You may have heard this called milk bread. Make this by hand or in a bread machine - both instructions are included. It freezes well, too!
Be sure to read to the end where I'll be sharing my best tips for getting yeast dough to rise!
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Over 2000 5 star reviews and thousands of comments from readers like you means that you can be confident that this recipe works!
- This is a soft sandwich loaf, similar to a commercial white bread in texture, so it's perfect for everything from breakfast toast to sandwiches.
- Be sure to read the Help it rise section for my tips and getting a tall fluffy loaf of bread!
Have troubled getting your bread to rise? You'll want to read these tips for getting bread dough to rise faster - even in a cold house!
🧾 Ingredients
If you are looking for the homemade equivalent of Wonder Bread you'll definitely want to try this classic Amish white bread! It is somewhat sweet — and when I say somewhat I mean like those fabulous, hot dinner rolls they have at Logan's Roadhouse or Hawaiian rolls.
If you want a real treat try it with a spoonful of this apricot pineapple jam!
You can find a list of tools and helpful information on the Essentials page.
📖 Variations
Here some of my favorite variations.
- Dinner rolls - just make this dough all the way through shaping and then follow my cloverleaf rolls instructions.
- Cinnamon rolls -make big fluffy cinnamon rolls with this dough and these instructions.
- Sweet rolls
- Hamburger buns
- Cinnamon swirl loaf
- Add 2 cups raisins
- Add 2 cups chocolate chips
- Add 2 cups chopped nuts
Since this recipe freezes so well you can make several batches to have on hand when you need them.
Amish white bread is one of the main breads on my list of homemade pantry staples because it's so easy!
🔪 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below. Click on the image to see it full size.
- Mix the yeast, sugar, and warm water.
- Let it get foamy.
- Mix in the flour and knead until it is soft and elastic - it will feel like your earlobe when you squeeze a bit between your thumb and forefinger. Weird but true.
- Place in an oiled bowl and cover.
- Let rise until doubled.
- Check by pushing your finger in. If the indent stays it has doubled.
- Punch down.
- Shape and place in greased loaf pan - let rise.
- Bake.
🎥 Video
Hey y'all! Don't forget to check out my latest video where I guide you through each step of this delicious recipe. It's always great to have a visual guide, right? And as always, my cooking show, Restless Chipotle Kitchen, has got your back. If you're looking for more yummy ideas, dive into our full recipe collection on YouTube. You're gonna love it!
🍞 Bread flour or all-purpose
This recipe works best with bread flour but you can also use all-purpose if you like. Just be aware that the texture may be a little more dense and your loaf will not rise as high.
If you are using all-purpose flour and you happen to have some wheat gluten around you can replace 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of gluten for every cup.
That will give it the rise and fluffiness you're looking for in this sweet white bread.
🥫 How to store leftover Amish white bread
Let the finished bread cool completely then wrap in plastic wrap, use an airtight container, or use a bread bag.
Homemade bread gets stale more quickly than commercial breads so plan on eating or freezing within 2 days.
To freeze
To freeze just wrap in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
I like to slice the bread before freezing and place parchment paper between the slices so I can thaw just one or two pieces at a time.
💭 Things to know
If you've had trouble with homemade bread recipes before be sure to read these posts on troubleshooting and tips:
Expert Tip: A whole egg can be beaten with a tablespoon of water and then brushed on the top. This results in a shiny, golden-brown crust.
- If you want something less sweet you can cut the sugar in half. It will change the texture a bit but will still be great.
- This is one recipe I don't often use butter in. I use organic extra-virgin coconut oil because it adds just a little flavor to the bread. Light vegetable oil will work, too. Try it with coconut oil, light vegetable oil, or melted butter and just see what you like best. Make sure whatever you use is melted and cooled to 100F before adding.
- The dough has been kneaded enough when it feels somewhat like your earlobe when you pinch it. When you gently pull on it the dough will stretch a little instead of breaking off.
Leftover angel chicken warmed up and served over a thick slice of this homemade bread is one of my favorite quick and easy meals. Try it!
🔪 Equipment
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
I use a Bosch to make bread with. I love my Kitchenaid but it just doesn't handle heavy doughs as well as I'd like. If you plan on making bread often I'd recommend saving up for a Bosch. It lasts forever. You won't regret it.
You'll also need -
- two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans (measured from outside edge to outside edge. 1- ½ quart)
- instant read thermometer
What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness! Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!
🎈 Help it rise!
There are definitely a lot of ways to get yeast dough to rise - such as keeping it in the oven with the light on, etc.
My favorite is to use a natural dough enhancer like one of these-
- Ground ginger helps to activate the yeast and really get it going.
- Potato water strengthens the structure of the dough allowing it to rise higher.
Click through to 5 Ingredients to Help Your Bread Rise to find more great ideas including a recipe for a natural dough enhancer.
👩🍳 FAQs
There may be a slight difference in how it rises and texture but it would be so minimal that you wouldn't notice. Kneading by hand is hard and takes longer, though.
Per slice. And I figure 8 slices per loaf.
I'd use a pinch of ginger. If using potato water then use that instead of plain water.
No. You don't have to use it and it does not flavor the bread. It does help activate the yeast and that's why I use it.
Yep! So Spray plastic wrap with no stick spray and cover your dough bowl. Refrigerate for no more than 24 hours then proceed according to instructions. Your second rising time may take a bit longer because of the cold.
📚 Related recipes
Once you make your own bread you'll want to try your hand at different types of yeast baking! Here are some of my favorites.
- Vienna rolls are an old-fashioned yeast roll that were served at fancy restaurants. They are delicious as sandwich rolls, finger rolls, or made into a loaf.
- There's nothing like hot from the fryer homemade donuts!
- Angel biscuits are a cross between a dinner roll and a biscuit. They're a southern favorite.
- Mexican Day of the Dead Bread (Pan de Muerto)
- Molasses Whole Wheat Bread
- Honey Cracked Wheat Bread
- Beer Pizza Dough
📞 The last word
Many people have asked me if you "have" to use bread flour. The bread will rise higher and lighter if you do but you can substitute all-purpose flour.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Amish White Bread
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup water, 110F
- 1 pinch powdered ginger, optional - activates yeast
- 1 cup milk, 110F
- ⅔ cup sugar, (you can use less)
- 1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, coconut oil works really well here (melt it first and let it cool to 100F)! OR use melted butter
- 5-½ cups bread flour, you may need a little more or a little less
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
Conventional method
- Dissolve the sugar in the warm water and milk in a large bowl.
- Whisk in the yeast (and ginger if using).
- Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the yeast mixture gets foamy.
- Stir in 1 cup of the flour.
- Whisk in the salt and oil.
- With the mixer running add the remaining flour, one cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the bowl.
- Knead by machine about 5 minutes.
Hand kneading
- If you are hand kneading mix in the flour until you have a sticky dough, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic - adding flour as needed.
Rising and shaping
- Oil a large bowl and place the ball of dough in it.
- Oil the top of the dough and then cover with a damp cloth.
- Allow it to rise until it has doubled in bulk. This will take about an hour.
- Punch the dough down.
- Knead for three minutes or so and divide in half.
- Let rest for five minutes.
- Shape into loaves and then place in greased 9x5-inch loaf pans.
- Brush the tops with the melted butter.
- Let rise for 30 minutes, or until the dough has risen an inch or so above the pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped.
For a soft crust
- For a soft crust butter the tops and place a clean tea towel over the baked loaves as soon as you take them out of the oven. Let them cool for about 5 minutes and then take them out of the pans to finish cooling, covering them back up with the tea towel.
Bread machine instructions
- Add ingredients to your bread machine in the order the manufacturer recommends.
- Select white bread cycle.
- Press "start".
- When the dough has risen once and second cycle of kneading begins, turn the machine off. Press "start" again to reset the machine.
- The dough will rise a second time before it bakes.
Notes
- If you want something less sweet you can cut the sugar in half. It will change the texture a bit but will still be great.
- This is one recipe I don't often use butter in. I use organic extra-virgin coconut oil because it adds just a little flavor to the bread. A light vegetable oil will work, too. Try it with coconut oil, light vegetable oil, or melted butter and just see what you like best. Make sure whatever you use is melted and cooled to 100F before adding.
- Ground ginger helps to activate the yeast and really get it going.
- Potato water strengthens the structure of the dough allowing it to rise higher.
- Click through to 5 Ingredients to Help Your Bread Rise (updated for 2020) to find more great ideas including a recipe for a natural dough enhancer -
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
Originally published April 2014. Last updated July 31, 2023 for more helpful information.
Bonnie says
This bread is a no fail recipe for sure. I have made it several times and always turns out very tasty. My family can’t get enough. I have messed up the recipe every time by adding too much of something, or not following steps correctly still it turns out wonderfully good. Today I used this receipe and made cinnamon bread. I rolled it out like cinnamon rolls but did not cut the bread. Spread butter and added cinnamon and brown sugar rolled it up and baked it for 40 min @ 350. It turned out fantastic. I am not a baker. I have just started this year making bread and this was my first recipe I used. Wonderful direction on everything. I have learned so much. Thank you for taking the time to share this. Highly recommended.
Karen says
Success! I was thinking and thinking why my bread wasn’t rising. I figured out my house was too cool( I live in Florida) I put it out side on my screened in porch. It came out great!! I finally can make bread!! Thank you
Tammy Hitts says
This bread is perfect every time! To change it up I often add 2 t cinnamon and 2 cups of plumped raisins to the dough, or separate I to 2 loaves, roll out, brush with vanilla extract and water and spread on 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1t cinnamon per loaf, roll up tightly, pinch seams and add to greased bread pans. So delicious!
Karen says
Is this recipe for 1 or 2 loafs? I noticed at the end you said to divide dough.
Marye says
It's for 2 loaves. 🙂
jayefromjersey says
I have made this bread over and over again. Once you make it you will never buy bread again! Delicious and great recipe!
Stephanie Jones says
I love homemade bread and have tried several recipes. They are all basically just bread. This recipe is my favorite ever. I love the texture, taste, and the look.
I have made this several times now.
Heather says
This is the only sandwich bread recipe I use! It works perfectly every time. I took the sugar down to 1/3c. The 2/3c made it taste like sweet bread, which wasn’t a bad thing! But for sandwiches, the sweetness of only 1/3c is perfect.
AJ says
Hi! Thanks for the recipe! Can’t wait to try it. When using a bread machine, do the ingredient amounts need to be adjusted?
Marye says
I don't use a bread. machine so I'm not sure.
Paula says
Great bread and rolls LOVE IT!!
Wendy Wismer says
I make a double batch every week to keep the family in fresh bread, this recipe never lets me down!
Jaycie says
If I store my bread in the fridge instead of room temperature. Will it last longer?
Marye says
If you store it in the fridge it will dry out. Better to slice it, put waxed paper between the slices, wrap in plastic wrap then aluminum foil and freeze.
Annie says
Can I use platiunum instant sourdough yeast in this recipe?
Marye says
I've never used it so I don't know. Sorry.
Brittany says
I made this recipe tonight after buying a new kitchenaid. I have never made bread before and this turned out perfect!!! It is wonderful! Thank you for this great recipe!!
Kudzai says
I have made this bread countless times, always a hit and my family love it. Thanks for the recipe.
Cathy says
I have SAF instant yeast on hand...would that work as well?!
Marye says
Yes. that will be fine.
Amber Bryant says
Hi! Can I use AP flour instead of Bread Flour? I also have Wheat Flour.
Marye says
Yes, the texture may be a touch different and it may not rise quite as much but it will be fine.
Ash says
If I were to use coconut oil instead of butter, would that be the same amount of melted coconut oil as would be butter?
Marye says
Yes.
Lisa says
Had made this once and everyone loved it. TY for sharing recipe.
Question. Can bread be shaped like pan, wraped in surranwrap then frozen?
Marye says
So I'd line a pan with parchment paper, put the shaped dough in it, then flash freeze, remove parchment,wrap and store. To thaw I'd put it in a bread pan and thaw overnight in the fridge.
Cheryl Ferch says
Thank you for your exstensive explanation and video...you were very thorough and totally understandable...the best video i have seen...haven't made this yet but will be a priority for next week.
Kimberly says
My daughter has given up processed sugar for Lent. Can I substitute honey for the sugar and if so, how much would I use?
Marye says
Yes, I'd use about half.