Here’s a simple, soft, fluffy recipe for Homemade White Bread — perfect for sandwiches, toast, or enjoying warm with butter. This is a classic, fool-proof loaf!
🍞 Homemade White Bread (1 Loaf)
⭐ Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water ( ~110°F / warm but not hot )
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tbsp melted butter (or vegetable oil)
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 – 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (bread flour also works)
🔥 Instructions
1. Activate the Yeast
- In a large bowl, mix warm water + sugar until dissolved.
- Sprinkle yeast on top and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
If it doesn’t foam, the water was too hot/cold or the yeast is dead—restart for best results.
2. Make the Dough
- Add melted butter and salt to the yeast mixture.
- Add 3 cups flour, one cup at a time, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Add a little more flour (up to ½ cup) only if needed—the dough should be soft, slightly tacky, not overly sticky.
3. Knead
- Knead on a floured surface or in a mixer for 6–8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
4. First Rise
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
5. Shape the Loaf
- Punch down the dough.
- Shape into a loaf by rolling it into a tight cylinder.
- Place in a greased 9×5 loaf pan.
6. Second Rise
- Cover and let rise again for 30–40 minutes until it rises slightly above the pan.
7. Bake
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 minutes, until:
- the top is golden
- the loaf sounds hollow when tapped
- (optional) internal temp is ~190°F
8. Cool
- Brush the top with butter (optional for shine + softness).
- Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then fully on a rack.
🍽️ Tips for Perfect Bread
- Use fresh yeast — old yeast = dense loaf.
- Don’t add too much flour; soft dough = soft bread.
- For softer bread: replace ½ cup water with warm milk.
- For richer bread: add 1 egg to the dough.
Variations
- Honey White Bread: Replace sugar with 2 tbsp honey.
- Milk Bread Style: Use all milk instead of water + add 1 tbsp extra butter.
- Garlic Herb Bread: Mix in garlic powder + Italian herbs.
If you’d like, I can also give you:
- A no-knead version
- A 2-loaf batch
- A whole-wheat variation
- A bread machine version
Just tell me!
