Whole Wheat Bread
This easy Whole Wheat Bread is perfect for sandwiches, toast, or just enjoying with some softened butter. You will love this soft homemade bread recipe!
This whole wheat bread recipe is perfect for beginning bread bakers. The method for making the bread dough is simple and easy to follow. Don’t be intimidated by baking with yeast, I promise the steps are really easy!
I used to make a more complicated homemade wheat bread recipe, but it called for ingredients that I don’t usually keep on hand in my kitchen. My goal with this recipe was to use simple, wholesome ingredients, so you won’t have to buy anything special just for this recipe. The only ingredients that you’ll need to make this whole wheat bread from scratch are whole wheat flour, honey, yeast, butter, milk, salt and water.
The Best Whole Wheat Bread Recipe
This healthy whole wheat bread has the best flavor, with a touch of honey. The bread is incredibly soft, and I can never resist eating a slice warm from the oven. Once you try it, I’m sure you’ll agree that this is the best whole wheat bread recipe!
Below I’ve also included instructions for how to make this bread with all-purpose flour or bread flour. Whichever you choose, you will have a delicious loaf of bread to use for sandwiches or to serve with dinner. I highly recommend spreading some butter and honey on a slice – it’s so delicious!
You might also enjoy my brioche bun recipe, whole wheat pizza dough and easy yeast rolls.
How to Make Whole Wheat Bread
Here are some tips and answers to common questions about making this bread recipe. You will find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.
Do you have to proof the yeast?
If you are using instant yeast, you can skip the proofing step and just mix all of the ingredients together in your mixer bowl. However, I almost always proof the yeast because it is a good way to tell if your yeast is active (which is necessary for bread to rise). Most yeast that is called active dry yeast (not instant or rapid-rise) needs to be proofed.
To proof yeast, you mix the yeast with the warm water, milk and honey. Let the mixture rest for 5 to 10 minutes. It should become somewhat foamy or bubbly, which means that your yeast are alive and active. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, your yeast may be dead and you should try again with new yeast.
How much flour to use
When you are new to making bread, it can be hard to know how much flour to add. The amount listed in the recipe is a guide, and depending on your particular ingredients and baking conditions, you may need to add a little more flour.
Start by adding 3 cups of flour when making this recipe. You may need to add up to 1/2 cup more flour if the dough is very sticky. The dough has enough flour when it is only slightly sticky to the touch. If a lot of dough sticks to your finger when you press it, add more flour, a tablespoon or two at a time, until the dough is only slightly sticky. Three cups to 3 1/4 cups of whole wheat flour is usually the perfect amount when I make this bread.
How long to knead the dough
Knead the dough using your mixer’s dough hook for about 8 minutes. If you do not have a stand mixer, you can knead by hand, but you may need extra flour to keep the dough from sticking.
Stop the mixer every few minutes, as needed, and use a spatula to scrape the dough away from the sides of the bowl. After kneading, the dough will be a little sticky and very soft. It won’t hold its shape tightly in a ball, but should hold together when you transfer it to an oiled bowl using your hands or a spatula.
How long does the dough need to rise?
This bread dough needs to rise twice, first in an oiled bowl and second in the bread pan. The first rise takes about an hour, until the dough doubles in size. The second rise is shorter, about 20 to 30 minutes. For the second rise, the dough is ready to go into the oven when the top is just above the top of the bread pan, as seen in the photo below.
How do you know when bread is done baking?
Bread is done when the inside measures 190° F on an instant-read thermometer. This whole wheat bread takes 35 to 45 minutes to bake.
Can I use all-purpose flour or bread flour in this recipe?
I tested this recipe with whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and bread flour. The homemade bread was delicious when made with each of these flours.
If you use white flour, either all-purpose or bread flour, you will need to use a little more flour to get a dough that is only slightly sticky. In my tests of this recipe, 3 1/2 cups was the perfect amount for all-purpose flour and bread flour, while 3 to 3 1/4 cups was the perfect amount for whole wheat flour. I recommend starting with 3 cups of whichever flour you choose, and then adding more flour, a little at a time, as needed.
Can I make this whole wheat bread dairy-free?
To make dairy-free bread, replace the milk with water. Use oil instead of butter. I recommend olive oil or a neutral vegetable oil, such as canola oil.
What type of pan is best for baking bread?
I tested this recipe both in a 9 x 5-inch glass loaf pan and an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch metal bread pan. The bread will bake faster in a glass pan than in a metal pan. In the glass pan, my loaf took 37 minutes to bake. In the metal pan it took 43 minutes.
How to Freeze/Store Homemade Bread
Homemade bread can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, wrapped airtight. If it is very warm in your kitchen, I recommend keeping the bread in your refrigerator.
This bread also freezes well. To freeze, cool completely and then slice. Freeze in an airtight container, such as a zip-top bag, for up to 3 months. The slices may stick together slightly when frozen, but you can use a bread knife to gently and easily separate them. Or, you can place a small piece of parchment paper between each slice.
Baking Tips for Whole Wheat Bread Recipe
- You can speed up the first rise by putting the covered bowl with the dough in a warm oven. Heat the empty oven for a few minutes, turn it off, and then put the dough inside.
- After the bread bakes, you can rub butter over the hot top crust to soften and flavor it, if desired.
- Homemade bread slices easiest after it has cooled. Since this bread is so soft, I find that I have to slice it a little thicker than typical sandwich bread.
Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup milk*
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, or instant yeast (1 packet)
- 3 cups whole wheat flour*, plus more as needed
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and softened
Instructions
- Combine the water and milk in a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup or bowl. Warm the milk and water to 105-115° F. (If you do not have a microwave, you can warm them in a pan on the stove.)
- Pour the milk and water into the bowl of a stand mixer.* Add the honey and yeast and stir to combine. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until the yeast starts to foam or bubble. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, your yeast may be dead and you should start over with new yeast.
- Add the flour, salt and butter to the bowl. Mix using the paddle attachment until everything is combined.
- Switch to the dough hook. Knead the dough on low speed for about 8 minutes. The dough should feel slightly sticky when you touch it, but a lot of dough shouldn't stick to your finger. If the dough is very sticky, add more flour, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time. As the dough kneads, stop the mixer every few minutes, as needed, and use a spatula to scrape the dough away from the sides of the bowl. After kneading, the dough will be a little sticky and very soft. It won't hold its shape tightly in a ball, but should hold together when you transfer it to an oiled bowl using your hands or a spatula.
- Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and turn it once to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise for about an hour, until it has doubled in size.
- Grease a 9 x 5-inch or 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch metal or glass bread pan. Use your hands to gently punch down the dough, deflating it and popping any air bubbles. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a ball. Then use your hands to gently pat the ball into a loaf shape. Put the dough in your greased bread pan.
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in the bread pan until the top of the loaf is just above the top of the pan. This should take about 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350° F.
- Bake the bread for 35 to 45 minutes, until the inside registers 190° F on an instant-read thermometer. If using a glass baking pan, the bread will take 35 to 40 minutes. It will take 40 to 45 minutes in a metal pan. If desired, rub the top crust with butter as soon as the bread comes out of the oven.
- Let the bread cool for 20 minutes in the pan and then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling. The bread will slice easiest when it is cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- To make this bread recipe with all-purpose flour or bread flour, you will need to use a little more flour to get a dough that is only slightly sticky. In my tests of this recipe, 3 1/2 cups was the perfect amount for all-purpose flour and bread flour, while 3 to 3 1/4 cups of flour was the perfect amount for whole wheat flour. I recommend starting with 3 cups of whichever flour you choose, and then adding more flour, a little at a time, as needed.
- I use a stand mixer to mix and knead the dough. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can mix the dough in a large bowl with a spoon, and knead it by hand on a clean work surface.
- To make dairy-free bread, replace the milk with water. Substitute the butter with olive oil or a neutral vegetable oil, such as canola oil.
This is the BEST bread recipe ever. Simply and delicious.
This is my favourite bread to make. It is so easy and so delicious! I will never buy a loaf of bread again!
I’m blow away with how easy and good this bread is. I subbed equal amount of EVOO for the butter and equal amount of almond milk for regular milk. I kneaded 9 minutes by hand. I did need additional flour to get it past the “sticky” stage. With such a basic recipe I was prepared for a bland result….but the whole wheat + honey combo is perfection! It’s just delicious.
I have a 9×5 pan but I also have a 12×5 pan and was wondering if that size would also work?
Hi Amy,
I recommend using the pan size called for in the recipe.
I’ve made this several times using white wheat flour, perfect. Today I made it using bread flour. Wow, I guess you can’t mess this bread up, it was easy and fabulous
I have never made whole wheat bread, I usually use Bob Reds Mills unbleached flour and I have good results. So I tried this recipe, the taste was great but it was super dense and a bit gummy. I am thinking I did not leave it in the oven long enough, could that be the reason? I am going to attempt to do it again this weekend. Hope it comes out good.
Do you sift th whole wheat flour?
How does cold weather impact the rise? my first rise was great but second rise was not full and then dough pockets formed.
If your kitchen is cool, the bread may take longer to rise.
This truly was an easy recipe! It turned out so good. Thank you.
I love the flavour, texture and simplicity of making this bread. It is my favourite of all homemade breads I’ve tried
Can anyone tell me if I can double the recipe without making any changes in the amounts of ingredients
Hi Pat,
I’m glad you are enjoying this recipe! Yes, you can double all of the ingredients and make two loaves of bread.
OMG this was awesome good! Made some roasted tomato soup this afternoon with the last of our garden tomatoes. I wanted to serve it with grilled cheese, but had no bread. We’re only eating whole grains, and found this recipe. Made with almond milk, EVOO, and white whole wheat. Easy recipe. Of course I had to try it when it came out of the oven. Then another piece. Then another. I hope there’s enough left for grilled cheese sandwiches!!!
Tomorrow, I’ll DOUBLE it!
I’ve made this bread twice using your recipe, and it’s come out perfect. I am working out to get in shape and this healthy bread fits right into my endeavor to get healthy
I just purchased a Bosch mixer, and I saw videos of a man making bread with a Bosch mixer and he only does one rise of the bread dough.I’m tempted to try it but I’m afraid to waste dough. What is your suggestions?
Different recipes require different methods. I recommend following this recipe as written.
Does any kind of milk work in this bread?
Thanks
I have only tested this recipe with dairy milk but nondairy should work as well.
I was looking for a bread recipe that did not include regular flour (so many are half whole wheat, half white) – and I knew I’d be using half “home ground” flour so figured I’d give this a shot. PERFECT!!! I used half whole wheat flour from the store and half the home ground my husband did up and it was perfect for slicing up for sandwiches! This one is a keeper!
This bread was easy and turned out soft and absolutely delicious! Is this a recipe that can be doubled?
If you are kneading it by hand you can definitely double it and bake in two loaf pans. If you are using a stand mixer, it will depend on the size and power of your mixer whether or not it can handle 6 cups of flour in a double recipe.
Everything was perfect until the baking…the top fell? We are at a high altitude in Colorado…do you have any recommendations on adjusting time or bake temp? Thanks!
This is my go to bread recipe. So easy and delicious. I typically use a combination of whole wheat and bread flour and bake it in a metal pan. It comes out at 190° at exactly 35 minutes
Best whole wheat recipe I’ve found, and I’ve been trying so many. Thank you! I used two cups whole wheat flour and one cup all-purpose, plus a little more so not too sticky. Brushing the top with egg yolk thinned with a little water before baking made the top crust shiny and golden. This bread is soft-textured and delicious!
I just made my first loaf from your whole wheat bread recipe. It turned out great! I’ve been looking for a whole wheat bread that would be good for sandwiches. This bread was soft and moist to make a very nice sandwich. I must confess I only used two Tablespoons of honey. I really don’t care for a sweet tasting bread. This bread was perfect taste wise too. Congratulations on making such a terrific recipe. I’m 75 years old and have made many loaves and this is the best whole wheat recipe I’ve ever made!
New to baking, I’ve tried this recipe twice but my second rise isn’t going above the pan. Not sure if any advice of what I might be doing wrong.
If i freeze this, do i just let it defrost and eat when im ready to take out of freezer?
Thank you
Yes. I like to slice the loaf and then freeze so that I can pull out and thaw as many slices as I need. The slices will thaw quickly at room temperature or you can use the defrost setting of a microwave. As I mentioned in the post, the bread slices may stick together slightly when frozen, but you can carefully separate them using a knife or you can put a small piece of parchment paper between each slice before freezing.
I have tried many WW bread recipes, this one is the perfect one, no need to search further. I grind my own WW and use 3 cups and add 2 cups of organic bread flour. I get a perfect texture with this combo. Very close to store bought for those that want to make sandwiches. Today I am trying it to make hamburger buns with the dough. Divided the dough in to 6 parts and put in ramekins. My only question is what temp and how long. By a review I see from other bun recipes 375 to 400 degrees and from 8 to 12 minutes. But was wondering if you have done this and what you found on temp etc.
Hi Denise,
I have not made this recipe as burger buns. I’d love to know how it goes if you try it!
Love this recipe!! I’m thinking of making a batch of dinner rolls with it and possibly doubling the recipe and after the first rise I’d shape the rolls and freeze them to use as needed. Have anyone tried this?
This might be a stupid question- but I’ve never made bread before. After the second rise I removed the cling wrap (oiled and loose as instructions said) anyway, obviously the dough touched it and when I removed it the loaf collapsed a decent amount so there isn’t a dome. Is there a way to prevent this ? Do I need to do more non-stick? There was quite a bit on there.
Hi Abbie,
Instead of using plastic wrap, I recommend laying a clean kitchen towel over the bread as it rises. This is what I always do and I never have an issue with the dough sticking to the towel or collapsing. Good luck!
I’ve made this recipe twice and it just isn’t hasn’t impressed. It turns out very tough and bland.
I’m sorry to hear that this didn’t turn out the way that you had hoped. The bread should be very soft and tender. If the bread is turning out tough it may be that you are adding too much flour. The dough should be slightly sticky and too much flour can make the bread dense rather than soft. Be sure to add the indicated amount of salt for flavor.
My first ever homemade loaf of bread, it came out just perfect and the taste is incredible! I used exactly 3 cups of whole wheat flour, mixed everything together by hand then let my stand mixer do the rest. The dough was perfectly tacky, not too sticky, and it more than doubled in size during its first rise. I gently punched down the risen dough, formed it into a ball, then gently shaped it into a loaf before placing it into the 9″ x 5″ metal pan, then let it rise another 30 minutes. Although the top did rise a bit above the top of the pan, the dough did seem to be a bit small for the larger sized metal pan. No matter, it baked up wonderfully with a nice brown crust and a light, soft, texture! I’ve already had a tuna sandwich, and later I’ll have a couple slices of toast with a bit of butter! Yummy! Looking forward to my wife coming home from work so she can have a taste, she’s going to love this!
Turned out perfect! I did not get all the air bubble out. This caused the bread to want to fall apart from the air pockets in the bread. That was my fault – not the recipe. Very delicious and soft. Will make again and do double so I can have fresh bread and freeze the other loaf for following week to use.
PERFECT instructions for delicious bread! I’m a bread-baking rookie, and I was thrilled to have success on my first try!! I used wheat flour and it was scrumptious!
Recipe was so easy to follow! It came out perfect. I used a combo of stone ground wheat and spelt flour. It was delicious ❤️
I made this recipe twice. At first I loved it. The whole loaf looks sooo beautiful! The color the softness, flavor, etc. Just perfect. But then when I started slicing it to make sandwiches, the bread starter to crumble :’( Any idea why this happens? It happened both times. I can’t get more than a few slices without crumbling away.
I
Hi Sara, I have two tips to help with this. First, make sure to wait until the loaf is completely cool before slicing. Second, you can add 1.5 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten along with the flour when making the bread dough. I’ve recently started doing this and it helps to provide more structure to the bread so that it crumbles less.
This recipe turned out so good was amazing. My husband even enjoy it.
One of the best whole wheat recipes I’ve tried. The bread is delicious. I did mix 1/2 cup of bread flour with the whole wheat flour. And in my case I did need to add almost another 1/2 cup of whole wheat. Will definitely make this again
Hey I made your whole wheat bread recipe!! Very nice 😋 Love the texture and flavor!!
I read through a bunch of reviews to see if anyone had made this in a bread machine. I didn’t find any, so I tried it anyway. Got to tell you, this was the best loaf of whole wheat bread I’ve made in my machine. I just put the ingredients in the machine in the order the machine’s recipe book uses: wet then salt, flour then yeast and gluten. For my machine the flour quantity was similar to a 1.5 lb loaf, so that’s the setting I used.
I have followed the instructions and get a really good loaf of bread but it falls in the middle when it is baking. What can I do to prevent this from happening?
The most common reason why this happens is that the bread has proofed for too long. Try reducing the length of the second rise to see if that helps.
Best and easiest whole wheat bread recipe!
I made this bread this morning, only used 2 Tbsp of honey as we don’t care for sweet and used full WW flour + 1/4 cup dark rye flour and 2 Tbsp of Vital Wheat gluten. This bread has an excellent flavour. Mine didn’t rise as much as I would have liked but still it was so tasty. I will make this again and maybe next time add a bit of bread flour to get it to rise more. If you want full WW flour, this recipe was simple and very good bread. Thank you for a great recipe Kristine.
I followed the recipe but my dough did not turn out sticky, rather it was tough and did not rise like it should. My yeast mixture got foamy…. What did I do wrong?
Hi Lynne,
I’m sorry to hear that! It sounds like the dough had too much flour. Too much flour will cause a tough dough, and it can also prevent the dough from rising properly. I’d start off with less flour next time, and then add it in small amounts until you get to a slightly sticky dough. Good luck!
I LIKE THIS RECIPE IT IS WITHOUT ANY FUNNY INGREDIENTS
I make this bread regularly and my 3 year old grandson loves helping me. He especially likes kneading the bread. We don’t use a mixer so he better understands the process.
I have been making this bread for the past 8 months or so. It is so good, my go to for our family’s daily bread. Love it. It will continue to be a staple in our household.
Hi I will be using glass bread pans for this recipe, and wanted to ask what rack in the oven are they supposed to cook on the top rack or middle rack? Thank you!
I cook this on the middle rack. Enjoy!
I am so grateful I stumbled across this recipe! So divine. I have never made bread before and thought I would try it because it looked simple and healthy, and my husband and I have been trying to eat healthier. Oh my goodness I made this bread this morning and it is absolutely delicious!! So simple too!! I will never have to buy bread again. Love it!! Thank you so much for this simple bread recipe!! I made it as what the recipe calls for and came out perfect. I made it in a metal pan for that is all I have and baked it for 37 minutes and it is soft, moist just perfect bread!! Thank you Thank you!!!🙂🥰
Can I double this recipe? My husband and I love it. He eats a lot of bread so I would like to double it.
I’m so glad you are enjoying this bread recipe! Yes, you can double the recipe. If you are kneading it by hand you can definitely double it and bake in two loaf pans. If you are using a stand mixer, it will depend on the size and power of your mixer whether or not it can handle 6 cups of flour in a double recipe.
This bread was awesome! It turned out great the first time I tried it. I will definitely be making it again.
Can I double this recipe? I made a loaf for my husband he lived it
He eats a lot bread so I would like to double it.
If you are kneading the dough by hand you can definitely double the recipe and bake in two loaf pans. If you are using a stand mixer, it will depend on the size and power of your mixer whether or not it can handle 6 cups of flour in a double recipe.
Really turned out nice. Soft and tasty!