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Nut Free
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Vegetarian
How to Bake Whole Wheat Bread at Home
Make this simple Whole Wheat Homemade Bread, easy for any baker with a bread machine!
When my house smells like freshly baked bread, I feel successful. It doesn’t take that much time to bake! This delicious whole wheat bread recipe reduces grocery trips and spending. Additionally, practice makes a perfect baker!
We sweeten this recipe with honey. Combining wheat flour and white flour creates the perfect whole wheat bread. This bread dough has the perfect balance of vital wheat gluten with soft slices, perfect served warm!
Make sandwiches, croutons, and even French toast with this bread. It’s amazing and great to have on hand!
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
Warm water activates the yeast, initiating the gluten development for this bread.
Yeast causes the dough to rise to make a nice loaf of bread!
Sugar adds flavor and makes the crust of this bread nice and brown! It feeds the yeast to make the bread rise, too.
Honey adds moisture to bread recipes and makes sure that it has a tender crumb.
Butter gives a soft and buttery flavor to this bread.
Salt provides more than just flavor balance. It also strengthens the gluten structure of bread!
Unbleached all-purpose flour gives the bread body and structure.
Bran flakes give your body fiber, nutrients, and add a subtle nutty flavor.
Whole wheat flour makes the bread more dense.
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
How to Bake Whole Wheat Bread
Make the starter:
In the bread machine pan, combine water, sugar, flour, and yeast. Stir to dissolve. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Make the dough:
Step 1: Add dough ingredients to the starter
After 30 minutes, add the dough ingredients to the starter: water, honey, melted butter, salt, white flour, bran flakes, and whole wheat flour. Stir with a wooden spoon.
Step 2: Set to “dough”
Set your bread machine to the dough setting. Mine usually take 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Step 3: Form the dough
After the dough has risen, form the dough into a smooth ball.
Step 4: Transfer and rest
Place the dough into a baking pan or form into a loaf shape (free form, or use a loaf pan) and cover with a warm damp cloth. Let rest for 30-40 minutes.
Step 5: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 380° F.
Step 6: Score
Score the loaf with a sharp knife.
Step 7: Prepare to bake
Sprinkle some water and place in the pre-heated oven.
Step 8: Bake and cool
Bake for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven and from the pan. Let cool for about 30 minutes, then enjoy.
Expert Tips:
- Ensure you fully preheat the oven before baking the loaf. This way, the bread bakes all the way.
- Let the freshly baked bread rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This allows the crumb to set, making slicing and serving easier.
- Feel free to use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour. It’s a great way to add more structure to your bread.
- Keep a close eye on the bread while baking. Different oven temperatures can vary. Monitor the crust’s color and use a toothpick test to make sure the interior is fully baked.
- Whole wheat bread has more of certain nutrients than white bread does!
- Honey adds an important flavor to this bread. Maple syrup or agave don’t make good substitutes.
- Using regular active dry yeast is vital in this homemade bread recipe. Do not use instant yeast.
- While it’s not necessary, you can use olive oil or parchment paper in the loaf pan for easy removal.
Recipe FAQs
Store the bread in a paper bag or cloth to maintain its crust, and avoid plastic to prevent moisture buildup.
Sprinkling water creates steam in the oven, contributing to a crisp and golden crust on the bread.
Check if the dough has roughly doubled in size during rising—it shows that it has fermented well.
This homemade bread is perfect to have with these recipes:
- You can make The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich right at home!
- Hearty Beef Soup Kharcho is a great soup to serve with this whole wheat bread.
More baked goods
If you tried this Homemade Whole Wheat Bread or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you enjoyed it in the📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
How to Bake Whole Wheat Bread at Home
Equipment
- Bread machine
- Wooden spoon
- Loaf pan
Ingredients
- ¼ cup warm water
- 1 tsp yeast
- 1 Tbsp flour
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1¼ cup warm water
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp salt
- 3½ cups unbleached white flour
- 1 Tbsp bran flakes
- ¼ cup whole wheat flour
Instructions
Make the starter:
- In the bread machine pan, combine water, sugar, flour, and yeast. Stir to dissolve. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.¼ cup warm water, 1 Tbsp flour, ½ tsp sugar, 1 tsp yeast
Make the dough:
- After 30 minutes, add the dough ingredients to the starter: water, honey, melted butter, salt, white flour, bran flakes, and whole wheat flour. Stir with a wooden spoon.1¼ cup warm water, 2 Tbsp honey, 3 Tbsp butter,, 1 tsp salt, 3½ cups unbleached white flour, 1 Tbsp bran flakes, ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- Set your bread machine to the dough setting. Mine usually take 2 hours and 20 minutes.
- After the dough has risen, form the dough into a smooth ball.
- Place the dough into a baking pan or form into a loaf shape (free form, or use a loaf pan) and cover with a warm damp cloth. Let rest for 30-40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 380° F.
- Score the loaf with a sharp knife.
- Sprinkle some water and place in the pre-heated oven.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven and from the pan. Let cool for about 30 minutes, then enjoy.
