Pullman Pan Bread: My Bread Machine Shortcut (and How to Make It from Scratch)
There’s something about the smell of fresh bread filling the kitchen that makes a house feel like home. I make bread every week—sometimes by hand, sometimes with my bread machine—and this week I tried something new: baking in my Pullman pan.
And let me tell you, this loaf is already half gone!
Why I Love the Bread Machine
Life gets busy. That’s why I often use my bread machine for convenience. You just put the ingredients into the pan in the order the recipe calls for, set the program for the type of bread you want, and let it do the work. While the machine kneads, rises, and bakes, I’m free to move on to other things.
But here’s the good news: you don’t need a bread machine to make this bread. It works just as well if you want to do the mixing and kneading by hand. I’ll include both sets of directions below so you can choose what works best for you.
This is the bread machine that I have if you want to get it: https://amzn.to/4mCWXev I have to say though I did not pay nearly this much for it. You could look for one on Facebook Marketplace or thrift stores. Just be sure you can find the owners manual for it.
What’s Special About the Pullman Pan?
The Pullman pan is a long, lidded loaf pan that gives you that perfect “sandwich bread” shape—straight sides, a nice crust all around, and slices that fit beautifully in the toaster.
You can get the one I have here: https://amzn.to/46S8l1n
You certainly don’t have to use one, but I wanted to try it out and I really like the outcome. It makes neat slices, which are perfect for sandwiches or toast. Next up, I plan to try my wheat bread recipe in it.
Recipe: Pullman Pan White Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm milk -I pop mine in the microwave for thirty seconds
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups bread flour
- 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
Method 1: Bread Machine
- Add ingredients to the bread machine pan in the order listed: water, butter, sugar, salt, flour, then yeast on top.
- Select “basic white bread” program (about 3–4 hours depending on your machine).
- For a Pullman pan shape, remove the dough before the last rise, transfer to the greased Pullman pan, cover, and let rise for about 45 minutes in a warm place. Then bake at 350°F for about 30–35 minutes.
- Cool before slicing (if you can wait that long!).
Method 2: By Hand
- Mix warm water, butter, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let sit until foamy (about 5 minutes).
- Stir in flour and salt, then knead on a floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled (about 1 hour).
- Punch down the dough, shape into a log, and place into a greased Pullman or standard loaf pan.
- Cover and let rise again until the dough just crowns the pan (30–40 minutes).
- Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
- Cool before slicing.
Final Thoughts
Bread making doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you use a bread machine for the convenience or knead by hand for the experience, the result is the same: a warm, crusty loaf that disappears fast.
The Pullman pan gives this bread a perfect sandwich shape, but you can use any pan you have. The important thing is that you’ll have a homemade loaf ready for sandwiches, toast, or just tearing off a slice while it’s still warm.
And in this house? A fresh loaf never lasts long.
And it makes the house smell heavenly.
