Soft White Bread Recipe
This pillowy white bread recipe will be your new favorite! Straightforward & easy to make, and it bakes up so soft & fluffy! A perfect sandwich bread.
It’s a brand new year!
And I’m kicking it off with a basic recipe that you’ll love having in your back pocket: white bread!
I don’t know about you, but in my family, we go through A LOT of bread. It gets toasted at breakfast time, and made into sandwiches for lunch. We even eat it with our dinner a lot, buttered and served as sort of a side dish or appetizer.
We have several favorites, such as this soft whole wheat bread, this crusty French baguette, and this brioche. They are all so good, but nothing is more versatile than a simple white loaf.
This one has a soft, fluffy texture and a flavor that’s perfectly balanced. It really is the best sandwich bread.
And best of all, the recipe couldn’t be easier to make! With just a handful of ingredients and a method that’s simple as can be, this white bread recipe is sure to be on heavy rotation in your kitchen.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE WHITE BREAD
To make this easy recipe, start by proofing the yeast.
Dissolve a little sugar in some warm water, and then sprinkle active dry yeast all over the surface.
The water should be warm but not hot. Think of the temperature you’d make a baby’s bath- just a little warmer than body temp. If the water is too hot it could kill the yeast, and then your bread won’t rise.
After about 5 minutes, the yeast will have dissolved, and the mixture will look kinda foamy. This is how you know your yeast is working!
Mix in about 2 cups of the flour, along with the butter.
Once that’s all incorporated, knead in another 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 cups of flour, along with the salt. You should start to see the dough gathering itself into a ball, and pulling away from the sides of the bowl cleanly.
Work in another 1/2 cup or so of flour, kneading until the bread feels very smooth and stretchy. Give it a good long knead (around 10 minutes) to really develop the structure of the bread.
Now mist the bowl with a little non-stick spray, and pop the dough back in. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm place until it’s doubled in size. This will typically take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes.
Once the dough has grown, punch it back down and knead it a few times, creating an elongated loaf shape.
Place the unbaked dough in a loaf pan and cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap that’s been misted with non-stick spray.
This will need another 30 to 45 minutes to rise a second time, and then it can go into the oven until golden brown and puffed.
You’ll know your bread is done baking when it makes a hollow sound when tapped.
CAN YOU LEAVE OUT THE SUGAR?
I personally really like the flavor of this bread with the amount of sugar and salt stated in the recipe card below. It’s not sweet, it just has a nice, balanced flavor.
But if you want to leave the sugar out, you can. Just be aware that the bread will need more time to rise because the yeast won’t have as much to feed off of.
And you might also notice that the shelf life of the bread will be cut short. Breads made without sugar tend to go stale more quickly.
CAN THIS BE MADE GLUTEN-FREE?
This recipe is not gluten-free and I have not tested it as such, but if you have a gluten-free flour blend that subs 1:1 for regular flour, I would think that would work well as a replacement for the all-purpose flour.
Here are a few good options:
CAN YOU MAKE THIS IN A BREAD MACHINE
I use my stand mixer for almost everything, including bread making.
But if you prefer to use a bread machine, it should work well with this recipe.
If you don’t have either, that’s fine too! You can totally mix this white bread up and knead it by hand. It’s very easy to do!
CAN THE DOUGH BE MADE AHEAD?
Making bread dough ahead can really be a great way to save time.
OVERNIGHT WHITE BREAD
Follow the recipe all the way through to shaping the loaf, then cover it tightly with greased plastic wrap and stash it in the fridge for 24 to 36 hours.
When you’re ready to bake it, take it out and allow it to come up to room temperature. Then give it 30 to 45 minutes to rise to twice its original size, and bake it as usual.
CAN YOU FREEZE THE DOUGH?
The unbaked dough can also be frozen after its first rise.
Punch it down and place it in an airtight container. It will keep in the freezer for about a month. (Any longer than that can kill the yeast.)
Then thaw it to room temp, shape it, allow it to rise a second time, and bake it off.
HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE WHITE BREAD LAST?
This white bread will keep at room temperature for up to a week. Just be sure to keep it tightly wrapped so it doesn’t dry out.
In the fridge, it will last around 2 weeks, and in the freezer for 1 to 2 months.
- Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls
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This pillowy white bread recipe will be your new favorite! Straightforward & easy to make, and it bakes up so soft & fluffy! A perfect sandwich bread.
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 ounce active dry yeast* (1 packet)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (you may need as much as 4 1/2 cups)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
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Place the warm water and sugar in a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to proof.
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Add the butter and 2 cups of the flour, and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.
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Stir in an additional 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 cups of flour, along with the salt, mixing until the dough gathers itself into a ball and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
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Continue to knead, adding an additional 1/2 to 3/4 cup flour, until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
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Place the dough in a large greased bowl, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (30 to 45 minutes).
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Lightly mist a 5 cup loaf pan with non-stick spray.
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Punch down the dough and shape it into a loaf.
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Place the dough in the prepared pan, cover it loosely with greased plastic wrap, and allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (30 to 45 minutes).
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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Uncover the dough and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
*Instant yeast may be substituted. Rise time may need to be reduced by 10 to 15 minutes. You'll know your dough is done rising when it has doubled in volume.
What temp should the water for the bread be?
This would be helpful
Thanks
Hey Suzan! The water should be warm but not hot. Just a little above body temperature, like a baby’s bath. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 105 to 100 degrees F. Good luck!
How long do you leave the loaf in the pan? Should I let it in there for a few minutes and then turn it out into a rack or something? What do you do?
Hi there! You should allow the bread to cool to a point where you’re able to handle it without getting burned, then flip it out of the pan and allow it to cool the rest of the way on a wire rack. Hope that’s helpful!
I have been trying different bread recipes, yet to try yours but always 1st rise is double in size but 2nd so so resulting in a heavy dense brittle loaf that has shrunk. What could be going wrong?
What recipe are you using? It’s really hard for me to say without knowing anything about the recipe.
this looks yummy I well try this. Oh I can’t wait to put butter on that warm soft delicious bread. thank you
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy!
Can this recipe be adapted to make two loaves?
As long as your mixer is big enough to hold it all, you can just double the recipe. Good luck!
I doubled the recipe though it’s my first time making this one. I felt like the dough took up a lot of flour and rose quite a lot even after I put them in the oven. They got about 1 1/2 inches taller than I expected. It may be a combination of the sugar and low salt.
Anyway, I just finished mine and while they are taller than expected, the flavor and texture is really good. Will make again.
Very glad you were pleased! I love when it rises nice and tall like that!
Thank you for the response. I will give it a try today.
Does the crust come out crunchy at first when you take it out of the oven and eventually gets softer when it cools? Or it’s suppose to be soft to begin with? Mine came out with a crunchy crust. Is the 2nd kneading suppose to be 10mins as well? Trying to figure out if I missed a step, dough rose really well and It looks great. Still waiting to cool and will try it soon. Smells good! Thanks
Yes I have found that the crust does become softer as the bread sits. It’s quite a thin crust, so it may feel very dry when it first comes out of the oven, but because it’s so thin it isn’t overly chewy. There is no 2nd kneading for this recipe. Hope you enjoy!
This recipe comes out amazing. Best white bread ever and does last a number of days. That is if you don’t eat it all right away! Thank you so much for sharing.
It’s my pleasure Kelly! I’m so happy you enjoyed. Thank you so much for the 5-star rating!
Lovely recipe for my first time baking bread. The second time I reduced the amount of sugar and increased the salt.
Would it work to add the pan of water in the oven (as you do for baguettes) to make the it crusty?
I have not tried that but it may work! Usually for this type of bread I’m after more of a soft texture so I can’t say for sure but it’s worth a try. So happy you were pleased overall. Thanks!
Can we use half of the sugar in yeast and half in dough
In Step 4, do we knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes or still in the stand mixer? Thank you.
You can do it either way- however you like!
I made it this morning. I divided the dough and got 2 loaves. My family absolutely loved the taste and soft texture! Thank you for posting this recipe. I will definitely make this very often.
From a 1st time bread maker because of cv-19
Aw, I’m so glad your family enjoyed it Alayne! Great job stepping out of your comfort zone. You’ll be a pro before you know it!
Ok! So being a bread lover! Being stuck home in these times! I’ve recently tried making bread. I’ve tried several different ones! This bread recipe is by far the best one I’ve tried! My house smells amazing! And actually smells like bread!! You wont be disappointed! Tip for slicing! Electric knife! Perfect slices!
Great tip Peter and thank you so much for the 5-star review!
I’ll be trying your recipe in the morning but I wish I had a piece of it right now!! I have a question…something I’ve never done is used honey in a bread recipe. I have a lot and I’m really low on sugar. Have you ever tried this and if so, does it change the texture of the bread? Thanks so much and thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Hey Marianne! I use honey in bread recipes all the time. It works beautifully! Go ahead and give it a try- I think you’ll be very happy with the result. Good luck!
I made this incredible bread using the dough cycle on my bread machine and the proceeded to bake per your instructions. During the current pandemic, I ran out of butter, but used coconut oil. . . still delicious, light and airy. Thank you
That’s so great to hear Zina! And good to know that coconut oil will work in a pinch. Thanks so much for sharing!
I feel foolish asking this, but this recipe calls for a “5-cup loaf pan” and I don’t know what size that is. An 8 by 4 is 4 cups, but an 8.5 by 4.5 is 6 cups. And I usually use a 9X5 pan!
Also, is this dough meant to be slack? I rated the hydration rate at 75%, which I found very high for a pan-baked bread, so I cut it down to 66% and it was still extremely sticky and barely manageable. I have problems with recipes that rely on my knowing what the dough is supposed to “feel like”, as I’m still learning. Artisanal loaves give precise gram weights and percentages so you don’t have to guess. The volume may shift based on your flour, but the weight remains the same. I came out with a passable loaf that tasted very nice but was dense and a little doughy in the mouth. I baked it to an internal temp of 195, so it was fully baked, and didn’t feel doughy to the touch, until I chewed it. Underproofed? Overproofed/collapsed? It passed the windowpane test so I think it had developed enough gluten. I want to love this recipe, but I need more understanding. Thank you!
Loaf pans are most commonly 8×4 or 9×5 inches and they have approximately a 5-cup capacity. A slightly smaller or larger pan should not have a major impact on your final result. Be sure to note step 3 of the recipe, the amount of flour needed can vary quite a bit but the important thing is that the dough gathers itself into a ball and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. It may be a bit slack, you can see what it looks like in the picture where I’m shaping it before it goes into the pan. If it is too sticky to handle, you can knead in a little more flour or just flour your work surface and your hands to make it easier to work with. I would not recommend cutting back on the water as that is an important ingredient and if you change the recipe that significantly you are not going to get the proper result. If you prefer to weigh your ingredients you can click the “metric” button just below the list of ingredients. I hope this provides the understanding you’re needing! Let me know if you have any other questions I can answer.
Can i use rapid rise yeast? If i do, do i let it rise twice and do i proof the yeast?
Hey there- here’s a great article on how to swap instant for active dry yeast: https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-active-dry-yeast-and-instant-yeast-54252.
Loved this bread, great easy recipe. Works perfectly in the kitchenaid
Only challenge is that it made a huge loaf!
Next time I may reserve a quarter of the dough and make rolls!
Thanks for the feedback Curtis!
This turned out fantastic! Could this dough be used to make cinnamon rolls as well?
I have not tried that but it seems like it could work? I usually just use this cinnamon roll recipe: https://bakingamoment.com/homemade-cinnamon-rolls/.
I made this bread today and it is delicious – just like my mother in law’s! Amazingly she never used a recipe simply combined the ingredients to make the needed number of loaves. I was wondering is it possible to double or triple the recipe and if so would it be a simple multiple of ingredients?
Hey Allan! So glad you liked it. I think you should be able to double or triple without a problem. Just keep a couple of things in mind: <0l>
Good luck and take care!
I just made this bread, and it’s amazing!
It has smooth texture and very nice flavor. In this
very uncertain time, it’s nice to fall back on the
comfort of something as simple as
as home made bread. Even if you consider yourself
a terrible cook, this recipe will make you feel like
you accomplished something not only delicious, but
truly gratifying in many ways! ❤️👊🏻💪🏼 Stay safe, be kind! 😋
You too Michelle! I’m so happy you enjoyed, and I couldn’t agree more with everything you’ve said here!
Bread has a great taste as this is my first time trying it I was hoping for a fluffy bread as pictured, it was soft but not like store bought. Well not sure what went wrong will try again
Sorry you didn’t get exactly the result you were looking for. I would make the following suggestions (these will apply to any type of yeast bread you may want to make):
Hopefully these tips will be helpful to you the next time around. Good luck!
Well the bread tastes great still. I will keep working on the kneading and the window pane test. I did make the Hawaiian bread wasn’t as pretty as yours but was still good. Thank you for your wonderful receipes.
It’s my pleasure Sarah. I’m so happy you’re enjoying. Know that with every recipe you make, you’re getting to be a better and better baker. I’m proud of you!
Perfect bread! Sick of the taste and texture of bread machine bread, I’ve been trying recipes…mostly disappointing until I found this one. Excellent taste, texture and perfect crust. Thank you.
You’re welcome Ron! Very happy you enjoyed. Thanks for the 5-star rating!
This was the first time I’ve actually baked a bread. It was quite quick to make. I followed the recipe as stated but my bread turned out yellow , tasty though. Can you please tell me what I could do in the future to get a white bread? Will definitely be making it again! Thanks.
That is very strange. Were any of the ingredients you used yellow in color?
What is the quantity of yeast in grams?
Also can we add grated cheese and garlic to the dough??
Please click the “Metric” button just below the list of ingredients. Add anything you’d like.
Thank you so much for this recipe. It was as light and fluffy as Wonder Bread. Just amazing! It is a little sweet for my taste, but a little adjusting on the sugar amount should take care of that problem easily.
Also, the loaf is huge! Could the dough be split and put into two pans? How would you adjust the baking time?
So happy you like it! You could probably split it into 2 and then you’d have much smaller loaves. You’ll know they’re done baking when they’re puffed, deeply golden, and hollow-sounding when tapped. Good luck and thanks for reading!
You are a hero! I have been trying to bake bread with minimal success texturally, and this turned out absolutely beautifully. Curious as to why you let the yeast activate on its own rather than stirring?
You can stir it if you like! It really doesn’t make much difference. I’m really happy you were pleased with the result! Thanks for the 5-star rating!
hi thanks for the recipe..can i substitute olive oil to the butter? would you know the ratio?
thanks.
I think that would probably work ok… maybe a little less olive oil than butter. Good luck!
This is my third attempt at bread, and it looks like the third time’s the charm! This recipe is a winner. It looks perfect and tastes fantastic!
Can I use instant yeast in place of the dry active yeast?
Please see my note just below the recipe instructions.
Great instruction and delicious bread.
Made second loaf yesterday. Delicious, slices and doesn’t crumble for beautifull sandwiches. Question, can this recipe mix white and wheat flour or will recipe need to be adjusted?
I would think that would work ok, but you may need to adjust the total amount of flour(s) needed. You’ll know you’ve added enough when the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl cleanly. Good luck!
Tried for the first time and it came out wonderful. Soft yet firm and very delicious. Thank you for this wonderful recipe❤️
You’re so welcome!
I filled this out but do not see my comments.
Hi, I tried this bread and I am quite happy with the result. My bread came out to be very crumbly and fragile when I sliced it with a lot of bread crumbs. Could you please give me any tips on how to fix this? I waited for the bread to cool down completely before cutting.
So happy you liked it Santosh! That crumbly texture is usually a result of not kneading the dough quite long enough. Check out this post, which talks about the windowpane test: https://bakingamoment.com/hawaiian-rolls/. This test works for any yeast bread recipe, and it’s a great way to know if the glutens have been developed enough. Hope you’ll find it helpful!
Hi Allie, thanks a lot for your quick reply. I will follow your tip on my next bread this week :-). By the way, I am kneading by hand so perhaps that is also not enough. A machine might be better and less tiring.
Delicious and easy! My only issue is the size of the loaf pan you recommend. 5 cups? A standard American loaf pan is 8 1/2” by 4 1/2 “ and that holds 6 cups. That’s the size I used and it was way too small! My bread was top heavy and flowed over the edges. That didn’t keep us from devouring it though! Next time I’ll try a 9” by 5” (8 cups) and see how that works. Thanks for the recipe!
Great recipe for a beginner. My first fluffy bread! Used olive oil instead and it tastes great.
Stupendous
Hi Allie!
Thank you for this recipe. I have been on the hunt for a yummy white bread recipe and the hunt is over! This is my new go to. I am a advanced baker, I bake weekly both gluten-free and regular bread so I was surprised and very impressed with the 2nd rise. It didn’t want to stop rising and continued to rise in the oven almost spilling out of the 5 cup loaf pan. The texture is lovely and soft. The flavor is delicious. I highly recommend this recipe for all baking levels. Thank you again for your amazing recipes!
You’re very welcome Franny! So happy you enjoyed!
HOw many grams is one slice?
That would depend on how thick you slice your bread. The nutritional info given is based on cutting the bread into 12 equal slices. You can change this by moving the slider that appears when you hover over the “Servings.”
Hi Flour we have strong white bread flour, plain white flour,and self raising flour I use strong white bread flour for crusty bread which flour for soft bread please kinda new to this thanks Pete
I think you’ll want to use plain flour Pete. Good luck!
I have been looking for a recipe for bread that is soft and I just tried this one and all I can say is winner winner. Thanks so much I also saw a lot of other recipes I want to try. I may never buy other loaf of bread .
So glad you enjoyed Evelyn!
This turned out horrible. Volume metrics just do not work for baking whatsoever.
That’s why I offer both US Customary and Metric options. You could have just clicked the button, everything’s listed in grams.
Hi I tried this bread recipie and it was simply wonderful ! Loved the super soft texture and taste ! Thank you
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for the positive feedback.
How many ounces/litres is a cup of water?
How many ounces is a cup of flour?
How much yeast is a packet?
When spoon measurements are given, are they heaped spoons or level spoons?
I’ve tried your soft bread recipe and it was awful, but I believe I haven’t used the correct ingredients amounts
I would love to try again
Many thanks
Yes, it sounds like you may not have. Here is a guide on how to measure: https://bakingamoment.com/how-to-measure-ingredients-for-baking/, and if you’re looking for measurements in grams, just click the “metric” button below the list of ingredients. Hope this is useful.
Tried this recipe today. Whilst the bread came out incredibly soft and fluffy, the size of it was HUGE (may have needed punching down a bit more before putting in the oven), which caused it to sag on one side.
The amount of butter and sugar make the loaf taste more like a brioche than a typical loaf of bread, too sweet for my TASTE unfortunately.
I’ll definitely try it again though with extra pounding and maybe half the butter and sugar.
I must admit, it did smell amazing though.
This recipe really worked wonders for me… I’ve attempted so many recipes and everytime something or the other went wrong. I baked such a an amazing bread loaf.
This has been my go-to sandwich bread since I discovered it about a month ago. I make it exactly as written, but I get two loaves. I thought my loaf pans were standard, but they might be smaller. So, the smaller leaves bake in about 25 minutes. It’s so good! Perfect sandwich bread, and if there’s any left after a couple of days, it makes the best French toast and bread pudding.
Is the per serving size, in the nutrition facts just for one slice or two slices? Thanks.
Serving size is 1 slice, if you cut the loaf into 12 equal slices. Use the slider that appears when you hover over “Servings” to change that if you like your bread slices thicker or thinner.
I made this today and it’s the best bread I’ve ever made! Perfection is the word! Thank you so much for sharing this brilliant recipe!
Love it, made as is no changes
Had a very nice rise and easy to make. Just enjoyed the heel of it with some butter. Reminded me of the soft yeast rolls in grade school. I wonder if this recipe could be used to make them?. 🙏🏻
Just noticed there’s no egg add in that recipe of making white loaf bread can I add egg on it. Thank you
Excellent sandwich bread. I have tried several other sandwich bread recipes & they have been good, but not quite what we have been looking for . I have been searching for a recipe that has a truly homemade flavor and is similar to my 90 year old dad’s childhood memory of his mother’s homemade bread. This one comes the closest. It proofed very well, and rose very nicely in the pan prior to baking. Of course I have a secret technique that I used to help bread rise. And it worked well with this recipe. The flavor was delicious, the bread was moist, yeasty, and I guess you COULD describe it as fluffy. It definitely had good structure and just the right amount of holes. Not too little not too many. The only thing that I would change would be to increase the amount of salt. I used powdered real butter that I rehydrated prior to mixing into the ingredients. Just saying that in case there are others who are wondering if they can use real powdered butter as a replacement. I also used the Wheat Montana brand of flour which I think is a superior non-GMO all purpose flour. I will definitely make this recipe again
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What tempremature should I bake the bread in a fan forced oven
Hello, I don’t usually post comments but I have to say this is the best and easiest bread recipe I have come across. I have had many failures at bread making but this was a total success and my family is asking for more! Love it!