Classic Homemade White Bread
on Apr 03, 2020, Updated May 12, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.
I have been waiting for the right time to learn to make my mom’s homemade bread. If now isn’t the right time, I don’t know when is. I made a run to the business Costco here in Las Vegas over the weekend (with my mask on!) and scored an industrial size bag of bread flour. Along with a Walmart curbside pickup that day I had everything I needed. I’m now about 6 batches in and feel confident enough to share the homemade bread recipe with you all.
My mom said this recipe originated right off the back of a bag of bread four about 30 years ago. She’s made a few changes since so we’re just calling it her own. Thanks mom!
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something from these links, we could earn a small commission. This would be at no additional cost to you.
Let me warn you that learning to make bread takes a little bit of practice to get it just right. I didn’t have a single batch fail, but each one just got better as I learned and practiced. Be patient with your bread and just don’t expect it to be perfect your first few times.
The full recipe is below but here are a few steps I think are important to show you.
Step #1: Warm 1 cup of milk in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling. Immediately turn off the burner and add 3 tablespoons of butter flavored Crisco, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Stir until butter melts and then let it cool 20 minutes.
Step #2: In your Kitchen Aid or large bowl add 1 & 1/4 cups warm water and 2 tablespoons room temperature dry active yeast.
Step #3: Stir your milk mixture into the water and yeast mixture. It will look like this:
Step 4: If using a Kitchen Aid and the dough hook attachment, set speed to stir and slowly start adding your 6 & 1/2 cups flour. Let it kneed for 15-20 minutes as you add in the flour. If you’re going to do it by hand mix 3-4 cups of flour into your bowl until it starts to pull away from the edges of the bowl. Then transfer to a clean, floured counter surface. Kneed by hand 15-20 minutes slowly adding the remaining flour.
Step #5: Using the same bowl, spray the inside with cooking spray (or grease with Krisco) and place your dough in the bottom in a nice round ball. Cover with greased plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let raise until it doubles in size. Depending on the temperature of your house, this can take anywhere from 45 mins to several hours. The warmer the space the better. I like to set my space heater nearby to help speed up the process.
Step #6: Once it doubles in size punch down (poke the dough 5-6 times) and split in half. Place one half in a new, greased bowl. Now let both raise until they double in size again.
Step #7: On a lightly floured counter top surface roll out the dough with a rolling pin into a rectangle to help get air bubbles out. Then fold in three, pushing the edges into the middle and shaping into a loaf. Lift and smack the loaf onto the counter 3 times hard. Continue to shape the dough and spank the loaf about 50 times. Place in a greased bread loaf pan and spread softened butter on top(about 1 tablespoon each loaf). Cover with greased plastic sheeting or towel again. Repeat with your other dough and let them raise until expanding out of the top of the pan.
Step #8: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place bread loaves on the middle rack, reduce heat to 350 degrees, and cook 25 minutes. Before removing from the oven use a mitt to check the bottom of your bread dough. If it’s brown, it’s done. If it looks uncooked, continuing cooking and check in another 5 minutes.
Step #9: Turn out bread and lay on it’s side to cool about 5 minutes. Spread another tablespoon of butter on top of each loaf, slice and enjoy!
Get the Stay Fit Mom Cookbooks!
Macros included for all recipes and pre loaded in the apps for easy macro tracking!
Digital and hardcopies available!
Classic Homemade White Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk, I use 2%
- 3 tablespoons butter flavored Crisco
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 & 1/4 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 6 & 1/2 cups bread flour
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Warm 1 cup of milk in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling. Immediately turn off the burner and add 3 tablespoons of butter flavored Crisco, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Stir until butter melts and then let it cool 20 minutes.
- In your Kitchen Aid or large bowl add 1 & 1/4 cups warm water and 2 tablespoons room temperature dry active yeast.
- Stir your milk mixture into the water and yeast mixture.
- If using a Kitchen Aid and the dough hook attachment, set speed to stir and slowly start adding your 6 & 1/2 cups flour. Let it kneed for 15-20 minutes as you add in the flour. If you’re going to do it by hand mix 3-4 cups of flour into your bowl until it starts to pull away from the edges of the bowl. Then transfer to a clean, floured counter surface. Kneed by hand 15-20 minutes slowly adding the remaining flour.
- Using the same bowl, spray the inside with cooking spray (or grease with Krisco) and place your dough in the bottom in a nice round ball. Cover with greased plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let raise until it doubles in size. Depending on the temperature of your house, this can take anywhere from 45 mins to several hours. The warmer the space the better. I like to set my space heater nearby to help speed up the process.
- Once it doubles in size punch down (poke the dough 5-6 times) and split in half. Place one half in a new, greased bowl. Now let both raise until they double in size again.
- On a lightly floured counter top surface roll out the dough with a rolling pin into a rectangle to help get air bubbles out. Then fold in three, pushing the edges into the middle and shaping into a loaf. Lift and smack the loaf onto the counter 3 times hard. Continue to shape the dough and spank the loaf about 50 times. Place in a greased bread loaf pan and spread softened butter on top(about 1 tablespoon each loaf). Cover with greased plastic sheeting or towel again. Repeat with your other dough and let them raise until expanding out of the top of the pan.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place bread loaves on the middle rack, reduce heat to 350 degrees, and cook 25 minutes. Before removing from the oven use a mitt to check the bottom of your bread dough. If it’s brown, it’s done. If it looks uncooked, continuing cooking and check in another 5 minutes.
- Turn out bread and lay on it’s side to cool about 5 minutes. Spread another tablespoon of butter on top of each loaf, slice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Follow us on Pinterest for more great recipe suggestions! We love seeing Stay Fit Mom recipes in your kitchen! Post your meals to Instagram and be sure to tag @stayfitmom_Krista and @stayfitmom_Tracy!
If you likeed this recipe you’ll love these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Can you substitute the butter flavored crisco for regular crisco?
Sorry I’m late to this. Yes, of course!