Basic White or Wheat Bread Recipe (2024)

Need the perfect recipe for bread? This wonderful Basic White Bread recipe will be your new staple! Make your own homemade bread with this simple recipe and tutorial. No special ingredients or cooking equipment needed.

Basic White Bread

Every good homemaker needs a tried and true plain bread recipe in their recipe box. A basic white bread can be used in so many different meals and dishes and always makes a good snack when paired with some homemade jam.

This is an easy white bread recipe that has served us well over the years. I believe I originally found it from a Mennonite source which is where many of my old tried and true recipes have come from.

Basic White Bread Recipe

What You Need:

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon yeast
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1/6 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 cup cold water
• 3 cups flour + an additional 3 – 4 cups flour

How to make bread:

In a small bowl mix the 1/2 cup warm water, yeast, and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes or so.

In a mixer or in another bowl mix the boiling water, oil, sugar, and salt. Stir until it dissolves.

Add in the cold water and mix and then add in the yeast mixture. (You want the mixture temp to be lukewarm before you add the yeast and that’s why do you do this mixing step. Do not burn the yeast!)

Add in 3 cups of flour and stir. Let this mixture rise for 30 minutes.

This is after 30 minutes. We have some nice bubbling yeast action going on here. 🙂

Add in the rest of the flour. (3 to 4 cups are needed) It should form a nice, not sticky, dough. Let this rest for about 30 minutes.

Form into loaves and stick in a loaf pan. This will make 2 loaves. Let these rise for about an hour in a warm covered place. Or at least until doubled in size. Then bake them at 350F for 35-40 minutes.

Remove the loaves from the oven and brush the tops with butter. Butter will help to keep the loaves soft and not crispy and crumbly. Store extra bread in the fridge or in the freezer. You can keep this bread on the counter but it will only last a few days.

Substitutions – You can make this bread recipe with all wheat flour or half wheat and half white.

Want to print this Basic White Bread Recipe? Grab it below:

Did you enjoy this white loaf bread? Find even more Bread Recipes here on Little House Living!

Have you tried this basic White Bread recipe yet? What do you use it for the most?

This basic white bread recipe originally appeared on Little House Living in February 2011. It has been updated as of September 2019.