Soft, fluffy homemade sandwich bread that’s perfect for toast, sandwiches, or just slathering with butter! This easy recipe uses simple ingredients for a loaf that’s better than store-bought and so much more satisfying. Whether you’re a beginner baker or a seasoned pro, this foolproof bread is sure to become a family favorite.
Recommended Equipment
- stand mixer with dough hook
- bread pan
- stove pot
- measuring cups and spoons
- rolling pin
Ingredients for making this homemade sandwich bread recipe
- water
- milk – I use oat milk but use your preference
- sugar – I use raw cane sugar in this recipe
- yeast – I use and prefer Fleischmann’s instant dry yeast (you can buy it in bulk and store it in the freezer)
- salt
- unsalted butter – room temperature
- flour – I use unbleached all-purpose flour
Instructions for making homemade sandwich bread
1. Warm the water and milk on the stove until steaming, but not yet simmering or boiling.
2. Combine the warm water, milk, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it rest for 10 or so minutes for the yeast to bloom.
3. Add the salt, butter, and flour. Mix on low speed for approximately 5 minutes. Then mix on medium speed for an additional 5 minutes or until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. If you need to add an additional tablespoon of flour, do so. Then mix briefly until the dough is no longer sticking to the bowl. The dough should be relatively soft, smooth looking and not very sticky.
4. Grease the bowl and cover the dough. Then place it in a warm environment to rise until it’s nearly doubled in size. I prefer to place the dough in my oven with the light on, or on the center of my stovetop if my oven has been on recently or is being used for something else at the time. This provides the dough with just enough warmth to rise (in my kitchen) without getting too hot.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
6. Roll the dough with a rolling pin into a rectangle approximately 8×16 inches in size on a lightly floured surface.
7. Now starting from the left side (8 inch length), roll the dough to the right (it should look like a fruit roll up). Do this very gently and don’t pull or create tension in the dough. Place the dough into your prepared (lightly greased) bread pan.
8. Cover with greased plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm place until the top of the dough is about an inch above the pan.
9. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees F. Time will vary slightly.
10. Rest the bread for 10 minutes in the bread pan before removing.
Storage recommendations
In the freezer – store cooked and cooled, sliced bread, for up to 3 months.
Or, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
At room temperature – homemade sandwich bread can be stored in an airtight container (I use my cake stand with a cover), for up to 4 days. I recommend not pre-slicing it if you store it at room temperature as that will cause the bread to dry out and become stale more quickly.
Common Questions
Is it worth making your own sandwich bread?
In my opinion, yes. The process is simple, doesn’t take much of your time and the result is a deliciously soft and fluffy bread. It is my opinion that homemade bread is a healthier option simply because it contains less ingredients, no preservatives, no dyes, and no artificial flavors.
Why is my homemade bread so dense and heavy?
This can happen for a few reasons so it might take some trial and error on your part to get to the bottom line.
One of the culprits of dense bread is inactive yeast. This is why it’s an important first step in the recipe to let the yeast bloom before making the dough. If it doesn’t bloom, your yeast is likely inactive.
Another culprit resulting in a heavy, dense loaf of bread is not having enough liquid (milk and water) to keep the flour hydrated. This is why adding extra flour should only be done if absolutely necessary to be able to handle the dough without it sticking to your hands. And it should only be added a tablespoon at a time.
Lastly, not giving the dough enough rising time. You want to allow the dough adequate time for it to double in size before you shape it, rest for it’s second rise, and bake it.
Why did my homemade sandwich bread fall apart?
This often happens if you’ve added too much flour to the dough. This can be tempting to do when the dough feels sticky, but trust the process! Adding too much flour will leave the dough without enough liquid to keep it hydrated. Thus, resulting in a dry and crumbly loaf of bread.
Is homemade bread really healthier?
This can vary depending on the ingredients. But ultimately it is my opinion that bread made without preservatives would be healthier than bread made with them.
Can I freeze homemade bread?
Yes! After baking, let the bread cool completely before slicing it, wrapping it in an airtight container or bag, and putting it in the freezer. It can be kept frozen for up to 3 months.
How long does homemade bread last?
At room temperature, bread should be good for 2-3 days as long as it is kept dry and covered or in an airtight container. It can also be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week as long as it is covered or again, in an airtight container.
Tried and liked this recipe? Give it a rating and leave a comment below! Then snap a photo and tag us over on IG @ _jchandelle
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Homemade Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- 1 Loaf pan
- 1 Standmixer with dough hook
- 1 Stove pot or microwave safe bowl To heat milk
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Warm water
- ¼ Cup Milk I use oat milk, but any variety will work
- 2 ¼ Tsp Active dry yeast
- 2 Tbsp Sugar Cane sugar or other
- 4 Tbsp Unsalted butter Softened
- 1.5 Tsp Salt
- 3.5 Cups Flour
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Instructions
- Warm the water and milk on the stove until steaming, but not yet simmering or boiling.1/4 Cup Milk, 1 Cup Warm water
- Combine the warm water, milk, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it rest for 10 or so minutes for the yeast to bloom.2 1/4 Tsp Active dry yeast, 2 Tbsp Sugar
- Add the salt, butter, and flour. Mix on low speed for approximately 5 minutes. Then mix on medium speed for an additional 5 minutes or until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. If you need to add an additional tablespoon of flour, do so. Then mix briefly until the dough is no longer sticking to the bowl. The dough should be relatively soft, smooth looking and not very sticky.4 Tbsp Unsalted butter, 1.5 Tsp Salt, 3.5 Cups Flour
- Grease the bowl and cover the dough. Then place it in a warm environment to rise until it's nearly doubled in size. This is the first rise.I prefer to place the dough in my oven with the light on, or on the center of my stovetop if my oven has been on recently or is being used for something else at the time. This provides the dough with just enough warmth to rise (in my kitchen) without getting too hot.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 8×16 inches in size on a lightly floured surface.
- Now starting from the left side (8" in length), roll the dough to the right (it should look like a fruit roll up). Do this very gently and don't pull or create tension in the dough. Place the dough into your prepared (lightly greased) bread pan.
- Cover with greased plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm place until the top of the dough is about an inch above the edge of the pan.This usually takes about an hour.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees F. Time will vary slightly.
- Rest the bread for 10 minutes in the bread pan before removing.
This is the most soft, delicious homemade sandwich bread! My family can’t get enough!