If you're searching for a soft and fluffy white bread recipe, this is it! I used the Japanese milk bread technique called Tangzhong. It's super simple, takes only a few hours, and creates a soft sandwich bread that you'll love.
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This homemade white bread will blow your mind. It's completely soft like a cloud and tastes amazing. It's got one extra step (making a milk and flour jelly on the stove, called a tangzhong) and is still super fast and easy.
This is my favorite fluffy white bread recipe. It is seriously the perfect sandwich bread, both soft and flavorful. I even use this method of bread making in my luxuriously soft and fluffy cinnamon roll recipe.
I find most homemade loaves delicious, yet dense or overly sweet, or they have a course crumb. A coarse crumb doesn't mean it's not soft, just that the texture is more coarse or heavy, say, compared to Wonder Bread.
My love for this soft and fluffy white bread doesn't negate my fond memories of classic homemade loaves mom would make. The sliced white sandwich bread made day in and day out in our homes is still fantastic. Just different!
The texture of this bread is a genius mix between a classic homemade loaf of bread, a soft store-bought white bread, and buttery brioche.
In some circles, it's called milk bread and it's light, moist, and pillowy soft all at the same time. It's like the white bread and rolls you get from Chinese and other Asian-style bakeries. You find flavors of milk, eggs, and butter, with a classic homemade-bread-sweetness that makes it a great sandwich loaf.
What Is Milk Bread?
Milk bread goes by many different names, and as far as we know it originated in China as Shokupan or Hokkaido. In Korea it is called Uyu Sikppang.
This soft, airy, cloud-like bread is commonly referred to as Japanese milk bread and is popular in the bakeries of many Asian countries including Japan, China, Taiwan, and Korea. You can even find this style of bread at bakery chains like Paris Baguette, which is a Korean franchise!
Asian-style milk bread is different than American homemade sandwich bread. It's a bit closer in texture to Wonder Bread but has an amazing homemade flavor. It doesn't crumble or tear the same as American style bread. And, it's what panko bread crumbs are made of!
Cooks across Asia were introduced to making this bread at home in 2007 with a book called 65ºC Bread Doctor, by Yvonne Chen. It's been covered in many American baking books since then and online outlets like King Arthur Flour have great recipes.
What Makes This Recipe Unique?
This fluffy white bread recipe is different than a homemade country loaf of white bread because of a special flour and milk roux called Tangzhong. It gets mixed and cooked before being added to the pretty standard bread recipe.
Sounds simple and sort of odd, but it works wonders. Miracles even!
The tangzhong method is most often used in China to make buns with a soft, fluffy texture. I've enjoyed these in Chinatown here in New York! They are often filled with savory or sweet coconut fillings and brushed with a heavy egg wash before baking so the top is glossy and dark.
Making a Tangzhong Starter
The tangzhong method is flour, milk, and sometimes water mixed together and heated to create a roux. It's actually quite pudding-like in texture and forms a gel.
This gel is added to the bread dough and the science is that the already moisturized flour or pre-gelatinized starches can absorb more water.
The flour will absorb two times as much hot milk as it does the warm water or milk you'd usually use in yeast dough. This roux holds moisture in the loaves of bread as well as helps create a fine crumb and texture. The tangzhong post on King Arthur explains it so well.
The Benefits of Tangzhong
- The bread may rise higher, because of more liquid creating more internal steam.
- The bread will be moister and will stay soft and fresh longer because of the moisture the loaves retain.
Tangzhong starter is technically supposed to be a pourable consistency with 1 part flour to 5 parts liquid (1:5 ratio in volume) while some other recipes use 1 part dry to 3 part liquid ratio.
My recipe is more of a 1:3 ratio. Roughly 1 tablespoon flour to 2 ½ tablespoons milk. This makes the roux thicker but it works like a charm.
How to Make Homemade White Bread
Simple steps and tips for making the perfect soft, Tangzhong milk bread loaves. See the recipe card below for process shots and detailed instructions.
Step 1: Make the Tangzhong starter first so it can cool.
- Mix the flour and milk together in a saucepan and cook, whisking constantly until it is just starting to thicken like pudding. I really like this whisk.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let cool or place in the fridge.
Step 2: Mis en place, or assemble all the bread ingredients and make sure they are warm or close to room temperature.
Step 3: Mix the dough and let the mixer knead it for about 12 minutes. This creates the gluten strands.
Step 4: Proof or let rise in a greased bowl, covered, until doubled in size.
- I heat my oven to 100ºF, then turn it off to create a warm space for my dough. It should be a warm, but draft-free space.
Step 5: Divide dough in half and form loaves. I like to weigh the dough so my halves are equal. This food scale is awesome.
- Form loaves however you'd like. I prefer the structure of loaves folded like classic Japanese milk bread. Follow the how-to pictures in the recipe.
- You can also make 3 smaller loaves if you'd like!
Step 6: Let the loaves proof or rise a second time in a warm, draft-free area. Not quite doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven during this second rise. Use an oven thermometer to achieve the perfect temperature.
Step 7: Bake loaves until dark golden brown and cooked through. Let cool in pans for a couple of minutes before cooling completely on a wire rack.
FAQs
Although this soft white bread recipe is easy, it does require time and patience to prepare. Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about preparing this white bread loaf using the Tangzhong method.
Do Have to Weigh the Ingredients?
While not everyone will have a kitchen scale, I highly recommend getting one. I like this scale.
Weighing the ingredients guarantees accuracy and will result in loaves just like mine. If you do not weigh the flour, you will most likely add too much flour and the bread will be a little more dense. It will still taste great, but you won't have the same texture as the tested loaves.
Can I Use Different Sized Pans?
You can use any bread pan you like. The old standard is 9-by-5-inches and makes two gorgeous large loaves.
If you're using 8 ½ - by - 4 ½ - inch loaf pans I suggest using 3 pans and dividing the dough equally between them.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Yes, doubling the recipe shouldn't be an issue. Just make sure you have enough loaf pans on hand!
What Type of Yeast Should I Use?
You'll want to use instant dry yeast, NOT active dry yeast.
And yes, you'll need to use 2 tablespoons of yeast, not 2 teaspoons. It's not a typo, promise!
More Easy Bread Recipes:
- Finnish Cardamom Bread - a classic Pulla bread recipe
- Soft and Sweet Cornbread - the ultimate cornbread recipe
- Orange Nut Swirled Bread - use this recipe or frozen bread dough
- Whole Wheat Walnut Pumpkin Bread - a seasonal favorite
📖 Recipe
Soft And Fluffy White Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Tangzhong:
- 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
Bread:
- 1⅓ cups whole milk (350 ml) (warm)
- 6 cups all-purpose flour (720 g)
- ¼ cup sugar (50 g)
- 2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 tablespoon instant dry yeast (NOT active dry)
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature (60 g)
Instructions
For the Tangzhong:
- This needs to cool a bit before using, so plan for about 20 minutes.
- Whisk together the flour and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Stir until mixture is just barely paste consistency, like warm pudding. Remove from heat. Quickly transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool a bit (I put mine in the fridge).
For the Bread:
- When the Tangzhong starter is warm but not hot start the bread. In the bowl of a stand mixer or Bosch with the dough hook, mix together the warm milk, Tangzhong, sugar, yeast, salt, eggs and butter.
- With the mixer on low, add the 6 cups flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and let the mixer knead the dough on medium or medium-low speed for 12 minutes. The dough will be sticky and become more smooth as mixing happens. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically as needed, so everything mixes evenly.
- After 12 minutes the dough will be tacky but smooth and not as rough as at the beginning.
- Turn into a greased bowl, pull in the edges to make a ball then turn over so the round, oil-coated surface is on top. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise (I use a 100ºF warmed oven that has been turned off).
- Let dough rise until it is almost double in size and an indent stays when poked with a finger, instead of bouncing back, 30 to 45 minutes depending on how warm the environment is.
- Grease 2 9-by-5-inch loaf pans or 3, 8½-by-4½-inch standard loaf pans. Turn dough out on a pastry cloth or lightly floured surface. Divide in half weighing if desired. For 3 standard loaves, divide dough into thirds.
- Roll each piece into a rectangle about 15 inches in length (12 inches for smaller loaves), and 9 or 10 inches wide. Bring the two long ends together to meet in the middle.
- You can shape the dough as needed to maintain a rectangle.
- This technique is not necessary, but helps the loaf have an even gluten structure when baked. Don't use excess flour.
- Then roll up the center to create a loaf. Pinch the long edge together on the bottom of the loaf. Place in greased loaf pans.
- Lightly cover and let rise a second time until almost double in size, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on how warm the environment is. When you poke in your finger it should stay and only push back slowly.
- While dough rises a second time, heat oven to 350ºF. Use an oven thermometer to check the accuracy of the oven temperature.
- When loaves are ready, bake until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. You can rotate pans halfway through cooking if your oven has hot spots. Let loaves cool in pans 1 or 2 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Delicious Sandwich Recipes
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
KC says
I was looking at making a bread book with different recipes, this was my first recipe and the only one in my book. It is my favourite and a definite hit in our house. I have to make 2 loafs every week (I always give one away to family) I get asked to make even more all the time. It doesn’t taste yeasty which I love, it’s not a hard bread like some homemade breads, I compare it to the bakeries. Love love love! Thank you Tara for sharing this recipe. I do not need to look any further
Karen Diaz says
First try, first batch, perfection! I had been using a different recipe and practicing my baking of sandwich bread and my other recipe didn't hold up after a couple of days. It wasn't soft enough after a day or two. This recipe nailed it for me. I'm very pleased, but unfortunately, I need to find a recipe now for sandwich bread with fresh milled flour. I tried with this recipe just for kicks and it was an epic fail! It's such a different process with different results right out of the gate. I thought I'd I tried this one and just change one thing at a time, I might be able to work it out, but the flour gluten and protein content really changes the chemistry and yeast processing. However, this one will definitely be my go to recipe for sandwich bread with all purpose flour. The flavor and rise and perfect result with a softness that parallels store bought is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing.
Ila says
The dough is too sticky and I have to bathe my hands in crisco in order to handle it. I make the flour milk pudding quite thick. Last time I added extra flour which ruined the bread texture. Also when the loaves bake and rise they crack on the sides. I have extra moisture in the oven.I hope you can help and look for your reply. Thanks andBest wishes !!
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Val, smart to use shortening to grease your hands to work with the soft dough! As you probably know, making bread dough successfully will depend on your environment, if it's humid, dry, etc. So you were right to consider adding more flour to the dough if you noticed it was too sticky. Perhaps next time just add a bit less. The other thing you can try is letting it knead several minutes longer. This will allow the gluten to strengthen, and as the dough proofs, the structure will strengthen even more and often that helps make it easier to work with. Those are both options to utilize when making dough in different environments. I live at sea level, surrounded by water in NYC, so while it's a standard place to test recipes, it means others may need to adjust their formulas.
As for the cracks on the sides, that moisture in the loaves does need to escape somewhere. The loaves in my pictures have cracks on the sides too, they are just not super prominent. If you'd like, you can totally make a knife slice down the middle of the loaf just before it goes into the oven. This will allow the moisture to escape there and form a traditional looking loaf. Thanks for asking the great questions!
Tara
Makayla says
This is absolutely fantastic. I’ve made it twice and will continue! I do have one question, we typically don’t go through it that fast so I have one of the loaves frozen. How long can it sit out on the counter ? I have a bread box I use but because it has holes I use a plastic bag in it. New and learning.. thanks for any tips!
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Makayla, As with any homemade bread, it will stay fresh and delicious for 3-4 days on the counter. After that, it will start to dry out whether it's in a plastic bag/container or your bread box.
Storing a loaf in the freezer, sliced or unsliced is a great way to ensure freshness longer than a few days. Thank you!
Tara
Charlie says
This is the absolute best “wonder style” bread I have made. Sooo nice and fluffy soft and the proofing time is half the time of the average white bread.
🥳🎉
Lisa says
Can you use whole wheat for this recipe as well?
Tara T. says
Hi Lisa, Unfortunately no. Using whole wheat flour won't work with this recipe. The coarseness of the bran in the flour cuts the gluten strands so the results are completely different, let alone the moisture content in whole wheat flour changes the chemistry.
I hope that helps you understand the reasoning. I have a half whole wheat dinner roll recipe that is divine if you'd like to try that! https://tarateaspoon.com/dinner-rolls-with-savory-seed-topping/
Best,
Tara
Whitney says
Do you happen to know if this recipe will fit a 13" pullman?
Tara T. says
Hi Whitney,
I don't know if it would fit as I haven't tested it. My guess is it is slightly too much dough for a 13" pullman. The two loaves I make are very large and work well divided into three to begin with, so you may just want to try 3/4 of the batch in the pullman. Let us know!
Carla says
Can I use bread flour instead of all purpose in this recipe?
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Carla. I haven't tried it with bread flour. Typically Japanese Milk Bread uses all-purpose because it doesn't need the higher protein for the structure. You can certainly try it, although it may make the crumb a bit more sturdy rather than soft.
Ellen Boerner says
i followed this recipe to exact amounts and times. it never got out of the sticky stage. i was so frustrated. i used my Kitchen aid stand mixer. i kneaded it for the 10 to 12 min as stated in recipe on med to med low. just came out very sticky. stuck to bowl, couldnt get it all out. i think i may have to move on to look for another recipe
Tara T. says
Hi Ellen,
What about after it proofed? Once the gluten starts strengthening with the rising process the dough should become more structured and easier to work with. That's why there's always a note to flour a surface before kneading or forming...The recipe calculates for extra flour being added after proofing. Bread is also susceptible to the environment. If you live in a humid climate, if your flour is holding moisture or is more dry. It's ok to add a bit more flour if your dough is THAT sticky, or not add as much flour if you see the dough getting too stiff. Even if you weigh your flour, environmental factors can change the consistency of your dough. It is a very soft dough but gets less sticky as it rises and goes through the next kneading and forming processes. Hopefully in the end it worked out! Let me know if you have other questions.
Tara
Ellen Boerner says
i want to place another review in. I did not have hopes for this bread before baking it. it was so sticky the whole time. i figured what do ihave to lose, i placed the loaves in a bread pan and baked it. OMG!!! it came out so soft and delicious. i have NEVER had a bread come out like this. this is my new favorite. sorry about my previous review. if i knew how to take it back i would.
Tara T. says
Ellen this makes my day! I'm so, so glad it turned out well for you.
I'll leave your first review because it will be attached to the answer I gave and that might be helpful for others. But I sure appreciate you sending this in. Five stars for a great reader like you!
Tara
Megan says
Love this bread recipe! I’ve made it multiple times!! I am wondering if I’d be able to freeze the dough after the first rise and shaping? Then thaw, rise and bake? I’m hoping to make up a bunch of dough then bake the next couple weeks as we need it. But curious if this would work?
Tara Teaspoon says
Megan I'm so glad you like it! I haven't taken the time to test this method, but it is a pretty standard practice for yeast dough. I think it should work just fine. Of course get it into the freezer as soon as you shape it so it doesn't start it's second proof. Happy baking!