Easy Amish White bread recipe is a slightly sweet, velvety-textured, homemade loaf that's perfect for sandwiches. You may have heard it called milk bread. You can make this recipe by hand or in a bread machine - both instructions are included. It freezes well, too!
Be sure to read to the end where I'll be sharing my best tips for getting yeast dough to rise! More Bread Recipes here.
Shopping list
If you are looking for the homemade equivalent of Wonder Bread you'll definintely want to try this! It is somewhat sweet — and when I say somewhat I mean like those fabulous, hot dinner rolls they have at Logan's Roadhouse or Hawaiian rolls.
If you want a real treat try it with a spoonful of this apricot pineapple jam!
- whole milk
- sugar
- yeast
- salt
- light vegetable oil or coconut oil (or melted butter)
- bread flour ( or all-purpose)
- butter
- two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans (measured from outside edge to outside edge. 1- 1/2 quart)
- instant read thermometer.
You can find a list of tools and helpful information on the Essentials page.
Instructions
Making this Amish White Bread recipe is easy but sometimes it helps to see what is being described. Here are the step by step images.
- Mix the yeast, sugar, and warm water.
- Let it get foamy.
- Mix in the flour and knead until it is soft and elastic - it will feel like your earlobe when you squeeze a bit between your thumb and forefinger. Weird but true.
- 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 greased loaf pan - let rise.
- Bake.
Bread flour or all-purpose
This recipe works best with bread flour but you can also use all-purpose if you like. Just be aware that the texture may be a little more dense and your loaf will not rise as high.
If you are using all-purpose flour and you happen to have some wheat gluten around you can replace 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of gluten for every cup. That will give it the rise and fluffiness you're looking for.
Tips
If you've had trouble with homemade bread recipes before be sure to read these posts on troubleshooting and tips:
- 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.
Variations
This is such a basic loaf that there are a lot of different ways to use it. Here are some of my favorite variations.
- Dinner rolls
- Cinnamon rolls
- Sweet rolls
- Hamburger buns
- Cinnamon swirl loaf
- Add 2 cups raisins
- Add 2 cups chocolate chips
- Add 2 cups chopped nuts
Since this recipe freezes so well you can make several batches to have on hand when you need them. This is one of the main breads on my list of homemade pantry staples because it's so easy!
Related recipes
Making homemade bread does take some practice but it is so very worth it!
- Multi-grain Flaxseed is a fabulous, rustic loaf for those who like multigrain breads. It makes delicious sandwiches!
- Harvest Fruit and Nut is the best toast ever. Dried fruit and nuts are kneaded in and provide sweetness and texture.
- Oatmeal is my favorite for peanut butter sandwiches! It's a little sweet and nutty with the great flavor of oats.
Need to adjust for high altitude? Check out the instructions from Utah State University.
Equipment
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness! Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!
I use a Bosch to make bread with. I love my Kitchenaid but it just doesn't handle heavy doughs as well as I'd like. If you plan on making bread often I'd recommend saving up for a Bosch. It lasts forever. You won't regret it.
Help it rise!
There are definitely a lot of ways to get yeast doughs to rise - such as keeping it in the oven with the light on, etc. My favorite is to use a natural dough enhancer like one of these-
- 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 (updated for 2020) to find more great ideas including a recipe for a natural dough enhancer -
☕️ Kaffeeklatsch
I honestly couldn't tell you if Amish white bread is Amish or not. I do know it is really awesome good.
I spent part of my childhood in Pennsylvania and was used to seeing Amish families driving their buggies to church, rolling hills dotted with white farmhouses and well ordered farms, and best of all (to me) those gorgeous quilts hanging on clotheslines.
When I got older and did my stint as a fine artist people often commented on the intense colors I used in my paintings. It's something I soaked up during those years.
And of course, enveloping ALL of it is the aroma of freshly baked pastries, cakes and cookies, pies and tarts that wafted over the countryside like some kind of crazy incense.
New to breadmaking? Check out this guide for beginning bread makers.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many people have asked me if you "have" to use bread flour. The bread will rise higher and lighter if you do but you can substitute all-purpose flour .
📖 Recipe
Amish White Bread
Print Add to CollectionEquipment Needed
Ingredients
- 1 cup water, 110F
- 1 cup milk, 110F
- 2/3 cup sugar, (you can use less)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil, -- coconut oil works really well here (melt it first and let it cool to 100F)! OR use melted butter
- 5-1/2 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.
- 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.
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
- Dinner rolls
- Cinnamon rolls
- Sweet rolls
- Hamburger buns
- Cinnamon swirl loaf
- Add 2 cups raisins
- Add 2 cups chocolate chips
- Add 2 cups chopped nuts
- 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 (updated for 2020) to find more great ideas including a recipe for a natural dough enhancer -
Nutrition
Sign up for the emails and never miss another recipe!!
We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.Originally published April 2014. Last updated February 2020 to enhance user experience.
Mags
Is the nutritional information for the whole recipe, per loaf or per slice? Great recipe.... Loving this bread and makes great hamburger buns too... Added some sesame seeds and Bam!
Marye
The recipe makes 2 loaves - the nutritional information is per slice, based on 8 slices from each loaf - so it will changed depending on how thick you cut it. I do love it for all kinds of things from cinnamon rolls to burger buns. So glad you're loving the recipe!
Cherie
Marye, I've made this twice. Both times we loved the taste, but I can't seem to perfect the appearance. I am halving the recipe and making the dough in the bread maker on the Dough setting. Then I remove the dough and place in a greased loaf pan to rise. After the rise I bake for 30 minutes at 350. The first time I placed plastic wrap on the loaf to let it rise so the plastic wrap stuck to the dough causing it to fall. The second time I placed the loaf in the an oven warmed to 200 degrees but turned off. The loaf was rising nicely and then fell and ran down the sides of my loaf pan. I was able to get the dough back in the loaf pan, but it, of course, wouldn't rise again. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for your help!
Marye
I think that it's not getting kneaded enough in your breadmaker. I have never used one so I am not sure. You also may have let it rise too long. Let it get just maybe a half inch above the the pan edge and see if that works better.
Lynne
So I want to cry. Not sure what I did wrong here. The first rise was awesome. I punched it down, kneaded it for a few minutes let it sit, then put it in the pans, but it would not rise again. What did I miss?
Marye
Not rising the second time is almost always caused by one of the following....
If you used rapid rise yeast...
If you let it rise too long the first time...
If you didn't let it rise long enough the second time
Diane
Can’t find yeast anywhere making homemade yeast how much would I add to this bread recipe for 2 loafs first time making bread thank you from Canada
Marye
I'd suggest using a sour dough recipe made for it - Especially your first time.
Dee
This looks amazing and I am really looking forward to giving it a try. I only have one bread pan. Can I freeze half the dough and use it later? If so, at which point should I freeze it? Before or after the (first or second) rise? Thanks!
Marye
Yes or you can use the slider to cut the recipe in half. Just hover over the serving size and you can slide it down by half. You can freeze it after the first rising.
Louann
Can I replace the water with leftover whey from making ricotta?
Marye
I've never tried it but I am sure you could.
Mrs. N. McCusker in Arvada, CO
This was a HUGE hit with my family. We have my parents living with us, and I was paid the best compliment from my mom, she said that it was better than my grandmothers!! She was a prolific baker so I am honored to have her say that, I have you to thank for it! The first loaf was almost gone last night and the rest of it will be used with supper tonight. I can't wait to make this again, and with the way it is disappearing, it will be very soon!
Marye
That's amazing!
Jennifer
I’m having a really hard time figuring out how the nutrition value comes into play here cause when I put in all the ingredients it’s no where close to what it says... what am I doing wrong?
This is what I got I even divided it in 30 servings instead of the 16 it say!!!!
Bread flour (5 1/2cups) 2420cal, 484carbs
Whole milk (1 cup)150cal, 12carbs
Sugar (2/3cup) 520cal, 135carbs
Yeast 13cal, 3carbs
Oil (1/4cup) 480cal, 0carbs
Butter (2tbsp) 407cal, 0carbs
Added all up and divided by 30 is 127calories and 21carbs
Marye
This was a case of it's me not you! When I went in to check the calculations (it's automatic in the recipe) I saw that instead of 5 1/2 cups it was using the 2 only... for 2 cups. Thanks for catching that - it's fixed now. Calories depend on how thin you slice it, of course - we slice thick here.
Gracie
Made this tonight - it was fantastic! One loaf quickly disappeared with my husband and 3 kids.
How do you make it a cinnamon swirl bread?
Marye
Just roll it out in a rectangle, spread with melted butter and a cinnamon sugar mixture then roll it up - or follow the directions here - https://www.restlesschipotle.com/buttermilk-cinnamon-bread/
A McClaney
I made this last weekend and it was amazing. I wanted to know if you can substitute white flour with whole wheat flour or is that a whole other recipe.
A McClaney
After posting is see someone already asked if we can substitute and you said yes as long as we use gluten to keep it light. I have vital gluten...that should be good enough right.
Marye
Yes. It won't be quite as light and fluffy, of course...but still quite light.
Carla St Germain
I made this bread a few days ago. It is the best bread I have ever made. It has a sweetness to it that is wonderful. My husband and I ate a piece while it was still warm and it was amazing. I chose to make it in my Kitchenaid mixer and get 2 loaves rather than in my bread machine. I froze 1 loaf so I would have some for later. I will make this again and serve it at family gatherings. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I am going to share it with my fellow bread makers.
Marye
Well be sure to send them here! Thanks Carla.
Debra Reynolds
Can you use whole wheat flour for this recipe.
I make the original all the time and love it.
Marye
You can - I'd use either some gluten or part white to keep it light, though.
CHERYL
Delish....i dont haveva stand mixer, but mixed with a large whisk until I got 4 cups of flour in, then turned onto board and kneeded the restvof the flour in. So good and soft!!
Marye
Glad you liked it. I made it for years by hand .. I just can't do it anymore. :/
Venita
I need to use less sugar . How far can I cut it back without ruining my bread
Marye
you can cut it to about 2 tablespoons but there will be a big difference in flavor.
Nancy Johnson
Can I use Rapid Rise yeast? If so, how would the instructions differ? Also, can I use 1/2 the sugar?
Thank you!
Marye
You can. Just follow the Rapid rise instructions - and yes you can.
Chyann
Made this bread with active dry yeast recently and it was terrific!! I now only have rapid rise, and see you’ve said to just follow the rapid rise instructions and it’s fine, but I can’t seem to find those instructions. Can you direct me to them? 🙃 thanks!
Marye
Chyann - I meant to use the instructions on the rapid rise yeast packets. 🙂
MJ
This was delicious! I used all purpose flour and it turned out perfect, everyone loved it. I shared the bread and your website with family. Thank you!
Marye
Oh thank you so much!
Madilynn
If I were to use this recipe for dinner rolls, should I adjust the baking time at all? Also should I bake them on a baking sheet or in a baking dish? Thanks!
Marye
I'd use a baking dish - and about 12-15 minutes I think. Check often.
Lisa
I’m confused next to ingredients it says water should be 110F and next to the milk it says 110F. But on the instructions it says add warm water. If its 110F isn’t it considered hot water.
Marye
Just warm to the touch - anywhere between 100-115F.
Joyce W.
I love this bread recipe. I baked it yesterday. I love homemade bread but its always dry and crumbles the next day. But this was so soft and stayed together, its wonderful. I do have 2 questions. Since this makes 2 loafs. Do you divide the recipe in half to make in a breadmachine? And would it be a 1 1/2 lb. Loaf?
Marye
I believe that's correct, Joyce.
Michele
I don’t have whole milk. What difference would I notice in the final product if I used 1% instead? Perhaps I could reconstitute a can of whole evaporated milk??
Marye
Any kind of milk is fine. 🙂
Carol
Hi Marye, I just made this bread for the first time. Unfortunately, I had to remove it from the oven at 20 minutes because the tops were burning. Of course it didn’t fully cook in the middle. I want to try again but was wondering if I should just lower the temperature to 325 or if I should put a foil tent on the loaves to keep them from burning but allow time for the whole loaf to bake properly. I really want this to work, it smells heavenly and the end piece was delicious. Thanks, Carol
Marye
Oh no! Try moving your rack down further and tenting with foil. You can bake it at 325 but it will be longer.
Mary M Burke
Can I make the dough ahead of time and freeze it till I'm ready to use it?
Marye
Yes, I'd add about 1/2 teaspoon extra yeast if possible.
Sofee
Have you ever made this bread with gluten free flour?
Marye
Sofee - it needs gluten to rise. No I haven't.
Marie
I'VE MADE BREAD FOR YEARS. THE AMISH BREAD RECIPE IS ONE OF THE BEST EVER...
THANK YOU...
Marye
So glad you like it!!
Steve
Men don't make bread, right? Well actually,they do..in the oven as we speak 😁
Marye
Awesome! Let me know how it works for you. PS... lots of men make this bread!