Have-it-on-hand-at-all-times Homemade Sandwich Bread.
Guess what? You could be eating a thick slice of buttery homemade bread in about 3 hours. Even better, only about 20 minutes of that time is hands-on. This homemade white bread recipe has been a staple in my house for over 20 years because it's quick, simple, fail-proof, and deliciously satisfying like only homemade bread can be.
Years ago, when our kids were little and the budget was tight, I decided to plant a vegetable garden. My initial interest in doing so was economic. I figured that a few packets of seeds and seedlings could provide a healthy, savvy solution to our super restricted grocery budget.
This proved to be true. That vegetable garden fed our little family well for the few years we had it. What I didn't anticipate was the enormous satisfaction I felt from walking out into the garden on a warm summer evening and picking things for my family's dinner that I had grown myself.
This is how I feel about homemade bread.
Baking your own bread is economical and delicious. But, it's also enormously satisfying. It is one of the most effortless ways I know to feel like a domestic goddess.
Is there anything as basic and extravagant as homemade bread?
I make at least one batch of homemade bread every single week, which means that homemade bread is completely commonplace around my house. And yet, like magic, it never looses its novelty. We comment on how good it smells while it's baking. We hover around warm loaves, wondering if they are cool enough to slice.
Homemade bread is always welcome, always delicious, and always a treat. Comfort food at it's finest.
I can cook dinner guests a gourmet feast of complicated, expensive dishes and you know what they can't get enough of? The homemade bread.
All of us love and appreciate homemade bread. But, few of us actually bake it. Perhaps this is partly because many don't realize how easy it is. The majority of the bread making process is hands-off. Mix the dough and let it sit. Shape the loaves and let them rise. Put the loaves in the oven and let them bake.
If you're making bread by hand, the most involved part of the process is the kneading, which will only take you 10 minutes or so. (Kneading dough is also a great way to get out any pent up frustrations. I recently received a sweatshirt that says, "I bake because punching people is frowned upon." There are days when a truer statement has not been uttered.)
If you have a standing mixer, even kneading the dough for this white bread recipe is hands-off.
I made homemade bread before I owned a standing mixer. But, I started making it weekly after receiving one. It just makes the process so incredibly easy. Dump the ingredients in the bowl and let the mixer do all the work of kneading them into bread dough.
You can even force the dough to rise in accordance with your schedule. For this homemade white bread recipe, there are two blocks of time during which the dough is left alone to rise. If you allow the dough to rise at room temperature, each rise will take between45 minutes and an hour and a half.
However, if you place the dough in the refrigerator to rise, you can slow the whole process down. Use this as needed to make bread baking fit your schedule. Mix up a batch of dough and let it rise in the refrigerator all day if you wish.
Another way to make bread baking suit your schedule is to punch it down after the first rise and let it rise again before shaping it into loaves and baking it. This will, in fact, make your homemade white bread loaves even more delicious because it's during the rise time (also called "proofing") that the bread's flavor is developed.
One reason why you might not want to bake homemade bread...
I recently read an article about a woman in Rhode Island who is literally the town baker. It's the kind of town where such a thing can still exist. Every week she bakes wholesome, hand crafted gorgeous loaves of bread, which she then delivers around town, stocking local shelves with the kind of happiness that only comes from a fresh loaf of homemade bread.
If you live in that Rhode Island town, buy that woman's bread. Otherwise, it's time to start baking.
More favorite homemade bread recipes:
- Simple Homemade Whole Wheat Bread
- Homemade Cinnamon Bread
- Buttery Homemade Dinner Rolls
- Homemade Flour Tortillas
- Simple Homemade Pizza Dough
- Soft, Buttery Potato Rolls
- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls {Overnight Recipe}
- Homemade Overnight Caramel Rolls
- Homemade Hamburger and Hot Dog Buns
- Simple Cream Biscuits
- Chocolate Almond Babka
The other kind of bread I make on the regular is sourdough bread. I mostly follow this recipe and method from Tartine Bakery and it’s absolutely delicious. I also highly recommend the Tartine Bread Book.
This White Bread is a Building Block Recipe
Building block recipes are tried-and-true recipes that I consider foundational to great home baking. They are the kind of recipes I come back to over and over again, sometimes baking them as is, but often using them as a jumping off point to create something new. > Scroll through all Building Block recipes.
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or take a picture and tag it #ofbatteranddough on Instagram.
Happy baking!
Simple Homemade White Bread Recipe
This simple, fail-proof homemade white bread recipe turns sandwich suppers, a humble bowl of soup, or a simple piece of toast into a whole new treat.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups whole or 2% milk (warmed slightly, to between 80-100 degrees Fahrenheit)
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoon (½ stick or 2 oz.) butter, melted and cooled to at room temperature
- 6 cups (approximately) all-purpose flour (Can also use bread flour)
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Add the milk, yeast and sugar to the bowl of a standing mixer and whisk with a fork to blend. Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes, until the yeast is activated and looks creamy. Whisk in the melted butter.
- Fit the mixer with the dough hook and add 4 cups of flour to the milk and yeast mixture. Turn the mixer to low (speed level 2 on a KitchenAid mixer) and beat to start to bring the dough together. As the dough beats, slowly add enough remaining flour to bring the dough together into a soft, smooth dough. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl, but still stick slightly to the bottom. (*See note.)
- With the mixer continuing to knead the dough, slowly sprinkle in the salt. Once the salt is incorporated, let the mixer continue to knead the dough for another 5 minutes, until the dough is elastic, smooth and soft.
- Spray a bowl large enough to hold double the amount of dough with non-stick spray, or coat it with a bit of melted butter. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl, shape it into a ball, and plop it down into the greased bowl. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with non-stick spray, or brush it with a bit of melted butter, and use it to cover the bowl.
- Let the dough rest at room temperature until it has doubled in size. Depending on the temperature of the room, this will take between 45 min, and 1 ½ hours. (*See note below about controling the temperature of the dough.)
- Spray two 8 ½ by 4 ½ inch loaf pans with non-stick spray, or coat with a bit of melted butter. Dump the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide into two pieces. Lift one piece of dough and form it into a ball by using your thumbs to gently stretching the outside of the dough into a ball, pinching the dough together at the bottom. Bring the opposite sides together and pinch together at the bottom. Lay the ball of dough on your work surface, and roll it back and forth a few times to create an oblong ball. Lay the dough, seam side down, into one of the loaf pans. Repeat with the other half of dough.
- Spray two sheets of plastic wrap with non-stick spray, or brush them with a bit of melted butter and loosely cover each loaf.
- Allow the loaves to rise at room temperature until they double in size again, rising over the tops of the pans, 45 minutes - 1 ½ hours.
- While the loaves rise, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. When the loaves are fully risen, bake for 35-45 minutes, until they are golden brown and an instant read thermometer plunged into the center of one of the loaves registers between 190 - 200 degrees.
- Remove from the oven and use a dish towel to grip the top of each loaf to lift it from the pan onto a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.
- Once cool, the loaves can be wrapped in plastic and stored for 2-3 days at room temperature. For longer storage, wrap the bread airtight and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature, still wrapped.
Notes
If you add too much flour and your dough is dry and tough, just add in more milk, teaspoon by teaspoon until the dough is wet enough to stick ever so slightly to the bottom of the bowl.
controlling the temperature of the dough as it rises:
My husband and I are full time travelers, living and working in a 5th wheel RV as we travel the country. Because I am always baking in different locations, I nearly always use a Bread Proofer. Using a proofer is fantastic because if offers you total control over the temperature of the dough as it rises. For this dough I usually set the temperature of the proofer to 84 or 85 degrees and it comes out perfectly every single time.
- The proofer I use is this collapsable one from Brod and Taylor.
- I wrote a review of the Brod and Taylor proofer. You'll find that here.
You can also use your oven as a bread proofer: Fill a bowl or a pan with boiling water and place it in the bottrom of the oven. Set the dough inside the oven and shut the door. The boiling watter will create a warm, humid environment that supports the development of the dough. Refresh the boiling water as necissary to keep the inside of the oven nice and warm.
One reader left a comment about making this dough in her bread machine.
For anyone else who wants to try it, here's what she said: "I actually dumped all ingredients in my bread machine. Had it mix and kneaded it. Then once it formed a smooth ball I pulled out and gave it one last knead by hand and placed in oil bowl to proof. After it doubled I did the stretch and pull to the center routine a few times, then rolled to a rectangle then rolled up to size to fit in my bread pan. Let it proof and it baked up perfectly."
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 159Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 364mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g
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Dianne says
I made this bread today. easy to make and has a great taste. I will be trying more of your recipes because of good directions makes it easy.
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Dianne! I am so happy to hear that you liked this recipe and that you will be trying more of the recipes here! Please let me know if you ever have any questions about any of them. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me. I truly appreciate it! xo
Danish says
Hi. Can I use half the ingredients for a smaller loaf?
And cook all of it in a bread machine ? Thanks.
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi there! Yes to both questions. 🙂 I've never baked this bread in a bread machine myself, but have heard from a couple of readers that they have and have had success. So, as long as you understand your bread machine, I see no reason why that wouldn't work. Please let me know if you have any other questions! And, I'd love to hear how your bread comes out! xo
Nisha says
This is the best bread recipe I tried ever and it came out good even first time. Now everyone in the family wants this not store bought at all. Can we use the same recipe with wheat flour too?
Rebecca Blackwell says
I'm so happy to hear that you and your family like this recipe Nisha! Baking with whole wheat flour can be tricky because whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid than white flour and produces a stiffer dough that doesn't rise as well. I think you could substitute half of the white flour in this recipe for whole wheat flour and be fine. The loaves won't rise quite as high, but they should still rise and produce delicious loaves. You can also try this recipe for Simple Whole Wheat Bread. It's just as simple to make as this white bread recipe and is one of my family's favorites! Please let me know if you have any other questions! And thank you for taking the time to leave a comment for me. I truly appreciate it! xo
Nisha Yadav says
Thank you so much! I tried the whole wheat bread recipe too, came out good.
Rebecca Blackwell says
I'm so happy to hear that Nisha! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! xo
Stef says
Hi Rebecca,
Could you say how much gram (or oz) the 6 cups of APF wheighs?
(and if possible: Could you convert all the other meaurements to grams (or oz)?
Much appreciated!
Thanks and warm regards,
Stef
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Stef! Here you go...
600 grams whole or 2% milk (warmed slightly, to between 80–100 degrees Fahrenheit)
9.3 grams active dry yeast
25 grans granulated sugar
56.5 grams of butter, melted and cooled to at room temperature
750 grams (approximately) unbleached all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
Rachael says
Easy to make and so delicious! I plaited it and added an egg wash to a loaf, making the other a traditional loaf. Both tasted great and the whole family loved them!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Rachael! I am so happy to hear that you and your family liked this recipe! Since you liked this recipe, you'd probably also like this one for Dinner Rolls. Just like these white bread loaves, I've been baking these dinner rolls for more than 20 years and never get tired of them: https://ofbatteranddough.com/homemade-dinner-rolls/
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. It truly means a lot to me! xo
Donna says
Couldn't this recipe be reduced by 1/4 and be completely made and baked by my Zojirushi?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Donna! I've never used a Zojirushi, so I'm not sure. But, if you've successfully made other breads using it, this one should work too. If you try it, would you let me know how it comes out for you? Thank you!
Maggie says
Do you have a suggestion for how to make this gluten free? Can I simply sub in cup-4-cup gf multipurpose flour?
Thanks!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Maggie! Unfortunately, you really can't substitute gluten free flour for all purpose flour in most bread recipes. Often, this works out well in cakes and cookies and other baked goods that are meant to have a tender crumb. But, in bread, the gluten provides the majority of the structure, so taking it out will cause the loaves to be flat, dry and hard. I know there are a lot of recipes out there for gluten free bread. Some are probably better than others, so some experimenting will likely be necessary. But, you'd be better off starting with a recipe that was created specifically as a gluten free bread recipe. If you find a good one, will you let me know? I'm sure there are other readers who would be interested. Thank you! xo
Lorelei says
OMG this was the best white bread recipe I have found. It was super easy. I actually dumped all ingredients in my bread machine. Had it mix and kneaded it. Then once it formed a smooth ball I pulled out and gave it one last knead by hand and placed in oil bowl to proof. After it doubled I did the stretch and pull to the center routine a few times, then rolled to a rectangle then rolled up to size to fit in my bread pan. Let it proof and it baked up perfectly. So soft and fluffy. Hubby made a pb&j sandwich as soon as it was cool. I highly recommend this recipe is too easy and I am not a bread maker.
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Lorelei! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me! I am so happy to know that this recipe worked well in your bread machine. I'm going to add a note in the recipe with your instructions for other bead machine owners. It's super useful information! Thank you, thank you! FYI - since you liked this recipe, I think you'd also like this one for Dinner Rolls. Along with this white bread recipe, I've been making those rolls for years and we always love them. xo