Make Four Loaves of White Bread

By
Elizabeth Yetter
Elizabeth Yetter
Bread expert Elizabeth Yetter has been baking bread for more than 20 years, bringing her Pennsylvania Dutch Country experiences to life through recipes.
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Updated on 03/8/22
Four loaf whitebread recipe

​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 2 hrs
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 2 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 40 servings
Yield: 4 loaves
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
126 Calories
2g Fat
24g Carbs
4g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 40
Amount per serving
Calories 126
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 160mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 24g 9%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 35mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This white bread recipe is perfect for large families and batch baking. The recipe makes four loaves of white bread that can be bagged and frozen for later use or the loaves can be prepared for large holiday dinner gatherings.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

  • 2 2/3 cups plus 3/4 cup warm water (95 F to 110 F), divided

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 1 tablespoon salt

  • 3 tablespoons shortening

  • 9 to 10 cups bread flour, as needed

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for four loaf white bread
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In​ a large bowl, dissolve the yeast with the 3/4 cup warm water.

    Dissolve yeast with warm water
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Add the remaining amount of 2 2/3 cups of warm water, sugar, and salt. Stir until dissolved.

    Add remaining warm water and salt
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add shortening and 4 cups of flour. Mix well. Slowly add the remaining amount of flour until dough is formed. You may or may not use the full amount of flour.

    Add shortening and flour
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Turn dough out onto a floured board. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, adding more flour by the tablespoon, if necessary.

    Turn dough out
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Grease a large bowl. Put the bread dough into the bowl, then turn the dough over so that the top of the dough is greased.

    Grease a large bowl
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature until double in size or about 1 hour.

    Cover the bowl
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Punch down dough. Turn it out onto a floured board and knead out all the bubbles for about 5 minutes.

    Punch down dough
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Form each quarter into a loaf by rolling the dough into a rectangle. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll. Pinch seam closed. Pinch and tuck edges under the loaf.

    Divide dough
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease 4 loaf pans or 2 baking sheets.

    Preheat oven
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  11. Spread a light layer of yellow cornmeal on the loaf pans or baking sheets, if desired.

    Spread cornmeal on pan
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  12. Set loaves in 9 x 5-inch pans or 2 loaves on each baking sheet, cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise until double in size or for about a half-hour.

    Cover loaves
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  13. Bake breads for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.

    Bake bread
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  14. Remove breads from oven and turn out loaves onto the rack. Allow loaves to cool completely before freezing.

    Remove breads from oven
    ​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck