Description
This classic white bread recipe yields two soft, fluffy loaves with a golden crust, perfect for sandwiches or toast. Made with simple ingredients including yeast, sugar, honey, butter, and all-purpose flour, it uses a stand mixer and traditional kneading techniques, followed by two rises and baking in loaf pans for a tender crumb and delightful flavor.
Ingredients
Yeast Mixture
- 1 ⅔ cups lukewarm water (divided)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Dough
- 1 tablespoon honey (or additional sugar)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter (cubed, at room temperature)
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour (divided)
For Brushing
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter (melted)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the instant yeast, sugar, and half of the lukewarm water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy to activate the yeast. If using active dry yeast, allow it to sit for 15 minutes instead.
- Mix and Knead Dough: Add the remaining water, honey, salt, cubed butter, and 4 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture. Knead at low speed until the dough comes together soft but not sticky. Add a few tablespoons of the remaining flour if needed. Continue kneading for 6–9 minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl sides and becomes soft and smooth.
- First Rise: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, coat it fully, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Shape Loaves: Lightly flour a work surface and turn out the dough. Divide it into two equal portions. Gently pat each into an 8x12 inch rectangle, pressing to remove air pockets. Roll each starting at the short end tightly, pinch seams to seal, and tuck ends under for surface tension. Place each loaf seam side down in greased 8x4 inch loaf pans. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes until doubled in size.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 390°F and position the rack to the lower-middle.
- Bake: Bake the loaves for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and an internal temperature of 208-210°F is reached.
- Cool and Finish: Invert the bread onto a cooling rack, then invert back into pans and brush the tops and sides with melted butter. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Using instant yeast allows you to skip the longer proofing, but active dry yeast works as well with a longer activation time.
- Adjust flour amount slightly depending on humidity and flour type to get a soft, not sticky dough.
- Ensure your water is lukewarm (about 105–115°F) to properly activate yeast without killing it.
- Letting bread cool fully before slicing helps maintain structure and prevents gummy texture.
- Brush with melted butter after baking for a softer crust and enhanced flavor.
