Bread Maker Bread (Basic White Loaf)

A bread machine recipe that makes homemade bread simple to make. Make your own homemade bread machine white bread with this easy-to-follow recipe.

Using a bread machine to make homemade bread is by far the easiest way! I love that I can toss in the ingredients, walk away, and come back later to a crusty, warm loaf of homemade bread. 

After learning how to use my bread machine to make this simple white bread, it’s hard for me to enjoy store-bought white bread anymore! This bread machine recipe makes the perfect loaf for slicing for toast, peanut butter sandwiches, tuna salad sandwiches, tuna melts, BLT’s, or your favorite lunchtime meal.

Ready to do more with your bread machine? Make Whole Wheat Bread in the Bread Maker, Seed Bread, Thyme Bread, Oatmeal Bread, or Bread Maker Pizza Dough.

Don’t have a bread machine? Try my no-knead bread recipe instead!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. It’s Easy. Maybe you’ve seen the videos online of people making beautiful, artisan loaves of bread? Well, this isn’t quite that. Bread machine recipes are more utilitarian, creating simple loaves that are square, simple, and easy to slice.
2. Control the Ingredients. Store-bought white bread can have additives and preservatives in it that you don’t necessarily want. If you look at the labels, you’ll find sugar, sodium, and probably some things you can’t pronounce. Making your own bread machine bread allows you to control exactly what goes in. 
3. Vegan or Vegetarian. Use oil to make this a vegan bread machine recipe, or substitute with butter and it will still be vegetarian. 
4. Basic White Bread. Sometimes calling something “white bread” is a bit of an insult, but in this case, it’s a good thing. A basic white bread loaf made in the bread machine is the perfect everyday sandwich bread. 
5. Set it and Forget it. Traditional bread making can take a whole day sometimes, requiring you to come back to it, knead the dough, let it rise, and do it all over again. The bread machine handles the kneading, rising, and baking for you, so you can forget all about the bread until it’s ready to eat. 

Key Ingredients

See the recipe card for full details and measurements. I’m including measurements for three different bread maker loaf sizes, so you can make as much as you want.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Flour: You can use regular all-purpose flour, or American white bread flour to make bread in the bread maker. Bread flour will give you a loaf that is a bit more chewy, since this type of flour has more protein, thus creating more gluten.
• Yeast: Instant yeast is the right choice when deciding what type of yeast to buy for your bread maker bread. You may also see “bread maker yeast”. This is also Instant yeast, just with a different label, so feel free to use either. Active Dry Yeast won’t properly bloom in the bread maker, so don’t use that here. 
• Fat: Oil adds texture and flavor to our homemade bread. You can use any type of oil, but for white bread I use a plain canola or vegetable oil. Melted butter can also be used.
• Sweetener: Sugar or honey adds flavor and helps to give us a golden browned crust on our bread. It also jump-starts the yeast, helping it to work more quickly. You can leave the sugar out if you want to make a sugar-free loaf. 
• Salt: This is added for flavor. If you’re watching your salt intake, you can reduce the amount or leave it out entirely.

How to Make Bread Maker Bread

1. Add Ingredients: Layer your ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the following order: Water, Oil, Salt, Sugar, Flour, and lastly, yeast. 
2. Set up: Add the bread pan to the bread machine, and make sure that it’s secured. Close the lid, and plug in the machine. 
3. Turn it on: Choose the basic bread setting on your bread machine, the size loaf you are making, and the desired browning level. In these photos I choose the darkest setting. 
4. Let it work: The bread machine will now take over for you, and knead, proof, and bake your bread dough! 
5. Cool: When the baking cycle ends, unplug the bread machine, open the lid, and remove the pan from the machine with kitchen mitts. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then shake it out of the pan and allow it to cool completely. Carefully remove the paddle from the bottom of the loaf if it got stuck there. 

Bread Maker Bread Tips

Measure Carefully: I tested this recipe using metric weights, then converted that to cups for your convenience. I suggest weighing your ingredients for the best results using a digital scale. They are inexpensive, and so useful when it comes to baking perfect bread. Learn more about measuring ingredients for baking in this post. 

Warm Water: When making bread it’s best to have all ingredients at room temperature to start. The water should be a bit above that, at 110°F/45°C, in order to activate the yeast.

You Can Sift the Flour: Sifting flour before making bread with it helps to aerate it, and will make a fluffier, less dense bread. It’s not necessary for success, but is an option.

Learn Your Machine: Just like Air Fryers and Instant Pots, bread machines will have differences from brand to brand and model to model. The good news is that most of the household bread makers work in generally the same way, but if you are having trouble with your machine, feel free to reach out, or search out others using that specific machine on the web. Bread machine users are a helpful bunch!

What To Make With Bread Maker White Bread

White bread is the perfect canvas for so many delicious sandwiches! I enjoy this bread for breakfast, toasted or fresh, with a bit of butter and strawberry jam. If I have it, fresh Homemade Apple Butter is delicious on bread maker bread too. 

Use this bread maker white bread to make the perfect Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwhich! Mine has a secret ingredient that makes it amazing. 

Try Vegan Eggplant Sandwhiches (like a BLT!), Banana Fluffernutters, or Tuna Melts with your fresh white bread. 
Have you ever made Stuffing with fresh bread? Or Croutons in the Air Fryer? Both are amazing.

FAQs

Enjoy making your own made-at-home white bread with your bread maker! Pin this recipe so you don’t lose it.