Basic White Bread – Easy Low Budget Recipe

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Here is a basic white bread recipe that is easy, low budget and is gonna make you proud! I believe every person—baker or no baker—should experience making a loaf of bread at least once in life. Even though it may have been another gruelling daily task in your grandmother’s day, making bread involves one of the most fascinating scientific processes in the culinary world.

Proofing yeast, kneading dough, witnessing its chemical metamorphosis and shaping loaves are a few of the enticing parts about making bread. In bread classes I have instructed, even the most disinterested participant becomes intrigued by the end when the that loaf comes from the oven.

This is an ideal recipe for anyone baking bread for the first time. This basic white bread can be easily made whole wheat. For a slightly more elaborate bread, you might want to try my Pumpkin Yeast Bread. Here are a few tips that I hope will make your experience successful and inspiring.

Proof the Yeast

Because this recipe uses active dry yeast, it needs to be proofed. In other words, mix it into barely lukewarm water with some sugar and allow it to stand for 10 minutes. If it does not become activated and foam up, then it will not work.

If the water you dissolved it in was too hot—or even too cold—you either killed it or didn’t give it enough warmth, respectively. Another reason yeast might not proof is if it’s past the expiry date. Like any living organism, it dies after a long time and won’t work.

Autolyse

This is an optional step when making bread, but autolysing the dough will make the process easier with better results.

When you mix the dough together, rather than start kneading it right away, cover it with a towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. It works better if the salt has not been added to the dough.

During autolyse, the flour absorbs the moisture in the dough and the gluten already begins to develop. Therefore your dough is a little more dry after the 30 minute autolyse and you eliminate the need to add more flour. This results in a better structured dough with more even crumb. As a bonus, an autolyse cuts down on your kneading time.

Bench Rest

After the first proofing—or rising of the dough, I like to let it bench rest. Punch it down to release the air bubbles, then place it on your working surface. Portion it into your loaves then let the hunks of dough just sit there for 15 minutes.

This relaxes the gluten again after punching down the dough, making it easier to shape and it later improves the bread’s lightness.

Cover While Cooling

After the bread comes out of the oven, cover it with a towel and cool them completely. The loaves can come out of the pans after a few minutes, but keep the towel on. This will trap in the steam that rises and send it back into the bread, keeping it soft. And one painstaking fact—you really should let bread cool completely before cutting into it. (I know….bad!) The structure continues to develop even during the cooling process, so some of that gets lost when the crust breaks.

How Can I Make Whole Wheat Bread?

To make this basic white bread recipe whole wheat, replace 2 cups of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour. You can vary this amount as you make this more often. The more whole wheat flour you use, the heavier your bread will be. This suggested amount will yield a bread that is hearty but still light.

Go Make Bread!

These were just a few forgotten or maybe undiscovered tips for making bread. Go try it, see for yourself! Making your own bread is not only way tastier than store bought, it’s loads more satisfying and fun too!

Print Recipe

Basic White Bread

A recipe for basic white bread with only 5 ingredients.

Cuisine

American

Prep Time

20 Minutes

Cook Time

35 Minutes

Passive Time

4 Hours

Servings

Loaves

Ingredients

• 3 Cups water Lukewarm
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 14 Grams Active dry yeast 4 1/2 teaspoons
• 7-8 Cups All purpose flour
• 4 Teaspoons salt

Cuisine American Prep Time 20 Minutes Cook Time 35 Minutes Passive Time 4 Hours Servings Loaves Ingredients 3 Cups water Lukewarm 2 Tablespoons sugar 14 Grams Active dry yeast 4 1/2 teaspoons 7-8 Cups All purpose flour 4 Teaspoons salt

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine water, sugar and yeast. Mix well and allow to stand 10 minutes until foamy.
2. Stir down foam and add 5-6 cups flour. Mix well to form a very sticky dough. Now gradually add more flour, a little at a time, until you can knead the dough without it sticking too much. It should still be slightly sticky and very soft.
3. Leave the dough in the bowl and cover with a towel. Allow to autolyse for 30 minutes. Then add salt and knead it in.
4. Turn dough onto working surface and knead 7-8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Knead in more flour as needed to keep the dough slightly sticky yet manageable and soft.
5. Grease the same bowl with butter or oil and return the dough. Toss it around to coat and cover with a towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
6. Punch down dough and place onto work surface. Portion into 2 equal pieces and cover with a towel. Allow to bench rest 15 minutes.
7. Grease 2 - 8”x4” loaf pans or line a baking sheet with parchment for free form loaves. Punch down dough pieces once more and shape into loaves. Transfer to pans. Cover and allow to rise 45-60 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
8. Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Bake loaves for 30-35 minutes or until golden. They should sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and cover with a towel. After a few minutes, remove loaves from pans and continue to cool with the towel covering them so they stay soft. Cool completely before slicing.