Old Order Amish Bread- A Timeless Baking Journey

This Old Order Amish Bread may be a basic white sandwich bread, but the joy I felt while making it was anything but ordinary.

There’s something almost magical about working with dough—feeling its texture change beneath your hands as you knead it into shape. Unlike store-bought loaves, this bread is wholesome and preservative-free. Knowing that you’ve crafted it with your own hands makes the experience all the more rewarding. And let’s not forget the intoxicating aroma of freshly baked bread filling your home—it’s a little slice of heaven.

While I love the complexity of artisan breads and the simplicity of no-knead loaves, baking a basic white or whole wheat bread always takes me back to why I began this bread-baking journey in the first place. There’s an irresistible blend of art and science in bread-making that captures your heart and keeps you coming back for more.

A Mennonite Restaurant Inspires

This particular bread adventure began after a recent visit to 211 Main Street Restaurant and Bakery, a charming Mennonite establishment. My sister and I had taken our mom and stepdad there for a meal, and I couldn’t help but admire their display of cakes and freshly baked bread.

I almost purchased a loaf but decided I’d rather bake my own. Intrigued by the hearty wholegrain bread, I tried to snag a recipe. Unfortunately, Trish, one of the proprietors, explained that Bob, the baker, doesn’t follow a fixed recipe and never makes the bread the same way twice. Perhaps they’re guarding a treasured secret recipe, and I can’t say I blame them!

Turning to a Trusted Cookbook

Undeterred, I turned to one of my trusted cookbooks, Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads, where I’d bookmarked a recipe for future exploration. This bread isn’t wholegrain, but its homey and inviting nature won me over immediately.

According to Bernard Clayton, this recipe is cherished among Old Order Amish families in northern Indiana. It came to him through his wife’s grandmother, who was a member of the order. Traditionally, it’s made with premium bread flour milled from hard spring wheat, the same type commonly found in supermarkets today.

While you could use all-purpose flour, bread flour yields the most authentic results. I haven’t experimented with all-purpose flour yet, but the bread flour version turned out delightful.

Whether you’re new to bread baking or a seasoned baker, this Old Order Amish Bread is a simple yet deeply satisfying recipe to add to your repertoire. Why not give it a try and experience the timeless joy of homemade bread?

This bread makes excellent sandwich bread, is perfect for toast, and pairs beautifully with peanut butter and jelly.

Tip: To freeze this bread, use a freezer bag or double bag it.  The loaves will keep in the freezer for 6 to 8 months.

Old Order Amish Bread

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• Author: Bread Experience
• Yield: 2 Loaves 1x

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Description

This Old Order Amish Bread may be just a basic white sandwich bread, but you’ll get a lot of enjoyment out of making it.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

5 to 6 cups bread flour (I used about 5 cups)
1 package dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups hot water (120 degrees – 130 degrees)
1/3 cup cooking oil

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Instructions

Grease two medium (8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch) baking pans.

In a large mixing bowl, measure 2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or beat with a mixer flat beater until it is well blended.

Add additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time, working it together first with the spoon and then with your hands, or if in the mixer, the flat beater and then the dough hook, until a rough mass has formed and the dough has cleared the sides of the bowl.  The dough will be elastic but not sticky.  If the moisture breaks through the surface, dust it with flour.

Turn the dough onto a generously floured work surface and knead with a strong push-turn-fold motion or under the dough hook for about 8 minutes. If the dough seems slack and doesn’t hold its shape, add additional flour and work into the mass.

Wash and grease the work bowl, then return the dough to it.  Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap.

Leave the bowl at room temperature until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Turn back the plastic wrap and punch down the dough.  Replace the plastic wrap and leave the dough until it has risen again about 45 minutes.

Turn the dough onto the work surface, punch down, and knead briefly to work out the bubbles.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Shape the dough into loaves, place them in the pans, and cover the loaves with plastic wrap or wax paper.

Leave at room temperature until the dough has risen about 1″ above the edge of the pans, 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees 20 minutes before baking.  Put the loaves in the hot oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes until the loaves are golden brown.  The loaves will be done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out dry and clean.

Remove the bread from the oven, turn it out from the pan immediately, and leave on a wire rack to cool.

Notes

To freeze this bread, use a freezer bag or double bag it.  The loaves will keep in the freezer for 6 to 8 months.

• Category: Sandwich Bread
• Method: Yeast
• Cuisine: Amish

Happy Baking!  See you in the kitchen!
Cathy