Description
This soft and fluffy homemade white bread is perfect for sandwiches, toast, or enjoying fresh with butter. Easy to make with simple ingredients, it delivers bakery-quality results from your own kitchen.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 3 cups warm water (just warm to the touch, not hot)
- 2 packets dry yeast (0.25 oz each)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 7 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Activate Yeast:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the yeast and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir to mix and let it sit for 5 minutes to activate.
- Combine Ingredients:
- Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of warm water, 3 tablespoons of room-temperature butter, sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture.
- Mix Dough:
- Add 4 cups of flour to the mixing bowl and stir to combine. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, mix on low speed for 10 minutes while gradually adding the remaining 3 cups of flour.
- The dough should form a ball that is tacky but not sticky. It should clean the sides of the bowl as it mixes. Adjust with flour by the tablespoon if needed but avoid adding too much.
- Shape Dough:
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Shape into a ball without kneading and dust lightly with flour if it feels sticky.
- First Rise:
- Place the dough ball into a large, oiled bowl, turning it to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Shape Loaves:
- Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and divide it into two equal portions. Flatten each portion gently to remove air pockets. Shape into rectangles, roll into tight cylinders, and tuck the ends under.
- Place each cylinder into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Butter and Bake:
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brush over the loaves.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Cool and Serve:
- Remove from the oven and brush with any remaining melted butter. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Use fresh yeast for the best results. Old yeast may not activate properly.
- Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot, such as an unheated oven.
- Cover with foil during baking if the tops brown too quickly.
- Store bread in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic. Consume promptly, as it contains no preservatives.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 120kcal
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 10mg