This homemade white sandwich bread is soft and fluffy with a slightly crusty top - and is the perfect base for your favorite sandwiches.
Contents
🌟 Why this recipe works
This white sandwich bread recipe is simple and straightforward, using flour, milk, water, yeast, salt, and sugar.
It's the perfect homemade bread for beginner bakers because it takes minimal effort and time. All you need to do is mix the ingredients together, let the dough rise, shape it into a loaf, and pop it in the oven!
Plus, this recipe has the added convenience of using a stand mixer to do the kneading for you, so no arm workout is required!
The fluffy, airy texture and irresistibly soft crust are perfect for layering with all your favorite spreads, hams, and cheeses.
And unlike store-bought bread that has additives to keep it softer for longer, this homemade bread recipe uses ONLY natural ingredients that keep the bread perfectly soft and delicious for days.
Plus, you won't be able to resist the comforting smell of freshly baked bread that will fill your home - it's like a warm hug from the oven!
Once you make homemade bread, you'll never buy a loaf of bread again! And when you have mastered the art of making bread, why not try other bread recipes, like Texas Roadhouse rolls, Focaccia with herbs, Challah bread, or Jalapeno cheddar cornbread.
🍽 Essential Ingredients
For this easy homemade sandwich bread, you only need 7 ingredients, a mixer, and a bread pan.
- Warm water and milk - The lukewarm liquid ingredients help activate the yeast, which is the key to having a fluffy and well-risen loaf.
- Granulated sugar - A small amount of sugar helps to feed the yeast and activate it.
- Yeast - The essential ingredient for making bread rise. We used Platinum Yeast by Red Star instant yeast- one standard packet is enough for one loaf.
- Butter - Adding a bit of fat to bread recipes gives it flavor and texture and helps to keep the bread soft for longer.
- Salt - Salt is key in baking! It helps to balance the sweetness of the sugar and makes the bread taste more savory.
- Flour - All-purpose flour or bread flour can be used for this recipe. Spooned and leveled to get the right texture.
Tasty Substitutions
If you don't have all the ingredients listed above, some easy substitutions can be made to make this recipe work for you.
Yeast
You can use active dry yeast or quick-rise instant yeast for this recipe.
Butter
If you don't have butter, use 2 tablespoons of olive oil or coconut oil.
Milk
You can use non-dairy milk, like almond or oat milk in place of regular milk.
Flour
For a nuttier flavor, use whole wheat flour.
🔪 How to make sandwich bread
With this easy homemade sandwich bread recipe, you can have fresh and delicious homemade bread in no time! So, preheat your oven, and let's get baking!
Preparations
Step 1
Fit your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and pour the warm milk, water, sugar, and yeast into the mixing bowl. Cover with a towel and allow the yeast to activate for 5 minutes.
Step 2
Once the yeast has activated, foam will start to appear on the surface. Then, add the butter, salt, and 1 cup of flour and beat on low speed for 30 seconds to incorporate the ingredients.
Step 3
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add another cup of flour, beating on medium speed for another 30 seconds before adding the remaining flour.
Step 4
Continue to beat the bread dough for around 2 to 3 minutes until the bread dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Step 5
Beat the dough for another 2 minutes to knead the dough so that it becomes stretchy and smooth.
Step 6
Grease a large bowl with melted butter or olive oil and place the dough inside, covering it with plastic wrap.
Step 7
Leave the bowl in a warm place for around 2 hours until the bread dough has doubled in size.
Step 8
Once the bread dough has risen, punch it down with your hands.
Step 9
Transfer it to a lightly floured surface, and roll the dough out to fit your loaf pan.
Step 10
Grease the loaf pan and place the bread dough inside. Cover with a towel or wrap and let the dough rise again for around an hour. The dough should rise above the loaf pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and place the oven rack near the bottom.
Cooking instructions
Step 1
Press the bread dough with your finger to see if it leaves a fingerprint. If it does without springing back, it is ready for baking.
Step 2
Bake bread for 30 - 35 minutes until the top becomes golden brown.
Step 3
Remove the fresh bread from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 - 10 minutes before slicing and serving with butter, or let it completely cool.
💭 Expert tips
Water and milk temperature
Using room temperature water and milk (around 110°F) is essential for helping the yeast activate. If it’s too cold, the yeast won’t activate properly, and if it’s too hot, you risk killing the yeast.
Making bread by hand
If you don’t own a stand mixer, no worries. You can easily make great sandwich bread with just your hands and a wooden spoon! Just mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl until it forms a rough dough, and knead for about 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
Bread temperature
If you're unsure that your bread is cooked completely, use an instant-read thermometer to check if the internal temperature reads 195°F (90°C).
Top browning too quickly
The top of the bread will start brown quickly if it is too close to the top of the oven. If you notice that your bread is browning quickly, loosely cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil.
📖 Recipe Variations
If you’re looking to spice up your own sandwich bread, there are plenty of variations that you can explore. From adding herbs and spices, like oregano and garlic powder to switching up the shape of the bread, the possibilities are endless! Here are some ideas to get you started:
Buns and baguettes
The beauty of making your own bread is that you can shape it any way you like.
If homemade burger buns are more your thing, simply tear several balls from the risen dough and place them on a baking sheet to rise before baking. For making baguettes, split the dough in 2 and shape them into long thin baguettes.
Herbs and spices
When kneading the dough, you can add in some herbs and spices for extra flavor. A teaspoon of dried herbs or spices like rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, or onion powder goes a long way to make your loaf wonderfully fragrant.
Cheese and bacon bread
If you’re looking for something a bit more indulgent, adding some cheese and bacon will definitely do the trick. Add half a cup of shredded cheese and cooked bacon bits to the bread dough and sprinkle 2 tablespoons on top of the bread before baking.
The salty smokiness from the bacon combined with the sharpness of the cheese will make your sandwich bread taste like a million bucks!
Sweet bread
You can also make this classic sandwich loaf into something sweeter. Instead of sugar, use honey for sweetness and add in 1 cup of dried fruits like cranberries or raisins. This will give your bread an amazing flavor without overwhelming it.
🥗 What to serve with
Freshly baked sandwich bread not only tastes amazing with sandwiches but also with soup.
Soups
Whether it’s thick or thin soups, a slice of freshly-baked sandwich bread is the perfect vehicle to dip into the soup and enjoy it. Some tasty soup options include Green pea soup, mushroom soup, creamy corn soup, tomato bisque, or pumpkin soup.
Sandwiches
Of course, sandwiches are the classic pairing for sandwich bread. Some of our favorites include grilled cheese, BLT grilled cheese and jalapeno popper grilled cheese.
🙋 Frequently asked questions
Why is my sandwich bread dense and not light and airy?
If your bread is dense, it could be due to one of two reasons. Either you’ve added too much flour during the kneading process, or the dough hasn’t risen enough before baking. To prevent this, make sure to measure out the flour accurately and give your dough enough time to rise twice before baking.
🧊 Storing
Once the bread has cooled completely, it will stay soft and fresh for days stored correctly.
Room temperature - wrap the sandwich bread tightly in aluminum foil and store it in a bread bin for up to 4-5 days.
Fridge - wrap the bread tightly in aluminum foil and store it in the fridge. It can stay fresh for up to 1 week.
Freezer - wrap the bread tightly in aluminum foil and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
🍳 Related bread recipes
For more bread sandwich inspiration, check out the recipes below.
👪 Serving size
This 5 stars recipe for homemade sandwich bread yields 1 large loaf, which can be cut into 12 to 16 slices. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you have a big family to keep you going throughout the week.
Making your own delicious bread is incredibly easy and rewarding. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create fluffy loaves that are perfect for sandwiches, soups, and salads! Happy baking!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Try one of my comfort dinner recipes for your next family meal! And if you have any questions, I'm here to help!
📋 Recipe
Best Sandwich Bread Ever
Ingredients
- 1 cup Water - 240ml, warmed to about 110°F
- ¼ cup Whole milk - 60ml, warmed to about 110°F
- 2¼ teaspoons Platinum Yeast from Red Star instant yeast - 7g (1 standard packet)
- 2 tablespoons Granulated sugar - 25g
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter - (¼ cup; 60g), softened to room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons Salt
- 3⅓ cups All-purpose flour - 416g, bread flour (spooned & leveled)
Instructions
Preparations
- Fit your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and pour the warm milk, water, sugar, and yeast into the mixing bowl. Cover with a towel and allow the yeast to activate for 5 minutes.
- Once the yeast has activated, foam will start to appear on the surface. Then, add the butter, salt, and 1 cup of flour and beat on low speed for 30 seconds to incorporate the ingredients.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add another cup of flour, beating on medium speed for another 30 seconds before adding the remaining flour.
- Continue to beat the bread dough for around 2 to 3 minutes until the bread dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Beat the dough for another 2 minutes to knead the dough so that it becomes stretchy and smooth.
- Grease a large bowl with melted butter or olive oil and place the dough inside, covering it with plastic wrap.
- Leave the bowl in a warm place for around 2 hours until the bread dough has doubled in size.
- Once the bread dough has risen, punch it down with your hands, transfer it to a lightly floured surface, and roll the dough out to fit your loaf pan.
- Grease the loaf pan and place the bread dough inside. Cover with a towel or wrap and let the dough rise again for around an hour. The dough should rise above the loaf pan.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and place the oven rack near the bottom.
Cooking Instructions
- Press the bread dough with your finger to see if it leaves a fingerprint. If it does without springing back, it is ready for baking.
- Bake bread for 30 - 35 minutes until the top becomes golden brown.
- Remove the fresh bread from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 - 10 minutes before slicing and serving with butter, or let it completely cool.
Rue
This is an excellent fool proof recipe!