specifically label their yeast as osmotolerant. You'll have to read the product's description and see if it's designed for sweet doughs with a sugar level exceeding 10 percent. 

If you don't have yeast specifically for sweet doughs on hand, you can still use regular instant or active dry yeasts. Simply increase the amount of regular yeast by about 30 percent. 

Products that claim to be rapid-rising often use extra enzymes or artificial additives to boost the activity of the yeast. Specifically, ascorbic acid (E300) is an artificial additive commonly used to help create an acidic environment for the yeast to work faster and yield a better rise. 

So if you are looking for a product that works a little faster and helps your dough rise higher, screen through the ingredient list of a product and make sure that there are additional enzymes and artificial additives. 

Many people assume that packaging is not important, but it's actually a crucial factor that helps ensure the yeast's quality. 

The packaging needs to protect the yeast from being affected by oxygen or moisture. Otherwise, the yeast is likely to lose its activity and this will eventually negatively affect its fermentation performance. 

Most products are packed in a vacuum-sealed bag to preserve the quality. But the packaging of some is not resealable, so you will have to transfer the contents into an airtight container after you open it.

Some products come in a dark-colored glass container to help protect the yeast from direct sunlight and moisture. Meanwhile, others come in individually-sealed envelopes that are quite easy to use. A standard packet often contains two-and-a-quarter teaspoons of yeast.

Many recipes actually call for one whole packet of yeast, so if you use these, you won't have to worry about storing the rest. If you do have some extra yeast, just pop it into the fridge or the freezer. Usually, yeast can last up to six months in the fridge or a year in the freezer.

Our list includes 10 types of yeast products designed to fit a wide range of baking projects. We made our choices based on the points listed in the buying guide below, as well as reviewer comments when available.

*Please note that these products were chosen after extensive research by mybest writers. The choices are not necessarily affiliated with or recommended by Jim Quast. For more on our selection process, check out our editorial policy. Prices were gathered from respective EC sites on July 22, 2022.

If you're in a rush and don't have time to wait for the dough to completely rise, we have a few tips that can help speed up this process. One way is to cover your dough with a damp, warm towel and place it in a warm spot. The moisture from the towel and the heat will help accelerate the rising process. 

You can also proof dough in a microwave. First, heat a cup of water on high for about two minutes. After that, put your dough in the microwave, but don't turn it on. The existing heat from the microwave and the moisture from the water will create a warm, humid environment to help the dough rise. 

There are some ingredients that you can add to help with the rising process. First, you can add a quarter of a teaspoon of ginger to the water that you'll use for proofing the yeast.

Another method is to use unsalted potato water in lieu of warm water or milk. Make sure that the potato water is heated to the optimal temperature (105 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit) for proofing the yeast. The starch in the potato water will help strengthen the gas bubbles and make the dough rise higher.

You can also try adding two tablespoons of dry milk powder to the flour. This ingredient will help hold the moisture within your bread, keep it soft, and help it rise higher. Dry milk powder will also help form a golden-brown crust. 

If you're searching for baking equipment that can make your time in the kitchen much easier, look no further! Check out our product guides to learn more about the types of bakeware that can accommodate your baking needs.  

If you're looking for something outside of our best 10 list, feel free to browse Amazon's best-selling baking yeasts. You'll see a few of our choices alongside some other incredible options. 

Author: Thuy Nguyen

Updated by: Angela Koide, 7/28/2022

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