Budget-Friendly Bread Recipe {Easy Sandwich Loaf}

Name: Cheap Bread Recipe
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 205 min
Ingredients: 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour; 1 cup lukewarm water; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 3 tablespoons sugar; 1 ¼ teaspoons salt; 2¼ teaspoons instant or active dry yeast

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This is a simple and affordable bread recipe that produces a basic loaf using easy-to-find ingredients.

But don’t let it fool you… this simple loaf is still so soft and delicious you’ll make it even when you’re feeling rich 😉.

Cheap Bread Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Bread on a budget. No expensive ingredients, nothing weird you have to buy, and you'll get a loaf that your family and your bank account will love.

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Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 40

Rising time: 2

Total Time: 3 25

Servings: slices

Calories: 116kcal

Author: Katie Shaw

Want some free Christmas printables? Click here to grab ’em

Equipment

Loaf pan
Plastic Wrap

Ingredients

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons sugar
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
2¼ teaspoons instant or active dry yeast

Instructions

Mix the ingredients. Add all ingredients to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Combine until a dough forms that holds together and does not stick to the sides or bottom of the bowl.
Knead the dough. Knead for ten to fifteen minutes until it is smooth, soft, and reaches the windowpane stage (meaning that when the dough is stretched, a translucent area appears). If the dough is still dry after a minute or two of kneading, sprinkle on the water a teaspoon at a time.
The first rise. Shape the dough gently into a ball and place it into a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and place into a warm place to rise. Let the dough rise for 60 minutes until it is puffy and has doubled in size.
Shape into a loaf. Spray the loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Gently stretch the dough into a rectangle. Use your loaf pan as your guide and make the short side of the rectangle the same length as the longer side of the loaf pan. The rectangle will be about 9 x 18 inches. Tuck in the corners and top of the dough. Think of the saying “shoulders in, head down.” Keep rolling into a log. Tuck the ends under. Pinch the seams closed and place the loaf, seam side down, into a lightly oiled loaf pan.
Allow to rise again. Cover with heavily greased plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise again until the dough rises to one inch above the top of the loaf pan. The bread will rise very slightly as it bakes, so make sure you are happy with the height of the bread before you bake it. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Bake. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If you have an instant-read thermometer, check the temperature.. The finished bread should be between 195-200 degrees. Remove the bread from the loaf pan and allow it to cool fully on a wire rack

Notes

Try doubling the recipe to get the most out of preheating your oven.

Nutrition

Did you make this?Let me know how it was! Please see below for serving ideas, storage instructions, and substitutions.

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
🧂 Ingredients
🍴Instructions
🥫 Storage instructions
🔍 FAQs
👩🏻‍🍳 Expert tips
📖 Here’s the recipe

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

Easy and affordable: This recipe uses simple, inexpensive ingredients that are commonly found in most kitchens, making it a budget-friendly option for delicious homemade bread.
Versatile loaf: The resulting loaf is perfect for sandwiches, toast, or simply enjoying with butter. It’s just a basic, winning recipe.

🧂 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.

You’ll need the following for this sandwich loaf:

all-purpose flour
water
vegetable oil
sugar
salt
instant or active dry yeast

🍴Instructions

Step One: mix and knead

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer, add the all-purpose flour, lukewarm water, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and instant or active dry yeast. Mix everything together until a cohesive dough forms that doesn’t stick to the sides or bottom of the bowl. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment can make this process easier and faster.

You’ll know the dough is ready when it becomes smooth, soft, and elastic, and it passes the windowpane test (when stretched, a translucent area appears without tearing). If the dough seems too dry, add water a teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Step Two: first rise

Gently shape the dough into a ball and place it in a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean, damp tea towel to prevent the dough from drying out. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free spot to allow the dough to rise. This should take about 60 minutes, and the dough should double in size, appearing puffy and lighter.

Step three: shape into sandwich loaf

dough stretched into rectangle and shaped into log.

First, lightly grease a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Then, gently stretch the dough into a rectangle, using the dimensions of the loaf pan as a guide. The short side of the rectangle should be the same length as the longer side of the loaf pan, resulting in a rectangle that’s approximately 9 x 18 inches. Tuck in the corners and top of the dough, rolling it into a log shape. Fold the ends under and pinch the seams closed. Place the shaped dough, seam side down, into the prepared loaf pan.

Step Four: second rise

Cover the loaf pan with heavily greased plastic wrap to prevent sticking, and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise again. Allow the dough to rise until it reaches about an inch above the top of the loaf pan, which may take another 60 minutes. The bread will rise slightly more during baking, so ensure that you’re satisfied with the height before proceeding to the next step. As the rising time nears its end, start preheating your oven to 350°F

Step Five: bake

Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the loaf reaches an internal temperature of 195-200°F (90-93°C) and emits a hollow sound when tapped. This indicates that the bread is fully baked and ready to be removed from the oven. Carefully take the bread out of the loaf pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.

🥫 Storage instructions

Room temperature storage: Once the bread has cooled completely, store it in an airtight container, a resealable plastic bag, or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out. Keep the bread at room temperature in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. It should stay fresh for 3-4 days.

Freezing: To extend the life of the bread even further, you can freeze it. First, allow the bread to cool completely. Then, wrap the entire loaf or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place the wrapped bread in a resealable plastic freezer bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing the bag. Label the bag with the date and type of bread, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

🔍 FAQs

Can I use a different type of oil or fat instead of vegetable oil?

Yes, you can use other types of oils or fats in this recipe. Olive oil, melted butter, or melted coconut oil are all fine. I just use vegetable because it’s the cheapest. 😊

Can I use honey or another sweetener instead of sugar in the recipe?

Yep! Again, white sugar is simply the most affordable. You can. play around with whatever you’d like.

Can I use this recipe to make rolls or smaller loaves?

Absolutely! You can divide the dough into smaller portions to create rolls or mini loaves. Just be sure to adjust the baking time accordingly. Check rolls at 15 minutes and a half-sized loaf at 25.

My bread didn’t rise as much as I expected. What could be the cause?

There could be several reasons for this issue. First, ensure that your yeast is still active and not expired. To test the yeast, mix it with a small amount of warm water and sugar and let it sit for a few minutes. If it foams and bubbles, it’s still active. Another reason could be the temperature of your rising environment. Make sure the dough is placed in a warm, draft-free spot to encourage proper rising. Finally, under-kneading or adding too much flour can cause the dough to become too tight and prevent it from rising sufficiently.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert tips

Create a warm environment for the dough to rise: Find a warm, draft-free spot in your kitchen for the dough to rise. You can also preheat your oven to the lowest setting, turn it off, and then place the covered dough inside the slightly warm oven.

Be patient during the rising process: Allow the dough enough time to rise properly, typically around 60 minutes for the first rise and another 60 minutes for the second rise. Rushing this process can result in a denser, less airy loaf.

Cool the bread completely before slicing: Allowing the bread to cool on a wire rack ensures that the steam inside the bread has a chance to escape, preventing it from becoming soggy. Cutting into the bread too soon can also cause it to become gummy.

Be patient with yourself: Bread-making can require a bit of practice to get the perfect loaf. Don’t be discouraged if your first attempt doesn’t turn out exactly as you hoped. Learn from each experience and know that you will get better every time.

📘 Related Recipes

📖 Here’s the recipe