Bread White Recipe

This is a no-frills homemade white bread recipe — soft, fluffy, slices like a dream. It’s great for sandwiches, toast, or just slathering in butter straight from the oven. Super budget-friendly too, especially if you’re baking two loaves at once.

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Quick Summary

• Prep time: 20 mins
• Cook time: 30 mins
• Flavor: warm, yeasty, classic bakery-style
• Great for: slow weekends, sandwich meal prep, comfort carbs

Why I Like This Recipe

Okay, this one’s just… bread. But like, really good bread. The kind that smells like a bakery moved into your house. I didn’t expect to care this much about white bread but it’s so soft and makes two big loaves so I can freeze one and forget about store bread for a bit. Win.

Ingredients

• 4½ tsp instant yeast (2 packets)
• ¾ cup warm water
• 2⅔ cups warm water (separate)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
• 9 to 10 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp melted butter (for brushing)

How To Make Bread White

1. Get the yeast going: Mix yeast with ¾ cup warm water. Wait 5 mins.
2. Add the rest: Stir in sugar, salt, room-temp butter, remaining water, and 5 cups of flour.
3. Knead it: Hook or hand, add more flour till soft & not sticky. Knead 7–10 mins.
4. First rise: Grease bowl, plop in dough, cover. Let it double (45–60 mins).
5. Shape loaves: Split dough, roll each into a tight log, seal edges. Pan them.
6. Second rise: Loosely covered, 30–45 mins. Should puff up again.
7. Bake it: 400°F, 30–35 mins. Rotate halfway. Brush with butter when it’s out.
8. Cool down: Wait 10 mins, pop outta pans, cool completely before slicing (if you can).

Tips for Success

• Start with 9 cups flour, add more only if dough’s super sticky.
• First and second rise — let it really double, no shortcuts.
• Buttering after baking? Don’t skip. Makes the crust nice and soft.
• Fully cool before slicing or it gets gummy and weird.
• Store in a bread bag or plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out fast.

Storage and Reheating

• Room temp: Lasts up to 4 days if wrapped tight.
• Freezer: Freeze whole or in slices. Just toast from frozen when needed.
• To reheat: 10 secs in the microwave works in a pinch. Or toast it, always hits.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I use active dry yeast instead?
  Yup. Just proof it the same way — might take a bit longer to rise.
• Do I need a stand mixer?
  Nope. You’ll just get a mini arm workout doing it by hand.
• Why’s my bread dense?
  Probably didn’t rise long enough or too much flour. It happens.
• Can I cut the recipe in half?
  Totally. One loaf works just as well.
• Does it taste sweet?
  Nah, just enough sugar to balance it. Not dessert-level sweet.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

• Too much flour – I know, the dough feels sticky. But trust it. Add just enough so it pulls away from the bowl.
• Cold kitchen = no rise – Yeast hates cold. Turn your oven light on and stick the bowl in there.
• Skipping the second rise – I’ve tried to cheat it. The bread says nope. Don’t skip.
• Overbaking – Set a timer. Check it at 30. If the top’s golden and sounds hollow, you’re golden too.
• Cutting too soon – I get it. It smells amazing. But hot bread = gummy mess. Let it cool.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving – 1 slice)

• Calories: 253 kcal
• Total Fat: 4g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Cholesterol: 9mg
• Sodium: 352mg
• Potassium: 85mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 46g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 2g
• Protein: 6g