How to Make Basic White Bread | Bread Baking for Beginners (with Recipe Video)

This white bread recipe is incredibly versatile and can be made into hamburger buns, dinner rolls, and more.

I have been making this bread for over 2 decades. It has been a staple in my house for pretty much any bread need, from sandwiches to hamburger buns. I’ve even used it to make a not-as-sweet version of cinnamon rolls.

To Make this Recipe You will Need:

• bread flour
• active dry yeast (or instant yeast)
• sea salt
• extra virgin olive oil
• honey
• egg
• warm water
• electric mixer with dough hook and bowl
• 2 loaf pans
• baking spray replacement
• tea towel
• milk
• pastry brush
• cooling rack

Watch me make this recipe in the video below

To begin, turn the light on in your oven to create a warm environment for your bread dough to rise.

If using active dry yeast, combine 1/4 cup of warm water with your yeast. Allow it to sit and “bloom” (wake up) while you measure out your other ingredients. The yeast will get foamy as it activates.

Combine all of the rest of the ingredients, except the milk, in the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Add the yeast/water combination.

Turn your mixer on low speed and allow it to run for 8-10 minutes, or until a beautifully soft dough forms.

While the mixer is running, monitor the texture of the dough. You want a very soft dough, but you want it to come together and not stuck all over the bowl. If needed, add a little extra flour, a tablespoon at a time until a good, soft dough forms.

Place your mixing bowl (covered with a damp tea towel) in your warm oven (the light on, not the oven) – or other warm location. Let the dough rise until doubled in size. This can take 30 – 60 minutes (or longer), depending upon your environment.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and give it a quick knead a couple times.

Divide the dough in half.

Pat a portion of the dough into a rectangle, about 8×10 in size. Roll the dough up tightly, tucking the ends underneath. Place the dough in a 8.5×9 inch loaf pan that has been greased and floured.

(Or coated with my baking spray replacement)

Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Set the loaves back in the warm location to rise until doubled in size, again covered with the damp tea towel.

Heat your oven to 325° (F).

Brush the tops of the loaves with a little milk, about a tablespoon for each loaf.

Bake for 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Carefully remove the loaves from the pans and cool on a rack.

Do not cut into the piping hot loaves, note the tip in the video above.

Enjoy!

To Make Homemade Hamburger Buns

To make homemade hamburger buns with this bread dough, follow the recipe up to the point where it forms the loaves.

Instead, pat all of the dough out to a large circle or rectangle that is about 1 inch thick.

Cut the dough with a biscuit cutter and place the buns on a greased baking sheet, about an inch and a half apart.

Allow the buns to rise until doubled in size.

Brush with milk, then bake and cool as before.

Your buns may get done a little sooner. Set your timer for 15 minutes and take a peek to see if they are done. Add time as needed.

You May Also Like: The Best Homemade Dinner Rolls

Homemade Hotdog Buns

You can make hotdog buns the same way as the hamburger buns.

Instead of cutting with a biscuit cutter, cut the dough into logs, about 6 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place them on a greased baking sheet, again about 1 1/2 inches apart. Brush, bake, and cool as above.

Did you Make this Recipe? I’d love for you to give me a 5 star rating in the recipe card below. If you share it on Instagram, please tag me! You can also post it to my Facebook Page.