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    Home » Recipes » Bread

    Easy Homemade Amish White Bread Recipe

    Published: Nov 2, 2021 · Modified: Jan 21, 2026 by Anna 14 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    This Amish white bread recipe makes two soft, slightly sweet loaves with a tender, pillowy crumb that melts in your mouth. The addition of mashed potatoes gives the bread extra moisture and an irresistible, melt-in-your-mouth texture, making it far superior to anything you can buy at the store. Each loaf bakes up golden and beautiful, filling your kitchen with that unmistakable aroma of fresh homemade bread.

    Warm and fresh from the oven, a slice slathered with butter and drizzled with honey is pure comfort. Homemade Amish bread is simple to make, yet so satisfying - perfect for breakfast, sandwiches, or just enjoying on its own.

    sliced homemade bread in a skillet with a red towel.
    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Amish White Bread
    • Ingredients
    • Easy Homemade Bread
    • How to Make Amish White Bread with a KitchenAid Mixer
    • Kneading Bread Dough by Hand
    • Forming Bread Loaves
    • Baking Bread - How Can I Tell When It's Done?
    • Storing Homemade Bread
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Old-Fashioned Amish Bread
    • More Amish Bread Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe Card

    Why You'll Love This Amish White Bread

    • Soft & Tender Texture: The addition of mashed potatoes keeps the loaves extra moist and tender - perfect for sandwiches, toast, or enjoying fresh from the oven.
    • Slight Sweetness: Just enough sweetness to make every bite crave‑worthy without being dessert‑sweet.
    • Classic Amish Comfort: Simple ingredients, wholesome flavor, and that homemade goodness you can't buy at the store.
    • Family Favorite: Great for everyday meals or special weekend baking.

    Ingredients

    • Active dry yeast, mixed with 1 Tbs. flour and 1 Tbs. sugar: Acts as a leavening agent, causing the bread to rise. Mixing it with flour and sugar helps activate the yeast before adding it to the dough.
    • Warm water: Provides the liquid base for the dough. It helps activate the yeast and hydrates the flour, allowing gluten development and fermentation.
    • Sugar: Adds sweetness and provides food for the yeast, aiding in fermentation and rising.
    • Oil (or chicken fat): Adds moisture, resulting in a softer texture. It also contributes richness and flavor.
    • Mashed potatoes: Add moisture and tenderness. They contribute to the softness and help extend the bread's freshness. (Instant Potato Flakes work well.)
    • Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor.
    • White bread flour: Forms the main structure of the bread. The gluten in the flour provides elasticity and structure to the dough, allowing it to rise and hold its shape during baking. All-purpose flour can be used, but bread flour typically yields a nicer texture due to its higher protein content.

    Easy Homemade Bread

    Making bread may seem intimidating to a beginner. But trust me, it's not that difficult to master. It may take a few tries to get it perfect, but it will be so worth it.

    This Amish white bread recipe is great for making with your KitchenAid mixer. It yields two loaves. So the dough will easily fit into your mixing bowl. Using this recipe is a fail-proof way to create tender loaves of bread that are perfect for sandwiches, French toast, or enjoying on its own.

    How to Make Amish White Bread with a KitchenAid Mixer

    You don't need a KitchenAid mixer to make this Amish white bread; most Amish women make it by hand. However, a mixer can help with the heavy lifting and simplify the process. Using the dough hook attachment for kneading, you'll find the task easier.

    To make this bread, follow these simple steps:

    1. Combine yeast, 1 Tbsp. flour, and 1 Tbsp. sugar:
      • Add them to your KitchenAid mixing bowl (or any large bowl).
      • Add warm water and stir. (Please make sure the water is at a lukewarm temperature, not too cold or too hot (approx. 110°F), as it affects the yeast's performance.)
      • Let rest 5 to 10 minutes until foamy and bubbly. (If it doesn't foam, your yeast may need replacing.)
    2. Add remaining ingredients:
      • Mix in sugar, oil, salt, mashed potatoes, and 4 ½ cups flour.
      • Use the dough hook attachment to blend thoroughly.
    3. Knead the dough:
      • Run the mixer on low speed and gradually add more flour until the dough begins to pull away from the sides.
      • Increase speed to #2 and knead for a couple of minutes.
      • Continue adding flour as needed until sides of the bowl are clean.
        • Sometimes the dough will pull away from the sides, but as you continue to knead you will need to keep adding flour. But after it has been kneading for a couple of minutes, just add enough flour till the sides of the bowl are clean. A little sticking at the bottom is fine.
    4. Grease the bowl:
      • Drizzle a small amount of oil into the side of the bowl or transfer the dough to another well-oiled bowl.
    5. First rise:
      • Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap or a dish towel.
      • Let rest at room temperature for about an hour, until almost doubled in size.

    Kneading Bread Dough by Hand

    A KitchenAid mixer helps to make the job of making bread easy, but it also is not hard to make it by hand. Follow the same instructions for mixing with a large mixer, except you will mix the dough with a large spoon.

    After mixing in the four and a half cups of flour, place the dough onto a lightly floured surface (or you can mix it in the bowl). Knead with your hands as you keep adding flour.

    I am adding a link here to show you how this is done. I also created a video that is included in the recipe card below to show you how easy it is to make bread.

    Forming Bread Loaves

    Grease two bread pans with non-stick cooking spray, and grease your hands with a bit of soft butter.

    Punch down the yeast dough and knead it for a minute to release the air bubbles. Then divide the dough in half.

    Take one portion and form a round disk, trying to get it nice and smooth on the top. Fold in the ends and form it into a loaf. Poke the bread several times with a fork to remove any air bubbles. Place it into a greased pan and repeat with the second half.

    Loosely cover the loaves and set them in a warm place to rise again. You want to let them rise till the center of the loaves is about a half inch to an inch above the top of the pan. It takes approximately 30 - 40 minutes.

    two loaves of bread rising in the pans and ready to bake.
    ready for the oven - it got extra tall

    Baking Bread - How Can I Tell When It's Done?

    Make sure to preheat the oven before the loaves are ready to bake. Bake the bread for 30 - 35 minutes at 350 degrees F. or until the tops are golden brown.

    (One way to tell if bread is done - at least if the pans were properly greased - is by using potholders, grabbing both sides of the bread pan, and giving it a quick upward jerk to see if the bread is loose from the bottom. If it pops up, it should be finished.)

    You can also test it with a thermometer. The internal temperature should be about 190°F, or the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

    Remove it from the oven and let the bread rest in the pans for about 10 minutes. Brush the tops with butter.

    a whole loaf of freshly baked Amish white bread with soft crumb in a pan.

    Transfer the loaves onto a cooling rack or a dish towel, and using a bread knife, carefully slice a piece or two for a delicious treat. (Or in my case, slice the whole loaf. Because if my family of six is at home, the whole loaf disappears very quickly.)

    I lay my bread on its side and carefully cut it in a sawing motion to avoid squashing the warm soft loaf. Slather it with butter and honey and be prepared for a taste of heaven. This is truly the best homemade bread ever!

    Storing Homemade Bread

    Some people will tell you to completely cool your bread before bagging it. However, I do not wait until it is completely cool. I bag my bread when it's still slightly warm because it helps to keep more moisture in, and the bread won't dry out as quickly.

    Place whatever you won't get eaten within three or four days into the freezer.

    Homemade bread is amazing when it is fresh. But it does tend to dry out and get moldy sooner than commercial bread because it doesn't have all those preservatives.

    Freezing it, however, helps to keep it fresh. Just remove it from the freezer an hour or so before you want to slice it.

    It might take a while to eat two loaves of bread if you're living by yourself. You can slice the bread and wrap a few pieces in separate portions. Make sure though, that you wrap it tightly in freezer bags or containers. I find that it does freeze better as a whole loaf versus sliced, but if properly stored it will still be fine.

    Refrigerating your bread is another option to lengthen the shelf life.

    Amish homemade bread on a board with a bread knife and two pieces sliced.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use all‑purpose flour instead of bread flour?

    Yes - it works fine, though bread flour gives a slightly better rise and texture.

    Can I make this Amish white bread without mashed potatoes?

    Yes! While mashed potatoes add extra moisture and tenderness, you can make this Amish white bread without them. The bread will still be soft and delicious, though the crumb might be slightly less pillowy. You can simply omit the potatoes or replace them with a bit of milk for similar hydration. Either way, you'll still get a homemade loaf that tastes far better than store-bought bread.

    Can I use this dough to make other kinds of bread?

    Yes! you can use this bread dough and turn it into Jalapeno Cheese Bread , or make cinnamon swirl bread, or iced raisin bread (roll out the dough and spread powdered sugar and cinnamon over it). So yummy!

    Can I freeze this bread?

    Yes - wrap it airtight and freeze up to 2 months, then thaw before slicing.

    What Makes This the Best Homemade Amish White Bread Recipe?

    The addition of mashed potatoes, along with easy step-by-step instructions, helps create loaves with a tender crumb that melts in your mouth. This soft Amish bread is perfect for sandwiches, toast, or simply enjoying fresh from the oven. It's simple to make and wonderfully flavorful.

    White bread slices in a pan on a red towel.

    Old-Fashioned Amish Bread

    Homemade white bread is a staple in many Amish homes. My Amish mom baked bread every week. Sliced homemade bread, along with butter and jam or apple butter, was on the table for practically every meal. We never bought bread.

    And once you get a taste of this amazingly soft Amish bread, you'll understand why and probably won't want to go back to commercial bread either.

    I have more delicious Amish bread recipes on my blog such as honey wheat bread, or honey oat bread, but this recipe for white bread is one we mostly used at home, and it is still my favorite.

    You may also want to try my One-Hour Yeast Rolls recipe, for a quick homemade treat.

    More Amish Bread Recipes

    • Easy Moist Amish Cornbread Recipe
    • Amish Zucchini Bread Recipe with Pineapple
    • Amish Friendship Bread
    • Apple Bread Recipe
    • Pumpkin Bread
    • Banana Bread
    • Cranberry Walnut Bread

    There's nothing like the smell of fresh, warm bread straight from the oven, and this Amish white bread delivers every time. Soft, slightly sweet, and tender thanks to the addition of mashed potatoes, each slice melts in your mouth and is perfect for breakfast, sandwiches, or just a snack with butter and honey.

    Making homemade Amish bread may sound intimidating, but this easy bread recipe guides you step by step to create a loaf that rivals any bakery. Once you try it, you'll understand why people rave over fresh homemade bread because warm, soft white bread like this is worth every minute in the kitchen.

    If you try this amazing Amish bread recipe, I would love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!

    AMAZON DISCLOSURE: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. If you click on the link to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

    Items you may need...

    • Ultra Sharp Serrated Bread Knife for Homemade Bread
    • Commercial II Traditional Uncoated 1-Pound Loaf Pan
    • KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer

    Visit my store to purchase my cookbook

    Check out my YouTube channel at MyAmishHeritage

    📖 Recipe Card

    sliced homemade Amish bread in a skillet with a red towel along with part of a loaf.

    Amish White Bread Recipe

    This Amish homemade bread is amazing! It's made with simple ingredients and has a soft and fluffy texture. Nothing is better than a piece of warm fresh bread straight out of the oven.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 35 minutes mins
    Resting time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
    Course Bread
    Cuisine Amish
    Servings 16 slices
    Calories 347 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ Tbs. active dry yeast, mixed with 1 Tbs. flour and 1 Tbs. sugar
    • 2 c. warm water (about 110°)
    • ⅓ c. sugar
    • ⅓ c. canola or vegetable oil (or chicken fat)
    • ½ c. mashed potatoes (or ⅓ c. instant potato flakes mixed with approx. ⅓ c. water)
    • 2 ½ tsp. salt
    • 5 - 6 c. white bread flour or all-purpose flour
    Amish white breadGet Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions
     

    • Mix 1 Tbs. flour, 1 Tbs. sugar, and yeast in your KitchenAid mixing bowl.
      1 ½ Tbs. active dry yeast, mixed with 1 Tbs. flour and 1 Tbs. sugar
    • Add warm water. Stir, and let it rest for about 5 min.
      2 c. warm water (about 110°)
    • Once the yeast mixture is looking creamy and bubbly, add the oil, sugar, potatoes, and salt. Stir.
      ⅓ c. sugar, ⅓ c. canola or vegetable oil (or chicken fat), ½ c. mashed potatoes (or ⅓ c. instant potato flakes mixed with approx. ⅓ c. water), 2 ½ tsp. salt
    • Add 4 ½ c. of flour and mix.
      5 - 6 c. white bread flour or all-purpose flour
    • Continue kneading for a few minutes on speed 2, slowly adding more flour, as needed, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
    • When finished kneading, the sides of the bowl should be looking fairly clean. Drizzle a bit of oil into the side of the bowl and let the mixer spread the oil to grease the sides.
    • Lightly cover the dough with a dish towel, and let it rest to rise for about an hour.
    • Grease 2 (9x5") loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.
    • Punch the dough down. Butter your hands and knead the dough a bit. Divide the dough in half and shape it into two loaves. Poke the tops with a fork to remove air bubbles.
    • Place the loaves into greased pans. Cover with a towel and allow them to rise for about 30 minutes, or until they have risen a bit above the sides of the pans.
    • Preheat your oven to 350°. Bake for 32 - 36 minutes (depending on the thickness of your pan - thicker pans take longer).
    • Brush the tops of the loaves with butter and allow the bread to cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pans. Enjoy a delicious slice of warm fresh bread!
    • Store in airtight bags. And you can freeze one loaf to keep it fresh.

    Video

    Notes

    Growing up Amish, whenever we cooked chicken we saved the broth. As the broth cools, the fat rises to the top. We scraped the fat off of the top and saved it to use for bread instead of oil. It adds a great flavor and helps to create a wonderfully soft texture.
    Adding potatoes to your bread is optional. However, I recommend it, as it helps to keep the bread softer.
    If you don't have bread flour, you can use all-purpose flour. But here again, your bread will turn out better if you use bread flour.
    I always bag my bread before it's completely cool, as it helps to keep the moisture in.
    Bread is best stored at room temperature. But be mindful that it will start drying out and getting moldy after a few days because there are no preservatives. I recommend freezing whatever you won't get eaten within 3 - 4 days. Remove from the freezer about an hour before you want to slice it.
    *Nutrition is approximate.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1sliceCalories: 347kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 9gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gSodium: 307mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Amish white bread recipe, Best white bread recipe
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    1. CalGirl

      October 10, 2025 at 4:25 am

      I could NEVER equal my grandmother's & great-grandmother's "Dutch" bread. Every Monday on the farm, they took over the kitchen table, covered w/oil cloth, to make the week's bread. They mixed it up in enameled dishpans. Anything left over from the bread pans made cinnamon rolls or other. The first time I tried it on my own as a newlywed, it turned out as hard as a brick. I still can't make it like they did, so I gave up & (of the 70's) found a Mother Earth News no- knead recipe that is ALMOST as good. That's what I still make today b/c that's what I can do. 🙂

      Reply
    2. Sue

      December 31, 2024 at 1:05 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for this recipe. It tastes like the bread and hot rolls my grandmother made. I started making bread about 5 years ago. I couldn’t find a recipe that tasted like grandma’s until now. I think it must be the mashed potatoes. We love to eat this bread fresh, but love it almost as much as it stales because it makes crispy, light, and delicious toast! I’m going to try the honey wheat bread next. I hope it’s as delicious as this loaf. Thanks again!

      Reply
      • Anna

        January 01, 2025 at 2:57 pm

        So glad you are enjoying it! The honey wheat is also delicious, but not quite as soft and pillowy as the white.

        Reply
    3. Anna

      July 04, 2024 at 2:46 pm

      5 stars
      The best homemade bread!!

      Reply
    4. Dan

      November 03, 2023 at 4:04 pm

      5 stars
      Store bought bread has left me feeling bloated and gnarly so I have been on the search for a good recipe. Found it right here, I made this today and it is fantastic. Perfect balance of quick and the right tooth. Not to sweet or savory just a good all around recipe. Thanks for sharing I will be using this as my daily driver now.

      Reply
      • Anna

        November 03, 2023 at 9:33 pm

        Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. Glad you enjoy it!

        Reply
    5. Glenys

      May 31, 2023 at 10:06 am

      5 stars
      I’ve used a lot of bread recipes, this is BY FAR the best. Excellent loaves every time! For white bread, I’ll never use another recipe! I’ve even taught my husband how to make this! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Anna

        May 31, 2023 at 12:13 pm

        I'm so glad you are enjoying it. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.

        Reply
    6. Lisa Hidlay

      January 28, 2023 at 5:34 am

      5 stars
      I have tried many different bread recipes over the past few years. Some were better for sandwiches, others better for toasting. This was excellent for both!
      Tender, delicious and not difficult to make. This recipe is a keeper. Some September Farm cheese ( from Honey Brook Pa.) between 2slices of this bread would be awesome!

      Reply
      • Anna

        January 28, 2023 at 3:39 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Love September Farms.

        Reply
    7. Matty Whittaker

      January 19, 2023 at 11:21 am

      5 stars
      For a first timer making bread I can't believe it turned out so well and without a mixer. Thank you so much for the simple directions, my family loved this recipe and we'll definitely use it again. I'm wondering if you can make rolls from this as well. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Anna

        January 19, 2023 at 1:12 pm

        I'm so glad that it turned out for you. And yes, you could make rolls from the same dough.

        Reply
    8. Linda

      February 06, 2022 at 8:53 pm

      5 stars
      Amish Bread Recipe:
      This homemade bread tastes far better than anything
      you've ever bought in the bread aisle at your grocery store;
      and it's really not that difficult to make. It will take some
      time to let it rise - figure at least two hours from start to
      finish. But most of that time you are free to do other things
      around the house, as the yeast goes to work.
      No ratings yet
      I made this bread today yummy, and thank you.
      I posted this on Facebook and had someone ask me what makes it Amish? I did not know what to say.
      Can you answer that?

      Reply
      • Anna

        February 06, 2022 at 9:03 pm

        I call my recipes Amish because they are recipes that come from the Amish. This is a recipe that I grew up with, it came from my Amish home.
        I'm glad you tried it.

        Reply

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    Hi, I’m Anna. I grew up Amish in the Lancaster County, Pa. area (the heart of Amish country). I currently live in a small rural town in Missouri and am a homeschool mom to 4 great kids. Some of my favorite things to do are spending time in the kitchen, (baking and preparing meals from scratch), gardening, and spending time with my lovely family.

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