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!
Omg I just tried this recipe today and it reminds me of my moms. It’s light, fluffy and is delicious. The only thing I would suggest is find big bread bags. It rises like crazy and I love that.
My wife loves it when I bake bread and this was by far the best recipe I have used love it will definitely be making it again
Just as good as the store and surprisingly easy. I used Fleischmanns Bread Booster as well and my loaves turned out fluffy and gorgeous and they lasted over a week without issue. I don’t usually leave reviews but this recipe deserved the 5 stars! I am making two more loaves today and can’t wait for how good my house is going to smell!
Very good can you make 4 sm loaves instead of 2 big loaves
Your bread recipe is awesome !!!!!
It freezes well.
Tear off a piece to dip in spaghetti sauce and you will be thrilled or toast it or make sandwiches etc.
thank you
I took pictures and giving you the credit, sent it to friends😍
You are the best!
1
Great recipe! With the cost of groceries nowadays it’s well worth the time it takes to make this recipe once a week and freeze one of the loaves. Great bread, easy to make and does not disappoint.
Can i place it middle of oven at 350?
Because oven temps vary, yes you can. I bake at a 350 and it is done in about 20 min. My oven is hot.
I used this recipe to make bread for the first time ever. I had it save for MONTHS before I finally tried it. I have always been so intimidated by trying to make bread. THIS RECIPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT!! It was super easy to follow and the two loaves came out perfect!!! I am so glad I found this recipe and it will be my go-to for future loaves!!
Can I add dried raisins and cranberries to this recipe after I go to pat it out to do the 2nd rise in the bread pans? or will the bread not rise again and become flat and dense?
Awful spammy website takes minutes to load, with no-exit popups. Recipe itself is poorly laid out. 3/4c water (plus 2 and 2/3c) as a little side-note is just misleading. Would be better as either two ingredients or the total sum.
But like…. The bigger issue is the website. I get that this is an income source, but there’s no way all these reviews aren’t fake when the website is this unusable.
You’re a douche! Browneyed Baker is the best. Go find somewhere else to cry
The water is separated into two measurements because it is added at two separate times. 3/4 cup to activate the yeast and 2 2/3 to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar.
People! You just have to try this recipe! I make one loaf every 2-3 days. I don’t even need the recipe any more! The texture is perfect for sandwiches, toast, garlic bread, croutons, you name it! And our home smells heavenly every time I’ve got one in the oven!
I did the exact math for cost to make one loaf using all organic ingredients. It costs $4.08 per loaf. We will NEVER buy store bought bread again. EVER!
Edit my previous comment to 5 stars!!!!
Great recipe! Very similar recipe to the white bread (straight dough process) from my grandmother’s 1951 Better homes and gardens cookbook.
This BEB recipe calls for less rise time, which works out fine!
I just add flour until it feels right, as I live in an area where the humidity can change a lot from day to day.
Making homemade bierocks today with this white bread dough.
I love all of your recipes and come back to your website every now and then!
I just sliced a piece of this bread!!!! First off, easy easy easy…I don’t ( well didn’t until today) have a stand mixer so I did it old school but I kneaded it just until I got a smooth dough..second off I cut back on salt and sugar just by eye.. it had just the right balance and flavor for us. This is an amazing recipe.. I started to bake bread during the winter during my senior yr in high school but lost the recipe I used some years after taking a hiatus from it for some years..this must be it and if it wasn’t it is now! DELICIOUS!
Absolutely terrific! The bread rose as you describe and yet I was still stunned at how high it got! The recipe is easy to follow – the time commitment is very reasonable – not a 10 hour project like some recipes! AND it bakes up perfectly! I haven’t tasted it yet but it smells delicious! I used this to make St Bazil’s Day Bread – a family tradition that my mom started when I was a kid. We bake a coin wrapped in foil inside the loaf and slice it on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day naming each slice for a member in the family youngest to oldest or vice versa. Whoever gets the coin in their slice will have a great year…or so the story goes. So tomorrow we will slice it together.
This recipe is definitely going in my family cookbook collection of great recipes. Thank you!
Can this recipe be used for rolls?
Worst recipe for bread I’ve ever tried, incredibly bland and way too sweet.
just made a fresh loaf, mmm delish. nice and springy and tastes bland, like white bread should! perfect for a sandwich. i only used 7 cups of flour and changed all-purpose flour to bread flour. i can’t imagine it would taste too good with all-purpose, but to each is owned. baked perfectly at 400° F for 30 min, i used a propane oven so less is better for me. i made a grilled cheese as soon as it got done. YUMMY!
Hi! Can this be made without salt? I’m on a very low sodium regimen. Thx!
yes! leaving out the salt should’nt mess with it too much. it might taste a little bland though
Why does this call for 10 cups of flour and then I use 5 of them???
You add five to begin with and then as you knead you sprinkle in the remaining 5 cups to keep it from being overly moist.
It’s my go to recipe!! My family loves the bread, they always request it for all family dinners.
I needed a bread recipe when the pandemic started. Tried a few but this is by far the best I have made to the point I don’t need to look at the recipe to do it. I have changed a few of things in my last batch and WOW! Hands down the best I’ve made!
The changes I made were:
replace the 2 2/3 cups of water for whole milk (3.25%) at 107F temp
Add 5 teaspoons of liquid sunflower lecithin to the dry ingredents (yes dry and not liquid) when mixing. Make a dent in the flour and place the liquid sunflower lecithin to the dent. It also extends the shelf life of the bread, not needed in this house but it also adds other benefits, I encourage you to look it up :)
1250grams of AP flour (I’m Canadian so our flour supposedly has more gluten)
I can make 3 loaves out of this recipe. Last make was 2 loaves @ 800grams and 1 loaf at 650grams. I only mix for 7 minutes at 375F for 30 minutes.
This makes a wonderfully soft bread that can rival those store bought. To Brown Eyed Baker thank you for posting this recipe, I have never has much success in making bread and this recipe is gold to me <3
Hi, Lyne! Can you tell me about subbing the milk for water (using 2 2/3 cup of whole milk instead of the water)? Do you still use the 3/4 warm water to dissolve the yeast at the beginning? And I am SUPER new to this…how do you warm the milk to 107 degrees and does it have to be whole milk? I LOVE this recipe but I have no idea how to tweak a bread recipe! My first batch was a bit dense but I don’t think I let it ‘knead’ in my mixer long enough before I let it do it’s first rise…I turned it out of the bowl as soon as it quit sticking to the sides. It still tastes delicious, I am just aiming for a lighter airy bread! And does the 30 minutes at 375 make the crust any softer?
Misty, I thought that the longer the bread kneaded, the tougher it would be so I did what you did and turned my first batch out as soon as it pulled away from the sides too… but then did some research and found out there is a fine point of too much kneading but this recipe’s 7 – 10 minutes doesn’t even come close to that line. You’ll learn after a few times of making this successfully what the right amount of kneading time is… also, you don’t have to use ALL the flour in the mixing bowl and may not even need it when you turn it out to form the loaves.
You may also want to check into “dough enhancers” (you can find them on Amazon and the King Arthur Flour website. Or if you buy your flour in bulk from a restaurant supply store like I do, the “pizza blend” has them in it already. (you’ll know it’s the right one because it has more than just wheat as an ingredient :D) Or Red Star Yeast makes a yeast called “Platinum” that includes the enhancers but that’s a spendy way to get it unless you want to try it to see if you like the difference it makes.) This is without a doubt the best bread recipe I’ve ever tried and I had to make it all by hand last night because I somehow broke my old Kitchenaid stand mixer and it still turned out AMAZING!
By the way, I learned from an old historical recipe to add a pan of water to the oven during the preheat so that it’s totally steaming when you go to put the loaves in and then when it comes out, I spritz a very fine mist of water over the crust before I cover the bread with a slightly damp kitchen towel until they’re cooled. You will get the best crust and super light, airy bread that my hubby prefers to store bought.
Easy bread recipe, but a bit too sweet. Reminds me of the old fashioned Amish White Bread recipes you find. I cut the sugar in half. Way better and a bit more savory for sandwiches.
This is the first white bread recipe I’ve tried. The recipe is easy to follow and the bread is delicious! ❤
Best white bread recipe ever. So reliable and delicious! Thank you!
Garbage recipe and the ads on this site gave me cancer. It’s like looking for porno in the 90’s on dial up. It’s like walking thru east van. It’s making my iphone 12 pro lag.
I love this bread receipt. I have people if I make them this bread he will do some electrical job.
Thanks!
This is my second time making this bread and definitely
NOT my last. Only problem is it doesn’t last in my home!!
sounds like you’re A little dramatic over a bread recipe 😂
Or another food blogger trying to lower her ratings. 😂 🤔
Definitely a keeper! I’ve tried several different basic white bread recipes and none were to my liking until this one. The texture and flavor is perfect! I cut recipe in half for a test run, used my bread maker dough cycle, with 4-1/2 cups of flour, once it started mixing, I did have to add about a tablespoon more water. Made one free formed loaf and 3 burger buns for supper tonight! I cooked on parchment paper 380 on the the convection cycle, buns for 15 minutes and loaf for 21 minutes.
I’ve made this recipe countless times. I’d say the only flaw to this is it’s so wonderfully tall, that it doesn’t fit in my kids’ sandwich containers haha. I’ve been baking this bread for 5 years now. It’s my sons favourite, he prefers this bread over boughten stuff by a long shot. I try and bake it every weekend for school lunches and I slice and freeze it so it stays fresh all week 😊
This is now 3 to 4 years of testing. It’s perfect every time. Kids do not like store bought bread anymore and complain If we trade, or substitute this recipe with something we bought from the store.
I have never taken the time to review recipes but had to this time because its just that good. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Tip: I’ve made this with measuring cups and by weight and definitely recommend the latter. Comes out perfect every time.❤️
Hands down best bread i have ever made! Using mobile was easy to use and super clear instructions to make! I will forever be making this bread instead of buying shop bread! YUMM THANK YOU!!