BREAD

This versatile, light, and fluffy white bread is made in a bread machine and tastes great with butter and jam for breakfast or served with soup for lunch. Try it dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar to serve with dinner.

Did you get a new bread machine this year? I had one that was given to us when bread machines first came out – so this year I decided it was time for an upgrade.

So the first thing I did was test out one of the tried and true recipes I had been using for years. I was so pleased when it still worked in the new machine – I just had to share it with you all.

What I love about this recipe is that I can make a loaf from scratch. When my first machine came on the market, you had to buy the “mixes” to pour into it to make a loaf. It made no sense since you could buy a loaf at the store for less than the mix.

So for years, I played with how to make it without the mix and I was so pleased that it worked even with a new maker. YAY! I know you’ll love this as much as we do.

sandwich bread recipe

Here are some commonly asked questions

What is White Bread?

White bread is also referred to as white loaf, sandwich loaf, or just simply white bread. In contrast to “whole wheat” or “wheat” – which refers to bread made with whole wheat flour.

The ingredients in the bread will depend on how you want your bread to taste. Oftentimes, white bread has sugar and milk added, which keep it soft. Salt is added for flavor, while oil, butter, or shortening gives white bread a great texture due to the fat that it adds to the bread.

How to Turn All-Purpose Flour into Bread Flour

You will find that bread flour has about 12 -14% protein while all-purpose comes in between 8-11%. I know that difference in the percentage might not seem like a lot, but it does make a difference in baking. So to make your own bread flour – follow this recipe…

• 1 Cup (minus 1 1/2 tsp) All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp Vital Wheat Gluten

Then whisk the two ingredients together. Super simple! Adding the vital wheat gluten will give the all-purpose flour the added gluten content that it needs to make a beautiful bread recipe.

white bread recipe

Can this be made with all-purpose flour?

Yes – in general, you can swap all-purpose flour with bread flour and use them interchangeably. The result will be similar.

Bread flour has a higher protein level making the dough hold its shape and rise straight up – vs an all-purpose flour that will tend to want to spread out a bit more.

Can I use Gluten-Free flour?

I have not tried that yet. If you decide to give it a go, I would suggest using one that has a 1:1 ratio for the best possible results. Please let me know how it turns out. I’d love to share that with others.

best white bread machine recipe

Ingredients for Bread Machine White Bread

• water warmed to 110 degrees – the warmth helps the yeast to grow. Take care to not let it be too hot or cold ir it will kill the yeast.
• granulated sugar – Sugar makes the loaf softer and inhibits yeast growth.
• table salt – Salt is added for flavor.
• vegetable oil
• bread flour
• active dry yeast

My dough didn’t rise, what happened?

Most of the time this means your water was either too hot or too cold. If it is too hot it will kill the yeast, too cold & it just won’t rise. I find that using a thermometer helps & bringing the water to 115-125 degrees is best.

white bread recipe for bread maker

How to Make Bread Machine White Bread

1. Place the ingredients into the bread machine in the order listed (water, sugar, salt, oil, bread flour and yeast).

To bake completely in the bread machine

1. Program using the white bread cycle.
2. If desired (and if your machine offers this option) when paddle signal sounds remove dough and kneading paddle, reshape dough and place it back into the bread pan to continue the baking process.
3. Allow to cool in the pan for ten minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.

If making regular loaves or rolls

1. Program to use the dough cycle or follow the manufacturer’s instructions for making dough.
2. Once the dough cycle is complete, punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
3. Divide into two loaves or twelve rolls.
4. Place in greased bread loaf pans or in a greased casserole dish for rolls and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 24 minutes.

How do I properly measure the flour?

The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.

bread maker white bread

What is the best way to store leftover white bread?

Just like you would bread from the store – you want to keep this bread in an airtight container or zip-top bag. Reducing the air to the bread will keep it fresh and from drying out.

I like to keep our bread refrigerated to prolong its life. When we lived in the desert – we would refrigerate it to keep it from drying out in the single-digit humidities.

But now that we live in a more most climate we keep it refrigerated to prevent mold and keep the climate more controlled.

Can the bread be frozen?

Yes – you can freeze this loaf of bread after it has been baked. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in a zip-top bag. Use within 3 months. I have not tried freezing the dough for baking later, so I can’t give an accurate answer on that one.

white bread recipe for bread machine

Why is the cooked dough so dense?

This dough should be light and fluffy as you see in the images here. If you find that your dough is not rising or it comes out more dense, please see the following suggestions below.

1. Kneading. The machine will do all this for you – that is the bonus and the best part about making the bread in the machine. So you shouldn’t have issues with this part.
2. Check that yeast. If your yeast doesn’t proof, it could either be expired or the temperature of the liquid wasn’t the right temperature and the yeast died. If the liquid is too cold and it will take much longer to proof, too hot or expired – and won’t grow at all.
3. Too much flour. Too much flour will make the dough dense. I know the inclination is to add more when the dough is sticky – make sure you are measuring the flour correctly so you don’t end up with too much or too little.

fluffy white bread machine recipe

What is the best yeast?

You can use rapid rise, premium, or whatever you have on hand. I buy my yeast in the bulk section of my store, so it’s not brand-name or anything fancy & it works just great.

Can this recipe be doubled?

So – since you can only make one loaf at a time in the machine- I would say no. But you can make the dough back to back in the machine and then bake all of the loaves together at the same time in the oven.

white bread machine recipe

Products I love when making bread machine bread…

This white bread recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade bread before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this bread machine recipe.

If you love this easy white bread recipe, you’re going to love these other bread recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

One Hour Disappearing Fat Rolls

Loaded with bacon crumbles, cheddar cheese, and ranch seasoning, these One Hour Disappearing Fat Rolls take dinner rolls to a whole new level.

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Easy Buttermilk Biscuits

Easy Buttermilk Biscuits are fluffy, tender, flaky, perfect with butter and honey or jam. A deliciously simple dinner and holiday side dish.

Check out this recipe

Incredibly Easy Crusty Artisan Bread

Incredibly Easy Crusty Artisan Bread is a simple, 4-ingredient homemade dutch oven bread recipe that is absolutely foolproof. Perfect alongside every meal. Pair with a delicious cinnamon spreadable honey & it’s pure heaven.

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Easy Banana Bread

This Easy Banana Bread recipe will be the simplest homemade breakfast recipe you’ll ever make. Just dump, mix & bake for moist, delicious banana bread.

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Garlic Parmesan Pull Apart Biscuits

Refrigerator biscuits, Italian garlic butter & Parmesan cheese make these Garlic Parmesan Pull Apart Biscuits. A simple side with easy family dinner ideas.

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20-Minute Cheddar Biscuits

20-Minute Cheddar Biscuits are the perfect side dish. You can’t beat this copycat red lobster biscuit recipe that’s ready in about 20 minutes.

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Homemade French Bread

Homemade French Bread doesn’t get any easier than this. The perfect golden crust on the outside & soft & chewy on the inside, and the best part is that it is ready in just about an hour. You can’t help but fall in love.

Check out this recipe

Crazy Bread – Copycat Recipe

If you love this recipe for homemade white bread made in the bread machine as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Bread Machine White Bread

This versatile, light, and fluffy white bread is made in a bread machine and tastes great with butter and jam for breakfast or served with soup for lunch. Try it dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar to serve with dinner.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Cycle time – proofing / rising1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bread, bread machine, white bread

Servings: 1 loaf

Equipment

• bread machine

Ingredients

• 1 cup water warmed to 110 degrees
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups bread flour
• 2 ¼ 1 packet teaspoons active dry yeast

Instructions

• Place the ingredients into the bread machine in the order listed (water, sugar, salt, oil, bread flour and yeast).

To bake completely in the bread machine

• Program using the white bread cycle.
• If desired (and if your machine offers this option) when paddle signal sounds remove dough and kneading paddle, reshape dough and place it back into the bread pan to continue the baking process.
• Allow to cool in the pan for ten minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.

If making regular loaves or rolls

• Program to use the dough cycle or follow the manufacturer’s instructions for making dough.
• Once the dough cycle is complete, punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Divide into two loaves or twelve rolls.
• Place in greased bread loaf pans or in a greased casserole dish for rolls and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 24 minutes.

Notes

Makes about 1 bread machine loaf, 2 regular loaves, or 12 rolls

 

NOTE – different manufacturers will have different times for different programs on their specific bread machines. This might be different than the cooking times listed above. This also applies to the different size bread machine loaves – a 1 pound loaf will have a different cooking time than a 2 or 3  pound loaf. Keep this in mind and always follow the instruction manual for your specific machine.

Easy Buttermilk Biscuits are fluffy, tender, flaky, perfect with butter and honey or jam. A deliciously simple dinner and holiday side dish.

These buttermilk biscuits are just the ticket for serving at any meal. They’re great for breakfast, lunch, and even afternoon tea. The ingredients and cooking time are minimal and this recipe is really easy to make.

As you know, I’m a sucker for easy recipes – especially ones that the family raves over. When I find something everyone loves and it is simple for me to whip up in a short time – it ends up being a recipe we make countless times. This biscuit recipe is one of those – because everyone can’t get enough.

Pair these biscuits with our Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie recipe for a delicious dinner.

We all know that there is nothing like a warm biscuit with butter on it in the morning. These biscuits really are the best breakfast ever. They are fluffy and delicious with a mildly sweet taste that is perfect for dunking in your morning coffee or tea.

We love these Buttermilk Biscuits! They are absolutely perfect as a side dish for weeknight dinners, holiday feasts and, we love to serve them for our guests, and we’re sure you’ll love them too.

buttermilk biscuits from scratch

Here are some commonly asked questions

What if I don’t have buttermilk?

No problem. If you happen to not have buttermilk, you can place 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice in your measuring cup. Then fill the rest up to the 1-cup mark with regular milk. Then let it sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before mixing into the batter.

But since this recipe calls for COLD buttermilk – you can then pop the “buttermilk” you have made into the fridge until it becomes very cold again before you use it for these biscuits.

OR you can use the buttermilk powder I have linked at the bottom of this post and you can just whisk it into water to make buttermilk whenever you need it.

In addition – you can use 4 tbsp of milk + enough sour cream to make a cup, OR 2 tbsp of milk + enough plain yogurt to make a cup. Note – don’t use Greek yogurt – it doesn’t have the right consistency to make this work.

Should I use salted or unsalted butter?

This is really a personal preference. If you are happy with just a little salt to cut the sweetness, then use salted butter.

I usually use whatever I have on hand & I really don’t pay too close attention to what butter I have. But I typically keep salted butter on hand & I love that little bit of extra salt with the sweet in this recipe.

These days with groceries being more difficult to find – I basically get whatever the store has available at the time and make it work.

buttermilk biscuits

Where did biscuits come from?

Originally the biscuit dates back to the days of Louis XIV. The name comes from the French name “bis” (twice) “cuit” (cooked) because it was originally a flat cake that was baked, removed from its pan, and then baked again.

It was a staple for many years with soldiers because it was hard and dry (often called stone bread) – and therefore would last a long time compared to regular bread made with yeast.

Today – the light and flaky biscuits we are familiar with originated in Southern plantation kitchens. They consist of dough that has been worked into layers of flour and butter – folded a multitude of times to create that tender texture.

My dough didn’t rise, what happened?

Because we aren’t dealing with yeast – most of the time this means that your baking powder has expired. When making yeast rolls or bread you would want to check and make sure the temperature of the liquid you were using to proof the yeast was correct.

But with these biscuits, the baking powder (along with the buttermilk) is our leavening agent and that will make the dough rise. If that isn’t fresh you will end up with flat, dense biscuits.

buttermilk biscuits recipe

Ingredients for Buttermilk Biscuits

• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• unsalted – very cold butter cubed **see notes
• cold buttermilk

Can buttermilk biscuits be frozen?

Yes, I do it often. You can wrap each biscuit individually with plastic wrap once they have been baked and cooled to room temperature. Then place all of the wrapped biscuits in a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

You can also freeze the dough once it has been worked AND the biscuits have been cut. You can do this by placing the cut dough on a baking sheet that has been lined with plastic wrap. Place the tray in the freezer until the dough has completely frozen. Then remove and wrap each one tightly.

When ready to make – remove from the freezer, preheat the oven, unwrap the frozen biscuits and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake according to the directions below.

homemade buttermilk biscuits

How to Make Buttermilk Biscuits

1. Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a large bowl or food processor. Whisk to combine or pulse processor lightly.
2. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and combine until crumbs form. If using a bowl, use a pastry cutter, if using the food processor, pulse several times.
3. If using processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
4. Form a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the buttermilk.
5. Fold together until the dough begins to come together.
6. Flour a smooth work surface and transfer the dough from the bowl.
7. Generously flour your hands and begin working the dough together.
8. Form or roll into ¾ inch thick rectangle.
9. Fold one long side into the center, then fold the other long side in **see notes
10. Rotate the dough so that it is horizontal to you.
11. Gently flatten the dough into a rectangle and fold the sides into the middle again.
12. Turn the dough again and fold the sides into the middle again.
13. Turn horizontally again and flatten dough into a rectangle about 1 ¼ inches thick.
14. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
15. Generously butter a cast iron skillet or line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
16. Use a 2 ½ or 3 inch biscuit cutter to cut the dough. Cut straight down and pull straight up, do not twist the cutter **see notes
17. Place the biscuits in the prepared cast iron skillet or on the baking sheet.
18. Brush the tops of the biscuits with a little extra milk, if you like.
19. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
20. Remove from the oven and brush with the melted butter, if desired.
21. Serve warm or at room temperature.
22. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

southern buttermilk biscuits