Citric Acid Free Classic White Sandwich Bread
There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a golden, butter-brushed loaf from the oven, and this classic white sandwich bread delivers exactly that kind of wholesome, from-scratch reward. For anyone navigating a citric acid sensitivity, store-bought bread can be a minefield — many commercial loaves use citric acid as a preservative or dough conditioner, often buried in the fine print of the ingredient list. This recipe sidesteps all of that by relying on nothing but whole milk, water, honey, bread flour, salt, butter, and yeast — every ingredient straightforward and easy to verify. The honey feeds the yeast and adds the faintest hint of sweetness, while the butter gets worked into the dough gradually for a crumb that's soft and tender without being dense. A final brush of melted butter straight out of the oven gives the crust that irresistible sheen and a gentle richness that makes even the heel worth fighting over. Once cooled and sliced, it holds together beautifully for sandwiches, toast, or just a thick slab with a little extra butter. Knowing exactly what went into every bite is half the pleasure.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
For the dough
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup water
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 cups bread flour, plus more for kneading
- 1 ½ tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
For finishing
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- 1
Warm the milk and water together in a small saucepan over low heat until the mixture reaches 105–110°F (40–43°C) — warm to the touch but not hot. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle in the yeast and honey, and stir briefly to combine. Let stand for 5–10 minutes, until the surface is foamy and the yeast is visibly active.
- 2
Add the bread flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes.
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