Imagine a loaf so amazing that even your toaster will do a double-take. Behold the marvel that is Amish White Bread—a bread so delightfully fluffy and subtly sweet, it could charm the crust off a baguette. Join the 2,500+ home bakers who call this their go-to white bread. You’ll see why after the first slice.
You’ll find the printable recipe card a little further down—but if you want the story (and the secrets), keep reading.
🎧 Too busy to scroll? listen instead
Pull up a chair, grab your coffee, and hit play—I'll walk you through the Amish white bread recipe with tips, tricks, and a few flour-dusted secrets. Then we’ll head on down to Picklefork, Texas, where the bread’s hot, the stories are hotter, and childhood memories bake up fresh every time.
Table of Contents
🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial
This soft, fluffy Amish white bread is pure comfort in loaf form—perfect for sandwiches, toast, or slathering with butter while it’s still warm. Be sure to watch the video to catch all the tips for getting that perfect rise and golden crust every time.
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
If you are looking for the homemade equivalent of Wonder Bread you'll definitely want to try this classic Amish white bread!
Ginger’s totally optional—it won’t flavor the bread, promise. It just gives the yeast a little motivational pep talk to get rising faster.
🍞 Do I have to use bread flour?
All-purpose works in a pinch, but bread flour gives you a fluffier rise. If you’ve got vital wheat gluten on hand, swap in a tablespoon per cup to help boost it.
Be sure to download the free Amish White Bread Cheat Sheet with tips, faqs, storage, and more.
📖 Recipe
Amish White Bread Recipe
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup water, 110F
- 1 pinch powdered ginger, optional - activates yeast
- 1 cup milk, 110F
- ⅔ cup sugar, (you can use less)
- 1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, coconut oil works really well here (melt it first and let it cool to 100F)! OR use melted butter
- 5-½ cups bread flour, you may need a little more or a little less
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
Conventional method
- Dissolve the sugar in the warm water and milk in a large bowl.
- Whisk in the yeast (and ginger if using).
- Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the yeast mixture gets foamy.
- Stir in 1 cup of the flour.
- Whisk in the salt and oil.
- With the mixer running add the remaining flour, one cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the bowl.
- Knead by machine about 5 minutes.
Hand kneading
- If you are hand kneading mix in the flour until you have a sticky dough, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic - adding flour as needed.
Rising and shaping
- Oil a large bowl and place the ball of dough in it.
- Oil the top of the dough and then cover with a damp cloth.
- Allow it to rise until it has doubled in bulk. This will take about an hour.
- Punch the dough down.
- Knead for three minutes or so and divide in half.
- Let rest for five minutes.
- Shape into loaves and then place in greased 9x5-inch loaf pans.
- Brush the tops with the melted butter.
- Let rise for 30 minutes, or until the dough has risen an inch or so above the pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. An instant-read thermometer will register 190℉ when poked into the center of the loaf when it's done.
For a soft crust
- For a soft crust butter the tops and place a clean tea towel over the baked loaves as soon as you take them out of the oven. Let them cool for about 5 minutes and then take them out of the pans to finish cooling, covering them back up with the tea towel.
Bread machine instructions
- Add ingredients to your bread machine in the order the manufacturer recommends.
- Select white bread cycle.
- Press "start".
- When the dough has risen once and second cycle of kneading begins, turn the machine off. Press "start" again to reset the machine.
- The dough will rise a second time before it bakes.
Notes
- If you want something less sweet you can cut the sugar in half. It will change the texture a bit but will still be great.
- This is one recipe I don't often use butter in. I use organic extra-virgin coconut oil because it adds just a little flavor to the bread. A light vegetable oil will work, too. Try it with coconut oil, light vegetable oil, or melted butter and just see what you like best. Make sure whatever you use is melted and cooled to 100F before adding.
- Ground ginger helps to activate the yeast and really get it going.
- Potato water strengthens the structure of the dough allowing it to rise higher.
- Click through to 5 Ingredients to Help Your Bread Rise to find more great ideas including a recipe for a natural dough enhancer -
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🔪 How to make Amish white bread
Since this recipe freezes so well you can make several batches to have on hand when you need them.
- Mix the yeast, sugar, and warm water.
- Let it get foamy.
- Mix in the flour and knead until it is soft and elastic - squeeze a bit between your thumb and forefinger. Weird but true - if your dough feels like your earlobe, you're in the zone. (Welcome to the exclusive club of people who fondle their own ears while baking.)
- Place in an oiled bowl and cover.
- Let rise until doubled.
- Check by pushing your finger in. If the indent stays it has doubled.
- Punch down.
- Shape and place in a greased loaf pan - let rise. Bake.
Marye's Tips
The dough has been kneaded enough when it feels somewhat like your earlobe when you pinch it. When you gently pull on it, the dough will stretch a little instead of breaking off.
If you've had trouble with homemade bread recipes before be sure to read these posts on troubleshooting and tips:
Don't forget to to download the Amish White Bread Cheat Sheet with tips, faqs, storage, and more. It’s packed with secrets I wish someone had told me before my first sad, under-risen loaf. Snag it now—it’s free and fabulous.
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
Once you make your own bread you'll want to try your hand at different types of yeast baking! Here are some of my favorites.
- Vienna rolls are an old-fashioned yeast roll that were served at fancy restaurants. They are delicious as sandwich rolls, finger rolls, or made into a loaf. Perfect for fancy Sunday suppers.
- There's nothing like hot from the fryer homemade donuts! Saturday morning childhood memories in fried form.
- Angel biscuits are a cross between a dinner roll and a biscuit. They're a southern favorite. Great with leftover ham or butter and honey.
Have you made this bread? Did you sneak the first slice warm from the oven like I do? Tell me in the comments—Reva Mae says it doesn’t count as stealing if it’s still cooling.
Gloria Terry-Gamron says
Wonderful bread recipe. Thanks to you, I finally made 2 great loaves. My husband was elated. You explain things so well. I read all your suggested blogs on the steps and watched the video before I tried the recipe and actually kneaded it by hand, instead of with my Kitchenaid, so I'd actually be able to feel the changes in the dough and did the window pane test. Wish you would do a video of the ending of hand kneading in addition to the beginning though. Maybe I just missed it. I'm 5'2" and kneaded it on the counter. Next time, will be on the table like you suggested for us short people. Set the timer for 10 minutes and what a workout. I was actually sweating by the time it was over. Kept asking my husband how much longer. The timer was on the microwave behind me. Good cardio before the carbs. Thanks, again. Going to look through your other recipes now.
judith judge says
can you use instant yeast
Marye Audet says
Yes. 🙂 Just add it with the dry ingredients.
Tammy says
Thank you for this post! It's so informative and I love the video on "how to knead".
I plan on coming back often.
Thanks again 🙂
Denise says
This bread was really good. It is a little on the sweet side but delicious. I only used 5 cups of bread flour so I am curious if other people used more. Will definitely make again.
Sally says
I used to bake homemade bread weekly from an old family recipe. My children grew up with it and loved to help kneed the dough. (can we say flour everywhere?) Precious!!
I tried this recipe today. It is absolutely fabulous!!
I’m making my homade Butter now, and I used organic coconut oil +2 tablespoons of butter with it, instead of oil.
My grandson just told me, “this is the best bread I’ve ever eaten in my life”! Now that’s a hit!!!
It’s texture is fairly dense and hardy, yet fluffy, velvety and complimentorally perfect for any dish!!!
This has become my new bread of choice!!!!
There should be additional stars to favor this exquisite recipe!!!!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️?
Additionally, it makes fantastic dinner rolls as well!!
David Ervin says
Hi, I just made two loafs of this wonderful bread!!
Turned out soooooo good!! My house smells great too.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I'm been making
Bread for meny years use to do alot with sourdough.
But always looking and willing learn and make something new. Next I am going to try your honey
buttermilk bread!!
Judy Rudolph says
This bread is by far, the best homemade bread recipe ever! I gave the second loaf to my friend and she's still talking about it days later. I can't wait to make it as cinnamon bread. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. <3
Carol Braman says
I have baked bread for over 60 years and this is my favorite new recipe! I love the versatility front 1 dough. It makes great orange rolls, cinnamon rolls, buns, bread, and more! As a senior it's nice to have a recipe that includes such options. I began baking breads and rolls as a kid with my grandmother. The smell of fresh bread is intoxicating. Love trying new recipes!
Teresa B Kelly says
I love this recipe and it turns out perfect! I am just curious in the nutritional facts what the protein amount is? Thanks again for your site!!
judith judge says
can i use instant yeast and if i do do i still disove in the water milk mix
Bnjmcleod says
Excellent bread and now our go-to recipe! It freezes very well and lasts for days in my little bread keeper (wrap the cut end in waxed paper). I make this in my bread machine (1/2 recipe, med. crust, 1.5 lb setting) and it’s perfect every time.
Deb says
I love love love this bread recipe! I wanted to try in mini loaf pans. Have you tried this? Would I have to adjust any of the ingredients?
Thank you!
Cindy Lumbra says
Absolute best homemade bread I have ever made...Thank you for such a awesome recipe.
Lesa says
Just took a loaf to my neighbor who texted me, "It is honestly the best homemade bread I have EVER had! Truth be told, I've just taken another slice. It is amazing!"
Really liked that you provided alternate instructions for kneading by mixer/hand and for converting to bread machine. (I used your kneading my mixer instructions.)
Marye Audet says
🙂 Thank you, Lesa! I am so glad that you like the recipe - but I like that you are sharing with your neighbor even more - I think that's what it's all about!
Bobie Spencer says
Love recipe ,tried others but they were bland, I have also substituted extra virgin olive oil occasionally with this recipe, works wonderfully, and I have occasionally used 1/3 cups local honey as well
Jasmine says
This is my all time favourite bread recipe! What sets it apart is the addition of the milk and possibly the use of oil instead of butter. Makes a soft fluffy bread that can be eaten by itself! My husband loved it and we paired it with a chicken salad that I made for dinner! Fantastic recipe. The only thing is I didn't wait the addition 30 mins for it to rise in the pans, didn't have the patience, but they still came out great, just not above the pans.
Deb says
Hi
This recipe is amazing! I have been baking bread for a while and have tried to find the perfect soft white bread and this is it!! I would like to bake these to give away to family and friends. Can I double the recipe to make 4 loaves? Not sure if you've tried that but I know some recipes don't turn out the same when you double them. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe!
Rob says
Despite all these successful first attempts above, mine turned out a little bit doughy. I just seem to always have trouble with baking.
I did combine the two loaves in a double-loaf pan, which is all I had. In hindsight, I probably should have extended the baking time. Does that sound right? If so, how much longer you think?
Marye Audet says
Yeah, a double loaf pan will be problematic. You could use an instaread thermometer and test the centers. It should be 195F to 210F when done.
Gayla says
I'd like to make this as rolls for Thanksgiving. Can they be made the day before and refrigerated? And is so, how long? Hoping 24 hours! 🙂
Marye Audet says
I'd make them as brown and serve rolls - here's the instructions but use this recipe. https://www.restlesschipotle.com/thanksgiving-make-ahead-recipe-buttermilk-dinner-rolls/
Cook for 10 minutes, or until done but before the rolls start to brown. Remove from oven, cool. Wrap in air tight packaging. Freeze for up to three months. To serve: Bake at 425 until golden.
Karisma says
Made these beautiful loaves of bread. Light as a cloud. I did use all-purpose as bread flour just wasn't available. I regret nothing. Will make again and again. NEXT time with bread flour. Just magnificent!