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.
Jamie Lee
Hello! I want to make it in a loaf pan (9x4). Should it be divided into 2 as well or will it make just one? Thank you for your time and the recipe!
Emma Fajcz
You're welcome, Jamie Lee! I'd recommend splitting the dough into two smaller loaves. Otherwise, it may get a little too big in a smaller loaf pan like that.
Cheryl
Can I use just Active Yeast and not Rapid Yeast?
Thank You!
Emma
Yes, you can use active dry yeast, but you'll need to dissolve in the warm water and honey that's in the ingredients and let it stand until foamy, about 10 minutes, before using. Happy baking, Cheryl!
Price
made this for my kids and they love it.
Emma
That's wonderful to hear, Price! Thank you for your review!
Deanna L
White mountain bread is my husbands favorite bread (he grew up in FL and worked at Publix as a teenager even). I would like to make this for him but I have fast acting yeast (not instant) so it requires 10 minutes in warm water to bubble and do it’s thing. How does that impact the order for making this bread? I don’t want to waste ingredients. Do I just mix the flour and salt together and then had the water and yeast after 10 minutes like I would for my other breads I make?
Emma
Fast action and instant yeast are the same thing, and they don't require blooming; however, active dry yeast does. I'd recommend adding the honey to the yeast/water mixture, as that will feed the yeast and encourage it to activate. You can stir the flour and salt together and let it sit while the yeast is blooming. I hope you and your husband enjoy this recipe! Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Emma
Hi,
Should the water be room temperature or cold? My dough seems a little dry and I added extra water.
Emma
You can use room temperature or warm (115°F) water. Cool to room temp water will make the dough rise slower, while warmer water helps it rise faster.
Laura Temple
Followed exactly with bread flour and used my instant pots yogurt cycle for the rise and it’s the best bread I’ve ever made, perfect. I didn’t even butter it because of the flavor. Great recipe
Emma
I'm glad you enjoyed it so much, Laura! Thank you!
Mariah
My dough isn’t sticky at all! I added more water and it got weird. It’s a pretty tough dough so it’s impossible to “fold in the seams tight” on the bottom. Should I just add more water until it’s sticky?
Emma
Without seeing the dough, it's hard to see what the problem is. Did you measure the ingredients accurately? Did you make any substitutions? Keep in mind that you may have to add more water than the recipe states depending upon the humidity in the room and the brand of flour you're using. Gradually kneading more water into the dough should solve the problem. If you have any further questions, please let me know!
Jen
Absolutely amazing ! A new favorite !
Emma
That's wonderful to hear, Jen! So glad that this is a new favorite for you.
Keith Keefer
I made the loaf as stated and my wife and I ate two thirds of it the first day. The mountain bread I get at Publix has a soft crust and mine was hard. What do you think of lowering the temperature and cook it longer? Either way I’m still going to make this recipe, I put butter and jelly on a slice and my wife is compelled to take half of it. Thanks
Emma
Hi Keith, I'm so glad that you and your wife enjoyed the mountain bread so much! For a softer crust, sift the bread flour before making the bread and don't use steam in the oven while the loaf bakes. If that still makes the crust too hard for your liking, you can lower the temperature to 400 F for baking.
Lucille
Used the kitchen aid which makes it easy and no mess. I should have measured my water better, I dissolve the yeast first just an old habit I have. Came out great ! Crisp brown crust soft and light inside
Emma
I'm so glad that you enjoyed it and that it turned out good. 🙂 Dissolving the yeast in the water is needed only if you're using active dry yeast. I always use fast-action (aka instant) yeast in my recipes to omit this step.
Native Girl Baking
How did you make the design on the loaf? I’m new to baking breads and my father loves white mountain bread. He actually sent this recipe to me. I’m sure he was wanting me to bake it for him and just didn’t say anything lol.! So anyway does it automatically turn white like that as well? It’s very beautiful and looks amazing. I hope mine will turn out like the one in the picture if not I will keep trying.
Emma
I used a special knife called a lame to cut the designs. If you're really into bread baking, I'd highly recommend getting a lame, because using a regular kitchen knife to score the bread is much more tricky. The particular design I used was inspired by Anna Gabur from Bread Journey on Instagram; although I'd recommend a simpler slashing pattern for beginners.
To make the crust white, spritz the loaf with water and gently rub it in to the loaf. Gently rub in the flour. I hope you and your Dad enjoy the mountain bread--please leave a star rating once you've tried it! 🙂
Whitney Sanders
is the temperature 400 or 425 as the recipe portion says preheat to 425 and the upper part with images says 400.
Emma Fajcz
425°F is correct. 400°F was a typo. Thanks!
Emily
Can this be made in a bread machine ?
Emma
Hi Emily,
I've never made this bread recipe in a bread machine, so I'm not sure how it would turn out. 🙂 Feel free to experiment and let me know how it works for you!