Description
This easy homemade bread recipe produces two soft, fluffy loaves with a golden crust and tender crumb. Made from simple pantry staples like active dry yeast, bread flour, and vegetable oil, it’s beginner-friendly and perfect for sandwiches, toast, and everyday meals. With only about 20 minutes of active prep time and classic rise-and-bake techniques, this recipe yields cost-effective, bakery-quality bread that stays fresh for days and makes a wonderful base for a variety of dishes.
Ingredients
Scale
Yeast Mixture
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 2¼ cups warm water (about 105-110°F)
- 1 pinch sugar
Dough
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 5½ – 6½ cups bread flour
Optional Topping
- Butter for topping (melted, optional)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, dissolve the active dry yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar. Wait until the mixture becomes bubbly and foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Dough: Add the remaining sugar, salt, vegetable oil, and 4 cups of bread flour to the yeast mixture. Mix with a dough hook or by hand until smooth.
- Add Remaining Flour and Knead: Gradually add the remaining 1½ to 2½ cups of bread flour, ½ cup at a time, to form a soft, slightly sticky dough that just barely sticks to your finger. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic, then shape it into a ball.
- First Rise: Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough inside, turning once to coat the top with oil as well. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot for about one hour, or until it doubles in size.
- Shape Loaves: After the first rise, punch down the dough gently and divide it in half. On a lightly floured or nonstick surface, roll each half into a long rectangle about 8 inches wide. Starting at the short edge, roll up each rectangle tightly to form cylinders approximately 8 inches wide.
- Second Rise: Place the shaped dough, seam side down, into lightly greased loaf pans. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again for one hour, or until the dough is ½ to 1 inch above the pan’s rim.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake the loaves for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and they sound hollow when tapped.
- Cool and Serve: Optionally brush baked loaves with melted butter for a soft, glossy crust. Transfer loaves to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing. Makes 2 loaves.
Notes
- Measure flour accurately to avoid dense bread; dough should be slightly tacky, not dry or overly sticky.
- Proper yeast activation is essential; ensure it foams when mixed with warm water and sugar.
- Watch rise times carefully to avoid under-proofing (dense bread) or over-proofing (collapsed dough).
- Bread flour yields better texture and rise but all-purpose flour can be substituted or improved by adding 1 teaspoon vital wheat gluten per cup.
- Butter or oil the plastic wrap when covering dough to prevent sticking.
- Store cooled bread in a sealed bag at room temperature for 2-3 days or freeze for up to 3-4 months.
- To freeze dough, add an extra teaspoon of yeast, rise once, shape into loaves, freeze on a baking sheet, then wrap tightly. Thaw and proof before baking.
- This bread is versatile and perfect for recipes like French toast, grilled cheese, garlic bread, and homemade croutons.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: homemade bread, easy bread recipe, soft white bread, beginner bread, baked bread, sandwich bread
