Say less—here’s a classic, soft white sandwich bread that slices like a dream and stays fluffy for days.
Soft White Sandwich Bread 🍞
Ingredients
- 3 ¾ cups (450 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) instant or active dry yeast
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup (180 ml) warm milk (about 110°F / 43°C)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) warm water
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Activate yeast
If using active dry yeast, mix yeast, warm water, and 1 tbsp of the sugar. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
(If using instant yeast, skip this and mix it straight into the flour.) - Mix dough
In a large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add milk, butter, egg, and yeast mixture (or water if using instant). Mix until a shaggy dough forms. - Knead
Knead by hand 8–10 minutes (or 5–6 minutes with a mixer) until smooth, soft, and slightly tacky but not sticky. - First rise
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1–1½ hours until doubled in size. - Shape
Punch down dough. Roll into a rectangle, then tightly roll into a log. Pinch seam closed and place seam-side down in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. - Second rise
Cover loosely and rise 45–60 minutes, until dough domes about 1 inch above the pan. - Bake
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30–35 minutes, until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. - Cool (the hard part)
Remove from pan and cool on a rack at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Extra-soft bakery tips
- Brush the hot loaf with melted butter for a tender crust
- For ultra-soft bread, replace 2 tbsp of butter with 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Store wrapped at room temp up to 3 days, or freeze sliced
If you want, I can tweak this for bread machine, no-knead, tangzhong milk bread, or whole wheat sandwich loaf vibes.
