This continuous fresh breadmaking process has a relatively small footprint yet can meet the needs of a typical retail outlet. Its ingredient-metering unit measures and discharges ingredients for a single loaf into the dough mixer. A dough transport receives batches from the mixer. An endless oven conveyor features many dough holders spaced apart from each other. An oven unit features a prebaking and baking portion, and a heat diffuser adjacent to the baking portion shields the prebaking portion and dough holders from heat in the baking chamber. The oven conveyor moves dough holders through the baking chamber at a rate enabling batches to be fully baked when exiting the oven.