Baking & Bread

Classic White Sandwich Loaf

★★★★½ (4.7)

This is the loaf that teaches you how bread works: soft, faintly sweet, with a tender crumb built for stacking sandwiches sky-high. Once you nail this basic dough, every other bread recipe gets easier.

150 min Prep

35 min Cook

185 min Total

1 loaf (16 slices) Servings

Soft, pillowy crumb that makes perfect toast and sandwiches
Beginner-friendly yeast bread with clear doneness checks
No special equipment required, just a bowl and a loaf pan

1 cup warm whole milk (about 110F, warm to the wrist not hot)
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
1 1/2 tsp fine salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 tbsp neutral oil, for greasing the bowl and pan

In a large bowl, stir the warm milk, yeast, and sugar together. Let it sit 5-10 minutes until it looks foamy on top; if it does not foam, your yeast is dead and you need fresh yeast before continuing.
Add the flour, salt, softened butter, and egg to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 8-10 minutes by hand, or 5-6 minutes with a stand mixer's dough hook. The dough is ready when it is smooth, springs back slowly when poked, and no longer sticks heavily to your hands.
Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough in it, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm spot for 60-90 minutes, until doubled in size. Test by pressing two fingers in about 1/2 inch; if the indent stays, it is fully proofed.
Punch the dough down gently to release the air, then turn it onto the counter and shape into a tight loaf log by rolling and tucking the ends underneath.
Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with oil or butter and place the dough seam-side down inside it.
Cover loosely and let rise again for 30-45 minutes, until the dough domes about 1 inch above the rim of the pan. Do not skip this second rise or the loaf will be dense.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375F.
Bake for 32-35 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 190-195F.
If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil after 20 minutes.
Immediately turn the loaf out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool. Cooling in the pan traps steam and makes the crust soggy.
Let cool at least 45 minutes before slicing so the crumb sets properly; slicing hot bread makes it gummy.