🍞 Fluffy Milk Bread Loaf (Soft & Pillowy)
This is a classic super soft, slightly sweet Japanese-style milk bread that stays fluffy for days.
🧾 Ingredients
Dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour for extra fluffiness)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- Âľ cup warm milk
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp butter (softened)
Optional (for extra softness):
- 2 tbsp milk powder
👨‍🍳 How to make it
1. Activate & mix
- In a bowl, mix warm milk + sugar + yeast
- Let sit 5–10 minutes until slightly foamy (if using active yeast)
2. Make dough
- Add flour, salt, egg, and milk mixture
- Mix until a rough dough forms
3. Knead
- Knead for 8–12 minutes (by hand or mixer)
- Add butter and continue kneading until smooth and elastic
4. First rise
- Cover and let rise for 1–1.5 hours, until doubled in size
5. Shape
- Punch down dough
- Divide into 3–4 balls and place in a loaf pan
6. Second rise
- Let it rise again for 30–60 minutes, until puffy
7. Bake
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25–30 minutes
- Top should be golden brown
8. Cool
- Let cool before slicing for best texture
🍽️ Result
- Super soft, fluffy crumb
- Slightly sweet taste
- Perfect for toast, sandwiches, or plain with butter
đź’ˇ Tips for extra fluffiness
- Don’t skip kneading (gluten = softness)
- Use warm—not hot—milk
- Add butter after initial mixing for better texture
- Let it rise fully both times
If you want, I can also give you a no-knead version, eggless version, or bakery-style ultra-squishy version.
