Basic White or Wheat Bread Recipe (2024)

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ByMerissa

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Need the perfect recipe for bread? This wonderful Basic White Bread recipe will be your new staple! Make your own homemade bread with this simple recipe and tutorial. No special ingredients or cooking equipment needed.

Basic White or Wheat Bread Recipe (1)

Table of Contents

Basic White Bread

Every good homemaker needs a tried and true plain bread recipe in their recipe box. A basic white bread can be used in so many different meals and dishes and always makes a good snack when paired with some homemade jam.

This is an easy white bread recipe that has served us well over the years. I believe I originally found it from a Mennonite source which is where many of my old tried and true recipes have come from.

Basic White Bread Recipe

What You Need:

  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon yeast
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1/6 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/4 cup cold water
  • 3 cups flour + an additional 3 – 4 cups flour

How to make bread:

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In a small bowl mix the 1/2 cup warm water, yeast, and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes or so.

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In a mixer or in another bowl mix the boiling water, oil, sugar, and salt. Stir until it dissolves.

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Add in the cold water and mix and then add in the yeast mixture. (You want the mixture temp to be lukewarm before you add the yeast and that’s why do you do this mixing step. Do not burn the yeast!)

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Add in 3 cups of flour and stir. Let this mixture rise for 30 minutes.

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This is after 30 minutes. We have some nice bubbling yeast action going on here. 🙂

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Add in the rest of the flour. (3 to 4 cups are needed) It should form a nice, not sticky, dough. Let this rest for about 30 minutes.

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Form into loaves and stick in a loaf pan. This will make 2 loaves. Let these rise for about an hour in a warm covered place. Or at least until doubled in size. Then bake them at 350F for 35-40 minutes.

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Remove the loaves from the oven and brush the tops with butter. Butter will help to keep the loaves soft and not crispy and crumbly. Store extra bread in the fridge or in the freezer. You can keep this bread on the counter but it will only last a few days.

Substitutions – You can make this bread recipe with all wheat flour or half wheat and half white.

Want to print this Basic White Bread Recipe? Grab it below:

Basic White or Wheat Bread Recipe (10)

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Basic White Bread Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2cupwarm water
  • 1 1/2Tablespoonyeast
  • 1Tablespoonsugar
  • 1cupboiling water
  • 1/3cupoil
  • 1/6cupsugar
  • 2teaspoonssalt
  • 1 1/4cupcold water
  • 3cupsflour
  • 3-4Cupsadditional flour needed

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl mix the 1/2 cup warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes or so.

  2. In a mixer or in another bowl, mix the boiling water, oil, sugar, and salt. Stir until it dissolves.

  3. Add in the cold water and mix and then add in the yeast mixture. (You want the mixture temp to be lukewarm before you add the yeast and that's why do you do this mixing step. Do not burn the yeast!)

  4. Add in 3 cups of flour and stir. Let this mixture rise for 30 minutes.

  5. Add in the rest of the flour. (3 to 4 cups are needed) It should form a nice, not sticky, dough. Let this rest for about 30 minutes.

  6. Form into loaves and stick in a loaf pan. This will make 2 loaves. Let these rise for about an hour in a warm covered place. Or at least until doubled in size. Then bake them at 350F for 35-40 minutes.

  7. Bake the loaves at 350F for 35-40 minutes.

  8. Remove the loaves from the oven and brush the tops with butter. Butter will help to keep the loaves soft and not crispy and crumbly. Store extra bread in the fridge or in the freezer. You can keep this bread on the counter but it will only last a few days.

Recipe Notes

Substitutions - You can make this bread recipe with all wheat flour or half wheat and half white.

Did you enjoy this white loaf bread? Find even more Bread Recipes here on Little House Living!

Have you tried this basic White Bread recipe yet? What do you use it for the most?

This basic white bread recipe originally appeared on Little House Living in February 2011. It has been updated as of September 2019.

Basic White or Wheat Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between basic white bread and whole wheat bread? ›

whole wheat bread is not much different and there only about a 10% difference between the two. Whole wheat bread tends to have a higher fiber content, and more micro nutrients than a standard white bread though and is still a much healthier choice over white bread.

Can I mix whole wheat and white flour for bread? ›

I've made with bread with white flour, whole wheat flour and a mix of both and it always tastes amazing. Your friends will think you're a professional baker when you serve a loaf of this crusty whole wheat artisan bread!

Does wheat bread fill you up more than white bread? ›

"As dietitians, we often recommend whole-grain bread because it traditionally contains more fiber, which aids in digestion and will help you feel full longer," says Kristi Ruth, RD, LDN.

Does wheat bread rise as much as white bread? ›

white bread loaf had shown more oven spring than the whole wheat loaf. This was a surprise as the Simple Sourdough Pan loaf usually has no real oven spring. the white loaf sprang ahead, but both are nicely risen, have a soft crumb and are nice sandwich breads.

Is 100% wheat bread better for you than white bread? ›

“When it comes to health, whole wheat bread is a better choice compared to white bread,” says Kate Ingram, a Connecticut-based registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of TheVitalityDietitians.com. “This is because whole wheat bread contains more fiber and important nutrients from the bran and germ.

Is 100% whole wheat bread healthier than white bread? ›

"When it comes to health, whole wheat bread is a better choice compared to white bread," says Kate Ingram, a Connecticut-based registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of TheVitalityDietitians.com. "This is because whole wheat bread contains more fiber and important nutrients from the bran and germ.

What happens if you use whole wheat flour instead of white? ›

Be sensible when substituting

Any lighter-colored baked goods (sugar cookies, white sandwich bread, lemon muffins, etc.) will be slightly darker when baked with whole wheat, and may not rise quite as high.

Why does wholemeal bread not rise? ›

Whole grain flour: Whole grain flours such as whole wheat or rye don't produce the same stretchy glutens as all-purpose flour, which can lead to denser doughs that don't rise as well. Dry crust: If the surface of your dough dries out, it can impede rising.

Why is my homemade whole wheat bread so dense? ›

The reason why whole wheat loaves end up so dense is because whole wheat flour has very little gluten as compared to white all-purpose flour. Gluten is important for giving the dough – and final loaves – structure. Without it, loaves tend to end up flat and dense.

What happens if you don't eat bread for a week? ›

By decreasing carbohydrate consumption such as bread, the body burns stored energy as glycogen (which is the image of stored carbohydrates in the liver and muscles), which leads to water loss and weight loss.

Will cutting out bread help lose belly fat? ›

"Eating refined carbs like bread, rice, pasta and cookies [in excess] will increase our belly fat. If we want to lose it, we should focus on eating nutrient- and fiber-rich carbs such as vegetables and low-glycemic fruits," says Djordjevic.

Is 4 slices of bread a day too much? ›

While it's not inherently harmful to eat four slices of white bread daily, it's generally advisable to focus on a varied and balanced diet that includes a wide range of nutrient-dense foods. White bread, particularly when made from refined grains, may have some drawbacks compared to whole grain alternatives.

Why is my homemade whole wheat bread crumbly? ›

Your Bread Has Too Much Flour

Adding too much flour is one common mistake for beginning bakers. This produces dry bread with more crumbs. The key is to find a balance between the flour and liquid ingredients in your recipe. It can be tricky because bread recipes don't always give you an exact amount of flour.

Why eat wheat bread instead of white? ›

For instance, white bread consistently showed lower Calories, total carbohydrates, added sugars, and sodium. However, the wheat bread had higher protein content and 2–3 times the dietary fiber compared to its white bread counterpart.

Is Sourdough bread white or wheat? ›

Sourdough bread can be made with whole grain flour or with white flour. White bread and whole grain breads, including whole wheat bread, are made with flour, water, and yeast, but minimal fermentation. White bread is made using white, or refined, flour which is stripped of a lot of its nutrients during processing.

What is the healthiest bread to eat? ›

Here are our top 7 choices for wholesome, nutrient-dense breads.
  1. Sprouted whole grain. Sprouted bread is made from whole grains that have started to sprout from exposure to heat and moisture. ...
  2. Sourdough. ...
  3. 100% whole wheat. ...
  4. Oat bread. ...
  5. Flax bread. ...
  6. 100% sprouted rye bread. ...
  7. Healthy gluten-free bread.

Is wholemeal bread healthier than white bread? ›

Wholemeal bread has more fibre, vitamins and minerals than white, plus it's fortified with iodine and folic acid. Did you know? Wholemeal bread is faster to digest and has a higher GI than wholegrain. Fibre: a healthy 2g per slice.

What is the difference between white bread and whole bread? ›

Wholemeal bread is made with wholemeal flour, which is milled to include the three different parts of the whole wheat grains (the fibre-rich bran, the endosperm and the nutrient-dense germ) in adequate proportions. In contrast, white wheat bread is made from refined flour which only contains the endosperm part.

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