How to make sandwich bread with simple, inexpensive pantry ingredients. This basic white bread is soft & fluffy with a golden, chewy crust, and turns out perfect every time for the best toast and sandwiches!
2tablespoonsunsalted vegan butter,diced + more for brushing
2cups+ 3 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour,divided
2teaspoonsof salt
½ teaspoonsof baking powder
1tablespoonof neutral oil
Instructions
In a large bowl, add the warm water, yeast, and sugar. You’ll want the water to be lukewarm for optimal reaction of the yeast, and too hot will kill the yeast. If you have a food thermometer, you’ll want the water to be at 110 degrees.
Cover with a warm damp towel and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
Mix well and add the diced vegan butter, 2 ½ cups of flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix well and add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time. Knead the dough while you add the flour. The flour will be very sticky at the beginning, but then it will be soft and not sticky. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes. (Best if you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.)
Remove the dough from the bowl. Wash the bowl and dry it well. Add one tablespoon of neutral oil and spread it all over the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow it to sit for 1 hour.
When the hour has passed, the dough has almost doubled its size.
Prep the loaf pan by placing parchment paper for the bread to not stick and it would also be easier to lift when ready. Alternatively, you can lightly oil the pan.
Carefully transfer the dough from the bowl to the loaf pan, and press it using your fingers, to stretch the dough around to fit the pan.
Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow it to sit for 30 minutes or until it doubles in size.
When ready, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. This will give the dough time to keep rising.
Generously brush the loaf with melted vegan butter and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. If the vegan butter is dripping, you can place a baking sheet under it to keep the oven clean.
Remove from the oven and brush with more vegan butter or oil. This will soften the hard top crust of the dough.
Allow the pan to cool on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow it to sit on the cooling rack for 1 hour.
Notes
Ensure the yeast is in date: The bread won’t rise properly if it isn’t fresh. If it works, it will foam up and become bubbly when activated.
Measure the flour correctly: It’s important not to add too much, or the bread ends up dense/dry. When measuring in cups, fluff it in its bag with a fork, spoon it into the cup, then level the top with the back of a knife.
The amount of flour can vary: Based on the climate and humidity, so adjust the liquid ratio if needed so it’s soft and tacky but not overly sticky after kneading.
Leave it to cool in the pan slightly: But remove it after 20 minutes; otherwise, it can end up with a soggy bottom.