Fluffy, soft, buttery, and super easy basic Homemade White Bread with just the right amount of sweetness that tastes way better than store-bought. Get ready to fill your house with that fresh-from-the-oven smell. Go grab the ingredients and bake away!
I bet you’d all agree with me that nothing compares to that distinct fresh-from-the-oven smell wafting in the air. It’s intoxicatingly good and mesmerizing. Agree?
Ever since the day we were told to stay at home, I’ve been baking far more too often just to keep myself busy and as a sort of de-stressing.
And as a huge bread lover myself, I have to make sure I don’t make unnecessary trips outside just for a loaf of bread. That’s why I’m sharing with you today, my foolproof easy homemade bread recipe so you can make it anytime at home. It’s a good base to start with, then just swap with any ingredients to suit your liking.
Homemade Bread Ingredients
Making bread at home totally changed my life! And the fact that it’s cheaper and tastes better than store-bought is a major win for me. Our white bread recipe for today uses 7 simple baking essentials that yield two (2) tall beautiful loaves of bread. And if you don’t have a stand mixer at home, no worries. You can always knead this bread by hand.
Here’s a list of what you’ll be needing for this homemade bread recipe.
- Warm water – for proofing the active dry yeast for about 5 minutes.
- Active dry yeast – if you only have the Instant Dry Yeast, that would be fine. That means that it doesn’t need to be dissolved.
- Milk – To make our loaf softer and richer due to the milk’s fat content.
- Honey – This adds a touch of sweetness to our homemade bread. You may replace it with sugar in the same amount.
- Melted Butter – Adding butter to any baked goods adds a better flavor. If you’re short in butter, feel free to swap it with any cooking oil.
- Salt – Just to balance out the flavor
- Bread Flour – This type of flour has more gluten that makes the dough elastic and light and produces that distinct chewy airy texture when baked.
Recipe Variation
Feel free to add any of the following below for added fun in this base white bread recipe.
- raisins or dried cranberries for an added fruity flavor in your bread
- add some herbs like rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano or even garlic
- cinnamon or allspice and vanilla extract for that added sweetness and aroma
- freshly grated cheese for all you cheese lovers out there.
Can You Use All-Purpose Flour?
Although I prefer using bread flour in making this loaf bread due to its high gluten content, you may use all-purpose flour if that’s what you have on hand.
How Long to Bake Bread?
This white loaf of bread is easy to make. Okay, I know that you’re a little bit hesitant with the yeast, but actually, once you get the hang of it, it’ll be easy.
To make this bread, it’ll need 2 rises – for 1 1/2-2 hours for the initial rise and an additional 30 minutes rise once it is in the pan. Once it rises 1 inch above the pans, you can now pop it in a preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. If browning is too fast, make sure to cover it with foil paper.
How To Store Homemade Bread
This soft, tender and delicious white bread will last up to 4-6 days if stored in an airtight container or bag. If you want to save the bread for later, you may freeze the baked bread in foil or saran wrap and freeze it for up to 1 month. You can also freeze the bread dough after its first rise.
More Bread Recipes
Go bake those worries away and slather this delicious homemade bread with butter, jam or this Homemade Garlic Butter.
How To Make Homemade Bread
Start by combining water and yeast in the stand mixer bowl, using a dough hook. Or if you are making this by hand, add water in a large mixing bowl. Let it sit until dissolve for about 5 minutes. Pour in milk, honey, butter, salt, and stir. Gradually add flour and continue mixing dough on low speed adding just enough flour to form soft dough.
If mixing by hand, remove dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 6-8 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm place for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until doubled. Punch the dough down.
Working on a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half. Flatten the dough into a rectangle, then fold a third of the dough on top of itself. Quickly fold the bottom third down so that it overlaps the other layers. Pinch the dough to seal where the layers meet to close it up
Lift dough and place into two greased 9×5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for an additional 30 minutes or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 30-40 minutes. If bread is browning too fast tent with foil paper. You can easily check for doneness by using a thermometer. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the bread should read 195°F to 200°F.
Cool, brush with butter, and enjoy!
Watch How To Make It
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Homemade White Bread
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Ingredients
- ½ cup (118.5ml) warm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 ¾ cup (420ml) milk
- ¼ cup (85g) honey
- ¼ cup (56.75) melted butter
- 3 teaspoons (15g) salt
- 5 ½ - 6 cups (698.5g-762g) bread flour
Instructions
- Start by combining water and yeast in the stand mixer bowl, using a dough hook. Or if you are making this by hand, add water in a large mixing bowl. Let it sit until dissolve for about 5 minutes.
- Pour in milk, honey, butter, salt and stir.
- Gradually add the flour and continue mixing the dough on a low speed adding just enough flour to form soft dough.
- If mixing by hand, remove dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 6-8 minutes.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let it rise in a warm place for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until doubled. Punch the dough down.
- Working on a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half.
- Flatten the dough into a rectangle, then fold a third of the dough on top of itself. Quickly fold the bottom third down so that it overlaps the other layers. Pinch the dough to seal where the layers meet to close it up.
- Lift the dough and place into two greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for an additional 30 minutes or until the dough has risen 1 inch above the pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 30-40 minutes. If bread is browning too fast, tent with foil paper.
- You can easily check for doneness by using a thermometer. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the bread should read 195°F to 200°F.
- Cool, brush with butter and enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Angie says
Hi imma eversince i came across your blog I’ve been very inspired by your recipes .keep it up girl thank you so much
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you too, Angie :)!
Tutu says
Thanks for the post,
What quantity of sugar can be used to substitute the honey.
Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Tutu,
Sub with 4 Tablespoons sugar. Enjoy!
Rebeca says
Thank’s siz I’m going to try it
Maimuna says
Hi Imma,
I tried the banana cake recipe and it was an instant hit also the plantain pancakes and the yellow vanilla cake. I must say my family and I are officially hooked on your recipes. Can’t wait to try this bread recipe for breakfast tomorrow.
imma africanbites says
Thank you so much! I’m so happy to read your comment. So excited for you to try this. Enjoy!
Uduak says
I am an ardent follower of yours. Thanks for all the recipes you share. You are simply awesome. Thanks Imma
ImmaculateBites says
The pleasure is mine too :). Thank you for the kind words.
Mary says
5 star!! This is the best bread recipe I have tried. So soft and yummy.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks so much.
Lisha says
Hi can I leave out the honey will I get the same outcome
ImmaculateBites says
You will get the same texture but the taste will vary. Replace with sugar , if possible.
Rolanda says
I made this bread shortly after you posted the recipe. I was a little intimidated, but I did it! And, big bonus, my family loved it!
ImmaculateBites says
YAY! So happy to hear to hear that.
Melernea L Neff says
Hi Imma. Love your recipes. Can I replace the butter with olive oil or lard? Thank you.
imma africanbites says
Hi. Yes, you can. Enjoy!
Millicent Aboagye says
A very good STAY-AT-HOME Work…I gonna try it tomorrow and if I succeed I’ll adopt it forever.
My eaters have been equesting for brioche and white bread…
Thanks a lot
Kem says
Hi,
Please can I use all purpose flour in the absence of bread flour?
ImmaculateBites says
Hello,
Yes you can.
Cathy Johnson says
Hi, I have 2 questions…can I use fast rising yeast?
Can I use regular all purpose flour?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you can to both questions.
sue kubecka says
Not having honey on hand, I used LA cane syrup. Yummy with a slight twist. No bread flour in this small community so just plain good white flour. I’ve been making bread for many yrs since I was a preteen and done every day. This is a good recipe. Will try it again with whole wheat flour and the cane syrup & a little brown sugar. Should be good then too. Thanks for your recipe; have compared it with my usual one and they are comparable.
This is the first time I’ve posted this; and the first time I’ve seen the recipe. No duplication as your site seems to suspect.
Imma Adamu says
I am doing a version with Wheat flour for my healthier audience. How did yours turn out? Enjoy
Bernie Anderson says
Hi.
My name is Bernie.
I have 2 questions for you.
1.
Can I use the same recipe for my bread baking machine?
2.
Can I halve the ingredients so that I can use the bread machine. We are only 2 people that will be eating the bread.
Kind regards
Bernie.
ImmaculateBites says
Hello Bernie,
Yes you can cut the recipe in half . Am not too sure about making it in a bread machine because I have no experience working with bread machine- sorry.
Brent Spelay says
Bernie I use bread machine on this to save kneading time and works great I suggest baking in the oven though it turns out better
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for sharing Brent. This will definitely help a lot of other readers.
Ruth says
Nice
Mrs Ayo E. says
Thank you so much, it’s long I have been looking for a platform where I can learn how to bake break myself, this platform has really taught me what I’ve been dying to learn. God bless you.
ImmaculateBites says
So happy to I could be of help. Thanks for giving it a try. God bless and be safe!
Bobie says
Can I replace regular white flour with Wheat Flour? If so, does the amount of liquids changes too? Please advise. Thank you, Bobie
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Bobie,
I would suggest only replacing half of flour with whole wheat flour . And add about 1/4 cup additional milk.
Hope this helps
Lyn Alhady says
Hi Imma, I’m wondering if you can share a wholemeal bread recipe too, as it’s my favourite. Thank you so much!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Lyn! I have tried making bread with 100% whole wheat flour and really didn’t like it at all . What I do is replace half of the flour with wheat flour and it works out well. I have a whole wheat bread roll recipe will update it and repost soon.
Jennifer says
Plz how did the top of the bread brown? I’m new here and I have tried baking a simple cake but it didn’t brown at all .
Immaculate Bites says
Hello Jennifer! The browning happens with baking bread, it has something to do with the ingredients and of course, the heat of your oven. 🙂 Hope this helps!