I finally unraveled the secret behind a Butter Bread Recipe that cuts the usual fuss and makes home baking surprisingly straightforward.

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I never thought bread could feel this light, but I did, and now I can’t stop telling people about my Fluffy Butter Bread. Stumble upon the secret to making the softest, fluffiest butter bread without the hassle of …

Read more. I use simple things like bread flour and lots of unsalted butter, and somehow it turns into pillow-like slices.

This feels like the kind of Butter Bread Recipe people share like a guilty pleasure, yet it’s also what I’d call Easy Bread for rushed mornings. Try not to be suspicious when it disappears fast, you’ll get hooked I promise.

Ingredients

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High gluten flour gives chew and structure, mostly carbs, higher protein than all-purpose.
Adds mild sweetness, feeds yeast for rise, mostly simple carbs, not much fiber.
Controls fermentation, boosts flavor, tiny sodium amount, no calories, helps crust color.
Alive yeast cells make CO2 for airy crumb, needs food and warmth.
Adds richness and tenderness, fat gives flavor, supplies protein and lactose carbs.
Adds structure, moisture, protein and color, also helps browning and binding.
Provides soft crumb and rich taste, saturated fat, adds flavor and tenderness.
Brushed on top for glossy finish, adds flavor and softens crust quickly.
Prevents sticking, tiny carb addition only, doesn’t change taste much.

Ingredient Quantities

3 cups (360 g) bread flour

2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar

1 1/4 tsp (7 g) fine salt

2 1/4 tsp (7 g) instant dry yeast (1 packet)

1 cup plus 2 tbsp (270 ml) whole milk

1 large egg

4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 tbsp (15 g) melted butter for brushing, optional

Extra bread flour for dusting, about 2 tbsp, optional

1 tbsp milk or beaten egg for glaze, optional

How to Make this

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1. Warm the milk to about 105 to 110°F (40 to 43°C), whisk in the egg and sugar until combined; if your yeast is old or you want extra insurance sprinkle the yeast into the milk and let it sit 5 minutes till foamy, otherwise you can mix the yeast with the dry ingredients.

2. In a big bowl whisk the bread flour and salt, add the instant yeast if you didnt bloom it in the milk, then pour the milk and egg mixture in and stir until shaggy dough forms.

3. Add the softened butter in pieces and knead by hand 8 to 10 minutes or in a stand mixer with dough hook 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and can stretch thin without tearing (windowpane), if it’s too sticky dust with up to the 2 tbsp extra flour but dont add too much or the bread will be dense.

4. Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours; poke it gently, if the dent springs back slowly it’s ready.

5. Punch the dough down gently, turn onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a loaf or divide into rolls — be gentle so you keep some of the air in the dough — then place in a greased loaf pan or on a baking tray.

6. Cover and do a second rise until puffy and nearly doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes; this step is important for that soft fluffy crumb so dont rush it.

7. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Right before baking brush the top with 1 tablespoon milk or beaten egg for a soft sheen if you want a deeper shine use the egg.

8. Bake 25 to 30 minutes for a standard loaf, rotate the pan once if your oven is uneven; the bread should be golden brown and register about 190 to 200°F (88 to 93°C) inside or sound hollow when tapped.

9. Remove from oven, brush immediately with the 1 tablespoon melted butter for extra richness and tenderness, cool on a rack before slicing so the crumb sets, but a warm slice with butter is hard to resist.

Equipment Needed

1. Kitchen scale (best) or measuring cups and spoons for the flour, sugar and liquids — ok if you only have cups, scale is more accurate
2. Small saucepan or microwave safe measuring cup to warm the milk
3. Instant read thermometer to check milk temp and loaf internal temp
4. Large mixing bowl for combining and first rise
5. Whisk plus a wooden spoon or silicone spatula for mixing the wet ingredients and stirring the shaggy dough
6. Stand mixer with dough hook or just your hands and a sturdy surface for kneading, either works fine
7. Bench scraper or sharp knife to divide and shape the dough
8. Loaf pan or baking tray (and parchment if you like) for baking
9. Pastry brush, plastic wrap or a clean towel, and a cooling rack for glazing and cooling

Note: dont stress if you dont have every single thing, you can usually improvise.

FAQ

Q: Can I swap bread flour for all purpose flour? A: Yes, you can, but the loaf will be a bit less chewy and hold its shape slightly worse. If you have vital wheat gluten add 1 tbsp to the AP flour, otherwise just use AP and expect a softer, slightly denser crumb.

Q: How warm should the milk be for best results? A: About 100 to 110°F (38 to 43°C) is ideal. Instant yeast can handle cooler liquid, but warm milk gives a faster, more reliable rise. Don’t go over 120°F or you risk killing the yeast.

Q: How do I know when the dough is kneaded enough? A: Knead 8 to 10 minutes by hand or 5 to 7 minutes in a mixer until it’s smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. Do the windowpane test if you’re not sure: stretch a bit of dough, it should thin without tearing.

Q: My bread turned out dense, what went wrong? A: Common reasons are underproofing, too much flour, cold ingredients or old yeast. Measure flour by weight, give the dough enough time in a warm spot to double, and check your yeast date.

Q: Can I make this ahead or freeze it? A: Yes. You can freeze shaped dough after the first rise, thaw in the fridge overnight then let rise and bake. Or bake the loaf, freeze wrapped, then thaw and refresh in a warm oven for a few minutes.

Q: How do I keep the crumb super soft and the crust tender? A: Don’t overbake, brush the loaf with melted butter right after baking, and store in a sealed bag or container once fully cool. Reheat slices briefly to restore softness.

Fluffy Butter Bread: Perfectly Soft And Delicious Every Time Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Bread flour: use all-purpose + vital wheat gluten — for 3 cups bread flour swap in 3 cups AP flour + 3 tbsp vital wheat gluten. If you dont have gluten, 3 cups AP alone will work but expect a softer, less chewy loaf so knead a few mins longer.
Granulated sugar: brown sugar 1:1 (use 2 tbsp) or liquid sweeteners like honey or maple at 3/4 the volume — about 1 1/2 tbsp for this recipe; if you use honey reduce the milk a little (≈1 tbsp) so the dough isnt too wet.
Whole milk: 2% (or skim) + butter to mimic richness — for each cup use 1 cup 2% or skim plus 1 tbsp melted butter. You can also use unsweetened soy or oat milk 1:1 for similar rise but slightly different flavor.
Unsalted butter: swap salted butter (then cut the recipe salt by ~1/4 tsp) or use a neutral oil by weight (56 g oil ≈ 4 tbsp) — oil gives a different, slightly less buttery crumb but still soft, and margarine/shortening can be used equal-weight too.

Pro Tips

1. Check the milk temp with a thermometer or your wrist, it should feel warm not hot, about 105 to 110 F. If it’s too hot you can kill the yeast so be careful, and if your packet is old proof the yeast first to make sure it’s alive.

2. Don’t keep adding flour when the dough is sticky, a little tackiness makes a softer crumb. If it’s really sloppy wet wet your hands or oil them and keep kneading, do the windowpane test to know when it’s ready not by eye alone.

3. Make sure the butter is softened not melted, add it in small bits and give the dough time to absorb between kneads. If the butter is too cold the dough will tear, but you can let the dough rest for 10 minutes to relax and warm up then keep going.

4. Don’t rush rises and don’t slice too soon, the crumb needs to set. If you overproof and it deflates reshape gently and give it a short second rise, and when it’s out of the oven brush with melted butter for a tender crust then cool on a rack before slicing unless you just cant help yourself and want a warm piece.

Fluffy Butter Bread: Perfectly Soft And Delicious Every Time Recipe

Recipe by Bob Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

I finally unraveled the secret behind a Butter Bread Recipe that cuts the usual fuss and makes home baking surprisingly straightforward.

Servings

servings

Calories

180

kcal

Equipment: 1. Kitchen scale (best) or measuring cups and spoons for the flour, sugar and liquids — ok if you only have cups, scale is more accurate
2. Small saucepan or microwave safe measuring cup to warm the milk
3. Instant read thermometer to check milk temp and loaf internal temp
4. Large mixing bowl for combining and first rise
5. Whisk plus a wooden spoon or silicone spatula for mixing the wet ingredients and stirring the shaggy dough
6. Stand mixer with dough hook or just your hands and a sturdy surface for kneading, either works fine
7. Bench scraper or sharp knife to divide and shape the dough
8. Loaf pan or baking tray (and parchment if you like) for baking
9. Pastry brush, plastic wrap or a clean towel, and a cooling rack for glazing and cooling

Note: dont stress if you dont have every single thing, you can usually improvise.

Ingredients

3 cups (360 g) bread flour
2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp (7 g) fine salt
2 1/4 tsp (7 g) instant dry yeast (1 packet)
1 cup plus 2 tbsp (270 ml) whole milk
1 large egg
4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp (15 g) melted butter for brushing, optional
Extra bread flour for dusting, about 2 tbsp, optional
1 tbsp milk or beaten egg for glaze, optional

Directions

Warm the milk to about 105 to 110°F (40 to 43°C), whisk in the egg and sugar until combined; if your yeast is old or you want extra insurance sprinkle the yeast into the milk and let it sit 5 minutes till foamy, otherwise you can mix the yeast with the dry ingredients.
In a big bowl whisk the bread flour and salt, add the instant yeast if you didnt bloom it in the milk, then pour the milk and egg mixture in and stir until shaggy dough forms.
Add the softened butter in pieces and knead by hand 8 to 10 minutes or in a stand mixer with dough hook 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and can stretch thin without tearing (windowpane), if it’s too sticky dust with up to the 2 tbsp extra flour but dont add too much or the bread will be dense.
Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours; poke it gently, if the dent springs back slowly it’s ready.
Punch the dough down gently, turn onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a loaf or divide into rolls — be gentle so you keep some of the air in the dough — then place in a greased loaf pan or on a baking tray.
Cover and do a second rise until puffy and nearly doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes; this step is important for that soft fluffy crumb so dont rush it.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Right before baking brush the top with 1 tablespoon milk or beaten egg for a soft sheen if you want a deeper shine use the egg.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes for a standard loaf, rotate the pan once if your oven is uneven; the bread should be golden brown and register about 190 to 200°F (88 to 93°C) inside or sound hollow when tapped.
Remove from oven, brush immediately with the 1 tablespoon melted butter for extra richness and tenderness, cool on a rack before slicing so the crumb sets, but a warm slice with butter is hard to resist.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.