Classic White Bread

This is a great recipe to try if your new or haven’t been successful in bread making. This easy white bread recipe is so soft, you’ll never buy bread again!

The key is first, starting off with activated yeast.

Place warm water in a bowl with the yeast and sugar. Wait at least 5 minutes until bubbles start to foam.

• Warm water should be between 110-115 degrees. If the water is not warm enough, it will not activate the yeast. If its too hot, it will kill the yeast.
• I usually warm my water in the microwave in a microwaveable glass measuring cup. I’ve estimated time for warm water to be around 1 minute and 5 seconds give or take a few seconds or so.
• If the water feels too hot with a finger test, it probably is.

Add in the butter, salt, and 2 c. of the flour and turn stand up mixer on low with paddle attachment.

Add in the remaining 3/4 c. of flour slowly. (First time I did this recipe, I did not follow this part of the directions carefully. I added too much flour.) Make sure you don’t add more than 3 c. of flour.

Once everything is mixed, turn dough into a greased or cooking sprayed bowl and let it rise in a warm space covered with a towel or saran wrap for about 30 minutes.

Grease a 8.5 x 4.5 bread pan.

Sprinkle flour on your hands and on the dough and form into a loaf shape. Place the dough in the greased bread pan. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise another 30 minutes or until the dough is level with the top of the pan.

Turn oven to 375 degrees.

Bake bread for 40 minutes, turning the bread pan at the 20 minute mark.

When the bread comes out, brush with butter while it’s still warm.

Serving: 1 loaf

Course: Side dish

Prep time: 15 minutes

Bake time: 40 minutes

Total time: Close to 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp yeast
• 1 1/3 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 3/4 c. bread flour (3 c. max!)
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp unsalted melted butter
• 1 tbsp butter to brush on top after its baked

Instructions:

1. Place sugar and yeast in a stand up mixer bowl.
2. Add warm water to the sugar and yeast. (warm, not hot water)
3. Wait at least 5 minutes for the yeast to activate and start to foam in the bowl.
4. Add the melted butter, salt, and 2 c. bread flour to the mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment on start to mix on low speed for 2 minutes.
5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add another 3/4- 1 c. of bread flour in slowly for 1-2 minutes on low speed. (don’t be tempted to add more flour.)
6. Spray another bowl with cooking spray and place the yeast in the bowl. Cover with saran wrap or a towel for 30 minutes.
7. Spray a 8.5 x 4.5 bread loaf pan.
8. Sprinkle some flour on your hands and the risen bread dough and shape into a loaf shape in your hands.
9. Place the shaped dough in the bread pan, cover, and let it rise until its at least leveled with the bread pan. Estimated waiting time around 30 minutes.
10. Set oven for 375.
11. Uncover the bread dough and bake the dough for 40 minutes in the oven. Turn the bread pan around at the 20 minute mark. (even out the heat on the bread.)
12. Bake bread for 40 minutes.
13. When you take the bread out, place on a cooling rack. Brush the bread while warm with remaining 1 tbsp of butter.

If you like this easy white bread recipe, try my cinnamon swirl bread.

Recipe adapted from Si at The Bountiful Kitchen.