The Ultimate Sandwich Bread Recipe for Soft, Fluffy Loaves

Nothing is as magical as homemade sandwich bread, and more will come! From the smell of yeast to seeing that first slice, homemade bread always beats store-bought bread (both in flavour and cost). Soft and fluffy with a slightly sweet taste, this basic sandwich bread recipe is perfect for sandwiches or toast—even just enjoying it slathered in butter.

Having bred and buttered bread may seem daunting, but it isn’t if you read the recipe to create a warm crust exterior yet delicate interior. If you are a novice baker or have experience, this simple sandwich bread recipe will become obligatory in your home-office-home cycle.

Why Bake Bread for Your Sandwich?

Making your bread is not only about how great homemade bread tastes but also about its qualities and freshness. These are your ingredients, so you may make it free of preservatives and healthy with refined grains or even play around with the flavors. Yes, freshly house-made bread from the oven has a texture and taste quality that is quite tough for factory-manufactured loaves.

Baking bread can become a quaint tradition for families. Its scent makes a home feel warm.

Best Sandwich Bread Recipe Ingredients

So, we have a bit of sandwich bread here — no need for this pleasing loaf to be any fancier than good toast and jam.

• 4 cups (500g) bread flour – Adds structure and chew to the loaf.
• 1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp) — Provides rises.
• Sugar: 2 tablespoons gives the dough some sweetness and helps activate the yeast.
• Warm Water 1¼ cups (300ml) — The dough is hydrated and liquid-based.
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter Softness– Richness & flavor.
• 1 teaspoon salt — to season it a bit.
• Optional: 1 Tbsp powdered milk helps make the bread soft.

Each of these five ingredients plays a role in producing the perfect loaf of sandwich bread, so measure carefully!

How to Make Sandwich Bread: Step-by-Step Instructions

Activate the Yeast

First, add warm water(you can measure by 110°F/45°C, hot enough to dissolve the sugar but still won’t kill the yeast), and then mix in a little sugar. Add your active dry yeast on top as well. Allow the mixture to rest undisturbed for 5-10 minutes or until it becomes frothy. Ensures you have live yeast

Mix the Dough

Mix the bread flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Combine the yeast in the water with a wooden spoon or an electric stand grain mixer equipped to achieve dough land. Gradually work in the softened butter, kneading until it’s completely absorbed into the dough.

Knead the Dough

When the dough comes together, turn it onto a well-floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Knead the dough on low speed until well-blended and soft (5-7 minutes if using a stand mixer).

First Rise

Form the dough into a ball, then place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise warmly for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in bulk.

Shape the Loaf

Once the dough has finally risen, flatten it to release all that air. Tip this out onto a floured surface and shape it into a rectangle. Tightly roll from one end to the other as if shaping a loaf. Roll the seam tight and fold the ends underneath in a sheath.

Form the dough into a loaf and place it seam-side down in a greased 9×5-inch pan.

Second Rise

Cover the loaf pan with a towel and let the dough rise for 45 minutes or until it’s doubled above the rim of your bread pan.

Bake the Bread

To start, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the loaf turns golden brown and gives a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. About halfway through baking, tent with foil if the top is browning too quickly.

Cool and Slice

Remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before slicing.

Congrats — you now have yourself a lovely loaf of mild sandwich bread!

Homemade Sandwich Bread Recipe Tips

Even though this sandwich bread recipe is designed to be super dependable, below are a few additional things that you can do so that your results achieve the best every time:

• Yeast: Mix the yeast with warm water and sugar until foamy. This is called proofing your yeast. If it doesn’t foam, the yeast is expired or no longer active. New yeast is best for a good rise.
• Thermometer: This helps to check the temperature of the water before you add it so that you do not kill your yeast, which will ruin everything.
• Allow the dough to rise all the way: Breadmaking requires patience. Your bread should increase again in the bowl so it can be airy.
• Watch the Bake: Ovens vary, so at 25 minutes in, check on the bread to ensure it’s not over-baking. If the crust gets too brown, you may cover it with foil to prevent burning.

Homemade Sandwich Bread Recipe

Recipe by Chef SarahCourse: BreadCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

1

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

150

kcal

Ingredients

• 4 cups (500g) bread flour

• 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 ¼ cups (300ml) warm water

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• Optional: 1 tablespoon powdered milk

Directions

• Proof Yeast: Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
• Mix dough: Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture, mixing until a dough forms. Gradually add the softened butter until well blended.
• Knead: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead it for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, or 5-7 minutes with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
• First Rise: Grease a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in it. Cover it to prevent it from drying (i.e., secure it tightly with aluminium foil OR clear plastic wrap). Then, let the bread rise in a warm spot until doubled, 1-1 hour and 30 minutes.
• 15 Shape Loaf: Punch down your dough and form it into a loaf shape. Bake in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
• Line the Proofing Basket and let the dough rise again for 45 minutes.
  Preheat Oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake Cook for 30-35 minutes until the tops are golden brown. The bottom should sound hollow.
• Cool: Remove the cake from the Oven and let it cool in a pan for 10 minutes before removing it. Let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• The optimal water temperature is 105°F to 110°F for activating the yeast.
• Add 1 tbsp of powdered milk to the dough if you want it extra soft.
• Store bread at room temperature in a bread box or a clean kitchen towel for up to 3 days.

More Recipes to Try

• Irresistible Cane’s Sauce Recipe – The Ultimate Copycat You’ll Love {10 minutes}
• Cottage Cheese Flatbread: A Nutritious and Delicious Recipe {20 minutes}
• Best Rotel Dip Recipe for Game Day {15 minutes}

Variations of Sandwich Bread to Try

After you learn this fool-proof sandwich bread recipe, play around with the ingredients to your heart’s desire. Here are a few ideas:

• Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread: Replace 50% of the bread flour with whole wheat for a healthier loaf

• This can become Honey Oat Bread: Add two tablespoons of honey and sprinkle the dough with rolled oats before the second rice.

• Cheese And Herb Bread: To turn X into a savory recipe, add 1 cup of shredded cheddar and toss in another tablespoon of dried herbs.

They add variety to your homemade bread, yet you know they still bear that soft, squishy texture typical for a sandwich loaf.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Homemade sandwich bread is not just easy to make and less expensive than store-bought, but it’s a hands-on process that fills your kitchen with the warming beauty of freshly baked bread — and yields delicious soft slices for any filling you can dream up. Thanks to this simple sandwich bread recipe, you can too.

You can eat it as a sandwich, toast it for breakfast, or smother it in butter warm from the oven. However you decide to eat it, the flavor and texture will be precisely what only homemade bread can provide.

Helpful Resources for Perfecting Your Sandwich Bread Recipe

For those exploring the wide world of bread-making or interested in a specific skill lately, some helpful external resources are:

• Guide on Yeast Types: If you’re curious about the different types of yeast used in bread baking and how they affect your dough, check out King Arthur Flour’s Guide to Yeast. It explains the differences between active dry yeast, instant yeast, and fresh yeast.
• How to Knead Dough for Beginners: Kneading dough can be tricky for first-timers. Here’s a helpful tutorial on How to Knead Dough by Hand from King Arthur Baking, perfect for beginners learning to master this critical step.
• Bread Baking Tools: To ensure you have the right tools for bread-making success, consider checking out this comprehensive list of Essential Bread-Baking Tools by Sur La Table. The right tools make a big difference, from dough scrapers to high-quality loaf pans.
• Professional Bread-Baking Techniques: If you want to take your bread-making skills to the next level, you can explore advanced techniques and tips from professional bakers at The Bread Bakers Guild of America, a highly respected resource for serious bakers.

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