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
Are there any alterations if I’m making this with freshly milled wheat? I’ve read it made need more time to hydrate. Your insight is greatly appreciated!
Hi Sarah, we don’t have any experience baking with FMF, sorry we can’t help more!
can you double and make 2 loaves at once?
Hi Deb, for best results we recommend making two batches instead of doubling this recipe.
Can I leave the sponge out for longer than 2 hours
I made this the first time but it smelled like yeast and a weird smell I don’t know if it is the whole wheat flour, so I did it for a second time bc I know it can’t be the recipes fault, i did as you said and replaced one cup with bread flour, used a different whole wheat flour brand and another yeast brand, it turned out tasty and amazing, although there is a small hint of that smell but I think It might be the whole wheat flour that is making it but it still is veryyyyy good and fluffy. I stilm have a question, an I replace the butter with olive oil? Cuz I always run out of unsalted butter and can’t find it in nearby stores so I don’t want such a small problem to get in the way of making this bread, or can I use salted butter and reduce the salt amount in the recipe?
Hi Lina! Glad you enjoyed this recipe. You can use salted butter without any changes here.
I LOVE this bread – but I do make adjustments (occupational hazard as a Dietitian. When I make this bread, I only use 1 T of honey and often add things like chia seeds, bulgur or oatmeal right into the sponge because I have had better luck with it staying in the bread versus crumbling off when cutting it… the last step also recommends topping it with oatmeal; sometimes I just coat the top/outside with egg whites and I do not roll it out, which is just a preference and simpler due to lack of space/time
.
Okay, I love this. I don’t like sweet, so 1 T of honey will be more than enough for me. I also love Bulgur, so would really like to add that in, as well. Are you using the bulgur straight out of the package, or plumping it with water? Do you have to make any adjustments for the decrease in honey and the increase in dry ingredients?
I have been looking for a whole wheat bread recipe, and so far have been very disappointed. So, I figured I had nothing to lose trying this recipe. I have to say it’s just great. I was so pleasantly surprised. With creating the sponge there are a couple of extra steps, but it is well worth it. This recipe makes a moist loaf without being heavy or stodgy. My only change up was making it with maple syrup instead of honey. (I was low on honey and didn’t feel like going to the store) It came out just great and this will be my go to recipe for whole wheat bread from now on.
Hi Sally! In the recipe you made for the YouTube video, did you use 100% whole wheat flour, or did you substitute part of it with bread flour? Thank you!
Hi Yara, we used all whole wheat flour in the video.
Is nutritional information available for this recipe?
Hi Jessica, 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 used this recipe for my first whole wheat loaf & it turned out pretty well. The crumb was pretty dense & we noticed a slight aftertaste. I think I under proofed both rises. Sponge rose very quickly in only 30 min. 1st rise more than doubled after 45 min. 2nd rise took a bit longer. For both 1st & 2nd I had volume increase but poke test indicated over proofing so I stopped maybe too soon. Still new to bread baking. Any suggestions for my next attempt?
Hi Amy! We usually look for volume when dough is rising. Our baking with yeast guide will have more tips for you!
If I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour should I still substitute 1 cup of bread flour for the wheat flour in the sponge for a lighter loaf? Will the white whole wheat affect the hydration and do I need to adjust the amounts of water & milk? Any other adjustments?
Hi Amy! You can use white whole wheat flour with no other changes. You can try it either with all white whole wheat, or with some bread flour. It will be good either way.
Can I use cream instead of Milk?
Hi Ginger, that would be a bit too thick for this dough. Best to stick with milk here.
Does your recipe call for whole milk because of the fat … can non dairy unsweetened milk (almond/oat/pea) be used and still obtain the same outcome???
Low-fat or nondairy milk work here, but whole milk produces phenomenal texture and we highly recommend it.
So, the flavor is wonderful…but I’m at my wit’s end with this loaf.
I’ve prepared this recipe three times now, following every step exactly. I’m using King Arthur Golden Wheat Whole Wheat flour. I’m kneading for about 13 minutes, and the dough passes the poke test. I let the first rise go for an hour and a half until doubled (or more) in size. The loaf rose for an hour and change and was at least an inch above the top of the pan…
…and EVERY time, the loaf collapses in the oven. Every time.
Again–great flavor, and the texture isn’t bad, if it weren’t for that collapse. I’ve used lemon the first time, apple cider vinegar the second and third. I cannot tell for the life of me what I’m doing wrong (and I’ve baked plenty–this is the first time I’ve had a recipe fail on multiple subsequent occasions).
Hi Shannon, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. It sounds like your dough may be over-proofed just a bit, especially if it’s more than doubling in size or rising much higher than an inch over the pan 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 the bread’s flavor and we hope this helps for your next loaf!
Thank you Sally, until I tried your recipe I found baking whole wheat bread very frustrating as the results were so inconsistent, with your recipe my bread turns out every time it is soft, fluffy and so tasty, perfect for toast or sandwiches & better then store bought, finally my wife & I love my bread
I just made this bread and it was phenomenal! I am wondering though how much I can reduce the honey by to make it for my toddler without ruining the recipe? Thanks for any help!
Hi Maureen, 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. You might also enjoy this multigrain bread instead.
This is the best bread recipe I’ve ever made. I wish I could bottle the smell in the house when it was cooking.
I’ve made this a couple times now and the sponge is SO wet. It doesn’t look like the picture at all, unfortunately. Any idea what I could be doing wrong? I’ve made the recipe according the both volume and weight measurements and the result is always the same…
Hi Amanda, I’m so sorry this recipe has given you trouble! How have the final baked breads turned out?
The sponge is meant to be very wet and loose, more like a thick batter than a dough, so that part is actually expected. The photo can sometimes make it look thicker than it really is, depending on lighting and angle. If it truly seems soupy rather than batter-like, double-check that the full amount of flour for the sponge is going in at that stage and that the milk and water are measured accurately. But in most cases, a very wet sponge is normal here. You could add a few more Tablespoons of flour (that you would use in step 2) to help thicken, but if your bread is turning out nicely, it doesn’t necessarily matter!
Hiya Sally , I love all your recipes, they come out great every time. I haven’t made this bread but I’d like to know if I could add dried cranberries in the dough and how to do this and how much would you suggest? Thank you
Hi Terry! We haven’t tested adding dried fruit to this dough, but it should work just fine. We’d try 3/4 cup – 1 cup.
Excellent delicious bread and mine looked just like the picture! And even though I’m an experienced baker, I appreciated the detailed information.
Fantastic recipe. The sponge technique is a must!!! Similar to the tangzhong sponge in Japanese milk bread.
Favorite recipe!! I made the dough in my bread machine (the knead and first rise) and baked in oven! (Shaped and second rise). Came out perfect and it took me about 3 hours and 30minutes in total.
(I threw everything in my bread machine with wet ingredients first and flour and yeast last. Pressed the dough button on my kitchenarm machine which took about 2 hours and 7 minutes. Took it out and shaped it and put it in my bread pan and let it do its second rise which took about 40 minutes and baked! Came out perfect)
Thank you for making such an easy starter for me into the world of baked bread. Could I ask about storage ? how best to keep it fresh? We are going to use it for sandwich bread and any tricks to slice it without smooshing. I am awaiting the breads exit out of the oven and am super excited thank you
Hi Erika! You can cover the bread tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. We use a plastic bag, wrap it, or you can use an air-tight container.
This is a fantastic recipe! Is there a lower-cholesterol substitute for the butter?
Hi Christine! We recommend butter for the best taste and texture, but you can substitute the same amount of oil if needed.
Wow, such a treat. I felt like a pro baker when my loaf came out of the oven.
Hi Sally
I use your recipes every time I bake. Thank you for making it easy for me to start my baking adventure.
I am hoping to bake with whole grains and less sugar. Any tips for adapting this recipe ?
Thank you so much
Kedest
Hi Kedest, 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. You might also enjoy this multigrain bread instead.
Can I braid this for Whole Wheat Challah instead of rolling it up?
Hi Miriam! You can certainly try it! We haven’t tested shaping the dough that way. Let us know how it turns out.
My husband gifted me a Kitchenaid Mixer for Christmas, so I decided to learn how to make him wheat bread. This is the first time I’ve ever made yeasted bread. The recipe (and video) were very easy to follow and I made a perfect loaf of bread.
We’re so happy to read this, Michelle! Thanks for giving this recipe a try with your new mixer.
Love all of your recipes! First time trying this one today though and realized I do not have lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. I only have white vinegar or white/red wine vinegar. Can I use one of those?
Hi Lisa, White vinegar should work in a pinch.
Wht temperature to cook this bread?
350°F (177°C).
First thanks to the person who gave the bread machine instructions. I also did the dough in the bread machine. I made the sponge. I put it on dough setting, let it mix up then turned off the machine. The dough doubled in about 30 min. I added everything else and let it do it’s dough thing. This loaf is massive! I love it. It’s so good. Next time though I will cut the dough in half and make 2 loaves
Can the sponge be refrigerated and then the process be picked back up on the following morning?
Hi Calyn, The best way to use the overnight method is to prepare the recipe through step 6, and then you can cover the shaped loaf tightly and refrigerate for up to about 15 hours. We don’t recommend refrigerating the sponge overnight.
I wasn’t able to see your reply in time. I ended up asking AI and double check it’s sources. They said it was doable, so I gave it a go and all turned out at a 5 star rating. I’m going to experiment with it in the future just to see how the flavor gets manipulated.
This bread turned out beautifully and rose so high!
Thank you so much.
As a firm believer of “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” I’d like to share my success. The package of King Arthur flour states “1 cup = 113 grams” I ignored that and followed the 260g recommended. With that, I did choose the variation subbing in 1 cup of bread flour in the sponge stage. I did let the sponge step sit at 95° for 45 minutes because my house is extremely cold this winter and I wanted this step to be more controlled. I don’t have lemon juice so I used the ACV suggestion. I don’t have a mixer so I hand kneaded it, this is a very wet dough compared to the white sandwich bread recipe, I had to be gratuitous with the wheat flour. For the first rise after kneading it, I did the overnight fridge rise, and then let it sit out for 1 hour before rolling it out.
All that to say, we’re on our third loaf this week. It’s so delicious and pretty straightforward
Agree in that I also follow the weight Sally refers to and her wheat/white flour combo suggestion. My house is always cold as well, and I warm a cup of water in the microwave just enough to see it bubble, not boil. I then add my dough into the microwave in a proofing container with lid and close the microwave door. This provides a perfect warm, humid environment for the sponge to be ready in < 45 minutes and the dough to rise in the lower end of the 1.5- 2 hour window.