Sandwich bread calculator
A soft, even-crumbed white sandwich loaf with a little butter, sugar and milk powder. Set the dough weight for your pan and bake.
Formula baker's % of total flour
Batch size
Preferment
Water temperature
Use water at 68°F
78 × 3 − (70 + 72 + 24) = 68
Your recipe
| Ingredient | Baker's % | Total formula | Mix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 100% | 472 g | 472 g |
| Water | 60% | 283 g | 283 g |
| Salt | 2% | 9.4 g | 9.4 g |
| Instant yeast | 1.2% | 5.7 g | 5.7 g |
| Butter | 8% | 38 g | 38 g |
| Sugar | 5% | 24 g | 24 g |
| Milk powder | 4% | 19 g | 19 g |
| Total | 180.2% | 850 g | 850 g |
Sandwich bread formula at a glance
Yield 1 loaf (9 × 5 in pan) · 850 g dough · 60% hydration (61.28% effective) · about 4 hours start to finish.
| Ingredient | Baker's % |
|---|---|
| Bread flour | 100% |
| Water | 60% |
| Salt | 2% |
| Instant yeast | 1.2% |
| Butter | 8% |
| Sugar | 5% |
| Milk powder | 4% |
Why these percentages
Sandwich bread is a lightly enriched dough: butter for softness, sugar for browning and tenderness, and milk powder for a fine crumb and soft crust. At 60% water plus butter it is easy to knead by hand or machine.
Pan size sets the weight. For a 9 × 5 in (23 × 13 cm) pan use 850–950 g, for 8.5 × 4.5 in use 700–750 g, and for a 13 in Pullman pan with the lid on about 1,100 g.
Prefer milk to water? Replace the water with milk at about 115% of the water weight (milk is roughly 87% water) and drop the milk powder — add it as an ingredient and the effective hydration shows the result.
Method
- Mix. Mix everything except the butter for 4 minutes, add the soft butter and mix another 5–6 minutes to a smooth, elastic dough.
- Bulk ferment. Let it rise 1–1½ hours at 78°F (25–26°C) until doubled.
- Shape. Roll into a tight log (or three balls for a tighter crumb) and place seam-down in a greased loaf pan.
- Proof. Proof 45–75 minutes until the dough crowns about 1 inch above the rim.
- Bake. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35–40 minutes until golden and 190°F (88°C) inside.
- Cool. Turn out immediately and cool completely on a rack before slicing.
Tips
- 850 g dough for a 9 × 5 in pan
- Shape as three balls for an even crumb
- Bake to 190°F (88°C) inside
- Cool fully before slicing
Want the reasoning behind the numbers? See baker's percentages explained and the bread hydration chart.
FAQ
How much dough for a 9 × 5 loaf pan?
About 850–950 g of dough. Use 700–750 g for an 8.5 × 4.5 in pan.
What hydration is sandwich bread?
Usually 58–65% water, plus whatever water comes from milk or butter. Softer, Japanese-style loaves go higher.
Can I use all-purpose flour?
Yes. Lower the water 2–3% because all-purpose flour absorbs less, and expect a slightly softer, less tall loaf.