Description

This whole wheat bread recipe yields a soft yet hearty loaf perfect for sandwiches. Made with simple ingredients like whole wheat flour, honey, and butter, it offers a wholesome flavor and texture that homemade bread lovers will adore. The dough is kneaded thoroughly to develop gluten, then allowed to rise twice, resulting in a tender crumb and golden crust.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Wet Ingredients

1 cup (240ml) water, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
3 Tablespoons (63g) honey
3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)

Dry Ingredients

2 cups (260g) whole wheat flour (spooned & leveled)
1 and 1/3 cups (173g) whole wheat flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) active dry or instant yeast (1 standard packet)

Optional Topping

1 beaten egg white
1 Tablespoon whole oats

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Instructions

Activate Yeast: In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, whisk together warmed water, whole milk, and yeast. Add 2 cups (260g) whole wheat flour and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until a thick batter forms. Cover lightly and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 60–90 minutes, up to 2 hours.
Add Remaining Ingredients: Add honey, softened butter, lemon juice, the remaining 1 1/3 cups (173g) flour, and salt to the risen batter. Using a dough hook or wooden spoon, mix on medium speed until dough pulls away from the bowl sides, about 3 minutes, adding flour tablespoon by tablespoon if too wet.
Knead the Dough: Continue kneading the dough in the mixer for 8–10 minutes, or knead by hand on a floured surface for the same time until dough is soft, slightly sticky, and elastic. Add flour sparingly if dough becomes too sticky; it should be tacky but manageable.
First Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or spray. Place kneaded dough in bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1.5–2 hours.
Prepare Loaf Pan: Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
Shape Dough: Punch down the risen dough to release air. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a roughly 8×15 inch rectangle. Roll it into an 8-inch log and place seam side down into the prepared pan.
Second Rise: Cover and let the shaped dough rise until it’s about 1 inch above the pan edge, approximately 45–60 minutes.
Preheat Oven: Move oven rack to lower position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Add Optional Topping: If using oat topping, brush risen loaf with beaten egg white, then sprinkle whole oats on top.
Bake: Bake bread for 36–40 minutes until golden brown. Tent with foil around 20 minutes if browning too quickly. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped or internal temp reads 195–200°F (90–93°C).
Cool and Store: Remove bread from oven, let cool in pan on a rack for a few minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Store leftover bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Notes

This recipe uses only 8 simple ingredients for a flavorful whole wheat sandwich bread that beats store-bought varieties.
You can substitute some whole wheat flour with bread flour for a taller, fluffier loaf.
For best results, do not use a hand mixer for initial mixing because the dough is thick.
Check out the Baking With Yeast Guide for tips on rising and yeast FAQs.
Freeze leftover bread well wrapped, or refrigerate if keeping longer than a week.
Rolling dough into a log shape creates classic sandwich bread shape but edges don’t have to be perfectly straight.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 loaf, approx. 56g)
Calories: 130
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 170mg
Fat: 2.5g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Unsaturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 24g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 5mg