Easy Soft Sandwich Bread in a Loaf Pan (For Beginners)
This foolproof recipe for a single loaf of homemade soft sandwich bread uses just six easy-to-find ingredients. It's a classic white sandwich bread baked in a loaf pan, reminiscent of childhood lunches and cozy mornings; made with love at home in your kitchen. The finished loaf is wonderfully soft inside with a thin, light golden brown crust, perfect for slicing and sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 400 grams all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
- 8 grams salt
- 7 grams instant yeast
- 236 grams warm water (90°F)
- 20 grams olive oil
- 8 grams honey
Instructions
- Mix. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the warm water, honey, and olive oil and mix on low-medium speed with the dough hook, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass on the dough hook and clears the sides of the bowl.
- Knead. Increase the speed to low-medium and knead for 3-5 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic. The dough may cling slightly to the walls of the bowl but should pull away cleanly.
- First rise. Tuck the edges of the dough under to create a ball of dough with a smooth top. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise somewhere warm for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Shape. Gently deflate the dough (a gentle punch to the middle will do the trick), then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Loosely shape it into a rough rectangle shape. Fold the top two corners in to make a point, then roll the point forward as you tuck the sides in to create a nice smooth rolled-up log of dough with the edges tucked in and the seam on the bottom.
- Second rise. Place the log of dough in a lightly greased 9x5" loaf pan. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let rise somewhere warm until the dough fills out the pan and just barely crowns over the top rim of the pan, about 1 hour.
- Preheat. During the final 30 minutes of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position.
- Score. Immediately before baking, use a sharp knife or lame to score a line down the center length of the dough.
- Bake. Bake the sandwich bread in the center of a 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 195℉.
- Cool. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes, then carefully turn the baked loaf out of the pan let cool completely on the wire rack before slicing.
RECIPE NOTES
- Climate: If it's very humid where you live, hold back about 25 grams of water to start. If it looks or feels like the dough needs it, drizzle it in 1 teaspoon at a time during the mixing stage. If it's very cold where you live, your dough may rise more slowly; it's okay if it needs an extra 15-45 minutes to rise.
- Ingredient substitutions: Yes, you can use sugar instead of honey — no adjustments needed.
- How to store: Sandwich bread is best eaten within the first 4-5 days after baking, though you can store it in an airtight bag or bread bag at room temperature for up to a week. I usually store it in a large resealable plastic bag with as much air pressed out as possible.
- How to freeze: You can freeze the whole loaf, defrost it at room temperature, then pop it in a 325°F oven for 20-30 minutes. Or you can slice the loaf first and break off a slice for the toaster whenever you want some. Bonus: Slide a piece of wax paper or parchment between each slice to make them easier to separate while frozen.