Skip to main content

The Secrets of Making White Bread in a Bread Machine

Image
Donna Urso

I'm excited to share the secrets to baking mouthwatering white bread using your trusty bread machine.

If you've been searching for a recipe that guarantees soft, fluffy, and utterly irresistible loaves, this recipe is for you.

How to Make Bread Machine White Bread

This post contains paid links.
A loaf of white bread, two slices of bread, and a bread knife on a cutting board.

I'm sure you'll agree that there's something truly magical about the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting through your home. That's just the beginning of why you'll adore this homemade bread machine white bread recipe.

Why You'll Love Making White Bread with Your Bread Maker

This recipe guarantees a soft and airy texture that's second to none. No more settling for store-bought loaves with artificial additives when you can create bread that's just like your favorite bakery's offerings.

Even if you're new to bread making, fear not. Once you understand the basic steps you'll ensure that your bread machine becomes your new best friend in the kitchen.

Your bread machine will do all the work.  That means your bread-making will be nearly effortless.

No messes with a bread machine.  You'll love how easily you can clean up after a bread machine bread-making session.

You'll enjoy healthier bread. You'll be making fresh bread with zero preservatives.  You'll know what you are putting in your body.

You'll bake this bread in your oven to get a traditional loaf shape.

How to Make White Bread in Your Bread Machine

Tips for Bread Machine Success

Here are my essential tips to ensure your homemade white bread turns out perfectly every time:

1. Measurements Matter: Precision is key in bread making. Be sure to measure your ingredients accurately. Even slight variations can affect the outcome.

2. Fresh Ingredients: Use the freshest ingredients possible, especially your yeast. Check the expiration date on your yeast to ensure it's active.

3. Warm-not Hot Water: Think baby bottle temperature. 

4. Properly Layer Your Ingredients: Follow your bread maker's instructions for ingredient layering. Typically, it's wet ingredients first, then dry, with yeast on top.  Be sure to separate the salt from the yeast.

5. Experiment and Customize: While this recipe is a fantastic starting point, don't be afraid to experiment. Add herbs, garlic, or even some grated cheese to create unique variations of your own.

Why Weighing Your Bread Flour is Better Than Measuring

As I said before, measurements matter. In the world of bread-making, precision is paramount. Achieving consistent results, especially when it comes to the texture and structure of your bread, can make or break your bread-baking experience. That's where weighing your bread flour comes in as the superior method compared to measuring by volume. Here's why:

Weighing Eliminates Variability

One cup of bread flour weighs 120 grams.  When you measure flour by volume (using cups or scoops), the amount of flour you end up with can vary significantly depending on factors like how tightly you pack the flour, the humidity in your kitchen, and even the brand of flour you use. This variability can lead to inconsistent doughs and ultimately, uneven loaves of bread.  My video shows how much variability I had between measuring and weighing my bread flour.

38 grams of bread floured weighed on a kitchen scale.

Ensures Precision and Consistency

Weighing your flour, on the other hand, provides the utmost precision and consistency. Grams or ounces don't change based on environmental factors or personal interpretation. You get the exact amount of flour needed for a particular recipe every time. This consistency is a key element in achieving the desired texture and structure of your bread. Here's the digital scale I recommend.

Less Waste

Weighing ingredients means less chance of over-packing or under-packing flour, which can lead to wasted ingredients and failed attempts. Accurate measurements reduce the likelihood of dough that's too dry or too wet, which might require additional adjustments and more ingredients.

 Improved Consistency in Results

 If you're someone who loves baking and wants to replicate the same delicious bread time and time again, weighing your flour is the only way to ensure consistent results. It takes the guesswork out of the equation and makes your bread-making process more reliable.

Investing in a kitchen scale and getting into the habit of weighing your bread flour is a game-changer. It's a small change that can make a big difference in the quality and reliability of your homemade bread. Then you'll say goodbye to guesswork and hello to perfectly consistent loaves every time you bake!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions that may pop up as you start your homemade white bread-making journey:

Can I use different types of flour for this recipe?

No. You'll be happiest with the results using bread flour for this recipe.

How do I store homemade bread?

To keep your homemade bread fresh, store it in a plastic bag.  This is a soft-crust bread and the plastic bag will help to keep it soft. You may also want to purchase a bread-slicing guide like this one.

A bread slicing guide and a bread knife.


What substitutions can I make to this recipe?

You can use an oil of your preference or melted butter. You can substitute milk for the water.

There you have it! The secrets to help you bake perfect homemade white bread with your bread machine are now at your fingertips. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice, this recipe is sure to become a household favorite. So, why wait? Let's get baking and fill your home with the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread. 

Bread Machine White Bread Recipe

bread maker. bread machine, loaf of bread, bread baking
bread
American
Yield: 12
Author: Donna Urso
Bread Machine White Bread

Bread Machine White Bread

A light and tender loaf of white bread made with your bread machine.
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinInactive time: 3 HourTotal time: 3 H & 35 M

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Add the ingredients to your bread machine in the order listed.
  2. Select the dough cycle.
  3. After about 10 minutes check the consistency of the dough. Add water, one tablespoon at a time if it seems too dry. Add flour, one tablespoon at a time if it seems too wet.
  4. At the completion of the dough cycle transfer your dough to a lightly greased 8-1/2 inch loaf pan. Let rise until double in volume, 30-60 minutes.
  5. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F while the dough is rising.
  6. Bake the bread for 30 minutes.
  7. Rub butter over the crust for a soft crust. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes

Read your bread machine's instructions.

Rising times will vary based on the temperature in your kitchen.


Recommended Products

Bread Machine
Bread Knife
Bread Slicer Guide

Nutrition Facts

Calories

137.17

Fat (grams)

2.85 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.39 g

Carbs (grams)

23.82 g

Fiber (grams)

0.77 g

Net carbs

23.05 g

Sugar (grams)

2.09 g

Protein (grams)

3.66 g

Sodium (milligrams)

98.63 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

0 mg

Nutritional information is approximate.

Similar Recipes

Cheesy Garlic Rolls in a Bread Machine

Bread Machine Dinner Rolls

Homemade Tomato Rosemary Focaccia Bread: A Bread Machine Gem!

©Just One Donna

Comments

Post a Comment

Talk to me. I welcome your comments. (These comments are strictly moderated. Spammers take note.)

More Popular Posts

How to Make a Perfect Bacon and Eggs Breakfast

Donna Urso
In my opinion, the best breakfast consists of two perfectly fried eggs, crispy bacon, and toast made with hearty bread. This bacon and eggs recipe delivers. Bacon and eggs or eggs and bacon? No matter, it is definitely the breakfast you want on those lazy mornings when you have time to relax around the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee or two. The Best Bacon and Eggs Breakfast (This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience.  When you make a purchase using these links you help support this blog.) How to Cook Bacon and Eggs My technique was learned from my mom, by watching her make our family's breakfast over and over again, year after year.  This is a basted egg recipe which means the eggs are cooked in bacon grease. Cooking eggs in bacon fat is easy and takes just a little practice to perfect. All you really need for a great bacon and eggs breakfast is a good nonstick skillet and a good toaster . If you want to make your own bread fo
2 comments
Read more

The Best Asian Dipping Sauce You'll Ever Taste

Donna Urso
If you're looking for a versatile, easy-to-make Asian dipping sauce perfect for sushi and dumplings, then you've come to the right place. This recipe for the best Asian dipping sauce is perfect for any time you want a  kick of delicious Asian flavor. An Asian Dipping Sauce for Sushi and Dumplings Try this if you are looking for a dipping sauce that is a little more flavorful than you typically get with your takeout order. You'll love it with dumplings, too!
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Doctor Up Store-Bought Potato Salad

Donna Urso
Here's a potato salad time-saver for you just in time for summer cookouts. You'll love how you can transform grocery store potato salad so easily no matter whether you are hosting a BBQ or bringing a side dish for a summer barbecue. There's no judgment here. We don't always have the time to make a potato salad from scratch. Sometimes it is just easier to stop by your local grocery store to pick up a container of store-made potato salad. It's good. It's predictable.  It will do.  All it needs is a little doctoring. How to Make Store-Bought Potato Salad Better When you need a quick potato salad, and have no time to make one from scratch, that ordinary store-bought potato salad you have in your refrigerator can go from blah to amazing in just a few minutes with just a few ingredients. Yes, you can improve store-bought potato salad. How to Doctor Up Potato Salad to have a little more flavor? You're going to a potluck picnic or you are having
3 comments
Read more

Crunchy, Spicy Gingersnap Cookies

Donna Urso
Crunchy, spicy, and yummy are all words used to describe a good gingersnap cookie.   While my hands-down, favorite cookie is a gooey chocolate chip cookie I occasionally crave a spicy ginger snaps cookie or  this molasses cookie .  This old-fashioned gingersnap cookie is a winner.  It's easy to make and will be a favorite in your recipe rotation. Traditional Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe ( This post contains affiliate links.  I will be compensated when you make a purchase with these links.) Gingersnaps Cookies In the U.S., gingersnaps are usually drop cookies with lots of cracks on the surface.  That's exactly how I like them.  Those found in other countries may be thinner and sliced.  The Lebkuchen, a traditional German cookie, and the pepparkakor, from Sweden, are often cut into festive shapes.  My gingersnaps are round. Reasons You'll Love These Gingersnap Cookies These gingersnaps are tasty cookies at any time of the year.   Their spiciness is perfect as a holid
6 comments
Read more

Five Keys to Growing A Healthy Ficus Tree

Donna Urso
Have you ever wondered how a single Ficus benjamina tree could become a beloved part of your home for decades, thriving and growing alongside your family?  If you haven’t yet, you might consider the addition of this living, air-purifying companion in your home that not only beautifies your space but also stands the test of time.  You may know this tree as either a Ficus benjamina or a weeping fig.   I have loved growing a ficus tree in my home for 36 years. It’s remarkable that I've had this tree for so long.   How to Grow A Ficus Tree Inside for Decades When thinking about how I managed to keep this indoor ficus tree happy, healthy, and growing strong all these years it boiled down to five key Ficus benjamina plant care tips. Follow these tips and you can have a happy, healthy ficus tree in your home for many years, too.
18 comments
Read more

Grandma's Soft and Chewy Date-Filled Cookies

Donna Urso
One of the things I can count on as the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons arrive each year is a feeling of nostalgia. The traditional foods we serve at our family's holiday tables can sure bring out all the feels. Now that it is officially cookie season, we should kick it off with an old-fashioned homemade date-filled cookie recipe. This is a soft, tender cookie with dates that is a special, nostalgic, family recipe.   An Old-Fashioned Date Cookies Recipe This old-fashioned, date-filled cookie was my dad's favorite cookie from his childhood. My dad was born in 1932 so this recipe has been around for quite a while. 
7 comments
Read more

Traditional New England Whoopie Pies

Donna Urso
Are you looking for the best whoopie pie recipe?  Whoopie pies are a quintessential New England dessert and a memorable treat from my childhood.   My mom would make them for us every once in a while.  Oh, what a treat to come home from school to a platter of chocolate whoopie pies!  Yum! Today I'm sharing my recipe for the best-ever whoopie pies. The Best Whoopie Pies Recipe without Marshmallow Fluff Whoopie Pies Whoopie pies are soft round cookie-like cakes with a smooth cream filling sandwiched in the center. Debate rages about the whoopie pie's origin.  Some say these goodies originated in New England, others say they originated with the Amish.   There is also debate about what ingredients should be in the filling.  Many recipes include fillings made with Marshmallow Fluff or buttercream but neither is  traditional, in my opinion.  The whoopie pie of my childhood is a traditional Maine whoopie pie recipe, made with a cooked flour and milk mixture added to suga
6 comments
Read more

How to Trap and Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Donna Urso
Fruit flies can be a huge annoyance at certain times of the year. What can you do to kill fruit flies? We've all been there wondering how to get rid of fruit flies.  Fruit flies in the kitchen.  Fruit flies in the bathroom.  Fruit flies buzzing around everywhere in your home.   It's a frustrating problem that happens to everyone at one time or another.  If you are a fresh fruit and produce lover you certainly know what I mean. How to Kill Fruit Flies with Two Ingredients Those pesky little buggers can often be brought into your home on the vegetables and fruit you buy. You don't have to tolerate the annoyance.  This homemade fruit fly trap is one I have been using for many years and it works every time. 
1 comment
Read more

Easy Chicken Parmesan-A Make Ahead Freezer Dinner

Donna Urso
Chicken Parmesan is a favorite dinner in the Just One Donna house because it is a delicious dish that can satisfy your cravings for Italian food. It's also easy to make at home with simple ingredients you probably have in your pantry.  But what if you don't have time to cook on a busy weeknight? Don't worry, you can make Chicken Parmesan ahead of time and freeze it for later. I like to prepare Chicken Parmesan to have on hand in my freezer for those busy weeknights when we might be tempted to head to a restaurant instead of eating at home.  How to Make Freezer Chicken Parmesan for Busy Nights This post contains affiliate links.  I receive a small compensation when you shop using these links Easy Freezer Chicken Parmesan for Dinner Chicken Parmesan, also known as Chicken Pa
Post a Comment
Read more

DIY Cheap and Effective Rug Cleaning

Donna Urso
Using area rugs throughout your house help to make your home feel warm and inviting.  Area rugs help absorb noise and add pops of color to complement your decor.  How do you keep rugs clean and smelling fresh? It can be a challenge. While regular vacuuming is important, you'll want to deep clean your rugs periodically, especially if you own pets. Here's a cheap and effective rug-cleaning method I use. How to Clean Your Area Rugs (This post contains affiliate links for your convenience ) Cheap and Effective Rug Cleaning This cleaning method works well for me with both wool rugs and polypropylene rugs. I've cleaned polypropylene rugs like I have in my front entry hall and large, 8 x 10-foot wool rugs like I have throughout the rooms in my house.
Post a Comment
Read more