Look no further for the BEST and simplest homemade Bread recipe made with just six simple pantry ingredients! It’s the perfect white bread for sandwiches and it freezes well too!

Our favorite way to eat freshly baked bread is with homemade strawberry, raspberry, or peach jam.  It’s simply heaven.

A loaf of homemade bread with three slices cut from it.

There are so many things to love about this bread recipe, but if I had to highlight the best parts, it’s that it only requires shelf stable ingredients (no milk, eggs or butter needed!) and it’s EASY and fool-proof to make! Whether you’re a newbie or experienced bread maker, you can’t mess this up, and I know you’re going to love it!

Ingredients needed:

  • Warm water: (105-115 degrees)- to activate the yeast.
  • Active Dry yeast: Instant or rapid rise yeast can be substituted, following my adaption notes in the recipe card.
  • Granulated sugar or honey: the sugar is used to “feed” the yeast and tenderize the bread.
  • Salt: to enhance flavor
  • Oil: Vegetable or canola oil, or melted butter could be substituted
  • Flour: Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour can both be used with no changes to the recipe. The exact amount of flour used will vary depending on different factors (altitude/humidity etc.). What matters is the texture of the dough. It should be smooth and pull away from the sides of the bowl. It’s important not to add too much flour or your bread will be dense. The dough should be just slightly sticky when touched with a clean finger.

The ingredients needed to make bread including flour, sugar, yeast, water, oil and salt.

Pro Tips:

  1. Use fresh yeast! If your yeast is expired or bad, the bread will not rise properly. We will test it in step 1 of the recipe. Store yeast in the refrigerator to maintain best quality.
  2. To speed up the bread rise time: Make dough up to first rising, placing it in a well greased bowl, turning it once to grease the dough all over. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Preheat oven to 180 degrees F, then turn oven off. Place bowl into the oven, leaving the oven door slightly cracked open. Allow to rise until doubled. Then remove, punch down and shape into loaves.

Do I need a Bread Maker or Stand Mixer?

NO! You don’t need any special equipment for this white bread recipe. If you have a stand mixer it makes the process easier, but you can simply use a mixing bowl and wooden spoon, and then knead the dough with your hands. You can use bread machine with this recipe if you have one, but you may need to cut the recipe in half (to make just 1 loaf), depending on your machines capacity.

How to make Bread:

  1. Proof the yeast: In a large bowl or stand mixer add the yeast, water and a pinch of the sugar or honey. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes until foaming and bubbly. (This is called “proofing” the yeast, to make sure it is active. If it doesn’t foam, the yeast is no good, and you need to start over with fresh yeast).
  2. Prepare the dough: Add remaining sugar or honey, salt, oil, and 3 cups of flour. Mix to combine. Add another cup of flour and mix to combine. With the mixer running add more flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
  3. Knead the dough: Mix the dough for 5 minutes on medium speed (or knead with your hands on a lightly floured surface, for 5-8 minutes). The dough should be smooth and elastic, and slightly stick to a clean finger, but not be overly sticky.
  4. First Rise: Grease a large bowl with oil or cooking spray and place the dough inside. Cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place* until doubled in size (about 1 ½ hours).

Four process photos for making bread dough in a mixer.

5. Punch the dough down really well to remove air bubbles.

6. Divide into two equal portions. Shape each ball into long logs and place into greased loaf pans.

7. Second rise: Spray two pieces of plastic wrap with cooking spray and lay them gently over the pans. Allow dough to rise again for about 45 minutes to one hour, or until risen 1 inch above the loaf pans.

8.Bake: Adjust oven racks to lower/middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake bread for about 30-33 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Give the top of a loaf a gentle tap; it should sound hollow.

Four process photos for shaping and baking homemade bread.

Invert the baked loaves onto a wire cooling rack. Brush the tops with butter and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

A loaf of homemade white bread cooling on a wire rack.

Storing: Once cool, store bread in an airtight container or bag for 2-3 days at room temperature, or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:

To make ahead: Make the bread dough through step 4, before the first rise. Place in a large airtight container, and refrigerate for up to one day. Remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Proceed with punching down and forming loaves.

To freeze bread dough: Prepare the recipe through step (6), before the second rise. Place the shaped loaves into a freezer-safe or disposable aluminum bread pan. Cover tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, allow the loaves to thaw and complete the second rise, at room temperature (about 5 hours). Bake as directed.

To freeze baked bread: Allow baked bread to cool completely. Place each loaf in a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature on the countertop, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Variations:

  • Cinnamon swirl bread: After punching dough down and dividing into two pieces (step 7) roll each piece out into a large rectangle. Mix ¼ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon together.  Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top, leaving a 1-inch border around the sides. Roll the dough up very tightly into a log. Pinch the ends to seal and place into prepared loaf pans, seam side down. Continue with step 8.
  • Raisin Bread – Add 2 cups of raisins to the bread dough in step 3, then follow instructions above for adding cinnamon swirl.
  • Rolls 
  • Breadsticks 
  • Whole Wheat Bread
  • Artisan Bread
  • Pizza Dough

Three slices of buttered bread.Uses for Leftover Bread:

Homemade bread will dry out after 2-3 days, but I have many recipes that use bread slices, including:

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Recipe

A loaf of homemade bread with three slices cut from it.
Prep 15 mins
Cook 30 mins
Rise time: 3 hrs
Total 3 hrs 45 mins
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Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)
  • 1 Tablespoons active dry yeast*
  • 1/4 cup honey or sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 Tablespoons oil (canola or vegetable)
  • 4 - 5 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour*

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer add the yeast, water and a pinch of the sugar or honey. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes until foaming and bubbly. (This is called “proofing” the yeast, to make sure it is active. If it doesn’t foam, the yeast is no good, and you need to start over with fresh yeast).
  • Add remaining sugar or honey, salt, oil, and 3 cups of flour. Mix to combine.
  • Add another cup of flour and mix to combine. With the mixer running add more flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be smooth and elastic, and slightly stick to a clean finger, but not be overly sticky. Add a little more flour, if needed.
  • Knead the dough: Mix the dough for 4-5 minutes on medium speed (or knead with your hands on a lightly floured surface, for 5-8 minutes).
  • First Rise: Grease a large bowl with oil or cooking spray and place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place* until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
  • Spray two 9x5'' bread pans generously with cooking spray on all sides. (I also like to line the bottom of the pans with a small piece of parchment or wax paper, but this is optional.)
  • Punch the dough down well to remove air bubbles. Divide into two equal portions. Shape each ball into long logs and place into greased loaf pans.
  • Second rise: Spray two pieces of plastic wrap with cooking spray and lay them gently over the pans. Allow dough to rise again for about 45 minutes to one hour, or until risen about 1 inch above the loaf pans. Gently removing covering.
  • Bake: Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake bread for about 30-33 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Give the top of a loaf a gentle tap; it should sound hollow.
  • Invert the loaves onto a wire cooling rack. Brush the tops with butter and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
  • Once cool, store in an airtight container or bag for 2-3 days at room temperature, or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Notes

Flour: Bread flour or all-purpose can both be used with no changes to the recipe. Bread flour will produce a slightly chewier loaf. Whole wheat flour can’t be substituted cup-for-cup because it’s gluten levels are different. Here is my favorite Whole Wheat Bread recipe.
Yeast: to substitute Instant or Rapid Rise yeast, skip the “proofing” of the dough in the first step and add the yeast to the bowl with step 2. Allow the dough to complete its first rise, and then roll and shape into loaves and rise again (rise times will be much faster with instant yeast). 
Quick-rise Tip: To speed up the rising time of the first rise, make dough up to first rising, placing it in a well greased bowl, turning it once to grease the dough all over. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Preheat oven to 180 degrees F, then turn oven off. Place bowl into the oven, leaving the oven door slightly cracked open. Allow to rise until doubled. Then remove, punch down and shape into loaves.
To make ahead: Make the bread dough through step 4, before the first rise. Place in a large airtight container, and refrigerate for up to one day. Remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Proceed with punching down and forming loaves.
Freezing Instructions:
To freeze the dough: Prepare the recipe through step (6), before the second rise. Place the shaped loaves into a freezer-safe or disposable aluminum bread pan. Cover tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, allow the loaves to thaw and complete the second rise, at room temperature (about 5 hours). Bake as directed.
To freeze baked bread: Allow baked bread to cool completely. Place each loaf in a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature on the countertop, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Bread Machine: If using a bread machine, you may want to cut this recipe in half to make 1 loaf (depending on the capacity of your machine).

Nutrition

Calories: 202kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 5gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 196mgPotassium: 56mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gCalcium: 8mgIron: 2mg

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. I’ve been looking for a bread recipe that uses a mixer for kneading. I just bought a spiral replacement dough hook for my old Hobart Kitchenaid mixer. Should I use the same mixing instructions that you gave for your Bosch mixer? Thnks for your help!

  2. Made this bread in a competition with my wife. Kids were the judge. Dad won!!

    This is now Dad’s staple bread. So simple, so easy. Family loves it!

  3. 5 stars
    I’m new to making bread, second time making bread ever. This recipe was so easy and it was so good too. Definitely a keeper. Thank You!

  4. 5 stars
    I would have given this recipe 10 stars if I could have …..nice light Fluffy bread soft brown crust …and I used honey instead of sugar.
    LOVE LOVE LOVE this bread.

  5. 5 stars
    I have literally been searching for a good, basic sandwich bread recipe for years, only to be disappointed with the results. Came across yours and thought, why not, I’ll give it go. It’s not good…it’s great!!! I appreciated the carefully curated instructions and the helpful added notes. I have actually made it twice now, and both loaves (I divided the recipe in half) were delightfully successful. Both times, I did divide the flour quantity evenly between bread and all-purpose. Made for some pretty fantastic French toast, too! Thank you!

  6. 3 stars
    Recipe was easy to follow- thanks for that. My husband was so anxious for it, he said it smelled so good- it was still rising.
    I don’t think next time I’ll cover the second rise though as it flattened out when I removed the plastic wrap.
    Baking now and I’m sure it will be deeeee-licious.
    Thanks again.

    1. Next time be sure to spray the plastic wrap with non-stick cooking spray, as directed. That way it wont stick to the dough!

  7. I’m new to baking.. I made this recipe and made the 3x bc I needed to make 3 loafs.. well I didn’t know each recipe on here for 1x made 2 loaves. Well. Let’s just say I should of had 6 loaves and I only had 3 by the end of it.. they were still doughy in the center but hard as a rock on the outside trying to get the center to cook.. ooooooppppssss. Lol. Well lesson learned. … But for what I did get to taste it was delish.. I used local raw honey for the sugar it was super yummy.. nust time I make this I’m going to make garlic flavored and a cinnamon raisin one as well. And maybe a lemon blueberry. I’ll just have to play around with it… Thank you so much.

  8. 5 stars
    Tried many recipes for bread. I followed this one to the letter. Not only did my bread turned out beautifully but the taste is the best. ❤️❤️❤️

  9. 5 stars
    Yesterday was my first time making bread, i followed the recipe and it was amazing, very delicious bread and easy to make , i am baking again today lol, but this time gonna use milk and butter
    Thanks for your recipe

  10. 5 stars
    Delicious white bread recipie, and simple too!!! Definaltly a family favorite.

    Have you ever made cinnamon bread with this recipie? If so, any suggestions?
    Thanks

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