Amish White Bread

Yield: 2 loaves (9×5-inch pans)
Intensity Level: Easy (Beginner-friendly, requires patience for rising)
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Active Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Time (Rising & Baking): 2 hours 55 minutes

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Why This Recipe Works

In a world of sourdough starters and 72-hour ferments, sometimes you just want a simple, soft, reliable white bread. This Amish White Bread is exactly that. It’s the loaf your grandmother might have made — tender, slightly sweet, with a golden-brown crust that crackles when you squeeze it.

What makes this recipe “Amish” isn’t complexity; it’s simplicity. No fancy pans, no steam injection, no preferments. Just pantry staples, a little patience, and two rise cycles. The result is a bread that’s perfect for sandwiches, toast, or eating warm with a generous smear of butter.

This recipe is ideal for first-time bread bakers because the dough is forgiving, the instructions are straightforward, and the payoff is enormous.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water (110°F to 115°F / 45°C to 46°C) — Not hot, or you’ll kill the yeast

• ⅔ cup white granulated sugar (135g)

• 1½ tablespoons active dry yeast (about 2 standard packets)

• 1½ teaspoons salt (9g)

• ¼ cup vegetable oil (canola, avocado, or melted coconut oil work)

• 5½ to 6 cups all-purpose flour (660g to 720g) — Bread flour also works for a chewier texture

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Time & Intensity Breakdown

Overall Intensity: 2/5 — Requires patience, not strength or skill.

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Instructions

Step 1: Wake up the yeast (5 minutes, very low intensity)

In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir gently with a fork or small whisk. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. You’ll see a frothy, creamy layer form on top — that’s the yeast “blooming.” If nothing happens, your water was too hot (yeast died) or too cold (yeast is sluggish). Start over.

Step 2: Make the dough (8 minutes, low to medium intensity)

Add the salt and vegetable oil to the yeast mixture. Stir briefly to combine.

Add 4 cups of the flour and mix with a wooden spoon or the dough hook attachment on low speed. The dough will be shaggy and sticky.

Gradually add the remaining 1½ to 2 cups of flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl but still feels soft and slightly tacky to the touch. You may not need all 6 cups — stop when the dough is smooth but not dry.

Step 3: First knead (8 minutes, medium intensity by hand, low with mixer)

• By hand: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8 minutes, folding the dough over itself, pushing away with the heel of your hand, then rotating. The dough should become smooth and elastic.

• With a stand mixer: Knead on medium-low speed for 6 to 7 minutes.

The windowpane test: Pinch off a small piece of dough and stretch it gently between your fingers. If it stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing, you’re done.

Step 4: First rise — patience required (1 hour, zero intensity)

Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough ball inside, turning it once to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap.

Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place (75°F to 80°F is ideal). Let it rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. If your kitchen is cool, turn your oven on to the lowest setting for 2 minutes, turn it OFF, then place the bowl inside.

Step 5: Punch down and divide (5 minutes, low intensity)

When the dough has doubled, gently push your fist into the center to deflate it — this releases gas and relaxes the gluten. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into two equal halves. (If you have a kitchen scale, each half should be about 450g to 500g.)

Step 6: Shape the loaves (5 minutes, low to medium intensity)

Working with one piece at a time, flatten the dough into a rectangle (about 9×7 inches). Roll it up tightly from the short end, pinching the seam closed as you go. Tuck the ends under slightly.

Place each loaf seam-side down into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Press gently so the dough fills the corners.

Step 7: Second rise — the final push (1 hour, zero intensity)

Cover the loaf pans loosely with greased plastic wrap or a clean towel. Let them rise again in a warm place for 1 hour. The dough should rise about 1 inch above the rim of the pans. (Pro tip: For a perfect dome, let it rise 30 minutes, then gently reshape the top with wet fingers, then rise another 30 minutes.)

Step 8: Bake to golden perfection (30 minutes, oven takes over)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) during the last 20 minutes of the second rise.

Bake the loaves on the middle rack for 28 to 32 minutes. At the 25-minute mark, check the tops — they should be deep golden brown. For a softer crust, brush the tops with melted butter immediately after removing from the oven.

Doneness test: Turn a loaf out of its pan (use oven mitts!) and tap the bottom. It should sound hollow. If it sounds dull, return the bread (out of the pan, directly on the oven rack) for 5 more minutes.

Step 9: Cooling — do not skip (45 minutes, low intensity)

Transfer the loaves to a wire cooling rack. Let them cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing. If you cut into warm bread, the interior will be gummy and the crumb will collapse. I know it’s hard to wait — I’ve made that mistake too.

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Nutrition Information

*Per slice (1 loaf yields ~16 slices, ½-inch thick)*