Description
This Easy Homemade White Bread recipe delivers soft, fluffy, and delicious bread that’s perfect for sandwiches, toast, or French toast. Made with simple pantry ingredients and straightforward steps, this beginner-friendly loaf uses yeast for a classic rise and golden crust, baked to perfection in your oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for kneading)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water (about 110°F)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter
Instructions
- Activate the Yeast: In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, granulated sugar, and active dry yeast. Let the mixture sit for 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active and ready.
- Make the Dough: Stir the vegetable oil or melted butter into the yeast mixture. Gradually add the all-purpose flour and salt while stirring, until a soft dough forms that begins to pull away from the bowl.
- Knead the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it for 8–10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic, which helps develop the gluten and structure of the bread.
- First Rise: Place the kneaded dough into a lightly greased bowl. Cover it with a clean towel or plastic wrap and set it in a warm spot to rise for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
- Shape the Loaf: After the dough has risen, punch it down to release excess gas. Shape the dough into a loaf and place it into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Second Rise: Cover the loaf pan and let the dough rise again for 30–40 minutes until it becomes puffy and rises about an inch above the rim of the pan.
- Preheat Oven: While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it’s at the right temperature for baking.
- Bake the Bread: Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, indicating it is cooked through.
- Cool the Bread: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing to maintain texture.
Notes
- For a softer crust, brush the top of the bread with melted butter immediately after baking.
- This bread is ideal for sandwiches, toast, and making French toast.
- You can substitute up to 1 cup of whole wheat flour for a heartier texture and flavor.
