🍞 Easy White Bread

Soft, fluffy, slightly chewy, and wonderfully fresh, this Easy White Bread is a dependable homemade loaf that’s perfect for sandwiches, toast, French toast, or simply spreading with butter. The dough uses simple pantry staples and produces a beautifully golden crust with a tender interior.

⏱ Recipe Information

Prep Time: 20 minutes
First Rise: 1–1½ hours
Second Rise: 30–45 minutes
Bake Time: 30–35 minutes
Total Time: About 2½–3 hours
Yield: 1 large loaf
Difficulty: Easy

🛒 Ingredients

🍞 Bread Dough

3½ cups (420 g) bread flour, plus more as needed

2¼ teaspoons (7 g) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
1¼ cups (300 ml) warm water, approximately 105–110°F (40–43°C)
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, softened or melted
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, optional, for a softer crumb

For Finishing

1 tablespoon melted butter, optional, for brushing the crust

Instructions

1. Activate the Yeast

Pour the warm water into a small bowl.

Add the sugar and active dry yeast.

Stir gently and let stand for 5–10 minutes.

The mixture should become foamy on top.

Important: The water should feel warm, not hot. Very hot water can damage the yeast.

🌾 Make the Dough

2. Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour and salt.

Make a well in the center.

3. Add the Wet Ingredients

Pour the activated yeast mixture into the flour.

Add the butter and vegetable oil, if using.

Mix with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula until a shaggy dough forms.

4. Adjust the Dough

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.

Knead for approximately 8–10 minutes.

The dough should become:

Smooth
Elastic
Soft
Slightly tacky but not excessively sticky

Add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time only if the dough is too sticky to handle.

Avoid adding too much flour, as this can make the finished bread dense.

💪 Knead the Dough

5. Develop the Gluten

Continue kneading until the dough feels smooth and springs back when lightly pressed.

Windowpane Test

Stretch a small piece of dough gently between your fingers.

If it stretches thin enough to let light through without immediately tearing, the gluten is sufficiently developed.

🌡️ First Rise

6. Let the Dough Rise

Lightly grease a large bowl.

Place the dough inside and turn it once so the surface is lightly coated.

Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.

Place somewhere warm and draft-free.

Allow it to rise for approximately 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.

👊 Shape the Loaf

7. Deflate the Dough

Gently press down on the risen dough to release excess air.

Transfer it to a lightly floured surface.

Shape it into a rectangle roughly the length of your loaf pan.

8. Roll & Shape

Roll the dough tightly into a log, starting from one short end.

Pinch the seam closed.

Place the dough seam-side down in a greased 9 × 5-inch loaf pan.

🌡️ Second Rise

9. Let It Rise Again

Cover loosely and allow the loaf to rise for approximately 30–45 minutes.

The dough should rise above the rim of the pan and look noticeably puffy.

Don’t let it overproof.

🔥 Bake

10. Preheat the Oven

Toward the end of the second rise, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

11. Bake the Bread

Bake for 30–35 minutes, until:

The top is deep golden brown.
The loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
The internal temperature reaches approximately 190–200°F (88–93°C).

If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil during the final 10 minutes.

🧈 Finish the Crust

12. Brush With Butter

Remove the loaf from the oven.

Immediately brush the top with melted butter if you want a softer, shinier crust.

Allow the bread to rest in the pan for about 10 minutes.

❄️ Cool Completely

13. Transfer to a Rack

Remove the bread from the pan and place it on a wire rack.

Let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Cutting homemade bread while it’s piping hot can compress the soft crumb and make it gummy.

🔪 Slice & Serve

Use a serrated bread knife to cut the loaf into slices.

Serve with:

Butter and jam
Honey
Peanut butter
Eggs
Soup
Sandwich fillings

It’s especially delicious toasted.

⭐ Chef’s Tips

Weigh Your Flour

Using 420 g flour gives you much more consistent results than measuring by volume.

Don’t Over-Flour the Dough

A slightly tacky dough usually produces softer bread.

Give the Dough Time

The first rise is important for flavor and structure. Don’t rush it simply because the dough hasn’t doubled yet.

Watch the Second Rise

Overproofing can cause the loaf to collapse or produce a weak, dense crumb.

Cool Before Slicing

Allowing the loaf to cool completely lets the crumb finish setting.

🍞 Delicious Variations

Honey White Bread

Replace the sugar with 1 tablespoon honey.

Milk Bread

Replace half of the water with warm milk for a softer, richer loaf.

Garlic Herb Bread

Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon chopped dried herbs to the dough.

Whole-Wheat White Bread

Replace up to 1 cup of bread flour with whole-wheat flour. You may need an extra tablespoon or two of water.

Seeded Bread

Brush the risen loaf with water and sprinkle with sesame, sunflower, or pumpkin seeds before baking.

Storage

Once completely cooled, store the loaf in an airtight bread bag or container.

Room temperature: 3–4 days.

Avoid refrigerating homemade bread unless necessary, as refrigeration can make the crumb stale faster.

Freezing

Wrap the completely cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then foil.

Freeze for up to 3 months.

For convenience, you can also slice the loaf before freezing and take out individual slices as needed.

🍞 Recipe Summary

This Easy White Bread gives you a beautifully soft loaf with a tender, fluffy crumb and golden buttery crust using simple ingredients and straightforward bread-making techniques.

Perfect for sandwiches, toast, or simply eating warm with butter—homemade bread doesn’t get much easier than this.