Description
This easy homemade white bread dough recipe guides you through making fresh, soft, and delicious bread from scratch using simple ingredients. Perfect for beginners, this recipe results in a golden crust and tender crumb ideal for sandwiches or toast.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (110°F/43°C)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.
- Form the dough: Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together. Once it forms a dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- First rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours or until it doubles in size.
- Shape the dough: After the dough has risen, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Turn it out onto a floured surface and shape it into a loaf.
- Second rise: Grease a loaf pan and place the shaped dough inside. Cover and let it rise again for about 30 minutes or until it has risen slightly above the top of the pan.
- Bake the bread: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Once the dough has risen, place the loaf in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool and serve: Remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For a softer crust, brush the top of the loaf with melted butter immediately after baking.
- If you want to make rolls instead of a loaf, divide the dough into smaller portions and shape them into individual rolls before the second rise.
- This dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days after the first rise if you want to make bread ahead of time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 1/12th of a loaf)
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: white bread, homemade bread, bread dough, easy bread recipe, fresh bread
