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| Amish White Bread |
It may be called Amish White Bread, but it tastes just like King’s Hawaiian Rolls! Very easy-to-make bread and inexpensive too.
I found this recipe years ago. When I first saw the recipe, I could not believe this would actually taste GOOD.
Why? The ingredients were so basic–nothing outlandish at all. Yeast, water and sugar. I thought this was something I’d end up throwing out, but I figured I’d try it anyway. It’s a VERY inexpensive bread to make and I wouldn’t be out much if it were a failure.
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| Amish White Bread–Sliced |
Boy was I surprised. This was the BEST bread I’ve EVER eaten! It reminded me very much of my beloved King’s Hawaiian Rolls, because it was on the sweet side yet not sweet enough to be called a cake or sweet bread.
I made it this time the conventional way, but I always made this in my bread machine in the past. Excellent results either way. If you use a machine, follow your manufacturer’s suggestions for the order you add the ingredients, but basically all your liquid is added FIRST with the flour last and the yeast on top of the flour (I always made a tiny “crater” in the center of the flour to add the yeast).
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| Easy! |
If you don’t like the obvious sweetness of the bread, reduce the sugar to 2 tbs and you’ll have a fine-tasting plain white bread.
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| Amish White Bread–Close Up of Crust |
Amish White Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water 110 degrees F
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast or 2 tsp SAF yeast*
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 cups flour all-purpose or bread (strong) flour are fine
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the warm water, the sugar and the yeast. Stir and let stand for about 10 minutes–this is “proofing” the yeast. If you get a bubbly foam on the top of the water, your yeast is active and you may proceed.
- Add the salt and vegetable oil. Stir to combine.
- Add the flour, one cup at a time until a soft dough forms. You may have to use more flour depending on weather conditions. For instance, today I needed close to 3 3/4 cups of all-purpose to get this right. The dough should be soft but NOT sticky.
- Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. If using a stand mixer with a dough hook, knead for about 3 minutes.
- Pour some oil (about 1 tsp) in a large bowl and place the kneaded dough in that bowl, coating the bottom of the dough with the oil. Turn oil-side up and cover the bowl with a greased piece of plastic wrap.
- Set the bowl in a warm draft-free place** and let rise until double in bulk–between 1-1 1/2 hours.
- Punch dough down. Turn out on lightly floured surface and shape into a loaf–this is done by pressing the dough into a sort of rectangle then rolling up tightly from the smaller end. Seal edges and place in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover with greased plastic wrap and place in a warm draft-free** place to rise until double in bulk–when loaf is about 1-inch higher than the side of the pan. This should take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on temperature/humidity conditions.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes.
- Remove from pan and cool completely on a rack.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
**My house is drafty so how I raise bread dough is by turning on my oven and setting to 400, then after about 20 seconds, turning the oven OFF. I then put a bowl of hot water on the bottom rack and put the bowl or pan I am rising the dough in on the rack above.
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| Apply Butter Liberally! |
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Tara Noland says
Your bread is perfection, the only thing missing is me eating it!! LOL
Judith Hanneman says
You won't be able to STOP eating it Tara. To me it tastes just like Hawaiian rolls and I can kill a pkg of those in one sitting 😛
Judy Goldin says
I've never understood what letting it cool on a rack means!
Ursula says
Hi Judy,
since 2013 i am baking as a hobby and i like it very much.
What i have learned is,that baked goods must be cooled for 10 mins.in the pan,especially cakes and then invert it to a cooling rack to let it cool completely.
When you leave it in the pan,it will bake further,that’s why you have to invert it and let it cool further on the cooling rack.
Hope this helps.
Best regards
Ursula
Judith Hanneman says
For cakes it always tells you to let it set in the pan for about 10 minutes (so the bit of steam loosens the cake so it doesn’t stick), but breads usually say to remove it immediately. Have you let breads set Ursula? If so, what were your results?
Judith Hanneman says
LOL Judy!! I leave nothing to the imagination in recipes, or at least I try not to do so. You 'd be surprised some of the thing some of us hear!
darlene barnes says
It sounds great. I made hawaiian dinner rolls and they were so good. Can't wait to try this.
Judith Hanneman says
Darlene, if you like the King's rolls, you'll LOVE this!!
Tonya Braun says
I came across this recipe on Facebook. I have never made homemade bread, but love the Hawaiian Rolls, so I am going to attempt this. I don't know the terms 'punch down' or 'turn out', but I am going to take them literally and do my best. Wish me luck and hope for the best!!
Judith Hanneman says
Tonya, "punching down" is just like that!! When the dough had doubled in bulk in the bowl, you literally make a fist and give it a good clop. Then you just turn out (take out and put it) on a floured surface and shape it. You can also play with it a bit at this point, like tossing it around and squeezing it. It's a live thing because of the yeast and it's good fun. Some even say because it's "alive" it reacts to the way you feel. Dunno about that though…
Kit Kat says
How wonderful that you took the time to explain that to that person that's didn't know. I knew what it meant, but I remember when I didn't!! Thank you for that!
Judith Hanneman says
<3 Kit Kat
pamela says
If I have instant yeast I just put in bread pan or do rolls and let rise as normal and bake? Never used this yeast
Pamela
Judith Hanneman says
Yep, works the same except you use slightly less and your rise time will be quicker too. It’s also called bread machine yeast.
Alta Pniewski says
This is the way my mamma taught me to make it… I love making grilled cheese with a loaf of this… YUMMY
Judith Hanneman says
This bread is just wonderful, Alta. If you could fall in love with a recipe, this would be it!
ran says
Is there a way to make this bread in a bread machine?
Judith Hanneman says
Yep–you can make it in a bread machine. I have. The instructions are in the post, but basically add liquids first, ending with flour & yeast on the top. Bake on "basic" cycle.
jenny Ann says
If you use the SAF yeast you only have to let it rise one time before baking. I mix the ingredients, let the kitchen Aid mix it for 8 to 10 minutes on #2, then putting into pan for rising.
I didn't find out this information about the yeast until I had been making bread for a couple of years. I went to the different yeast sites, and they informed me that there was only one rise with the instant yeast. Really saves a lot of time
Judith Hanneman says
Definitely does!
Barbara Moyer says
This bread is amazing. I won't make any other white bread again. Its so simple and tastes exactly like Hawaiian bread. I'm trying today to make recipe into rolls. Have you ever done? I want to make them for Christmas.
P.s. my house is drafty too. Iput a heating pad on high, wrap in towel then sit bowl on top and cover with rest of towel. Been doing for years with yeast and cwirkjs wonderfully. I get very huge light rolls/bread. Thank you!
Judith Hanneman says
This bread is just the greatest. Hard to believe with such simple and yes, CHEAP ingredients. I like the idea about the heating pad!!! Oh the hacks we go through living in old houses…PS–I don't even have an exhaust fan or hood 🙁
Diane Veilleux says
Hi, I was wondering how long it would take to rise the 2nd time around. My house is not drafty and I plan on putting it on my furnace to rise…
I plan on making this for Christmas Eve brunch and I was wondering if once it has risen; can I bake it the following day, and if so, how do I store it. Thanks!
Judith Hanneman says
Hi Diane–it takes mine anywhere from 40 minutes to a full hour–but as you see, I have to take extreme measures LOL. On top of the furnace, I'd check in about 30 minutes (btw, that's how my mother used to do hers!!!) Merry Christmas!
Judith Hanneman says
I was just in the middle of answering your next question, Diane, when I had to reboot this machine.
Anyway, I'd never held it over to bake the next day, but what I would do is mix up the dough then refrigerate it and carry on with the risings/shaping the next day.
You could also partially bake it, refrigerate it then finish it off right before you were going to serve it–like brown & serve.
Sue Bullock says
Diane I follow the recipe till the bread goes into the pan. Instead of putting it in the pan, I wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator or the freezer. When I am ready to cook it I take it out let it get to room temperature, then follow the recipe. I hope this helps.
Jess says
Is this two 1/4 tsp packets of yeast (for a total of 1/2 tsp) or 2-1/4 tsp (as in 2.25) ??
Judith Hanneman says
Jess, that's teaspoons (I buy bulk yeast) but that is the amount in *one* package if you buy the strip.
jan says
I want to make this in the machine …. do I use the regular or sweet setting???
Judith Hanneman says
I always used the basic/white setting Jan. If "regular" is your basic setting, that's the one to use!
Barbara stout says
Love making this bread it's inexpensive, simple and easy to do and is so good.
Judith Hanneman says
I know Barbara!! This is the BEST bread I've ever eaten and I remember I was quite dubious the first time I made it because I couldn't imagine such cheap ingredients could make such a spectacular bread!
I actually made this to test my new (then) breadmaker and wouldn't fret if it didn't turn out because the ingredients were so inexpensive. This turned out to be a keeper!
brenda burkholder says
Hello. In a bread machine would you use the 1 lb, 1.5 lb or 2 lb setting. Sounds so good.
Judith Hanneman says
I believe I used the 2 lb setting on mine when I used to make it in the machine, Brenda. Pretty sure 3 cups flour is close to the maximum you can use in (older) bread machines–which mine is.
Teddyree says
this looks droolworthy, I really want to try it but I can't have vegetable oil. Do you think it would turn out with melted coconut oil? Or do you have another recommendation? Thanks for your help 🙂
Judith Hanneman says
You'd be good with the coconut oil Teddyree!
Vicky says
Making this using the dough setting in bread machine. Looks good. I have that pan in green!
Judith Hanneman says
This bread is unbelievably good!! I have all colors in different pieces–could never decide which I liked most 🙂
Joan says
I have the dough rising and can’t wait for it to be done! I noticed you just shape the dough and not roll it out to a rectangle and then roll it up, \ have made bread and they always say to roll it to a rectangle and I can actually see the circles in the finished bread, could it be I am not rolling it up tight enough??
Judith Hanneman says
No matter how tight you roll it, you still get the circles–I found that when I did the rectangle/fold/rectangle procedure, I still got the circles, so I no longer bother. The bread is so good, no one is like to notice!
Joan says
Well I just ate the end piece while it was still warm……….it’s delicious! I guess this will be my go to recipe for quick and easy bread! I still want to find the perfect loaf of french bread to conquer.
I didn’t use a rolling pin and just shaped it and I don’t see the circles I was referring to. Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Judith Hanneman says
This bread is the greatest, isn’t it? I have a recipe for French bread too that comes out just like the bakery–http://bakeatmidnite.com/french-bread/
Joan says
I just found your page and haven’t had time to really check out all your recipes. I found this one and read the reviews and had to try it. I guess your french bread is next!
Thanks again!