Homemade Sandwich Bread (Soft, Fluffy and Easy)
Pulling your own loaf of bread out of the oven comes with a particular pride, a from-scratch confidence I inherited from parents who could seemingly make anything by hand. We were not a sandwich-bread family growing up. We were a fresh-tortilla family. But the instinct is the same. Why buy it when you can make it softer, better, and with more love. This homemade sandwich bread is soft and fluffy and genuinely easy once you trust the dough. Bake a loaf on a lazy weekend, and let your kitchen fill with the smell that makes any house feel like home.
This homemade sandwich bread is soft, fluffy, and easy to make with simple pantry staples. Perfect for everyday toast or stacked sandwiches, no bread machine required!
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoon warm water (120-130) degrees
- ¾ cup warm milk (120-130) degrees
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon instant yeast
- 4 tablespoon avocado oil
- 4 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Warm the Liquids: Heat the water and milk to 120–130°F. Avoid overheating, too hot will kill the yeast!
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a stand mixer bowl, combine the warm water, warm milk, sugar, instant yeast, and avocado oil. Mix briefly to combine.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Add 4 cups of flour and the salt. Mix on low until the dough starts coming together, then slowly add the remaining ¾ cup of flour.
- Knead the Dough (Mixer Option): Increase the speed to medium and knead for 5-7 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and just slightly tacky.
- Knead the Dough (By Hand Option): Mix liquids and dry ingredients as above. Knead in the remaining flour on a floured surface for 12–14 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Shape the Loaf: Punch down the dough and roll it into a tight log, tucking in the sides as you go. Place it seam-side down in a greased 13×5 loaf pan
- Second Rise: Cover and let rise for 30 minutes, until the dough rises about 1 inch above the pan’s rim.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool: Let the loaf cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.