Soft and delicious, with just a touch of sweetness, and not at all like flimsy store-bought white bread, this homemade white bread recipe is easy and it’s made with simple ingredients.
Here’s all you need to know about making the perfect loaf of Homemade Bread (White Bread)!
There’s something deeply satisfying about a slice of white bread. And when that white bread goodness is homemade? The best! Plus, I LOVE the smell of freshly baked bread. I’ve been making Homemade Bread (White Bread) for about 15 years now, and I’ve made it so often that I can make this white bread recipe without measuring the ingredients now. And the more you make it, a better feel you get for it, and you’ll instinctively know what your bread dough is supposed to feel like.
Why you should be making this white bread loaf recipe!
- Make no mistake, this homemade bread recipe is simple to make.
- Incredibly soft and delicious, with just a touch of sweetness, it’s easily the best white bead I’ve ever tasted!
- Really substantial, unlike the sad, flimsy store-bought white bread.
- It’s free of all the sodium and preservatives of store-bought bread, and it’s made with simple ingredients. What’s not to love?
- This recipe provides STEP BY STEP instructions, on how to make the perfect loaf of bread
I guarantee you’ll never want to go back to store-bought white bread after tasting this!
What is classic white bread made with?
Delicious white bread is traditionally made with just,
- Flour
- Water
- Yeast
- Honey
- Salt
- Butter (or some other type of fat)
However, I also like to add a little citric acid (or vinegar) as well. This is optional, but it achieves two things.
- The acidity helps keep the bread soft. It apparently helps with preserving the bread too, but the amount I add in this recipe may likely not have an appreciable impact on this.
- Citric acid adds a little sourness to the bread loaf as well, much like the acidity in sourdough gives it that characteristic “sourness”. The citric acid adds an extra depth of flavor to the this classic white bread recipe too. But the sourness here isn’t as pronounced as with sourdough.
Tips for making perfect homemade bread (homemade white bread)
Use a stand mixer.
Makes the whole process easy. You can knead the dough by hand, but it takes quite a while to develop the gluten in the dough this way. (Although, I do quite enjoy kneading dough by hand sometimes, bashing the dough repeatedly. Great for letting out some pent up frustration!). Just make sure not to “tear” the bread while you’re kneading it by hand.
Don’t be afraid to get your hands in there and feel the texture of the dough.
This is the only way to make sure you get the right consistency. The amount of water or flour needed to make this homemade white bread can vary slightly each time. Use this recipe as a guide, and know that you may have to adjust it a touch depending on the weather, and type of flour and ingredients used.
I usually use AP flour to make homemade white bread, but you can use bread flour too.
With bread flour, you may need to use a little extra water to get the right consistency, because the more protein content in the flour, the more moisture it’ll need to yield a soft texture.
Using bread flour will also lead to a chewier bread texture, which is also incredible desirable.
Proofing is important.
The first proof is important to allow the yeast and gluten to develop. This plays a huge role in the flavor of the final product as well. The second proof is important to get a beautifully risen, airy and light bread loaf.
If you over-proof the bread dough at any stage, it can result in an unpleasant yeasty flavor. And if you over-proof the dough during the second stage, you’ll likely end up with a bread loaf where the crust separates from the rest of the loaf, or the crust is misshapen, or there’ll be big holes in the bread and it’ll collapse.
With under-proofed bread dough, you’ll end up with a smaller bread loaf that is more dense and has less volume.
A quick, simple way to check whether your homemade bread loaf is done is to tap the bread on top for that characteristic “hollow” sound. However, a fool-proof method to ensure perfectly baked bread is to use a thermometer. Your bread loaf is done when the internal temp. registers 195°F.
To avoid a soggy bread bottom, make sure not to leave the bread in the pan to cool completely.
Leave it in the pan only for about 10-15 minutes and then place it on a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents any condensation from forming on the pan and making the bread soggy.
Another really helpful tip that I’ve discovered is to allow the bread to cool down in the oven.
When the bread is done, I turn off the oven and let it cool down inside, with the oven door half open. Or if I have to do more baking, I let the bread cool down in a draft free, warm place. If the bread cools down too fast, it can cause some wrinkles to form on the crust. It doesn’t affect the taste however, just the appearance. However, this may sometimes be unavoidable in the winter.
Choosing the right bread pan
You can make this white bread recipe in a 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan for best results. But a 9 x 5 loaf pan will work too. However, if you do use a 9 x 5 inch pan, the resulting bread loaf won’t have as much height (or shape).
How to form the perfect loaf of bread
The next step after proofing the bread dough, is to form the dough into a log to fit inside your bread pan.
I turn the bread dough out on to a lightly floured surface and flatten it into a rectangle. This removes excess air that formed in the dough while it was proofing. The longer side of this rectangle should be slightly shorter than that of your bread pan.
To make sure you have a tightly formed bread loaf, roll up the dough, while pinching the edge into the dough along the way. Pinch the seams of the dough, tuck the sides in and pinch them into the dough as well. It’s important to tightly roll up the dough while pinching it into itself. This prevents large air pockets from forming inside the dough as it proofs and bakes.
All the seams of the dough should be on one side, while the other side should be smooth and tightly stretched (with no wrinkles). Make sure your bread dough log has an even thickness too.
Then carefully place this in the prepared bread loaf pan, and gently press it into the corners and bottom of the pan. Cover the pan and let it proof for a second time.
How to check when your bread loaf is ready to be baked
The second proofing time can vary greatly depending on the ambient temperature and weather. It can take much longer in the winter to proof, than in the summer. So it’s important to know what signs to look for to know when you’re bread loaf has proofed properly and is ready to be baked.
- The bread dough will rise about 1 ½ inches above the rim of your bread loaf pan in the center. It’ll form a dome, so just look at the pan from the side to see how much it has risen above the rim.
- When you gently press into the dough with your index finger, an indentation will form and it’ll remain, if the dough is perfectly proofed. If the dough bounces back without leaving an indentation, then the dough is under-proofed. If the indentation causes the dough to collapse, then the dough has over-proofed, and you may need to re-knead and re-form the dough and proof it once again.
How to store homemade white bread
The fact is homemade white bread doesn’t keep for too long, since it doesn’t have preservatives like store-bought bread.
So it’s important to keep your homemade bread in a container that allows for some ventilation, to let the the bread “breathe”. This white bread will keep for about 4-5 days this way.
But what I personally like to do (especially because I bake two loaves on the same day usually), is to slice the bread once it cools down, and then place these bread slices in a container or sealable bag and freeze. This keeps the bread fresh for much longer! Then I just remove the slices I need from the freezer, and let them thaw out whenever needed.
However, never refrigerate bread. The dry air in the fridge will make the bread go stale even faster.
Seriously, there’s something just so satisfying about a slice of white bread, when you’ve made it yourself! 🙂 Even from frozen, it tastes incredibly fresh and DELICIOUS.
Peanut butter and jam sandwiches are a whole new level of comfort with this homemade white bread recipe! 🙂
If you liked this step by step recipe for Homemade Bread, then you may also like some of my other detailed how-to posts,
How to make Authentic Brioche Bread
How to make Shortbread cookies
EQUIPMENT & TOOLS I USED FOR THIS RECIPE
Stand Mixer – I use my KitchenAid mixer
8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pans – the perfect sized pans to make these bread loaves.
Kitchen Scale – Best tool for baking, to ensure you get accurate results each time
Measuring Cups – I like to use cups to measure all liquid ingredients most of the time. I absolutely LOVE my colorful cup measuring set, and I also love my pyrex measuring jugs too.
Measuring spoons – for measuring all the small amounts of ingredients.
Looking for more recipes?Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram.
Homemade Bread (Homemade White Bread)
What You Need:
- See post for detailed list of equipment & tools used.
Ingredients:
Proofing yeast
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast 7 g
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp honey (or sugar or maple syrup)
Bread loaf
- Proofed yeast mixture (ingredients listed above)
- 19.5 ounces AP flour 4 ⅓ cups, spoon and leveled (please see notes)
- ⅓ cup lukewarm water
- 1 ¼ tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp honey (or sugar or maple syrup)
- ¼ tsp citric acid or ½ tbsp white vinegar (optional)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted (or vegetable oil)
Instructions:
Proofing yeast
- Place the water in the mixer bowl of your stand mixer.
- Stir in the honey to dissolve, and sprinkle the yeast over the water. Gently stir to mix.
- Allow the yeast to sit in a warm place for about 15 minutes, until it's activated and becomes frothy. This could take longer if your yeast was in the freezer. If the yeast doesn't activate (no frothy bubbles), then your yeast is likely too old and you will need it replaced with fresh yeast.
- Once the yeast is activated, you’re ready to make the bread dough.
Bread loaf
- To the proofed yeast mixture, add the flour, warm water, salt, honey, citric acid and melted butter.
- Using a dough whisk or a spatula, mix the ingredients to form a rough dough.
- Place the bowl in the mixer with a kneading hook attached, and knead the dough on low speed for about 2-5 minutes, until the dough comes together to form a ball.
- Increase the speed by 1 level (speed 3 in a kitchen aid mixer) and knead the dough for a further 12-15 minutes until it's smooth and elastic.
- While the dough is kneading, check on it every few minutes to make sure it’s kneading well, and is not too dry or too wet.
- If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, then it’s too wet, so add a little extra flour (a dusting at a time), to get the right texture. To check if it’s at the right consistency - lift the kneading hook from the bowl, and check if the dough only sticks to the bottom of the bowl. If yes, then the moisture is perfect. If the dough isn’t sticking to the bottom of the bowl however, you may need to add a little extra water (just ½ tsp at a time), to get the right consistency. The dough should be smooth, a little soft and a little tacky to the touch.
- Once the dough is kneaded, remove the dough hook and fold the dough over a few times by hand, to get a smooth ball. Then place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough proof for about 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
- While the dough is proofing, prepare the bread loaf pan. Butter 1 - 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and set aside, until the dough is ready.
- Turn the proofed dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently press the dough into an evenly thick rectangle. The short side of this rectangle should be roughly about 8 - 8.5 inches (i.e. slightly shorter than the length of your bread loaf pan).
- Next, tightly roll up the short side, along the length of the dough rectangle. Make sure to pinch/press the edge of the dough as you go, while rolling it up (read the post and see pictures for more details).
- Once the dough is rolled up, pinch the seams to seal it, and tuck in the two sides and pinch these seams as well. Make sure all the seams are on one side (this will be the bottom) and the other side is smooth and seam-free (this will be the top).
- Transfer this into the prepared loaf pan, seam side down, and press the dough into the pan. Make sure it’s evenly pressed into the bottom of the pan. Loosely cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap and let it proof again in a warm place, for about 45 minutes - 1 hour.
- The top of the dough should rise about 1 inch above the rim of your bread loaf pan (when looking from the side), and when you leave an indentation in the dough with your finger, the indentation should remain, and not bounce back (read the post and see pictures for more details).
- Preheat oven to 375°F, during the last 30 minutes of the second proofing time. It’s best for the oven to be preheated to the right temperature for at least 20 minutes, before baking the bread.
- When the bread loaf is ready and the oven has preheated, place the loaf pan in the middle of the oven, and bake for 45 minutes. It's done when it sounds hollow when the bread is tapped on top, OR when the internal temperature has reached 195°F.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and keep it in a warm place (away from drafts) to cool. After about 10 minutes, remove the bread from the pan and keep it on a wire rack to cool down completely. The bread is now ready to be served.
- Optional - brush melted butter on the top while it's hot to add more buttery flavor.
- Keep the loaf in a bread box at room temperature for upto 4 - 5 days, or slice and keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
ALEX BOYAZOGLU says
Superb recipe, and wonderful guidance in your narrative. Many thanks. Bread absolutely delicious
Pearl says
I tried your recipe. The bread came out perfect. I used vinigar instead of citric acid.
Sakshi says
Hi! I am planning to bake this in a day or two. But I don’t have clung film. Not available anywhere where I live. What can I use instead of cling film during the second proofing? Thank u very much
Dini says
Hi Sakshi,
You can use a damp cloth or foil in place of cling film. I hope that helps, good luck! 🙂
Ayesha says
Thanks for the great recipe. My only issue is that after cooling the bread when I cut into it, it literally falls apart . Though the bread has nice shape it becomes a crumbly mess on cutting into it. I follow your recipe to the t so I really don’t know what I am doing wrong. I knead the dough by hand as I don’t have stand mixer. Any thoughts would be highly appreciated.
Dini says
Hi Ayesha,
Could I know if you used cup or weight measurements to measure the flour? If cup measurements were used, then likely too much flour was added, which could result in a dry and crumbly dough. However, if the dough was accurately weighed and you still got this result, then it’s likely because the dough was not kneaded enough for sufficient gluten development which will also result in a cake-like crumbly dough. These are the two reasons that would produce a crumbly bread dough. I hope that helps!
Anjali says
Can I use instant yeast? If so how much?
Dini says
Hi Anjali,
I haven’t used instant yeast for this recipe before. However, a few readers have said that they substituted instant yeast for active dry yeast at a 1:1 ratio and got good results. You will have to keep an eye on the dough while it’s proofing though, because instant yeast is more active than active dry yeast, and your dough will likely proof faster. I hope that helps, good luck!
Ritika says
Yes I have been using active dry yeast,,,it gives gud result and my baking goes perfect with this
Nada says
Hi Dini,
I’d like to make this recipe with whole wheat flour and white flour as I don’t like white bread. Would this recipe be possible with half of the flour being white and half of the flour being whole wheat? Thank you
Dini says
Yes Nada, that should work. 🙂 I’ve had readers do this before and got good results! Good luck!
Radica Bissoon says
Best bread I’ve tasted
Aminta says
Thank you for this great recipe. I have made this a couple of times and it always comes out really well. Do you think it will work if a swap the flour for whole wheat??
Irina says
I made one loaf today, it didn’t rise as fast as previous recipes I’ve tried. That’s ok. But when I baked it, it was around 20 min when my husband noticed that the bread looked too dark and it was. I was worried that it wasn’t baked through and let it bake for 10 more minutes. After pulling it out the temp was over 203F. Not sure what went wrong but my time was way less than what the recipe stated. Any thoughts? I used a conventional setting in my convection oven.
Dini says
Hi Irina
Baking times can vary according to how individual ovens work.
My experience with convection ovens are that even if I run it as a conventional oven, it runs a little hotter. This could be a reason why the bread baked faster.
If the bread is getting dark on top, you can also cover it with a piece of foil and let it bake until the center is baked through. This can happen if the oven coils are closer to the bread or are hotter.
If the bread is under-proofed, it can bake very quickly as well.
As for the proofing time – how fast a bread will rise will depend on many factors too; how much yeast is used in the recipe, how warm was the liquid that you used to activate the yeast, how warm is your kitchen that day, how old is the yeast etc.
There are days my bread proofs in 1 hour and some days where it takes over 2 hours.
I hope that helps!
budakkan says
It is because if your oven has heating element at the top and bottom, you should only turn the bottom one on… I made the same mistake and the top was browned while the middle was raw.
Dini says
Hi Budakkan
In my oven, both elements are turned on for the oven setting. The bottom element does most of the heating during the baking phase, but the top works as well (because you do need the baked goods to have a nice browned top). My experience with bottom only ovens is that it burns the bottom without browning the top – but that is just my experience with a previous old oven I used to have.
Each oven works slightly differently and you have to adapt the way you bake. I personally prefer both elements being used so that baked goods are getting evenly cooked from both sides. If I find something is browning too fast, then I either lower the temperature of the oven from the start, OR I cover the top with some foil and let it continue to bake at a slightly lower temperature to finish. I hope that helps!
nathasa says
hey, is citric acid act as preservative from mold? it is same thing as ascorbic acid or this citric/vinegar do that as well ?
appreciate so much if you can answer
Dini says
Hi Nathasa
As I mentioned in the post, the amount that I use in the recipe will not be enough to act as a preservative. I use citric acid/vinegar to help with softer gluten development for the bread dough. It is also completely optional too.
I hope that helps!
Kashmira Surti says
Can this bread be made in a bread maker?
Dini says
Hi Kashmira,
I haven’t made this in a bread maker unfortunately, so I can’t be certain. However, several of my readers have said that they used a bread maker to knead the dough. I’m not sure if the dough would fit in the bread maker to bake it though. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Ish says
This recipe was really helpful. The bread turned out fluffy and soft. I did it all by hand and it wasn’t difficult at all.
Dini says
I’m so glad the bread came out fluffy and soft, thanks so much for letting me know Ish! 🙂
Nora Adams says
Hi, I would love to bake this loaf. I will have to knead by hand as I don’t have a kitchen aid. Any idea how long will I have to knead the dough for?
Dini says
Hi Nora
Usually the hand kneading time is twice as long. But it depends on how you knead the dough and how fast you knead the dough.
I recommend kneading the dough until the right texture is achieved, rather than kneading it for a set amount of time. Once all the ingredients are mixed, you can cover the dough bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in a cool place for about 30 minutes to make the hand kneading process easier. Letting it rest for about 30 minutes will develop gluten and make this dough softer.
I hope that helps.
Myrt says
Delicious and easy to make will never buy bread again
Danielle Ray says
Can you make this without a loaf pan?
Dini says
Hi Danielle,
Sorry about the late reply. I haven’t made this without a loaf pan, so I can’t be certain. You might be able to, but the shape might be rounder and flatter without a loaf pan.
Funmi Azike says
Your recipe was great. Bread turned out perfect. Thank you
Valerie says
This bread is so yummy and very easy to make!!! Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Denyse says
Made this bread today it came out really well ,I doubled up the recipe a loaf for us and one for the next door neighbour. Good deed of the day .
Butchie Yost says
Excellent recipe. I’ve been making bread for a while but always struggled to get a really soft loaf. This recipe really works and has an excellent taste. I’ve made a couple of adjustments and use it to also make part baked baguettes which are great for freezing. Follow the same recipe but bake for 21 minutes on 150 degrees Celsius. Cool down thoroughly before wrapping and freezing and reheat at your leisure at 200 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes for warm fresh bread.
Gretchen says
I haven’t made bread in ages, but I finally got some yeast so thought I would give it a try. Found your site on-line and this bread turned out beautifully. I’ve never used my KitchenAid for kneading bread before, but it worked perfectly. Lovely loaf and very tasty. Thank you for a great recipe and great instructions. I’m going to have to try a lot more of your recipes!
Gord Colton says
This is a great bread recipe of course I had to change the way I did the yeast by sprinkling it on the flour then pouring in the water mixture the way I do pizza dough my question is can this dough be made into rolls as well as bread
Dini says
Hi Gord
Sorry about the late reply. Yes, these could be turned into rolls as well.
I like to use my hot dog bun recipe because that dough is a little more enriched than this recipe though.
Pravesh says
Thanks for the great recipe and tips for making it , every one in the family loved it and this was the first time I made any baking thing… It took 25 min as I have halo oven so.. th as nks again..
Iona says
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I’ve made this recipe twice and both times it has turned out perfectly. The only adjustment that I made was cooking it less than 45 mins because at around 30mins it was done.
Leah says
Hi Dini! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us especially at this time. It brings me so much joy to make bread! I was just wondering if I wanted to make a longer / bigger loaf, like using a 13 inch x 4 inch loaf pan, how would I go about adjusting the recipe?
Dini says
Hi Leah
You could make the same recipe and get a loaf that is slightly shorter than shown here. OR to convert a recipe to fit a different sized pan, you may have to do some math.
The area of the loaf pan I used here is 9 x 5 = 45. The area of the loaf pan you want to use is 13 x 4 = 52. The difference between the two is 52 / 45 = 1.15. So, if you multiply the recipe by 1.15, you would get the amount you’d need to bake a loaf that will fit in the 13 x 4 inch loaf pan, while keeping the same height. I also recommend using weight measurements (grams), to get the best results.
I hope that helps!
Leah says
Thank you so much for your help and sharing your talent with us! Stay safe and well!
Shauna McMillen says
I tried this recipe after trying your brioche recipe (amazing by the way). My family loves it and we won’t be going to store bought. If I want to double the recipe, do I literally double the ingredients? I have had issues in the past when baking and doubling ingredients.
Dini says
Hi Shauna
I’m sorry for the late reply. Yes, to make two loaves, you can double the recipe! Just keep an eye on the kneading and proofing times, as this can vary.
I hope that helps!
Line Dumont says
I only use 3 cups of flour and whatever I need to prevent it from sticking to the counter. Turns out great.
Line Dumont says
And I kneed it by hand, I don’t use the KitchenAid.
Dini says
Hi Line!
I’m glad the recipe worked for you!
If you measured the flour by scooping it directly out of the container/bag, then 3+ cups of flour could easily become equal to 4+ cups of flour (because the flour gets packed in when measured that way). That is why the spoon and level method is always recommended for measuring flour, as it is more accurate.
However if you did accurately measure 3 cups of flour (spoon and level method), you can still get a bread loaf (though it would be harder to knead because it will be a very slack, sticky dough) with about 84% hydration.
I hope that helps!
J K Taylor says
Delicious, light bread. First time using my KitchenAid mixer so was a bit worried but your directions helped me produce a delicious loaf. Thanks,
Mary Michel says
Making our second batch! First was so good. Due to yeast shortage, bought from bulk section. Was much foamier. It proofed much faster. Making a much larger loaf.
Helena says
Yes! After trying a handful of different bread recipes online, this is the one! The inside is sooo soft and chewy. The tips were also really helpful – how to tell when the flour is dry/moist enough, how to roll up the dough into the loaf pan to reduce air pockets, and that tip in the comments about the convection oven… all led to a perfect loaf. Thank you for sharing!
richard priebe says
My father was a professional baker for more than 30 years. Like yourself he never needed to measure anything. Unfortunately I have tried to make many of his classics with no recipes and with no success. Until I came across you. You do such a great job detailing every item needed and more importantly how to be successful. Great job, I will be following you from now on, thank you
richard priebe says
ONE GREAT LOAF OF BREAD. I HAVE ONE QUESTION, IF I WANTED TO USE MY SOUR DOUGH STARTER WHAT CHANGES SHOULD I MAKE? CAN YOU ESTIMATE HOW MUCH SPONGE SHOULD BE USED AND IN PLACE OF WHAT? WHAT CHANGES MIGHT I EXPECT IN YOUR OPINION? IWOULD APPRECIATE YOUR IMPUT. THANKS AGAIN FOR THIS GREAT RECIPE.
AmeliaBee says
I dunno what made me choose this recipe over the one I normally use, but I’m SO glad I did! The butter and honey gave it a dreamy soft texture, and the flavor is UNBELIEVABLE! This is, no joke, the best bread I have ever eaten. I don’t even need any butter or jam, it’s pretty addictive on its own
The only things I changed were: no vinegar, used only 1.5 tsp sea salt (cuz I only had regular salted butter) for a double recipe. Either way, I will only be making bread this way from now on. It is unreal how soft, fluffy, and delicious this bread is.
Ash says
I tweaked this recipe a little because I was using bread flour. I can honestly say this is one of the best bread recipes that I have tried. I think next time i’ll slightly reduce the honey to make it a little less sweet. Otherwise, it was just so delicious!
A little too delicious, since there’s only half a loaf left, and I baked it less than 24 hours ago XD
AmeliaBee says
I so feel this. Mine just came out of the oven only two hours ago, and it’s already half gone
John H says
Used 2% milk instead of water. Top crust became too thick/crusty to eat. @375 , bread was done in 32 minutes, top crust almost burned, center not light and fluffy. Will try w/o substitutions next time.
Dini says
Hi John
If you used milk, the bread should be softer than using water. I have used all milk and all water, and have had perfect results either way.
The top becomes crusty if the oven is too hot, and this can happen if an oven runs hot. This is probably why the bread baked faster too. I recommend reducing the oven temp to between 325 – 350 next time.
To make sure the bread is soft and fluffy even after baking, try to use weight measurements. If you used cup measurements this can vary the amount of flour you add to the recipe and you can add too much flour. This will result in a tough, dry bread loaf. If you do add too much flour, then you will need to add more milk / water to compensate and keep the same dough consistency.
I hope that helps!
Joy says
Amazing! I love it! Soft, fluffy and flavourful! I used coconut oil instead of butter, and the smell is heavenly!
Gina says
I only have access to instant yeast and no active dry yeast– any advice on how this changes the recipe?
Dini says
Hi Gina
I haven’t used instant yeast, but I have had other readers who have. They said they substituted instant yeast 1:1. However since instant yeast is more active, it’s important to keep an eye on the dough as it’s proofing. It will proof faster than active dry yeast.
Carmelita says
I must have baked about 10 of these lovely breads and I am happy every single time! Tq for this detailed recipe. You really helped me. Tq
Rani says
Easy to follow and thorough instructions to ensure success. Thank you!
Bruce Graham says
What a delicious loaf of bread
Purabi pathak says
I loved it very much
Cynthia says
This was really good!!! Can I use this same recipe for a baguette?
Dini says
Hi Cynthia
Thank you! I’m very glad that you liked this 🙂
I wouldn’t recommend making baguettes with this dough because baguettes are made with a very high hydration dough. Plus, this dough won’t produce the crispy exterior and the spongy interior that is present in baguettes.
I hope that helps!
Troy says
It needs just a little more salt.
Dini says
Hi Troy,
Salt is really a personal preference. In my experience, this bread has the right amount of salt for myself, and my family and friends. But you’re more than welcome to adjust the amount of salt to your taste. 🙂
Geds says
We loved it, tasted really good!!!!!
Phani M says
Thank you so much for the recipe, I tried it but looks like something went wrong,
It was so exciting till the first proofing, I allowed the dough to proof for about 1 hour and it doubled in size.
Then I transferred the rolled up dough into the prepared loaf pan and rested nearly for couple of hours, but it didn’t raised at all.
Not sure what went wrong, I live in Indian and it’s typical summer now, weather conditions are pretty hot/warm, first proofing was success and was expecting same after transferring to the loafpan.
Can you Please give me some more tips and techniques to make it success next time?
Dini says
Hi Phani
Sometimes if the dough is overproofed during the first stage, the yeast reach their highest activity level and don’t have enough “food” to eat to multiply during the second proofing.
If you do live in a warmer place, the dough can proof much faster. So I recommend keeping an eye on the dough and only letting it rise until it’s just doubled in size or slightly less, rather than going by time.
I hope that helps!
AmeliaBee says
I’ve experienced this exact same problem, I think I waited too long the first proofing, or maybe my yeast just wasn’t good. I urge you to try again, this really is a spectacular recipe!
Dan Estremadura says
I will try this recipe tomorrow. Can i add some raisins to the bread. Would the measurements be the same?
Dini says
Hi Dan
Yes you can add raisins to the bread. He measurements for the bread will be the same, but I’m not sure how much raisins will be needed to get a good raisin loaf.
Betty Tapp says
Turned out great
Geeta says
Hi I made bread from yr recipe.middle part is soft but crust was hard. My query is temp will be same in convection in which fan is used. And secondly can I use food processor dough maker but it has only one speed. U mentioned 2speeds. I don’t have kitchen aid. Please suggest
Dini says
Hi Geeta
The crust becomes hard when it’s been baked in an oven that was too hot. All temperatures in my recipes are for conventional ovens. If you have a convection oven or a fan oven the temperatures will need to be adjusted (which is usually to be reduced).
I haven’t made dough in a food processor before, but if you only have one speed you can still make it. The kneading time may need to be increased depending on the speed of your machine. If it’s very slow, then it can be twice as long. Look for the signs that I have mentioned, to check if the dough has been kneaded enough (shiny, satiny, smooth, tacky but not sticky).
AmeliaBee says
Place a piece of tin foil over the top of the loaf when it starts to turn golden, and your crust will come out PERFECTLY. I have the same issue and I found that the foil does the trick every time!
Mark smith says
Good for bacon butties
Rohini says
Loved the recipe but I wanted to know shall I brush some butter on the top before baking the bread
Dini says
Hi Rohini
You can. But it wouldn’t really do much. The butter will be absorbed and evaporate as the bread is baked.
If you are looking for a shiny crust on top when it’s baked, then brush the loaf with an egg wash instead. The reason why I brush the top with butter after baking is because it softens the crust a little, makes it shiny, and adds just a little flavor to the top crust.