I've made a lot of bread recipes and this one has become my absolute favorite! I make a batch every couple of weeks!
Ingredients:
- 4½teaspoonsinstant yeast(two 0.25-ounce packets)
- ¾cup+ 2⅔ cups warm water(divided)
- ¼cupgranulated sugar
- 1tablespoonsalt
- 3tablespoonsunsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
- 9 to 10cupsall-purpose flour
- 3tablespoonsunsalted butter(melted, for brushing)
Directions:
- In the bowl of a mixer, stir to dissolve the yeast in ¾ cup of the warm water, and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2⅔ cups water, sugar, salt, room temperature butter, and 5 cups of the flour and stir to combine.
- Using a dough hook, mix on low speed and gradually add the remaining flour until the dough is soft and tacky, but not sticky (you may not need to use all of the flour). Continue to knead until a soft ball of dough forms and clears the sides of the bowl, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and turn it over so it is completely coated. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a draft-free place to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Gently press it all over to remove any air pockets. Divide the dough in two and, working with one piece at a time, gently pat it into a 9x12-inch rectangle. Roll up the rectangle, starting on the short end, into a very tight cylinder. Pinch to seal the seams and the ends, tuck the ends of the roll until the bread, and place into greased 9-inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves loosely and place in a draft-free area until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Position an oven rack on the lowest setting and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Brush the loaves with some of the melted butter. Bake the loaves for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 195 degrees F).
- Remove from the oven and immediately brush with more of the melted butter. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and cool completely before slicing. The bread can be stored in an airtight bread bag or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month.
Recipe Notes:
Note #1: This recipe can be halved to make only one loaf. Note #2: You can substitute active dry yeast for the instant yeast. Ensure that it is indeed activated in step #1 before continuing, and note that the rise times will be slightly longer. Nutritional values are based on one serving
Nutrition:
Calories: 253kcal
Fat: 4g
Saturated fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 9mg
Sodium: 352mg
Potassium: 85mg
Carbohydrates: 46g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 2g
Protein: 6g
Vitamin A: 105%
Calcium: 10%
Iron: 2.7%
I’ve made this bread about 10 times now, its the first and only white bread recipe I’ve used and its awesome. Today i went to run a quick errand while it was doing its first rise, and of course it wasn’t a quick errand after all so i ended up letting it rise nearly two hours. I feared it wouldn’t turn out but it was just as good as ever and i got 3 loaves! The bottom crust was slightly chewier but we liked that. Also, I don’t have a mixer so i knead by hand and its not that difficult, totally worth the effort. I LOVE this bread❤️
Easy to make and very good.
What is the difference between bread flour and self rising flour in this recipe?
Delicious recipe. Didn’t change a thing. I’ll be making this again soon. Going to experiment with different toppings. Yummy. Going to eat my warm bread now!!
This is the best bread recipe!! My family loves it. This is my new go recipe. Going to try some of your other recipes too.
Just made this bread and can’t believe how its turned out. I’ve never been able to perfect my bread baking but feel I’ve cracked it now. It looks and tastes lovely. I’m so pleased and will definitely be trying some more of your recipes. Thank you.
If you happened to make this recipe as per instructions (like I did), and used a total of 9 cups of flour (like I did), and ended up with a dough so stiff it almost burnt up the motor on my Kitchen Aid mixer (like I did), have faith….its fixable. The liquid to flour ratio is off,,,thats why its so stiff. I fixed mine by adding another cup of warm water, and 1/2 c. vegetable oil during the dough hook kneading time. Its a hassle, but it worked. Realistically, only about 6-7 cups of flour are needed based on the amount of liquid used. Happy baking!
Although this was the easiest, most dependable loaf of bread I have ever made, it had no taste. No sweetness, none of that heady bread flavor. It roses unbelievably. Would adding more sugar and butter destroyed the recipient?? I need more flavor!!
Has been my go-to bread recipe for over a year now! It’s easy, fluffy, moist, and perfect for sandwiches and toast! I like to add pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and/or moistened bran for a bit heartiness.
Great recipe, but please can I add milk, egg in my bread. Thanks
Easy to make, light, fluffy and perfect crust! Even my fussy four year old loves it!
I love the simplicity of the video thanks but can I add milk and eggs to my bread. My children loves eggs . Please can u tutor me on how to make pound 🍰. Thanks
Cool explanation but my question is can I add eggs to my recipe
Wow! I have searched and searched for a white bread recipe and they all disappointed me, until this recipe! My bread came out perfectly, light fluffy and perfect for sandwiches. Thanks a mill xx
My constant and favorite recipe for basic white bread.
I just used this recipe to teach my nieces to make bread. It was simple enough for them to follow and it turned out great! Thanks
Do you think that a non dairy butter would work?
It should!
I made only one loaf and it was so easy, enjoyed it very much!
Can I use olive oil to have no dairy?
Amazing! I’ve tried many recipes and the bread always turns out meh. But this was so easy and really delicious! The first loaf was gone within a few hours just from buttering the warm slices. And the best part is the second loaf on the following day was just as moist and tasty. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Can I make the full recipe and keep half the dough in the refrigerator to bake later?
Hi Sarah, I don’t recommend that. I would bake both and freeze one instead.
What gram count do you personally use for a cup of flour?
120gms, 125gms or something else? I bake a lot of bread and always weigh my ingredients as I know my expensive measure cups will give me different amounts depending on how I’ve filled them.
Thanks. Looking forward to trying this bread.
Hi Lorraine, I use 142 grams, which is what America’s Test Kitchen uses.
Hi…please give directions with active dry yeast as that’s the one available in my place
TIA
I make this into three loaves, large bread pans, otherwise the loaves are just too big, slices too big. I slice them up and freeze them. My favorite bread recipe!