Soft White Bread Recipe for Beginners
Soft white bread stays fluffy and moist for days—learn the easy milk-rich recipe that yields cloud-like slices perfect for breakfast or snacks.
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose or bread flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons 1 packet active dry yeast
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 cup warm milk about 110°F/43°C
- ¼ cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine warm water, warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Add flour, salt, and butter. Mix until dough forms.
- Knead the dough by hand or in a stand mixer for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1–1.5 hours or until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and shape it into a loaf. Place into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.
- Cover and let rise again for about 45–60 minutes, until the dough domes above the edge of the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.