There is something magical about homemade bread, don’t you think? I love the way it rises up. The smell of it baking is utterly fabulous. The taste of a warm slice fresh from the oven with a bit of butter and honey spread on top…well it’s one of my very favorite things to eat, I have to admit.
The Homemade White Bread recipe I have to share with you today has been living in my archives since the first week I started this blog. I wanted to bring it to the top of the pile today complete with new pictures and improved instructions (the old ones were super ugly and pretty confusing!) I also wanted to give those of you who haven’t tried it yet the opportunity to consider doing so. This is by far the best white bread recipe I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and I have met a lot of them, let me tell ya. The inside texture is soft and fluffy while remaining substantial. The outer crust is nice and crispy without being hard and the flavor is out if this world. 🙂
If you haven’t ever made bread before, this would be a great place to start. It only takes about an hour to make, from start to finish and uses very basic ingredients.
I hope you give it a try, guys! Your family would love you for it.
1. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees.
2. Pour 4 cups of hot water into your stand mixer. You want the water to be hot, but not so hot that you can’t hold your hand in it.
3. To your stand mixer add 1/2 cup sugar…
2/3 C oil…
2 tablespoons of salt…
and 4 cups flour.
4. Turn your mixer on to low allowing the ingredients to mix for about 30 seconds.
5. Add 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast.
6. Continue adding the flour, one cup at a time while the mixer is on low. When the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl, you know you have enough flour. Turn the mixer to medium speed and let it mix for 6-7 minutes.
7. Remove the dough hook and take the bowl off of the stand mixer. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
8. Spray your hands with cooking spray. This will help so the dough doesn’t stick too much.
9. Spray 4 loaf pans with cooking spray and separate the dough equally between them.
10. Take each piece of dough and round it into a ball.
Slap the dough a few times with the palm of your hand in order to remove any air bubbles that remain inside.
Then form it back into a lovely ball and place it in the pan.
11. Shape the other three loaves and carefully place them in your oven to rise.
When the dough has risen up about 1 inch above the side of the pan (should only take about 15 minutes) turn your oven up to 350 degrees. Keep the loaf pans in the oven while it heats up. This will help the dough rise a bit more before it begins to bake. Allow the bread to bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on the top and bottom. Your oven may cook faster or slower than mine, just keep an eye on it to be sure it doesn’t burn. 🙂
12. Remove the pans from the oven and carefully dump the bread out onto your counter. Using two hot pads, place the loaves on cooling racks.
13. Spread a bit of butter onto the top of each loaf. This will help the outer crust to not get too hard.
14. Allow the loaves to cool for about 5 minutes, then slice and enjoy!
Store leftover loaves in freezer safe gallon sized Ziploc bags and then place them in your freezer.
Ingredients
- 4 C hot water
- 1/2 C sugar
- 2/3 C canola or vegetable oil
- 2 Tb salt
- 10-12 C all-purpose flour
- 3 Tb + 1 tsp yeast (I use active dry)
- butter
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees.
2. Pour 4 cups of hot water into your stand mixer. You want the water to be hot, but not so hot that you can't hold your hand in it.
3. To your stand mixer add 1/2 cup sugar, 2/3 C oil, 2 tablespoons of salt and 4 cups flour.
4. Turn your mixer on to low allowing the ingredients to mix for about 30 seconds.
5. Add 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast.
6. Continue adding the flour, one cup at a time while the mixer is on low. When the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl, you know you have enough flour. Turn the mixer to medium speed and let it mix for 6-7 minutes.
7. Remove the dough hook and take the bowl off of the stand mixer. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
8. Spray your hands with cooking spray. This will help so the dough doesn't stick too much.
9. Spray 4 loaf pans with cooking spray and separate the dough equally between them.
10. Take each piece of dough and round it into a ball. Slap the dough a few times with the palm of your hand in order to remove any air bubbles that remain inside. Then form it back into a lovely ball and place it in the pan.
11. Shape the other three loaves and carefully place them in your oven to rise. When the dough has risen up about 1 inch above the side of the pan (should only take about 15 minutes) turn your oven up to 350 degrees. Keep the loaf pans in the oven while it heats up. This will help the dough rise a bit more before it begins to bake. Allow the bread to bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on the top and bottom. Your oven may cook faster or slower than mine, just keep an eye on it to be sure it doesn't burn. 🙂
12. Remove the pans from the oven and carefully dump the bread out onto your counter. Using two hot pads, place the loaves on cooling racks.
13. Spread a bit of butter onto the top of each loaf. This will help the outer crust to not get too hard.
14. Allow the loaves to cool for about 5 minutes, then slice and enjoy!
Store leftover loaves in freezer safe gallon sized Ziploc bags and then place them in your freezer.
Recipe from Susan Merrill
28 comments
Hi Jamie, your loaves came out beautifully. Do you have any left to show the inside? I’d love to see the crumb of this bread if possible. Thanks,
Nia
Hi Nia,
If you click to the link below, there is an older picture available that shows the inside of the loaf. Good luck! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
https://jamiecooksitup.net/2010/01/white-bread/
~Jamie
Just curious. Why did you use your Kitchenaid mixer instead of your Bosch? I’ve been told that Kitchenaids do not stand up well to bread making.
Hi Stephanie,
This is a great question. I used my Kitchen Aid simply because it was more convenient than lugging my Bosch out. 🙂 I wouldn’t recommend making a large batch of Whole Wheat Bread in the Kitchen Aid however, that dough is way to heavy. The Kitchen Aid I used is a 7 quart size and can handle the white bread just fine.
Best of luck to you!
~Jamie
Looks great! Thanks for the tips.
Looks great! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
I have never made bread before. I don’t have a stand mixer, but I have a hand held one with dough hooks. Would that work or would the dough be too thick or heavy for it? Yours looks wonderful btw 🙂 Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!
Teresa,
I think this batch is too big to be done with a hand held mixer. It just might burn the motor right up. I would advise kneading it by hand for 5 minutes. Then cover the bowl and let it rise for 1 hour. Knead it for an additional 5 minutes and then go ahead and shape the loaves, put them in the pans and follow the additional steps found in the recipe. Best of luck to you!
~Jamie
Thanks so much for your advice and insight.
Do you let the bread rise in a cold oven or is it set to a low temperature?
It says in the post that the oven is set at 170.
Jen,
Heat your oven to 170 degrees so the bread can rise more quickly. Best of luck to you!
~Jamie
[…] recipe has been revamped with new pictures and instructions. You can find the new post HERE. […]
Can’t wait to make this bread but what size loaf pans did you use?
Hi Nancy,
My pans are 5 x 9. Best of luck to you!
~Jamie
I’ve been told that my hands can withstand very hot water. I was wondering if you’ve ever taken a temp reading of the water? I don’t want to get it too hot.
Jamie, I’ve been meaning to tell you how much I love this recipe! My husband says it’s the perfect combination of light fluffy bread with substance!! Thank you for sharing your recipes with us!
Thank you for not posting nutritional content of your recipes! yummy!
Jamie,
Thanks for sharing your amazing bread recipe with us! I make this recipe often and love it!!
Denise R.
Hi Jamie, I have a gas oven that takes 10 minutes to heat up. Do you think that will be a problem with this recipe? Thanks!
Hi,
So a question, if I want to reduce the quantity, do I appropriately reduce quantity of all ingredients?
For eg. If I want only 2 loaves instead of 4, then I reduce all ingredients by half measure?
Thanks in advance
Priti
Priti–I cut everything in half and it turned out fine.
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Thanks for sharing! Would this be a perfect bread /recipe to start bread making? I’ve done machine for years and love it but want to try not using that or using stand up mixer.
Hi there,
This would be a great bread recipe to start with. Best of luck to you!
~Jamie
Hi Jamie if I’m reading the receipt correctly I’m adding the yeast without proofing it first?
Jackie,
Yes, you are correct. No need to proof the yeast for this recipe.
Good luck!
~Jamie