Here’s a classic White Bread recipe 🍞—soft, fluffy, slightly sweet, and perfect for sandwiches or toast.
Classic White Bread
Ingredients (1 loaf)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for kneading)
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (about 110°F / 43°C)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- Activate yeast
- In a small bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water.
- Sprinkle yeast on top, stir lightly, and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Make the dough
- In a large bowl, mix flour and salt.
- Add yeast mixture and softened butter.
- Stir until dough begins to come together.
- Knead
- Turn dough onto a floured surface.
- Knead 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Alternatively, use a stand mixer with dough hook 6–7 minutes.
- First rise
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap.
- Let rise in a warm spot 1–1.5 hours, until doubled in size.
- Shape the loaf
- Punch down dough, shape into a loaf, and place in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Second rise
- Cover and let rise 30–45 minutes, until doubled.
- Bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake 25–30 minutes, until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Cool
- Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Tips for Perfect White Bread
- Warm water: Too hot kills yeast; too cold slows rising.
- Kneading: Develops gluten for a soft, chewy texture.
- Optional: Brush top with butter after baking for a soft crust.
- Storage: Wrap completely cooled loaf in foil or plastic; lasts 3–4 days at room temp.
Variations
- Milk bread: Replace water with milk for a richer loaf.
- Honey white bread: Replace sugar with honey.
- Sandwich-style: Bake in a slightly smaller pan for taller, soft slices.
If you want, I can give you a super-soft bakery-style white bread recipe that’s pillowy, with a light, tender crumb—basically like store-bought but homemade.
Do you want me to do that?
