There are many bread machine recipes out there, but if you're looking for just basic and simple homemade white bread - this is the perfect recipe for you!
This is my reliable, "boring", proven recipe for a basic white bread. And, I also provide tips on how to make a homemade white bread less dense in a bread maker. In this recipe, all you do is spend 5 minutes to add ingredients to the bread pan and the bread machine does all the work, on an automatic cycle that is already programmed. That's the whole purpose of the bread maker, right? The end result is a tasty loaf of white bread just of the right density.
I do believe that the day will come when I will use a bread machine for something more sophisticated, but for once this week I am sharing the recipe that doesn't require too much thinking or meddling. Sometimes it's just nice to make certain foods almost on auto-pilot, especially for basic stuff, like white bread.
In the last 3 months I hardly bought any store-made bread, baking about a loaf every week at home, using bread machine recipes. And, I've noticed a couple of trends/issues when making bread: sometimes the bread comes out way too dense, or the loaf does not rise enough and, as a result, comes out even denser. So, here I will describe the homemade bread recipe that works for me to produce a less dense bread in a bread maker, using a basic cycle.
While making bread in a bread machine, make sure to consider these points:
- When you measure flour using cups, make sure not to pack flour too dense in a measuring cup, otherwise you will end up with much more flour than you need, and, therefore, the bread will come out denser. Measuring flour correctly will solve a lot of "dense" issues. The trick that works for me is that I use ⅓ measuring cup to carefully scoop all flour I need into the bread machine (usually about 3 cups), without over-packing it. Another way would be to weigh flour, which I don't do, but it's a solution.
- Use bread flour, not regular all-purpose flour for all bread machine recipes. Bread flour contains a higher percentage of gluten than regular all-purpose flour. Using bread flour will produce taller, less dense loaves. If you use all-purpose flour (which has smaller percentage of gluten than bread flour), your loaves will be flatter and denser.
- When adding yeast, make sure you add it last, and add it on top of dry ingredients (flour). Make sure the yeast does not reach wet ingredients. Basically, make a small indentation on top of flour and add the yeast to the indentation, just like this:
And here is the simple white bread recipe. I started with the recipe that came in a little booklet together with my Williams-Sonoma bread machine, and I tweaked the ingredient measurements based on my preferences. It takes 10 minutes to prepare all ingredients together, and then it takes 3 hours and 15 minutes to bake the bread in a bread machine.
Bread Machine Recipe: How to make homemade white bread less dense
Ingredients
- 1 cup and 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 ¼ cups white bread flour
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Instructions
Important note about properly measuring flour using measuring cups:
- The proper way to measure flour using measuring cups is to aerate it first. This is done either by sifting flour, or aerating it by fluffing it up and whisking it well, then spooning it into the measuring cup, then carefully removing any excess flour with a knife. If you just stick that measuring cup in the bag of flour and scoop some out, you will get a lot more flour than what the recipe calls for. Do aerate the flour, or you will end up with dry dough!
How to make bread in a bread machine:
- Add water and oil into the bread pan. Add salt, sugar. Add flour.
- Make a small indentation on top of flour and make sure it does not reach wet ingredients. Add the yeast to the indentation.
- Keep yeast away from the salt.
- Insert the bread pan into the bread machine, press it down to snap. Close the lid.
- Use Basic bread, 1.5 lb loaf, medium crust cycle (3 hrs 15 minutes)
- When bread is done, remove the bread pan using oven mitts. Turn over the bread pan and shake it to release the loaf. Let the loaf cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
When is the best time to add the paddle? Before adding ingredients or after? In your photo of adding yeast, the paddle wasn't yet added.
Do you sift the flour first and then measure?
Colleen, yes, sift the flour first or aerate it by fluffing it up; do not pack it into a measuring cup.
Followed instructions and bread did not rise, I am very disappointed. I have no sandwich bread to make out of it.
Great tasting bread & easy to make! My wife loves it.
That's so great to hear! 🙂
Just tried to bread today, March 14, 2024. My husband and I both loved it. It would definitely be a recipe that I keep and share.
Brenda, I am so glad you both enjoyed this bread! 🙂
I don’t understand the extra 3 tbsp of water
I made the bread exactly as recipe states -- it turned out EXCELLENT! Thank you for the recipe and instructions.
So happy the bread turned out well! Thank you for such a positive review, Cynthia!
Thanks for sharing this recipe.I've made bread with it about 10 times so far in my bread machine. Here are some things Ive found that worked for me. Use fast rise or bread machine yeast. Use bread flour instead of all purpose flour. Use half milk and half water for the liquids. Makes a great pouffy loaf.
Thank you for sharing your feedback and the delicious changes you've tried! 🙂
It does make a difference, Mags!
So simple and delicious. I will be using this one often! Thank you!
So glad, Lydia! 🙂
Hello
This is my first time making bread. Do I add the active dry yeast as is? or do I have to proof the yeast as per the jars directions? Thank you
Tanya, add active dry yeast as is (just follow this recipe). No need to proof it!
I don’t have active dry yeast only instant dry yeast. Can I use that instead? Do I need to mix the instant dry yeast with warm water first?
Alice, yes, you can use bread machine instant yeast in this recipe (instead of active dry yeast) without making any changes.
Here is some quick background about different types of yeast.
➡️ There are, basically, just two types of yeast. Instant yeast and active dry yeast. I used active dry yeast in this recipe.
➡️ Bread machine yeast, rapid rise yeast are both just varieties for instant yeast.
➡️ Active Dry Yeast (that's what I used) is preferred for normal or basic cycle (which is what this recipe uses). Rapid rise yeast and Instant yeast is prefered for a quick cycle.
Because this recipe is so basic , you can use all these yeasts here interchangeably without making any changes.
Enjoy!!
Is there any way to avoid the hole left by the paddle?
Jim, I don't think it's possible, unless you just use the bread machine for dough kneading cycle, but then bake the bread in the oven in an oven-safe baking dish.
Of all the recipies I have made this makes the best white bread.
Light and fluffy,a whole lot of flavor. Melt in your mouth good!
Alice, that makes me so happy! 🙂 Thank you for this review!! 🙂
I don’t ever leave reviews, but I’ve been searching for a good bread machine recipe and this is it!! I do use coconut oil in place of vegetable oil though. Definitely will be making again
Lily, thank you for taking the time to share your review - it means so much to me! 🙂 And, thank you for sharing about using coconut oil instead of vegetable oil!
Love this recipe! Will also try the cinnamon raisin version. I would love to up the weight to make a 2lb loaf. Any suggestions on how to figure out the increase in measurements?
Willie, if you want to adjust this recipe from 1.5 lb loaf to 2 lb loaf, simply multiply all the ingredients by 1.33 - increase the amount of all ingredients by approximately a third (1/3).