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soft fluffy white bread

Soft Fluffy Homemade White Bread

This easy homemade white bread has a beautifully golden crust and a soft, fluffy interior. The recipe makes two delicious loaves perfect for sandwiches, toast, or serving warm with butter.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rising Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 2 loaves
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1⅔ cups lukewarm water divided
  • 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey or additional sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter cubed and at room temperature
  • 4½ cups all-purpose flour plus 1–2 tablespoons if needed
  • 1½ tablespoons butter melted, for brushing over the baked loaves

Method
 

  1. Add half of the lukewarm water to the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the sugar and yeast, then allow the mixture to stand for approximately 10 minutes. The yeast should become foamy on top.
  2. If the mixture does not foam, the yeast may be expired or the water may have been too hot or too cold. It is best to start again with fresh yeast before adding the remaining ingredients.
  3. Mix the Dough
  4. Once the yeast is foamy, add the remaining lukewarm water, honey, salt, flour, and softened butter.
  5. Turn the stand mixer to low and allow the ingredients to come together into a dough.
  6. Stop the mixer and check the consistency. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky but should not stick heavily to your fingers. If it is still very sticky, add 1–2 tablespoons of flour, adding only a little at a time.
  7. Knead the Dough
  8. Turn the mixer to medium-low and knead the dough for 10 minutes. The finished dough should be smooth, soft, and elastic.
  9. Remove the dough from the mixer and shape it into one large ball.
  10. First Rise
  11. Lightly grease the inside of a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel.
  12. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free location for approximately one hour, or until it has doubled in size.
  13. Shape the Loaves
  14. Once the dough has doubled, remove it from the bowl and gently punch it down to release excess air.
  15. Divide the dough into two equal portions and form each portion into a ball.
  16. Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into an even rectangle. Starting at one short end, tightly roll the dough into a loaf as you would a jelly roll. Pinch the seam closed and place the loaf seam-side down in a greased bread pan.
  17. Repeat with the second portion of dough.
  18. Second Rise
  19. Cover both bread pans loosely with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel. Allow the loaves to rise for approximately 45 minutes, or until the dough has doubled and reaches the top or slightly above the edges of the pans.
  20. While the loaves rise, preheat the oven to 390°F.
  21. Bake the Bread
  22. Remove the plastic wrap or towels and place the loaves in the preheated oven.
  23. Bake for approximately 25 minutes. The finished loaves should have a beautiful golden-brown crust and sound hollow when gently tapped on top.
  24. Carefully remove the bread from the pans and transfer the loaves to a cooling rack.
  25. Brush the tops and sides with melted butter while the bread is still warm. Allow the loaves to cool completely before slicing.