Homemade Sandwich Bread

Is it just me, or does nothing make a home smell better than bread baking in the oven?

With this simple method for “bread in a bag,” you will be wondering why you haven’t made bread at home before! This recipe is so easy and my kids love to help making it. The finished bread makes the best PB&J sandwiches, not to mention every other kind of sandwich you can think of.

Why I Love Making Sandwich Bread

• No special equipment needed: Whether you want a nice slice of bread to go with dinner, or something cozy to welcome visitors, this recipe creates a perfectly soft loaf without a bread maker.
• Very little clean up: Since this recipe does not require any special machines (bread maker, stand mixer, hand mixer, etc), there is very little clean up needed. If you use the ziplock bag instead of a bowl, there is even less to clean!
• Milk instead of water: This bread recipe uses milk instead of water. The fat in the milk makes the bread more tender and gives the bread a better flavor than using just water. Milk also has natural sugar in it, which helps the yeast grow and makes the bread a perfect after school snack bread – tasty, warm and homemade!
• Customizable: This bread is a great base recipe for different flavors of bread. If you wanted to, you could add raisins and cinnamon when you roll the bread before the final rise. Or how about some fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme.

How To Make Homemade Sandwich Bread

If this is your first time making bread, don’t be nervous! I promise this recipe is super simple and I will walk you through it step by step. For a printable set of instructions with even more detail, scroll to the bottom of this post.

• Combine the dry ingredients: In a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag, combine yeast, sugar, salt and 1 cup of flour. Seal bag and shake to combine.
• Warm the milk and oil: In a small saucepan, heat the milk and oil until it reaches 110°F to 115°F degrees. It should NOT boil – you can touch the liquid at this point, but it should be warm to the touch. You do not want to kill the yeast with too hot of liquid.
• Combine: Open the zip-top bag and pour the warmed milk and oil into the bag. Reseal the bag and use your hands to work the bag to combine the ingredients. 
• Add flour: Add the flour, about ½ cup at a time, working the bag with your hands between each addition, until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bag.

• Knead the dough: Sprinkle a clean countertop generously with extra flour and remove the dough from the bag. Knead the dough on the counter for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. 
• Rest: Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 10 minutes. 
• Roll: Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12×7-inch rectangle. Beginning from one short end, roll the dough up tightly into a log. 
• Rise: Place the dough into a 8.5 x 4.4 inch loaf pan greased with non-stick cooking spray. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Bake: Bake the bread at 375°F for 30 minutes or until done. Cool the bread for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

Helpful Tips

• Warm Space For Rising: The best place to let dough rise is a warm area in your home. On a warm day, your kitchen counter will probably work just fine. My mom used to let our bread dough rise in the laundry room when the dryer was going to help warm the room. If your kitchen is cold, your oven is actually a great place. Preheat your oven to 200°F for 1-2 minutes to get it nice and toasty, then turn it off and add your dough to rise inside the oven. Some ovens also have a “proofing” setting.
• Butter The Top: While it is still warm, allow a tablespoon of butter to melt over the top of the crust. Do this before cutting the homemade bread and you will barely need any butter when you slice into it! It will absorb a little and the taste goes a long way.

How To Store Sandwich Bread

Homemade bread is best that first day, with a crispy crust and perfectly soft center. However, if stored properly, it will stay delicious for 3 to 4 days.

• To store: Wrap the bread in foil, or place it in an airtight container. Store it at room temperature. It’s important to store your bread in something air tight to maintain the moisture in your bread. The bread will lose the crisp outside and become softer as the moisture in the bread moves towards the surface. If you like the crisp edges, you can always toast it lightly before serving.
• Can I freeze it? You sure can. Make sure the bread is completely cooled. Wrap it with saran wrap and then place it in a freezer friendly ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw by placing on the counter at room temperature for several hours.