When I posted about my baking day back in June, I mentioned that sandwich bread was one of the items on my baking list, and a number of you asked for the recipe. So, here it is!
If you prefer to make whole wheat bread, you might want to use my Whole Wheat Bread recipe, or you can substitute whole wheat flour for part of all of the white flour in this recipe. If you’re not an experienced bread baker, I would probably not try for 100% whole wheat, though, as it’s harder to get your bread to turn out nicely with nothing but whole wheat flour.
However, if you’re looking for a white bread, this recipe will work well for you. I mostly make this when I need bread for panini sandwiches or for other dinner sandwiches. The recipe is from my old (it was published in the 70s!) Better Homes and Garden Homemade Bread Cookbook
In pictures, here’s how to make the bread, and the actual recipe will follow.
Combine yeast and flour in the bowl of a standing mixer.
Heat milk, butter, sugar, and salt in the microwave or on the stovetop until it reaches 120-125 degrees.
Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and beat for three minutes.
Add enough additional flour to make a soft, but kneadable dough. See how the dough is stretchy? That’s the gluten at work.
Turn the dough out onto a floured counter and knead for 5 minutes, or until dough bounces back when poked with a finger.
I think I took this picture partway into the kneading process, because my dough NEVER looks that neat when I first dump it onto the counter.
After you’re done kneading, your dough should look like this.
Put it back into the mixing bowl, cover it with a wet towel, and let it rise for an hour. Once it’s risen, punch it down, divide it into two pieces, and roll each piece into a rectangular shape.
Starting from the short end, roll the dough up and place into a8x4 inch bread pan. The Williams Sonoma Gold Touch pans are my favorite.
Cover with a wet towel, and let rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
And here’s the real recipe:
White Sandwich Bread
5 3/4-6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 pkg (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups milk (you can use water if you don’t do dairy)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
1. In a large mixer bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of flour and yeast.
2. In a saucepan or in the microwave, heat milk, sugar, butter, and salt to 115-120 degrees.
3. Add hot liquids to flour and yeast. Beat at low speed until combined, then beat at high speed for 3 minutes.
4. Add enough additional flour to make a soft, but kneadable dough, and turn out onto a floured surface. Knead for 5-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
5. Put dough back into mixing bowl, cover with wet tea towel, and let rise 1 hour.
6. Punch dough down, divide into two pieces, and roll into a rectangle, about 6″x18″. Starting from the short end, roll up jelly-roll style and place into two greased 4×8 inch loaf pans. Cover with wet tea towel and let rise 30-40 minutes, or until doubled.
7. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool before slicing.
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I notice you were kneading your bread with the paddle attatchment? I always use the dough hook, but do you find the paddle works better? I made a blueberry cobbler today that I’m going to post on my blog!:P
Thanks for the newest installment! I was just searching your site for the sandwich bread recipe, I was sure you had already put it up! I will give this a go in the next couple of days but I will admit to using the bread machine for the mixing, I can handle the rising and baking now!
My counter is a dingy, small, tile counter with horrible grout lines and I just can’t see kneading dough on it. One day I will try all of your recipes as you intend them. And maybe I’ll have a flour drawer with my new counters in this dream house I’ve imagined! I’ve always wanted a flour drawer.
I’m so glad you post recipes. Just had to say that
I was going to make more bread tomorrow using your other recipe but I think I’ll try this. I have some lunch meat I’ve been needing to use up.
Your pictures are really awesome. I think that’s why I love your blog so much. I love seeing how things are supposed to look throughout the process.
Liz-yup, I only ever use the paddle attachment. I don’t think I’ve ever used my dough hook! lol
Calimama-use your bread machine without guilt.
I think bread machines do a fine job of mixing and kneading…they mostly fall short on the baking end of things, so if you use them just to make the dough and then bake it yourself, your bread should be very similar to mine.
Ariana, thanks for the encouragement! I always like seeing how things are supposed to look too…it reassures me that I’m doing it right.
I love making bread. I’ll have to try this recipe.
I have two small children, so I divide my bread dough into quarters, roll each quarter into a loaf and put 2 loaves side-by-side in a square pan. When the bread comes out of the oven, the 2 loaves in one pan are easily separated. This makes for smaller slices and less waste for us.
Mouth watering! Wish it were not 90 degrees outside and I could turn my oven on. How about a bread recipe for a toaster oven, Kristen? LOL – just kidding. I love your posts and your photos!
@Sarah , what a great idea!
@Calimama@compactbydesign , you can knead dough on a floured cloth. You can buy a special kneading cloth kit (comes with a sleeve for your rolling pin) or make one yourself from heavy muslin or – maybe? – cotton.
You know what? I am actually going to try this…finally. I’ll let you know how it goes!
hi kristen,
thank you so much for this recipe. my husband is going to be very happy. but i was wondering: how do you cut such even slices of bread for your sandwiches? do you use one of those bread slicers?
I love to make bread and can’t wait to try your recipe. I can never get it to cut well though. Do you just use a regular bread knife to cut your bread? Inquiring minds want to know
I actually used your bread recipe last night. I like that it uses less yeast than all my other receipes (2 packets). The bread was great, so thanks! The only change I made was that I needed slightly more flour (7 cups plus some dusted on my surface).
I use a bread machine to mix my bread into dough then do the baking in the oven (today I am making some rye bread for turkey sandwhiches) – I guess it works alright, but I would love to make some bigger batches as well.
I have tried in the past with pour results, but I think I was just not letting it rise properly, I think I am ready to try again- well, maybe in the fall, I seem to be spending more time laying in the sun reading then in my kitchen
, but hey, summer is short lived here in Alberta and I don’t want to miss it by being in the house!
Have a great weekend!
I made this bread tonight! It was very easy, and the girls were kind of fascinated by it. It turned out really well and smelled FANTASTIC while cooking. Thanks for posting the recipe! I’ll definitely make it again, and I really like the idea of making the smaller loaves, thanks, Sarah.
First, I have to say that I love my WS Goldtone loaf pans also. Nothing sticks to them. They are fantastic and very much worth the money.
I’m going to make this bread tomorrow. I can’t wait to try it. I’ve had so much luck with your recipes (the deep dish pizza is still a weekly menu staple). Thanks for sharing. You’ve made backing so much easier.
FYI – the instructions with the pictures say 9×5 pan but the recipe below state an 8×4 pan. The pans look like the 9×5 but I just want to be sure. Thanks!
Kristin, thanks for letting me know…I fixed it! It should actually be a 4×8 inch pan. When I made those loaves, I tripled the recipe and put the dough into three 9×5 inch pans. So you’re right…that’s what you see in the picture! lol
I hope your bread turns out great.
Christine, you should NOT feel bad about using your bread machine. Those things do a great job of making the dough and mostly just fall short on the baking end of things.
@Kristen
so if you tripled the recipe to make three 9×5 pans, can I assume that the standard recipe would make one 9×5 pan?
Gah! What a disaster I am! lol I meant to say that I doubled it, not tripled it. I guess had three in my brain because I was thinking about how I was making three loaves.
Duh.
The standard recipe would make a really large 9×5 loaf…you might have some problems with overflow.
I made a single recipe and divided it into two 9×5 pans and it turned out well. Might not have been as tall as yours but for sandwiches it works. Thanks!
Love the baking posts! I just wanted to add a few tips that have worked for me to reduce cost and waste. Please forgive if they have already been mentioned in previous posts, I am a recent fan of this blog.
I buy my yeast in bulk vacum packs at BJs wholesale club. According to my trusty Red StarCentennial Bread sampler, 2 and 1/4 tsp of bulk yeast equals one package of yeast. The extra yeast can be stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. According to Red Star, refrigerated open jar yeast should be used within two months, but I have gone much longer with no detrimental results.
Anyone hesitant to knead on countertops directly might want to consider silicone baking sheets. Got 2 at Christmas Tree Shops and it was the best $6 I ever spent. I knead everything on them, they are great for bread and piecrust. When dusted with flour nothing sticks to them. No more tearing and throwing away wax paper. Yah!
Hope these help!
Ummmm I like your bread. Thank you to share your experienced.
I am Thai, and I would like to thank you, Kristen, for your recipe and the pictures to show us step by step. I have a couple of recipes to make Butter Bread or a kind of Sandwich Bread. I finally settled at your recipe. My loaf turn out excatly like your pictures. My kids love it. I feel really thankful about that.
Laddavan.
I also had bad counters in my apartment. At home depot or lowes you can sometimes get
sink cut outs from pre made counters. They are great things to have they have many uses
I always use pillsbury bread flour, which I think is bleached (must switch!). Every time I make bread I use bread flour, I never thought about using all purpose. Is there a difference? I know bread flour is supposed to make the bread more chewy, but have you compared the two and actually noticed the difference?
Once again you have stated the facts about making your own bread at home, or buying it in the store. You did your homework on the figures and I appreciate it very much.
I agree with you in all points. Home make is best and if a person likes to bake bread, it is as though it is a gift to the family.
Thanks for all your helps. I love your recipes.