Description
This classic sandwich bread recipe yields a soft, tender loaf with a golden crust, perfect for homemade sandwiches or toasting. Made with simple ingredients like flour, yeast, milk, and butter, this bread is kneaded and baked to perfection, delivering a delightful texture and rich flavor suitable for everyday use.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (240ml) water, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
- 4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup; 56g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
Dry Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) Platinum Yeast from Red Star instant yeast (1 standard packet)
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 and 1/3 cups (about 420–430g) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm water, warm milk, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Add ingredients and mix: Add the butter, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add another cup of flour and beat on medium speed until ingredients are relatively combined, with some butter chunks remaining. Finally, add the remaining flour and beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes.
- Knead the dough: Continue kneading with the mixer for 5 to 8 minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for the same time until the dough is soft, slightly tacky, and passes the windowpane test. Add flour sparingly as needed to prevent stickiness but avoid drying out the dough.
- First Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Prepare the loaf pan: Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan to prevent sticking.
- Shape the bread: Punch down the risen dough to release air. Lightly flour a surface, your hands, and rolling pin. Roll dough into an approximately 8×15-inch rectangle, then roll it up into an 8-inch log. Place the dough seam side down into the prepared loaf pan.
- Second Rise: Cover the shaped loaf with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise for about 1 hour, or until the dough has risen approximately 1 inch above the loaf pan’s rim.
- Preheat Oven: Adjust oven rack to a lower position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Bake the bread: Bake for 32 to 36 minutes until golden brown on top. If the crust browns too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil after about 20 minutes. Check doneness by tapping for a hollow sound or using an instant-read thermometer to confirm an internal temperature of 195–200°F (90–93°C).
- Cool and store: Remove bread from oven and let it cool in the pan on a cooling rack for a few minutes before removing from pan. For best texture, allow bread to cool completely before slicing. Store tightly covered at room temperature for up to 6 days or refrigerate longer.
Notes
- Use bread flour for a chewier texture or all-purpose flour for a softer crumb.
- Be careful not to add too much flour during kneading to avoid dry bread.
- The dough should feel slightly tacky but not sticky after kneading.
- Letting the bread cool completely before slicing ensures cleaner slices.
- Storing bread in a sealed container helps maintain freshness.
- If the bread is stored in the refrigerator, bring slices to room temperature or toast before eating.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: sandwich bread, homemade bread, yeast bread, soft bread, classic loaf, baking bread
