The best and only white sandwich bread recipe you will ever need. This bread is perfectly light and fluffy while still holding together well, making it perfect for sandwiches. With step-by-step instructions, even beginning bread makers can have success.
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Hi friends!
How are you? I’ve been working on this recipe for a while. We love our standby whole wheat bread recipe that I’ve been making for years. But there are times that call for a good old fashioned white bread.
And this, my friends is the recipe you need. It’s the best white sandwich bread recipe out there.
Not only am I going to walk you through step-by-step (we all need a little hand holding once and a while). It’s also a single rise recipe which means if you are on your A-game, then you can have fresh bread in just about an hour and fifteen minutes. If this is your first time making bread, you may want to give yourself a bit more time.
This white sandwich bread is super light, super fluffy and super duper yummy. I can’t wait for you to try it.
But first a little background…
Knowing a few things behind the science of breadmaking and some answers to frequently asked questions will help you have success even if you’ve never made bread before.
I wrote up this guide to baking with yeast which posted a few days ago. It’s a comprehensive post with tons of information about yeast and how yeast breads work. It answers questions about why water temperature is important, how much flour to use, what the look and feel of bread dough should be, and what may have gone wrong if your bread doesn’t rise.
I recommend reading the guide to baking with yeast before you start this recipe. Especially if you are new to breadmaking, need a refresher course, or want to learn more. It also goes into detail about my quick rise bread method which is what we’ll be using for this bread recipe.
How to make the best white sandwich bread
I use a stand mixer to make this white sandwich bread and most of my bread recipes. A Bosch mixer like this one from Amazon (aff. link) is what I’ve always used) and I love it. I don’t make bread any other way. It is amazing.
I haven’t tried it, but I think a Kitchen Aid or another stand mixer would work well for this recipe.
I know some of you will want to make this bread by hand and I am still working out the instructions for that. Meanwhile, I gave some tips over on the guide to baking with yeast that you can try. I will update the recipe with the instructions when I get those worked out.
Best bread pans to use?
I’ve used pyrex glass bread pans (aff. link) for the last bazillion years. I love how easy they are to clean (throw them in the dishwasher).
But just recently I decided to branch out and try these USA Bread pans (aff. link). Oh my goodness. Game changer. Seriously where have these been all of my life? They cook so much more evenly, making not only delicious but stunningly beautiful loaves of bread. I just ordered a few more and I’ll be using them for all my yeast breads going forward. I highly recommend them.
A few other recommendations
I normally make this bread with all-purpose flour + the gluten flour. The gluten flour (a.k.a. vital wheat gluten) in this recipe is optional but is one of the secrets to amazing-textured homemade bread. Gluten flour helps the crumb stick together in a slightly chewier texture. You can find gluten flour on amazon (aff. link) or most grocery stores carry the Bob’s red mill brand in the baking aisle next to the flour.
Using bread flour (which is basically a flour with a high gluten content) would also work and you could omit the gluten flour in the recipe. If you are using only all-purpose flour, I recommend using a brand with a good gluten content.
You can also experiment with making this recipe with part whole-wheat or other whole-grain flour with gluten in it.
I only use SAF instant yeast (unsponsored aff. link) in my bread making. Instant yeast is great because you can add it directly to the mixer. If you want to use active dry yeast, follow my recommendations on the guide to baking with yeast.
I love these flour sack towels (aff. link) for bread making. They are light and breathe well and I highly recommend them. They are one of my favorite gifts to give people and I use them everyday in my kitchen.
This is the bread knife (aff. link) that I’ve had for several years and use regularly. It’s pretty much just awesome.
I use my bench scraper (aff. link) for a million handy things. Everything from cutting stuff, like the dough in this recipe, to scraping junk off the counters. If you don’t have one of these babies, get one. It’s awesome.
Now for the step-by-step instructions
Mixing the Dough
First heat the water in the microwave or on the stovetop until it reaches between 110 and 130 degrees F. I usually use the microwave and heat it for 1 to 2 minutes on high.
While the water is heating, add the oil (I use canola oil but any mild flavored oil will work), sugar, and salt to the stand mixer. When the water is hot enough, add it to the mixer.
Then add gluten flour (if using) and about 3 cups of all-purpose flour.
Put the yeast on top of the flour, making sure that it does not directly touch the salt or the hot water.
Turn on the mixer and let it mix for a few minutes. Add additional white flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and begins to pull away from the center. Stop adding flour at this point even if it is more or less than amount listed in the recipe. The exact amount of flour will depend on your cooking environment (the humidity in your kitchen, etc).
Let the mixer mix it for 6 additional minutes. At the end of the six minutes it should look like the picture. It should stick together well, but still be sticky enough that it sticks to your hands when you touch it.
Forming the loaves
Oil your hands and remove dough from the bowl. Divide the dough in half (I use my bench scraper, aff. link).
Form each section into a loaf by rolling quickly and tucking under with your hands. Slap the dough on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles and put into greased loaf pans.
Rising and baking
Cover bread pans with a thin dish towel (aff. link) and let rise until doubled. This usually takes about 30 minutes, but the exact time will depend on the warmth of your kitchen.
While the bread dough is rising preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. When it is ready, place it in the oven and bake for 5 minutes at 400 and then turn down to 350 and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Remove bread from the pans immediately.
Brush them with butter for a nice shiny texture or leave them more rustic looking.
For the best looking slices, cool before slicing (if you can stand to wait). I never seem to be able to.
Usually as soon as this bread gets pulled out of the oven I have an army of hungry mouths who have been waiting on pins and needs to devour it.
And yes that’s me included. 🙂
Can I double the recipe?
In my large Bosch mixer (aff. link), the recipe doubles just fine. I would not recommend doubling it if you are using a smaller Bosch or kitchen aid.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
There is nothing (I repeat NOTHING) like homemade bread. And this is the best recipe. It’s quick and easy and the bread is absolutely divine.
Enjoy, my friends.
The Best White Sandwich Bread
The best and only white sandwich bread recipe that you need.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup canola or other vegetable oil see note
- ¼ cup sugar or honey
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten optional, see note
- 5 – 5 ½ cups (25 to 28 ounces) white flour see note
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast see note
Instructions
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Lightly grease 2 standard sized bread loaves (8 ½- X 4 ½-inches) or spray with cooking spray and set aside.
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Heat water in the microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes or on the stove until it is between 110 and 130 degrees F.
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Meanwhile in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attachment add the oil, sugar (or honey) and salt. Add the heated water to the stand mixer. Then add gluten flour (if using) and 3 cups all-purpose flour. Put the yeast on top of the flour, making sure that it does not directly touch the salt or the hot water.
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Turn on mixer and mix, adding additional flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and starts to pull away from the center. Stop adding flour at this point even if it is more or less than amount listed in the recipe. Then let the mixer mix for an additional six minutes.
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Divide dough in half (each will weigh about 1.75 ounces). Form loaves by rolling and tucking the dough under. Slap the dough on a counter a few times to remove air bubbles. Put loaves in prepared pans and cover with a thin, lightweight dish towel.
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Let the bread dough rise in the pans until the bread is doubled and fills the pans. This should take about a half an hour, but it may take more or less time depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
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While bread is rising, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. When the bread has risen, bake it at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes. Then turn down the heat to 350 degrees F (leaving the loaves in the oven the entire time) and continue baking for 25-30 min or until loaves are golden brown and baked through (an instant-read thermometer should register 180-190 degrees in the center of the loaf). Remove bread from the pans immediately and let loaves cool on a cooling rack.
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Brush the tops with butter, if desired. Let cool completely.
Recipe Notes
1. I usually use canola oil but any oil with a mild flavor will work in this recipe.
2. Vital wheat gluten (often called gluten flour) may be found in the baking aisle at many grocery stores (near the flour). Or you can buy gluten flour on amazon (aff. link). It is not necessary to use in this recipe but it does help the crumb stick together in a slightly chewier texture.
3. For the white flour I usually use all-purpose flour. I recommend using a brand with a good amount of gluten in it. You can also use bread flour and omit the gluten flour because it has a higher gluten content. You can also experiment with making this recipe with part whole-wheat or other whole-grain flour with gluten in it.
4. For any bread dough (and most yeast dough in general), always use the flour amount in the recipe as a guideline. The appropriate amount of flour depends on how you measure it (which can vary significantly) and the gluten content of the flour. Also the elevation and climate (humidity and air temperature) affects bread making as well. Instead of adding the flour all at once, add it gradually to the mixer watching carefully until the dough forms a ball that cleans the sides of the bowl and starts to pull away from the center. You will know you have the right amount of flour if the texture of the dough is soft, smooth, stretchable, and slightly tacky to the touch. If you are a beginning bread maker or want a little more info, I recommend you read this guide to baking with yeast.
5. I use the SAF brand of instant yeast that I buy in a large block and keep in the freezer in a sealed container.
Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat
All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat
Disclaimer: post contains affiliate links for items on Amazon.
If you have doubled or trippled the recipe do you have take the dough out of the machine pan and set it to rise? >Then bake n oven? Cant you just switch from dough to bake on bread machine? i bought a bread machine cause i didnt want to knead and rise and put dough in pans to cook in oven.
pan and set
Hi Linda, I have never tried to make this in a bread machine. I always use a Bosch mixer.
My bread machine works best with only 2 cups of flour. Some recipes have a higher rise, so, to be safe, I try not to exceed that amount by much more flour than that for a nice loaf. I do use my machine for dough with up to 5 cups of flour but I do watch it closely so it doesn’t rise over the pan. I love my machine and use it all the time for perfect bread. Good luck with yours!
I haven’t made this yet but have been making bread for a long time. Only one rise is what I see in your recipe. Is that correct?
Yes Debra one rise is correct. In my guide to baking with yeast post I talk abt the quick rise bread method that I use in this bread recipe (and many other bread recipes on my site). Hope that helps.
Getting ready to make this. Thanks for letting me know!
I made this exactly as written. I’ve been making bread for years and never tried a one rise bread before. I’m sad to say it didn’t work very well. Took a hour to rise to top of pan, baked it and it had no oven spring. I’m used to making tall breads that rise beautifully so this was a disappointment. We let it cool and cut it. It has a pretty good taste although it’s a little dense. I always appreciate trying a new way of doing things. This one just didn’t work out.
It does sound like something went wrong with your dough. It shouldn’t take a full hour to get to the top of the pan. Did you read the post about yeast I recommended? It goes into detail about this bread method. I highly recommend reading through that even with your experience. It was explains the science behind why it works and gives you ideas to narrow in on what may have gone wrong. Some examples would be your water wasn’t warm enough, the gluten wasn’t developed enough, did you use a Bosch mixer or another kind of mixer? I’ve only tested the recipe in a Bosch. And did you mix the dough long enough? Even experienced bread makers have a batch that doesn’t turn out once in a while. One thing I have found in using this bread method is that I have to work quickly, make sure my water is nice and hot. I always error on the hotter rather than the cooler side which is probably contrary to what your intuition as an experienced bread maker suggests. The hot water activates the yeast quickly and makes the bread rise quickly. If your water is not hot enough then you will need two rises to achieve the same rise on the bread (like a regular bread method). The dough should still be quite warm to the touch after it is done mixing. If it isn’t still warm there’s a good chance your water was not hot enough or your were too slow in getting it all mixed together so the dough had cooled down by then. If that’s the case then it will not rise well. Also mixing in a Bosch mixer long enough will develop the gluten so the dough is nice and elastic. The active yeast will stretch easily giving the bread a nice rise. Hope that helps. And thank you for your feedback.
If I used (2 )9×5 pans, that is what I have on hand, would that work?
Yes the bread won’t fill the pans quite as much, but it will work.
What speed do you use for kneading? 1or2?
Hi Wendy I usually use a 2 for this bread.
We made this bread pretty much as it was listed and it came out great. We used vital wheat gluten and instant yeast. We also used a Bosch mixer to mix it with. It baked in about an hour and 15 minutes, just as advertised. I didn’t notice much difference in the recipe from other bread recipes but it seemed to make great sandwich bread.
Thanks Doug, glad you liked the recipe. 😊