Our recipe for Homemade Bread has always been popular, but this white bread recipe is so EASY with such few ingredients – it’s a keeper! Italian Bread and No Knead Bread also have only 5 ingredients or fewer.
WHY WE LOVE IT!
If you find yourself wanting to make bread but are planning to only use what you have on hand, this white bread is for you. It’s the best, and we will tell you why: JUST 5 INGREDIENTS.
flour yeast sugar salt oil
It’s also great for any sandwich, Grilled Cheese or Panini. It’s also easy to store an freeze. What more could you want?!
Simple White Bread Recipe
The process for making this white bread is quicker and simpler that other breads because there are so few ingredients.
proofing musts
Proofing your dough can be tricky because things like oven temperature, air temperature, and weather can all affect the proof time.
Kneading by hand: once you have combined the ingredients to form the dough, knead for about 8-10 minutes. Fold the dough in half, press it together, and turn. Fold, press, and turn. Repeat until elastic. Kneading with a stand mixer: use the dough hook, not the paddle attachment, and set the mixer to medium-high. You won’t set a timer here, instead, watch the dough until it starts to pull away from the sides. The dough will be a bit sticky and curl nicely around the dough hook.
Do not overwork your dough. Try to knead and shape your dough in about 1 minute. The danger is wanting to continually work your dough because you get into the rhythm of kneading. Avoid this temptation and be quick with your movements. To tell if the bread has been proofed just right, poke your finger into the top of the bread. If it:
Bounces back: keep proofing Doesn’t bounce back at all: it is over-proofed Bounces back halfway: it’s perfect
Yeast. I used active dry yeast for this white bread which requires it to bloom in warm water before being mixed in with the rest of the ingredients.
The water should be between 100-110°F. Use good yeast. Expired yeast won’t yield the desired rise. Use an equal amount of instant yeast or rapid-rise yeast. These two types of yeast do not need to be activated in warm water first.
Sugar. Adding sugar to the water along with the yeast will “feed” the yeast and help it activate. After 3-5 minutes the yeast should bubble and become fluffy. If the water is cloudy and flat, the yeast does not activate properly. Discard and start again.
Storing Info
STORE. Because homemade white bread does not contain preservatives, it needs to be stored correctly to avoid drying out. Wrap the loaf in plastic wrap and then in foil.
The best pan to use. The goal is to get a bread pan that bakes the bread evenly and consistently. Aluminized steel or ceramic pans are great options for this purpose! Make this recipe healthier. You could include some ground flaxseed, or top it with rolled oats. I know this doesn’t keep the 5 ingredient rule, but it never hurts to add some extra healthy goodies. Serve with: Jalapeno Jelly or fruit jam, Honey Butter, Cinnamon Butter, peanut butter or Nutella, rosemary or garlic
Once you slice your bread, store it in an airtight plastic bag. Store for 3-4 days. Do not store bread until it has completely cooled. Bread can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. FREEZE. Slice the loaf or freeze it whole. Place the bread in a Ziploc bag or wrap it with plastic wrap then again with aluminum foil.
Store the Dough
Freezing bread dough. Making up a batch or two of dough to freeze is so helpful. All you have to do later on is pull out the desired amount of dough, let it rise for a few hours, and bake. Note that you will need to double the amount of active dry yeast you use to compensate for any yeast that will die in the freezer.
Complete steps 1-4 BUT do not let it rise a second time. Instead, place the loaf pans in the freezer for several hours. Once the dough is solid, remove them from the pans. Wrap tightly with plastic and again with aluminum foil. Label and freeze for up to 6 months.
To bake. Unwrap and place the dough in a greased bread pan. Cover with an oiled piece of plastic wrap. Allow it to thaw for a few hours and then rise until it is about doubled in size. Bake according to recipe directions.
use homemade bread
Homemade bread can be used to make so many dishes, here are some of our favorites:
Easy French Toast Monte Cristo Sandwich Best Grilled Cheese Recipe Homemade Croutons Egg or Chicken Salad Sandwich
Make breadcrumbs. If your white bread accidentally gets too stale, easily make it into breadcrumbs. Take the stale bread and run it in the food processor until it has your desired texture. Store the crumbs at room temperature for a month or in the fridge for 3 months. Recipe Video Recipe Video Recipe Video Recipe Video
