The Best Sandwich Bread and Video

Name: The Best Sandwich Bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 135 min
Ingredients: 1¾ cups warm water ((397 grams)); 1 tablespoon SAF instant yeast ((or active dry) (9 grams)); ½ tablespoon salt ((9 grams)); ¼ cup canola oil ((or vegetable oil) (37 grams)); 3 tablespoons honey ((63 grams) (or white sugar)); 4½ cups unbleached bread flour ((or all-purpose flour) (585 grams)); cooking spray or oil for the loaf pans

Published: Sep 15, 2022 · Modified: Mar 18, 2024 by Jen Talley · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

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The best sandwich bread is fluffy, but doesn't fall apart and isn't crumbly. This easy homemade bread has the perfect soft crumb.

Sliced homemade sandwich bread on a wood cutting board with jar of jam next to it.

While store-bought bread is often an easy go-to, homemade bread is really the greatest thing! It smells wonderful, tastes delicious, and will save you money!

It's amazing with peanut butter and jelly, as a grilled cheese sandwich, or with thin slices of your favorite meat! This is the best bread for all of those sandwich recipes you want to try.

This bread recipe, with its beautiful golden crust, will bring such joy to your taste buds from the first bite.

By the way, I have the perfect recipe for leftover bread! Try these Homemade Croutons!

This bread recipe can also be shaped into rolls for these delicious Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes. Check out my Italian Sandwich Bread Recipe too!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This delicious white bread is easy to make especially with the video tutorial.
The crumb holds together really well which means it makes a great sandwich bread.
This perfect sandwich bread has a wonderfully soft texture and slightly chewy interior.

Recipe Ingredients

You'll need the following ingredients to make The Best Homemade Sandwich Bread.

The ingredients for the best homemade sandwich bread.

Warm Water helps create the best environment for the yeast to do its magic.

SAF Instant Yeast is a great brand for many types of bread. I've included more info about this yeast below!

Salt helps to strengthen the gluten strands in your bread and leads to better-looking and tasting bread.

Canola Oil has a mild flavor that helps the bread's flavor to shine through while keeping it moist.

Honey adds moisture as well as a sweet flavor to the bread.

Unbleached Bread Flour provides the structure for the bread.

Additions and Substitutions

Honey: Substitute 2 tablespoons of white sugar for honey. Please note that children under the age of 1 should not consume honey.
White Flour: To make this bread a little more nutritious you can substitute up to two cups of white flour for whole wheat flour.
Oil: Canola, vegetable, and oil can all be used interchangeably in this recipe.

Yeast

Let's talk about yeast. I never thought much about different kids or brands of yeast until I started making bread regularly and joined some bread-making forums.

I learned that not all yeast is created equal. In fact, I favorite yeast. I recommend it to everyone that is interested in bread. It is SAF Instant Yeast. It works so well and it is so forgiving. It doesn't have that flavor that the normal active yeast has.

King Arthur flour has a great article about different types of yeast. You will get an amazing rise with the SAF Instant Yeast. Give it a try!

Kitchen Tools

This dough can be made in a mixer such as a Bosch or a KitchenAid or you can knead it by hand. If you do it by hand you need to be very careful not to over-flour the dough.

Make sure you have a decent bread knife. It breaks my heart to see fresh, soft bread being squished and torn because of the knife. Give this bread knife a try.

My favorite loaf pans are the USA Pans from Amazon. They release the bread so easily.

How to Make The Best Sandwich Bread

Here are some quick visual instructions. The video tutorial is in the recipe card! The full recipe with ingredient measurements is below!

For directions on how to make this bread by hand, look for the heading "How to Make Bread by Hand."

Put everything except the flour into the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attached. Add some of the flour. Mix and knead the dough while adding more flour. It should become slightly sticky and form a ball as it comes off the sides of the bowl.

Images of the ingredients for bread in a white Bosch mixer.

After kneading the dough remove it from the mixer and put it on a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a ball.

Image of dough in a mixer and image of hands kneading dough.

Move the dough to a large mixing bowl and cover to allow it to have its first rise.

The dough in a bowl and the dough covered with plastic wrap in a bowl.

After the first rise, prepare the pans with a little cooking spray or oil. Divide the dough into two pieces and shape it into a loaf.

First image is of risen dough in a bowl and the second image is two greased loaf pan with dough next to them.

Rub a little vegetable oil or butter on two pieces of plastic wrap and cover the loaf pans allowing room for the dough to grow. Or place a pan in your oven with some boiling water. Allow the loaves to have their second rise in this warm area with the light on.

Before and after pictures of dough rising in the bread pans.

Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the plastic wrap and gently place the loaves in the oven. Bake for 25-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Let the loaves cool on a cooling rack.

Two loaves of homemade sandwich bread on a cooling rack.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Here are some of the most common tips to help you make perfect bread!

Dry Crust Before Baking

If your dough gets a dry crust when rising or you live in a dry climate try putting the loaves in the oven to rise with a pan of boiling hot water to create a warm steamy environment for your dough to rise.

Dense Loaf

If you made a dense loaf of bread there are few things to try and don't worry because you can use the dense loaf as homemade croutons! Next time, try adding less flour and giving it more rise time before baking. Don't be afraid to let it rise nice and high. See this picture as an example:

Side view of the risen down in a loaf pan.

Sunken Loaf

If your dough collapsed while baking you may have let it over-rise. Try reducing the rise time next time you bake bread.

Stuck to the Pan

If your bread sticks to your loaf pan you can use parchment paper to keep it from sticking. I love using these USA Loaf Pans. I haven't had any issues with dough sticking.

How to Make Bread by Hand

Making sandwich bread without a mixer is easy! The biggest tip is to try your best not to add too much flour. The flour will slowly absorb the moisture from the water and make it less sticky.

Add liquids: Add the water, yeast, salt, oil, and honey to a large bowl. (If using active dry yeast, add it to the water and allow it to bloom before adding the salt, oil and honey). Give the mixture a little stir.
Incorporate ingredients: Using a wooden spoon or your hands, gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead the dough: Once the dough starts to come together, transfer it to a clean, floured surface. Begin kneading the dough by pushing it away from you with the heel of your hand, then folding it back over itself. Rotate the dough and continue kneading for about 8-10 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Test dough consistency: The dough should feel slightly tacky but not overly sticky. If it's too sticky, you can sprinkle a little flour on your hands or the work surface as needed, but be careful not to add too much flour, as this can make the bread dense.
Check dough readiness: To check if the dough is ready, perform the windowpane test. Take a small piece of dough and stretch it gently between your fingers. If it stretches thin enough to let light pass through without tearing, it's ready.
Finish the Recipe: Follow the remaining steps in the recipe card below for rising, baking, and enjoying your freshly baked bread!

Storage and Reheating

Storage: Keep the bread wrapped in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, a bread bag, or a paper bag.
Freezing: After the bread has cooled down, wrap it in plastic wrap, freezer paper, or aluminum foil and freeze for up to 6 months.
Reheating: After allowing the frozen bread to come to room temperature, wrap the bread in aluminum foil and bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most commonly used bread for sandwiches?

Loaf bread, a type of yeast bread, is often used for different reasons. While there are different types of bread within this category, white bread tends to be the most popular choice.

What makes homemade bread light and fluffy?

The Carbon Dioxide that forms because of the yeast growth is what leads to light, fluffy bread. When the dough rises, it is creating holes in the bread that will give it that perfect texture. When making homemade bread, it is important to not use too much flour and allow for a long rise time to get light and fluffy bread.

How can I make my homemade bread better?

It is important to make sure the dough rises correctly. You'll get the best results when you allow both the 1st rise and the 2nd rise. Give the bread plenty of time to rise to become fluffy and soft.

More Yeast Bread Recipes

Dutch Oven Blueberry Bread is a creative way to use delicious summer blueberries.

Sliced sandwich bread with jam next to it.

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