There is something incredibly satisfying about baking your own sandwich bread. The smell of fresh bread filling the kitchen, the golden crust, and the soft, fluffy slices make homemade bread worth every minute.
Sandwich bread is softer, more flexible, and slices beautifully for everyday use. Unlike crusty artisan or Italian breads, homemade sandwich bread is designed to stay soft and tender for lunches, toast, and quick family meals throughout the week.
Using a stand mixer makes the process simple and takes most of the hard work out of kneading. Once you try this easy recipe, you may never want to buy store-bought bread again. The best part of making sandwich bread in my house is the toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and the texts I get from my girls when they open their lunch and find a homemade chicken salad sandwich on homemade bread. “Ohhhhh yummy Mom… I love my lunch. Thank you!” My girls are still at home, while they are in college but they also work so they need hardy lunches to keep their day going. This bread is a little warm hug when Mom cannot be there.
This recipe creates two soft, tender loaves that are perfect for sandwiches, toast, French toast, or simply slathered with butter. One of the other ways I like to use the bread is when it is a few days old, break it up and make a French toast casserole for breakfast.
Why Make Homemade Sandwich Bread?
Making bread from scratch has several benefits:
- You control the ingredients.
- No preservatives or artificial additives.
- Lasts several days despite having no preservatives.
- Costs less than artisan bread from the store.
- Tastes far better than store-bought bread.
- Freezes beautifully.
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups warm water (115°F)
- 1/4 cup sugar or honey (I use honey always)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup oil
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Equipment Needed
- Stand mixer
- Dough hook attachment
- Two 9×5 loaf pans or one large sandwich bread pan
- Clean kitchen towel
- Cooling rack
Step 1: Activate the Yeast
In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine:
- Warm water
- Sugar or honey
- Yeast
- 3 cups of flour
Mix together in the stand mixer. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy.
If it does not foam, the yeast may be expired or the water was too hot or too cold.
Step 2: Add Remaining Ingredients
Add:
- Oil
- Salt
- 3 cups of flour
Mix on low speed using the dough hook until combined.
Gradually add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Step 3: Knead the Dough
Knead with the dough hook on speed 2 for 8–10 minutes. Or you can pull it out now, and knead it yourself on a floured surface.
The dough should be:
- Smooth
- Elastic
- Slightly tacky but not sticky
If it sticks heavily to the bowl, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
Once it is pulling away from the bowl and is only slightly sticky to the touch it is ready to be pulled out of the bowl.
Step 4: First Rise
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a towel.
Let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Step 5: Shape the Loaves
Punch down the dough and divide into two equal portions.
Roll each portion into a rectangle, then tightly roll into a loaf shape.
Place into greased loaf pans.
Step 6: Second Rise
Cover and let rise for 30–45 minutes until the dough rises about 1 inch above the rim of the pans.
Step 7: Bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake for 30–35 minutes until the tops are golden brown.
The loaves should sound hollow when tapped.
If you have an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature should be around 190°F.
Step 8: Cool
Remove bread from pans immediately and cool on a wire rack.
Allow to cool completely before slicing for the best texture.
Tips for Perfect Sandwich Bread
Use Bread Flour
Bread flour creates a softer, chewier loaf.
Do Not Add Too Much Flour
The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
Use Fresh Yeast
Old yeast can prevent the dough from rising properly.
Let It Cool
Slicing hot bread can make it gummy.
How to Store Homemade Bread
Countertop
Store in a bread bag or airtight container for 3–4 days.
Freezer
Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Slice before freezing for easy use.
Troubleshooting
Dense Bread
- Too much flour
- Insufficient kneading
- Yeast was inactive
Bread Collapsed
- Over-proofed dough
Dry Bread
- Overbaked
- Too much flour
Can I Use Honey Instead of Sugar?
Yes. Honey adds a slightly richer flavor and helps keep the bread soft. I always use honey in my bread.
Can I Use Whole Wheat Flour?
Yes. Replace up to half of the flour with whole wheat flour. Add a little extra water if needed.
Why I Love Making Bread in My KitchenAid
Using a makes homemade bread nearly effortless. The mixer handles the kneading, giving you consistently soft and fluffy loaves with very little hands-on work.
I like to make a double batch, slice one loaf for the week, and freeze the second loaf.
Recommended Tools for Bread Baking
Some of my favorite bread-making tools include:
- stand mixer
- Loaf pans
- Dough scraper
- Instant-read thermometer
- Cooling rack
- Bread bags for storage
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make This Without a Mixer?
Yes, knead by hand for 10–12 minutes.
Can I Freeze the Dough?
Yes, after shaping. Thaw, rise, and bake as usual.
Can I Double the Recipe?
This recipe already makes two loaves.
Final Thoughts
Homemade sandwich bread is one of the easiest and most rewarding recipes to master. With a stand mixer, the process is straightforward and beginner-friendly.
Once you taste a warm slice fresh from the oven, you may decide that baking your own bread is well worth the effort.