Never-Fail White Bread

I go through bread baking phases. Sometimes I'm awesome at it. Sometimes I suck at it. Seeing that I can't even remember the last time I made a good loaf of bread, I guess I'm currently in the second phase. That's why I'm posting this never-fail white bread recipe today - it's really more for me than it is for you.

This recipe is super-simple (something which I definitely need right now) and is never-fail (something else which I could certainly do with...)! I don't usually make 100% white flour bread, but when I set upon this recipe, I thought I would make an exception. I usually prefer the complex flavour and rough texture that whole wheat flour gives to bread - except when it comes to baguettes, fresh-from-the-oven white baguettes are the best thing in the world - but I have to admit, I quite enjoyed this loaf!

Never-Fail White Bread | www.happyhealthymotivated.com

We were out of bread on Tuesday morning so I began making two 50-50 loaves from 8am. At 9am, I realised I didn't have any white flour...but I thought I'd go ahead with the recipe regardless and replace the white flour with more whole wheat. I knew that I'd have to allow more time for the dough to rise, so I waited and waited and waited... To summarise, I was making bread from 8am until 6pm and still somehow ended up with two loaves which resemble bricks. The texture isn't too bad, but they barely rose at all. Like I said, this recipe is more for me than it is for you...

📖 Recipe

Never-Fail White Bread Recipe | www.happyhealthymotivated.com

Never-Fail White Bread

5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Servings: 2 loaves

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups warm water
  • 2 tablespoons warm milk
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons yeast
  • 6 cups all-purpose white flour
  • pinch salt

Instructions

  • Pour the water and milk into a bowl and stir in the sugar .
  • Sprinkle the yeast on top and leave to bloom for around 10 minutes, until foamy.
  • Add the flour and salt into your stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
  • Pour the yeast water into the mixer and knead until a dough begins to form. Continue mixing for an additional 7 minutes.
  • Use your hand to work the dough into a ball and return it to the mixing bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rise in a warm place for around 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  • Punch the dough down and divide it into two. Form each bit into the shape of a loaf and place into two greased pans.
  • Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rise again until doubled in size.
  • Bake at 365F/180C for 27-30 or until slightly golden on top.
  • Tip out onto a wire rack and leave to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Basically Perfect Bread Dough
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About Nicola

I’m Nicola, the face behind Happy Healthy Motivated – your go-to guide to becoming your best you!
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  1. Linda

    Morning,

    I only have skim milk, could I use that?

    Thanks

    • Nicky

      Hi Linda,
      I used semi-skimmed milk, but I don't see why skimmed wouldn't work - go for it! 🙂

  2. Steph

    Awesome, I must try!

  3. Melanie @ Just Some Salt and Pepper

    Thanks for the recipe. My bread baking skills are abysmal. I need something I can't screw up!

  4. Kris, Neighbor Chick

    Oh Nicky...this may just be what I've been looking for! Gotta try it. I'm tweeting and pinning! Have a lovely day!

  5. Linda

    I'm sorry to say I've had one of those bread days before too. Wheat is tricky. Thanks for sharing the no fail bread.

  6. Jessica H @mommyenvy

    Looks amazing! Always looking to make bread making a little easier!

  7. Jill

    This looks amazing! I have been terrified of making bread for the reason that it will fail. I am going to have to try this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Thursday's Temptation. I am going to be featuring this at tonights link party!
    Jill

  8. Sarah

    Super simple recipe, something I need to have on hand. Thanks for sharing.
    Visiting you from Show & Share!
    Sarah

  9. Erika

    Can this be done with a hand held mixer? Don't have a stand mixer yet 🙁

    • Nicky

      Hey Erika!
      If you have a dough hook on your hand mixer, go ahead and use that!
      Otherwise I'd recommend kneading the bread by hand for about 5 minutes longer than in the recipe 🙂

  10. Ladawn steckman

    Do you have a whole wheat one as well??

  11. Wendy Williams

    Wow finally a easy and great bread recipe 🙂 all week I have tried versions of bread recipes and they have not risen like expected even with letting it rise in the pans for a hour and half.. thank you so much for sharing this!

  12. Darla

    It failed. Errr fell. 🙁

  13. Nakia

    Can I use coconut milk instead of cow's milk?

    • Nicola Quinn

      Hi Nakia.
      I've got no experience replacing the cow's milk with coconut milk myself, but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work! 🙂

  14. Cecile - My Yellow Farmhouse

    I 'Pinned' this recipe not too long ago and the pin has been 're-pinned' a bunch of times.
    I've been making bread for more years than I'd like to admit (I'm 65!!) but I've never made white bread using brown sugar, so I'm looking forward to making bread this way. And I LOVE how high your loaves of bread have risen!!!
    It's cold and damn here today, so I'm going to use the old trick of letting the bread rise in the oven. I put a 10" x 13" pan half-full of hot water on the bottom rack and allow the covered dough to rise in there. I repeat the process once the loaves are made for the 2nd rising. It always works like a charm!!

    • Cecile - My Yellow Farmhouse

      Question - the recipe calls for 2 Tbs. of yeast? Is this correct? As I said above, I've been baking bread for sooo long, so I can't figure out what went wrong. My bread, based on this recipe, just came out of the oven but and the dough didn't hold it's shape and the finished product is heavy and smells very strongly of fermented yeast. So strong in fact that I threw the bread away.
      I found this information...
      "The more yeast in a recipe initially, the quicker it produces CO2, alcohol, and organic acids. Alcohol, being acidic, weakens the gluten in the dough, and eventually the dough becomes “porous,” and won't rise; or won't rise very well." (My dough initially rose beautifully but, for the second rising, not so much....)
      "By starting with a smaller amount of yeast, you slow down the amount of CO2, alcohol, and organic acids being released into the dough, thus ensuring the gluten remains strong and the bread rises well—from its initial rise in the bowl, to its final rise in the oven."
      If this recipe does, indeed, call for 2 Tbs. of yeast... then I'm totally confused at to why this recipe didn't work for me.
      Last thing.,,, 180C is actually 356F - not 365F. (I don't mean to be a know-it-all... just sayin'.)

  15. Cecile - My Yellow Farmhouse

    Me again! I've been thinking and thinking... trying to figure out why the bread I made from this recipe didn't come out. I have two possible explanations. Do you possibly live in Canada? While living in Quebec i learned that Canadian flour is different from flour sold in the U. S. - and for that reason it's recommended that Americans use 'bread' flour.... OR... perhaps my yeast is too old. It expires next month but I have heard yeast should be replaced after six months.
    Sorry about these overly-long comments... I'm just confused - and your bread looks SO amazing. I'm not giving up though. Gonna give it another try!! ; o )

    • Nicola

      Hi Cecile - sorry my recipe seems to have caused you so much trouble!
      I can confirm that it is indeed 2 tablespoons of active yeast in the recipe - I know it sounds like a lot, but you really do need it all.
      And nope - I don't live in Canada. I live in the Canary Islands and we have a subtropical climate - maybe the high temperatures could have something to do with the difference in results? I'm really not sure what to say - maybe try reducing the amount of yeast if it's really not working for you and give it another try 🙂

    • Sandra

      I put all my yeast in the freezer when I buy it. It lasts long time

  16. Missy

    Trying this recipe for the first time! Waiting on the second rise now. I added rolled oats and flax seed to the top of the one pan...can't wait to try it out!

  17. Jeff

    Just wow! I’ve been fighting with a recipe from King Author to no avail. This recipe is double in liquid and actually tells me to give the yeast 10 minutes to get going. First try - AMAZING!!!! Thank you!

    • Nicola

      Thanks so much, Jeff! I'm so happy my recipe worked out well for you! 🙂

  18. LeeAnn

    My dough stayed gooey. It didn't form into a ball. Is this supposed to happen?

  19. Shiela

    It would be so helpful If you told us what size baking pan is best to use. Does anyone know?

  20. Kimberley

    I did it!! This is a hearty bread so so good 👍👍👍