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
My dough had rips in it after the second rise, what did I do wrong. It tastes great and everything I just want to make sure I get it right next time.
Hi Sab, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Did the dough seem dry? Be sure to spoon and level (or use a food scale) to measure your flour so that it isn’t over measured. If a dough has too much flour and dries out, that can often cause it to rip. Be careful to knead for just the right amount of time, too—as under kneading or over kneading can prevent the dough from having just the right amount of elasticity. Over proofing can also cause the dough to tear more easily. Hope this helps for next time!
Hi, I made this bread today with the addition of all purpose flour as per notes and the bread did rise nicely but with pores during second rise but it lost all the rise during baking, can you tell me what happened?
Hi Tisha! Usually when breads collapse when baking, the dough was over-proofed. Was it particularly warm in your kitchen? You can try shorter rise times next time!
I made this bread. No changes. Very tasty. I can see why you have all those 5 star ratings.
Perfect! I finally found a whole wheat bread recipe that we actually like.
The best, most consistent recipe! I am making this every 2 weeks and it is perfect each time. Fantastic for sandwiches. delicious toasted.
Hi Sally and staff! Can you please tell me how to add whole oats to the Whole Wheat bread, in addition to putting them on top of the loaf? I was tempted to add 1/3 cup oats to the mixture, but I’m concerned that too many oats might soak up the liquid. I’ve regularly made the Simply Sandwich Bread for several months (and LOVE it!), but I also need a lower cholesterol, higher fiber option. Thank you! Ellie Mercier
Hi Ellie, there is actually a loaf of bread that fits your specifications in Sally’s new cookbook. I’m sorry that unfortunately it won’t be out until Sept 2! In the meantime, you could try experimenting with soaking some oats in the warm liquid for the sponge, and maybe slightly cut back on the amount of flour in the sponge. You can always add more ww flour back in when you’re getting the dough to the point where it’s ready to knead, if it feels too soft/sticky to knead by hand. Let us know what you try and how it goes!
Can’t thank you enough for this recipe. So hard to find good whole grain bread. This is delicious!
I just made this whole wheat loaf. Incredible. It’s so light. Delicious.
Hi, which non-dairy milk would be the best option? (Oat, almond?). Thank you!
Hi Evgeny, you can use either here. Oat milk tends to be thicker than almond milk, so you may get a slightly richer-tasting bread, but probably not noticeably so. Happy baking!
I just made this, this morning before work and LOVE it! I have been using your recipes since I was 19 years old and am now 24 and still every time I make something I look up if Miss Sally had made it first! I can always and I mean always count on you to make the best 🙂 I will be using this bread for generations
Great recipe; thanks for posting it. I got a beautiful loaf out of it. You’ve explained every step so well. The sponge method is the best for whole grain baking. I’ve used the Tassajara Bread book for many, many years and the sponge method is the basis for the yeast breads in that book.
I made this recipe this weekend, the flavor was excellent! However, the finished product was a bit crumbly after sliced. I’m a newer bread baker so I’m unsure if that’s typical, or if I had a misstep? Followed the directions to a T. Maybe the rise time was too long? I live in WI so not an elevated climate. Thanks, I appreciate any feedback! (The 4 stars is a reflection on my baked outcome; with coaching on my technique, I’m sure this is a 5 star recipe!)
Hi Lindsay, 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, 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 enjoy this bread!
Best whole wheat sandwich bread recipe I’ve tried! I should have known because I love the other recipes I’ve tried of yours! Thank you!
I have made this recipe for whole wheat bread and have altered a few things to have it turn out right . The sponge time is about 45 minutes to about double. Then into my Bosche mixer with remains ingredients of honey, butter salt and flour with remains flour plus dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten with attention to dough to not be too dry and sometimes
Added water to achieve the tacky dough. The 1st rise to about double is about 45 minutes. . Then shape as instructed and let rise for about 1 1/2 hours. Bake at 25 minutes. Longer would burn it. Then brush with butter. Took me several attempts to get the right rise. My bread flour is fresh ground with my nutrimile. I live in southern Utah at 3000 feet. My electric oven is fairly accurate but I had to really watch it
Kathy Burningham
Can you provide nutritional information for your whole wheat bread? Thank you!
Hi Frankie, 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 love all your recipes! Never had one fail. Can I use buttermilk for the milk in this recipe?
Hi Laura! Buttermilk should be fine, since it’s such a small amount compared to the water.
Absolutely fool-proof! I am never again buying whole wheat bread from the supermarket.
Excellent whole wheat bread recipe.
Followed the recipe exactly except for the rising times – I used my bread proof setting on my oven and it rose significantly quicker. Bread was super moist and fluffy – we will be making it weekly!!
This bread was very nice. I used half all purpose and half whole wheat. It’s not too dense and great for making sandwich slices. I wasn’t sure about putting the lemon juice in, but it works!
This recipe ends my search for a whole wheat bread! It’s so light in texture and so very pleasant in flavor, t’s hard to believe it’s 100% whole wheat!! It’s unbelievable!! So good! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I love it when a recipe is a home run, like this one!!
Wow! Such an amazing recipe!! Can I use olive oil instead of butter?
Looks great! I’d like to try this recipe with adding ground flax seed. Would this be okay if I add around 1/4 c. and would I need to make any adjustments to the recipe?
Hi Gail, to use flax seeds in the dough, we’d recommend this multigrain recipe instead. Let us know if you try it!
I have tried this twice, once with the one cup bread flour substitution in the sponge and then with the one cup bread flour substitution in the second step. I also used the optional oat topping. We love it! Both times the bread had a nice rise and a nice crumb after, but I can’t make it rounded on the top – mine rises to a flatter top. I wonder if this is a shaping issue before putting it into the pan? My dough fills the pan fuller than the photo for that step.
Hi Robert, it sounds like your dough may be over-proofed just a bit, especially if it’s filling the pan higher once shaped. When dough over-proofs, it can rise high and then collapse in the oven. You might try reducing your rise times just a bit for your next batch. So glad you’re enjoying this recipe!
We love this bread recipe! I’ve made it multiple times already. What’s the proper way to cook the bread once out of the oven so that the top doesn’t get wrinkly but stays nice and smooth?
Hi Abbey, some wrinkles can be normal when cooling, but make sure not to over-proof your dough because that can weaken the gluten structure leading to more wrinkles.
This is the best whole wheat bread recipe I’ve ever tried! It is delicious, soft and fluffy and not sour at all. Finally a recipe that actually uses 100% whole wheat flour. Question: if I wanted to add even more fiber, like flax or oats, any suggestions and would it mess with the outcome/structure of the bread?
Hi Tan, we’re so glad you enjoyed it! To use flax seeds and oats in the dough, we’d recommend this multigrain bread recipe instead. Let us know if you try it!
This bread is delicious! However, the second time I made it, it sank in the middle while baking and the crust separated from the rest of the loaf, leaving a gap. It had risen beautifully in the loaf pan (in an hour, using rapid rise yeast). I did not have this problem the first time around. Do you have any thoughts on what happened? Thanks!
Hi Rebecca, during the second rise, did the bread seem to go much higher than an inch above the pan? Bread usually collapses when it has been over-proofed. For next time, you can try slightly decreasing the second rise time, or if it’s rising too quickly, you can stop as soon as the bread is about an inch above the pan. So glad this is a favorite for you!
Recipe for sprouted spelt bread please.
This made the best whole wheat bread recipe ever. The only thing I would caution against using is apple cider vinegar unless you like vinegar smell coming from your otherwise perfect bread. I would never use it again. I just didn’t have lemon juice on hand.
Thank you for this recipe! This is the best whole whe!t bread I’ve ever made. I make it several times a week. Going to try you’re ciabatta rolls next!!
Thank you! Best 100% whole wheat sandwich bread recipe!!! After 4 days on the counter still soft and good for sandwiches. Great flavor as well. A keeper recipe.
I’m excited to try this recipe! If I were to roll it long ways to fit in a 13×5 loaf pan, do you think it would turn out okay?
Hi Cara, that would likely produce a very short loaf. Let us know if you do give it a try.
This was really delicious! I made it exactly as written and it came out perfect. I have bees, so the honey was a really nice touch! Thanks for this wonderful recipe!