Basic Homemade Sandwich Bread Recipe

This easy sandwich bread recipe uses real food ingredients such as whole-wheat flour, yeast, honey, and olive oil to make the best-tasting, healthier, and affordable alternative.

Have you looked at a loaf of store-bought bread lately? The ingredients are formulated to have the longest shelf life possible while using the cheapest ingredients. 

To do this, they have to add other ingredients that you wouldn’t put in your homemade bread, like dough conditioners and extra sweeteners to cover the flavor of poor-quality ingredients. 

I don’t know about you, but these aren’t ingredients that I feel comfortable feeding my family.

Why I Love This Sandwich Bread Recipe

When it comes to bread baking, I love the health benefits of true sourdough. However, as a beginner, there were some sourdough mistakes I was making and tips I wish I had known before baking with sourdough.

If you are new to bread baking, I recommend beginning with simpler recipes like this 5-minute no-knead artisan bread. There are many ways to use no-knead dough, but one thing it doesn’t do is yield a perfectly soft and airy sandwich loaf.

For this reason, this basic sandwich bread recipe will become your go-to for delicatessen-worthy sandwiches. Unlike store-bought bread, it has no preservatives or additives, so you get pure ingredients in every slice. 

Taking that first bite of fresh, homemade bread is a real treat. You’ll love the results and soon feel more confident about trying harder recipes! 

The Difference Between Sandwich Bread and Regular Bread

Sandwich bread and regular bread are slightly different. Sandwich bread is soft and airy, which makes it great for holding fillings without being too heavy. Regular bread is denser and usually has a firmer crust. It’s better for French toast or served with soups and stews. 

Here’s a look at the main differences:

Aspect	Sandwich Bread	Regular Bread
Texture	Soft, airy	Dense, varied
Crust	Tender	Varies from tender to hard
Flour Type	White or wheat	Varies (white, wheat, rye, etc.)
Ingredients	Flour, water, yeast, salt, milk, butter, sugar	Flour, water, yeast, salt

Tips for the Best Sandwich Bread

The best sandwich bread recipe pays close attention to details. Follow these tips to make sure you get a perfect loaf every time: 

• Rise Times – Make sure your dough doubles in size before baking. This step is very important and is affected by room temperature. Warmer rooms help the dough rise faster, while cooler rooms slow it down. You can use a clear bowl to watch the dough grow. The more you bake, the better you’ll get at figuring out the best conditions for your dough to rise successfully.
• Crust – Brush the bread with melted butter before baking. This makes the crust golden and adds flavor. For an even softer crust, you can also brush the loaf with melted butter right as it comes out of the oven.
• Accurate Measurements – Measuring ingredients accurately is key. Don’t scoop the flour with a measuring cup; it can pack into your cup and be more than the recipe calls for, making your bread dense. Instead, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level off with a knife.
• Prep Your Pan – A well-prepped loaf pan makes baking easier. Grease it lightly or use parchment paper for the best results.
• Proper Cooling – Unless you are going to eat the entire loaf immediately, let it cool completely on a rack without cutting into it. Cutting into bread before it has cooled can ruin the texture of the remaining loaf.

Supplies Needed

• Mixing Bowl – Choose a bowl with ample room for mixing. A four-quart bowl is ideal.
• Mixing Spoon – A wooden spoon, silicone spatula, or a dough whisk works well.
• Measuring Utensils – You will need standard measuring cups and spoons.
• Bread Pan – This recipe yields one 9×5″ loaf of bread.
• Parchment Paper – Parchment paper is optional but makes removing your bread from the pan a breeze.
• Clean Tea Towel – A damp, lint-free towel works great to keep your dough from drying out while rising.
• Grain Mill – If milling your own grain, you’ll want your grain mill handy. We love our Nutrimill!

Ingredients Needed

• Warm Water – The ideal temperature to proof active dry yeast is between 105°F and 110°F. Homesteading Hack: For a denser crumb and more golden crust, substitute milk or buttermilk.
• Active Dry Yeast – To extend the shelf life of your yeast, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Honey – If you do not have honey on hand, you can substitute sugar or molasses.
• White Flour – Do not use pastry flour. All-purpose or bread flour works best.
• Olive Oil – If you don’t have olive oil on hand, you can substitute avocado oil, melted butter, or lard.
• Salt – Any cooking salt will do for this recipe. We always use Redmond Real Salt in our home. You can purchase Redmond Real Salt here and get 15% off your order with coupon code “HFSalt”.
• Whole Wheat Flour – Flour measurements can vary depending on the humidity of your ingredients and environment. You may not need the full four cups, but make sure you have four cups on hand in case you do.

Sandwich Bread Recipe Instructions

1. Pour warm water into a large mixing bowl and gently stir in yeast and honey until thoroughly mixed. Let sit for anywhere from 10-30 minutes to proof.
2. In the meantime, measure the rest of your ingredients. 
3. Grease and line your bread pan with parchment paper. 
4. Add olive oil, white flour, and salt to your proofed yeast mixture.
5. Add whole wheat flour slowly until the dough holds together in a ball, is only slightly sticky, and the bowl sides are clean.
6. Knead until smooth, and a small ball of dough passes the window pane test. Homesteading Hack: To perform the window pane test, take a piece of dough and stretch it thin. If the dough tears before it is stretched thin enough for light to pass through, continue to knead and repeat the test again.
7. Put your dough into an oiled bowl (this can be the same bowl you used for mixing). Turn the dough a few times to oil all sides, then cover with a damp tea towel.
8. Let sit in a warm spot, undisturbed, until it appears to have doubled in size. 
9. After the dough rises, punch it down and turn it out onto a floured surface, form it into a ball, and let rest for 5 minutes.
10. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
11. Form your loaf and gently set it into a greased loaf pan.
12. Set the bread pan in a warm place, covered with a light towel, to rise until double.
13. Bake bread at 400°F for approximately 30 minutes, rotating the loaf pan once at about 15 minutes. Bake until it is golden brown and sounds hollow when the loaf is thumped.
14. Cool on a cooling rack, and remove from the pan.
15. ENJOY!

Did you make this sandwich bread recipe? If so, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. Then snap a photo and tag us on social media @homesteadingfamily so we can see!

How to Store Sandwich Bread

Homemade bread tastes better and is softer than store-bought bread, but it doesn’t last as long. After baking your homemade sandwich bread, follow these tips to give it the longest possible shelf-life:

• Cooling – Let the bread cool down completely at room temperature. This stops it from getting soggy.
• Wrapping – Wrap the bread tightly with plastic wrap. It keeps air and moisture away.
• Short-Term Storage – If you will consume the bread within a few days, store it in a bread box or a sealed bag. That will keep it soft and fresh.
• Freezing for Long-Term Storage – For longer storage, slice the bread and wrap each slice in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer-safe bag. You can thaw a slice at a time by removing it and letting it come to room temperature on the counter (or pop it directly into the toaster to both thaw and toast).

The Art of Homemade Bread

This homemade sandwich bread recipe is a great place to begin your bread-making journey. If you are ready to become a successful bread master, you don’t want to miss my Art of Homemade Bread Class.

This online class contains video lessons and a digital bread-making book providing recipes and step-by-step instructions on the art of making homemade bread. Learn how to make true sourdough, sprout grains, grind your own flour, tricks for storing homemade bread, and so much more.

Sign up to receive instant access, and get inspired to start making delicious and nutritious homemade bread in your kitchen today!

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• 33 Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE Baking With Sourdough
• True Sourdough Bread vs. Commercially Prepared Bread
• How to Make Sourdough Starter
• Parker House Rolls Made With Sourdough