Calling all bread lovers! If you’re a true lover of bread, then you know a basic loaf of light and fluffy white sandwich bread is a must-have in your repertoire. But not just any white sandwich bread will do…we’re talking about the absolute best – soft, fluffy, and irresistibly delicious. This light and fluffy white sandwich bread will surpass all your expectations. It boasts a slight sweetness and a heavenly softness baked into two beautiful loaves. From mouthwatering sandwiches to delectable toast, this homemade bread will outshine any store-bought alternative. Say goodbye to ordinary bread and say hello to the ultimate light and fluffy white sandwich bread that will keep your taste buds longing for more.
Ingredients in Light and Fluffy White Sandwich Bread
Instant Yeast: This bread requires instant yeast to rise. If you want to use dry active yeast, make sure to activate it in some water/honey before incorporating into the dough. If you’re looking for a sourdough version, check out this recipe.
Honey: Honey adds a sweetness to the dough. You could also substitute sugar but will need to decrease some flour or add some extra water to the dough to compensate for that substitution.
Coconut Oil: I love the soft texture that coconut oil gives the dough. Add cold or liquid coconut oil to the mixing bowl. The heat from the mixing will help the coconut oil absorb fully into the bread dough. You can substitute any neutral flavored oil.
Egg: One large egg is about 50 grams. This recipe makes two loaves of bread; if you want to make one loaf instead, mix up the egg in a bowl and then use 25 grams in the recipe.
Water: Warm water, around 95-100 degrees F helps activate the instant yeast and influences how quickly the dough will rise.
Salt: Salt enhances flavor. Don’t forget to add it!
Bread Flour: I use a good quality bread flour that I buy from my local mill. It’s around 12.5% protein content.
Mixing the Sandwich Bread Dough
To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water, honey and instant yeast. Look for the yeast to give off a “yeasty” smell telling you that it is active and ready. Add the egg, coconut oil, salt and bread flour. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is tacky and strong. It will not be overly sticky. If you pinch off a chunk and roll it in your hands it should form a ball with little to no residue left on your fingers. Remove the dough to a bowl or container. Cover with a plastic shower cap or a kitchen towel and place in a warm place (75-80 degrees Fahrenheit) to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
Pro Tip: Warm water will help increase the activity of the instant yeast. Don’t go over 95 degrees F (temperature of baby’s bathwater) or else you could kill the yeast. Look for the yeast to smell “yeasty” when you add it to the liquid ingredients so you know it is active.
Bulk or First Rise
This recipe for soft sourdough sandwich bread calls for two rises. The first rise, a “bulk” (unshaped) rise, takes place right after mixing the dough. The second rise takes place after the dough is shaped and it goes through a proving process. The first rise will take anywhere from 1-2 hours where the dough will double or triple in size. The amount of time it takes for the dough to rise is dependent on the temperature of the dough, but it will rise thanks to the instant yeast. Cover the dough and let it sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume.
Shaping Light and Fluffy White Sandwich Bread
Punch down the dough and separate into two equal pieces, about 880 grams each. Prepare two loaf pans. Pat one of the portions out into a rectangle. Starting at the edge closest to you, roll up the dough. Take care to press in the dough at the seam after each roll and pinch the seam closed at the end. Pinch and round the ends of the dough just a bit to get a uniform loaf. Place in a greased 8.5-by-4.5 loaf pan and cover. Repeat with remaining portion of dough.
More Delicious Yeast Recipes Here:
Proofing Sandwich Bread
Proof the loaves of bread for about 1-2 hours at warm room temperature (78-80 degrees F) Before baking this bread, make sure that the sandwich bread has risen up over the bread tin AND has filled out the tin. If your dough is colder, it will take longer. Gently press a finger into the dough and see if the dough springs back. If it springs back quickly, the bread needs to keep rising. If it springs back just a little, it’s time to bake. Watch the video below to see the difference.
Baking Sandwich Bread
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake sourdough discard sandwich bread for 40 minutes. The loaves will rise quite a bit in the oven. After 40 minutes, pull the loaves out of the oven and top with melted butter. After about 5 minutes, gently release them from the pans. Allow the loaves to cool completely before slicing and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store extra sandwich bread?
Slice the bread, put in a bread bag and store in the freezer.
There’s a lot of honey in this bread. Is that normal?
This bread does have sweet undertones from the honey. I love the flavor, but if you prefer a less sweet bread, you can cut the honey in half. If you do this, you’ll want to compensate by adding less flour to the recipe.
What can I substitute for the coconut oil?
First of all, don’t knock the coconut oil until you’ve tried it! It makes the most soft and delicious crumb in your bread! If you can’t eat coconut oil or don’t have it on hand, you can substitute melted butter or any neutral flavored oil.
Looking for a Sourdough Version of This Delicious Sandwich Bread? Try one of these recipes!
Light and Fluffy White Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
- 475 grams warm water temperature of baby's bathwater (about 95 degrees), 2 cups
- 160 grams honey 1/2 cup
- 10 grams instant yeast 1 Tablespoon
- 50 grams coconut oil liquid, 1/4 cup
- 1 large egg 50 grams
- 16 grams salt 2 teaspoons
- 1000 grams bread flour about 6 cups
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water, honey and instant yeast. Watch for the yeast to activate with a "yeasty" sweet smell and it should start to bubble a bit. Add the coconut oil, egg, salt and bread flour.
- Knead for 8-10 minutes. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl or gather all together as it kneads. It will feel tacky to the touch but should not be overly sticky. If it is very sticky, add a little bit more flour 10-20 grams at a time until it feels tacky and workable. This dough can also be kneaded about 10-15 minutes by hand.
- Transfer the dough to a large container and cover with a kitchen towel. Let dough rest for about an hour until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto the counter. Separate into two equal portions of dough, around 850-900 grams per loaf.
- Pat one of the portions of dough into a rectangle. Starting at the edge closest to you, roll up the dough. Take care to press in the dough at the seam after each roll and pinch the seam closed at the end. Pinch and round the ends of the dough just a bit to get a uniform loaf. Place in a greased 8.5 by 4.5 loaf pan and cover. Repeat with remaining portion of dough. You can watch a shaping video here.
- Let the bread rise in the pan for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the dough has risen over the edge of the loaf pan. Press in gently on the dough with a finger. If the dough springs back immediately, it needs a little more time to rise. If it leaves a little indentation and springs back a little bit, it is ready to bake.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake loaves of bread for 40 minutes. Spread melted butter on the tops of the loaves if desired. Let bread cool completely before slicing for sandwiches. Enjoy!
Notes
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Amy
Hi! I’m Amy. Sourdough lover and Kentucky based mama, sharing my best recipes and tips, one bake at a time. So glad you’re here!
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