Easy Sandwich Bread (Baking Bread For Beginners )

This easy sandwich bread recipe goes back to the basics of making a perfect loaf without special tools or complex techniques. The bread comes out soft, with a slightly chewy crust, and is easy to slice. This recipe makes 2 sandwich loaves.

About my favorite sandwich bread recipe

I have been living in the US for over 15 years and I never liked store-bought soft sandwich breads. Some do taste good, but they are very overpriced and still have so many unnecessary ingredients.

I started making my own sandwich bread because that's the bread my whole family loves eating.

This is how my grandma actually made her bread in her wood oven in Ukraine. It does not require any milk or butter, so I can say this bread is also budget-friendly. You will only add a little bit of olive oil or vegetable oil, whatever you have on hand. 

I am excited to share my bread recipe so more people try and realize how easy it is even if you are not very good at baking.

I usually make my sandwich bread late at night on Sundays. Two loaves can last us for about one week. It makes me so happy knowing we eat homemade bread that I have made and I know exactly what's in it.

And it costs around 3.11$ to bake these 2 loaves of bread at home. Of course, this is the average cost as the prices may vary depending on the type of flour and the location you live in. 

You can use it for any type of lunch meat sandwiches, peanut butter sandwiches, grilled cheese, french toast, and more.

Why this recipe is great for beginners

• Simple ingredients: you will need only flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt, and some oil.
• Minimal equipment: you will not need a bread machine or a stand mixer. This bread is made by hand.
• Easy to follow the step-by-step process: you will learn all the tips on how to knead, rise, proof, shape, and bake the bread.
• Forgiving dough: it is a simple yeast dough that can handle some extra water or flour if you do not measure it right.

Ingredients

Please, see the recipe card at the end of this post for the ingredients' quantities.

Flour: I usually use King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour.  Another all-purpose flour brand will work too. I have not tested this recipe with bread flour.

Water: you will need filtered warm water.

Oil: Vegetables or even olive oil works well. I often make it with olive oil and have great results. 

Sugar and salt: sugar adds taste to the bread.

Yeast: active dry yeast, make sure it is not expired.

Step-by-step directions

The whole process of making sandwich bread takes about 2.5-3 hours. But only about 40 minutes of hands-on time. This includes making the dough, kneading it, and shaping the loaves. The rest of the time is for the bread to rise, proof, and bake.  

You will need a large bowl, a kitchen scale, a sifter, two bread loaf pans, and a rolling pin. Grease the bread loaf pans with oil.

Making the bread dough, first rise

Activate the yeast, mix ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add dry yeast, sugar, salt and pour the warm water (between 105°F and 115°F). Whisk briefly until most if the sugar dissolved. Add oil and whisk to combine. Sift the flour in three batches into the bowl. Stirring it between each batch with a wooden spatula. Once all the flour is added take out the spatula and start using your hands to form the dough.

Knead the bread dough. Transfer the sticky dough to a lightly floured surface. You can also knead it in the bowl if it is big enough. Knead the bread dough with your hands. You will have to knead it for about 8-10 minutes until you have elastic bread dough that just barely sticks to your hands. If after 2-3 minutes of kneading the dough is still very very sticky (it should be just slightly sticky), add about ¼ cup of flour.

Note: I have been recently kneading the dough in the large bowl to keep the counters clean and have not seen a different. Both ways work great.

Let the bread dough rise (first rise). Once kneaded, form a dough ball and transfer it into the clean bowl coated with a thin layer of oil. Spread a thin layer of olive oil over the dough as well,  and cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Place it in a warm place and let it rise for about 1-1.5 hours. It should double or more in size.

After that, Punch the dough and cut in into two equal parts. Each should weigh around 700 grams.

Shape and proof the loaves (second rise)

Dust the work surface with flour or grease it with a little bit of oil, so the dough does not stick. Form a log with the first part of the dough. Keep the second part in the bowl covered with a towel. Using a rolling pin roll it into a rectangular about one inch thick. Fold one short side of the rectangle toward the center, then fold the other short side over the first fold. Place it sideways and roll it again into the same rectangular shape. Fold it again from both sides towards the middle. Roll it one more time but this time only gently to get rid of any air bubbles. Fold the dough in half lengthwise pinching the edges well. Repeat the same with the second batch.

Proof (second rise) and bake sandwich bread

Place the bread loaves in greased loaf pans with the seams side down. Place them in a warm spot (around 75-95°F). I like to put them in the oven with the oven light on. The light will create a gentle warmth that is ideal for yeast dough. Let it rise for about 30-45 minutes or until the dough puffs up and fills most of the pan.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees f. In a small bowl, whisk equal parts of water and oil. Brush the tops of the bread with the mixture for a golden crust. Bake the bread on the second rack from the bottom for about 30-37 minutes or until the loaves look golden brown. The internal temperature of the bread should reach 95-110°F. 

Once the bread is baked, let it cool down in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, flip it on a clean surface to remove the loaves. Cover the loaves with a clean kitchen towel and let them cool down. If you like a crispier crust, let it cool down uncovered. Once cooled down store it in a plastic bag.

Nataliia's recipe tips

• For best result, sift the flour before making the bread dough.
• I recommend using a pastry scale instead of measuring the ingredients by vulume
• Use warm water to activate the yeast  (between 105°F and 115°F).
• If the dough is very sticky after kneading, add a little bit more flour (about ¼ cup).
• Let it rise in a warm place, such as an oven or microwave with the light on inside of it.
• Use a rolling pin to get rid of air bubbles when forming the loaves.

How to store homemade sandwich bread

Homemade bread will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you store it in the fridge, it will stay fresh for up to one week. When you transfer it to a Ziploc bag, make sure the bread is completely cooled down. I usually let it cool down on the kitchen counter overnight, covered loosely with kitchen towels. 

I often freeze this bread if I make an extra batch or if I see that we are not gonna finish in a week.

Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting

What should I do if my bread doesn't rise well?

If the bread does not rise, the east might not be fresh or have not been activated properly. Make sure you are sing the yeast that is not expired and activated it it with warm water that is not less than 105°F and not more than 115°F. If you kitchen is cold, you dough may not rise properly. Try placing it i the oven with the oven light on.

Why my bread dough is very sticky even after kneading?

If you bread dough is still very sticky after kneading it for about 8 minutes, you need to add more flour and knead it a little longer after that. Start with adding 3 tablespoons at a time, until the dough becomes elastic and barely sticky after kneading.

How do I know when the bread is fully baked?

The bread is fully baked when the tops are golden brown and the bread sound hollow when you tap on it. You can also use internal thermometer to check if the bread us done, it should be 190-215 °F when fully cooked.

More easy loaves and bread recipes

• One-bowl pumpkin bread
• Ukrainian bread rolls
• Easy strawberry pound loaf
• Buckwheat bread