Dessert

Milk Bread Recipe for Bread Machine Recipe

Name: Milk Bread Recipe for Bread Machine Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Cuisine: Japanese-inspired
Ingredients: 3/4 cup 2% low fat milk (warmed); 1/4 cup water (room temperature); 60 g unsalted butter (melted, about 1/4 cup); 1 large egg; 1 tsp sea salt; 1 Tbsp unsalted butter (for greasing); 365 g unbleached bread flour (about 2 3/4 cups); 50 g sugar (approx. 3.5 Tbsp); 2 Tbsp milk powder; 7 g instant yeast (1 packet or 2 tsp)

Bynova cole January 6, 2026January 6, 2026

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Introduction

This soft and fluffy milk bread recipe is perfect for making in a bread machine. With a tender crumb and slightly sweet flavor, it’s an everyday bread that’s great for sandwiches or toast. The process is straightforward, yielding consistently delicious results.

Two thick slices of soft white bread are stacked vertically, one on top of the other. Each slice shows a fluffy, light cream-colored inside with a slightly golden-brown crust around the edges. The bread has a smooth, pillowy texture with gentle folds and a fluffy interior. The background is a white marbled surface with a blurred backdrop, focusing all attention on the bread. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

3/4 cup 2% low fat milk (warmed)
1/4 cup water (room temperature)
60 g unsalted butter (1/4 cup, melted)
1 egg
1 tsp sea salt
365 g unbleached bread flour (2 3/4 cups)
50 g sugar (3.5 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp milk powder
7 g instant yeast (1 packet or 2 tsp)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter (for greasing)

Instructions

Step 1: Melt 60 g unsalted butter in the microwave at 50% power for 20–25 seconds until fully melted.
Step 2: Warm the 3/4 cup of 2% milk to bath water temperature; use room temperature water and one egg if your bread machine lacks a preheat function.
Step 3: Add all wet ingredients (milk, water, melted butter, egg) and 1 tsp sea salt into the bread pan. Adding salt with liquids helps avoid yeast inhibition.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, mix 365 g bread flour and 50 g sugar, then add this dry mix on top of the wet ingredients in the bread pan.
Step 5: Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and add 7 g instant yeast inside. Add 2 Tbsp milk powder to one corner of the pan.
Step 6: Place the bread pan in the machine and run a full Basic Dough cycle, which takes about 1 hour 50 minutes including two proves. If your machine doesn’t have this cycle, use a stand mixer and follow your usual dough recipe.
Step 7: After the cycle, punch down the dough and transfer it to a floured surface. Divide it into two equal pieces, knead lightly, and shape each into a tight ball. If your machine has a custom rise function, place the dough balls back in the pan side by side and let them rise for 30 minutes. Otherwise, place each ball in separate bowls covered with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise in a warm spot (or 100℉ oven) for about 20 minutes.
Step 8: Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin. Roll out each dough ball into a thick rectangle about 12 inches long and 4–5 inches wide. Fold the top 3 inches down, then fold the bottom up the same way to make a square shape. Roll it tightly into a log.
Step 9: Lightly butter the sides of the bread pan with 1 Tbsp unsalted butter. Place the two dough logs side by side into the pan.
Step 10: Return the pan to the machine and set it to rise for 1 hour or until the dough rises to about 70% of the pan height. Without a custom rise setting, let rise at room temperature or in a 100℉ oven for about 40 minutes.
Step 11: Bake for 50 minutes, selecting your preferred crust setting (medium is recommended). Optionally, brush the top with milk or egg white before baking for a slight shine. Note that bread machine baking won’t produce a golden crust like an oven, but the bread will have excellent taste and texture.

Tips & Variations

Using warmed milk helps activate the yeast and improves dough texture.
If you don’t have milk powder, try substituting with the same amount of powdered non-dairy creamer or omit it entirely for a softer crumb.
Brush the finished bread with melted butter for extra softness and flavor after baking.
For an enriched flavor, swap 2 Tbsp of bread flour with cake flour.

Storage

Store milk bread wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the bread wrapped well for up to 2 months. To reheat, toast slices directly or warm the whole loaf in a low oven (about 300℉) for 10–15 minutes.

How to Serve

A close-up view of a freshly baked loaf of bread with two rounded, golden brown tops that have a smooth but slightly cracked texture. The bread is inside a blue bread pan with a cream-colored interior, sitting on a white marbled surface. The crust is soft and light brown on one side, darker on the other, showing a perfect bake. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use whole milk instead of 2%?

Yes, whole milk works perfectly and will make the bread slightly richer in flavor.

What if my bread machine doesn’t have a dough cycle?

You can prepare the dough manually using a stand mixer or by hand following similar steps, then proceed with shaping, rising, and baking the bread in a conventional oven.