Soft Sandwich Bread Recipe

As I was thinking about what to share on the blog I realized I haven’t given you guys a classic bread recipe. I mean sure, I’ve given you the bread machine recipe which is a good one. What if you don’t have or want a bread machine though? Sometimes, making bread by hand is how people want to cook. Plus, I find that it can be therapeutic too! Something about the process just makes it calming. The best part about this recipe is that it can still be made in a day. In fact, it takes just as long as the bread machine but it requires you to do the work instead of the machine. Without any further ado, my soft sandwich bread recipe.

About the Recipe

This recipe makes two loaves. Honestly, if I’m going to make bread I find that I may as well make a couple loaves versus just one. If you don’t want two loaves, just cut it in half! Or, if you aren’t sure if you want two loves, freeze one! You can slice one of the loaves up, put it in a ziploc, and freeze it for future use. Two birds, one stone! We grew up on frozen bread and I freeze bread all the time. I wouldn’t recommend you leave it in there for a year or more but a few weeks to a few months will be just fine.

Ingredients for the Soft Sandwich Bread Recipe

2 cups warm water
¼ cup sugar
4 ½ tsp instant yeast (2 packets)
6 cups flour
1 ½ tsp salt
4 tbsp olive oil (can use melted butter or shortening instead as well)
2 tbsp melted butter (optional)

Directions

In your stand mixer bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. You should be able to see the foam from the yeast. If your yeast is not foaming, you likely need new yeast.

Foamy yeast to start the sandwich bread. — What yeast should look like when foamy.

Add the flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture.
Using your dough hook, knead the mixture until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. This usually takes me 5-6 minutes depending on the speed of the mixer.

When finished, soft sandwich bread dough should not stick to your bowl. — Dough no longer sticking to the side.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a towel.

Soft sandwich bread recipe before rising.

Allow it to sit until doubled in size, about 60 minutes.

Soft sandwich bread dough after rising. — Dough after rising.

Punch the dough down and cut it in half.
Form each half into a log that will fit in your loaf pan.
Grease the loaf pan and insert the dough.

Form dough into 2 loaves and put them in the loaf pans.

Cover with a towel and allow to rise until doubled in size. About another 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 about 20 minutes before the second rise is done.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Soft sandwich bread dough fresh out of the oven.

Brush the crust with melted butter and allow it to cool for 10 minutes in the pan.
Remove from the pan and enjoy!

Soft sandwich bread recipe- finished product!

In Summary: Soft Sandwich Bread Recipe

There really are no tricks or tips to this one. It’s just making sure that you are following the process to get it the right rise times and letting the bread do the work. This bread is so light and fluffy, I honestly eat it with just butter and it’s one of my favorite snacks. Especially while pregnant! A lot of people want to add more sugar to their bread but I prefer this one because it keeps the sugar low, and I don’t think all bread needs to be sweet! I promise, this is one recipe you don’t want to skip.

Which do you prefer, a bread machine or making it by hand?

Honestly, the bread machine bread is great and I love the ease of it. It’s still, hands down, better than store bought bread. However, I prefer the taste of handmade bread even more than the machine.