Homemade Amish White Bread (Print Version)

Bake two loaves of soft, slightly sweet white bread perfect for everyday meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 5 ½ to 6 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
03 - 2 teaspoons salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 2 cups warm water (110–115°F)
05 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
06 - ¼ cup vegetable oil

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the water and let stand for 5–10 minutes until frothy.
02 - Add oil and salt to the yeast mixture, stirring until combined.
03 - Gradually add 5 cups of flour, mixing until a soft dough forms. If needed, add additional flour ¼ cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
04 - Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
05 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
06 - Punch down dough and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in greased 9x5-inch loaf pans.
07 - Cover and let rise again for 30–40 minutes or until the dough rises about 1 inch above the rim of the pans.
08 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
09 - Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped.
10 - Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is incredibly soft and pillowy, perfect for the most comforting grilled cheese sandwiches youve ever made
  • This recipe is practically foolproof even if youve never baked bread before, it rises beautifully every time
02 -
  • The hollow tap test is the most reliable way to know if bread is done, better than relying on visual cues alone
  • Letting the dough rise in a slightly warm oven with just the light on creates the perfect draft-free environment
03 -
  • Let the bread cool completely before slicing or the steam will escape and leave you with dry crumbly pieces
  • Use an instant read thermometer to check that the bread reaches 190 degrees internally for perfect doneness

Go Back