This is the best Honey Whole Wheat Bread recipe ever! It has a wholesome, nutty and slightly sweet flavor with a tender crumb and chewy bits of cracked wheat in every bite. It’s just delicious for sandwiches, toast, or just eating warm with a thick slather of butter melting into it. Although wheat bread is a little more difficult to work with than white this whole grain bread recipe is great for the beginning bread maker!. Be sure to read the whole post to get all the tips and tricks. This post has been updated from the August 2015 version.
For this recipe you’ll need: cracked wheat, whole wheat flour, bread flour, gluten, honey, buttermilk, butter, ground ginger, salt, bread pans
Oh my gosh the house was quiet today – the kids’ first day back at school. Even the dogs just moped around. I don’t think they’re ready for summer to be over, either. One nice thing is that with just me using the WIFI My computer is running faster than it has since last May. 7 or 8 extra people on a WIFI will cause some swampy behavior.
It was overcast all day long and we even had a cold front last week (dropped the temperatures to 87!) that made me feel like autumn was in the air. First thing in the morning you can feel a hint of a chill in the air — it’s not baking hot like it was a few weeks ago. Oh, we have a couple of months yet before it really cools down but this is nice.
With fall on the mind I am back to baking bread more. I realized that I haven’t made that much whole wheat bread for the blog — and I happened to have some whole wheat flour so I decided to make my honey whole wheat bread. If you liked the buttermilk bread recipe then you’ll likely love this as well.
How to Knead Bread By Hand Tutorial
Tips for Working with Honey Whole Wheat Bread
- Whole wheat breads are always more dense that white breads. You can use ALL whole wheat flour if you want but the result is much more dense than when the bread flour is added – and much harder to work with. If you’re new to bread making ave the 100% whole wheat bread for when you have more experience.
- White whole wheat flour goes by various names but it results in a lighter, more airy loaf than the regular whole wheat. You might have a harder time finding it.
- Try letting the dough rise twice before shaping and see if you like the results better.
- Use unsalted potato water (water that you’ve cooked potatoes in) as the liquid to help your bread rise higher.
- Do not store your honey whole wheat bread in the refrigerator – it will dry it out. I like to slice it, and freeze it with waxed paper between each slice.
You May Need…
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A lot of people have asked why my bread rises so high and what I use for kneading. I use my Bosch Universal Plus Kitchen Machine
Honey Whole Wheat Bread Recipe
Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Print Add to CollectionIngredients
- 1 cup cracked wheat or bulgur
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast, (see note)
- 1 pinch powdered ginger
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water, (105 to 110 degrees)
- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm buttermilk, (105 to 110 degrees)
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, , melted and cooled to lukewarm (105 to 110 degrees)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/3 cup gluten flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2-1/2 cups bread flour, (approximately. This is a stiff dough that will stay sticky even after kneading)
Instructions
- Place cracked wheat or bulgur in a bowl and pour boiling water over it.
- Let sit for 1 hour to soften - it will almost triple when done.
- Make sure it is no more than 110 degrees when you are ready to use it. It should just be warm to the touch when you stick your finger in the center.
- When the cracked wheat is ready place the water, yeast, ginger, and 1 teaspoon of honey in a bowl and mix well.
- Allow to sit until the yeast is foamy, about 10 minutes.
- Combine the buttermilk, honey, and butter in a bowl and set aside.
- In the mixer with the paddle attachment add the softened cracked wheat to the yeast mixture.
- Add in the buttermilk.
- Mix well.
- Change to the bread attachment.
- Blend the gluten flour, the whole wheat flour, and the salt.
- Beat in to the yeast mixture on speed 2 for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the bread flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough "cleans" the bowl and is a compact ball formed around the bread attachment (or dough hook).
- Continue to knead on speed 3 until the dough is springy and firm, about 4 minutes. It will still feel slightly sticky but won't stick to your hands.
- If kneading by hand knead for 15 minutes, or until dough feels firm and springy but still slightly sticky.
- The dough should spring back when gently poked with your finger.
- Butter a large bowl, and rub the ball of bread dough with butter.
- Place the dough in the bowl, turning it once to make sure that it is buttered.
- Cover with a clean tea towel.
- Place in a proofing oven or warm spot until doubled (about 1 1/2 hours)
- Punch down the dough.
- Knead gently for a minute or two and then divide it in half.
- Form each half into a loaf and then fit the loaves into greased 9x5 inch bread pans.
- Brush the tops with butter.
- Cover with the clean tea towel.
- Let rise about 30 minutes.
- While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 350F.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped.
- Remove from oven.
- For soft crust - brush with melted butter and cover with a tea towel for 5 minutes.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, turn the bread out of the pans, and let finish cooling on a rack. This keeps the bottom from getting soggy. For soft crusts keep a tea towel over the bread as it cools.
Nutrition
If you liked this Honey Whole Wheat Bread you may also like…
From left to right: Honey Oatmeal Bread, Old Fashioned Molasses Whole Wheat Bread, Fruit and Nut Harvest Bread – Click on the image to see the recipe.
Included in Meal Plan Monday #76 by Southern Bite
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Do you have a recipe for 100% while wheat bread or instructing for how to adapt this recipe for only while wheat? I grind my own flour and I have both red wheat and white wheat. I like the white wheat for bread best. I don’t eat white flour or white sugar. I can set my grinder to super fine setting if that will help in confront this recipe. I have to make ALL of our bread items from scratch because daughter can’t have anything with white sugar, not even a trace and I haven’t found bread without sugar from the store so no bagels English muffins hamburger & hotdog buns dinner rolls etc. So far I’ve had the best luck with pizza dough and dinner rolls. Hamburger and hotdog buns have the right texture and Airlines s but still working on the right shape and amount of dough. I use a kitchen scale for measuring ingredients as well as amount of dough to use for separate items or loaves. I’ve read thriftee all of your help articles and am super happy because they have addressed a couple lingering issues I was having so I’m excited to apply next time I make bread.
Anyway… I’d you could provide instructions on how to convert this recipe to completely while wheat, I would appreciate it so much.
Wish I could edit my comment to fix. Text Suze is tiny in the comment box from my phone stupid swype and auto correct on my phone keeps changing my words. . Whole wheat not while wheat, through not thriftee, Converting not confront, and airiness not airlines s.
Also left out that I have a bread mixer (by blendtec not Bosch but same difference) hamburger and hot dog buns always end up too cooked /dark /hard on the bottom by the time they are cooked through the middle. Oh, I also use a thermometer trying to get the dough inside fully cooked without a thick hard dark crust on the outside for bread loaves. Another site suggested 180 degrees for the internal temp to reach fully cooked. I don’t like a dark crust on the outside… just light golden brown and usually have to foil tent the crust for part of the baking time. .
Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
You’ll find my white wheat bread recipe here, Shawna! I grind my flour for wheat bread as well. https://www.restlesschipotle.com/molasses-whole-wheat-bread-recipe/
I followed this recipe exactly and the loaves turned out beautifully! This is a fantastic recipe and the bread is so delicious! I used the cracked wheat and I was wondering if you have ever tried adding any other seeds like sunflower or flax to the bread and in what quantity? Thanks for an excellent recipe!! Greta in Ohio.
I would love to try this but I do not have a fancy mixer. Can I still make this?
It will be hard to knead and take a longer time than if you use a mixer but I’ve made it by hand. It will take about 15 minutes to knead thoroughly.
Sounds great but is your honey liquid or cream honey?
Thanks!
Liquid.
Hi there, is the “gluten flour” the same as vital wheat gluten? Thank you :O)
yes it is. 🙂
Thanks! Also, If there is un-absorbed water after soaking the cracked wheat, should that excess water be used, or drained off?? Thanks again!
Jennifer, I’d go ahead and drain it off.
28 and 33 sounds like you bake the loaves twice
I am hoping I take them out once and let them cool and not back in.
They are baking right now.i am new to bread, but I made your buttermilk white loaf and it was so wonderful.thanks
Thank you! Yes, you are correct. It was a typo that Ive fixed now
This bread turned out beautifully .
Thank you so much! I have never had much luck with baking …ooh now so good!
That’s awesome! Consider my breadmaking book. It has helped a lot of people!
This bread looks amazing (like so many of yours do!) Love the combo of buttermilk and wheat bread – don’t think I’ve tried that before!
Thanks Chrisy!
Your gorgeous bread making skills make me envious!
Aww thank you… I’ve been baking bread since I was fourteen so I’ve had lots of practice. I’m 56 now. :/
I agree!Thanks for reading! What’s your favorite bread to make?
Cracked wheat bread is my absolute favorite. I bet the buttermilk makes it extra soft.
It really does add a nice texture. 🙂
Wow, this bread looks absolutely perfect! I’d love to slather down each slice with some butter and jam and devour that entire loaf! 🙂 I’ve never tried a Bosch before, let alone for bread-making, and I’m super intrigued by your recommendation – I’m definitely going to look into it, thanks!
I really love mine. I have a KA for cakes but love my Bosch for bread!
I’d love to come home to this fresh warm bread with some butter. One of my favorite things.
Mine too!
I envy your bosch universal kitchen machine Merye! And Your loaf looks perfect, it has been a while I didn’t post any bread on my page. Thx for the idea!
🙂 Making bread is just so relaxing!
Thanks for sharing. This loaf looks delectable!
Thanks Melanie!
love this! I haven’t really made my own bread but this looks easy enough to attempt!
87 is Autumn?! You like it HOT! haha 😉
That loaf is soooo perfect!! The texture sounds even better!
Well, when your summer is 110 to 115…. 😉 thanks!
I’m a bit of a novice to breadmaking but I hope to be able to pull off breads like this someday! Making your own bread sounds like a fun and delicious hobby!
It really is! You should try it – it’s a lot of fun.
Nothing is better than fresh baked bread, this sounds wonderful and would definitely be a hit at my house!
It sure is here!
What a perfect looking loaf of bread!
ThankyoU!
This is a gorgeous loaf of bread! Interesting that you don’t care for the KA–I love my KA for kneading bread dough!
Laura – I often make 6 loaves of pure whole wheat at a time… the KA burns out really quickly. I love my KA for regular baking but it can’t hold up to a Bosch when it comes to bread.
This is such a gorgeous loaf! Love all the textures and flavors in it!
Thanks Shashi!
I love homemade bread. I need to start back at it again. It can take time but the results are so worth it. Your recipe looks like the perfect place to start.
🙂 thank you!
I wish I was good at making bread. This looks so good!!!
Thanks Betsy! You should give it a try! But start with the honey buttermilk white bread. It’s easier to get the hang of.
tasty looking bread! impressive to make your own in 87 degree weather!
Oh, I’ve made it in hotter weather… LOL!