homemade loaf of sandwich bread made with yeast sitting on cutting board inside a farmhouse homestead kitchen

This recipe is so soft, delicious and easy to make! Even as a beginner to bread baking, you’ll fall in love with this recipe and never go back to store bought bread.

I started my bread baking journey with sourdough. And while I still enjoy sourdough and love making a variety of discard recipes, this bread recipe is one of my favorites! Plus it is not full of the unhealthy additives that store bought bread has.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect for a beginner. This recipe is very simple to follow with only a few basic steps and does not require much rise/proofing time.
Requires only a few ingredients. You’ll likely already have most if not all of the ingredients.
Healthier than store bought bread. This recipe does not include any additives or preservatives — unlike store bought bread.
It is delicious. It is soft, fluffy and has a buttery crust. Need I say more?

Ingredients You’ll Need

Water: Warm for a quicker rise time.
Active Dry Yeast: The yeast is responsible for the quick rise time.
Honey: The honey adds a touch of sweetness to the flavor. You can substitute with maple syrup.
Olive Oil: Adds to the soft texture.
Salt: Salt adds to the flavor and also slows down the yeast process a bit.
Bread flour: Higher protein content than all-purpose flour, but you can substitute with all-purpose if needed.

How to Make Homemade Sandwich Bread

In a large bowl or stand mixer, add the yeast, water and honey. Mix until frothy, and set aside for 5-10 minutes until the top becomes foamy and bubbly. (if it does not become bubbly, the yeast is not good. You will need to start over with new yeast).
Add salt, oil and flour. Mix until combined. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky. Add a small amount of flour at a time, if needed.
Knead the dough. If using a stand mixer, mix on medium speed for 4 minutes. If kneading with your hands, knead for 5-8 minutes.
Grease a large bowl with oil and place dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and set in a warm area to rise for 90 minutes or until doubled.
Grease 2 9x5” bread pans.
Punch down the dough to remove air bubbles. Divide into 2 equal parts. Shape each portion by gently stretching it into a rectangle. Then fold down the top third and press down where the edge connects with the dough. Tuck in the corners and continue rolling into a log, pressing down on the edge after each fold.
Place into greased pans. Cover and allow dough to rise for 45 minutes or until it has risen above the loaf pan.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Gently remove towel and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Remove bread from pans and place on cooling rack. Brush the tops with butter and let cool before slicing.
Store in an airtight container/bag.

Two homemade loaves of bread in bread pans ready to bake in a homestead kitchen.

Can I Freeze Homemade Bread?

Yes! I always make multiple loaves and freeze them to save time in the kitchen. Let your loaves cool completely, then put them in a ziplock freezer bag, and freeze. To thaw, just pull them out and leave in the ziplock bag until thawed.

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