With step-by-step pictures and plenty of helpful tips, learn how to make soft whole wheat bread with this easy-to-follow recipe. You can make this bread 100% whole wheat, or you can use a combination of whole wheat and bread flour for a slightly taller, fluffier loaf. It’s wonderfully soft and flavorful either way! If you’re new to working with yeast, reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
One reader, Vicki, commented: “This recipe can make anyone love 100% whole wheat bread! I made it exactly as directed with 100% whole wheat and it was the softest and loveliest whole wheat bread I have ever eaten! I will be making this regularly in my houseโso much better and healthier than store bought bread. Even people who think they don’t like whole wheat will like this. Thank you for sharing your recipe! โ โ โ โ โ “
I know there’s major convenience with store-bought bread, but I encourage you to try making it from scratch at least once. (You might be hooked after that!) This whole wheat bread takes a few hours, but most of the work is hands-off while the dough rises. Fresh-baked bread smells incredible and tastes even betterโstore-bought sandwich bread just can’t compare! Wait until you smell a slice popping up in the toaster.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Whole Wheat Bread
- Chewy crust with soft texture inside
- Flavorful & hearty
- Lightly sweetened with honey
- Makes delicious toast and sandwiches, and can be used in recipes like French toast, breakfast casserole, & sausage and herb stuffing
- Easy to make ahead or freeze
- 8 simple ingredients
Behind the Recipe/Recipe Testing
There are usually 2 key problems when it comes to using 100% whole wheat flour in a bread recipe:
- Because of the bran layer of the wheat grain, bread using 100% whole wheat flour can taste bitter or sour. (Still, always make sure your whole wheat flour is fresh; it can become rancid if stored for too long.)
- Whole wheat flour doesn’t contain the same level of gluten as white flours. This missing gluten can produce a dense and/or flat loaf. Many whole wheat bread recipes call for the addition of vital wheat gluten to make up for it, but I don’t usually keep that in my kitchen… and you may not either.
I experienced both issues in my initial attempts at this recipe. I found that adding a little acid to the dough helped offset the bitterness, and introducing a preferment “sponge” helped give the loaves better flavor, as well as more height. Obviously whole wheat bread will never be as soft, tender, and chewy as white sandwich bread, but this one comes pretty close with my careful recipe & solutions.
Best Ingredients to Use in Whole Wheat Bread & Why:
- Water: Warm liquid activates yeast. I use mostly water in this dough because we need a bread that has structure. Using all milk, like I do for my whole wheat dinner rolls, would yield a flimsy bread without much texture, which isn’t ideal for slicing as sandwich bread.
- Whole Milk: To yield a soft bread, you need fat in the dough, so make sure some of the liquid is milk. Low-fat or nondairy milk works too, but whole milk produces phenomenal texture and I highly recommend it.
- Yeast: You can use active dry yeast or instant yeast. If using active dry, the rise times will be a bit longer. I tested it with both.
- Honey: Honey feeds the yeast, increases its activity, and lightly sweetens the bread. In our testing, my team & I unanimously agreed honey was the tastier option over regular granulated and brown sugar. I also use a little honey when making whole wheat pizza dough. If you want, grab a little extra so you can make some homemade honey butter to enjoy on the warm slices of bread.
- Butter: Butter promises a flavorful loaf.
- Lemon Juice: This ingredient may seem strange, but it’s essential for preventing the bread from tasting too bitter. If you don’t have lemon juice, apple cider vinegar is a great substitute.
- Salt: You canโt make flavorful bread without salt!
- Flour: You can use all whole wheat flour, or swap 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of bread flour. The bread is soft either way, but a little bread flour yields a slightly taller, fluffier, and lighter loaf. We enjoy it both ways.
Start With Making the Sponge (It’s Easy)
For the sponge, you’ll use all of the liquid (both the water and milk) and yeast in the dough, plus some of the flour. Mix this all together with a spatula, cover it lightly, and let it double in size for about 60 to 90 minutes.
While this step does extend the total time of the recipe, the sponge is crucial for producing a more complex flavor, and gives the bread a lighter texture. By skipping this step, your bread will be a little flat. (In taste and appearance!)
Once the sponge doubles in size, add the remaining ingredients and begin mixing, which will deflate the air and make way for the final dough.
This is the sponge before rising:
This is the sponge after rising:
At this point, the process follows my sandwich bread pretty closely. You’ll knead the dough, and if you’re new to bread baking, my how to knead dough post and video can help. After kneading, let the dough rise twice. Lesson you’ll learn today: making a delicious whole wheat bread is not a race. We must have some patience here! (A hard ask when homemade bread is the reward…)
Step Photos to Help You
Make the dough: I recommend using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment (most stand mixers are sold with it). If you don’t have a stand mixer, mix the dough together with a spatula or wooden spoon (and a little arm muscle!).
Knead the dough: You can continue beating the dough with the dough hook, or you can knead the dough by hand.
1st rise (about 2 hours): After you knead the dough, cover it and let it rise in a relatively warm spot. Whole wheat dough requires a slightly longer rise time than white sandwich bread because it’s weighed down with wheat germ and bran.
Once it has doubled in size, punch it down to release the air.
Roll it out into an 8×15-inch rectangle:
Roll it up tightly starting with the 8-inch side, so you have an 8-inch roll to fit into your greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. (Unlike cinnamon rolls, where you roll up the dough starting with the larger side.)
2nd rise (about 1 hour): Let it rise until it’s about an inch above the rim of the pan. Don’t rush this second rise, unless you want a flat loaf.
And bake! This whole wheat sandwich bread takes about 36โ40 minutes in the oven.
Before baking, feel free to top the bread with oats. You’ll need to brush beaten egg white on top of the dough before adding the oats, so they stick. The oat topping is optional.
Success Tips to Keep in Mind
- You can make this loaf of bread 100% whole wheat, or replace 1 cup (about 125โ130g) of the whole wheat flour with bread flour for a lighter, taller, fluffier loaf. The directions remain the same.
- Knead the dough for a long time, at least 8 minutes. If you have a stand mixer, use it for this recipe. This is a heavy whole grain dough, so it requires a good amount of kneading to help produce a more elastic structure.
- When kneading, avoid adding too much flour; a slightly tacky and soft dough is OK.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the baked bread. This guarantees you won’t under-bake or over-bake the bread. It’s an incredibly helpful baking tool! The bread is done when the center of the loaf is 195โ200ยฐF (90โ93ยฐC).
- If you’re new to working with yeast, please review my Baking with Yeast Guide where I include practical and easy-to-understand answers to many yeast FAQs.
This whole wheat bread is phenomenal when sliced and served warm. The exterior is crisp and crusty, and the interior is hearty, yet soft.
Become a Bread Baker with My Approachable Recipes:
Whole Wheat Bread
- Prep Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes (includes sponge and rises)
- Cook Time: 38 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours, 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
You need just 8 simple ingredients to make this whole wheat sandwich bread. It’s soft yet hearty and oh-so-flavorful, and store-bought sandwich bread just doesn’t compare! You can use 100% whole wheat flour, or you can swap in some bread flour for a taller, fluffier loaf. See recipe Notes for freezing and overnight instructions. You can also reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.ย
Ingredients
Sponge
- 1 cup (240ml) water, warmed to about 110ยฐF (43ยฐC)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110ยฐF (43ยฐC)
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) active dry or instant yeast (1 standard packet)
- 2 cups (260g) whole wheat flourย (spooned & leveled)
Dough
- 3 Tablespoons (63g) honey
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 and 1/3 cups (173g) whole wheat flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
- optional oat topping: 1 beaten egg white + 1 Tablespoon whole oats
Instructions
- Prepare the sponge: In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk the water, whole milk, and yeast together. Add the 2 cups (260g) flour and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until a thick batter forms. Cover lightly and allow to double in size at room temperature, about 60โ90 minutes. Sometimes this can take up to 2 hours. *I do not recommend a hand mixer for this dough because the dough is too thick and heavy.*
- Add the remaining dough ingredients including the honey, butter, lemon juice, remaining flour, and the salt. With a dough hook attachment, or using a spatula or wooden spoon (and some arm muscle!), beat on medium speed/mix until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes. If the dough seems too wet to a point where kneading (next step) would be impossible, beat in more flour 1 Tablespoon at a time until you have a workable dough, similar to the photos above. Dough should be soft and a little sticky, but still manageable to knead with lightly floured hands.
- Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 8โ10 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8โ10 full minutes. (If you’re new to bread-baking, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial can help here.) If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, add 1 more Tablespoon of flour at a time to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need; you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your fingerโif it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise.ย
- 1st rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 1.5โ2 hours or until about double in size. (For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking With Yeast Guide.)
- Grease a 9ร5-inch loaf pan.
- Shape the dough: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Lightly flour a work surface, your hands, and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 8×15 inches. It does not have to be perfectโin fact, it will probably be rounded on the edges. That’s ok! Roll it up into an 8-inch log and place in the prepared loaf pan.
- 2nd rise: Cover shaped loaf. Allow to rise until it’s about 1 inch above the top of the loaf pan, about 45โ60 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack to a lower position and preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). It’s best to bake the bread towards the bottom of the oven so the top doesn’t burn.
- Optional oat topping: If you want to add the optional oat topping, add it right before baking the bread. With a pastry brush, brush the risen loaf with egg white, then sprinkle the oats on top.
- Bake the bread: Bake for 36โ40 minutes, or until golden brown on top. If you notice the top browning too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil. (I usually add it around the 20-minute mark.) To test for doneness, if you gently tap on the loaf, it should sound hollow. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant-read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195โ200ยฐF (90โ93ยฐC). Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool for a few minutes in the pan on a cooling rack before removing the bread from the pan and slicing. Feel free to let it cool completely before slicing, too.
- Cover leftover bread tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Prepare recipe through step 6. Place shaped loaf in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan or disposable loaf pan, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. On the day you serve it, let the loaf thaw and rise for about 4โ5 hours at room temperature. Bake as directed. You can also freeze the baked bread loaf. Allow the bread to cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then reheat as desired.
- Overnight Instructions: Prepare the recipe through step 6. Cover the shaped loaf tightly and refrigerate for up to about 15 hours. At least 3 hours before you need the bread the next day, remove from the refrigerator, keep covered, and allow to rise on the counter for about 1โ2 hours before baking. Alternatively, you can let the dough have its 1st rise in the refrigerator overnight. Prepare the dough through step 3, then cover the dough tightly and place in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and allow the dough to fully rise for 2 more hours. Continue with step 5.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer or Large Glass Mixing Bowl with Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula | 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Rolling Pin | Pastry Brush for optional topping | Instant-Read Thermometer | Wire Cooling Rack
- Milk: Low-fat or nondairy milk work here, but whole milk produces phenomenal texture and I highly recommend it.ย
- Yeast: I usually use instant yeast. You can use active dry yeast instead, with no changes to the preparation. Rise times will be slightly longer. Reference my Baking With Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
- Flour: Make sure your whole wheat flour is fresh. Check the date on the package, and don’t store it uncovered. Whole wheat flour can become rancid if stored for too long, and your bread will taste bitter. You can use all whole wheat flour in this recipe, or substitute 1 cup (130g) of bread flour for a slightly taller, fluffier loaf. You can use 1 cup of bread flour in the sponge in step 1 OR save it for the remaining dough in step 2. If using 1 cup (130g) of bread flour in step 2, you’ll also need the 1/3 cup (43g) of whole wheat flour.
- Honey: Honey produced the best tasting bread. In a pinch, you can use regular granulated sugar or brown sugar. But you will miss out on that honey flavor. I have not tested other sweeteners.
- Can I shape this into a round boule? No, this dough needs the structure of a loaf pan. Instead, you may like this no-knead seeded oat bread.
- Doubling this recipe: For best results, I recommend making two separate batches of dough. This is a big, heavy dough and the sponge will take a very long time to rise, and so will the kneading step. It’s best to make 2 separate doughs.
- Whole Wheat Rolls: I recommend my soft whole wheat dinner rolls recipe, or you can try my multigrain bread/rolls recipe instead.
- Adapted from Sandwich Bread and Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
Reader Comments and Reviews
What is the nutritional facts for this recipe?
Hi Adara, We donโt usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
This bread recipe is awesome!
My last couple loafs were very sour, can you advise on what I possibly did wrong?
Thanks
Hi Ashley, is your whole wheat flour fresh? Whole wheat flour can become rancid if stored for too long, and your bread will taste bitter. We’re glad you’re enjoying this recipe!
Does the baking time differ for a metal vs glass pan? I’m at the final rise stage and it looks beautiful!
Hi Linnea, bake time may be slightly longer for a glass pan, but keep an eye on it. We hope you enjoy it!
Thaks Sally the bread turned out amazing however it smells of yeast a lot is it normal ? I used traditional active dry yeast
Hi Fakhre, does it taste good? A yeast smell can be normal or it can be a sign of over-proofing or under-baking. Glad you enjoyed the bread!
The taste was ok but i could taste yeast. Whats overproofing or under proofing. I kept the flour in a warm oven to rise for 90 defined time in the recipe and it came to the top.
I love all of Sally’s recipes however I had some issues with this one. I followed the recipe to a T and measured the ingredients using a kitchen scale. However, the dough never stopped being sticky even after adding a few extra tablespoons of flour and kneading for longer. I used the stand mixer per the instructions and then when that wasn’t working, I let the dough rest for 20-30 min and then tried kneading by hand to see if that would help.
I decided to continue with the recipe anyway and the dough rose some in the first proof and it rose more in the pan after shaping, but it didn’t rise hardly at all during the bake and the texture seemed off.
I did use KA 100% Whole Wheat Flour and did not use any bread flour if that makes any difference. Any advice is appreciated!
Hi Jessica! Is it particularly hot/humid where you are right now? That can definitely impact the dough. You can add more flour as needed to bring the dough to a more workable consistency.
I have made this twice recently and the loaves are soft but are crumbly and crack when folded. Help, please!
Hi Sherry! This is a soft bread, so a little crumbliness is normal. If the bread seems overly crumbly, is it overbaked by chance? Even just an extra minute or two can dry out the bread, so for next time, weโd try reducing the bake time by a minute or so to see if that helps. And how did you measure your flour? Be sure to spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) to ensure the flour isnโt over-measured, which can cause the bread to dry out and fall apart.
Can this revipe be quadrupled to make 4 loaves at a time?
Hi Susan, for best results we recommend making separate batches instead.
Hi! I love your recipes, theyโve made their way in my recipe box over the years, so thank you! For this recipe- Iโm wondering how dramatic the flavor of the bread would be by reducing honey to 2 or even one tbsp. Do you think the recipe would still have a good taste?
Hi Lori, the honey feeds the yeast, increases its activity, and lightly sweetens the bread. You could try reducing to 1 Tbsp if needed but do not omit completely.
Since I believe whole wheat flour is healthier than white flour I tried this recipe as soon as I found it. I used all whole wheat flour and the bread turned out great. It obviously is heavier than a loaf of white bread but this loaf makes the best toast for breakfast and even greater French toast. I’ll add 1/2 cup bread flour and try that soon since this was the second loaf of yeast bread I’ve ever made. The first loaf was Sally’s whole cereal grain bread and that was absolutely delicious. Her recipes also have some of the best food photography out there!!
Hello, this looks fantastic! Is it suitable for a bread maker?
Hi Megan, we havenโt tested this recipe in a bread machine, but several readers have reported success doing so. Let us know if you try it!
Hi! I donโt have the pans with me at the moment but would this dough work in a pan that is a bit larger? The pan I have is more slender but longer than a regular 9×5 loaf pan. I realize it would be a different shape overall but itโs what I have and would love to make it work because this is the best recipe I have found! Thanks so much
Hi June, we imagine that should work fine! Some readers have reported success using pullman pans with our bread recipes – is yours about that size?
Thank you! I donโt know what a Pullman is lol but my pan is about 12 inches long, 4 1/2 inches wide and about 2 1/2 inches deep?
Do you have the nutritional facts?
Hi Julie, We donโt usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
I have a citrus allergy. How much apple cider vinegar do I use as a substitute.
Hi Elizabeth, you can use the same amount (1 tsp).
This loaf rose so high! It took longer to bake and seemed like too much dough for a typical bread pan. It’s comically huge. I used one cup bread flour in place of all whole wheat.
Hi Adrienne, this is a large loaf! Make sure you’re using a true 9×5 inch loaf pan, not something smaller. Thank you for giving this recipe and try and we hope you enjoyed your bread!
Hello,
I am going to make this today, but I was wondering if I could add some seeds to it, like mixed seeds that you usually find in this type of bread.
Thank you in advance for the answer and for the recipe!
Hi Teresa, you should be able to knead in some nuts/seeds or other mix ins when bringing the dough together in step 2. Otherwise, hereโs our multigrain bread recipe!
I canโt thank you enough for this recipe, iโve made It several times and It is (almost ;)) always a hit! I would like to know if you recommend any sourdough bread recipes, since i havenโt found any in your site.
Greetings from Argentina!
Hello… Can I substitute balsamic vinegar for the lemon juice?
Hi Hayfa, we strongly recommend using lemon juice or apple cider vinegar for this bread, which really helps the flavor. White vinegar could work in a pinch.
I’m having issues with the dough. I weighes my ingredients on a kitchen scale I followed the recipe to a T and the dough never stopped sticking to the side of the mixer. I tried adding a Tbsp of flour a few separate times and that didn’t fix it. I tried letting it rest for 30 minutes and then kneading it by hand but even adding more flour the dough would not stop sticking to the countertop. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong.
Hi Jessica! Is it particularly hot/humid where you are right now? That can definitely impact the dough. You can add more flour as needed to bring the dough to a more workable consistency.
Wow great work explaining just how each step should work. I was out of butter so used oil which lead to me adding more and more flour. Your explanations gave me the confidence to keep adding and mixing. Best whole wheat bread I have ever made. Thank you
I just made this whole wheat bread! I used half wheat, half white flour. I used 2 Tbl. spoons of sugar. I didn’t have any honey. I also used quick rise yeast. It cut the time in less than half. It turned out fantastic!!!!!
I made this bread as my first ever sandwich loaf and it was AMAZING!! I didn’t have to proof or let it rise for as long as suggested, and I substituted the 1 1/3 cup of flour for the dough with bread flour, this is my go to bread now, its so easy to make and delicious, my second loaf is about to come out of the oven and my apartment smells delicious.
I love this whole wheat recipe and have been making it for a few months now.
I have noticed my bread loaf being moist in the middle after it has cooled and wondered what would cause this?
Hi Sarah, we’re so glad you’re enjoying this bread! Does the middle seem underbaked? It could be that your loaf simply needs a few more minutes in the oven to finish baking through.
I usually take it out when it reaches 200degrees, but maybe it needs to stay in longer.
Excellent . . .
Nice bread recipe. However, itโs very thick and heavy. Mine smelled a bit yeasty.
Hi Prathyusha, weโre happy to help troubleshoot. Is it possible that the dough was over proofed in the first rise? When that happens, it can cause the dough to collapse when baking and come out a bit more dense and less light/fluffy. It can also cause a yeasty taste. An easy fix for next time!
hi Sally, my measuring cup is of 250ML, will it be ok to use that for both the liquids as well as the flour? Thanks
Hi Supriya, dry measuring cups are more accurate for dry ingredients (or a scale is best!). Here’s more about measuring baking ingredients.