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
I can see by other comments that this is a great recipe – I had some trouble, but I am a bread novice so maybe you could shed some light on it for me?
Preparing the sponge was fine, it almost doubled in size and looked the way it should. When I added the rest of the ingredients, they just wouldn’t come together and pull away from the sides of the bowl (using KA with dough hook). After mixing for 7 or 8 minutes it came together slightly, but didn’t cling to the dough hook. Eventually the dough hook seemed to push the dough around the sidewalls of the bowl.
I did finish the bread regardless, didn’t rise all the way on the 2nd rise, and finished a bit flat and slightly dense. Still tasty! I’ve made it twice now with the same problem at mixing stage. Any wisdom you could share is appreciated!
Hi Anna! Did the dough seem too wet? There are a lot of variables that go into the consistency of dough, even down to the weather and humidity in the air. There’s nothing wrong with adding just a little more flour to bring the dough into a less sticky and knead-able consistency.
I’ve used this recipe multiple times and have used your modifications (all bread flour or half bread flour half whole wheat flour and plant based milk) and this bread has not been a disappointment one time. It’s truly very easy to make. Patience is key for wonderfully soft and amazing bread. I like to wait until the loaf is fully done cooling to cut, it makes it easier to get a slice that won’t get pushed down due to it being warm. It is very hard to wait, though! Yum!!!
I made this bread today (I am a first time bread maker). I followed all the instructions step by step and it came out just perfect! Exact same as the pictures. Thank you so much for all the explanations, pictures and the video. I am very proud of myself.
I tried this recipe using my bread maker and it turned out soft and delicious! I searched high and low throughout the comments/reviews for anyone who wrote what they did if using a bread maker and I wasn’t able to find one so I just decided to try it and see how it turned out.
The machine I’m using is Zojirushi BB-PDC20. All I did was add the ingredients to my machine in the order of the recipe (since that is what I do when I make white sandwich bread from this same website), turn my machine on, and run it on course 2 (Whole Wheat). Since this original recipe has 2 sections (the sponge and the dough) I was not sure how it would turn out. That, and I’ve never attempted to make whole wheat bread before even by hand without a machine. However, it came out great in the end. The loaf isn’t as tall as when I make white sandwich bread (which is totally fine by me, it still it an acceptable sandwich bread size) but the texture, softness, and flavor were all great.
Hopefully this is helpful for anyone wanting to try it with their bread maker. I am by no means a bread expert – I’ve only been making my own bread for the last year and usually do not deviate from a recipe because I’m not confident that I know what I’m doing outside of it. But– this recipe in a bread maker worked well for me!
Hi, should I use Kosher salt or regular table salt?
Hi Racquel, our recipes are written for regular table salt unless otherwise specified.
Hi There, I loved the recipe! it taste great but in my case, I followed the instructions to the dot and the raise was perfect but I did notice on the last raise after rolling that the suface was not smooth (it passed the edge about an inch), had some small holes.
I baked as recommended but the center of the bread was flat, not sure what I did wrong but still, it taste really good!
Hi –
Just started the sponge but the measurements in grams and cups were off by ½ cup. I got to 260 of WW flour with just 1.5 cups. I would have trusted the weight but the sponge looked wetter than the one in your photos. So, I took a chance and added in more WW to get to 2 cups.
Should I add less flour when I make the dough?
Hi Liz, We test all of our recipes multiple times using both metric weights and cups (since that’s standard where we live). While spooning and leveling our whole wheat flour does get us 130 grams per cup, we always say that “A cup isn’t always a cup, but a gram or ounce is always a gram or ounce!” Basically, when in doubt go by the weight. However, there are a lot of variables that go into the consistency of dough, even down to the weather and humidity in the air. There’s nothing wrong with adding just a little more flour to bring the dough into a less sticky and knead-able consistency. We hope this helps for next time!
is it fine to activate the yeast just with the water and not use milk? What are the other fats I can substitute for milk?
Hi Bhagyashree, Low-fat or nondairy milk work here, but whole milk produces phenomenal texture and we highly recommend it. Do not omit the milk completely.
Baked this today after a night in the fridge. It was so very good! Used the part bread flour option in notes because I like the structure more. Couldn’t get the dough to rise much out of loaf pan (very cold here) so used your warm oven trick and it worked very well. How can I be more successful getting toppings on bread to stay on even after using egg wash?
Hi Kathy, gently pressing them down will help them stick, otherwise, you may just need less toppings!
Hey Sally,
Merry Christmas. I have made this bread at least 10 times. M wife is gluten intolerant but she can eat Caputo flour products. Anyway, I think I have made every possible mistake with this delicious bread but even with the dumb errors, it still seems to be very forgiving. The only places I found that aren’t so kind is over proofing in the bread pan and cooking for even 5 minutes too long. Both times it gets really crumbly, really fast and finds its way into the bread crumb jar. We also put pepitas sunflour seeds and whole oats. We do love it when I don’t screw it up.
I’ve made this recipe many times and it’s absolutely my favorite whole wheat bread ever!
However, recently I started making it with freshly milled flour and the rise and texture isn’t quite right. Have you attempted to make this recipe with FMF or perhaps even adding an egg to the original recipe and if so, do the ingredient proportions change for either?
Hi Jackie we don’t have any experience baking with FMF, sorry we can’t help more! So glad you love this bread.
Followed this recipe exactly with 100% whole wheat flour from King Arthur and instant yeast. It turned out just like the photo’s show. Soft inside, great tasting, slices easily. It’s nice to be able to make bread that is healthy without all the added chemicals. Also, it stores very well too and doesn’t mold out quickly. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
If I use active dry yeast instead stead of instant, how long should I let the bread rise and the sponge set ?
Don’t know what I did wrong. The loaf didn’t rise in the oven, maybe it was underproofed during the first rise. The crust was hard and the centre was heavy. I’ll have to somehow chew my way through it, don’t want to waste it 🙂 The coming 7 days are going to be tough 😀
Hi Vinay! Our Baking with Yeast Guide will have some helpful tips for your next loaf.
I frequently add some vital wheat gluten to my yeast bread recipes to help with the rise. Is there any reason why you would not recommend doing so?
Thank you.
Hi Sharon, we don’t find it necessary here (the bread gets plenty of rise as is), but a few readers have reported success using it. Let us know how it goes for you!
Wow! This bread is delicious and soft and the instructions are simple and easy to follow. Yes, bread takes all day, but this is quick activity with OK downtime in-between. As long as you plan your day you will be rewarded with very delicious bread. Im going yo have another piece…
This recipe makes the best bread! I mill fresh grains and use 135 gm durum and the remainder is hard red wheat. So soft and flavorful and keeps really really well for a homemade bread. I store mine in a glass cake stand and it stays soft for days.
My teenage grandsons that would only eat white bread loved it and asked me to make it again.
Can I use my bread machine to make the dough?
Hi Merri, we haven’t tested this recipe in a bread machine, but several readers have reported success doing so. Let us know if you try it!
I make this bread weekly and my family loves it! It has the delicious aroma and taste of wheat bread, but is still soft and delicious for sandwiches and crunchy with toast!
Thank you so much for this recipe and all of the extra details.
It was my first attempt at bread baking and it’s absolutely delicious.
I followed as written, used my stand mixer, didn’t need the foil after 20 minutes. 36 Minutes and it was done.
I doubled the recipe, after starting with 2 cups of water in error, which worked out perfectly.
Loved it! Kept in my cupboard for 5 days (I made a few loaves). Held up well, was not dry, was tasty, and easy to make. Thanks for another easy to follow recipe!
Would i need to adjust the recipe to use a extra large loaf pan?
Hi Singh, this recipe is written for a 9×5 inch loaf pan. You may need to scale the recipe for anything larger.
I make bread all the time. This bread was the worst tasting and ugliest bread I have ever made. It rose beautifully through every step. I used apple cider vinegar instead of the lemon, but the recipe said this was a good substitution. I measured by weight for every step. The dough was the correct texture through every step. BUT once I cooked it in the oven it all went wrong. It lost all its rise and flattened, it tasted bitter, and it felt solid as a rock on top but moist on the bottom. What I don’t understand most, it looked beautiful on the inside of the loaf and was fully cooked through per temperature. I do not recommend this recipe.
All those good results but not yours. Instead of blaming the recipe it’s more likely that you made a mistake along the way
I’ve always shied away from baking. But the detailed instructions provided by Sally gave me the courage to try. I’ve made two beautiful loaves now that came out perfect. Thank you Sally for helping me get over my reluctance. My wife loves my baking and now I’m hooked
What a delicious bread recipe. This is my third time making this bread. I will never have to look for a recipe, because this bread is a keeper!
If I don’t have enough time to bake it, can I put it in the fridge overnight and then bake?
See Notes after the recipe for overnight instructions!
Thank you for such a delicious wheat bread. Followed your instructions exactly and my results matched your photos! Can you add nuts and seeds to this recipe? If so, what would the amount be? Thanks
I live at 4,800 above se level. What should I adjust?
Hi Scott, I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
I live at 7,500′ and don’t adjust anything. The bread is perfect every time.
I found this recipe on a Reddit sub, and I’m so glad I did! I baked this loaf exactly as written (I substituted one cup of King Arthur bread flour for one cup of King Arthur whole wheat flour as the recipe said). I never would have thought about adding lemon juice…who knew?? It came out perfect! The taste was wonderful.
The recipe recommended not to try a double batch because the dough is quite heavy, but the single loaf was nothing to my Ankarsrum, so today I made a double batch and the Ankarsrum breezed right through the dough like a champ and never skipped a beat!
This recipe is a definite winner and will be my go to from now on! Try it, it’s fantastic!
I left the loaf for 2 hours for the 1st rise and when I checked on it and did the poke test it did not bounce back and deflated. Does this mean I overproofed it? I used active dry yeast. In this case should I still do a second rise?
Hi Ashley! The poke test is for before the dough rises. We would continue with the recipe!