Moist Sour Cream White Bread

By
Elizabeth Yetter
Elizabeth Yetter
Bread expert Elizabeth Yetter has been baking bread for more than 20 years, bringing her Pennsylvania Dutch Country experiences to life through recipes.
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Updated on 05/10/22
Loaf of Bread
James McQuillan / Getty Images
Prep: 2 hrs
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 2 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 10 servings

As far as bread goes, and for sandwiches in particular, white bread is an old American classic and household favorite. There's something nostalgic about peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white or grilled cheese on white, right? This recipe doesn't require a whole lot of work on your part to bake a delicious loaf; just a couple of rounds of letting the dough rise, and then it's ready for the oven.

In this recipe, milk is replaced with sour cream to make a rich, moist white bread that tastes great buttered and/or toasted. Or slathered with peanut butter and jelly.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water, 95 F to 110 F

  • 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for greasing the pan

  • 3 cups bread flour, plus more as needed

  • 1 large egg white, well-beaten, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. In a large bowl, mix warm water and yeast. With a wooden spoon, stir in the sugar, salt, sour cream, and canola oil. Add 2 cups of flour and stir until well combined.

  2. Add enough of the remaining 1 cup flour to make a dough that holds together and follow the spoon around the bowl.

  3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed until the dough is firm and smooth to the touch.

  4. Place dough in a medium greased bowl. Turn dough over in a bowl so that the top is also lightly greased. Cover with clean cloth and let rise in warm, draft-free place for 1 hour.

  5. Punch down dough in the bowl.

  6. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes or until the bubbles are out of the bread.

  7. Shape dough into a loaf.

  8. Place the loaf in greased 9 X 5-inch bread pan. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F. Brush the loaf with egg white if a glossy crust is desired.

  9. Bake for 45 minutes or until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when the top is tapped. Remove bread from the pan and let cool on a wire rack before slicing.

How to Store and Freeze Moist Sour Cream White Bread

This bread will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days if wrapped in foil and placed in a plastic bag.
You can also freeze this bread by wrapping it in plastic wrap or foil, and then placing it in a zip-close freezer bag, for up to 6 months. Defrost at room temperature, or place the bread in the oven (wrapped in foil is ideal) at 350 F for 1/2 hour or until completely heated through.

Variations

It's possible to add a couple of teaspoons of dried herbs or spices to the dough to add some flavor. Consider the following:

  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Dried oregano
  • Dried sage
  • Dried rosemary
  • Dried basil
  • Italian seasoning
  • Caraway seeds
  • Sesame seeds (can be brushed on top
  • Everything seasoning


You can use fresh herbs in this if you'd like; start with a tablespoon of your herb of choice, chopped, and add more if you like.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
191 Calories
4g Fat
32g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 191
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 7mg 2%
Sodium 238mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 32g 12%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 19mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 64mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)