Amish White Bread
Amish White Bread
This Amish White Bread is a soft, fluffy homemade bread with a lightly sweet flavor and tender crumb. Made with simple pantry ingredients, this classic white bread is perfect for sandwiches, toast, grilled cheese, or serving warm from the oven with butter and jam.
The small amount of sugar gives the bread its signature slightly sweet flavor, while milk and butter help create a soft, rich loaf. For an especially tender texture, King Arthur Baking Dough Enhancer can be added to the dough. It’s completely optional, but it helps produce an exceptionally soft loaf that stays fresh longer.
Why You’ll Love This Amish White Bread
Homemade bread doesn’t need to be complicated. This recipe uses basic ingredients and a straightforward yeast dough to create a beautiful loaf with a golden crust and pillowy-soft center.
It’s a versatile everyday bread that’s just as delicious toasted for breakfast as it is sliced for sandwiches. The recipe makes one generous loaf and can easily become a go-to homemade bread recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons King Arthur Baking Dough Enhancer, optional
How to Make Amish White Bread
Add the warm water and sugar to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and allow it to sit for about 5–10 minutes, until the mixture becomes foamy.
Add the milk, softened butter, salt, and optional dough enhancer. Stir until combined.
Begin adding the flour gradually, mixing as you go. Continue adding flour until a soft dough forms and begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for approximately 8–10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic. If using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, knead on low speed for approximately 5–7 minutes.
Avoid adding too much additional flour. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky rather than stiff or dry.
First Rise
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and turn it once to coat the surface.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place it in a warm, draft-free area.
Allow the dough to rise for approximately 1–1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Shape the Loaf
Gently punch down the risen dough to release excess air.
Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a loaf. Place the dough into a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
Cover loosely and allow it to rise again for approximately 30–45 minutes, or until the dough has risen about an inch above the rim of the pan.
Bake the Bread
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the bread for approximately 25–30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when gently tapped.
For a more precise test, the center of the loaf should reach approximately 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Remove the bread from the oven and let it rest in the pan for about 10 minutes. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack to finish cooling.
For an extra-soft crust, brush the warm top of the loaf with a little melted butter.
What Does Dough Enhancer Do?
Dough enhancer is optional, so this Amish White Bread can be made without it. However, adding it can help create an even softer, lighter loaf.
King Arthur Baking Dough Enhancer is designed to improve the rise and texture of yeast breads while helping them stay soft and fresh.
For this recipe, 2 tablespoons can be added along with the flour. It’s especially useful when you’re looking for that incredibly soft, bakery-style white bread texture.
Tips for Soft Homemade Bread
One of the most important steps when making white bread is avoiding too much flour. Add enough to create a workable dough, but don’t continue adding flour simply because the dough feels slightly tacky.
The temperature of the water is also important. It should feel comfortably warm rather than hot. Water that’s too hot can damage the yeast, while cold water will significantly slow the rise.
Give the dough enough time to double during the first rise. Yeast dough doesn’t always follow an exact schedule, especially when the kitchen is cool, so use the appearance of the dough as your guide.
Ways to Serve Amish White Bread
This soft white bread is wonderful served warm with butter, honey, or homemade jam. It also makes excellent toast and is sturdy enough for everyday sandwiches.
Try it for grilled cheese, French toast, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, breakfast toast, or alongside a bowl of soup.
Leftover slices can also be turned into homemade croutons or breadcrumbs.
How to Store Homemade White Bread
Allow the loaf to cool completely before storing it. Place the bread in an airtight container or bread bag and keep it at room temperature for about 3–4 days.
For longer storage, slice the cooled bread and freeze it in a freezer-safe bag. Individual slices can then be removed and thawed or toasted as needed.
Can Amish White Bread Be Frozen?
Yes. This bread freezes very well.
Allow the loaf to cool completely, then wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
The bread can be frozen whole or sliced first for easier serving.
Easy Homemade Amish White Bread
There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked bread filling the kitchen. This Amish White Bread recipe produces a beautiful golden loaf with a soft, fluffy center and slightly sweet flavor.
Whether it’s used for sandwiches during the week, toasted for breakfast, or served warm with butter at dinner, this simple homemade white bread is a recipe worth keeping.
Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Rise Time: 1 hour 30 minutes–2 hours 15 minutes
Bake Time: 25–30 minutes
Total Time: About 2 1/2–3 hours
Yield: 1 loaf
Servings: About 12 slices
