I get a lot of requests for my homemade whole wheat bread recipe. It’s really easy to make homemade bread in a Kitchen Aid Mixer, or you can always make it by hand. (If your mixer can only handle two loaves, you can easily halve this sandwich bread recipe.)
Assemble Ingredients
6 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons active dry yeast
4-1/2 cups very warm water (120°F to 130°F)
1/2 cup very warm water (120°F to 130°F)
2 cups Spelt Flour or white flour
4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Butter or margarine, melted, if desired
Combine the Ingredients
Start your bread by combining the coconut oil, honey and 4-1/2 cups water in a small saucepan. Heat over the lowest heat just until the oil is melted. You do NOT want this to get too hot or it will kill the yeast. Ideally you want it to be between 105 and 115 degrees.
While that is heating, place the whole wheat flour, yeast and salt in your mixer bowl. With the paddle attachment, mix about 15 seconds on Stir.
Continuing on Stir, add warm water mixture to flour mixture. Mix about a minute.
At this point I usually need to scrape the sides of the bowl.
Switch to the dough hook. Add the spelt and stir on Speed 2.
Then add the all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well between each addition. Mix about 2 minutes, or until dough starts to clean sides of bowl, adding flour as necessary. This is getting close.
Then knead the dough on Speed 2 for another 2 minutes, continuing to add a couple tablespoons of flour to get it to the right consistency. It should not be sticky so that it sticks to your hands, but you don’t want to get it dry to the point that it’s coming apart.
When it’s ready, it won’t be sticky. It will feel smooth and elastic.
At this point, dump the bread dough out onto a plate and grease the inside of the mixing bowl, all the way to the top.
Return the dough to the bowl, and turn over so that it is buttered on all sides.
Then cover it with a clean towel and place it in a warm place to rise. Usually the top of the oven works just fine, but on really cold days, I heat the oven to 120 degrees, turn it off, and then put the bread in the oven to rise.
After about an hour, it should be doubled in size.
Dump the risen bread dough out onto a large cloth or rolling mat.
Punch it down, and then divide it into four equal sized lumps of dough.
Take one and roll it out, about like this, and pretend that my camera was focusing on the dough instead of the rolling pin. Anyone know a photographer for hire?
Then roll it up tightly, like so.
And pinch the loose ends into the dough.
Then roll him over so the seam is on the bottom and fold the ends under, like so.
And place him in a buttered bread pan. I love my cast iron bread pans.
Then, wash, rinse, repeat, until all four loaves of whole wheat bread are in loaf pans, ready to rise.
Put the loaves to rise in a warm spot, covered with a clean towel, for about 45 minutes or so.
When the bread looks about right, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Pop ‘em in the oven, and set your timer for 30 minutes. Of course ovens vary, but this works out perfectly for me. The bread is done when you tap it and it sounds hollow.
Immediately turn the loaves of bread out onto a rack to cool. I always slather butter on top of my bread because that’s what my mama always did. And because I’m a firm believer that you can never have too much butter.
Now tell me, doesn’t this bread look utterly divine?
Someone certainly agrees.
Here are the directions for your printing convenience:
Homemade Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Recipe
Ingredients:
6 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
2 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons active dry yeast
4-1/2 cup very warm water (120°F to 130°F) cups very warm water (120°F to 130°F)
2 cups Spelt or white flour
4 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
Butter or margarine, melted, if desired
Instructions:
1. Combine coconut oil, honey and 4-1/2 cups water in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until the oil is melted.
2. Place whole wheat flour, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment, mix about 15 seconds on Stir. Continuing on Stir, add warm water mixture to flour mixture. Mix about a minute.
3. Then with the dough hook in place, add the spelt and all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well between each addition. Mix about 2 minutes, or until dough starts to clean sides of bowl, adding flour as necessary. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.
4. Place dough in greased bowl, and turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place 40 to 60 minutes or until double. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched. Form your loaves and place them in buttered loaf pans to rise for about an hour.
5. When they look the right size, bake for 30 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven. Remove immediately to a cooking rack, brush tops with butter, and try to wait a few hours before cutting into one. Serve warm or room temperature.
6. Freeze extra loaves and defrost as needed.
Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post.
That is some yummy looking bread! I am going to try it this week. I have been searching for a homemade bread recipe that will work for sandwiches. (I realize any bread will work for sandwiches, lol, but I am trying to transition my kids over from store bought bread and they are hard to please!) Thanks!
Fantastic!!! Thankyou for sharing this recipe! CANNOT wait to try it!
hugs.. Amy
Now I have to try this…by hand. Usually our bread goes into the bread machine but this looks too yummy to pass up!
This looks so good, I’m weeping. I’m bookmarking to use in the future!
Oh, you are right, that bread looks utterly divine. Now, I just need to figure out how to manage my time so I can get that done! Thanks for the step by step and pictures. I want to try this out soon.
I’m so glad you shared this recipe. I meant to ask you for it last time we were together. Question: What kind of bread pans are those? I love them.
I’d love to try the recipe. We have a small family (one toddler) so I like that you can freeze the dough. How do you thaw the frozen dough and once thawed, do I roll out and go from this step? How long can the dough be frozen and still taste good?
Thanks a bunch!
Looks delicious!!
My 11yo DS just drooled over your photos and said “you need to make some bread”.
I told him he could help…but then I remembered one time he did & put way too much salt in, so we affectionately dubbed his the Salt Lick Bread.
I think I’ll make some while he is at school
Oh my! I’ve never seen such perfect bread. Congratulations!
I have to tell you that you’ve inspired me. I have made honey whole wheat bread about 4 times now, and my family just loves it. I’ll try your recipe next time, though, because it looks delish!
Debbi, I set it out on the counter to defrost. I remove the tin foil and put a towel over it. It’s best to set it out the night before. I just watch it till it looks like it’s risen to the right height, and then I pop it in the oven and bake.
I would think it could be frozen for several weeks and still be fine.
Oh yay!! I was stuck (in a good way) reading through your “ask the housewife” series this afternoon & was on a mission to find one of your bread recipes!! I really enjoyed reading everything you’ve done & are doing regarding eating. It’s been important to me recently, but not enough to make the changes. I’m trying to take steps this year … all your info will help!!!
I’m REALLY looking forward to trying this!! If not this week, then definitely next week. I’ve been wanting to try homemade sandwich bread for a while now, and your recipe looks perfect.
I was just thinking this week that I need to find a new, better whole wheat bread recipe. This one sounds perfect.
Incidentally, how do you know how many loaves of bread your mixer can churn out? I’m wondering how many I can do at once.
Oooh, thanks for the recipe, can’t wait to try it out it looks very delish. Oh, and I love your range top, sweet!
Thanks for sharing your recipe! I made sandwich bread for the first time this weekend using the white bread recipe in the kichen aid mixer cookbook. Of course I swapped out some of the white flour for wheat and sugar for honey. It was so easy and so delicious. I can’t wait to try yours this weekend!
Those look DELICIOUS! I am totally making that.
Thanks for the recipe idea!
( I love my kitchen aid mixer… my new toy!)
This bread looks wonderful! What betty crocker cookbook? I have two I think. And I don’t know WHY I never thought to just grease the mixer bowl and let it rise in that!
My mom tried to get me a wooden bowl (to use just for bread) for me to rise my bread in…. not sure it’s the same thing (she got me a big salad bowl)
and yes, there is NO SUCH THING as TOO much butter!
Sure looks delish!
You’re my hero!
Seeing you tackle bread makes me think I can actually do it one day!
Nell
Oooh cast iron bread pans- so nice! (I want!!!) Do you know what size your mixer bowl is? I have a standard kitchen aid & looking at Amazon it looks like your mixer might be a 5 or 6 quart & mine a 4 1/2 quart. I want to adjust the recipe so it doesn’t overflow/overwhelm my mixer. Thanks for sharing- hope it turns out as good in my glass & metal pans!
Lisa, mine is a 6-quart. My old one was a 4.5 quart, and it handled half this recipe (2 loaves) quite nicely. Hope that helps!
This bread looks perfect. I’m trying this today. I hope mine looks this good!!
Thanks for posting this, Jo-Lynne. I’ve made your bread before, but it really helps having the pictures and seeing your little “tweaks.” I just made two loaves this morning with the updated instructions and they turned out beautifully!
Have you tried soaking and drying the grain first, yet? That’s the part that scares me. I’ve just been buying whole wheat sourdough from Trader Joe’s–which, obvs, uses real ingredients and no “other stuff.” But I’m about to move to someplace where there’s no health food stores and I’ll be learning the definition of real food, *really* fast.
Made your bread and it turned out fabulous. Made 3 loaves and a pan of rolls. Next time I will half it. My mixer was moaning and groaning by the end. LOL
I made some today and considered making rolls out of one. Next time I will. Glad you enjoyed it!
This bread recipe looks divine! Can’t wait to try it out…but I will have to do mine in portions as all I have are my two hands or my bread machine for mixing….one of these days I will get a Kitchen Aid….just can’t justify it yet. Probably won’t happen until retirement.
Do you always roll out the dough flat then fold it up as shown in the photos or is this specific to this recipe? Is there a special reason you do it this way? Looks interesting…would love to hear your thoughts…
Wanda, that is the traditional way to make a loaf of bread; I’ve seen it in many books and recipes. It really does make a pretty loaf. But I used to just squish it into a bread pan, and it worked okay. Just didn’t look as pretty.
And if you do the recipe in half and use your two hands, you will get a good work out AND have a couple yummy loaves of bread!
You instructions are so easy and the bread looks perfect! I’m saving this and buying me some bread pans!!
Question, do you think you have to have a stand mixer to make this? I would like to try it, but I don’t have one.
Hey Jennifer. No, not at all. You can do it by hand and knead it 5-10 minutes till “smooth and elastic” like a traditional bread recipe. let me know how it turns out!
I tried this last night on a whim. I ended up using a lot of spelt flour because it was what I had on hand. It turned out delicious (and I’m not lucky enough to have a device as beautiful as the KitchenAid stand mixer. *sigh*), and I even cut the recipe in half just because I didn’t have enough of all the ingredients on hand to make four loaves. Thanks for the recipe!
i made this last night;if my fiance hadn’t already proposed, i think the first taste of this bread might’ve sealed the deal! He could not stop raving about it. Now that i’ve read the comments, i’m anxious to try rolls!
i only got to soak the mixture for about 3 hours, but it was still really, really good! Where did you find your cast iron pans?
Do you think half of the recipe would work in a bread machine??? Looks soooo good!
Anna, I’m not sure, I don’t have a bread machine. Let us know if it works!
Hi, Jo-Lynne. I’m trying your recipe, non-soaked, cut in half, and the flavor is great, however, it is taking FOREVER to bake. (I put one loaf in the freezer and am baking the other) I put one loaf in at 350, in a glass bread pan and it’s been in there for 90 minutes! This is my first time making bread without someone else around who knows what they’re doing. Am I doing something wrong? I know oven temps vary, and I’m thinking that’s what it is. I don’t mind baking it for an hour and a half, as long as I know I’m doing everything right. What are your thoughts?
Clarify: I guess I should tell you that I’ve had it in the oven for so long because the middle is doughy. I cut it open after 30 minutes to see if it was done and it wasn’t. So I stuck it back in there and it’s still going….
Thanks
Heather
That is so odd. I’ve NEVER had that problem. No, that is way too long in the oven. Are you sure you have the right amount of ingredients? I’m baffled.
Oh my. I just ate my first slice. This is delicious. Thank you for the recipe! I’ve never made bread before and thanks to your clear instructions, it turned out perfect!!
Gulp. I just saw you updated this. I have been putting off doing a soaked recipe, but I am feeling the need to cave to the peer pressure. Bwhaahahahahahah
Do you use spelt flour? Where do you purchase yours from? (Also do you grind your own grain?). Lord have mercy this is a lot of mental power.
How do you cook the loaves that you freeze before baking? Do you thaw them on the counter?
Yes, I did. Nowadays, I just cook them all and freeze 3 cooked loaves and take them out as needed.
This looks so yummy and perfect. SAVING
Thank you for this recipe. I would like to try baking all of our bread instead of buying the mass produced chemical laden stuff from the store. I try to stay away from dairy, so do you know if substituting homemade rice milk or even coconut milk kefir for the buttermilk would work?
I still make this every week – 4 loaves get us through the week. It is SO good.
As for the milk, I”m not sure, but I would think rice milk would be fine.
I am trying your homemade whole wheat sandwich bread recipe for the first time. I’m wondering if I need to refrigerate the dough during the 7 hour soak or do I leave it on the counter?
Leave it out.
I tried your recipe and it turned out beautifully
thank you!
Hi Jo-Lynne,
I really appreciate what you’re doing here! The pictures and your sense of humor are great
I’ve just begun baking bread and I finally got a loaf of whole wheat to rise high enough to actually use, but it was stiff and broke easily. I hate to say this, but I’m looking for a recipe that is “elastic” like the ones in grocery stores. Does this recipe have that quality? Thanks so much!!
Darcie, you can definitely find breads that are softer than others, but honestly, the goal is NOT to be like grocery store bread, lol. Trust me, once your family gets used to REAL bread, they won’t want the spongy grocery store stuff. My kids balk every time I run out of homemade and suggest grabbing a loaf from the store to tide us over till I have time to make more.
But yeah, some are softer than others, and it takes a LOT of experimentation. I tried several recipes before I found this. It also takes some practice – learning how long to knead, rise, etc.
I still don’t have it down to a science. Sometimes it is dry and crumbly and sometimes it is fantastic. I can’t eat it, but I can tell when I cut it if I did it right or not. Someday I hope to have it so that I make it perfect every time!
I was wondering about a couple things. 1.) Do you mill your wheat or do you buy store bought. 2.) How do you soak your grains? 3.) What kind of coconut oil do you buy?
Your bread pictures look so good. I’m looking forward to trying your recipe.
Hey Melanie.
1) I do NOT mill my own wheat. Have mercy. LOL. I would love to, but sadly no. I buy organic whole wheat flour from my local whole foods mart. Or Bobs Red Mill brand.
2) I explain the soaking process in this post – combine whole wheat flour and salt and add it to the coconut oil/water/honey mixture and let it set overnight. Then add the rest and proceed.
3) I like to buy Nutiva. http://astore.amazon.com/musofahou-20/detail/B001EO5Q64
Hope that helps!
Thanks so much, Jo-Lynne! We just started milling our wheat. Really, it’s not a difficult thing to do. I have a Nutrimill (it’s an electric grain mill), and I buy grain from Breadbeckers.com. We have a local co-op.
Jolyn – why do you only soak the whole wheat flour and not the white too? Just a question I had while making your bread for the how many times – I don’t know!
A good question. From what I understand, white flour doesn’t have phytates, which is what you’re trying to break down or pre-digest when soaking the grain.
http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/02/18/exploring-soaking-grains-what-are-phytates-and-phytic-acid/
How does it affect the recipe if I substitute the spelt with oat flour? I also have bread flour. What is that and can I use it in this recipe?
Hi Theresa. I’m kind of a “buy the book” sort of cook and I don’t experiment a lot. I’m not sure how oat flour would translate and I’m pretty sure you have to make some modifications when you use bread flour.
I just googled it, and it seems like you can use them interchangeably. You may try bread flour in this recipe – it might make it better. You wouldn’t want to use bread flour instead of all purpose in cake, but in bread it should be good.
Wondeful bread recipe and I am happy to found your blog. Just one question you mentione that we could freeze the dough. When I want to use it for later baking what should I do? Please do reply. Thanks in advance
You can freeze it and then the day you want to eat it, set it out and let it thaw. When it’s thawed, it will start to rise, and when it looks right, you can cook it!
It’s kind of hard to time it so you have to be around to watch it. I prefer to cook it all and freeze the cooked loaves to defrost as needed. It’s easier, I think. But both methods work!
Hi Jo-Lynne,
I just made your bread last night and it was delicious!! I didn’t have any white flour so I used white whole wheat instead of the white. My question is…since it came out so good this way and I’d prefer not to use white four…is there a way that I can soak all or most of the wheat flours or do I have to wait and introduce some of it dry with the yeast? Thank you!
Hi Kara. I’m not really sure. (True confessions… I don’t soak mine anymore. It’s just another step that I can’t seem to make time for.) If you experiment and find a good solution, can you let me know?
Hi,
I have recently started making my own bread and you are right, there is no comparison! I was wondering if you could tell me how you keep the bread loaves after slicing? Do you have a breadkeeper? If so, is there one you recommend…all I have found are plastic ones. I was curious what you did. Thank you!
Isn’t homemade bread divine!?? I keep them in tin foil, nothing fancy. I know aluminum is bad for us, and I hate to use it but I also don’t like using a lot of plastics. I’d love to have a better solution.
I just discovered your recipe for sandwich bread on Pinterest. I’ve always been to scared to make bread without using my bread maker. Now that I have found your tutorial I will be able to make several loaves at once, with confidence. Thanks for the great recipe, step-by-step tutorial, and pictures!