Nothing smells or tastes better than fresh, warm bread from the oven!
This whole wheat bread is made from basic pantry ingredients and produces hearty wholesome loaf.
You’ll Love This Bread Because…
- It’s made with easy-to-follow steps and basic ingredients to make you feel like a pro baker!
- Packed with goodness, homemade whole wheat bread has a lovely texture and flavor.
- Whole wheat bread is great for hearty sammies like a hot turkey sandwich or ricotta toast piled high with cheese, fruits, and veggies.
Ingredients for Whole Wheat Bread
- Milk: Milk is heated to almost boiling and then cooled. This process denatures some of the proteins and produces a better rise; the milk’s fat adds flavor.
- Yeast: Use active dry yeast in this recipe.
- Honey: Honey is used to feed the yeast and gives the loaf a golden-brown color.
- Flour: A combination of whole wheat flour and white flour creates the perfect texture.
How to Make Whole Wheat Bread
- Prep the ingredients and activate the yeast (full recipe below).
- Combine ingredients to make the dough and knead.
- Let the dough rise, then knead the dough before shaping it into a loaf.
- Allow a final rise, then bake until the top is golden brown.
You’ll know your bread is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 190°F or you hear a hollow sound when tapping on the top crust.
Storing Whole Wheat Bread
Because homemade whole wheat bread is free of artificial dyes and preservatives, it has a shorter shelf life at room temperature. For best results, keep it in the fridge.
- Keep whole wheat bread in a zippered bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days or at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freeze a whole loaf or slices once they are cooled by wrapping them in plastic wrap and then placing them in zippered bags. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Don’t let it go to waste, use older bread to make croutons, stuffing, or a French toast casserole.
Whole Wheat Bread is Perfect For…
Did you try this recipe for Whole Wheat Bread? Leave a comment and rating below!
Whole Wheat Bread
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer or bread machine
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 package dry active yeast
- 3 tablespoons warm water 105-110℉
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the milk and butter to a wide, shallow saucepan over medium heat.
- Heat the milk mixture, stirring frequently, just until small bubbles appear around the edges of the saucepan. Do not allow the milk to come to a full boil.
- Remove from the heat and allow the milk to cool for 10 minutes, or until the temperature goes below 138℉.
- Meanwhile, in a stand mixer combine the dry yeast and warm water. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until the yeast starts to bubble.
- Add the cooled milk and honey to the mixer and stir to combine. Stir in whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt, mixing with the paddle attachment until a dough forms (it will be a bit sticky).
- Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough on low speed for about 5 minutes, occasionally stopping to scrape the dough to the bottom of the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Put in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1-1.5 hours.
- Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan.
- Punch down the dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to flatten the dough into a rectangular shape, about 8 inches wide and 11 inches long.
- Fold the top ⅓ of the dough over on itself, pressing to adhere. Then, take the top corners of the dough and pull them inward, pressing firmly. Roll the dough over on itself three more times, each time pressing it down to seal the edge. Place the log of dough into the prepared baking pan, seam-side down.
- Cover the pan with a clean towel and allow to rise for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the inside of the loaf reaches 190℉.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Bread
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Recipe adapted from: Ruth, T.V. “Our Favorite Recipes.” Recipe. White Plains Methodist Church. North Carolina: 1965. Print.
I have tried other whole wheat bread recipes with each recipe having “issues.” I am very pleased with this recipe. The instructions are easy to follow, and the ending result is a delicious loaf of bread with perfect texture. Because my kitchen is on the cool side, the rising times took longer. I put the dough in the oven, with the light on to compensate for the cool kitchen temperature. Once the dough was in the pan, I allowed the dough to rise about 1-inch above the rim before baking. This recipe is a keeper, and I will be making it one a weekly basis. Thank you, Holly for yet another great recipe!
So happy to hear this recipe worked so well for you, Barbara!
I am new to baking homemade bread and this is the second recipe I’ve tried. The fresh loaf was wonderful – looked, tasted, and smelled so good. In my research, I heard not to refrigerate the bread, so I put it in a paper bag overnight. It didn’t taste as good even the next day and quickly got dense and hard. Re-reading I see you recommended putting it in the refrigerator. I’m really trying to avoid buying store bought bread, but still trying to work out how to keep it fresh for a week and not getting so dense. Will try a non-whole wheat version next. Is it any easier?
Hi Lori, I am sorry to hear that. For this bread we do recommend keeping it in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. It is tough with fresh bread as you do have to make it more often. I would love to hear how your non-whole wheat version turns out!
I used your white bread recipe and it came out great and has lasted well in the fridge. thanks for what you do! My daughter and I just realized we both love your recipes and she bought me your cook book, can’t wait to try the recipes!
So glad you enjoyed the bread Lori! I love that you both enjoy the recipes and I’m excited to hear what you make from my cookbook!
Can this be adapted to be made in a bread machine?
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not—you may need to adjust the measurements slightly (this can be done on the print page). I would suggest following the instructions and order of ingredients found in your manual. Let us know how it goes!