How to Make Homemade Sandwich Bread

A delicious, homemade loaf of bread can turn a humble sandwich into a meal worth remembering. From sunny picnics to office lunches, learn how to make homemade sandwich bread in your kitchen with a few simple ingredients and techniques to make every sandwich stand out—no matter what’s inside.

What is the Best Bread for Sandwiches?

Choose a bread that compliments the flavors, textures and moisture level of your ingredients. For saucey sandwiches with marinated meats, dressings and juicy add-ons like tomatoes, sauerkraut or kimchi, choose a hearty bread that won’t go soggy like whole grain, rye bread or crusty sourdough. For more delicately flavored additions like roasted artichoke hearts or soft brie, choose a mild-flavored version like white bread or a basic boule. Amplify the subtle sweetness of challah or brioche breads for sandwiches with a fruity spread or even a chocolate hazelnut smear.

If you like to have a versatile type of bread on hand for whatever kind of sandwich you're craving in the moment, you can’t go wrong with a basic sandwich bread. 

Ingredients for Sandwich Bread

Basic sandwich breads usually include a similar list of ingredients to create a soft, mildly-flavored loaf that goes well with nearly anything. You will usually find some combination of the following sandwich bread ingredients:

• Active dry yeast

• Warm water (about 110°F to 115°F)

• Unsalted butter

• Milk

• Granulated sugar

• Salt

• Bread flour

Basic sandwich bread recipes can easily be adjusted to suit your tastes by using different kinds of flour including whole wheat, rye or barley to create a range of textures, colors and flavors. Some recipes also call for olive oil instead of butter. Which one you use depends on the flavor profile you’re looking for. As you begin to master basic bread making, try adding ingredients like oats, dried fruit, seeds and spices like cinnamon or cardamom to create unique sandwiches all your own. 

Some popular types of sandwich bread include: 

• Whole wheat flax seed bread

• Honey wheat bread with oats

• Marbled rye bread

What Kitchen Tools are Needed to Make Homemade Sandwich Bread?

If you’re making a sandwich bread recipe by hand, you’ll need the following kitchen tools to bake up your own version:

Making by Hand: 

• Mixing bowl

• Spoon or mixing accessory

• Scale or measuring cups

• Proofing bowl with cover

• Parchment paper
• Loaf pan

RECOMMENDED KITCHEN TOOLS

A stand mixer and specialized accessories can help you effortlessly mix up multiple loaves of homemade sandwich bread to have on hand for breakfast toast, satisfying lunches and even an elevated version for dinner. Here are some tools from KitchenAid brand that can help:

• Stand Mixer: A stand mixer with a dough hook provides quick, thorough and efficient kneading compared to doing it by hand. Choose from tilt-head stand mixers or bowl-lift models to take on multiple batches at once. Learn more about making bread with a stand mixer.

• Sifter + Scale Attachment: This stand mixer attachment weighs, sifts and adds dry ingredients directly into the mixer bowl, ensuring you get the right amounts for precise baking.

• Bread Bowl with Baking Lid: The KitchenAid^® Bread Bowl pairs perfectly with select KitchenAid® tilt-head stand mixers and allows you to mix, knead and proof all in the same bowl. While you’ll want to use a loaf pan to bake sandwich bread, the  KitchenAid^® Bread Bowl can be used to bake artisan style round loaves like boule, whole wheat seed bread, and even cinnamon roll bread.

How to Make Easy Sandwich Bread

Sandwich bread is a great, easy bread recipe to start with if you’re new to bread baking and a versatile go-to staple you’ll be glad to have in your repertoire. The ingredients are simple as are the techniques needed to make it. Start by dissolving yeast in warm water, then simply add the rest of the ingredients and knead. You’ll proof sandwich bread dough a couple of times before shaping it into loaf pans and baking for that characteristic sandwich shape. 

Learn how to make homemade sandwich bread with a KitchenAid^® stand mixer and accessories with this overview below or get the full recipe to start making. Before getting started, gather your equipment and ingredients. Fill your mixing bowl with hot water, empty, pat dry and connect your bowl to your stand mixer. This will help create a warm environment to encourage the yeast to bloom. Start out using a flat beater but keep your dough hook nearby.

STEP 1: ACTIVATE THE YEAST

Add yeast and warm water to your stand mixer bowl and let sit for about 5 minutes. This gives the yeast time to bloom, or activate, in the warm water.

STEP 2: STEP 2: HEAT BUTTER AND MILK

You can use softened butter, but melted butter combined with milk on the stovetop will ensure it evenly incorporates into your dough while keeping the whole mixture warm. You can also dissolve the sugar and salt into your liquids at this point. Sugar helps feed the yeast and can lend a tender texture to your bread.

STEP 3: COMBINE AND MIX ALL INGREDIENTS

Next, just add all ingredients to your stand mixer bowl while set to speed 2 and mix until a shaggy dough forms.

Step 4: Knead Sandwich Bread Dough

Swap out the flat beater for your dough hook and knead on speed 2 for 5-7 minutes or until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Add a bit more flour if needed until the dough is elastic and smooth.

Step 5: Shape Dough and Proof

Using your hands, gently shape the dough into a ball. Use a light-tasting oil to lightly grease the mixer bowl, then put the dough ball back inside, turning to coat with oil. Cover the mixer bowl and put in a warm, breeze-free area to proof.

Step 6: Rest the dough

After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and then portion as needed to fit your pans, shaping each segment into a ball again. Let the dough rest on a floured surface for around 10 minutes.

Step 7: Shape and Place in Pans

Shape the dough to fit your pans and place inside, then cover with a towel and proof again until the dough begins to rise above the top edge of the pan. Now is a good time to begin preheating your oven per recipe instructions.

Step 8: Bake Sandwich Bread

Bake the bread per your recipe. It’s best to bake bread on the center oven rack. Once finished, remove your homemade sandwich bread from the loaf pans and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Best Way to Store Sandwich Bread

Any homemade bread is best enjoyed within hours of making it. But, if you want to make your sandwich bread last a little longer, there are a few storage tips and tricks to help it last from breakfast to dinner and beyond. Store your sandwich bread at room temperature in a bread box or paper bag for up to a few days. If you won’t slice into it the first day, or want to make several loaves at once to enjoy over time, you can freeze it in an airtight container. Refresh your sandwich bread in the oven or a toaster to restore its crusty exterior and chewy inside. Learn more about how to store bread with this guide.