Homemade Sandwich Bread (better than store bought!)
There’s nothing quite like homemade sandwich bread! Soft, fluffy, and made with just 7 simple ingredients, it’s perfect for everything from toast to your favorite sandwiches, and tastes so much better than store-bought.
If you’re new to working with yeast, this homemade sandwich bread is the perfect place to start. The recipe is simple, reliable, and easy to follow, making it a great confidence-builder for beginner bread bakers. Whether it’s your first loaf or your fiftieth, this recipe delivers great results every time.
Once you see how easy it is to make fresh bread from scratch, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner. I love baking a loaf at the beginning of the week so we have fresh bread for back to school lunches, and it’s especially delicious piled high with chicken salad.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Makes one perfect loaf. This recipe is just the right size for everyday baking. You get one beautiful loaf without using a mountain of flour or ending up with extra bread to store.
- Great for more than sandwiches. Slice it for toast, grilled cheese, French toast, garlic bread, or your favorite deli sandwiches. It’s the kind of loaf you’ll reach for all week long.
- Easy to master. Once you’ve made this bread recipe, you’ll feel more confident tackling other homemade breads like my fluffy dinner rolls or buttery homemade croissants.
- Freezes beautifully. Bake a loaf now and freeze slices for later. It’s a simple way to have fresh homemade bread ready whenever you need it.
Ingredient Notes
- Warm water: The water should be about 110°F, warm to the touch, but not hot. Water that’s too hot can kill the yeast, while water that’s too cool may slow the rise.
- Warm whole milk: Whole milk gives the bread a softer texture and richer flavor, but low-fat milk works well too.
- Instant yeast: Instant yeast can be mixed right in with the ingredients, so there’s no need to proof it separately. If using active dry yeast, let it fully dissolve and become foamy before continuing.
- Granulated sugar: A small amount of sugar feeds the yeast and helps the bread rise while adding just a touch of sweetness.
- Unsalted butter: Melt the butter and let it cool slightly before adding it so it doesn’t overheat the yeast.
- Salt: Salt strengthens the dough and enhances the flavor of the finished loaf.
- All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour makes a soft, tender loaf, but bread flour can be used if you prefer a slightly chewier texture with a little more structure.
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Brush with butter. As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, brush the top with melted butter for a softer crust and extra flavor.
Top with seeds. Before baking, sprinkle the loaf with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning for added texture and flavor.
Mix in herbs. Stir a teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning or your favorite herbs into the dough for a savory loaf that’s great with soups and pasta.
How to Make Homemade Sandwich Bread
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together warm water, warm milk, instant yeast and sugar.
- Let mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- Add melted butter, salt and 1 cup flour to the mixture.
- Attach dough hook to mixer and stir ingredients together on low speed, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add 1 cup flour.
- Turn mixer to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup flour.
- Mix again on medium speed for 2 minutes until the dough starts forming a ball on pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Either keep kneading the dough in the mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes or by hand on a floured surface for 2 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap and allow dough to rise for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down to release air. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
- Use a floured rolling pin to shape dough into a large rectangle, roughly 15-inches by 8-inches (it doesn’t have to be perfect).
- Starting at the short end, roll the dough into an 8-inch log.
- Place log into a lightly greased 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan. Cover the loaf pan with a clean kitchen cloth. Allow dough to rise for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake bread for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top of the loaf is a nice golden color and when tapped gently the loaf sounds hollow. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Expert Tips
Adjust for your climate. Humidity and dryness can affect how much flour or water your dough needs. The dough should feel soft and slightly sticky. If it isn’t pulling away from the bowl, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If it feels too dry, add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time until it comes together.
Check your yeast. Fresh yeast is key for a good rise. Before starting, check the expiration date on your yeast. If using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, dissolve it in a few tablespoons of warm water with 1 teaspoon of sugar. After about 10 minutes, it should look foamy and bubbly, which means it’s ready to use.
Use a kitchen scale. Measuring flour by weight gives the most accurate results and helps ensure your loaf has the right texture every time.
Let the bread cool before slicing. It can be tempting to cut into a warm loaf right away, but letting it cool helps the inside finish setting and makes cleaner slices.
Storage Tips
Storing homemade bread. Keep the homemade sandwich bread in a bread bag, airtight container, or tightly wrapped loaf pan at room temperature for up to 3 days. Store it away from heat and sunlight to help keep it soft.
In the refrigerator. For longer storage, wrap the bread well and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Keep in mind that refrigeration can make bread dry out a bit faster.
Freezing dough. After rolling the dough into a log and before the second rise, place the dough in a loaf pan, cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the dough defrost in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature. Allow the dough to rise for 3 or 4 hours before baking according to instructions.
Freezing the loaf. Once completely cooled, wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before slicing and serving.
Freezing slices. Slice the loaf before freezing for easy grab-and-go portions. Pull out individual slices as needed and toast or let them thaw at room temperature.
Recipe FAQ
Yes! A stand mixer makes the process easier, but it’s not required. You can make the recipe in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, then knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Yes, active dry yeast works well in this recipe. Dissolve it in the warm water and milk mixture with the sugar, then let it sit for about 5–10 minutes until foamy before adding the remaining ingredients. Keep in mind that the dough may take a little longer to rise, so go by the size of the dough rather than the clock, it should double in size before shaping.
You can use all-purpose flour, bread flour, or a combination of both. All-purpose flour creates a soft, tender sandwich bread, while bread flour gives the loaf a slightly chewier texture and more structure. I don’t recommend using whole wheat flour for this recipe since it has different gluten properties and may affect the rise and texture of the bread.
More Bread Recipes to Try
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Get the Recipe: Homemade Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (180 ml) warm water, approximately 110° F
- ¼ cup (60 ml) warm whole milk, approximately 110° F (low-fat milk works too)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast, (one yeast packet)
- 2 Tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ teaspoons (8 g) salt
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, (or bread flour)
Instructions
- Prep the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together warm water, warm milk, instant yeast and sugar. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- Add melted butter, salt and 1 cup flour to the mixture. Attach dough hook to mixer and stir ingredients together on low speed, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add 1 cup flour. Turn mixer to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup flour and mix again on medium speed for 2 minutes until the dough starts forming a ball on pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Knead the dough: Either keep kneading the dough in the mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes or by hand on a floured surface for 2 minutes.
- First rise: Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap and allow dough to rise for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Form the loaf: Punch the dough down to release air. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Use a floured rolling pin to shape dough into a large rectangle—roughly 15-inches by 8-inches (it doesn't have to be perfect). Starting at the short end, roll the dough into an 8-inch log. Place log into a lightly greased 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan.
- Second rise: Cover the loaf pan with a clean kitchen cloth. Allow dough to rise for 1 hour.
- Bake the bread: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake bread for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top of the loaf is a nice golden color and when tapped gently the loaf sounds hollow. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
6 Comments on “Homemade Sandwich Bread (better than store bought!)”
Hi! I noticed in the picture it says “instant yeast” but the printed recipe says “active yeast”. Which one should I use?
Hi Liz! Thanks for catching that. Instant yeast is preferred in this recipe.
Hi.
Am on a keto diet. Can coconut or almond flour be substituted? How about Stevia for sugar?
Thanks
Hi Mary – Coconut flour and almond flour have a lot more fat in them than all purpose flour. I suggest using a different recipe as I’m not well versed in developing keto bread recipes.
So easy to make and it’s delicious! The texture is perfect for sandwiches
This was my first time baking bread, and it turned out to be the best bread I have ever had in my whole life. I did not have butter, though, so I used coconut oil.