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The Best Whole Wheat Bread - Easy Homemade Bread Recipe

Jyoti Behrani
This homemade bread recipe is simple, easy, and tastes amazing. If this is your first time baking bread, bake this soft and fluffy whole wheat bread in just 5 easy steps.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Proof Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine All
Servings 24 slices (2 loaf - 9*5 inch each)
Calories 132 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

  • 5 ½ cups whole wheat flour, spoon & leveled;
  • 2 cups lukewarm water [100 F – 110 F]
  • ¼ cup honey, maple syrup or sugar
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter or olive oil
  • 3 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast

Instructions
 

STEP 1: PROOF YEAST

  • Into the bowl of a stand mixer, stir in lukewarm water [100*F – 110* F], honey, and yeast. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes, or until it turns frothy, and doubles in volume.
    Note: If the yeast is active, the mixture turns frothy, and doubles in volume. If the mixture does not double in size, start the process again with fresh yeast.

STEP 2: PREPARE THE DOUGH [BY HAND OR USING STAND MIXER]

  • Add whole wheat flour, salt, butter, or olive oil to the yeast mixture. With the back of a wooden spatula, combine the ingredients to form a shaggy mass of dough.
  • Using a dough hook attachment, knead the dough for 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is soft and pliable (dough will start to leave the sides of the bowl and form into a smooth ball).
    Note: If you are kneading by hand, mix the dough with the back of a spatula until all the ingredients are just combined. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough until it is soft, pliable, springs back when pressed, and is not sticky around 8-10 minutes.

STEP 3: FIRST PROOFING USING INSTANT POT

  • Place the dough in the greased inner pot. Place the lid, and cover the pot. Turn ON YOGURT (less) for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the dough will have risen and doubled in volume.
    Note: I used a glass lid that fits, to cover the inner pot.
    Note: First Proofing Using Traditional Method – Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and place it in a warm place, for 60-90 minutes or until it doubles in volume.

STEP 4: SHAPE THE BREAD LOAF

  • Grease two, 9-by-5 inch loaf pans with some softened butter or oil.
  • Transfer the dough onto a work surface and deflate it.
  • Using a bench cutter, divide the dough into 2 equal pieces.
  • Take a piece of the dough ball, and flatten it into a rectangle with a width equivalent to the loaf pan.
  • Roll the dough into a shape of a log, starting with a shorter end. Place the shaped dough, seam side down, into the greased loaf pan.
  • Dust some flour over the shaped loaves. Cover with a plastic wrap and place it in a warm place to rise again for around 45-60 minutes or until it’s slightly over the rim of the pan.

STEP 5: BAKE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

  • Towards the end of the second rise, pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
  • At around 22 minutes of baking, tent the bread with some aluminum foil to prevent the top of the bread from browning.
  • Remove from the oven and transfer the bread to a cooling rack.
  • Let the bread come to room temperature. Using a serrated or bread knife slice the bread loaf into desired pieces. Enjoy a slice of warm, soft whole wheat bread with some butter.
  • Wrap the leftover bread into a paper towel. Place it into a Ziploc bag and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Video

Notes

Please refer to the post for the following:
  1. Directions For Make Ahead Dough
  2. Directions To Freeze The Dough
  3. Directions For Freezing Bread
  4. Tips For Soft Whole Wheat Bread
  5. Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
The Best Whole Wheat Bread - Easy Homemade Bread Recipe
Serving Size
 
1 slice
Amount per Serving
Calories
132
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
4
g
6
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Sodium
 
196
mg
9
%
Potassium
 
106
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
23
g
8
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
4
g
8
%
Vitamin A
 
2
IU
0
%
Vitamin C
 
0.02
mg
0
%
Calcium
 
10
mg
1
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

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