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Sweet Bread

Sweet bread has many ethnic variations; it exists in Italian, Mexican, and Portuguese cuisines, among others. This recipe for sweet bread is not considered a quick bread because it is leavened with yeast. It contains sugar to give it a slightly sweet taste. The Mexican version is called pan dulce, meaning “sweet bread,” and it was introduced by the French and Spaniards during the colonial years.  

Recipe Servings: 20

Prep Time
20 minutes
+ 1 hour 30 minutes resting
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
2 hours 20 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water (110–115°F)
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 1½ Tbsp active dry yeast
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 5½–6 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Directions

  1. Combine the water and sugar in a large bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Add the yeast to the sugar water and let it sit for 10 minutes. It will become frothy.
  3. Mix the salt and oil into the yeast mixture.
  4. Add 1 cup of flour at a time to the yeast mixture. Not all the flour may be used. The dough should form a ball and not be sticky.
  5. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. If it gets sticky, sprinkle more flour on it. At the end you should be able to lift a small portion of the dough without tearing it.
  6. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and cover it with a damp towel.
  7. Let the dough rise for about 60 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
  8. Punch the middle of the dough to pull it from the side of the bowl.
  9. Divide the dough equally and place each piece in a greased 9-inch loaf pan, shaping them to the size of the pan.  
  10. Let the loaves rest uncovered for 30 minutes.
  11. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  12. Bake the loaves for 30 minutes or until they are cooked through. If you’re using a cast iron pan, extend the baking time by about 5 minutes.
  13. Remove the loaves from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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