Soft and Fluffy Sandwich Bread — 🥪❤️🙌 This sandwich bread is soft, fluffy, and light. It’s made with a secret ingredient that keeps it moist and fluffy — oatmeal! It’s the perfect bread for a PB&J or grilled cheese sandwich!
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Easy Sandwich Bread Recipe
The best sandwich bread recipe you’ll ever make, this bread is soft, fluffy, and light and will make you feel like a professional baker. It’s made with a secret ingredient that keeps it moist and fluffy: a cup of oatmeal is kneaded into the dough, which also lends a bit of chewiness and texture. When you bite into the finished bread, you definitely don’t think, oh there’s oatmeal in here. It’s a stealth operator ingredient.
It’s the homemade, healthier, vegan version of store-bought bread like Wonder bread. I’ve never been a crusty baguette person. Give me soft and tender over jaw-ripping crustiness any day.
It’s so soft and fluffy, with a slight chewiness, thanks to the oatmeal. You’d never know oatmeal was the secret ingredient and even when mixing the dough, you’ll think there’s no way this whole cup of sloppy oatmeal is going to just disappear, but it magically does.
Far better than your average white sandwich bread, it makes French toast or grilled cheese, and it’s wonderful toasted with melted butter, jam, or honey. I made BLT’s minus the bacon and used cheese, and they were met with rave reviews, too.
Up next, is using it for a homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
What’s in Homemade Sandwich Bread?
To make this soft and fluffy bread recipe, you’ll need:
- Water
- Old-fashioned oats
- All-purpose flour
- Canola oil
- Light brown sugar
- Instant dry yeast – I use Red Star Platinum Yeast. Make sure to use fresh yeast or your bread won’t rise properly
- Salt
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Sandwich Bread
If you’ve been too intimidated to try your hand at making homemade bread, this simple sandwich bread recipe is the perfect place to start. It comes together with just a few simple steps!
- Pour boiling water over the oatmeal, and let it cool to about 130 degrees or to the recommended warm water temperature for your yeast.
- Combine the ingredients, and knead with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer the dough to a large, greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a towel, and let the dough rise until it doubles in size. Note that the rise times will change slightly depending on the warmth of your environment.
- After the first rise, punch the dough down, transfer it to a lightly floured surface or Silpat mat, and knead. Then, shape it into a rectangle, and use your hands or a wooden spoon to fold in the short sides to create a tight cylinder.
- Transfer the dough to a greased loaf pan, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise again.
- Bake until the bread is domed, puffy, and golden brown. Then, let it cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. It’s vital to let your finished loaf of bread cool completely before slicing, or you’ll flatten it as you cut through the crust.
Achieving fluffy sandwich bread
The dough is fairly moist and sticky, but resist the temptation to add additional flour, unless it’s so moist that it won’t combine. Conversely, if it’s too dry, add up to one-quarter cup of water. Erring on the side of too moist is always preferable to dry in bread doughs.
Storage
Store cooled bread at room temperature for about 5 days. To keep it fresh, I recommend wrapping it in plastic wrap and placing it inside a gallon-sized Ziploc bag.
Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature to serve.
Recipe FAQs
I don’t know. I don’t have one and have never tried it, but I’d love to know how it goes if you try it out!
I used all-purpose flour because I wanted really soft bread. Bread flour will produce a loaf that’s chewier. I don’t know how whole wheat flour would work. If you try it, I suggest not using more than 1 cup (50% of the total amount). I fear it won’t rise well and could get very heavy and dense.
I haven’t tried this soft sandwich bread recipe with gluten-free flour. So, I cannot comment or make recommendations. I’ve never baked homemade yeast bread with gluten-free flour. So, it’s out of my wheelhouse entirely. I’d use your favorite blend and hope for the best!
I have only made this recipe using the yeast mentioned and haven’t tried it with other forms of yeast. So, I can’t speak to your results if you use active dry yeast that’s not labeled as instant. I use Red Star platinum instant yeast with great results.
If you want to flavor your sandwich bread, sprinkle it with cinnamon, nutmeg, or ground ginger when rolling the dough. Or, go for savory options like dill, chives, or thyme.
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Soft and Fluffy Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 Stand Mixer Fitted with a Dough Hook
- 1 (8×4 inch) Loaf Pan
- 1 Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats, not quick cook or instant
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, bread flour may be used and will create a heartier, chewier bread
- ¼ cup water, from the tap, not hot and not cold
- 2 to 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast (one 1/4-ounce packet, I use Red Star Platinum
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, pour boiling water over oatmeal, stir to combine. Set aside and let cool until temperature reaches about 130F, about 15 minutes. (I use Red Star Platinum Yeast which necessitates this temperature; allow mixture to cool to the ~100F range for other types of instant dry yeast, or to package directions).
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or a large mixing bowl and knead by hand for about 10 minutes), combine flour, 1/4 cup water, oil, brown sugar, instant dry yeast, and cooled oatmeal.
- Knead for 5 to 7 minutes on low speed, or until a moist, shaggy dough forms. The dough is fairly moist and sticky, but resist the temptation to add additional flour, unless it’s so moist that it won’t combine. Conversely, if it’s too dry, add up to one-quarter cup water. Erring on the side of too moist is always preferable to dry in bread-making.
- After kneading, turn the dough out into a large, greased bowl, cover with plasticwrap, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 90 minutes, or until doubled in size. Create a warm environment by preheating your oven for 1 to 2 minutes to 400F, then shutting it off. This creates a 90F-ish warm spot. Slide the bowl in and wait while the yeast works. Just make sure your oven is off.
- After the dough has doubled, punch it down, turn it out onto a floured surface or Silpat and knead it for about 3 minutes. With your fingers, shape it into a 10-inch by 6-inch rectangle, just eyeball it. The long side should be slightly longer than the baking pan. Then, fold the short sides in so that dough is about 8 inches in length. Roll to form a tight cylinder. There’s not much to roll, about 3 turns. Optionally, when rolling, sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger. Or go savory with dill, chives, or thyme.
- Spray an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray (or grease and flour the pan) and place the cylinder in the pan, seam side down. Cover with plasticwrap, and allow dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 60 to 75 minutes.
- In the last minutes of rising, preheat oven to 350F. Bake for about 30 minutes or until domed, golden, and puffy. When tapped, it should sound hollow. The internal temperature should reach 210F. Let bread cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- I store bread by wrapping a fully cooled loaf in plasticwrap, and place it inside a gallon-size Ziplock, where it stays fresh for about 5 days.
- Bread freezes very well and can be made from start to finish, cooled, and placed in a freezer-safe airtight container or a ziplock for up to 3 months.
- I like this bread toasted and with butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar or Cinnamon-Sugar Butter. It makes great Grilled Cheese, French Toast, and Homemade Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Originally published April 9, 2013 and republished May 16, 2020 with updated text.
I just tried this bread for the first time and for some reason the bread didn’t rise in the oven. The first and second rise went very well as far as I could tell (I’m a beginner at making bread) but once I put it in the oven it didn’t change at all, just got harder and browner with no rise. I used robin hood all purpose flour and fleischmanns instant yeast. It also took an hour to brown
It’s hard to say with bread exactly where the snag occurred. I really do love King Arthur flour and Red Star Platinum yeast and find those two things really are huge positives on my bread baking.
I just made this recipe and let me tell you…awesome! It was the first loaf of bread I’ve ever made and I was nervous but I just followed your directions and it worked. I think I messed up a bit on the second rise because the shape was kinda strange but it could also be that I only had an 8.5 inch square glass pan on hand. Either way, I loved it (had to stop my hubby from eating it all last night Soni could put our lunch sandwiches on it today) and will certainly make this over and over till I nail it. Thanks for a great recipe! Shared will my FB peeps too :-)
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! And that’s a great feeling to have baked your first loaf of bread ever, isn’t it! I remember mine and you feel so accomplished. Congrats!
Thank you for recipe! Have made this tree times, last time used 50/50% all purpose flour and whole wheat, it turned out a bit denser, but still moist and quite fluffy. I use regular flour and oats (in my country we do not have mentioned brands), result is still very good, but i need to add 1/4 cup more water. Hope, that this will help someone trying out this amazing bread.Â
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And thanks for sharing about various flours you’ve used and the results because yes, the info will definitely help someone else!
I just made this bread and it was super super yummy! I’ve been experimenting with yeast breads lately and this is by far the best recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that it’s the best recipe you’ve tried!
I think this recipe hates me. I’ve tried this so many times. Followed the instruction exactly as written. Never looks like the picture. Ever. I’ve made Julia childs recipe many, many times without fail. This one literally kicks my toosh every time. I love the ingredients, the bread tastes good, but somewhere it doesn’t quite proof right or dies in the 2nd proofing. It comes out dense and a bit ugly. So sad. I use a thermometer to measure and do the time exactly as posted. All of the tips, than without the tips, than some common sense for what I know with bread in general. Â Nothing works. So sad!
Given everything that you wrote, and that you’re an experienced bread maker, and given that you’re using a thermometer, and common sense, and just doing everything ‘right’, there are very few times where I am at a loss of how to advise someone, but this is one of those times. Sorry! For me, it’s easy, it comes together no big deal, and that’s that. Dense and ugly…hmmm. The yeast I use is Red Star Platinum and I assume you’re using that? It does make a huge difference. I use King Arthur brand AP flour and that too, makes a huge difference. Different flours have different gluten percentages and that one has a bit more so it will rise better and not be as dense. I’d try that. For oats, I use Quaker. Maybe switching brands of ingredients will help. If you do try it again, LMK how it goes!
Hi Averie, I made this bread today finally after pinning. Worked out great. Used 2 tbsp oil and had to add bit of water then flour to bring it to the consistency you were talking about. I have hard time with cup measures as I do not think  I measure correctly or pack enough in there :) Definitely will be making it  again. Â
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad you added a bit of oil to bring things together and everything worked out!
So second attempt was a great success! lol This recipe is really good now that i have the proper ingredients! Thanks for all the advice Â
It’s amazing what can happen when you use the correct ingredients, right :) Glad it turned out great!
I made this bread toady and lets say it’s a bit dense lol Is it because I use wholewheat flour?Â
Yes! You can’t sub whole wheat for other flours in bread and expect the same results. It requires much more water otherwise it will be dense!
I have a recipe written for whole wheat flour specifically. Try this one https://www.averiecooks.com/100-whole-wheat-no-knead-make-ahead-dinner-rolls-with-honey-butter/
LOL thanks so much! It did make us laugh. Would organic flour be ok? i’m not sure if it’s self raising if not can i add something to it to make it so?
With bread and yeast recipes, until you’ve made a few hundred loaves, just follow the recipe as written and use EXACTLY the type of flour called for, or you will likely not get the same results. Bread is tricky that way so best to use what’s recommended. In this case, I use King Arthur Flour brand’s All-Purpose Flour. Best all around flour ever!
Hi Averie I really love this bread and so does my son.  He has some food allergies so finding a good sandwich bread has been tricky.  Your recipe suggests using an 8″ pans, I used the 9″ ones and the loaf was a little smaller than we would like for sandwiches,I  was wondering  if I triple the recipe and divide that dough into two 9″ pans do you think it would work?  Â
So glad you love the recipe and I haven’t tried it any other way than what I mentioned so can’t say for sure how it would double, then divide. Normally you can get 8-inch loaf pans at any grocery store for about 4.99 or less in their baking aisle just in case you didn’t know…that may be easier :)
How could I make this with whole wheat flour
I’d recommend this recipe which is designed for using 100% whole wheat https://www.averiecooks.com/100-whole-wheat-no-knead-make-ahead-dinner-rolls-with-honey-butter/
I made this bread this morning and it is truly yummy! I did make a couple of slight changes and also used bread flour. If you put a clean dish towel over the freshly turned out loaf ,it will keep the crust soft.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Bread flour is always nice to use for that extra boost of gluten and great tip!