Everyday Sandwich Bread

This is just a really great, really easy everyday sandwich bread. I’ve always believed that the simplest baking recipes tend to be the best. You don’t need to fuss too much with them, you don’t need any special appliances, and you can rely on the ingredients in your pantry. That’s my baking philosophy. 

This is a staple recipe that already feels like it has the makings of a tried-and-true classic. It started with wanting to develop a recipe for baked egg cups to feed a crowd. The egg cups are still a work in progress, but this Everyday Sandwich Bread is ready for its moment in the sun. A simple no-knead, 6-ingredient recipe, it requires just 20 minutes of hands-on prep time.

Using my Honey Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread as a starting point, I wanted a softer loaf with enough structure to still hold up well for sandwiches (and for baking in a muffin tin) but without the added sweetness typically associated with breakfast loaves. I’ve increased the amount of milk and replaced the olive oil with melted butter for softness and a more buttery taste. I’ve also dropped the honey to make it sweetener free.

The result is a soft and airy loaf that tastes just like the bread my aunt made when we were kids—most often served with big chunks of cold butter and a drizzle of honey.

Why make this Everyday Sandwich Bread?

If you’re wondering what makes this loaf so practical and reliable, here are a few standout reasons to add it to your baking rotation:

• One-Bowl, One-Pan Simplicity—This bread recipe is as straight-forward as it gets, making it minimal cleanup, maximum reward!
• Balanced Eating—It’s made with high-protein bread flour and a handful of pantry staple ingredients. Unlike its storebought counterparts, it contains no additives, preservatives, sweeteners or ingredients you can’t pronounce. 
• Minimal hands-on prep time—Most of the work is done during rest time (or when you’re asleep!) and while it bakes. 
• Customizable—Use the measurements as a guide and experiment with your favourite flours, dairy-free milks or seasonings!
• Versatility—This simple, no-knead sandwich bread is great for sandwiches of all kinds, grilling, toasting or as a base for other recipes. Also, great for breadcrumbs.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make it

• 180 grams (¾ cup) water, room temperature
• 180 grams (¾ cup) milk of your choice, room temperature
• 42 grams (3 tablespoons) butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 2 or 8 grams (½ teaspoon or 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (*see notes to make in 5 hours)
• 490 grams (about 3 ¾ cups) bread flour
• 9 grams (3 teaspoons) kosher or fine sea salt
• Butter or olive oil for coating the pan

Tips for making this everyday sandwich bread

Measurements: As always, I recommend using a digital scale to measure your ingredients for accuracy. The one I use is highly rated and reasonably priced, and it really is a foolproof way to ensure your ingredient measurements are correct.

Flour: I make all my breads using high-protein bread flours. Other flours may be substituted with varying results, including good quality, gluten-free bread flour blends.

Yeast: I prefer to bake with active dry yeast. If using instant yeast, add it directly to the dry ingredients.

Salt: I cook and bake with kosher salt. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt is my go-to and what I use in almost all my recipes. Fine sea salt is a great alternative. It’s important to note that when cooking or baking with salt the quantity you use will vary depending on type and brand. As a general rule, if using Morton’s kosher salt, which has a coarser texture, double it. If using table salt, reduce by half.

I’ve added an additional step—a simple set of stretch and folds—to the method in this recipe. It helps to strengthen the gluten, which results in a stronger, more airy dough with the loftier rise that comes to mind when we think of traditional sandwich breads.

Rise time: Rest times may vary according to room temperature and environmental conditions. With a little practice, you will find the timing that works best for you. 

Hydration: This is an 80% hydration dough. After the first rise, it will be sticky with lots of bubbly fermentation activity. It will stick to your hands and to the sides of the bowl until you turn it out onto a floured surface and start shaping it. That’s good! Rest assured that once you do, it will come together quickly.

Loaf pan: This recipe works perfectly when baked in a 9×5-inch loaf pan. I love this non-stick, toxin free Caraway pan.

In terms of timing, I tend to prefer the ease and fuller flavour that come with an overnight rise. The night before, I usually start around 8 pm, doing a quick set of stretch and folds around 9 pm. If you’re short on time or just prefer a same day bake, I’ve included notes in the recipe to have it baked in as little as 5 hours. 

Here’s what it looks like 

1. Mix dough and set aside for 1 hour.
2. Perform a set of stretch and folds, then let rise overnight or until it has doubled in volume, about 8-12 hours.
3. Shape loaf, transfer to pan and let rise for 1 to 2 hours.
4. Bake for 45 minutes.
5. Transfer to wire cooling rack and let cool for 1 hour before slicing.

Made with just 6 ingredients, this simple, no-knead Everyday Sandwich Bread is soft, tender and perfect for slicing—no sugar or stand mixer required!

5 more delicious bread recipes to try

Simple No-Knead Sunflower Rye Bread

Everyday Artisan Bread

Easy Small Batch Ciabatta Rolls

No-Knead Cinnamon Raisin Artisan Bread

Honey Oat Artisan Bread

You can find more tips and guidance on baking with bread flour, active dry yeast and kosher salt, including substitutions, in the bread guides here.

If you make this recipe, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! 

And of course, feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews. This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you!

Everyday Sandwich Bread

Made with just 6 ingredients, this simple, no-knead sandwich loaf is soft, tender and perfect for slicing—no sugar or stand mixer required.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Total Time:18 hours hrs

Keyword: baking, bread, sandwich bread

Servings: 1 9×5-inch loaf

Equipment

• Digital scale
• Spatula
• Dough scraper
• 4 Qt mixing bowl
• Bread loaf pan
• Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

• 180 grams water, room temperature
• 180 grams milk of your choice, room temperature
• 42 grams butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 2 or 8 grams active dry yeast *amount will vary based on whether you want to do an overnight or same day rise—see notes
• 460 grams unbleached bread flour
• 9 grams kosher or fine sea salt
• Butter or olive oil for coating the pan

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Whisk together milk, water and melted butter, then sprinkle active dry yeast across the top. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and salt and let sit for 10 minutes. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix everything together.
• Cover the bowl and set aside until the dough has doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Now we’re going to stretch and fold the dough. Using a wet hand, lift one side of the dough and fold it over and press it into the center. Turn the bowl 45 degrees and lift from another side and fold again. Keep doing this until the dough starts to hold together, transforming from a shaggy, sticky dough into a smooth dough ball, wetting your fingers as needed.
• Turn the dough over and brush the smooth surface with olive oil. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature overnight, anywhere from 8 to 12 hours.
• Once you’re ready to bake, butter a loaf pan. Using a floured hand or dough scraper, pull the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, taking care not to completely deflate it. Again, the dough will be sticky with lots of bubbly fermentation activity. It will stick to your hands and to the sides of the bowl until you turn it out onto a floured surface and start shaping it. That’s good! Flour your hands and/or dough scraper again and shape the dough into a loaf. Next, take one end and lift and fold 1/3 of the dough into the center as if you were folding a letter. Repeat with the other end, then turn and place the loaf seam side down in the buttered loaf pan. If needed, lift each end from the middle and gently stretch it into the corners so the dough fills the pan. Set aside, uncovered, to let rise for 1 to 2 hours or until the dough has risen ½ an inch or more above the edges of the loaf pan.
• Position a rack to the centre of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (180ºC). Bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden and it sounds hollow when you tap on the top. Turn loaf out onto a wire cooling rack and let cool for 1 hour before slicing to allow the cooking process to complete.

To make in 5 hours

• Mix dough and set aside for 1 hour.
• Perform a set of stretch and folds, then let rise for 2 to 3 hours or until it has doubled in volume.
• Shape loaf as above, transfer to buttered pan and let rise for 1 to 2 hours or until the dough has risen ½ an inch or more above the edges of the loaf pan.
• Bake for 45 minutes.
• Transfer to wire cooling rack and let cool for 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

Measurements: As always, I recommend using a digital scale to measure your ingredients for accuracy. The one I use is highly rated and reasonably priced, and it really is a foolproof way to ensure your ingredient measurements are correct.

Flour: I make all my breads using high-protein bread flours. Other flours may be substituted with varying results, including good quality, gluten-free bread flour blends.

Yeast: I prefer to bake with active dry yeast. If using instant yeast, add it directly to the dry ingredients. If baking overnight, use 2 grams (½ teaspoon) of yeast. To make it same day, increase the amount of yeast used to 8 grams (2 teaspoons) as I’ve done for my Honey Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread.

Salt: I prefer to bake with kosher salt. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt is my go-to and what I use in almost all my recipes. Fine sea salt is a great alternative. It’s important to note that when cooking or baking with salt the quantity you use will vary depending on type and brand. As a general rule, if using Morton’s kosher salt, which has a coarser texture, double it. If using table salt, reduce by half.

Stretch and folds: For this recipe, I’ve added a set of stretch and folds to the method to help strengthen the gluten. The result is a stronger, more airy dough and the loftier rise that comes to mind when we think of traditional sandwich breads.

Rise time: Rest times may vary according to room temperature and environmental conditions. With a little practice, you will find the timing that works best for you.

Hydration: This is an 80% hydration dough. After the first rise, it will be sticky with lots of bubbly fermentation activity. It will stick to your hands and to the sides of the bowl until you turn it out onto a floured surface and start shaping it. That’s good! Rest assured that once you do, it will come together quickly.

Loaf pan: This recipe works perfectly when baked in a 9×5-inch loaf pan. I love this non-stick, toxin free Caraway pan. If using an 8.5 x 4.5-inch pan, the dough will rise higher above the edge of the pan during the second rise and result in a loftier loaf.

In terms of timing, I tend to prefer the ease and fuller flavour that come with an overnight rise. The night before, I usually start around 8 pm, doing a quick set of stretch and folds around 9 pm. If you’re short on time or just prefer a same day bake, I’ve included notes in the recipe to have it baked in as little as 5 hours.

Storage: This bread will keep well sealed on the counter for 3-4 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Sliced bread will freeze well in an airtight container or freezer bag for several months.