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photo of two homemade bread loaves cooling on a rack

Easy and Fast Homemade White Bread Recipe

This simple two-hour homemade white bread recipe makes two soft, flavorful loaves with a crisp crust and tender crumb. Perfect for beginners, it uses rapid-rise yeast and minimal equipment for foolproof results every time. Makes 2 loaves.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rise Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Servings 20
Calories 140 kcal

Equipment

  • 2 one-quart Pyrex bowls
  • 2 9x5-inch loaf pans (if you don't have the Pyrex bowls)
  • 1 Large mixing bowl
  • 1 Small/medium size mixing bowl -- must hold 2 cups of water
  • 1 large spoon for mixing
  • plastic wrap
  • 2 forks for dividing dough

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour -- I use Safeway Organic Non-GMO flour
  • 1 ¼ oz. packet rapid-rise instant yeast
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 ½ cups cool tap water
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

Instructions
 

  • Preheat and Prep:
    Preheat the oven to 300°F. Remove the butter from the refrigerator to soften.
  • Mix the Dough:
    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar.
    In a separate bowl, combine the cool and boiling water, then pour it into the dry ingredients.
    Stir with a large spoon until the mixture forms a shaggy dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it on top of the preheated oven or in a warm spot. Let rise for 1 hour. (Turn off the oven now.)
  • Prepare Baking Bowls:
    After the first rise, generously butter two 1-quart Pyrex bowls (or loaf pans) using all of the softened butter (to prevent sticking). Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Shape and Second Rise:
    Use two forks to divide the dough in half. Place each portion into the buttered bowls. Let the dough rise, uncovered, for 30 minutes on top of the warm stove.
  • Bake:
    Bake the loaves at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for another 15 minutes.
  • Cool and Serve:
    Remove the loaves from the oven, carefully turn them out onto a wire rack, and cool for 10 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife. Enjoy warm with butter and jam.

Notes

  • Note: You can use two 9×5-inch loaf pans, but the bread may not rise as high. Restricting the dough’s spread encourages a better rise, which is why smaller bowls are ideal.
  • Mixing the hot and cold water ensures the temperature is just right—warm enough to activate the yeast but not so hot that it kills it.
Keyword 2 hour bread, beginner bread baking, easy white bread recipe, easy yeast bread, homemade white bread, no knead bread, quick bread recipe, simple bread recipe