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loaf of honey whole wheat bread shot from above with three slices in front on a white background
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Honey Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

This soft and fluffy honey whole wheat bread only takes 60 minutes to make and is pretty much the most amazing bread I've ever had. No special pans or bread machines. You won't believe how easy it is to make your own homemade whole wheat bread.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
proofing 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 24 servings
Calories 122kcal

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with dough hook

Ingredients

  • 24 ounces Whole wheat flour
  • 10 grams instant yeast (needs to be instant)
  • 3 ounces honey
  • 16 ounces warm milk (110ºF) or water
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ounces melted butter

Instructions

  • Heat milk to 110ºF-115ºF
  • Combine whole wheat flour, instant yeast, honey, and milk in the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attached and mix for one minute
  • Add in salt and melted butter
  • Add in a little more flour if the dough is not sticking to the bowl. Add a little water if it seems too dry. Make sure the dough is mixing and not just spinning in the bowl.
  • Mix for 5 minutes on speed 2. The dough will start out sticking to the bowl but then gradually "clean" the sides of the bowl and form into a ball
  • After 5 minutes, check to see if the dough bounces back when you poke it. If it's still too soft then keep mixing for another 2 minutes or until the dough bounces back when you poke it or perform the windowpane test to see if it has mixed enough.
  • Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 4-5 turns until you can form a smooth ball
  • Coat a large bowl in a little vegetable oil
  • Place the dough top side down into the bowl to get the top of the dough covered in oil then flip it over. Cover with a cloth and place in a warm area for 60 minutes to rise until the dough doubles in size *see notes*
  • Preheat your oven to 375ºF
  • Divide your dough into two loaves (or more if you want to make hoagie's or rolls)
  • Let your loaves rest for 30 minutes
  • Brush your loaves with egg wash to promote a nice golden brown color
  • Use a sharp knife to make four slashes at a 30º angle in the top of the loaf, about ¼" deep. These slashes make the loaves look nice and also keeps the crust from tearing while it bakes in the oven.
  • Bake your loaves for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. You can also use a thermometer to check the center of your bread. If the temperature reads 190º - 200ºF your bread is done.

Video

Notes

  1. For softer bread, replace ¾ cup whole wheat flour with 1 cup white flour (AP or bread flour)
  2. I turn my oven on to 170ºF and open the door then place my dough on the door near the opening of the oven to proof, not INSIDE the oven. 
  3. If you don't have instant yeast your can use regular active yeast but it will take longer to proof. 
    1. Let your dough proof for 90 minutes or until it doubles in size
    2. Divide the dough, shape, brush with egg wash, make cuts with the knife and let rest for 30 minutes before baking. 
  4. Egg wash - crack one egg and whisk with 1 Tablespoon of water. Use a soft pastry brush to brush it onto the loaves. If you don't use egg wash your bread will be very pale. You can also use milk instead of egg for the wash.  
  5. You can use oil instead of butter
  6. You can use water or almond milk in place of milk

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg