Soft Homemade White Bread — 2 Loaves

Yield: 2 loaves
Loaf pans: 8½ × 4½-inch
Prep: 20–30 minutes
First rise: 45–60 minutes
Second rise: about 45 minutes
Bake: 25–30 minutes
Oven: 400°F / 205°C

Ingredients
5½–6 cups (660–720 g) all-purpose flour
2 packets Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast — 4½ teaspoons total
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1½ cups (360 ml) water
½ cup (120 ml) milk
2 tablespoons (28 g) butter, plus extra for greasing
Optional: 1 tablespoon melted butter for brushing the finished loaves

The ingredient quantities and two-loaf yield closely match Fleischmann’s published Homemade White Bread recipe.

Full Step-by-Step Recipe
1. Prepare the yeast

Warm ½ cup of the water to approximately 100–110°F (38–43°C).

It should feel warm, not hot.

Pour it into a large mixing bowl.

Add:

2 packets active dry yeast
1 teaspoon of the sugar

Stir gently.

Let stand for 5–10 minutes.

The surface should become foamy.

Why do this?

Active dry yeast is traditionally dissolved in warm liquid before mixing. The foam is a useful indication that the yeast is active.

If absolutely nothing happens after 10 minutes, check the yeast’s expiration date and the water temperature before proceeding.

2. Add the remaining ingredients

Add to the yeast mixture:

remaining 1 cup water
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
remaining sugar
2 teaspoons salt
about 4 cups flour

Mix until combined.

The butter can be softened or melted. If you’re heating the milk, don’t add liquid that’s extremely hot directly to the yeast.

3. Add the remaining flour gradually

Begin adding the remaining flour ½ cup at a time.

Don’t automatically add the entire 6 cups.

You want a dough that is:

soft
slightly tacky
elastic
workable
not wet or runny

Depending on your flour, humidity, measuring technique, and milk, you may need anywhere from approximately 5½ to 6 cups.

Fleischmann’s also gives a 5½–6 cup range rather than one rigid amount.

4. Knead the dough

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter.

Knead for approximately 8–10 minutes.

By hand

Push the dough forward with the heel of your hand.

Fold it back.

Turn it.

Repeat.

What you’re looking for

After kneading, the dough should feel:

smooth
stretchy
soft
elastic

It shouldn’t feel like a stiff lump of flour.

Windowpane test

Take a small piece and gently stretch it.

If it can stretch thin without immediately tearing, your gluten development is good.

5. First rise

Lightly grease a large bowl.

Place the dough inside and turn it once so the surface gets lightly coated.

Cover with:

plastic wrap
a clean damp towel
or a lid

Put it somewhere warm and draft-free.

Let it rise for approximately 45–60 minutes, or until roughly doubled in size.

Fleischmann’s specifies about 45–60 minutes for this first rise.

6. Test whether it has risen enough

Gently press one fingertip into the dough.

If the indentation slowly springs back, it is generally ready.

If it immediately springs completely back, give it more time.

If it collapses dramatically, it may have risen too far.

Don’t rely only on the clock—dough volume is more important than an exact number of minutes.

7. Punch down

Gently press the dough down to remove some of the accumulated gas.

Turn it onto a lightly floured surface.

Don’t aggressively knead it at this point.

8. Divide into two loaves

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions.

For the most consistent loaves, weigh the dough and divide it in half.

Shape each portion into a rectangle approximately 12 × 7 inches.

9. Roll the loaves

Starting from the short side, roll each rectangle tightly like a jelly roll.

As you roll:

Keep the roll reasonably tight.
Press out large air pockets.
Pinch the seam closed.
Pinch the ends closed.
Place seam-side down.

This rolling technique is also the method used in Fleischmann’s published recipe.

10. Prepare the loaf pans

Grease two 8½ × 4½-inch loaf pans.

Place one shaped loaf in each pan, seam-side down.

11. Second rise

Cover the pans loosely with a clean towel or plastic wrap.

Place them somewhere warm and draft-free.

Allow them to rise for approximately 45 minutes, or until the dough has visibly expanded and is approaching the top of the pans.

Fleischmann’s specifies about 45 minutes for the second rise.

Don’t overproof

You don’t necessarily want the dough dramatically overflowing the pans.

If it rises too far before baking, it can collapse in the oven.

12. Preheat the oven

Preheat to:

400°F / 205°C

Place the oven rack around the center position.

13. Bake

Put both loaf pans in the preheated oven.

Bake for approximately:

25–30 minutes

The bread should be beautifully golden brown.

Fleischmann’s gives 25–30 minutes at 400°F for this two-loaf recipe.

14. Check for doneness

The loaves should:

have a golden-brown crust
sound somewhat hollow when tapped
feel firm rather than doughy

If you have an instant-read thermometer, a finished white loaf will generally be around 190°F / 88°C internally.

15. Butter the crust

Immediately after removing the loaves, brush the tops with a little melted butter.

This is optional, but it gives you the soft, shiny crust visible in the photograph.

16. Remove from the pans

Let the bread sit in the pans for just a few minutes.

Then remove the loaves and place them on a wire rack.

Don’t leave them trapped in hot pans for a long time because steam can make the sides and bottom soggy.

17. Cool before slicing

This is difficult because fresh bread smells amazing—but let it cool for approximately 30–60 minutes before slicing.

Cutting extremely hot bread can compress the soft interior and make it appear gummy.

Use a serrated bread knife with a gentle sawing motion.

🧈 How to Get the Bread Looking Like the Picture

For the soft, golden loaves shown in your image:

Use whole milk

Whole milk produces a richer, softer loaf than skim milk.

Don’t add too much flour

This is probably the most important tip.

A dough that is excessively stiff will produce heavier bread.

Start with 5½ cups and only add more flour if necessary.

Don’t rush the rises

Yeast needs time.

If your kitchen is cool, the first rise may take considerably longer than 45 minutes.

Butter after baking

Brush the hot crust with melted butter immediately after it comes out.

That produces a softer crust.

Store correctly

Once completely cool, place the bread in an airtight bread bag or container.

Avoid refrigerating it if possible because refrigeration can make bread stale faster.

Serving Ideas

This bread is excellent for:

butter and honey
peanut butter and jelly
grilled cheese
French toast
toast
sandwiches
egg sandwiches
cinnamon toast
garlic toast
breakfast toast
Nut & Allergy Information
Does this recipe contain nuts?

No tree nuts are required.

There are no:

almonds
walnuts
pecans
cashews
pistachios
hazelnuts

in the basic recipe.

Is it safe for someone with a nut allergy?

It depends on the individual’s allergy and the ingredient brands.

The basic ingredients don’t require tree nuts, but flour, yeast, butter, milk, and other packaged ingredients can have allergen statements or cross-contact warnings.

For a serious allergy, check every package label and use products from a facility/process appropriate for the person’s allergy.

Peanut allergy

The basic bread contains no peanut butter or peanuts.

However, if you’re serving it to someone with a severe peanut allergy, avoid using contaminated equipment or ingredients that have been in contact with peanuts.

Dairy allergy

This recipe contains:

milk
butter

For a dairy-free version, use a suitable dairy-free milk and baking-fat substitute.

Gluten allergy/celiac disease

This recipe uses ordinary wheat flour and therefore contains gluten.

It is not suitable for someone with celiac disease unless substantially reformulated using appropriate certified gluten-free ingredients and procedures.

Easy Variations
Honey White Bread

Replace the 3 tablespoons sugar with approximately 3 tablespoons honey.

Because honey is liquid, the dough may need a small adjustment in flour.

Half Whole-Wheat Bread

Rplace approximately 2 cups of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour.

Fleischmann’s specifically suggests substituting 2 cups of whole-wheat flour for part of the all-purpose flour in this recipe.

The result will be:

darker
nuttier
more substantial

while remaining relatively soft.

Extra-Milky Soft Bread

For an even richer loaf, you can use whole milk and brush the crust generously with butter after baking.

Don’t dramatically increase the liquid, though—the flour/liquid balance is important.

Bread Q&A
Why didn’t my yeast foam?

Possible reasons include:

expired yeast
water too hot
water too cold
poor yeast storage

Try again with fresh yeast and water around 100–110°F for the activation step.

Can I use instant yeast?

Yes, but the procedure changes.

Fleischmann’s provides versions using both Active Dry and RapidRise Instant Yeast. Their instant-yeast method mixes the yeast directly with the dry ingredients and uses warmer liquid, around 120–130°F.

Don’t blindly use the active-dry activation instructions if you’re using instant yeast.

Can I use bread flour?

Yes.

Bread flour usually gives the dough more gluten potential and can produce a slightly chewier loaf.

You may need a small adjustment to the liquid/flour balance.

Why is my bread dense?

The most common causes are:

Too much flour
Yeast that isn’t active
Insufficient kneading
Insufficient rising
Dough rising in a very cold environment
Cutting the bread while extremely hot

For this recipe, don’t add flour simply because the dough feels slightly sticky. A soft dough is desirable.

Why did my bread collapse?

Possible causes:

overproofing
insufficient gluten development
too much liquid
very weak yeast structure
moving the overproofed loaf roughly

If the dough has risen dramatically above the pan and looks fragile, it may already be overproofed.

Why is the crust too hard?

Try:

brushing the hot loaf with butter
avoiding excessive baking time
not adding too much flour
storing the cooled bread in an airtight bag
Why is the inside gummy?

It may have been:

underbaked
cut while too hot
made with too much liquid
allowed to cool poorly

Make sure the center is fully baked before removing it from the oven.

Can I make one large loaf instead of two?

You can, but the recipe is designed for two standard loaves. A single loaf would require a much larger pan and different baking time.

For the shape shown in your photograph, two loaf pans are preferable.

Can I freeze the bread?

Yes.

Allow the bread to cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap or freezer-safe packaging.

Freeze for approximately 2–3 months for best quality.

Thaw at room temperature while still wrapped to reduce condensation on the bread.

Can I make the dough the night before?

Yes, but use a suitable refrigerated/slow-rise method rather than simply putting normally proofed dough in the refrigerator without adjusting the process.

A refrigerator slows yeast fermentation considerably.

Can I make dinner rolls from this dough?

Absolutely.

Instead of dividing the dough into two loaves, divide it into approximately 18–24 pieces, shape into balls, place in a greased baking pan, allow to rise, and bake until golden.

Can I add seeds?

Yes. Try:

sesame
poppy
sunflower
pumpkin
flax

For a nut-free household, remember that sunflower and pumpkin seeds are seeds, but cross-contact with tree nuts or peanuts can still occur in packaged products, so check labels carefully.

Best Version for the Photo

If your goal is to reproduce the exact soft, fluffy appearance in the photograph, I’d use:

5½ cups flour to start
2 packets active dry yeast
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1½ cups water
½ cup whole milk
2 tbsp butter

Then:

Knead → rise until doubled → divide → tightly roll → pan → second rise → bake at 400°F for 25–30 minutes → butter the crust.