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Bread · Everyday baking

Easy White Bread so soft, two loaves at once

Six pantry ingredients, a stand mixer and about two hours give you two tall, fluffy loaves. It's the sandwich bread to make when you've never baked bread before.

  • Makes2 loaves
  • Bake30–35 min at 350°F
  • Totalabout 2 hours
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A sliced loaf of soft homemade white bread cooling on a wire rack
Fresh from our ovenGolden on top, pillowy inside.
From the Whiskable Kitchen

The loaf to master first

This is a no-fuss, all-purpose-flour bread: wake up the yeast, let the mixer do the kneading, and give it two short rises. A little sugar and melted butter keep the crumb tender, so the slices stay soft for sandwiches and toast all week.

The recipe makes two loaves. Keep one for now and freeze the other, or switch the batch size in the recipe card to make a single loaf.

For an even softer loaf: replace 1 cup of the warm water with 1 cup of warm milk. Keep both liquids at 110–120°F so the yeast stays happy.
Whiskable Kitchen recipe card for Easy White Bread showing the ingredients and five illustrated steps
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The recipe

Easy White Bread

Soft, fluffy sandwich bread made with all-purpose flour and a stand mixer.

Batch size
Makes2 loaves
Rise65–80 min
Bake30–35 min
Oven350°F / 175°C

Ingredients

Method

Activate the yeast

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water (110–120°F), sugar and yeast. Let it sit 5 minutes until foamy.

Mix and knead

  1. Add the flour, salt and melted butter. Mix with the dough hook on low for 1 minute.

  2. Increase to medium-low and knead 5–7 minutes, until the dough is smooth.

First proof

  1. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 40–50 minutes.

Shape the loaves

  1. Punch the dough down. If you're making two loaves, divide it into 2 equal pieces.

  2. Roll each piece into a 9×12-inch rectangle. Starting from a short side, roll it up tightly and pinch the seam closed.

  3. Place each loaf seam-side down in a greased loaf pan.

Second proof and bake

  1. Cover loosely and let rise 25–30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

  2. Brush the tops with melted butter. Bake 30–35 minutes, until golden brown.

  3. Turn the loaves out onto a rack and let them cool completely before slicing.

Tips & questions

Before you bake

How do I know the bread is done?

The tops should be deep golden, and the loaf should sound hollow when you tap the bottom. For a sure test, an instant-read thermometer in the center should read about 190°F.

Can I use instant yeast?

Yes, use the same amount. Instant yeast doesn't need to foam first, so you can add it with the flour. The first rise may finish a little sooner, so start checking at 30 minutes.

My water was too hot or too cold. Does it matter?

Yes. Water much above 120°F can kill the yeast, and cold water slows it down. If the mixture isn't foamy after 5–10 minutes, start again with fresh yeast.

How do I store it?

Once completely cool, keep it in a bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, slice it and freeze for up to 3 months, then toast straight from frozen.