Beginner’s Fresh Milled Flour Sandwich Bread

A cozy scene of two slices of buttered multigrain sourdough bread on a white plate, with a sliced loaf of bread and wheat stalks in the background.

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Beginner’s Fresh Milled Flour Sandwich Bread

This beginner sandwich bread is simple to make and very delicious. It's the bread recipe I bake weekly in my cottage kitchen for our morning toast, sandwiches, French toast, croutons and more.

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Additional Time2 30

Total Time4

Course: baking, Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Calories: 113kcal

Author: Emily Rider

Equipment

1 Large mixing bowl
1 Stand Mixer
2 1 lb Loaf Pans or 1 Pullman Loaf Pan

Ingredients

4 ½ cups Freshly Milled Flour 540 grams
1 ½ cups Warm water about 110°F 355 grams
3 tbsp Honey 63 grams
⅓ cup Neutral oil or melted butter 75 grams
1 tbsp Instant yeast 9 grams
1 ½ tsp Salt 9 grams

Instructions

Mix liquids: Add the warm water, honey, and oil to the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir briefly to help the honey dissolve, making sure the water feels warm like a comfortable bath but not hot. This temperature helps the yeast activate properly.
Add yeast: Sprinkle the instant yeast directly over the liquid mixture. If using active dry yeast instead, let it sit in the warm water and honey for 10 minutes until foamy, which confirms the yeast is alive.
Add flour: Add the freshly milled flour slowly, about 1 cup at a time, mixing on low speed. Pause the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides if needed. The dough should begin forming a soft, slightly sticky ball that clings to the bottom of the bowl but not the sides.
Rest dough: Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest in the bowl for 30 minutes. This rest allows the freshly milled flour to fully hydrate, making the dough easier to work with and improving texture.
Add salt: Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough, then turn the mixer back on low. Mix until the salt disappears into the dough and everything is fully combined, 1–2 minutes.
Knead the dough: Increase the mixer speed to medium-low and knead for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will become smoother and more elastic as the gluten develops. To check readiness, stretch a small piece between your fingers. If it thins into a 1-inch square with a cloudy, speckled "window" and does not tear right away, the dough is ready.
*Keep in mind that fresh milled flour dough does not always pass a classic windowpane test the way commercial white flour does. The bran and germ in freshly milled flour naturally interrupt the gluten strands, so a perfectly clear window is not always possible. I tend to go by feel more than by the windowpane itself, looking for dough that feels soft, supple, and stretchy without feeling slack. Good gluten development is still important here, because a strong, well-kneaded dough is what gives you a beautiful rise and keeps your loaf from baking up dense.
First rise: Lightly oil a clean bowl and place the dough inside. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size. The dough should look puffy and leave an indentation when gently poked.
Shape dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Divide it into two equal pieces. Press each piece gently into a rectangle, then roll it up tightly like a jelly roll. Tuck the ends under and place each loaf seam-side-down into a greased loaf pan.
Final rise: Cover the pans lightly and let the dough rise again until it is 1–2 inches above the pan rim or about 1 inch below the Pullman lid. This second rise gives you a taller, softer loaf.
Bake bread: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the loaves for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190–200°F. The tops should be golden brown. Let the bread cool completely for at least 1 hour before slicing so the crumb can set properly.

Notes

Flour freshness: Freshly milled flour absorbs more water but more slowly than store-bought flour, so resist adding extra flour too soon; the dough should feel soft and slightly tacky.

Rise timing: Warmer kitchens speed up rising, while cooler rooms slow it down; always watch the dough rather than the clock.

Loaf shaping: Rolling the dough tightly helps create an even crumb and prevents gaps or tunnels inside the loaf.

Crust softness: Brush the tops with melted butter immediately after baking if you prefer a softer crust.

Storage tip: Store cooled bread in an airtight bag for 3–4 days or slice and freeze for long-term storage—fresh-milled bread freezes beautifully.

Nutrition