Homemade Soft White Bread Recipe

Homemade Soft White Bread is an easy recipe that makes a super soft and delicious loaf of bread! Tender and full of flavor, watch it disappear as quickly as you slice into it! This is far better than any store bought loaf of bread out there!

This Homemade Soft White Bread recipe is super soft, delicious, and an easy to make loaf of bread! It is a tender and fluffy bread recipe that is as soft as wonder bread, but has much better structure and flavor.

❤️ Why you'll Love Homemade Bread

Great for sandwiches: this soft bread recipe is far better than store-bought bread. It is super soft and has better flavor than white sandwich bread.

Cost effective: if you go through a lot of bread, it will be far more cost effective to make your own rather than buy it from the grocery store.

Therapeutic: kneading bread dough can help relieve stress and tension and leave you with a gratifying experience.

🥘 Ingredients

Flour: All-purpose flour or bread flour will work. While they are different structures, I have made this recipe with both types, however I do prefer bread flour. 

Milk: I use almond milk because it has a longer shelf life. Any milk will work. If you use evaporated milk, you can extend the volume by using half milk/half water.

Yeast: Dry active dry yeast works, as well as instant yeast. I like to buy bulk yeast and store it in my freezer.

Granulated Sugar: a little sugar helps activate yeast and adds flavor.

Unsalted butter

Salt

🔪 Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl, add ingredients as follows: Warm milk, melted butter, sugar, salt, and 1 cups of the flour. 
2. Make a small well in the flour and pour the yeast into the well.
3. Add the dough hook attachment (if using the mixer) and turn the mixer on slowly. Let turn until dough begins to form at low speed. Or, work by hand until dough forms.
4. Stop the mixer as needed to add flour down the sides of the bowl a little at a time to allow to incorporate. Continue to add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time.
5. Once the dough has formed, turn mixer on to a slightly higher speed and "knead" the dough, approximately 7 minutes. Add more flour by the tablespoon.  If kneading by hand, work the dough until it is no longer sticky adding flour as needed.
6. The dough should still be very soft but not wet. (I used all 5 cups of flour)
7. Turn the dough out onto the lightly floured board. Knead a few more times. Place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
8. For the first rise, set bread dough in a warm place, free of drafts and let rise until doubled in size. About 1-½ to 2 hours.
9. Once dough has doubled in size, remove plastic wrap and deflate dough down and divide in half. 
10. Shape into 2 loaves and place in a bread pan sprayed with cooking spray. Sit in a warm, dry place and cover with a towel for the second rise, until the dough has risen to the top of the bread pan (or slightly over). About 1 hour. 
11. To bake, remove towel from top of dough and place in a 350 degree F preheated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until bread is golden brown. 
12. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Immediately rub the top of loaves with butter (if desired).

🥄 Equipment

Bread Loaf Pans: you will need 2 pans.

Stand mixer: optional, bread can also be made by hand.

Mixing bowls

Rubber scraper

Cooling rack

🥫Storage

Room temperature: store in an airtight container or tightly wrapped plastic bag up to 4 days.

Freeze: store in the freezer in an airtight freezer bag up to 3 months.

📖 Variations

• Use half white and half whole wheat flour
• Substitute brown sugar, honey or maple syrup for the sugar
• Use any type of milk. Cow, goat, or plant-based. All work well.
• Substitute warm water in place of milk.

💭 Tips

• A warm day will make it easier. If you are making bread in chillier weather, you want it to be set in a warm spot. I have been known to place the dough in my laundry room on top of the dryer!
• You can also set your oven to 170 and allow it to warm up. Turn the oven off and let the dough rise in the oven.
• Homemade bread is best consumed fresh so I recommend freezing one loaf of bread for later.

📚 Related Recipes

Sweet Potato Rolls are soft and buttery and perfect with a dab of whipped cinnamon honey butter.

Maple Walnut Banana Bread is a great way to use over ripe bananas.

I'm a huge fan of these Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Butter Rum Frosting.

Blueberry Banana Bread is soft, delicious, and studded with blueberries.

If you love copycat recipes, then you must try this Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread recipe.

🍽 Serve with..

Enjoy your homemade soft white bread toasted and spread with butter, peanut butter, or jam. It is perfect for sandwiches, whether filled with classic deli meats or your favorite vegetarian options. For a comforting treat, try it as the foundation for a traditional French toast breakfast.

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When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!

If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating

📖 Recipe

Homemade Soft White Bread

Shelby Law Ruttan

Homemade Soft White Bread is an easy recipe that makes a super soft and delicious loaf of bread! Tender and full of flavor, watch it disappear as quickly as you slice into it! This is far better than any store bought loaf of bread out there!

4.34 from 18 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Proofing Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Course Breads

Cuisine American

Servings 30

Calories 97 kcal

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1-½ cups warm milk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups white bread flour
• 4 ½ teaspoons dry yeast or 2 packets

Instructions

 

• In Kitchenaid stand mixer or in a large bowl, add ingredients as follows: Warm milk, melted butter, sugar, salt, and 1 cups of the flour. 
• Make a small well in the flour and pour the yeast into the well.
• Add the dough hook attachment (if using the mixer) and turn the mixer on slowly. Let turn until dough begins to form at low speed. Or, work by hand until dough forms.
• Stop the mixer as needed to put flour down the sides of the bowl to allow to incorporate. Continue to add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time.
• Once the dough has formed, turn mixer (if using) onto a slightly higher speed and "knead" the dough, approximately 7 minutes. Add more flour by the tablespoon.  If kneading by hand, work the dough until it is no longer sticky.
• The dough should still be very soft but not wet. (I used all 5 cups of flour)
• Turn the dough out onto the lightly floured board. Knead a few more times. Place in a lightly oiled bowl (I use my Kitchenaid bowl - I just wash it first) and cover with wrap. 
• Set in a warm, draft-free spot and let rise until doubled in size. About 1-½ to 2 hours.
• Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape into 2 loaves and place in a bread pan sprayed with cooking spray. Sit in a warm, dry place and cover with a towel until the dough has risen to the top of the bread pan (or slightly over). About 1 hour. 
• Bake the bread in an oven pre-heated to 350 degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately rub the top of loaves with butter if desired.

Video

Notes

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Bread Loaf Pans: you will need 2 pans.

Flour: All-purpose flour or bread flour will work. While they are different structures, I have made this recipe with both types, however I do prefer bread flour.

Milk: I use almond milk because it has a longer shelf life. Any milk will work. If you use evaporated milk, you can extend the volume by using half milk/half water.

Yeast: Dry active yeast works, as well as instant. I like to buy bulk yeast and store it in my freezer.

Sugar

Butter

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 97kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 87mgPotassium: 43mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 30IUCalcium: 8mgIron: 1mg

Keyword baking, bread, homemade, Soft, Soft White Homemade Bread, White, White Bread

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