White Bread Recipe

White bread sliced and served with butter.

4.98 from 48 votes

White Bread Recipe

White Bread Recipe makes two soft homemade loaves with warm water, rapid rise yeast, sugar, bread flour, salt, and canola oil.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

proofing time2 30

Total Time3 15

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: loaves

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Ingredients

2¼ cups warm water (110–115°F)
2¼ teaspoons rapid rise yeast (1 packet)
3 tablespoons +½ teaspoon sugar, divided
5-6 cups bread flour, divided
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil

Topping

butter (optional)

Instructions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and ½ teaspoon sugar in warm water; let stand until bubbles form on the surface.
In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and the salt.
Stir oil into yeast mixture, then pour into flour mixture and mix until smooth. Stir in remaining flour ½ cup at a time to form a soft dough.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Place in a large, greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1½-2 hours.
Punch dough down and place onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half and shape each piece into a loaf.
Place in two greased 5-x-9-inch loaf pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1-1½ hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake loaves for 26-34 minutes, or until golden brown and bread has reached an internal temperature of 200 degrees F (bread should sound hollow when tapped).
Remove bread from pans and transfer to wire racks to cool. Brush tops with butter while warm.

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips.

Check the water temperature so it is warm enough to activate the yeast but not so hot that it kills it.
Add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time so the dough stays soft instead of too dry.
Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic for the best texture.
Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled for light, fluffy loaves.
Make-ahead tip: bake both loaves, cool completely, then freeze one tightly wrapped for later.

Freeze the dough. After the first rise, punch down the dough, shape it into a loaf, and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer until solid. Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet, wrap each loaf tightly with plastic wrap, and store in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag for 3-4 months

When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap from the frozen loaf and place it in a greased baking pan. Lightly spray one side of a new piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed side down, over the pan. Refrigerate overnight to thaw, then move the pan to the counter to finish rising until doubled in size. Once fully risen, remove the plastic wrap and bake as usual.

Store. Once the bread has completely cooled, store it in an airtight container, a plastic bread bag, or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil for 3-4 days. Store at room temperature. Avoid the fridge, as it can cause the bread to go stale faster.

Freeze baked bread. Slice the loaf or freeze it whole. You can either place the bread directly into a freezer-safe Ziploc bag, or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then again with aluminum foil before freezing for up to 3 months.

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