White Sandwich Bread Recipe (With Bread Flour)

5 from 4 votes

White Sandwich Bread Recipe (With Bread Flour)

Only 7 simple ingredients stand between you and a fluffy loaf of homemade sandwich bread. This simple bread is chewy on the inside with a crisp crust that's perfect for eating as is or toasting to perfection.

Prep Time20

Bake Time35

Rising Time2

Total Time2 55

Recipe Author Lynn April

Servings: 1 loaf

Ingredients

▢ ¼ cup (60mL) warm water about 110ºF (43ºC)
▢ 2 and ¼ teaspoon (7g) active dry yeast or one packet
▢ 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
▢ 1 and ⅓ cup (320mL) warm milk I prefer whole milk
▢ 1 teaspoon salt
▢ 3 Tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter at room temperature and cubed
▢ 4 and ½ to 5 cups (648-720g) bread flour¹ be sure to measure properly
▢ 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter melted

Need to keep track of your ingredients?Check out my Printable Ingredient List!

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Whisk together and allow to rest and activate for 5-10 minutes.
¼ cup (60mL) warm water, 2 and ¼ teaspoon (7g) active dry yeast, 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
When the yeast is active and bubbly, add the warm milk, sugar, cubed butter, and 2 cups (approximately) of the flour and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine.
1 and ⅓ cup (320mL) warm milk, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 Tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, 4 and ½ to 5 cups (648-720g) bread flour¹
Attach the dough hook (or continue mixing by hand) and blend everything together on low speed. Gradually add the remaining flour until the dough is soft and tacky, but not sticky (it should feel like fresh PlayDoh). Continue to mix until a soft ball of dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Alternatively, you can knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface. This will take about 5-8 minutes (quicker in the mixer, slower by hand).
4 and ½ to 5 cups (648-720g) bread flour¹
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and flip it over so the ball of dough is completely coated in oil. Cover the bowl lightly with a kitchen towel and set in a warm place² to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
When the dough has risen, spray a 9" x 5" loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat and press it into a 9" x 12" rectangle. You may also use a rolling pin, but be gentle.
Starting at the short end, roll the rectangle up into a tight log. Pinch the ends to seal and tuck the ends of the roll under the bread. Place the log into the prepared loaf pan, cover again loosely with a kitchen towel, and allow the loaf to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Position an oven rack to the middle setting and preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC).
Brush the loaf with the melted butter, then bake the loaf for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the loaf halfway through. Loaf is done with it is golden brown and makes a hollow sound when you tap on it. You can also check the internal temperature with an instant-read digital thermometer (this is my very favorite instant-read digital thermometer, and this is my favorite budget-friendly digital thermometer). Yeast bread is done when the internal temperature is 190ºF (88ºC).
1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter
Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Bread can be stored in an airtight bag or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 4 days. Bread freezes well, up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator before preparing.

Notes

Bread flour: you can use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but you will get the softest texture with bread flour.
Warm place to rise: I like to preheat my oven to 200ºF (93ºC), turn it off, and then place the bowl of dough in the oven with the door cracked.
Working with yeast: for a comprehensive look at working with yeast in a recipe, see my post about how to bake with yeast.

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.