Homemade White Bread
Soft, flakey, and fresh Homemade White Bread is so good that it will make it hard to enjoy a slice of store-bought bread ever again!
Nothing quite compares to a fresh, warm slice of Homemade White Bread! This mouth-watering bread doesn’t require a fancy bread-maker and can be made with a package of yeast and a handful of simple ingredients that you already have at home!
A SLICE OF HEAVEN
I can actually remember the first time I ever took a bite of fresh, homemade bread! You might want to double this recipe and make two loaves because I guarantee this bread will disappear the second you slice it!
Once you get a taste of this Homemade White Bread you’re going to want to try Homemade Cheese Bread and Homemade Bread Bowls!
OTHER RECIPES TO SERVE WITH HOMEMADE WHITE BREAD
- Spaghetti Casserole – Butter a slice of fresh Homemade White Bread and enjoy it with a plate of this easy pasta dish favorite!
- Cheesy Garlic Bread – This fresh bread recipe is a perfect base to make Cheesy Garlic Bread with!
- Crock Pot Honey BBQ Pulled Chicken – BBQ chicken sandwich on two freshly baked slices of bread? Yes, please!
INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients: You will need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, and one package of yeast to make this freshly baked bread.
Wet Ingredients: The only other ingredients you will need are room temperature butter and warm water. You want the water around 105-100 degrees F. Warm to the tough, but not boiling or it’ll kill the yeast.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HOMEMADE WHITE BREAD
STEP ONE: In a stand mixer bowl, proof the yeast by combing it with warm water and sugar. Allow the yeast mixture to rest for 15 minutes. It will look slightly frothy.
STEP TWO: After the yeast rests, add in the butter and flour. Use the stand mixer to mix it on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Next, add in the salt and an additional cup of flour and lower the speed on the stand mixer one notch.
STEP THREE: Continue by kneading the dough for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, check the dough to determine if it needs additional flour. If the dough is pulling away from the edges of the bowl then it is the right consistency. If it is sticking to the edges then slowly add in 1/4 cup of flour at a time until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides. Once the dough is finished mixing, grease a large bowl and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl by creating a loose tent with plastic wrap and allow the dough to sit out for 40-45 minutes. During this time it will nearly double in size.
STEP FOUR: Prepare an 8.5-inch x 4.5-inch loaf pan by lightly greasing it and then you can set it aside. Next, on a floured surface gently work the dough into a loaf shape. Now place the dough into the loaf pan and loosely tent it with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for another 40-45 minutes. It will rise about 1 inch off the top of the pan.
STEP FIVE: After the dough rises, remove the plastic wrap and bake it in a 375 degree F oven for 40 minutes. The top of the loaf will be golden brown when it is ready. Remove the pan from the oven and let the Homemade White Bread sit in the loaf pan for about 10 minutes. After it has cooled a bit, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. It will need at least 25-30 minutes to cool down on the wrap before it will be ready to slice and enjoy.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Do not refrigerate the dough as you are waiting for it to rise.
- When the loaf is finished baking the top will be golden brown and feel hollow when you gently knock on the crust.
HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE BREAD
If you bake a lot of homemade bread then it might be a good idea to invest in the bread bag or breadbox. A breadbox is ideal because it traps moisture but is also breathable which creates a perfect balance to help keep the crust flakey and the bread fresher for longer. I personally avoid slicing my loaf until I need to to keep the bread from drying out. If you don’t have a breadbox, I recommend wrapping it in plastic wrap or foil, but after a couple of days, the wrapped bread will lose its freshness.
HOW TO FREEZE HOMEMADE BREAD
If you plan on freezing a loaf of this easy Homemade White Bread I recommend slicing it prior to freezing. That way you can always pull out only the amount of bread you need to defrost. To freeze this bread, make sure it is completely cooled prior to wrapping it in plastic. Any condensation in the plastic wrap from warm bread will create moisture when you’re defrosting it later. Be sure to wrap the bread as tight as possible to avoid the freezer air from reaching it. I like to double wrap my loaf in tin foil for the best results.
OTHER DELICIOUS HOMEMADE BREADS
- Low Carb Cauliflower Breadsticks
- Banana Zucchini Bread
- Pumpkin Banana Bread
- Banana Nut Bread
- Pineapple Bread
- Mamaw’s Rolls
Homemade White Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water (105 to 110 degrees F)
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 0.75 ounces active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus more as needed)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Start proofing the yeast by combing it with the warm water and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow to rest for about 15 minutes. Once the yeast blooms, it should have a small layer of froth on top.
- Add the butter and 2 1/2 cups the flour to the bowl and mix for about 3 minutes on medium speed.
- Add in ½ teaspoon salt and an additional 1 cup of flour. Lower the speed setting by one notch and let the dough knead for about 10 minutes before determining if it needs more flour. If the dough is starting to pull away from the edges, it should be the right consistency. If it is still leaving dough along the edges of the bowl, then 1/4 cup of flour at a time (or less) until the only area of the bowl that it's sticking to is the bottom.
- Grease a large bowl, place the dough inside and create a loose tent with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to sit until almost double in size, about 40-45 minutes. Do not refrigerate.
- Lightly grease the inside of an 8.5-inch x 4.5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Gently work the dough into a loaf shape before placing it into the prepared loaf pan. Loosely tent with plastic wrap until the dough has risen about 1 inch above the top of the pan – this will take another 40-45 minutes.
- Preheat your oven 375 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and bake for 40 minutes. The top should be a golden brown and sound hollow if you lightly knock the top.
- Remove the bread from the oven. Allow the loaf to sit for about 10 minutes in the pan before transferring it to a wire rack to cool. Let the bread to sit on the wire rack for at least 25-30 minutes before slicing.
