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 house—so 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! ★★★★★“
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 better—store-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 can’t 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 36–40 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 125–130g) 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 195–200°F (90–93°C).
- 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.
Ingredients
Sponge
- 1 cup (240ml) water, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) active dry or instant yeast (1 standard packet)
- 2 cups (260g) whole wheat flour (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 60–90 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 8–10 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 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 finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise.
- 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 1.5–2 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 9×5-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 perfect—in 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 45–60 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack to a lower position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). 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 36–40 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 195–200°F (90–93°C). 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 4–5 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 1–2 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.
- 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
since i dont have salted butter on hand, can i use salted butter and omit the added salt or should i still add some?
Hi Tess, here’s a general rule: reduce or add 1/4 teaspoon of salt per 1/2 cup (1/4 lb; 115g; 1 stick) of butter. For this recipe, if using salted butter, you’ll reduce the salt but not omit it completely. If you’re interested, you can read more about Salted Butter vs Unsalted Butter in Baking
Hi, I’m not sure if I did something wrong but I had trouble with the final rise. The first 2 rises more than doubled and looked to have tons of little air bubbles. But the final rise after rolling, before baking, didn’t rise much. I see some bubbles on the surface but it seemed to only rise maybe 1/4th. I used kamut flour and followed the recipe exactly. It’s in the oven now but not expecting it to turn out so great 🙁
Do you know why this might happen?
Hi JenJen, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Was your bread rising in a particularly warm environment? If it was more than doubling, it sounds like it overproofed which can cause it to collapse in later stages. For next time, you can stop the rise as soon as it has doubled and proceed with the next step. We haven’t tested this bread with kamut flour, but that could be the culprit here, too. It has a higher gluten content than regular wheat, which could be causing it to rise too quickly. Hope this helps for your next loaf!
This recipe was DELICIOUS and came out near perfect. I noticed that after cooled (like the next day) it was a bit crumbly and bread separating from the crust a bit. We used white whole wheat flour. Is this because there is not as much gluten in the whole grain vs white flour? Any suggestions? Replace some of the whole grain flour with white bread flour? Thanks!
Hi Kim, if the bread seemed a bit crumbly, was it overbaked by chance? Even just an extra minute or two can dry out the bread, so for next time, we’d 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 isn’t over measured, which can cause the bread to dry out. You could also substitute 1 cup (130g) of bread flour for a slightly taller, fluffier loaf. See recipe notes for more details. We’re glad you still enjoyed this bread!
This is a family favorite, the best results making wheat bread. Would I be able to substitute rye flour for the wheat? I’m thinking of trying it with rye and molasses, what are your thoughts? Thanks bunches, I have found your recipes to be some of the most successful online.
Hi MERDavis, we’re glad you enjoyed this one! We haven’t tried a rye version of this bread, and it would definitely need some recipe testing to ensure good results. Let us know if you do any experimenting, or if you find another rye bread recipe you love!
This turned out perfectly and tastes amazing! The texture is wonderful! I followed the recipe as it is written and used 100% whole wheat flour. I did sub Costco unsweetened vanilla soy milk, only because that’s all I had. Didn’t notice any issues though. I let my kitchen aid mixer with dough hook knead for a total of 11 minutes, first three to mix it up, last 8 to fully knead. Dough was a bit sticky but no problems. I oiled the whole loaf pan with olive oil, cause that’s what I like to use. I was quite liberal with the old fashioned oats on top because, yum! Thanks for sharing such a good recipe.
This bread is fantastic. I make it most weeks, slice it up & freeze for my husband’s lunch & it’s foolproof. I love making it.
Can I use a 8×4 1/2 inch loaf pan or should I divide it in 2 and bake 2 loaves?
Hi Beth, that will be a bit too small for this recipe. You can divide it in 2 for smaller loaves, but they’ll be a bit shorter, too.
Hello Sally i would like to use a bread machine dough cycle to prepare the dough. Could you help me adapt this recipe for that please
Hi RV, we haven’t tested this recipe in a bread machine, so we’re unsure of the exact directions. However, many readers have done so with success. Let us know if you try it!
This was the most amazing bread. It was the perfect shape, texture, and taste. It’s so great to have a whole wheat recipe that everybody loves.
Curious if you used 100% whole wheat or replaced with the 1 cup of white bread flour?
Can I add nuts and seeds to this recipe or what modifications would be needed? I made it as presented and it was perfect but looking to expand the flavor.
Hi Peggy, you should be able to knead in some seeds when bringing the dough together. We’d follow the instructions and amounts from the multigrain bread recipe and see how it goes–let us know how it turns out!
For freezing and cooking the dough, do I completely thaw (overnightin fridge?), then let rise for 4-5hours? Or just take out of freezer for 4-5hrs then bake?
Hi Megan, here are the directions for freezing and thawing the dough: 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 (overnight) and then rise for about 4–5 hours at room temperature. Bake as directed. Hope this helps!
Hi there
I work away from home and I’m usually gone for about 6 weeks. I love leaving my husband breads and frozen meals. If I quadruple this recipe, do I need to make changes to the amount of yeast I’ll use or will it remain times 4?
Thanks!!
Hi Angela, for best results, we recommend making 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 when multiplying.
Great and I didn’t use honey (br sugar) or vinegar and I’m not a yeast baker. I did use fresh ground soft red wheat. The crust was soft too! Love love love! Thanks
This bread is the best but my loaf will be perfectly domed when I put it in the oven then flatten out on top about half way through. I follow the recipe. Any suggestions?
Hi Barbara, if the bread seems to collapse after baking and cooling, it could be that it was over proofed. Our Baking with Yeast Guide will be a helpful resource to review. Thanks for giving this bread a try!
Could you substitute buttermilk in place of whole milk in this recipe?
Yes. Same amount.
Hi. What’s the measurement if I’ll use sugar. Not a fan of honey
Thanks.
Never made bread before and this was a great recipe. Thank you!
This recipe is amazing! Combined my active dry yeast with the milk and water, letting it sit for 10 minutes. Then made my sponge and let rise for 60 minutes and then added butter, sponge and rest of ingredients into my bread maker and worked like a charm! Thank you Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Hi! My bread is over proofing and I dont know how to fix it. Ive made this bread many times and ny family absolutely loves it. However it grows too much in the oven. I dont let it rise much in any of the steps because it rises too quickly! Any tips?
Hi Andrea, is your kitchen particularly warm? Overly warm rising spots can often cause dough to rise too quickly. Shortening the rise time will help, but finding a cooler spot to let it rise should help, too. Hope this helps for your next loaf!
I just made this recipe and had my first slice… What a wonderful flavor and texture!!! I did add a very little bit of fiber in the form of chia seeds, flax seed, and pepitas. I added less than a tsp of each of the seeds but I’d like to add more. If I add more than that, will it make the bread mushy, affect how the doe rises or the amount of time in the oven? Do I need to adjust the amounts of any of the ingredients?
Hi Sue, you should be able to knead in some seeds when bringing the dough together. I’d follow the instructions and amounts from the multigrain bread recipe and see how it goes–let us know how it turns out!
What a loaf!!! Delicious and easy to make because of your great instructions. I entered this wheat bread recipe in two different county fairs this summer and WON BEST WHEAT BREAD at each fair. Now that is some good bread! Thanks Sally!
Hi. First time bread baker here. I’ve currently just put the dough roll in the loaf pan, waiting for the last rise. During the rise before this – the two hour one – I overslept and accidentally let it rise for 3 hours. Will that affect the final loaf?
Hi Mahnoor, extending the rise time can cause the dough to over proof and collapse when baking, but you can certainly still proceed with making the bread. Hope it’s a hit!
It was my first time baking bread so I was bound to make some mistakes. I over proofed the bread in the first rise, it didn’t rise enough in the loaf pan and when I put it in the oven, it didn’t rise, cracked in half, had a hard shell and was dense and heavy. For what I’ve researched, I think it was a combination of over proofing and using too much flour while kneading. What do you think?
This is the fourth time I’ve made this whole wheat bread and it’s now my go-to bread recipe. I follow the directions to a T and the bread comes out beautifully every time. I love the fact I’m feeding my family bread that not only tastes good but is good for you!
We love this recipe. It has become our go to house bread. Just one question…. Most breads the sweetener goes in to help the yeast feed. Would the sponge grow stronger if honey was added to the sponge when you made it?
Hi Mark, it likely would. But I haven’t tested it because, well, I haven’t needed to! The dough rises beautifully as written and the bread has excellent structure once baked. I’ll give it a try the next time I bake a loaf.
When I put the loaf in the oven it’s tall and fluffy. When I take it out the center has fallen. Auy idea what I’m doing wrong? I fallow the instructions.
Hi Greg, If the bread seems to collapse after baking and cooling, it could certainly be that it was over proofed. Our Baking with Yeast Guide will be a helpful resource to review. Thanks for giving this bread a try!
Thank you, Thank you !! I have tried so many wheat bread recipes and have had really none that I would say I Love. This is above my expectations! It is soft, easy to cut. Tastes so yummy. I grind my own wheat berries so I’m so glad I have found a recipe that I now can make and share with friends. Thank you.
6th loaf! I love this bread. Makes great sandwiches. So tadty. I had to purchase a really sharp bread knife to slice it properly! Thank you for the recipe and excellent notes on “how to”!
This is hands-down some of the best bread I have ever made! My family loves it. I know the recipe says it’s better to do two separate recipes if you want to double, but I have done a double batch in my stand mixer twice now and it’s come out perfectly. Thank you so much for another winning recipe!
Perfect recipe! It wasn’t dense and dry as most whole wheat recipes end up. My 4 kids went through half a loaf in one sitting. We accidentally bought way too much wheat flour without looking at the expiration date. We’re now needing to go through a lot more as we near it, and this will definitely help us use it up!
how much protein is in this
Hi Jane, We don’t 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 saw this recipe yesterday and decided to make it. It came out perfect! Thanks to your easy to follow recipe.
I couldn’t wait for it to be completely cool after I took it out of the oven so I had a slice and enjoyed it with my homemade honey butter ( I used Plugra butter).
I had the bread again for breakfast and lunch today. I still have about two slices left.
I did make one loaf again this morning.
It came out even more perfect! I was so happy!
Thank you for all your hard work. Your recipes always work for me.