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!
My 6 yr old son made this recipe (under supervision!) And it is delicious!!! Rose pike crazy. Little sweet. Super soft but a crusty exterior. Sooooo good!!!!
Wow! Just wow. This was soooooo good. I’m embarrassed to admit how many ‘sample’ slices I had once it was done baking. I did tweak this just a bit because I need to avoid salt as much as possible for health reasons. I reduced the salt to 1.25 tsp, and as a result needed to reduce the yeast slightly to 4 tsp (I used active dry). This rose just like video all the same. Thank you so much for sharing!
I have been enjoying all of your postings! Thanks!
Question!
What size is your pan? There are three options on their website. 1lb, 1.5 lb, or Red gold touch. Which one is yours?
Thanks!
For these loaves I use the 1.5 lb pans.
Hi , can this recipe be halved for a bread machine , I can make up to a 2# lost ..
Fabulous! My son shared the recipe with me after he made it & Ill never make any other white bread. It is perfect.
Best bread I have ever made! Only thing I added was a pan of water in the oven for humidity.
I have been making this recipe and it is wonderful!!! Everyone enjoys every slice!
!!
This is now my favorite white bread recipe . absolutely gorgeous . slices beautifully and is delicious.
Wow, Just WOW!!!
This is my first time messing with yeast. I got instant yeast and decided to make bread…my first time making bread.
I am so glad I found your recipe! I followed your instructions to the tee when it came to mixing the bread. I decided to do a braided method rather than just putting it into the bread pan. I was going to use my Air Fryer…but there was just too much dough for that, haha. I made 2 loaves of bread AND a pizza out of it, lol. The 2nd loaf was just braided and not in a bread pan, so it looked really cool. Both did actually. And the pizza, I just let it rise once instead of twice, and baked it for 13 minutes on 425 and it was ready while I was making the 2nd one rise, so I turned the oven down to 400 for the bread and by the time I was ready, so was the oven and I baked the bread for 35 minutes and voila. It took less than 3 hours to make the bread and pizza start to finish. This is a total must now for my family!
My nephews are vegan, so I can totally do this recipe substituting vegan butter (the I can’t believe it’s not butter I used had milk, but it will taste just about the same.) I’m really glad I found this! Thank you!!!
Perfect just perfect!! So easy and the dough proofed so quickly. It is absolutely delicious too! My new go tobread recipe… thanks!
Love everything about this recipe. Easy ready in no time. The first time I made 2 loaves. Just beautiful. I found I fare better making 3 loaves in 8 in pans. So hooked
Thanks
Love this bread so much. When I bake it my wife insists that it be served only with butter as addind anything else only serves to take away from the bread itself.
Have been looking all over for a fine crumb bread and finally this is it.after making many different recipes of bread I must say this is my favorite. This is the closest home made bread to mass produced bread in texture and fine crumb with no additives and no preservatives so for anyone that still likes their carbs, this is the best it gets.
Can you modify this for a bread machine
Can I make 1 loaf in a bread machine using your ingredients? I have bread machine yeast already for it.
I can’t wait to try this, it looks so light and fluffy.
Just made this using half wheat flour (ran out of white in the middle of making) and it came out just as well, this is a fantastic recipe! Added everything but the bagel mix to the middle of one, along with some Italian shredded cheese, I look forward to using it for some classy sandwiches this week :)
Looks lovely and I am very excited to try this recipe.
I’m curious about the brand of flour that you used for this recipe and what you also typically use for others?
My pic says it all!
Terrific!
First time was a few weeks ago and it was a bread breakthrough for me! What an achievement! The loaves rose up huge and delicious and truly simple! Today I made it again, only instead of two enormouse loaves I made 2 standard loaves and one smaller loaf. I’m delighted with the recipe and will return to it over and over again.
Perfect dinner rolls. Made by hand so I just add as much flour as needed, don’t know why everyone is complaining about to much flour..add as much as you feel you need. Saving this one in my recipe book. Thank you!
Made this tonight. Was out of sugar and tried Truvia as substitute. Loaves came out perfect and beautiful!
This was fantastic. I made it on a total whim when I had all the ingredients on hand, though I used bread flour instead of all purpose because that was what I had enough of, and a square tin instead of a loaf tin, and it turned out perfectly!
This is the first loaf I’ve made that’s been cooked all the way through without burning. I put it in for 15 minutes uncovered, then covered it with foil for another 15 minutes and then finished it off with five minutes uncovered. It was perfectly golden brown and crusty on the outside, and soft and fluffy on the inside. I ate nearly half the loaf spread generously with butter while it was still warm. Just perfect!
When I make it again, I made add slightly more sugar and salt to the dough for a touch more flavour but honestly it’s great as it is.
Different types of flour can absorb different amounts of liquid, that may have been an issue with your other breads. Bread flour absorbs the most but will make a chewier bread because of more gluten, (perfect for French but now white). Also make sure you are proofing your bread properly or they can come out soggy in the middle. Make sure the dough is properly oiled on the second proof as well or it will form a skin that will burn quickly in the oven. Hope this helps!
Michelle, I made this bread this weekend and didn’t get a chance to snap a picture, because it DISAPPEARED! My kids loved it. It was delicious and easy, and I will definitely be making it again. Thanks!
Best. Bread. Ever. Thank you😘
Hand-mixed the full amount, made half into a loaf following the recipe. Took about 9 cups of flour, and dough turned out great! The other half of dough was created into cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and pizza dough for our dinner —it’s the full mal deal!! 😃
I. Love. This. Recipe. It bakes up so big every time that I’ve started putting it in 3 loaf pans, and it fills all 3!! I have the “Professional” Kitchen Aid and it kneads perfectly. It is far and away the best white bread recipe I have ever used.
Can vegan butter be used instead??
Yes, I think that would work just fine!
BEST RECIPE EVER!!
This is the first bread recipe I have ever tried and I’ve made it multiple times. I always half the recipe but I always end up using way more than 4-5 cups of flour. I use close to the amount that it calls for for the two loaves. While it’s in my Kitchenaid it always gets soupy so I add more and more flour until it forms into a ball. Am I doing something wrong?
If you live in a rather humid place it will take more flour as the flour is partly hydrated to begin with, also try mixing it longer than you think or let it sit for a while. This will give the flour a longer time to absorb liquid and should help. As a pastry chef, other than making sure to half both amounts of water, I think these may help.
Delicious recipe! I changed it up a little by putting spinach, feta, and peppadews in the center of the dough before rolling it up into a cylinder.
I’m not much of a baker and the recipe was relatively easy with clear and concise instructions- thank you. Delish!