This recipe for homemade white bread has been around for quite a while. There’s something about a vintage recipe that prompts you to try it. Chances are your mom or grandma made it back in the day. In 1963 I was only 4 years old, but it makes me wonder if my mom ever tried this recipe.
I love a good homemade bread recipe. In fact, this one and my homemade Italian bread are my two favorites. I know you are going to love this bread.
Homemade White Bread Recipe
The dough for this easy homemade bread is so soft and the loaves come out absolutely beautiful with golden brown tops. Making a piping hot loaf of bread from scratch is therapeutic to me, I just love it.
What is scalded milk?
Many old fashioned recipes instruct you to “scald” your milk. This is a practice that just isn’t necessary anymore with the invent of pasteurization. Scalding and pasteurization alike heat the milk to a high enough temperature to kill any harmful bacteria that might be present.
I’m picturing women who used to milk their cows in their barn and used that raw milk in their kitchen. I love the images that conjures up!
Ingredients you will need for the bread dough
Hint – I like to give you tips and recommendations here, and try to answer questions about substitutions. You will find the full list of ingredients with measurements in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- I usually use 1% milk, but 2%, fat free, and whole milk will all work for this recipe.
- As with any homemade bread, sugar is needed to feed the yeast.
- I use a thermometer to measure the temperature of the warm water. This is a vital step; if it’s too hot you’ll kill the yeast, and too cold it will take forever to rise.
- You’ll also need regular table salt and some unsalted butter.
- My preference is SAF instant yeast. If you prefer to use active dry yeast, increase the first rise by 30 minutes and the second rise by 15-30 minutes.
- And of course, you’ll need sifted all-purpose flour, bleached or unbleached. I have not experimented with whole wheat or other flours.
Helpful kitchen tools:
- 9×5 bread (loaf) pans
- Wire cooling rack
- Stand mixer or hand held mixer
- Flour sack towel or other kitchen towel
- Mixing bowls, measuring spoons, and measuring cups
How to Make 1963 Homemade Bread
- Heat the milk in the microwave until hot, but not boiling. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the salt and butter. Set aside to allow butter to melt. Cool to lukewarm.
- Place warm water in your mixing bowl; sprinkle in yeast and remaining one tablespoon of sugar; stir until dissolved. Let sit for 5 minutes or so to allow yeast to proof.
- Add lukewarm milk mixture and 3 cups flour; beat on medium-low of your stand mixer until smooth. Add enough additional flour, one cup at a time, to make a soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.
- Form into smooth ball and place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover with a clean, soft towel; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.
- Punch down dough and let rest 15 minutes.
- Divide dough in half and shape each half into a loaf. Place each loaf in a greased 9x5x3 bread pan. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
- Whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash. Gently brush the egg wash onto the tops of both loaves right before placing in the oven.
- Bake at 400 degrees F, about 30 minutes, or until done.
This recipe is from a 1963 copy of a Good Housekeeping Cookbook, hence the name. I’ve made this homemade white bread several times and my family loves it.
This white bread recipe makes two loaves, so you can bake one to go with dinner and save the other for the next day. It’s perfect homemade sandwich bread and I love to use it to make French Toast Casserole during the holiday season.
More recipes you might like:
- Be sure to try a couple slices of your homemade bread with my avocado toast.
- If you want something more fancy, try this bread in my strawberries and cream stuffed french toast.
- This no-knead everything peasant bread has the flavor or everything bagels with a delicious chewy texture!
1963 Homemade White Bread
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- ½ cup 1% milk
- 3 tablespoons sugar divided
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons SAF instant yeast
- 6 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Things You'll Need
Before You Begin
- This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread.
- If you prefer to use active dry yeast, increase the first rise by 30 minutes and the second rise by 15-30 minutes.
- I have used both sugar and honey interchangeably in this recipe.
- Note: The nutritional info in this recipe does not include the egg wash as the amount of egg used is too insignificant to be counted.
Instructions
- Heat milk in the microwave until hot, but not boiling. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the sugar, salt and butter. Set aside to allow butter to melt. Cool to lukewarm.
- Place warm water in your mixing bowl; sprinkle in yeast and remaining one tablespoon of sugar; stir until dissolved. Let sit for 5 minutes or so to allow yeast to proof.
- Add lukewarm milk mixture and 3 cups flour; beat on medium-low until smooth. Add enough additional flour to make a soft dough. You may or may not use all the flour. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 min.
- Form into smooth ball and place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover with a clean, soft towel; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.
- Punch down dough and let rest 15 minutes.
- Divide dough in half and shape each half into a loaf. Place each loaf in a greased 9x5x3 bread pan. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
- Whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash. Gently brush the egg wash onto the tops of both loaves right before placing in the oven.
- Bake at 400 degrees F, about 30 minutes, or until done.
Nutrition
This post originally appeared here on Jul 28, 2012.
Amanda Davis
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sherry johnston says
Hi Amanda
Just tried this recipe and so happy I found, its delicious. I do have a question though. I am currently getting into making breads with a home made sour dough starter. Can this recipe work with a sour dough starter and if so what would be the exchange in measurements ? Once again thank you for this recipe we love it and especially the hubby .
Amanda Formaro says
I haven’t used a sour dough starter in over 20 years, so I actually can’t answer that question as I’m no longer familiar with the process. I feel like it could work though! Will you let me know if you try it?
SS says
Amanda I believe you might want to do more research on why milk is scalded in some recipes. It is not at all related to pasteurization or milking your own cows. Thanks for the laugh though!
Amanda Formaro says
Please share your wisdom!
David Williams says
Thursday 4/29/2021 I really enjoyed working with this recipe, and just now placed 2 loaves in my toaster oven. In about 30 minutes, I’ll enjoy the best bread that I’ve had in many years. Thank you for sharing this. David Williams, DeLand, Florida
Carol says
Are the cup amounts in the American sizing or Canadian. Ours are 8 ounces and the U.S.A. sizing I believe is 6&1/2 ounces correct
? Thank you, Carol
Amanda Formaro says
I am not familar with Canadian measuring cups. Your best bet is to weigh the flour. 1 cup of flour is equal to a weight of approximately 4.25 oz.
Dianne says
Do you measure the flour then sift or sift four then measure?
Amanda Formaro says
Sift first then measure :)
Jennifer Gurule says
Awesome Bread recipe and easy! Thank you!!!
michelle y perry says
Wow this bread looks amazing and am going to try it myself. it is similar to my Mom’s tried and true recipe almost the same but I do have a question for you. the tops of the bread when they come out of the oven why does mine crumble when I go to cut it and fall apart? am I doing something wrong with the bread? it happens even when I make my Mom’s recipe except when I make it into buns. it only happens when I make it into bread loaves? got any ideas for me or tips I can use to stop it from crumbling? oh by the way your recipe for no bake pineapple dessert this summer was a smash hit for my son and me and I can actually eat it without it putting up my sugar so thank you for that I love it and so does he.
Amanda Formaro says
It could be the temperature that is drying out the crust. Do you brush it with an egg wash? You can also brush the hot loaves with melted butter as soon as it comes out of the oven. That can help soften the crust :)
MSH says
In the ingredient list it calls for 6 1/4 cups flour, but in the Instructions it only says to add 3 cups, and then some additional “to make a soft dough.” Is the additional amount really close to 3 additional cups of flour? If it’s that much, shouldn’t the initial amount of flour be closer to 5 cups?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes you just START with 3 cups and then add more flour from the remaining 3 1/2 cups until you reach a soft dough.
Donna says
What does Saf stand for?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Donna! SAF is the brand name
Erum says
Hi Amanda,
Plz tell me while kneading , are we suppose to use any water ?
can kneading be done with machine or hands only .
Thankyou
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Erum, sorry for the late response. No need to add water while kneading, and you can knead by hand or by using a bread machine. :)
Alicia says
In your ingredients it says 6 1/2 and in the directions it says 3 cups of flour. I pre-measure my ingredients, so this really messed me up wen I was mixing everything and had to double the recipe.
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Alicia, I’m sorry that happened to you. You should always read completely through a recipe before beginning to avoid these types of issues. :) You actually do use all, or almost all of the flour. You just START with 3 cups and then add more flour from the remaining 3 1/2 cups until you reach a soft dough.
April says
Can the dough be frozen and used later?
Amanda Formaro says
Not unless you parbake it. yeast doughs do not freeze well.
Ruth says
How would I go about par baking the dough so I can freeze it to bake later?
Amanda Formaro says
Here’s an article that describes the process https://www.callmebetty.com/24-how-parbaking-can-give-you-fresh-bread-in-20-minutes/
Shelby says
I remember watching my mom make bread and of course, back when I was a kid, microwave’s didn’t exist! I remember her scalding the milk on the stove then putting the butter in to let it melt as the milk cooled to lukewarm. She makes bread much differently these days herself. Us kids always would be waiting around for that bread to come out of the oven and all of us wanted that “heel”! Kind of hard for there to be a heel for 3 of us. ;) We loved the bread warm from the oven and then later as toast. Thanks for this memory this morning!
P.S. BTW, I was born in 63 :)
Ileen Cuccaro says
I made this bread yesterday, froze one and ate one. Amazing is all I can say. I toasted it for sandwiches and everyone loved it. This recipe is going in my to make all the time bread. I have to get more pans so I can double the recipe and freeze more of them
Amanda says
That’s fabulous Ileen, I am so glad you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Joycelyn says
Actually, the scalding of the milk is done so the yeast will have an ideal temperature to perform it’s best.
My children, now in their mid & late 40’s grew up on unpasturized milk, & scalding before drinking was never done. I have this same GH recipe, albeit mine is from a 70’s GH cookbook, & the only difference between your version and mine, is my recipe calls for all milk, there is no water. I’ve tried this recipe with all water, & water & powdered milk when in a pinch, but always found using a fuller fat milk made a much tastier loaf.
Either way, it’s a fine bread recipe for the table, & it’s good to see it making the rounds for the younger generation to try.
Amanda says
Excellent, thanks for the info, I (obviously) didn’t know that!
Wendy says
Hi Amanda – I found your website by accident, and I think Im gonna like it here!!
Would this recipe be able to be adjusted so that I could do it in my breadmaker?? I know its an easy one to be done by hand, but Ive not had that much success in making bread the old fashioned way, so I do always tend to use my machine. But this bread does sound lovely, so I will give it a go whatever, and let you know how it turns out.
Also, can you clarify a couple of other things for me – you must bear in mind that over here in UK, things are labelled up differently to what they are over the pond in USA.
Firstly, 1% milk – can I use full fat milk?
Second, what is SAF yeast? Is it regular dried yeast? Can I use dried yeast?
Lastly, All Purpose Flour – we use plain or self-raising? Which one would I have to use.
Im sorry for asking you so many questions, but I want to try it over the next few days as Im visiting my sister and she loves fresh bread too, so Im going to take some!!
Have a nice day, and thank you in anticipation.
Amanda says
Hi Wendy! No problem, happy to answer the questions :) I don’t see any problem with using your bread machine. Just follow the guidelines according to the manufacturer. For the other questions:
1) Full fat milk is fine, I just specified 1% because I also provide the nutritional information and need to be specific
2) SAF is a brand name and it’s an instant or quick rise yeast. There’s a note in the recipe that if you use regular active dry yeast to increase the first rise by 30 minutes and the second rise by 15-30 minutes
3) I believe plain flour is the one you want, you don’t want self rising :)
Hope you enjoy it and please be sure to let me know how it works out in the bread machine!
Cathy @ Noble Pig says
I love this and plan on trying it. It looks like a nice recipe!
Kim Forni says
I introduced Veronica to this bread after I found it in a very old cookbook, I know my mom used to make it because the minute I tried a piece it took me back to her spreading that first pat of butter on the warm soft slice… I am so happy that others are making it also. Great to keep old traditions alive!!! P.S. , I love your photos!!
Amanda says
Well thanks so much for introducing her to it, it’s delicious!
Michelle says
Need to give credit to other websites.. I found this on ayearinbread ages ago ;) Still a great bread, stands the test of time
Amanda says
Hi Michelle :) I did give credit to where I found it, on Veronica’s Cornucopia :) A Year in Bread may also have the recipe, but the true credit goes to the cookbook it came from and where I discovered it. So I think i’m covered! Thanks for pointing it out though :)
Veronica says
Aww, so glad you liked this! It was the first bread I ever make if I remember correctly, or at least the first kneaded bread. Yours turned out very nice. Is that melted cheese underneath that jam? I could die! That sounds so good.
Amanda says
Lemon curd under the jam! :) I’m a double up kinda gal LOL
Veronica says
That sounds good too! :)