Easy Braed Homemade Sandwich Bread

A soft, classic white sandwich loaf made with honey and butter.

Ingredients (makes 2 loaves)

• 2 cups warm water
• 2 tsp salt
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 5½ – 6½ cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the warm water, salt, honey, and melted butter. Mix until well combined and the salt begins to dissolve.
2. Add 4 cups of flour and mix. Next add the yeast and stir. Add 1½ cups more flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Reserve the last cup of flour for adding while kneading. The dough should be shaggy, loose, and pull away from the sides of the bowl easily — not too sticky.
3. Turn the dough out onto a clean, floured surface. Knead 8–10 minutes, adding the reserved flour as needed.
4. Warm the oven to 100°F (38°C), place the dough in the oven, and turn off the heat. Let rise in the oven until doubled.
5. Grease 2 baking pans. Turn the dough out, divide, and shape into loaves.
6. Put back in the warm oven until the dough rises over the brim of the pans.
7. Remove from the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
8. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C).
9. Rub butter over the tops if desired. Cool, then slice.

Tips

• The warm-oven rising method helps the dough rise nicely in cooler kitchens.
• For softer crusts, brush the hot loaves with melted butter right after baking.
• Cool completely before slicing for the cleanest cuts.
• Freezes well — slice before freezing for easy use.

Soft, slightly sweet, and perfect for sandwiches. Enjoy!