Homemade Amish White Bread (Printable)
Soft, fluffy white bread with slight sweetness. Ideal for toasting, sandwiches, or warm with butter.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 2 cups warm water (110°F)
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
04 - 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
05 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
06 - 5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
→ Optional Topping
07 - 1 tablespoon melted butter
# How to Cook:
01 - In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let stand for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
02 - Stir in the salt and oil. Gradually add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing until a soft dough forms. You may need slightly more or less flour, but the dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and not be too sticky.
03 - Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
05 - Punch down the dough and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in two greased 9x5-inch loaf pans.
06 - Cover the pans and let rise again until the dough rises about 1 inch above the rim, about 30–45 minutes.
07 - Preheat your oven to 350°F.
08 - Bake loaves for 25–30 minutes or until golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped.
09 - Brush the tops with melted butter, if desired, for a softer crust. Remove loaves from pans and cool on a wire rack before slicing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture is incredibly soft and pillowy, making it perfect for everything from morning toast to midnight sandwiches
- That subtle sweetness sets it apart from store-bought bread, and it comes together with ingredients you already have in your pantry
02 -
- Humidity affects how much flour your dough needs—trust your hands over the exact measurement
- Letting the bread cool completely before slicing prevents the steam from escaping and keeps the texture fluffy
03 -
- If the dough feels too sticky, flour your hands instead of adding more flour to the dough—over-flouring creates dense loaves
- Resist the urge to cut into warm bread; those first 20 minutes of cooling complete the baking process inside the crumb