Ready to make this copycat Publix white mountain bread from scratch instead of buying it? Follow along with this simple recipe, and you'll be able to enjoy a tasty loaf in a few hours!
Looking for more great bread recipes? Don't miss this Cuban bread or these hoagie rolls.
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need to make your own loaf of Publix copycat white mountain bread? Fortunately, you'll only need 6 basic ingredients.
- Bread Flour: Make sure to use bread flour instead of all-purpose. This type of flour has a higher protein content, which creates more gluten in the dough and gives the mountain bread a better rise and nicer texture.
- Yeast: I prefer to use instant (fast-action) yeast in bread recipes, as it allows one to skip the 10-minute blooming in warm water and sugar that active dry yeast requires. Feel free to use either type, though.
- Honey: This sweetens the dough and improves the texture of the mountain bread. You can substitute with an equal volume of maple syrup if you don't have any honey.
- Butter: This softens the texture and adds flavor to the bread. I like to use unsalted butter, as it allows me to control the amount of salt in my bakes.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Publix White Mountain Bread
Gather the ingredients: flour, salt, yeast, water, butter, and honey.
- Autolyse: Mix the salt and yeast into the flour, making sure the salt doesn't touch the yeast, then mix in the butter, honey, and water, making sure all the flour is picked up. The dough will be dry. Let the dough sit for 30 minutes. (image 1)
- Stretch & Fold 1: Scoop your hand under the dough and stretch it up, then let it fold back on itself. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat until you've gone all the way around the bowl. (image 2)
- Stretch & Fold 2: Repeat step 2 again, then let the dough rest for 30 minutes. (image 3)
- Stretch & Fold 3: Repeat step 2 again, then let the dough rest for 30 minutes. (image 4)
- Bulk Fermentation: Let the dough rest for 45-60 minutes, or until it's almost doubled in size. (image 5)
- Meanwhile, prepare the banneton (cane basket) by spraying it with water and dusting with flour. Use a generously greased and floured bowl if you don't own a banneton. (image 6)
- To shape the dough into a round loaf, turn it out onto a floured surface and punch it down into a rough rectangle. (image 7)
- Fold it in thirds, like a letter. (image 8)
- Repeat step 7-8 and shape it roughly into a ball. (image 9)
- Cup your hands around the loaf and scrape it across the work surface to tighten the shape. Turn it 90 degrees and repeat until you have a nice round loaf. (image 10)
- Proving: Place the loaf seam side up in the banneton and let it rise until springy to the touch, about 45-60 minutes.
- Scoring: Turn out the risen loaf onto parchment and score in an X with a lame or sharp serrated knife.
- Bake at 425°F for 30-40 minutes, or until the loaf has an internal temperature of 200°F. Cover with foil if needed. (image 13)
- Let it cool completely on a wire rack, then slice and enjoy! (image 14)
Recipe FAQs
White mountain bread is healthy when enjoyed in moderation. It contains a lot of carbs and not a lot of fiber since it's made from processed white flour rather than whole wheat flour.
Mountain bread often refers to a Lebanese flatbread that originated in the mountains, but we're not sure why Publix decided to call this bread mountain bread. It's likely due to the fact that the loaf resembles a mountain covered with snow.
Yes, Publix makes their bread from scratch at each bakery location. They use a mix manufactured at Publix's headquarters in Lakeland, Florida. The loaves are freshly baked throughout the day.
Per 2 ounces of mountain bread, the Publix loaf contains 160 calories and 31g of carbs and 1g of fiber. This copycat recipe contains 179 calories, 33g carbs, and 1g fiber per slice.
Leftovers: The mountain bread will keep for about 2 days at room temperature. Make sure it's sealed inside of a zip-top plastic bag to keep it moist. Don't store it in the fridge; the air in the fridge will make it go stale very quickly.
Freezing: Seal it in a zip-top plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in a low oven, toaster, microwave, or on the counter.
Serve
This Publix copycat white mountain bread is perfect in a sandwich or served with soups like sausage and gnocchi soup or ham and bean soup. Toast it to make amazing croutons, too. Our favorite way to enjoy mountain bread is just with butter, though!
Expert Tips
- Always use bread flour. You won't get the very best results with all-purpose because it lacks the protein content.
- We wouldn't recommend baking the loaf in a Dutch oven or covered with a metal bowl while baking. Baking the loaf in such a steamy environment will make the crust too thick and hard.
- Want a sandwich loaf? After the first rise, punch it down and shape into a rectangle the width of a loaf pan. Roll it up tightly, pinching the seam to seal and place inside the pan. Proceed with the recipe as written--omitting the part about the baking stone.
- Have leftovers? Eat within 24 hours of baking for best freshness, or seal in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month.
Other Yeast Breads to Try
Recipe
Easy White Mountain Bread
Ingredients
- 4 ¼ cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons fine salt
- 3 teaspoons fast-action yeast
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ cups filtered water
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Autolyse: Place the flour in a large bowl and add the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl. Stir in each with your finger. Mix in the butter, honey, and water, making sure all the flour is picked up, then cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. The dough will be very dry at this stage.
- Stretch & Fold 1: Wet your hand, scoop it under the dough, and pull it up, then fold the dough back over itself. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and do another stretch and fold. Repeat until you've done 4 stretch and folds and have gone all the way around the bowl. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch & Fold 2-3: Do the stretch and fold process two more times, letting the dough rest for 30 minutes between each set. The dough will change dramatically during this process, becoming smooth and stretchy.
- Bulk Fermentation: Shape the dough into a smooth ball, cover it, and let it rise at room temperature for 45-60 minutes, or until about doubled in size.
Shaping
- Prepping the Banneton: Lightly spritz a banneton (cane proving basket) with water and sprinkle with flour. Alternatively, use a generously greased and floured bowl.
- Knocking Back: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and punch it down, shaping it roughly into a rectangle.
- Shaping: Fold the rectangle in thirds, like a letter. Flatten it again into a rectangle and fold into thirds again, then shape roughly into a circle. Cup your hands around the loaf and scrape the dough across the work surface to tighten the skin on the loaf. Turn the loaf and repeat until you have a nicely shaped round loaf.
- Preheat: Turn the oven to 425°F and slide a baking stone (or two stacked cookie sheets) into the oven to preheat.
- Proving: Place the loaf seam side up in the banneton, cover, and let it rise at room temperature until springy to the touch and not quite doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.
Baking
- Scoring: Turn the risen loaf out onto a sheet of parchment paper, then use a lame (or sharp serrated knife) to score a deep X onto the top of the loaf.
- Baking: After 45 minutes of preheating, the oven should now be at least 400°F inside. Slide the loaf and paper onto a cake lifter and transfer it to the hot stone in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the loaf has an internal temperature of at least 200°F. Cover it with foil if the crust starts getting dark.
- Cooling & Serving: Let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving, approximately 1-2 hours. Enjoy this fresh bread!
Video
Notes
- Don't substitute all-purpose for the bread flour. Bread flour contains more gluten than all-purpose, resulting in a higher rise and more chewy texture.
- We wouldn't recommend baking the loaf in a Dutch oven or covered with a metal bowl while baking. Baking the loaf in such a steamy environment will make the crust too thick and hard.
- Don't want to have a round loaf? After the first rise, punch it down and pat into a rectangle the width of a loaf pan. Roll it up tightly, pinching the seam to seal and place inside the pan. Proceed with the recipe as written--omitting the part about the baking stone.
- Have leftovers? Eat within 24 hours of baking for best freshness, or seal in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Keith
I made this just as the recipe said, it looks like I’ll be making it a lot. My wife said it was as good as Publix and she is my biggest critic. Anyone that doesn’t like mountain bread never tried this recipe.
Emma Fajcz
I'm so glad that you and your wife enjoyed the bread, Keith! Thanks so much for your kind words. I hope you guys enjoy this bread many more times!