White Sandwich Bread
Posted Oct 02, 2021, Updated Apr 10, 2024
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It only takes seven ingredients to make this soft, buttery sandwich bread. Hearty enough to use to make sandwiches, and so delicious you’ll never buy store-bought varieties again once try this white bread recipe.
Both my husband and I grew up with parents who made bread from scratch. So the thought of buying bread from the store never even crossed my mind until I had a pile of kids and my time was stretched a little thin (putting it lightly).
However, nothing beats homemade bread, so even with all that we have going on in our lives, I still find the time to make bread from scratch.
This is the sandwich bread recipe I created and bake often. This homemade white bread holds up well to being used in just about any sandwich situation, and we use it most often to make BLTs for dinner.
It’s easy to make with 7 ingredients and you can even double or triple the recipe to make a few loaves and freeze some for later.
White Sandwich Gread: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Granulated sugar. Honey can be used in place of granulated sugar.
- Active dry yeast. You can use instant yeast instead of active dry – rise times will just be shorter and you technically do not need to proof it before putting it in the recipe.
- Salted butter. Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted, you will just need to increase the salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
- Whole milk. 2% milk is an acceptable substitution, but nothing with a lower fat content.
- Fine sea salt. If using iodized salt reduce the amount by half.
- All-purpose flour. Bread flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour with great results. If you want to make whole wheat bread try this honey whole wheat bread recipe.
How to Make Sandwich Bread
This recipe is pretty straight forward. We’ll walk through the steps together and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by proofing the yeast – in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook (or in a large bowl), combine water, sugar and yeast. Proof for 5-10 minutes, until foamy.
Next, add the melted butter and milk to the yeast mixture and gently stir to combine.
Then, add 3 cups of flour and sea salt and mix with the dough hook, or mix by hand in a large bowl.
Next, add additional flour, ¼ cup at a time, and knead until the dough forms a ball, is smooth, and slightly tacky to the touch.
Once the dough forms a slightly sticky ball, form it into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with a damp towel, to rise until doubled (about 60 minutes).
Punch down the dough and form it into a rectangle that fits into the bottom of a prepared, 9×5″ loaf pan.
Cover the pan/dough with a damp towel (don’t let the towel touch the bread) and let the loaf rise again until doubled in size (30-60 minutes).
During the end of the rise, preheat oven to 350 degrees F, then bake the risen white bread in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
Let the sandwich bread cool in loaf pan for 10 minutes before removing and transferring the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve
Let the bread cool completely then serve! Here are some suggestions :
- Use it to make sandwiches like: delicious BLT sandwiches, the best grilled cheese sandwich, turkey sandwich, chicken salad sandwiches (or make this avocado chicken salad), BBQ chicken sandwiches, grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich, etc.
- Serve slices of bread slathered with butter, cinnamon butter, homemade peanut butter, pumpkin butter, apple butter, homemade almond butter, etc.
- Use it to make french toast or french toast casserole – yum!
Store/Freeze
Store any leftover sliced bread in an airtight container (or plastic bag) at room temperature for 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can also store full loaves, I just recommend slicing them then wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap and putting them in an airtight container.
White Sandwich Bread Recipe FAQs
Yes, this recipe doubles very well. Just make sure to use a large enough bowl to contain all the ingredients.
Yes, I make this most often to use to make BLTs for dinner! It’s a hearty and delicious sandwich bread.
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White Sandwich Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup warm water (105 degrees F)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (or honey)
- 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter melted and cooled
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 to 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook (or in a large bowl), combine water, sugar and yeast. Proof for 5-10 minutes, until foamy.
- Add melted butter and milk and gently stir to combine.
- Then, add 3 cups of flour and sea salt and mix with the dough hook, or mix by hand in a large bowl.
- Add additional flour, ¼ cup at a time, and knead until dough forms a ball, is smooth, and slightly tacky to the touch.
- Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with a damp towel, to rise until doubled (about 60 minutes).
- After the dough has doubled, lightly grease a 9×5” loaf pan. Set aside.
- Punch down the dough and form it into a rectangle that fits into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan.
- Cover with a damp towel (don’t let the towel touch the bread) and let the loaf rise again until doubled in size (30-60 minutes).
- During the end of the rise, preheat oven to 350 degrees F, then bake the risen bread in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Let cool in loaf pan for 10 minutes before removing and transferring the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Granulated sugar. Honey can be used in place of granulated sugar.
- Active dry yeast. You can use instant yeast instead of active dry – rise times will just be shorter and you technically do not need to proof it before putting it in the recipe.
- Salted butter. Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted, you will just need to increase the salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
- Whole milk. 2% milk is an acceptable substitution, but nothing with a lower fat content.
- Fine sea salt. If using iodized salt reduce the amount by half.
- All-purpose flour. Bread flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour with great results. If you want to make whole wheat bread try this honey whole wheat bread recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried it , however the bread rose the second time around abd got a bit squished due to the towel covering it ! Taste wise it was fabulous ! Thank you Laura