This easy homemade Whole Wheat Bread from scratch recipe is a go-to in our home! I usually bake this whole wheat bread in double batches so that the second loaf can go in the freezer. It is perfectly suited for slicing for sandwich bread and is one of the easier dough methods with all ingredients added at once after a couple of minutes dissolving your yeast!
Pairs beautifully with my pumpkin seed butter!
Whole Wheat Bread Recipe
As one of our three favorite wheat bread recipes, the smell of fresh baked bread with a hint of the honey featured in this whole wheat sandwich bread is frequently the amazing aroma in our home! The only downside?
I usually have to resist the temptation to bake up something sweet like my Grandma's oatmeal molasses raisin cookies while the dough rises. Or just give in and make the cookies, there's a 50/50 chance any given day!
How To Make Homemade Whole Wheat Bread
In the bowl of your stand mixer, dissolve 3 teaspoon active dry yeast in 2 tablespoon of the water ( 1 ¼ c total ) for 3 - 5 minutes. Add all of the other ingredients.
I start with my liquids, beginning with the cooled, melted butter and then pour the honey into the same measuring cup so that it slides right out (no scraping needed!).
Mix all of the ingredients thoroughly, then use your dough hook to knead the bread for 6-8 minutes. The dough should cling to your dough hook and pull away from the sides of the bowl when it is ready to transfer to a working surface.
Scrape the dough out of your stand mixer bowl and onto a floured working surface.
The dough should be tacky to the touch at this point. Knead the dough, adding more flour to your working surface as necessary, until it is smooth and elastic.
Transfer your wheat bread dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Roll the dough in the oil pooled in the bottom of the bowl, to coat all sides.
Cover with greased cling wrap or a dampened towel, then allow the dough to rise for 30 - 45 minutes.
After rising, punch the dough down approximately half way into the risen dough.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface after the first rise and shape into a loaf ( to fit your lightly greased loaf pan, if using ), being careful to not work much additional flour into the dough.
Cover with greased cling film or a damp towel again, and allow the dough to rise again for an additional 1 - 2 hours. When the dough is about half way risen, preheat your oven to 350 ºF ( 175 ºC ). *You only want 100% whole wheat bread dough to rise to about 75 - 80% of being doubled.
Bake for 20 minutes, then cover with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 15 - 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread is 190 ºF ( 88 ºC ). Remove from the oven and transfer out of the loaf pan to a wire cooling rack.
Allow to cool completely before serving. Slice and enjoy!
*Optional, you can rub the crust with butter before it cools if desired.
Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water (105-110 degrees F)
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoon butter (melted, cooled)
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 ½ cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In your stand mixer bowl, dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water for 3-5 minutes. Once dissolved, add all of the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- With the dough hook attachment, knead the dough for 6-8 minutes then turn into a lightly greased bowl. Cover with greased cling wrap or a damp towel and allow to rise for 1-2 hours.
- Once the dough has roughly doubled in size, punch down the dough approximately half way and turn out onto a lightly floured surface (the dough will be relatively wet and sticky). Be careful not to work too much flour into the dough, just dust the dough with the flour enough so that is no longer tacky to the touch.
- Shape into a log or loaf to fit your loaf pan (8 ½ x 4 ½ inches) then transfer into your lightly greased loaf pan or place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely with your greased cling film or damp towel and allow to rise for an additional 1-2 hours.
- When the dough is almost done rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 20 minutes (I usually rotate halfway for even cooking), then cover with aluminum foil and continue to bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 190 degrees F (88 degrees C).
- Remove from the oven and transfer the baked whole wheat loaf to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before serving. (optional, you can rub the crust with butter before it cools if desired)
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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