Exceptional Condensed Milk Bread Machine Recipe

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Preview: This Exceptional Condensed Milk Bread recipe is designed to mix and knead in a bread machine. The soft and fine texture of this loaf will remind you of Wonder Bread. No worries if you don’t have a bread machine. See the recipe notes to make this loaf by hand or with a stand mixer.

A soft and tender white bread loaf is not for everyone. But if you count white bread as one of your guilty pleasures, this is the best recipe I have to offer. It’s worth the carb splurge.

When living in Europe as a teenage exchange student, my “family” laughed at me for eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They claimed only small children would normally enjoy such food.

Come to think of it…maybe it’s because they didn’t have Wonder bread. I can’t imagine a PB & J on French bread or ciabatta.

Sliced loaf of Sweet Milk Soft White Bread

Ingredients and Substitutions:

WATER: I like to use spring water if I have it since I don’t care for the chlorine in our tap water. But spring water can get expensive if you make a lot of bread. Instead, I keep tap water that has set on my counter for 24 hours to let the chlorine evaporate.
SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK: This milk is a key ingredient in this recipe. If you don’t have sweetened condensed milk in your pantry or can’t find it where you live, you can make it at home with this recipe. I make half a recipe (the perfect amount) and it’s quite good.

Cream of coconut is another product that would make a wonderful substitute if you don’t mind a slight coconut flavor.
SALT: Use table salt or sea salt.
BUTTER: Use softened butter, not melted butter.
BREAD FLOUR: You could use all-purpose flour but bread flour contains more protein and will help your bread rise a little higher. If using all-purpose flour, hold back a couple tablespoons of water and only add if you need them to make the dough stick to the sides of the bread machine pan and pull away cleanly as it kneads.
YEAST: Bread machine or instant yeast is always my first choice for a bread machine recipe. If you only have active-dry yeast, you can use that instead. Although technically, you don’t have to dissolve it before adding it to the bread machine pan, it will start to work faster if you dissolve it first in some of the water called for in the recipe.

FAQ about making this Condensed Milk Bread recipe in a bread machine

Can I freeze sweetened condensed milk?

Once you make this recipe, you will quickly see why we’re talking about this. Only 1/2 cup of sweetened condensed milk is needed for one recipe. That means you’ll have a lot leftover.

Yes, you can freeze sweetened condensed milk in the freezer for up to three months.

You can leave it in the refrigerator if you think you can use it within 3 weeks.

What if I don’t have the exact size bread pan specified in the recipe?

That’s OK. Don’t go any smaller than noted in the recipe, but you can go a little bigger. However, pay attention and don’t let your bread rise more than double its original size.

Actually, you can use a smaller pan. Pull out some of the dough and make rolls with it, instead.

Another solution? Buy a 9 x 4 x 4-inch Pullman bread pan. It will work for nearly all of the “loaf” recipes on this website. The higher sides make it useful for a wider range of recipe sizes.

My bread got too brown on top before it got done in the middle. How can I avoid that?

I recommend you set your timer for halfway through the cooking time. Check the bread. Most likely it is already golden brown on top but a long way from completely baked.

Shield the loaf by draping foil loosely over the dome. You could also try using a lower shelf to bake your bread the next time.

How can I tell if my bread is ready to take out of the oven?

Check it with a quick-read thermometer. The temperature in the middle of the loaf should read 200˚ F.

You run the risk of the loaf falling or caving in on the sides if it is still doughy.

If I go ahead and bake this bread in my bread machine, will it turn out OK?

Maybe. It depends on many different factors (e.g. the brand of the bread machine, humidity, type and brand of flour, temperature in the room, etc.).

Hoping you get lucky and the machine will produce a decent loaf of bread. You can expect the crust to be thicker and somewhat chewy.

Most of the recipes on this blog were originally written for baking the dough in a bread machine. However, because of the variability of the previously mentioned factors, I find it much more reliable to bake the bread in my oven.

Does the temperature of the water and milk need to be warm or cool or does it matter?

Good question. Here’s the deal.

Warming the water (100 to 110˚ F) and milk will make the yeast act faster and consequently, the dough will rise quicker.

Starting with cool water (room temperature) and milk will cause the bread to take a bit longer to rise. This makes for better flavor development of the yeast.

Since you are using only the DOUGH cycle as opposed to the entire bread cycle from mixing to baking, you get to pick your priority.

How can I tell if the dough has risen enough at the end of the DOUGH cycle?

Remember to test the dough at the end of the DOUGH cycle by poking it lightly with two fingers. If the holes immediately fill in, leave the dough in the bread machine pan to continue rising.
The holes left by your fingers should fill in slowly. If they don’t fill in at all, the dough may be over-proofed.

Comment from a reader: “Your sweet milk soft white bread has been my go-to bread for years. It’s delicious and makes wonderful gifts. People always ask for more…. I solved the left-over condensed milk problem: I just make two loaves and freeze one!”
—Peggy

sweet milk soft white bread--sliced in a basket

Because I want perfection in exchange for all those calories, I prefer to bake almost all of my bread recipes in a conventional oven.

How to make Condensed Milk Bread in a bread machine:

ingredients in bread machine pan — **Place all ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order listed in the recipe.**

mixing dough in bread machine — **Choose the dough cycle. Check dough periodically to make sure the texture is not too wet or too dry.**

dough mixed in bread machine is ready to shape — **When the dough cycle is complete, remove the dough onto a floured surface to shape.**

forming ball — **Form into a smooth ball.**

rolling out dough — **Roll out dough into a rectangle shape with the long side approximately 2 inches longer than the length of your pan. Be sure to “smoosh” out the air bubbles around the edges.**

dough rolled up with ends tucked — **Roll up starting with the long edge. Tuck the ends under so your loaf looks rounded.**

pan holding shaped dough covered with a cheap shower cap — Place dough into your bread pan and cover. (I like to use a cheap shower cap.) When doubled in size, place into a preheated oven and bake at 375 degrees F for 35-40 minutes. Cover with foil halfway through if the top is getting too brown.

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If you have a question or tip to share, please leave it in the regular comments after the recipe so I can answer back. Or email me: paula at saladinajar.com.

Thank you for visiting!
Paula

Yield: 12 servings

Bread Machine White Bread with Condensed Milk Recipe

A finely-textured loaf of soft white bread--mixed, kneaded, and proofed in a bread machine, but shaped by hand and baked in a conventional oven for the best of both worlds.

Prep Time 3 hours

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup (8 ounces) water (room temperature) (227 gr)
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (156 gr)
1 teaspoon salt (6 gr)
1 tablespoon butter (room temperature) (14 gr)
3 cups (+) bread flour (360 grams)
2 scant teaspoons instant yeast (6 gr)

Instructions

Add ingredients to the bread pan in the order listed.
Select the DOUGH cycle and start.
Raise the lid and check dough after about 10 minutes. Add flour one tablespoon at a time, if necessary, until dough reaches the correct consistency. It should come together in a ball that sticks to the side of the pan, then pulls away cleanly. If dough thumps against the side of the pan, add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is sticky and doesn't pull away from the side, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough starts to form a slightly sticky ball.
Remove dough from the pan at the end of the dough cycle and place onto a lightly floured board. Knead by hand a little bit to press out any large air bubbles.
Roll into a rectangle approximately 9 x 11 inches. Roll up starting from the long end, and tuck ends to fit into greased 9 x 4-inch loaf pan. Let rise until the dough is doubled from its original size. Because this dough is a "high-riser," be careful not to let the dough rise too much or it will cave in on the sides and/or the top.
Preheat oven 15 minutes before you estimate your loaf will be ready.
Bake at 375˚F for 35-45 minutes. The Interior should reach 190 degrees. (My favorite quick-read thermometer for the task.) Place a foil tent over bread halfway through baking to protect from over-browning.
Allow cooling for 15 minutes before turning out to cool completely. It's best if you wait at least two hours before slicing so the loaf will hold its shape without squishing under the pressure of a knife.

Notes

If your loaf has a tendency to rise too much before baking, decrease the yeast by 1/2 teaspoon.

Alternate Mixing Instructions:

Directions for making bread with a stand mixer or by hand:

To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer, add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on low to mix until all ingredients are moistened. Using a dough hook, turn speed to 2 or 3 and continue beating/kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic (about 5-10 minutes). Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
If making by hand, combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead with your hands until dough becomes smooth and elastic, a process that will likely take 10-20 minutes depending on your experience. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.

Please note: You can substitute active dry yeast for instant or bread machine yeast. There is no longer any need to dissolve it. Be aware that it may be a little slower acting than instant yeast, but it'll get there.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12 servings

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 175Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 202mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 5g

This recipe is slightly adapted from The Bread Machine Magic Book of Helpful Hints by Linda Rehberg & Lois Conway.

Mollie

Thursday 19th of August 2021

Ok... I make this bread at least twice a week. My husband and I LOVE It! We don’t even buy store bought bread now. I slice it with an electric knife and place in freezer bags. We take out the slices as needed. This recipe is awesome! Thank you so much for sharing.

Paula

Friday 20th of August 2021

Mollie,

I'm so glad you liked this recipe. I couldn't agree more. Thanks for taking the time to write.

Teresa J Willis

Friday 13th of August 2021

I'm just now baking my third loaf of this winner! I think I posted before but I have since graduated to shower caps, oh what a crazy great idea, so excellent for "bread" I also love that you give the measurements since I have also graduated to my scale. Thank you for some great bread & tips!!

Appreciate your feedback, Teresa. Thank you. I couldn't agree more about the shower caps. So much better than a tea towel.

Kelly

Tuesday 9th of February 2021

This bread is fantastic! And your explanations are wonderful! I get consistent, delicious results! Thank you for sharing your expertise with us! *just made the pretzel rolls... Oh my! Sooo good!

Thank you, Kelly. Love hearing this.

Robie

Sunday 17th of January 2021

Thanks for Sharing, I’m going to try this recipe today. Can I double the recipe? Or do I have to make them one at a time?

I don't normally recommend doubling recipes in a bread machine because it can be hard on the machine. If you hear the machine straining, or getting hot, I would stop it immediately. Sometimes I make one batch and pull out the dough as soon I hear the kneading end. (usually after 30 minutes) Put that dough in a different bowl to rise. Start the second batch immediately resetting to the DOUGH cycle again. This time, I leave that dough in the machine to rise. Usually, by the time the first dough has doubled in size and I shape it, the second batch is ready to be shaped. Hope this helps.

Sarah

Thursday 14th of January 2021

Melted or softened butter?

Friday 15th of January 2021

Hi Sarah,

I modified the recipe to say "room temperature." The general rule for most bread recipes is that all ingredients should be room temperature. That means the butter will be softened. Thanks for writing so I could make that correction.