Homemade White Bread

There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked bread filling your kitchen. This easy homemade white bread recipe makes a soft, fluffy loaf with a golden crust and a tender texture. Made with simple ingredients, it’s perfect for sandwiches, toast, French toast, or enjoying warm with a little butter.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade White Bread

• Simple ingredients: You probably already have most of what you need.
• Soft and fluffy: The inside is tender while the outside develops a lightly golden crust.
• Perfect for everyday meals: Use it for sandwiches, toast, breakfast, or snacks.
• Made from scratch: Skip the store-bought loaf and enjoy fresh homemade bread.
• Freezer-friendly: Bake an extra loaf and save it for later.

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water, about 105–115°F
• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup, plus a pinch granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 5 cups all-purpose flour

How to Make Homemade White Bread

1. Activate the Yeast

Add the warm water, a pinch of sugar, and yeast to the mixing bowl of your stand mixer. Stir gently and let it sit for about 5–10 minutes, until the yeast becomes foamy.

2. Make the Dough

Add sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of flour. Mix with paddle attachment to combine. Add remaining two cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is mixed thoroughly and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be smooth and elastic, with just a slight stickiness when touched with your finger. If it feels too sticky,

add a little more flour as needed.

3. Knead the Dough

Remove the paddle mixing attachment and attach the kneading attachment to your stand mixer. Knead dough for 5 minutes on medium speed.

4. First rise

Spray a large brown with cooking spray or wipe down with an oil saturated paper towel. Place the dough inside and turn to coat. Cover the dough with a clean- dry dish towel.

Allow to rise at room temperature for 90 minutes. While waiting, spray all sides of two 9×5″ loaf pans generously with cooking spray.

5. Shape the Loaf

Once risen, Punch the dough down to remove the air. Separate the dough into two equal portions. Shape into a ball then stretch into a log shape. Place each loaf into greased loaf pans.

6. Second rise.

Cover loaf pans with a clean, dry dishtowel. Allow to sit and rise a second time for about 45 mins or until the dough as risen about an inch above the top of the loaf pan.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

7. Bake

Place both loaf pans on the center rack of heated oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on the outside and sounds hollow when you gently tap on the top of the baked loaf.

Invert the loaves onto a wire cooling rack. Brush the tops with 1/4 cup softened/ slightly melting butter. (I put mine in the microwave for about 13 seconds to make brushing easier).

Let cool for at least 10 mins before slicing.

Enjoy!

Tips for the Best Homemade White Bread

Use warm, not hot, water. Water that is too hot can damage the yeast. Aim for around 105–110°F.

Don’t add too much flour. A slightly tacky dough usually produces a softer loaf. Adding excessive flour can make the bread dense.

Give the dough enough time to rise. Rising time can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen, so look for the dough to double in size rather than relying only on the clock.

Let the bread cool. Cooling gives the crumb time to set and makes slicing much easier.

How to Store Homemade White Bread

Store the cooled bread in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For longer storage, slice the bread and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw slices as needed.

Ways to Use Homemade White Bread

This homemade loaf is delicious served with:

• Homemade Butter and jam
• Peanut butter and honey
• Your favorite sandwich fillings
• Eggs and breakfast sandwiches
• French toast
• Grilled cheese
• Soup or chili
• Homemade Avocado Toast

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?

Yes. Instant yeast can generally be substituted for active dry yeast. You can mix it directly into the dry ingredients rather than activating it separately.

Why is my homemade bread dense?

Dense bread can happen when too much flour is added, the yeast isn’t active, or the dough hasn’t had enough time to rise. Make sure your yeast is fresh and allow the dough to rise until it has visibly doubled.

Can I make this bread without a stand mixer?

Absolutely. This recipe can easily be mixed and kneaded by hand.

Can I freeze homemade white bread?

Yes. Once completely cooled, wrap the loaf or individual slices well and store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.

Final Thoughts

Once you make your own homemade white bread, you may never look at a store-bought loaf quite the same way. With simple ingredients and a little patience, you can make a soft, fluffy loaf that’s perfect for sandwiches, toast, and all your favorite homemade meals.