The BEST Whole Wheat Bread
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One slice of this amazing whole wheat bread and you’ll be addicted! It’s warm, soft, and tender, sweetened to perfection with honey!
Once you start making bread at home, you won’t want it any other way. Not only do you end up with absolutely delicious bread, but it’s also a fun process and makes your kitchen smell like a dream! You’ll have to try homemade sourdough, rye, and Amish friendship bread next!
Amazing Honey Wheat Bread Recipe
Making homemade bread is one of my favorite ways to spend my day. Something about the whole process is fun and therapeutic! Starting from a simple yeast mixture and ending up with a delicious loaf of bread is extremely satisfying. Wheat bread, specifically, is one of my favorites. It’s so hearty and flavorful with the perfect hint of sweetness. Use your tasty wheat bread for sandwiches, with butter and jam, or have it on its own! It’s that good! Once this bad boy comes out of the oven, I can’t resist having a few slices while it’s warm.
I love making bread at home because I know everything that goes into it. No preservatives, just simple ingredients! Wheat bread is great, too, because it’s loaded with fiber and helps to keep you feeling full longer! Anything that tastes this good but is healthy too is a must-make. This recipe is a keeper! You’re going to love having it in your baking arsenal. Have a newfound love of bread-making? Try making your own sourdough starter next!
Whole Wheat Bread Ingredients
The best recipes use simple ingredients! I love how short and sweet the list is. It makes it perfect for throwing together when you get a craving for fresh bread! If you’re looking for exact measurements, they can all be found in the recipe card below.
- Water: Used to activate yeast and add moisture to wheat bread mixture.
- Milk: Milk enriches your bread and gives it that soft, tender quality.
- Honey: For the perfect sweetness! You can swap this out for molasses or maple syrup, as well.
- Active Dry Yeast: This needs to be activated in a water milk mixture before use.
- Unsalted Butter: The fat content in butter helps to make your bread nice and soft.
- Salt: A must for flavor! Skip the salt, and you’ll be left with bread that tastes like cardboard.
- Whole Wheat Flour: The MVP of this recipe! Whole wheat flour is loaded with vitamins and fiber. It tastes great, too!
Let’s Make Some Bread!
Don’t let making bread from scratch intimidate you! Follow each of these steps, and you’ll have a yummy loaf baking away. Be warned- it gets addictive! Try 1-hour rolls or English muffins next!
Preparing Yeast and Dough
- Activate Yeast: First, warm the water and milk to 105°-115°F and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the honey and yeast. Then, set aside for 5-10 minutes until the mixture has become frothy.
- Mix in Remaining Ingredients: Add the salt, melted butter and flour to the bowl. Mix together using the paddle attachment. Once fully combined, clean off the paddle and switch to the dough hook. Knead on low speed for about 8-10 minutes. If the dough is very sticky, add more flour 1-2 tablespoons at a time until it is only slightly sticky. It can be beneficial to also pause the mixer so you can fully scrape down the bowl to ensure all of the dough is being well kneaded.
Proofing and Baking
- Transfer to Oiled Bowl: Once the dough is smooth and soft, remove gently to a large oiled bowl. Try to keep the dough in a ball as you transfer it. Turn the dough once in the bowl to coat it all with oil and then cover with a kitchen towel and set in a warm place. Let it rise for 45-60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Work Dough: Once it has doubled in size, spray a 9×5 bread pan with cooking spray and set aside. Gently punch down the dough to remove any air bubbles. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and work the dough into a ball and then gently shape that ball into a loaf that is just about 9 inches long. Place it in the prepared bread pan.
- Proof: Cover with a kitchen towel and again set the pan in a warm place. Let is rise for 30-45 minutes, until it’s just about doubled in size. When it is almost doubled, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 190°.
- Cool: Lastly, let your whole wheat bread cool for at least 15-20 minutes before removing from the pan. Allow it to cool completely before slicing in order to avoid your bread turning gummy.
Tips for Making the Best Bread
It can be tricky to make that perfect loaf of wheat bread. Here are a few of my favorite tips to get it on your first go!
- Create a Proofing Drawer: If you’re having trouble getting the dough to rise, or if you want it to rise faster, preheat the oven to 170°. Right before putting the covered dough in the oven to rise, turn it off and use a clean spray bottle to spray the bottom and sides of the oven well with water. This will create a warm, moist environment to help the dough rise. This also helps if your kitchen tends to be on the cooler side or you live in a very dry climate.
- Using Buttermilk: If you want your bread to have a tangier flavor, you can swap out milk for buttermilk. The acid in buttermilk also gives your bread a more tender crumb. If you don’t have any on hand, it’s super easy to make at home. Find my buttermilk recipe here!
- Don’t Overmix: Only mix and work your dough as needed. If you knead your dough too much, gluten may develop- leaving your loaf hard and rubbery. Don’t let your hard work go to waste!
- Adding Texture: I love adding nuts to my wheat bread. It gives it a boost of flavor and texture! Pistachios, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, you name it! Fold them gently into your dough for a pop of nutty goodness.
- Use For: Wheat bread works great for avocado toast, dipping in soup, and sandwiches! You’re going to love how homemade bread upgrades all of your favorite recipes.
Storing Your Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Now that you’ve made a lovely loaf of bread, here’s how to store and keep it fresh! Homemade bread never lasts long at my house. It’s too good!
- At Room Temperature: Wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container or bread bag, your wheat bread will keep for up to 5 days.
- In the Freezer: Your wheat bread will keep in freezer bags for 3-6 months. You can freeze individual slices and even toast them straight out of the freezer for convenience! For entire loaves, thaw overnight in the fridge before use.
Uses for Dry Bread
Maybe your wheat bread sat out a little too long, and now it’s dry or stale. Don’t throw it out! Bread at this state is actually quite useful! You can use it to make some whole wheat croutons, bread crumbs, french toast, and bread pudding!
More Homemade Bread Recipes
Bread made from scratch is the best way to have it! Here are a few more easy homemade bread recipes to have under your belt. Not only does homemade bread taste a million times better, but it’s healthier and you know exactly what’s going into it. Let’s bake!
Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast 1 packet
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups whole wheat flour more as needed
Instructions
- Warm the water and milk to 105°-115° and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the honey and yeast. Set aside for 5-10 minutes until the mixture has become frothy.
- Add the salt, melted butter, and flour to the bowl. Mix together using the paddle attachment. Once fully combined, clean off the paddle and switch to the dough hook. Knead on low speed for about 8-10 minutes. If the dough is very sticky, add more flour 1-2 tablespoons at a time until it is only slightly sticky. It can be beneficial to also pause the mixer so you can fully scrape down the bowl to ensure all of the dough is being well kneaded.
- Once the dough is smooth and soft, remove gently to a large oiled bowl. Try to keep the dough in a ball as you transfer it. Turn the dough once in the bowl to coat it all with oil and then cover with a kitchen towel and set in a warm place. Let it rise for 45-60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Once it has doubled in size spray a 9×5 bread pan with cooking spray and set aside. Gently punch down the dough to remove any air bubbles. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and work the dough into a ball and then gently shape that ball into a loaf that is just about 9 inches long. Place it in the prepared bread pan.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and again set the pan in a warm place. Let it rise for 30-45 minutes until it is just about doubled in size. When it is almost doubled, preheat the oven to 350°.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 190°.
- Let the bread cool for at least 15-20 minutes before removing it from the pan. Allow it to cool completely before slicing in order to avoid your bread turning gummy.