My Favorite White Bread Recipe
This is a classic white bread recipe, and so easy! The loaves bake up incredibly tall, soft and fluffy… the perfect white bread!
Are you a bread fanatic? Isn’t there something fantastic about a great piece of bread? Whether you’re making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, grilled cheese, a big sandwich piled high with fixings, or simply slathering a piece with butter… I’ve always found it to be great comfort food.
While I’ve made quite a bit of homemade bread in the past, we’ve really cut back on carbs significantly, and have pretty much nixed sandwiches from our diet, so I haven’t been buying or making any for the last six months or so. However, Joseph would eat grilled cheese and some other things with bread (depending on the day – we’ve hit the picky toddler stage!), but once we found out about his allergies, anything store-bought was pretty much out of the question (why does bread need soybean oil?!). Luckily, he was cleared of his wheat allergy, but we’re avoiding soy, so homemade it was! I had a previous favorite white bread recipe, but had this recipe bookmarked for AGES, so I decided to finally try it. I’m so glad that I did because…
Best. Bread. Ever.
There are so many reasons you need to hurry up and make this bread immediately:
- It comes together incredibly quickly for a yeast recipe requiring two rises. In about 2 hours you’ll be smelling fresh bread wafting from your oven.
- These are the largest loaves of a simple white bread I’ve ever seen! I’ve made too many disappointing loaves of bread that have turned out short and squat, especially those made in a 9-inch pan (p.s. these are my very favorite loaf pans!). However, these are incredibly tall, full loaves – beauties!
- I was surprised at how incredibly light, fluffy and soft this bread was given that there isn’t any milk in the recipe, just water (thanks butter!). It’s honestly the perfect texture.
I was honestly blown away when I made it, my husband was as equally thrilled, and much to my delight, Joseph was a huge fan too! This makes phenomenal peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, awesome grilled cheese, and I have eaten way more than I should just slathered with butter.
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I should have known how good this would be since it came from someone’s grandma… those are always the BEST recipes!
I’ve made this three times now, and I love that it makes two loaves… I immediately slice and freeze one and leave the other one out for us to eat throughout the week.
The frozen slices reheat exceptionally well – just 20 seconds in the microwave is all they need.
You only need one great white bread recipe and this is it!
Grab that yeast and get baking!
Three years ago: Kentucky Derby Pie Cupcakes
Four years ago: Chile con Queso
Watch How to Make My Favorite White Bread Recipe!
My Favorite White Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 4½ teaspoons instant yeast, two 0.25-ounce packets
- ¾ cup + 2⅔ cups warm water, divided
- ¼ cup (52 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
- 9 to 10 cups (1200 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter, melted, for brushing
Instructions
- In the bowl of a mixer, stir to dissolve the yeast in ¾ cup (180ml) of the warm water, and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2⅔ cups (640ml) 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.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Hello, can I use bread flour instead of all purpose flour ? If so, do I use the same amount that the recipe calls for ?
Hi Lauren, If you, the bread will not be as light and fluffy, and denser.
This recipe was recommended by my sister as the easiest bread to make!! I doubted I would be successful as I always had really dense bread. Not this time! It is amazing!!! Thank you!
So awesome Jody! Thanks for coming back to share a review!
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for posting your bread recipe.
I have made a lot of your recipes over the years and have been pleased with everyone of them.
For years I have made a cheats sour dough using bread flour and recently moved to Spain I was unable to source my usual flour. A friend did a bulk order of flour for me (50kg) and highly recommended it, but when using for the first time it turned out to be all purpose flour, so 2 failed loaves followed! I searched the internet to find a bread recipe with all purpose flour and stumbled across yours, being filled with confidence from your other recipes I felt confident to use your recipe and hope that I would be able to use all the flour that I had purchased.
I am overall pleased with the result, although The dome flattened during baking, it sure if I left the first rise for too long. However, the bread tasted really nice and had a good texture.
I also have the added challenge of using a butane gas oven, so probably not bad for the first attempt. I will definitely try the recipe again, thank you so much.
Nicky
Hi Nicky, Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
I am a new baker and my first attempt with this recipe was a success. It reminds me of the bread from a bakery near my grandmother’s house when I was a child. I make it every week. Delicious!
Hi Pam, I’m so thrilled to hear that! :)
I never made bread before. First time. I have been placed on the low iodine diet and unfortunately bread was not an option for me. So I tweeked this recipe using Crisco shortening instead of butter. And it was freaking amazing. After one week without bread I was beside myself. I may never eat store bought white bread again. Thank you for the recipe. I was so desperate for a piece of bread I sliced it 10 minutes out of the oven. And forgot to take a photo after. But I did get a photo right before placing it in the oven. And a slice of toast I made for my dad with butter. And as Rachel Ray would say YUMMO!!!!!!!! THANKS FOR THE RECIPE.
Ohhhhh nooooo vegetable shortening has soybean oil in it. ohhhhh drats. Back to the drawing board. Will try tomorrow with vegetable oil. Pray it tastes just as good. 😦😦😔😔
Oh my word! I made your favorite white bread today and I have to say I was so impressed at how easy it was, and wow is it delicious! I don’t have a mixer with a dough hook so I had to just mix it with a wooden spoon and my hands. It may not look perfect, but it tastes great. Thanks for sharing all your wonderful recipes.
Hi Carolyn, You are so welcome, I’m glad you enjoyed the bread! I’ve made it by hand many times myself and it’s so relaxing!
This bread was delicious! The only problem was that at 400 on the very bottom rack, mine burned so the next time I cooked it at 350 for 35 mins and positioned the rack a little higher and it was perfect! Thank you for such a great recipe!!
Hi Emily, You’re welcome, and thanks for sharing your adjustment tip!
This is the Most amazing bread I have ever made! I have a bread maker and decided to try making bread by hand today. I have not had a lot of success with my breadmaker. My bread comes out too hard or dry lumpy etc. this bread is phenomenal! It is like store-bought bread but with way more flavor. I am definitely saving this recipe. It was so easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly. I can’t wait to make it again.
I’m so thrilled to hear that Jamie! Thanks so much for taking the time to stop back and leave a review, it’s much appreciated!
It turned out a bit denser than pictured. First time making bread! What do we think I did wrong? I bake a ton, just never bread and I know it can be finicky sometimes!
Hi Brendon, I’m sorry to hear that! It could be using too much of the flour (the amount I end up using can vary dramatically based on the time of year or weather), or overworking the dough.
I tried it out and the whole family loved it! Thank you for the recipe :)
You’re welcome Lydia, I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it!
I’m about to get this in the pan. I doubt I’ll get a response in time, but curious if I can use the whole amount in a 15″ pan? I’m going to try. Lol. We eat a lot of bread, and this came up when searching for 2# bread recipes. Fingers crossed!
Hi Amee, I am not sure if that will work, I’ve never had a pan that big! Let us know how it goes! :)
I am so excited to try this!!! Do you think I could substitute half of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour?
Hi Kristen, I usually recommend starting with substituting 1/4 and then increasing to see how the recipe fares with the whole wheat. Enjoy!
This is the best recipe I have not made bread since i was at home and made bricks . Simple enough that even I didn’t mess it up!
Thank-you
Lynn R
I have no idea what happened but I followed the recipe to a T and it was super watery. I ended up having to use double the flour
Not everyone has a dough hook attachment!!!!
Hi Karen, You can totally make it by hand, I’ve done it many times.
Hi, I just made this but I only had 6 cups of AP Flour, the rest i had to use bread flour. Do you think this will adversly affect the loaves? Could not get to the store, and needed bread .
Hi Beth, They may just be a tad bit more dense, but they should still be just as delicious!
My 8yr old daughter is entering a local bread making competition next year and we have tried so many recipes in preparation. We came across yours and all I can say is wow…. It came out perfect so light and fluffy cooked evenly all the way through. We did not use a dough hook as we don’t have one or a bread machine so it was made with a good old fashioned wooden spoon and hand kneaded by herself. So impressed…
After many (many) failed recipes that just did not deliver a light loaf this worked a treat. I find I can use more or less any flour and get great results everytime. Love it, it is now my go to bread recipe for a sandwich or toasting loaf. Thank you :)
You’re welcome Matt, so happy you’re enjoying the bread!
Hi – I don’t have a stand mixer. Can I mix with a wooden spoon and then knead by hand?
Hi Meredith, Yes I have done this many times! :)
Can this be made in bread machince. I really want to try but have arthritis really bad.
Hi Ronda, I’ve never owned a bread machine, but I don’t see why it couldn’t!
This was a great recipe, though I will say I didnt use nearly 9-10 cups of flour, I measured out 9, I to a measuring bowl and then followed the recipe. I had leftovers so after I was done baking I measured out how much i scooped back into my flour container, and it was 1 1/3 cups. So I only used 7 2/3 cups of flour. The dough was easy to work with, recipe method was perfect, I have a big 6qt pro kitchenaid and it had no problem handling the kneading.
2nd time I made it I did a portion of whole wheat flour as well, and was also delicious. Maybe 20%, not too much. I was also out of butter so I quickly blended up some cream I scooped off my milk (we are dairy farmers so our milk straight from the tank isnt homogenized) and quickly blended It into blender for a few minutes and subbed that for the butter, even though it wasn’t strained and totally hard yet. It seems to have worked! Once I’ve successfully made a recipe 2x and still like it, it gets added to my own hand written cookbook with whatever changes I made. This one will be going in as 7.5-8.5 cups of flour, rather than 9-10. But that’s the only change.
Is it ok to use salted butter? New here, in the bread business 😊
Hi Ashley, Yes that’s okay!
The best bread recipe I have tried to date. Made one very large loaf and 4 beautiful buns for sandwiches. Will be using it this weekend to make 12 large sandwich buns for pulled pork sandwiches at a family dinner.
Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome Steve, I’m thrilled you’ve enjoyed the recipe!
I made this recipe 3 times in two weeks. First time I followed to the letter , made one HUGE loaf and 2 broccoli calzones and one palm sized pizza (because I wanted to see what kind of crust it made). It was delicious ! I used the correct sized bread pan and weighed all ingredients, and I’m thinking it rose so much because we were having hot humid weather. Anyway, the loaf of bread cuts great and looks like a chef’s hat. :) The broccoli calzones, both about 12″ x 4″ tasted very nice. The pizza…well, let’s say this dough will be on my list for when I make pizza, which is a lot ! The SECOND time I made this recipe, I only made a half recipe since I had all that bread and calzone in my freezer. So, with half a recipe I made pizzas…those are now in the freezer. Also, I used olive oil instead of butter. OK, the third time, I used bread flour and olive oil and only 30 grams of sugar…made a full recipe. I ended up with 1 – 20 oz loaf, 1 – 10 oz loaf, a dozen 2 oz rolls, a pizza using 9 oz of dough and a 9 oz ball of dough to freeze to see how it is after thawing. Took photos but don’t have an instagram page. I’ll post them on your FB page, if it lets me. Thanks for this recipe !
Ahhh that’s so awesome Paula! Thanks for sharing all of the different ways you’ve used this dough! And yes, please upload your photos to the BEB FB group!
BEAUTIFUL, I halved the sugar and it was perfect. Wish I could send you a photo.
This is so great. I can’t even believe this is all purpose flour. Is it bleached or Unbleached all purpose flour?
Hi Ada, I use the King Arthur Flour unbleached flour.
Bread came out perfect, thank you for sharing I have been baking bread now for the last 2 months mostly french bread, then thought why not do a sandwich bread. I find it challenging to work with yeast. I did it w/o machine, and put ice in the oven for some steam and used active yeast. Because it’s so hot outside I cover my bread with a cloth & set it outside to rise.
I’ve tried so many bread recipes that were a total disappointment but this one is EASY and Delicious. First made it in a loaf pan which turned out great. Today, I made a pull apart cinnamon/apple/sugar with 1/4 of the dough in a loaf pan which also worked well. Also, tried a round loaf on a stone–which is not as pretty but baked fine. Next time, I’ll try a round pan for that. Thanks so much for this excellent recipe!! :)
You’re welcome, Kelly, so awesome to hear about all the ways you’ve tried this!
Could I make 1 loaf and use the rest of the dough for rolls for dinner
Hi Cecelia, Yes definitely!
Worked well had one problem my dough collasp in the oven