White Bread Recipe

5 from 10 votes

Homemade bread doesn’t get any better than this! This classic White Bread Recipe is soft, fluffy, and ideal for sandwiches, toast, or a warm slice topped with butter.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: loaf

Calories: 1918kcal

Author: Andrea

Equipment

9x5 bread loaf pan

Ingredients

1 c warm water
1/4 c whole milk
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast or 1 packet
2 tbsp granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 c all-purpose flour or bread flour

Instructions

In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, combine the milk and water. Heat for 45 seconds on half power. Stir and check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. It should read 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius). If too cold, microwave on half power in 10-second increments. If too warm, let it cool to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius).
Add the warm water/yeast mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast and sugar. Whisk together. Cover with a towel and let stand for 5 minutes.
Add the butter, salt, and 1 cup flour. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Add an additional cup of flour, mix for 30 more seconds, then add the final cup. Mix on low for 1 minute until a soft, sticky dough forms.
Switch to the dough hook attachment, and knead on low for 4 minutes.
Lightly grease a large bowl with melted butter, oil, or nonstick baking spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a relatively warm spot for 1–2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with oil or nonstick baking spray, and set aside.
Punch the dough down with your fist to release the air. On a lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 8×15 inches. Then roll it into an 8-inch log, pinching to seal the seams and ends.
Place the log into the greased pan. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and rise for about 1 hour. The dough should be peeking up about 1 ½ inches over the edge of the pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
Place bread in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top. When done, it should sound hollow.
Remove and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

To STORE white bread, wrap the cooled loaves of bread in plastic wrap or place them in a bread box or plastic bag that allows for some air circulation. This keeps the bread soft and fresh for 2–3 days. Homemade bread becomes stale faster than store-bought bread because it doesn’t contain preservatives.

Wrap loaves of bread in plastic wrap and foil, then place them in a freezer-safe bag to FREEZE. Frozen homemade bread maintains its best quality for about 6 months.

For REHEATING, thaw frozen slices at room temperature. Warm in a toaster or in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) oven for a few minutes until softened and warm.

Nutrition