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    Home » White Bread Recipe

    White Bread Recipe

    Published: Mar 21, 2020 · Modified: Mar 24, 2020 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Easy homemade white bread recipe! This simple 6-ingredient recipe makes two loaves of soft white bread from scratch in no time.

    loaf of white bread with a slice cut off the end

    Not only is homemade bread incredibly tasty, but it's also really satisfying to bake your own bread.

    This easy homemade white bread recipe couldn't be easier! It's made with just 6 fridge and pantry staple ingredients.

    The recipe makes two loaves of soft white bread from scratch in no time, and the bread freezes well. So, you can have one loaf now and enjoy the other later.

    Jump to

    • How to make white bread (step-by-step photos)
    • Tips
    • How to store
    • How to freeze
    • Related recipes

    How to make white bread

    yeast in water in a silver mixing bowl
    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook combine the lukewarm water, yeast, and honey. Add salt, butter, and 3 cups flour to the bowl.

    Continue to add in flour ¼ cup at a time until it forms a soft, sticky dough. You may not need to use all of the flour.

    Risen white bread dough in a silver mixing bowl

    Knead on low for about 5 minutes, or until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is soft and smooth. If the dough is too sticky, add the flour 1 tablespoon at time until it feels slightly sticky when you pinch it but doesn't come off on your fingers.

    Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

    Two pieces of white bread dough on a floured surface

    Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.Divide it into two equally sized portions. Gently pat each half into an 8×12 inch rectangle.

    Unbaked white bread dough in a gold baking pan

    Starting at the short end, roll up the rectangle into a tight roll and pinch the seams to seal.

    Tuck the ends of the roll slightly underneath and place each loaf into a greased 8×4 inch loaf pan seam side down. Cover with a greased piece of plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes in a warm and spot until doubled in size.

    Toward the end of the rising time, preheat oven to 400 F and adjust oven rack to lower-middle position. Bake loaves for 20-25 minutes, or until until golden brown.

    They should sound hollow when thumped.Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Brush the loaves with melted butter, if desired.

    Loaf of white bread on a wire cooling rackTips

    • Water: The water should feel warm but not overly hot. If it's too hot for you, it's too hot for the yeast. Water that's too hot will kill the yeast, and then your bread won't rise.
    • Yeast: You can use active dry yeast in place of instant yeast. Use an equal amount of active dry yeast, but let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes after step 1 or until it's foamy. If it doesn't foam, start over.
    • Flour: You may need to use a little more or less flour. The important thing is that your dough is soft and smooth. It should feel a little sticky when you pinch it, but it shouldn't come off on your fingers.
    • Melted butter: The melted butter helps to soften the crust and add flavor.
    • Stand mixer: You can stir this dough by hand. You'll just need to increase the kneading time to about 8-12 minutes.
    • Rising spot: It's important that this yeast dough have a warm spot to rise. If your kitchen is cool, you can turn your oven on to 350F for exactly 60 seconds. Then turn it off. This will give you a warm spot to let your bread rise.

    Loaf of white bread next to a bread knifeHow to store

    This bread can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 4 days.

    How to freeze

    This bread can be frozen after baking. To freeze, let the baked bread cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

    Then, wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and place in a resealable freezer bag. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.

    Loaf of white bread with a slice cut laying in front of itMore bread recipes!

    • Multigrain Bread Recipe
    • Cinnamon Chip Bread Recipe
    • Hawaiian Rolls

    If you’ve tried this white bread recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

    You can SUBSCRIBE to receive my latest recipe newsletters or FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for even more delicious food.

    Loaf of white bread with a slice cut laying in front of it

    White Bread Recipe

    Easy recipe that makes 2 loaves of soft homemade white bread.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: bread
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Rising: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
    Servings: 20 slices
    Calories: 67kcal
    Author: Kate @ I Heart Eating

    Equipment

    • Stand mixer

    Ingredients

    • 1 â…” cups warm water 100-110F
    • 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
    • 3 tablespoons honey
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
    • 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ tablespoons melted butter optional

    Instructions

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook combine the water, yeast, and honey.
    • Add salt, butter, and 3 cups flour to the bowl.
    • Continue to add in flour ¼ cup at a time until it forms a soft, sticky dough. You may not need to use all of the flour.
    • Knead on low for about 5 minutes, or until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is soft and smooth. If the dough is too sticky, add the flour 1 tablespoon at time until it feels slightly sticky when you pinch it but doesn't come off on your fingers.
    • Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
    • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
    • Divide it into two equally sized portions.
    • Gently pat each half into an 8×12 inch rectangle.
    • Starting at the short end, roll up the rectangle into a tight roll and pinch the seams to seal.
    • Tuck the ends of the roll slightly underneath and place each loaf into a greased 8×4 inch loaf pan seam side down.
    • Cover with a greased piece of plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes in a warm and spot until doubled in size.
    • Toward the end of the rising time, preheat oven to 400 F and adjust oven rack to lower-middle position.
    • Bake loaves for 20-25 minutes, or until until golden brown. They should sound hollow when thumped.
    • Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.
    • Brush the loaves with melted butter, if desired.

    Notes

    • Water: The water should feel warm but not overly hot. If it's too hot for you, it's too hot for the yeast. Water that's too hot will kill the yeast, and then your bread won't rise. 
    • Yeast: You can use active dry yeast in place of instant yeast. Use an equal amount of active dry yeast, but let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes after step 1 or until it's foamy. If it doesn't foam, start over.
    • Flour: You may need to use a little more or less flour. The important thing is that your dough is soft and smooth. It should feel a little sticky when you pinch it, but it shouldn't come off on your fingers. 
    • Melted butter: The melted butter helps to soften the crust and add flavor. 
    • Nutrition values are estimates. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 67kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 193mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Rate it below. Mention @i_heart_eating on Instagram & tag #ihearteating!

     

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    About Kate

    Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessica

      March 28, 2020 at 11:27 am

      5 stars
      Best homemade bread I've ever made!

      Reply
      • Kate

        March 28, 2020 at 11:31 am

        Thank you! I'm glad the recipe worked out well for you! =)

        Reply
    2. Sandra

      March 27, 2020 at 1:00 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe! I can't buy my bread and I guess I have to learn to bake it. The recipe was easy to follow and the bread tastes great. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Kate

        March 27, 2020 at 1:04 am

        I'm so glad the recipe worked well for you. Thanks for commenting! =)

        Reply
    3. Juli

      March 24, 2020 at 5:37 pm

      I may have missed this but step 1 says to add half of the water...when do you add the second half?

      Reply
      • Kate

        March 24, 2020 at 6:48 pm

        Hi! Thanks so much for catching that! You add all of the water in step 1, and I've corrected it.

        Reply

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    I’m Kate Dean- mom to five young kids, recipe developer, and photographer. Here at I Heart Eating®, I share my family’s favorite tried-and-true recipes.

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