Easy Whole Wheat Bread (2024)

Last updated July 22, 2024

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Here’s our family favorite whole wheat bread recipe! This homemade sandwich bread is quick and easy to make: no special equipment needed. It’s perfect for sandwiches and toast, made with your own two hands: all you need is a loaf pan and a few hours.

Why we love this recipe

Want to make loaf-style bread at home? Here’s our family favorite whole wheat bread recipe, perfect for sandwiches and toast, made with your own two hands and no store-bought preservatives! It’s so easy to make: with no special equipment needed. All you need is a loaf pan and a passion for homemade bread. Watch out: your kitchen will smell incredible—and you’ll never need to buy bread again!

Alex and I are cookbook authors and recipe developers with a particular expertise in bread and pizza. This one is Alex and my go-to for weekly toast and sandwiches—and our kids love it. We hope it becomes a favorite in your house, too!

How to make whole wheat bread: an overview

Here’s the basic outline of what you’re getting yourself into with whole wheat bread. The process takes 2 ½ to 3 hours total, then 1.5 hours to cool the bread.This is pretty short for bread (our sourdough bread takes 2.5 days!) Even so, it’s a project you’ll probably want to save for days off of work like weekends. Here are the basic steps:

Mix & knead the dough	15 minutes active time
Proof 1	40 to 60 minutes, hands off
Shape	10 minutes active time
Proof 2	40 to 50 minutes, hands off
Bake	30 minutes, hands off
Cool	90 minutes, hands off

Ingredients in homemade whole wheat bread

This homemade whole wheat bread is full of flavor and hearty ingredients! Like most whole wheat bread recipes, it also has all purpose flour. Why? Using a little all purpose flour gives the texture and fluffy lift you expect.

What’s the ratio in this recipe? This bread recipe uses about 2/3 whole wheat flour. It’s got 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour. It’s also got some oats and optional seeds on top for contrasting texture. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

Whole wheat flour and all purpose flour
Oats
Butter
Milk
Maple syrup
Yeast
Poppy seeds and sunflower seeds, optional

Equipment list

This whole wheat bread is so easy to make: it requires no special equipment at all! You’ll probably have the pan you need. There are two optional ingredients that make the recipe easier, but aren’t required. Here’s what you’ll need:

8 or 9-inch loaf pan
Kitchen scale(optional)for measuring the ingredients by weight*
Instant read thermometer(optional) for measuring the internal temperature**

*Weighing out ingredients is the most accurate way to measure flour. Its volume varies based on the environment! But for this homemade bread recipe, exact precision is not as important as something likesourdough. So you can get away with cup measures!

**Reading the bread’s internal temperature is the best way to determine whether the bread is fully baked. But you can get away with baking without it! Just judge whether the top is nicely golden brown.

How to proof bread

What is proofing?Proofingis letting the bread dough rest so that the yeast makes it rise. This creates the desired fluffy texture of the whole wheat bread (also called the crumb). To proof the bread, you’ll simply place the dough ball in a bowl and cover it with a towel. Then you can proof it using either of the following temperatures:

Proofing setting in oven or warm place:For best results, the proofing temperature should be between 80°F and 90°F. Many ovens have a proofing setting you can use for this step.
Room temperature:You can also proof this bread at room temperature! The proofing temperature forsourdough breadis more important since it’s a little more touchy. Luckily, this whole wheat bread bread can be proofed at either temperature.

Storing leftovers

Homemade whole wheat bread doesn’t have preservatives like the store-bought variety, so storing the bread is a little different! There are a few different easy ways to store this bread:

Room temperature:Store the bread at room temperature wrapped in plastic for 2 to 3 days.
Refrigerator:Store refrigerated wrapped in plastic for up to 1 week (we don’t recommend this with artisan bread, but it works here!).
Freeze:Slice the bread into pieces, wrap in plastic, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Ways to se whole wheat bread

This whole wheat bread is so delicious! You’ll love it straight from the oven, or stored to make sandwiches throughout the week. It’s especially good with:

Make toast.Spread with almond butter or cashew butterand a drizzle of honey, or makeavocado toast.
Use it for sandwiches.Use it for PB&J, an egg salad sandwich, tuna salad sandwich or chickpea salad sandwich, and more.
Make grilled cheese. Try it in gourmet grilled cheese or grilled cheese in the oven.

More bread recipes

Here are some favorite homemade bread recipes: try our classic homemade bread sandwich loaf (without whole wheat). Opt for artisan bread or no knead bread for a crispy crust, soft interior, and robust flavor. Or try our fan favorite sourdough bread.

Focaccia Bread

Easy Homemade Bread

Artisan Bread

Best Sourdough Bread Recipe

Dietary notes

This whole wheat bread recipe is vegetarian. For vegan, go to Vegan Bread.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know when the dough has risen enough?

Dough should double in size and slowly spring back when poked. Quick deflation means it needs more rising time, which varies with kitchen temperature.

Can I bake whole wheat bread in a Dutch oven?

No, this recipe is optimized for a loaf pan. To bake bread in a Dutch oven, go to our Artisan Dutch Oven Bread or make our Multigrain Bread recipe in a Dutch oven.

How do I store homemade whole wheat bread?

Store the bread at room temperature for 2 to 3 days wrapped in plastic or in a bread bag, or refrigerator for up to a week. The bread can also be frozen, sliced into pieces and wrapped in plastic, for 3 months.