Homemade Amish White Bread (Printable)

Create two soft, slightly sweet loaves perfect for toasting and sandwiches. This easy American classic delivers bakery-style results at home.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cups warm water (110°F)
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
04 - 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
05 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
06 - 5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

→ Optional Topping

07 - 1 tablespoon melted butter

# How-To:

01 - Dissolve sugar in warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the water and let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy.
02 - Stir salt and oil into yeast mixture. Gradually add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing until soft dough forms that pulls away from bowl sides.
03 - Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Transfer dough to lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, approximately 1 hour.
05 - Punch down dough and divide in half. Shape each half into loaf and place in two greased 9x5-inch loaf pans.
06 - Cover pans and let rise until dough extends about 1 inch above rim, approximately 30–45 minutes.
07 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
08 - Bake loaves for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped.
09 - Brush tops with melted butter if desired. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly soft with just the right amount of sweetness
  • It comes together with basic pantry staples you probably already have
  • Your whole house will smell like a professional bakery
02 -
  • The dough might need slightly more or less flour depending on your kitchen's humidity
  • Letting the bread cool completely before slicing prevents it from getting squished and gummy inside
03 -
  • If your kitchen is cold, let the dough rise in your oven with just the light on
  • A instant-read thermometer should read 190°F when the bread is fully baked

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