Best White Bread Recipe
This is a basic white bread recipe, and super simple! These loaves bake up so high, soft, and fluffy… the ultimate white bread!
Are you a bread fanatic? Isn’t there something so great about a great piece of bread? Whether spread on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some grilled cheese, a tall sandwich stacked with fixings, or simply buttering a piece… I’ve always considered it great comfort food.
I’ve shared a variety of bread recipes and this one is my favorite by far! I prepare a batch every few weeks!
Yield: 20 (2 (9-inch) loaves)
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Resting time: 1-hour 40minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 4½ teaspoons instant yeast, 2 (0.25-ounce) packets
- ¾ cup + 2⅔ cups warm water, separated
- ¼ cup (52 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 3 tablespoons (43 g) cubed unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 9–10 cups (1200 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter, melted, for brushing
Instructions
In the bowl of a mixer, mix the yeast into ¾ cup (180ml) of the warm water to dissolve, and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2⅔ cups (640ml) water, sugar, salt, room-temperature butter, and 5 cups of flour.
With the dough hook in place, mix at low speed and sprinkle in the rest of the flour, adding until the dough is soft and tacky, but not sticky (you may not need all of the flour). Knead until it forms a soft ball of dough that clears the sides of the bowl, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn it over to coat it completely. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a draft-free spot until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Make a floured surface, and turn the dough out onto it. Lightly press it down all over to get rid of any air pockets. Split the dough in half and, working with one piece at a time, gently pat it into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Starting on the short end, roll up the rectangle into a very tight cylinder. Pinch to join the seams and the ends, tuck the ends of the loaf until it is the bread, and place into greased 9-inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves loosely and set in a draft-free place until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.
Move an oven rack to the lowest setting and heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Baste the loaves with some of the melted butter. Bake the loaves until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through (an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle should read 195 degrees F).
Take out of the oven and immediately brush with more melted butter. Let cool for 10 minutes then turn out of the pans and cool completely before slicing. Store the bread, in an airtight bread bag or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for 1 month.
