The Very BEST Whole Wheat Bread
The Very BEST Whole Wheat Bread is the softest, moistest, fluffiest, freshest-staying, homemade, 100% whole wheat bread you've ever tried!
This bread, y'all. This bread. I titled this Whole Wheat Bread recipe "the BEST" and I'm not even exaggerating here. I've baked many a whole wheat bread recipe over the years, and this one is head-and-shoulders above the rest.
Hundreds of raving comments (since I first published this recipe six years ago) can't be wrong...right?! So I decided to update this old post with tons of additional information and tips to help ensure your bread making success!
THE BEST Whole Wheat Bread
Here's the deal...what makes this bread so amazing is that it stays soft and fresh for days after it's been baked.
Just about all homemade bread tastes fabulous fresh out of the oven. But then whatever isn't initially eaten tends to dry out a bit as the days stretch on, particularly in the case of wheat bread.
But this bread is just as good on the third day (if it lasts that long!) as it was on the first. Seriously! I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't experienced it first hand myself. It's like store-bought, stay-soft bread without the preservatives. Forgive me for going all Scarlett O'Hara on you, but as God is my witness, I'll never make another whole wheat bread recipe again!
The Best Whole Wheat Flour for Bread Baking
One of my bread making tricks is that I like to use white whole wheat flour when I make bread. Even though it has the word "white" in its title, this flour is 100% whole wheat.
Traditional whole wheat flour is milled from red wheat; white whole wheat flour is milled from (hard) white wheat. Its lighter grain results in a milder flavor and lighter texture than the whole wheat flour to which most of us are accustomed.
Don't be fooled by the taste, though...white whole wheat flour is unrefined and 100% whole wheat! It's nutritionally the same as its red wheat cousin. I buy King Arthur brand unbleached white whole wheat flour, but I'm sure there are other brands out there that would work just as well.
How to Make the Best Whole Wheat Bread
Not only does this whole wheat bread turn out better than most, but the recipe is actually simpler to make than most! Some of the steps may seem a bit unconventional to an experienced bread maker. But if you give this recipe a chance, I think you'll be pleased with the results.
- Fit your stand mixer with a dough hook. Measure out flour, vital wheat gluten, and instant dry yeast into the bowl and mix until combined.
- Pour in very warm water (between 120°F and 130°F) and mix for one minute. The water needs to be hot enough to activate the yeast but not so hot that it kills it.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes. - Uncover the bowl.
Beat in salt, oil, honey, and lemon juice. - Add more flour, mixing it in one cup at a time until well incorporated. Allow the dough hook to knead the dough until it becomes smooth instead of sticky and pulls away from the side of the bowl.
This typically takes 10 to 15 minutes but may take as little as 5 minutes. - Grease and/or line your pans and set aside.
- Turn on the oven to 350°F. After exactly one minute, turn it back off. This will preheat the oven to lukewarm...just enough to give your loaves the perfect warm spot to rise!
- Turn the dough out onto a greased surface.
Divide it equally in half and shape it into two loaves.
Transfer the loaves to the prepared bread pans, pressing the dough into the corners.
- Place the pans in the warm oven and allow them to rise for 20 to 40 minutes, or until they are nicely domed and as high as you wish your final whole wheat bread loaves to be.
- Once the loaves have risen to your liking, turn on the oven to 350°F WITHOUT TAKING THE BREAD OUT OF THE OVEN. Set the timer for 30 minutes. I know, I know...sounds weird. But trust me.
- Your bread is done when it's golden brown on top with an internal temperature from 190°F to 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. Turn the hot loaves out onto a rack to cool completely.
And that's it. One step at a time...you can do this!
What's a Bread Sponge?
Let's talk about step #2 for a moment, shall we? I believe that the biggest factor that makes this bread stay so soft and fresh is the step in the recipe calling for you to make a sponge. Now I'm not talking about the kind of sponge you keep by your kitchen sink. In bread making, a sponge is a very moist dough that just begins to rise as it gives the yeast a head start. After it's had some time to do its magic, you add more flour and ingredients and proceed with the recipe. The sponge in this recipe only needs to sit for about 10 minutes. But apparently that's all it takes to achieve this bread's wonderful texture.
Ingredient Substitutions
For optimal results, make this whole wheat bread as directed. However, the recipe will still work (and even turn out great) incorporating a variety of substitutes. Just keep in mind that changing the ingredients may result in a different taste and/or texture in your final loaves. Switching ingredients could also require you to tweak an amount or a step, such as needing to add extra flour and/or kneading a bit longer to achieve the proper dough consistency. But if you're willing to experiment a bit, people have had success with the following substitutions...
(NOTE: Many of the below recipe tweaks have been taken from the comment section. I have not tried all of these substitutes myself.)
- Flour. You can make this recipe with regular (as opposed to "white") whole wheat flour. Or you may substitute all-purpose white flour for around half of the whole wheat flour. You may also use freshly ground whole wheat flour (milled from red wheat or white wheat). Just keep in mind that fresh milled flour is much "airier," so you may need to allow it some time to pack down before measuring it out...or just plan on using extra flour, as necesary. Also, with any flour substitution, you may need to slightly adjust the amount of flour added at the end of the recipe. For example, if the dough seems extra sticky and doesn't start pulling away from the bowl in a timely manner, you can work in additional flour (one spoonful at a time) until the texture seems right.
- Vital Wheat Gluten. This ingredient helps whole wheat bread recipes rise, and it encourages soft and chewy loaves with that stay-fresh quality. That being said, if you don't have any on hand or prefer not to use it, many people report having made this bread successfully while leaving out the vital wheat gluten.
- Yeast. I recommend using instant dry yeast (sometimes called "quick rise" or "rapid rise"), as directed in the recipe. You might have success if trying regular active dry yeast...but then again, maybe not. 😉 If you do decide to gamble on active dry yeast, my research indicates that to substitute it for instant dry yeast, you should multiply the amount by 1.25.
- Lemon Juice. If you don't have any lemon juice on hand, you may substitute another type of acid in its place. Orange juice, white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar would all work.
- Honey. You may reduce the honey, if you wish. Also, maple syrup or agave may be substituted for the honey.
Other Recipe Notes
- The stand mixer pictured in this post is a classic, 5-quart, tilt-head KitchenAid.
- You may halve this recipe to make only one loaf of bread.
- You can also make this bread by hand...just prepare your muscles for all of that kneading.
- People have also reported success in halving the ingredients and making this recipe in a bread maker. But I don't own a bread maker and I'm not sure of the specifics...so you may have to experiment on that one. 😉
Avoiding Sticking
The only difficulty that I ran into the first time I made this bread is that it stuck to my loaf pans, despite the fact that I had generously greased them. Nonstick pans are recommended for this recipe, so if you've got 'em, use 'em! But since I prefer baking in my stoneware pans, I figured out a way around not using nonstick.
I grease my pans with coconut oil and then line them with parchment paper, using the coconut oil to adhere the paper to the pan. I find that if I cut a piece of parchment paper the length of each pan and allow it to somewhat stick out the sides, then I only need to cut two small pieces of paper per pan for the ends that remain uncovered. The key is pressing the parchment paper down and smoothing it as much as possible so you don't end up with a bunch of creases in your bread.
How to Store Your Whole Wheat Bread
This recipe makes two loaves, so I like to keep one wrapped (I use Glad Press 'n Seal) and stored in the pantry for eating. The second loaf I keep wrapped up in the refrigerator until we're ready to enjoy it.
I have a bread box, but I still prefer keeping my loaf wrapped inside of the bread box. And when I cut off the first slice, I store that end piece pressed against the cut end of the loaf as a kind of "cap" to help prevent it from drying out. When we're ready for the second loaf, I take it out of the fridge and store it at room temperature in the bread box.
Since this is fresh homemade bread with no preservatives, it will start to mold after several days. So keeping that second loaf in the fridge until we're ready for it buys us some extra time. You could also successfully freeze the second loaf if you prefer. However, we usually eat it soon/fast enough that refrigerating suffices.
If it takes your family awhile to work through two loaves of bread, another winning alternative would be to give the second loaf away! I mean, who wouldn't love the thoughtful gesture of freshly-baked homemade bread?
If you have never baked homemade bread before, I encourage you to try it. It may seem intimidating at first and the various steps do take a bit of time, but overall, it truly is easy. And if you are already an expert baker, then I hope you'll add this recipe to your repertoire!
Now go forth and make bread!
And psssst...if you happen to love this bread recipe, I actually adapted it to make The Very BEST Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls! Your holiday table won't be the same without 'em. 😉
Whole Wheat Bread Recipe
The Very BEST Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients
Step 1:
- 3 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup vital wheat gluten
- 4 teaspoons instant dry yeast, "quick rise" or "rapid rise"
Step 2:
- 2 ½ cups very warm water, 120°F to 130°F
Step 3:
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled (OR vegetable oil)
- ⅓ cup honey
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
Step 4:
- 2 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together 3 ½ cups white whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, and quick-rise yeast until well combined.
- Add the water and mix for one minute, scraping down bowl halfway through. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Uncover the bowl and add the salt, oil, honey, and lemon juice. Beat for 1 minute.
- Add the remaining 2 ½ cups of flour, one cup at a time, mixing well between each cup. Knead the dough in the mixer (still using the dough hook) until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and feels smooth rather than sticky. This usually takes 10 to 15 minutes, but if your dough pulls away and loses its stickiness sooner, it could take as little as 5 minutes.
- Grease two nonstick bread pans measuring 8 ½" x 4 ½" x 2 ½" to 9" x 5" x 3" each (or grease two regular bread pans and then line them with parchment paper). Preheat the oven to lukewarm by setting it to 350°F and then turning it back off after exactly 1 minute.
- Turn the dough onto a greased surface. Evenly divide it into two loaves. Form and place the dough into the prepared bread pans, gently pressing it into the corners.
- Place the pans in the warm oven and allow them to rise for 20 to 40 minutes, until the dough is nicely domed above the tops of the pans. Without removing the pans from the oven, turn on the oven to 350°F and set the timer for 30 minutes. The bread is done when the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F to 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. Once the loaves are baked, immediately remove the hot bread from the pans to cool on a rack.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- I use coconut oil in this recipe. It works wonderfully and doesn't make the bread taste like coconut at all. However, you may use sunflower, safflower, or another light-flavored vegetable oil, if you prefer.
- Kneading and rising times are approximate and depend on many different variables. The dough must be kneaded until it pulls away from the bowl and is no longer sticky, even if that takes shorter or longer than 10 to 15 minutes. Also, the dough should be allowed to rise in the pans until it is as high as you want your final bread to be.
- White whole wheat flour is 100% whole wheat flour that yields a lighter taste and texture than regular whole wheat flour.
- Other types of flour (regular whole wheat flour, all-purpose white flour, freshly milled wheat flour, etc.) may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour in this recipe. Just keep in mind that the final flavor and texture of the bread may turn out different. Also, if you use an alternate flour (particularly freshly milled flour, which can be less dense), you may need to slightly adjust the amount of flour added at the end of the recipe. For example, if the dough seems extra sticky and doesn't start pulling away from the bowl, you can work in additional flour, one teaspoon at a time, until the texture seems right.
- If you don't have any lemon juice on hand, you may substitute another type of acid in its place (such as white vinegar or apple cider vinegar).
- Vital wheat gluten helps whole wheat bread recipes rise and yield soft and chewy loaves. That being said, if you don't have any on hand or prefer not to use it, many people report having made this bread successfully leaving out the vital wheat gluten.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Deals to Meals.
Post originally published on July 8, 2013.
I enjoyed the process! So simple! I LOVED the flavor too. BUT, although it had a lovely crust on it, it was very dense inside. Any idea where I may have gone wrong please. I didn't have the vital wheat gluten but otherwise followed recipe to the letter ... is that the reason? I checked the water temperature before adding - 120F and mixed for one minute but it didn't seem to do much during it's 10 minute rest. Everything else went well ... I only kneaded for 5 minutes as the dough was coming away from the bowl leaving it clean. It rose about 1/2 inch higher than the tins during the 40 minute rise. Or perhaps this recipe is a very moist, dense texture? Thank you xx
Yes, I believe it was dense because you didn’t use the vital wheat gluten.
“Best” is apt. I’ve never had whole wheat bread rise this well and have such a nice texture. I used regular whole wheat because I couldn’t get white whole wheat right now, and regular yeast (a bit extra) because rapid rise hasn’t been available. I reduced the salt by half.
This bread turns out GREAT every time! I dont have a big mixer and no dough hook. Not a kitchen person/ cook. Do what i gotta do though. Diabetic so always cutting sugar. I use regular yeast. Honey, oats and brown sugar (sprinkled) on the top. Perfect.have made this recipe 3 times. Now my goto. Thanks!
I have been making bread for a long time. Came across this recipe and I was a bit skeptical. Followed directions to a tee. Had to let it rise in oven for 45 or so minutes and bake for about 50 minutes(I hate my oven!!!) So happy to have tried it. It's perfect! Thanks for posting.
Chris G.
Best wheat bread I’ve ever made! Very unique with only one rise& with ingredients I’ve never used before (like lemon juice) in bread. Great texture and taste. Thanks for sharing!
ABSOLUTELY PERFECT BREAD!!!!!!!
So delicious!! Super easy to make if you have a good stand mixer. I made it the first time without the vital wheat gluten, and the texture was very delicate but still good. The remaining times I've added the gluten and the resulting bread holds up to butter and jams better. I use canola oil instead of coconut. This bread has ruined my family for store-bought bread!
I have to admit I had my doubts. Just a single rise, and in the bread pan at that. I hag difficulty with the sticky dough, and I am very reluctant to over-flour. As I had problems in the past getting whole wheat bread to rise, I hedged my bets and went halh and half -- whole wheat and ap. The vital wheat gluten is a new ingredient for me, and apparently, that was the key. I'm telling you it is the best bread I've ever made,!! My wife, who can be critical, agreed. Imagine a whole wheat bread that has a lovely soft and moist texture, yet still has substance and chew and FLAVOR. I am going to go 100% whole wheat next time. This has given me confidence! Great bread. Thanks so much!
I forgot to rate the bread as 5 stars. I had no issues with the bread sticking to the pan. I used regular canola oil to coat them.
I’m not a real baker but this is my first time making wheat bread. The instructions were very simple. The only challenge was the gluten; I had to order from Amazon. And I didn’t know if i I kneaded the dough enough, but apparently I did! It’s the real deal! I will make it again to confirm it wasn’t a fluke. Thanks for this recipe.
Followed the recipe except substituting 2 cups AP flour in the last addition. The only issue I had was with the top burning during the preheat. I just pulled the loaves out for a few minutes . Turned out perfectly. Next time I will lower the racks. Sometimes I get holes from the shaping so this is nice with letting it rise in the pan to avoid the rolling and shaping. Just two of us do froze one loaf. Interested to know why the addition of lemon juice.
A truly great recipe. But, it failed on first attempt because I misread the directions and thought I was supposed to preheat the oven to 350 then turn it off after 1 minute for the first rise. I make it with 100% home ground wheat berries. Couldn’t be happier. Wish I could send a photo.
I've been making bread for years, mostly white, cinnamon, French, or Italian, although I do mix it up a little. My son went through a short-lived phase of wanting to be a baker so we had a ton of whole wheat flour left over. When I ran into this recipe it sounded great, especially using honey in lieu of sugar. Well, this bread is all I've been making lately as it seems it's a favorite in the family above almost all others I've made. I do use regular whole wheat - and not whole wheat white flour, but I didn't need to change anything else in the recipe, although I do have to bake it about 5 minutes longer. I have only used coconut oil so far but may try others at some point. It doesn't take long, less than 5 minutes, for the dough to separate from the sides of the bowl. Truly a FIVE star recipe! Yummy!
I've been experimenting with bread recipes and different techniques for about 5 years. I've had better success by incorporating vital wheat gluten into my recipes. I have been searching for a decent whole wheat bread recipe that is similar to Country Harvest stone ground whole wheat bread for a long time. I've tried many whole wheat bread recipes and they've all been very dense/heavy and too sweet. This is hands down THE BEST whole wheat bread recipe I've tried! I halved the recipe for just one loaf and made a few modifications: used olive oil, used part molasses and part honey, and used cider vinegar. I loved that a second rise wasn't required. Thank you for sharing your recipe and insights!
Made this recipe a couple weeks ago and it turned out wonderfully! I forgot to add the lemon juice. Made it today with 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and it failed to rice very much. I think the amount of fresh lemon juice Lower the pH enough to reduce fermentation FYI
the recipe says TEASPOONS
Even my non-wheat bread loving husband and son love this bread! Followed the recipe exactly except had to let rise 50 minutes instead of 40. The top of my loves burned but the rest was perfect (192 degrees) so will try lowering the racks in my oven. (I have lots of issues with this oven, it is evil.). Thank you for sharing such a great recipe!
WEIGHT (GRAMS) MEASUREMENTS:
I just made this recipe today as written (in a bread machine) and weighed all the volume measurements so I could make it again later with weight measurements. Here is what I got:
Step 1:
• 247 g white whole wheat flour
• 22 g vital wheat gluten
• 8 g instant dry yeast
Step 2:
• 300 g water, 120-130°F
Step 3:
• 9 g salt
• 33 g vegetable oil (I used vegetable instead of coconut oil)
• 57 g honey (I didn't actually weigh this myself; I got this from an online converter)
• 20 g lemon juice
Step 4:
• 177 g white whole wheat flour
In my bread machine, I added the Steps 1-2 ingredients, mixed for one minute, and let the sponge sit for 10 minutes. Then I put the rest of the ingredients on top of the sponge in the bread machine: first the liquid, then the solid ingredients. I then started my normal whole wheat cycle for a 1000g loaf. The bread rose a ton, but the dough smelled of alcohol and the resultant bread had a tiny bit of a sour flavor. It also collapsed a bit during baking. I will continue tweaking the recipe to get it to work better in my bread machine. I'm sure this recipe is great outside of a bread machine.
Thank you for sharing that, Claire! I'm sure many people will find it very helpful. 🙂
I just bought a bread machine, so I would really appreciate any tips for this recipe! I love this bread. It is the ONLY one I make!
Any update to your recipe? Were you able to solve the collapsing and alcohol smell issues?
We're you able to resolve the issues you had making this in a breadmachine?
Love the result. Any chance you could provide the flour measurements in grams? I've become a bread snob and bought a scale and I like the consistency it gives to weigh the flour.
This is easily the least dense 100% whole wheat I’ve tried. Was surprised at the great rise. To further bring out the wheat flavor I added 60g toasted wheat germ soaked in 60g milk for 30 minutes.
Just an outstanding recipe and so quick for whole wheat. Love it.
Important to use a flavorless coconut oil.
Also adapted this to make a Sandwich rye. Swapped 3.5 cups whole wheat for bread flour and 2.5 cups for rye.
Swapped honey for molasses. Added caraway.
Came out perfect.
Thanks so much for posting this excellent versatile recipe!
oooh - that sounds great! Thanks for sharing that tip as well, will try.
This is the first 100% whole wheat sandwich loaf that I would give a 5-star rating.
I had to mix for the full 15 minutes, and it helped to scrape down the bowl every 3-4 minutes.
Thank you!
This turned out very nice, thank you for posting this recipe! For the nutritional values, is that for one slice or two?
One serving is 1/12 of one loaf, so it just depends on how thick you cut your slices. 😉
Very good recipe. I could taste the coconut oil so I will use another oil next time. My dough stayed sticky for 15 minutes in my new Kitchenaid pro stand mixer on medium speed so added 3 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten which firmed it up after 19 minutes. I will try a slower speed to see if that helps. The end result was great, though, so I gave this 5 stars. I like the 3 techniques of making the sponge, of letting it rise in the warm oven, and of keeping it in the oven during heating. Definitely a keeper!
I tried this recipe for the first time last time. And it turned out great! My family loved the bread. Just wondering if I can add sunflower seeds and/or oaks into this recipe?