Homemade White Bread Recipe (2026)
I started baking bread because a supermarket loaf went stale on my counter in two days and it annoyed me. This is the recipe I ended up with. It uses plain pantry ingredients, needs no special equipment, and makes a soft sandwich loaf that holds up to a thick layer of butter.
What You’ll Need
Makes one loaf, about 12 slices.
- 3½ cups (440 g) all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm water, around 40°C / 105°F
- ¼ cup (60 ml) warm milk
- 2¼ tsp instant or active dry yeast (one packet)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp softened butter or oil
- 1½ tsp salt
Bread flour gives a chewier, taller loaf. All-purpose is a bit softer. Either works fine.
Method
Wake up the yeast. Stir the water, milk, sugar, and yeast together in a big bowl and wait 5 to 10 minutes. You want a foamy top. No foam usually means dead yeast or water that was too hot, so start over rather than waste the flour.
Mix. Add the flour, salt, and butter. Stir until you have a rough, sticky dough.
Knead. Tip it onto a floured counter and knead for 8 to 10 minutes by hand, or about 6 with a dough hook. It should turn smooth and spring back when poked. To check, stretch a small piece. If you can see light through it before it tears, you’re done.
First rise. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and leave it somewhere warm for 1 to 1½ hours, until doubled.
Shape. Press out the air, roll the dough flat into a rectangle, then roll it up tight like a log. Pinch the seam shut and set it seam-side down in a greased 9×5-inch pan.
Second rise. Cover it again for 30 to 45 minutes. It’s ready when the dough sits about an inch above the rim.
Bake. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until deep golden. Tap the bottom. A hollow sound means it’s done, and a thermometer should read about 93°C (200°F) in the center.
Cool. Brush the top with melted butter and move the loaf to a wire rack. Wait at least an hour before cutting. I know that’s hard, but slicing early gives you a gummy middle.
Things I’ve Learned
Weigh your flour if you own a scale. Scooping with a cup packs in too much, and that’s the usual reason homemade bread turns out dense.
If your kitchen is cold, put the dough in the oven with only the light switched on. It stays just warm enough.
Don’t hurry the rises. A slower rise tastes better.
For variations, swap the sugar for honey, or brush the crust with beaten egg before baking for a shinier top.
Storing It
Leave the loaf in a bread box or sealed bag for up to 3 days. For longer, slice it and freeze it for up to 3 months. You can toast slices straight from frozen.
Worth the Effort
This loaf is forgiving. Slightly off measurements or a messy shaping job will still taste good. Once it feels easy, try replacing some of the flour with whole wheat, folding in herbs, or dividing the dough into rolls. Bake it this weekend and see how it compares with what you normally buy.
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