Homemade Amish White Bread (Printable)

Soft, slightly sweet loaf ideal for everyday meals and sandwiches

# What You Need:

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

06 - 5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

07 - 1 tablespoon melted butter

01 - Dissolve sugar in warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the surface and let stand 5 to 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 to 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 a 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 to 45 minutes.

07 - Preheat oven to 350°F.

08 - Bake loaves for 25 to 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.

01 -

The dough is incredibly forgiving, making it perfect for first-time bread bakers who might be nervous about working with yeast
Your kitchen will smell like the kind of warmth that makes people want to pull up a chair and stay awhile

02 -

I've learned that measuring flour by weight instead of cups eliminates the guesswork that leads to dense, heavy loaves
Letting the bread cool completely might be the hardest part, but slicing into warm bread releases too much steam and makes the interior gummy

03 -

The dough is ready when you can gently press it with your finger and the indentation slowly springs back
If you don't have loaf pans, shape the dough into rounds on a baking sheet for rustic artisan-style loaves