Jimmy Johns Bread

6/26/2015

I think we can all agree that Jimmy Johns bread is the bomb. It is by far the best bread available at any of the sandwich chain restaurants. The lightly browned crust and chewy, bagel-like interior is just sandwich bread perfection. It almost seems a shame to add lunch meat and toppings to such a delicious piece of bread.

I have attempted to recreate this yummy bread at home and to make a long story short - it was kind of a disaster. It came out flat and nothing at all like the bread that you get at Jimmy Johns.

After a LOT of suggestions, tips, comments and encouragement from my faithful followers, I decided to revisit my Jimmy Johns recipe with the advice from my readers. This time around, it was MUCH better. Thank you to everyone who sent a comment or word of encouragement to inspire me to not give up on my dream of creating Jimmy Johns bread at home.

Jimmy Johns Bread
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/3 cup oil
3 cups all purpose flour
3 cups bread flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm water

Combine 1 T. sugar, yeast and warm water in mixing bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients and knead until smooth and soft.

Let rise for 1 hour.

Divide into 12 pieces and roll into loaves.

Place on silpat lined baking sheet and let rise 45 minutes. Score with a sharp knife.

Bake 18 minutes at 400.

Check out the inside...

It's entirely possible that I have more pictures of this beautiful bread than I do of my second child.

Thank you Jimmy Johns for this delicious bread. And don't worry - I'll still eat at your restaurant. (Truth is - I don't always have 6 hours to bake my own bread.)

Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

109 Comments

dennis charles

2/26/2016 12:41:40 pm

Mike361

4/24/2016 11:04:34 am

I halfed the recipe so would fit in my bread machine on the bread dough cycle, made it into three loaves let it double in the oven,turned out delicious !

Francis

7/30/2020 05:09:46 am

if you halfed the recipe, how much oil did you use; if the full recipe calls forb1/3 cup oil?

Andrew Radil

10/21/2020 03:09:24 pm

1/6 cup

Renee

10/29/2020 11:52:49 am

1/6 is half of 1/3

Scott Hanson

12/12/2020 07:39:16 pm

2 Tablespoons and 2 Teaspoons

Bill

11/16/2022 08:21:25 pm

1/3 cup is 16 t spoons so half would be 8 t spoons

Moo12

7/15/2016 04:13:33 pm

Looks like you've got some duplicates with your recipe. Please update/correct it so that others may peruse the recipe. Thanks.

Fancymonk

7/17/2018 10:43:34 am

My wife thought the same thing initially, but the sugar and water amounts at the top of the ingredients list is to prep the yeast. I'm making this right now and so far, so good with the amount listed.

Sofia

3/24/2019 09:13:43 am

Yes the top 3 Ingredients are called the starter in the bread world. It feeds the yeast and gives more flavor to the bread. Truth is, if you let this sit overnight the flavor will be much more noticeable. I've played around with this before.

Jolynn Jarvis

4/2/2019 02:09:52 pm

Do you mean let the dough rise overnight? In the fridge? I’m hoping to get a nice string yeasty flavor, would that be correct? Thanks!

Amy Davis link

4/2/2019 06:12:49 pm

Jolynn - I either let my dough rise on the counter for an hour OR I cover it and put it in the refrigerator overnight. I've been told that the overnight refrigeration method produces a more "yeasty" dough but I don't really notice much of a difference. Hope that helps. Good luck.

dan o

2/20/2021 06:51:09 am

if you use instant yeast you can cut out that proof step and just throw all the ingredients together and mix but still make sure you TEMP your water between 105-115 that is the most important step if you want a properly risen bread.

Amy Amy Davis link

2/20/2021 07:47:06 am

That is a great question. The short answer is - I don't know. I've substituted instant yeast in this recipe but I used the same process. If you give it a try - Id love to hear how it works out though. Sorry that I couldn't be more help. Amy

Ash

10/20/2016 03:39:56 pm

What kind of oil do you use?

10/23/2016 08:32:09 pm

I prefer canola oil but I would love to hear your results if you tried other oils. Good luck.

Jane link

11/1/2016 03:33:22 pm

What kind of yeast do I use?

Amy link

11/2/2016 07:06:44 am

I use Fleischmann's Instant Dry Yeast. Enjoy!

Spencer

1/2/2022 04:18:07 am

Fleishmann's has a couple different products - ActiveDry Yeast, and RapidRise Instant Yeast. Which one is easiest with your recipe?

1/6/2022 06:53:01 pm

Oh it must be the active dry yeast, because you wouldn't do the proofing (warm water and sugar) with an instant yeast.

1/6/2022 08:58:07 pm

Sorry Spencer about my slow responce time. I use Fleischmans Bread Machine Instant Yeast.

Maria

1/23/2017 01:56:34 pm

Hi, thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I usually have all purpose flour and that seems to be good enough for the bread machine. I am wondering, what is the difference between bread flour and all purpose flour? Does it change the taste or consistency significantly by only using all purpose flour?

Again, thank you for taking the time to share this with us. I cannot wait to make some of my own!

1/23/2017 08:24:47 pm

I am so glad that you stopped by my blog. The biggest difference between bread flour and all purpose flour is that there is more protein in bread flour. The extra protein aids in gluten development making a chewy and elastic product. To compensate, I knead my all purpose flour dough longer in order to bring out more of the gluten in the flour.
Good luck with your bread recipes and let me know how they turn out.

M. A.

2/7/2017 04:44:49 pm

Thank you for shared this recipe, it really look good. I want to know what is the correct amount of warm water, because it said 1/2 cup, and later 1 1/2 cup.

2/7/2017 05:27:46 pm

The answer is actually BOTH. You will use 1/2 cup water to activate the yeast in the beginning of the recipe and then later, you will add an additional 1 1/2 cups of water to make the dough soft and pliable.
Good Luck an have fun.

David

2/24/2017 09:27:13 am

Hi. This is an excellent recipe, and I plan on making it this weekend. I really like Jimmy johns, and especially their bread.

I was curious, can you freeze the loaves after they rise but before baking? I heard for other breads you can freeze at certain stages but have to add more yeast to account for it. Reason I ask is I really like eating at Jimmy Johns a few times a week, and as you can imagine that gets really expensive quickly. If I'm able to freeze the bread somehow, and let rise/cook when I'm going to cook it, that would really make things faster.

Good recipe though, I definitely plan on trying it this weekend. Thanks for sharing!

2/24/2017 10:26:15 am

That is an excellent question. The simple answer is - I have no idea. I have never tried to freeze bread after letting it rising and before baking it. I would LOVE to know if it's possible though. If you give it a try - let me know how it turns out. This would certainly make the bread baking process easier. Thanks for stopping by the blog.

Nina

9/15/2018 12:51:45 am

I’d call the King Arthur flour bakers hotline 1-855-371-2253(available on their website). I’ve called them many times and they always have a seasoned baker ready to help. Love their products and the great customer service.

9/15/2018 07:48:31 am

That is a great idea Nina. A good resource for any baking question for sure. I am a big fan of the King Arthur products as well.

Honey

1/7/2019 04:23:11 am

You can definitely freeze dough before the last proof and baking. I am a culinary arts graduate and I have done it many times. Increase the yeast (double) is correct.

1/12/2019 09:05:45 am

Thank you for the suggestion. I am going to double the yeast and try freezing the dough next time. I'm so glad that you found my blog. Thanks for the input.

6/15/2019 01:15:07 pm

The way to freeze the bread is to par bake it then freeze it. You essentially bake it until it's all baked but no color. And I agree that King Arthur Flour experts can help you figure out more details. Enjoy your baking.

Gabriella

2/28/2017 03:42:36 pm

How do you knead the bread? In your stand mixer? If so, could you please describe how you do that and with what attachment?

2/28/2017 08:39:40 pm

I knead my bread dough in my standing mixer using the dough hook for about 5-6 minutes.

Audra Bennion

7/27/2017 06:53:30 pm

I tried this with my 4.5 qt kitchen aide and its too small.

Cynthia

4/2/2017 04:23:57 pm

can I use instant rising yeast and put all ingredients in the work bowl of my standing mixer?

4/2/2017 04:33:25 pm

I don't see why not. I haven't done it that way but I would encourage you to give it a try.

Debra

6/22/2017 08:52:13 pm

Boy easy simple I nade these for dinner and my husband just loved them.

Audra K Bennion

7/27/2017 06:50:11 pm

What is the temperature the water should be at for warm? I'm thinking the water may have been a little to warm as my bread did not rise. I followed the recipe exact but I had to throw it all away.

7/27/2017 07:12:57 pm

The water should be between 105 and 110 degrees for best results when multiplying dry yeast. A thermapen is a great way to test water temperatures if you have one available. Don't give up - keeping trying.
Amy

jim

9/26/2017 07:35:41 pm

Your yeast may have been expired found that problem with a few recipes. Bought new yeast and elimated problem.

Mary Teresa DeLucia-Todd

6/23/2022 03:38:22 pm

you have to proof yeast it needs to bubble and create a bit of a foam on top of water This way you know it is still a live bacteria which is what causes bread to rise If it does not then your yeast is no good

savannah emery

10/18/2017 11:58:52 am

I really love your bread recipe. Jimmy Johns is my favorite place to eat my bread. Bread is my life

10/28/2017 07:00:36 pm

Bread is my life too. Thank you for stopping by the blog and good luck with your bread baking endeavors.

Mitchell brown

10/18/2017 12:01:27 pm

Your bread is very good thank you for sharing. I will be in my kitchen working on my bread making all night until I get it right.

10/28/2017 07:02:51 pm

I hope that your bread turned out just as delicious as you expected. I love a bread baking day. Thanks for stopping by the blog.
Amy

Denise McKinney

2/24/2018 01:33:29 pm

Well, after reading the reviews, I now know why mine was so dry and crumbly. I didn't add the water at the end. But I did however add two eggs and water little by little to get to a workable dough. It Rose beautifully and now it's shaped in foot long rolls, proofing for another 45. I will check back with how they turned out.

Alayna

5/10/2018 07:52:20 pm

Have you tried kneading by hand? Something went wrong with my bread. The dough was SUPER sticky and baked pretty dense... it looks good but doesn’t taste right. I am wondering if it’s because I kneaded by hand

5/11/2018 06:28:05 am

I've never tried to knead this dough by hand. I've used my standing Kitchen Aid mixer to do the kneading for me every time that I've made it. I don't see why you COULDN'T knead it by hand though.

I'm not sure why your dough was sticky but perhaps the weather played a role in your dough. I know that humidity can definitely mess with my bread dough recipes here in Georgia. All I can suggest is that you add a bit more flour (1 Tablespoon at a time) until your dough is less sticky and able to be handled.

Thank you for your comment and for stopping by my blog.

MARIANNE

5/13/2018 01:38:35 pm

Since Jimmy John's bread is so soft, how long do these breads stay soft and fresh? How do you store them?

5/13/2018 09:20:31 pm

I make a batch of these rolls and store the leftovers in ziploc bags for a couple of days. Anything over 2 days, I toss them in the freezer and they seem to freeze even better than my regular bread recipes.
Good luck and thanks for stopping by the blog.

Margie

7/27/2018 05:29:03 pm

Best sandwiche rolls ever,thanks for sharing. Easy to follow,delicious,soft the best.

7/27/2018 06:41:14 pm

Thank you Margie. I appreciate your feedback and positive comments. Thanks for stopping by the blog.

Nick

8/19/2018 11:10:20 am

Do you use active dry yeast

9/15/2018 07:44:40 am

yes.

Jen

1/14/2020 02:51:45 pm

Thanks - I was going to ask this exact question! Thanks for being so responsive. So many food bloggers aren't.

Zach

10/18/2018 04:12:51 pm

Hey amy,
I was wondering about how long you kneed your bread in the kitchen aid mixer for?

10/24/2018 06:07:25 pm

I knead the dough at least 5 minutes. The longer you knead it, the more gluten (elasticity) that you will bring out of the flour. Thank you for stopping by the blog. Happy baking.

Brad

10/29/2018 03:11:11 pm

Just some random info here. JJ actually spoons out alot of the bread interior as they are making a sandwich. Sounds weird but I saw what I saw. I tried it on there day old bread and it was spot on.

11/5/2018 07:34:52 am

You are exactly right. My favorite part of making sandwiches with this bread is getting to snack on the scooped out inner parts of the roll.
Thanks for bringing up that point and for stopping by the blog.

Sharon

10/31/2018 06:40:02 pm

I just made these rolls and they were delicious and had the perfect texture for a sub sandwich. My first batch was so great I can hardly wait to perfect my technique with these. I am finding bread making a bit challenging in my new home of Albuquerque NM because at slightly over a mile high, breads rise differently here. Some other research I’ve done has suggested I start out at a higher temp so I still baked these for 18 minutes, but did the first 5 minutes at 425, then another 3 minutes at 415, then lowered it to 400 for remaining 10 minutes. Again great taste and texture. I’m gonna fiddle with the temps a little more and see what happens. Thanks a zillion for the recipe.

11/5/2018 07:31:26 am

I am so glad that you made these rolls at a higher altitude and shared your results. I often have people ask me how to adjust a recipe for high altitude baking and I don't have a lot of experience with baking at altitude. It's nice to know what worked for you so I can pass along those tips to other readers. I'm so glad that you found my blog and are using my recipes.

Farazdak

4/16/2019 11:58:19 am

I just want to say hi from Singapore to everyone here. I like everyone here and their comments. Thank you Amy for your patience and replying everyone.
Can I add one question ?
Is this bread is similar to subway bread?
If I change oil to butter what actually will happen to bread's texture?

4/16/2019 07:53:26 pm

Greetings in Singapore. Subway white bread is slightly softer than this chewier bread. I swap oil for butter in bread recipes quite often because my father doesn't eat butter. I haven't noticed a significant difference in the texture or quality of the bread when I swap out the butter. I haven't tried it in this particular recipe but I imagine that it would work just fine. Let me know if you give it a try and how it turns out. Thanks for stopping by the blog.

Cindy

6/17/2019 08:01:15 pm

Have you ever tried making small buns to make sliders from this dough? I am trying to copy the Jimmy John's Turkey sub in slider form.
Thanks!

8/18/2019 08:47:02 am

Sorry about the delay in responding. I HAVE made this recipe in slider form and it worked out beautifully. I hope that you will give it a try - you will NOT be disappointed. Thanks for stopping by the blog.

Chad

8/18/2019 12:51:56 am

I can't seem to get my bread to brown nice and evenly like your pics within 20 min bake time.. any ideas? Thanks

8/18/2019 08:45:20 am

All ovens are different and cooking times can vary greatly from oven to oven. It's possible that you just need to bake your bread slightly longer. Try experimenting with where you place the bread in your oven as well. I have better luck browning bread, the closer to the top of the oven that I place them to bake. Keep at it - it is worth the effort. Thanks for stopping by the blog.

Angie Pacha

9/21/2019 11:47:56 pm

Do I have to use a silpat mat to make this bread?

Eric Scott

1/7/2020 12:38:51 pm

Does the bowl, used for dough to rise, need to be greased?

Thanks - Eric

1/7/2020 12:41:35 pm

You definitely want to grease the bowl that you use to rise the dough. I spray mine lightly with a cooking spray before I add the dough. Good luck with your bread baking. Amy

1/14/2020 02:44:25 pm

Great recipe! Thanks for posting. Now - when you find a copycat recipe for Schlotzsky's sourdough bread, let me know!

1/14/2020 02:48:53 pm

P.S. If you could find a way to delete all the political BS from this thread, that would be great. Some of us just come for the fantastic recipes! All the extraneous, non-relavent noise is just distracting.

1/15/2020 09:41:29 am

Agreed. And if YOU see a recipe for it - let me know. I love Schlotzsky's bread.

Eden

4/11/2020 10:35:48 am

Hello from Indonesia! Our family moved back here a couple year ago. Had amazing time in the States and Jimmy John's a big part of our life. Ate their sandwich at least once a week for years. Thank you so very much for sharing this amazing recipe! Just tried it and it is exactly as the legendary Jimmy John's bread! Unbelievable. I and my wife couldn't be more happy today for discovering your recipe. Thank you.

4/13/2020 10:41:36 am

Thank you so much for the feedback. I'm so glad that you found my blog and that you can make the recipes in Indonesia. I appreciate your support. Amy

Carrie Ryan

4/11/2020 11:07:21 am

This recipe is making my quarantine 1000% better

4/13/2020 10:40:02 am

Baking has definitely been my therapy during my self quarantine too. And I'm kind of obsessed with bread recipes right now.🥖 Thanks for stopping by the blog.

Purva Kothari

5/4/2020 03:36:51 pm

Can I just use only all purpose flour instead of bread flour? If using just all purpose flour what should the quantity be?

5/4/2020 03:57:10 pm

You can substitute an equal amount of all purpose flour for the bread flour in this recipe. I usually knead the dough a little longer to bring out more of the gluten in the all purpose flour but other than that - you should be able to achieve similar results with all purpose flour.

Thanks for stopping by the blog and enjoy!!!

Lina

7/27/2020 02:09:14 pm

Thank you sooo much for the recipe! We’ve been eating sandwiches every week during the quarantine. The comment sections answered all of my questions I had! I tried this recipe a few weeks ago, halving the recipe and it was a success. I gobbled the first loaf with some yogurt/butter spread in seconds! It was amazing fresh and days after. I’m back to make more! I luv how simple your recipe is. Thanks for sharing with us!

8/20/2020 05:31:22 pm

I'm so glad that you enjoyed this recipe. It's definitely one of my family's favorites too. Happy baking.

Gabrielle

8/12/2020 05:19:44 pm

Do you have metric measurements for this recipe? I tried to convert but the dough ended up way too wet and sticky.

8/20/2020 05:35:48 pm

I have never tried converting this recipe to metric. I usually this online tool when I have to convert recipe ingredients though.http://www.worldwidemetric.com/measurements.html
You can give it a try and see if that works. You could try adding a Tablespoon of flour at a time to the dough until it isn't quite as sticky next time too. Good luck and thanks for stopping by the blog.

Rose

8/16/2020 04:18:40 pm

Best & easy recipe!!! Loved it - made it today for roadt beef aujus sandwiches tomorrow. I made 8 bigger rolls. Next time I am going to use garlic olive oil, brush seasonings on top. I will be experimenting differents ways since I know this recipe works. Thank you for posting.

8/20/2020 05:33:21 pm

I LOVE the idea of brushing this delicious bread with olive oil and seasonings brushed over the loaves. My mouth is watering jus thinking about it.😋 Thanks for sharing.

Alexa

8/22/2020 01:44:33 pm

I’m so excited to try this! But another thought - I worked at Subway for several years in college, and the bread came in frozen dough loaves- long and skinny. Then we’d set them out in silicone baking trays (like this Silicone Perforated Baking Forms Sandwich Mold French Baguette Bread Pan Food Mat 5 Loaf Non-Stick Baking Liners https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WYKVVRG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_EKvqFbSAGAWTW). The loaves would thaw and raise while In this sheet.

So long story short, I’m going to try freezing them so that I can easily set a few out to thaw when I want them!

8/22/2020 08:08:53 pm

I love that idea. Thanks for sharing. Let me know how it works out.
Amy

Sarah

9/12/2020 01:28:48 pm

Does this actually taste like Jimmy Johns? I’m big into bread baking, but i find it very difficult making things that taste 100% identical to restaurants. It often comes down to the brand or ingredients or a starter that they use. Do you have any idea what brand of Flour Jimmy Johns uses?

Regardless, I plan to try this recipe out this week. Thanks!

9/13/2020 09:16:47 pm

I don't know the brand of flour or yeast that Jimmy Johns uses to make their famously delicious bread. I also don't have a proofing drawer or the same ovens that are used in the restaurants. I feel like this recipe is the closest to the "original" that you can get though. It's super delicious and it's great on so many different sandwiches. I hope that you do give it a try and that you love it as much as I do.

Ryan link

11/12/2020 08:54:27 am

Thanks for the great post!

Donna link

1/16/2021 12:49:30 pm

Nice

Benicetoall

1/27/2021 09:27:52 pm

It’s January 2021 and I know this blog and recipe is from 2015 so I just want to say —- OMG I WISH I KNEW THIS EXISTED! I halved the recipe and made 3 loaves - served a French Dip out of left over Pot Roast and they were over the moon. Excellent recipe THANK YOU!

1/30/2021 07:44:57 am

I'm so happy to hear that you found my recipe and that your family enjoyed it. Six years later, it's still one of my favorite bread recipes too. Thanks for taking the time share your experience.😊

Mint

1/29/2021 11:56:20 pm

The first time I tried this recipe, the dough came out dry and crumbly but I went with it anyways and it was a disgusting disaster. The second time, I added more water until it resembled the photo (about 1/4 cup) and reduced the yeast to 2 teaspoons (halved recipe). It's possible the recipe came out different because I made it by hand instead of a stand mixer. This is the best bread recipe I've made yet. The dough was beautifully silky and the finished product is beautiful and fluffy. Thank you for sharing!

1/30/2021 07:50:03 am

Thank you for providing feedback on my recipe. I'm always interested in hearing about people's failures (and success) with the recipes on my blog. I'm so glad that you didn't give up on it all together but gave it another try. Happy baking!

Catharine

3/4/2021 04:19:24 pm

Just waiting for the baking to finish now and it smells so good! Decided to do round buns instead...stay tuned!

Dana link

7/10/2021 07:14:20 am

I plan to make this interesting recipe into two
Regular loaves of bread ( 9 x 5 bread pans )instead of the smaller ones.
What should I do different, please?

7/10/2021 05:58:42 pm

I've never made this in loaf pans but what an awesome idea. I think you should be able to divide the dough between your greased loaf pans and follow the recipe as written. Not sure what the bake time will be but let me know when you find out.😉 I'm also thinking that you might have to cut the recipe in half or use more than 2 loaf pans because this makes a lot of dough. Good luck. Can't wait to hear about your results.

Barbara

8/27/2021 04:09:30 pm

Love this recipe. Nice soft rolls

Anna

4/4/2022 07:34:15 am

Sorry if this is a dumb question/if someone’s already asked - but what kind of oil is used? Like is it vegetable oil or...? Thank you!

4/4/2022 09:32:06 pm

Not a dumb question at all and there are a LOT of comments on this post to scroll through so I don't mind revising the oil question again. I prefer canola oil in my bread recipes but I've also used vegetable and olive oil. My cuban bread uses lard so I really don't think it matters what kind of oil you use - other than the fact that you can taste some oils more than others. Best of luck on your bread baking and thanks for stopping by the blog.

4/13/2022 12:19:55 pm

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I just made the bread today. I realized I added way too much flour when the bread was crumbly and breaking apart before I even set it to rise. I added some more warm water to even it out. When I set it to rise my loaf was WAY to big so the bread ended up being a large circular lump when finished baking. It still tasted very good and I even managed to make a sandwich out of it. Thanks for the recipe! I’ll try harder to measure accurately next time 😅

6/23/2022 03:40:09 pm

what size are the loaves? 12 seems like a lot of read
how many fit on one cookie sheet?

6/24/2022 08:08:14 pm

If you divide your dough into 12 equal portions - you will end up with 12-14" sub rolls. I put 3-4 on a baking sheet so that they don't touch each other when they rise. Good luck and thanks for stopping by the blog.

Bob

9/12/2022 02:36:06 pm

No Jimmy Johns where we moved so can't wait to try this. Just wondering since you posted the original recipe 7 years ago if there is anything you've learned or would change today?

9/15/2022 10:24:47 am

That is a great question. I still use this recipe to make bread - exactly the way it's written. Sometimes I double it to make extra loaves to freeze but other than than - I haven't made any changes. I can't wait for you to try it. Enjoy!

Laura

1/30/2023 01:12:35 pm

How long would you knead? 4-5 min?

2/2/2023 04:10:26 pm

I typically don't time the kneading process but I think it's about 5 minutes. The kneading time also depends on the flour that you use. If you use a high protein flour like King Arthur, it will take less kneading to bring out the gluten in the dough. When in doubt - add another minute to the kneading process. Good luck and thanks for stopping by the blog.

Jimmy Johns Bread

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