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How to Make Soft Whole Wheat Bread
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.
I know store-bought bread is convenient, 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.
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
Recipe Testing & Challenges
Using 100% whole wheat flour in bread can cause two main issues:
- The bran layer of the wheat grain can make the bread taste bitter or sour. (Make sure your whole wheat flour is fresh; it can become rancid if stored for too long.)
- Whole wheat flour lacks the same level of gluten as white flours, leading to a dense or flat loaf. Many whole wheat bread recipes add vital wheat gluten, but I don’t usually keep that in my kitchen, and you may not either.
To address these issues, 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 and more height. Whole wheat bread will never be as soft, tender, and chewy as white sandwich bread, but this recipe comes pretty close with my careful adjustments.
Best Ingredients to Use in Whole Wheat Bread & Why:
- Water: Warm liquid activates yeast. Mostly water ensures structure. Using all milk would yield a flimsy bread without much texture, which isn’t ideal for slicing as sandwich bread.
- Whole Milk: Adds fat for softness. Low-fat or nondairy milk works too, but whole milk produces the best texture.
- Yeast: Use active dry yeast or instant yeast. If using active dry, the rise times will be a bit longer.
- Honey: Feeds the yeast, increases its activity, and lightly sweetens the bread. Honey was unanimously preferred over regular granulated and brown sugar.
- Butter: Adds flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Essential for preventing bitterness. Apple cider vinegar is a great substitute if needed.
- Salt: Essential for flavor.
- Flour: Use all whole wheat flour, or swap 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of bread flour for a taller, fluffier loaf. Both ways are delicious.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the Sponge
For the sponge, use all of the liquid (water and milk) and yeast, plus some of the flour. Mix this together with a spatula, cover it lightly, and let it double in size for about 60 to 90 minutes. This step produces a more complex flavor and lighter texture.
2. Mix the Dough
Once the sponge doubles in size, add the remaining ingredients and begin mixing. This will deflate the air and make way for the final dough.
3. Knead the Dough
You can knead the dough using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment or by hand. Knead for at least 8 minutes. Avoid adding too much flour; a slightly tacky and soft dough is okay.
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4. First Rise (about 2 hours)
Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size. Whole wheat dough requires a longer rise time due to the weight of the wheat germ and bran.
5. Shape the Dough
Once it has doubled in size, punch it down to release the air. Roll it out into an 8×15-inch rectangle, then roll it up tightly starting with the 8-inch side to fit into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
6. Second Rise (about 1 hour)
Let the dough rise until it’s about an inch above the rim of the pan. Don’t rush this second rise.
7. Bake the Bread
Bake the whole wheat sandwich bread for about 36–40 minutes. Optionally, you can top the bread with oats by brushing beaten egg white on the dough before adding the oats.
Success Tips
- You can make this loaf 100% whole wheat or replace 1 cup of the whole wheat flour with bread flour for a lighter, fluffier loaf.
- Knead the dough for a long time, at least 8 minutes. Using a stand mixer is recommended.
- Avoid adding too much flour; a slightly tacky and soft dough is okay.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature (195–200°F / 90–93°C) to ensure it’s baked properly.
- If you’re new to working with yeast, review my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common 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.
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The above recipe draws inspiration from the renowned culinary experts, Sally and Lindsay.
Ingredients
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.
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
1. 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.*
2. 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.
3. 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. You can also do a “windowpane test” to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small (roughly golfball-size) piece of dough and gently stretch it out until it’s thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test.
4. 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.)
5. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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 rolls recipe, or you can try my multigrain bread/rolls recipe instead.
- Adapted from Sandwich Bread and Whole Wheat Rolls
