Homemade White Bread Recipe

4.96 from 255 votes

Homemade White Bread Recipe

This EASY Homemade White Bread is made from scratch. It makes two loaves and is the perfect sandwich bread! Making homemade bread is easier than you think.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Resting time1

Total Time50

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 17kcal

Author: Dorothy Kern

Cost: 5

Ingredients

5 ½ to 6 cups (744g) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (37g) granulated sugar
2 packets (14g) Fleischmann's® RapidRise® Yeast (4 ½ teaspoons)
2 teaspoons salt
1 ½ cups (355ml) water
½ cup (118ml) milk
2 tablespoons (28g) butter

Instructions

Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, dry yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir until blended. Combine water, milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH in 15-second increments until very warm but not hot to the touch (120° to 130°F. Butter won’t melt completely). I highly recommend using an instant-read thermometer. Add to flour mixture.
Beat 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in just enough remaining flour so that the dough will form into a ball.
Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic and springs back when lightly pressed with 2 fingers, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover with a towel; let rest for 10 minutes.
Cut dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a 12 x 7-inch rectangle using a rolling pin.
Beginning at short end of each rectangle, roll up tightly. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place, seam sides down, in two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pans that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Bake in preheated 400ºF oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans by running a knife around the edges and invert onto wire rack.

Video

Notes

Be sure to use instant yeast, not active dry yeast. Fleischmann's Rapid Rise is their brand of instant yeast.
You can use any fat milk or nondairy
You can use salted or unsalted butter
I have not tested this recipe with whole wheat flour.
I get lots of questions about 2 cups vs 6 cups flour. Be sure to read the recipe, not just the post: You start with 2 cups flour to stir with the yeast and wet ingredients and add up to 6 cups once you start mixing.
Don't pack your flour - be sure to spoon and level it.
Homemade bread will not last on the counter as long as regular bread - it'll stay fresh about 2-3 days at most. You can freeze leftovers or the second loaf by allowing to cool completely and then wrapping in plastic wrap.
You know your white bread is done baking when it's 190°F in the center and light golden around the edges.
Use an instant read thermometer - you can find cheaper ones on Amazon but I love the Thermapen the most. This makes sure your liquid is the right temperature to activate and not kill the yeast.

Nutrition