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Homemade White Bread Recipe

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3.9 from 72 reviews

  • Author: Amina
  • Total Time: 5 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 2 loaves (serves 2-4 people)

Description

This classic White Bread Recipe yields soft, fluffy, and delicious loaves with a crisp crust and tender crumb. Made from simple ingredients like milk, yeast, sugar, and all-purpose flour, this homemade bread requires minimal active preparation and uses a traditional baking method to achieve perfect results. Ideal for sandwiches, toast, or as a side for any meal, this recipe walks you through scalding the milk for a better texture, kneading, proofing, and baking the bread to golden perfection.

Ingredients

Milk Mixture

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2½ tablespoons shortening (plus more for greasing)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt

Yeast Mixture

  • 1 cup lukewarm water (between 100ºF and 110ºF)
  • 2 packets active dry yeast

Dough

  • 6 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
  • 1 tablespoon shortening (melted, for brushing)

Instructions

  1. Scald the milk: Pour the whole milk into a medium saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Watch carefully and remove from heat as soon as bubbles form around the edges and a skin forms on the surface, ensuring the milk doesn’t boil.
  2. Finish the milk mixture: Stir in 2½ tablespoons of shortening, granulated sugar, and salt into the hot milk. Whisk continuously until the shortening has melted completely. Set this aside and allow the temperature to cool until it reaches between 100ºF and 110ºF.
  3. Prepare the yeast: In a very large bowl, pour 1 cup of lukewarm water. Add 2 packets of active dry yeast and let it stand for 5 to 7 minutes, then whisk to dissolve the yeast into the water fully.
  4. Prepare the dough: Add the cooled scalded milk mixture to the active yeast mixture and stir to combine. Start by adding ½ cup of sifted flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 50 turns until combined. Continue to add the flour in ½ cup increments, stirring 50 times after each addition until a rough dough ball forms.
  5. Knead the dough: Once the dough becomes too stiff to stir (around 4 to 5 cups of flour added), turn it out onto a floured surface. Continue adding the remaining flour in ½ cup increments, kneading well after each addition until all the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until it is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.
  6. Rise the dough: Lightly grease the large bowl used earlier with shortening. Place the kneaded dough back into the greased bowl and brush the top with 1 tablespoon of melted shortening. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
  7. Prepare the loaves: Lightly grease two 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pans. Punch down the risen dough to release air. Divide the dough into two equal halves, shape each into a loaf, and place each seam side down into the prepared pans. Cover again with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise for another hour in a warm, draft-free spot.
  8. Bake the bread: Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Place the loaf pans on the middle rack and bake for 50 minutes. Halfway through baking, rotate the pans to ensure even browning on all sides.
  9. Rest the bread: Remove the loaves from the oven and immediately turn them out onto cooling racks. Allow the bread to cool and set for at least 1 hour before slicing to ensure the crumb finishes cooking internally and slices cleanly.
  10. Serve and store: Slice the bread as desired and enjoy fresh. Store leftover bread in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days, refrigerate up to 7 days, or freeze for 1 to 2 months. Note that homemade bread lacks preservatives and will stale faster than commercial breads; consider making breadcrumbs or croutons from any stale slices.

Notes

  • The scalding step improves the bread’s texture and flavor by breaking down proteins in the milk.
  • Be sure the milk mixture and water are cooled to around 100ºF to 110ºF before mixing with yeast, as too hot liquid can kill the yeast.
  • Use a large bowl and knead enough flour to achieve a smooth, elastic dough without it being too stiff or dry.
  • Allowing the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free environment is key for a good rise—consider using an oven with just the light on.
  • Rotating the pans during baking promotes even browning and an attractive crust.
  • Letting the bread cool thoroughly before slicing prevents a gummy texture inside.
  • Store homemade bread properly since it lacks commercial preservatives.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://aminabakes.com/homemade-white-bread-recipe/