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Home ยป Recipes ยป Bread Recipes

Easy White Bread Recipe (1 Loaf)

Updated: Oct 4, 2023 by Mindee ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท 46 Comments

Bread tastes best fresh from your oven, and it's easier than you think to make it from scratch! Follow my detailed instructions with pictures to learn how to make a fluffy, soft loaf in your own kitchen!

A fresh loaf of white bread sliced up.
A sliced loaf of the perfect white bread!
Jump to:
  • Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredient Notes and Equipment Notes
  • Couple Things I Use
  • Step by Step Instructions
  • Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
  • Related Bread Recipes
  • Homemade White Bread Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • This great recipe makes just 1 loaf of bread but can easily be doubled!
  • Makes a nice big loaf, just like Grandma used to make.
  • Detailed instructions with pictures make this such an easy bread recipe!
  • Can be made by hand in a large bowl or with a stand mixer.

Ingredient Notes and Equipment Notes

  • Flour - All Purpose flour, not bread flour or self-rising flour.
  • Butter - I use salted butter; if you're using unsalted butter, increase the amount of salt the recipe calls for by ยฝ tsp.
  • Yeast - Active dry yeast is the same as instant yeast or rapid-rise yeast.
  • Bread Pan - You can use either a 9.5 x 5-inch loaf pan or an 8.5 x 4. The 8.5-inch one is considered the standard size, but I've noticed the 9.5-inch ones are just as common. I've made this recipe with both sizes myself.
  • Mixer - Can this recipe be made by hand? Yes, of course! I use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook because I lack in the muscly arm area.
Ingredients for white bread.
Simple ingredients needed to make this homemade white bread recipe!

Couple Things I Use

Step by Step Instructions

  • Add sugar, yeast, and warm water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.
  • Allow to stand and get foamy.
Sugar, yeast and warm water added to a mixer bowl to get foamy.
Active yeast in the mixing bowl!
  • Add the room-temperature butter and salt.
  • Add 3 cups of the flour.
  • Knead with a dough hook until all the flour is incorporated.
  • Add enough of the remaining cup of flour to make a soft dough that is only slightly sticky. Clean the sides of the bowl.
  • You may or may not need the entire 4th cup of flour.
  • Knead for 3 minutes in a stand mixer at medium speed or 5 minutes by hand.
  • Cover the bread dough with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled. (rise time 30-ish minutes)
Butter, salt and flour added to the bowl and kneaded.
Add butter, salt, and flour to the yeast mixture! Knead and cover for the first rise!
  • Dump the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a loaf.
  • Be sure to pinch the seams shut well.
  • Place the loaf in a loaf pan that's been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Risen dough dumped out on a floured surface, shaped and place in a loaf pan.
Shape loaf, place in pan, cover, and let the dough do a second rise!
  • Cover with a dish towel and let the dough rise until doubled. (30-ish minutes)
  • Adjust your oven rack so the bread will bake right in the center, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees while the bread is rising.
  • This bread rises quite high. Note the difference in height between pictures 12 and 13.
  • Bake the risen loaf for 20 minutes, then tent it with tin foil to avoid over-browning.
  • Bake the bread for 25 minutes more. The top will be golden brown.
  • Run a cube of butter over the top of the hot loaf if desired, and cool completely on a wire rack.
Pictures showing the height of the unbaked bread loaf in the pan before and after rising.
Bake this simple white bread and enjoy the smell of fresh homemade bread throughout your kitchen!

Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips

How do you proof bread quickly?

To make yeast bread recipes rise fast, you can preheat your oven set at any temperature for about 45 seconds.ย  Turn your oven off and place some sort of baking dish with boiling water in it inside the oven.ย  Then place your mixing bowl of dough, covered with a dish towel, in your oven.ย  It will be warm and steamy, causing your dough to rise faster.

How do I store fresh bread?

Store your cooled bread wrapped with plastic wrap or in a large ziplock-type bag. It will be good for about 3 days.

Can I make this recipe in a bread machine?

Honestly, I have no idea. I used a bread machine once years ago and have never used one again.

Can I substitute whole wheat flour for the white?

If you substitute wheat flour for all the white flour, you'll end up with a loaf of bread like a brick. Please click over to my Homemade Wheat Bread recipe to make a wheat version of this bread! It's soft, light and fluffy too!

Can I make this bread into rolls instead?

Yes, for instructions to do so, click over to my 90 Minute Dinner Roll recipe!

Related Bread Recipes

  • Homemade French Bread
  • Butterflake Dinner Rolls
  • No Knead Parker House Rolls
  • Texas Roadhouse Rolls Copycat
  • Asiago Cheese Bread

Have you tried this recipe? If so, leave me a rating and a comment below! And don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter to get my latest recipes sent right to your email! You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram!

 

Easy White Bread

Homemade White Bread Recipe

Mindee
Bread tastes best fresh from your oven, and it's easier than you think to make it from scratch!ย  Follow my detailed instructions with pictures to learn how to make a fluffy, soft loaf in your own kitchen!
4.97 from 28 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Servings 1 Loaf
Calories 1756 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ยฝ Cups Warm Water
  • 3 Tbs Sugar
  • 1 Tbs Active Dry Yeast
  • 4 Tbs Butter room temperature
  • 1 ยฝ teaspoon Salt
  • 3-4 Cups All-Purpose Flour

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water.
  • Let stand for 5 minutes to get foamy.
  • Mix in the butter, salt, and 3 cups of flour with a dough hook.
  • Once well combined, add the last cup of flour, ยผ cup at a time, until the dough forms a ball, pulls away from the sides of the bowl, and is only slightly sticky to the touch. YOU MAY NOT NEED THE ENTIRE LAST CUP OF FLOUR.
  • Knead for 3 minutes at medium speed or 5 minutes by hand.
  • Cover the bowl with a dishcloth and allow the dough to rise until doubled. (around 30-ish minutes)
  • Dump the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a loaf.ย 
  • Place in a loaf pan that's been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Cover and let rise until doubled.ย  (around 30-ish minutes)
  • Adjust your oven racks so that the bread will bake right in the center of the oven.
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  • Bake the bread at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, tent with some tin foil, and continue to bake for another 25 minutes.
  • Your bread loaf should sound hollow when thumped.
  • Run a small cube of butter over the top of the hot bread loaf if desired, and let cool for 10 minutes in the bread pan before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Whether you need the entire last cup of flour partially depends on the humidity where you live.ย  Some don't need it at all, and some need the entire 4th cup and sometimes a little more.

Nutrition

Calories: 1756kcalCarbohydrates: 372gProtein: 47gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 978mgPotassium: 576mgFiber: 12gSugar: 63gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 205mgIron: 19mg
Keyword best white bread recipe, bread recipe white, homemade white bread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Thanks for stopping by! Before you go, be sure to check out a few of my most popular recipes!

  • The Best Clam Chowder
  • Easy Lemon Bundt Cake
  • Mini German Pancakes
  • Coconut Pecan Frosting
  • Butterfinger Cookies

More Bread Recipes

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    The Best Orange Rolls
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  • Buttermilk cornbread.
    Buttermilk Cornbread
  • A stack of hot buttermilk biscuits.
    Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mia W

    January 12, 2023 at 9:28 pm

    I made this recipe tonight & am loving it. Easy to follow except I altered It to be dairy free with dairy free butter, and used EVOO on the top since Iโ€™m middle eastern & we love sandwich bread with oregano, oil, avocado, eggs etc. I also Love that itโ€™s one loaf since Iโ€™m one person. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. Question? Can the bread be frozen or no?

    Reply
  2. Jeff

    November 26, 2022 at 4:25 pm

    Excellent bread

    Reply
    • Debbie

      December 31, 2022 at 2:43 pm

      Great bread! Great, easy to follow instructions. It makes THE most wonderful toast....crispy on the surface, w/ a wonderful chewy texture on the inside! I'm making this bread for a 2nd time, right nowโฃ๏ธ

      Reply
  3. Kathy

    November 11, 2022 at 5:43 am

    Can I use bread flour in this recipe?

    Reply
    • Mindee

      November 11, 2022 at 6:21 am

      No, bread flour is too heavy.

      Reply
  4. Joleen

    August 13, 2022 at 2:09 pm

    I did some alterations to this recipe. Not sure if you are in Canada but our AP flour is less dense than the American flour. I used 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 1/4 tsp traditional yeast and ended up with 3 3/4 cups flour. I have to say it turned out amazing. I did use 4 tbsps. butter and thought it may be too much but the flavour of the bread is to die for so will keep that amount in the recipe.
    I did everything else as you've listed and will continue with this recipe.
    Amazing loaf and flavour.

    Reply
    • Mindee

      August 15, 2022 at 4:57 am

      Thank You! I'm not in Canada and did not know that about Canadian flour, thank you for sharing that with me!

      Reply
    • Dee

      August 17, 2022 at 12:37 pm

      I'm in western Canada...used less sugar, as you mentioned. And same amount of flour. This is the 2nd time I've made this recipe and perfect both times!

      Reply
      • Ariana

        September 12, 2022 at 10:34 pm

        This recipe is so good!!!

        I did make a couple of adjustments to my liking and it turned out perfect!

        I subbed the sugar for honey (3 tbsp)

        And 1 cup of the flour I use whole wheat and the rest AP.

        Reply
        • Mindee

          September 13, 2022 at 7:43 am

          That's awesome! If you check out my whole wheat bread recipe it has these same adjustments ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
    • Mia W

      January 12, 2023 at 9:24 pm

      Hi. Iโ€™m hoping you can assist me. I live In the USA but my family uses Italian and Canadian flour. I used A mix tonight & didnโ€™t alter. It turned out fine as I live in High altitude but in the future Iโ€™m planning to use Canadian flour. What brand of Canadian flour do you use? We get the rose one sometimes. I also Use 00 flour
      Which is less dense than American flour. Thanks.

      Reply
  5. KathyR

    June 11, 2022 at 2:48 pm

    This is the most delicious bread recipe I have tried!! It came out perfect!! Thank you for the pictures, it helps to see how the bread should look. I will be making this again! I can't wait to try your Whole Wheat Bread recipe!!

    Reply
    • Mindee

      June 11, 2022 at 2:51 pm

      Thank You!

      Reply
  6. Sandra Burnett

    June 05, 2022 at 7:58 pm

    I made this receipe. Was very happy with it will make again. Thank you. Sandra B.

    Reply
    • Mindee

      June 06, 2022 at 8:02 am

      Awesome! You are very welcome!

      Reply
  7. Kathy

    May 06, 2022 at 7:13 pm

    Great recipe. My bread was a tall beautifully browned loaf of bread. Tasted great. My grandsonโ€™s stopped over after school and had three slices each. Iโ€™ve tried so many other recipes and the bread didnโ€™t rise high or brown nice or have much flavor. I was about to give up and then I came across your recipe. Finally a white bread recipe I can make again! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
    • Mindee

      May 09, 2022 at 9:32 am

      That's awesome! Thank You!

      Reply
  8. Bonnie

    June 12, 2021 at 12:05 pm

    What size loaf pan for one loaf.

    Reply
    • Mindee

      June 12, 2021 at 4:19 pm

      Standard loaf pan. 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches

      Reply
      • Chet

        October 03, 2021 at 1:16 pm

        Best beginner bread recipe. I have a convection oven that also works as a standard. I wasn't sure if the temperature setting was for conventional oven. Baking time took longer without the fan, up to an additional 20 minutes but was spot on with convection on. This is now my go to recipe and make this bread regularly. I never buy commercial bread anymore. Thanks

        Reply
        • Mindee

          October 05, 2021 at 10:20 am

          You're welcome and thank you for your comment!

          Reply
        • Sandra Burnett

          June 05, 2022 at 10:35 am

          I am so glad I found your receipe. Your explanation on using a little at a time on the last cup of flour depending on the humidity and where I live made a lot of sense. Thank you very much for answering my question. I am trying your receipe. I will let you know of the outcome. Sandra B.

          Reply
  9. Cynthia

    March 14, 2021 at 7:45 am

    When I make this I use the scale to make 3 loaves. Why make 1 loaf when I can make 3 !!!! It really is the best way to make friends- anyway; I ALWAYS get 4 loaves of bread! First time I made this recipe, I followed the recipe to make 1 loaf. I followed EXACT, to be sure my family would like this recipe & that this was an easy recipe to use & change up. Since then; I make it with multi- flour grains, itโ€™s always a big, delicious hit! This week Iโ€™m going to try a cinnamon, raisin swirl bread for my husband- itโ€™s his favorite. Iโ€™m expecting great results!
    Thanks for such an easy to use & follow recipe. Easy to switch grains as well!

    Reply
    • Mindee

      March 15, 2021 at 5:44 am

      You're Welcome!!!

      Reply
  10. Pete

    August 21, 2020 at 1:01 pm

    Well, Iโ€™ve made it 3 more times and I used more than 4 cups of flour each time... I guess Iโ€™m the only one... still really good though

    Reply
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