Easy Honey Wheat Bread
There’s only one rise with this simple and easy recipe for a soft whole wheat loaf with no egg. It works with either honey or sugar. Oil should be at room temperature and ALWAYS AERATE YOUR FLOUR BEFORE MEASURING. - Jenny Jones
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Makes: One loaf
Ingredients:
- 1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup all-purpose or bread flour
- 2 teaspoons (1 packet / 7 grams) instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk (I use 1% or 2% low fat milk), heated to 120-130° F for instant yeast (or 110-120°F for active dry)
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 Tablespoons honey (or sugar)
- about 1/4 cup additional all-purpose or bread flour
Instructions:
- Place flours, yeast & salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in milk, followed by oil and honey.
- Beat on high for 2 minutes.
- Add about 1/4 cup all-purpose or bread flour until dough forms a mass.
- Place dough on floured surface and knead 50 turns.
- Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
- Shape into a loaf and place in greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan.
- Cover and let rise in a warm spot until it’s doubled in size, about one hour.
- Preheat oven to 375° F & bake for 25 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, I cover the top of the loaf with a foil tent to prevent over-browning.
Notes: For more on this recipe in my blog click here.
The technique for this bread is exactly like my Simple Whole Wheat Bread. Click here to watch the How-To video.
Hey Jenny and everyone here, I made the dough for this recipe in my Zojirushi bread machine. I’ve been using my bread machine to make dough for 90% of my breads for 13 years. It’s easy – I put all the ingredients using rapid rise yeast into the machine and set it for the dough cycle. After it starts to mix up, I add about a tablespoon of bread flour and sprinkle it on top of the dough while being mixed. It takes 45 minutes on the dough cycle. Once it’s done, I sprinkle flour on a cutting board, dump the dough out, shape it and place it in an 8×4 loaf pan. I then start the oven at 375 and when the oven’s ready, pop that loaf pan in for 25 minutes. Voila…the perfect loaf of wheat bread in less than two hours. No hand kneading, no mixing. Dziekuje Jenny, ten chleb jest bardzo smaczne.
I made her whole wheat bread and it turned out amazing so I tried this one as well. But it had a much tighter crumb making it a much denser slice. Did anyone else experience this or know why it happened. I thought it might be because this one doesn’t have egg so I remade the whole wheat recipe again and subbed the sugar for honey and it came out just as dense.
It could have something to do with the temperature and humidity. In the summer recipes need to be adjusted, but I don’t know for sure. It might have needed more gluten. I used to not add bread flour but I then needed vital wheat gluten. I hope you figure it out and you have better success next time!
This recipe is amazing!! I made it today for me and my family and we all LOVED it!!
Needs ingredient weights or it’s too annoying to bother. Why doesn’t anyone include them? It’s so much easier and more accurate.
Weights are just how you were taught. Not the only nor even the “best” way to bake. It more depends on the type of flour. I use only fresh ground flours and that’s a learned adjustment as to how much it takes for any recipe. I’ve used both weights and measuring both have their qualities but in the end it’s the consistency that you look for these methods are just training wheels till you learn what consistency you need for whatever you are making.
Jenny, I made this bread this afternoon and I love it!! So much so, that I made another one after I tasted the first one. Lol
I do have a question though. If I want to make more than 1 loaf at a time, how do I adjust the ingredients? I have friends that I would love to gift some of this to. Thanks so much for being here. 💜💜
I do love making bread and I love your recipes. Thank you. Happy 4th July.
I couldn’t remember why the egg
Egg makes it fluffier and it rises more
Can this bread recipe be used in a bread machine just to make the dough.
Then let it raise in the oven in pan and bake it this way .I have two bad shoulders .this works with my white 🍞.
Yes, you probably already got an answer . I too have arthritis in my hands. So, I do the same.
I mix in the bread machine. Then let rest with the machine off. Then I transfer the dough to the floured surface and proceed shape, put in a bread pan, let rise, then bake.
Hi Jenny, I always enjoy your recipes and your videos—and your wonderful sense of humor. That egg smash was something else!
Question for you on this loaf: Do you find it best to let it cool completely before slicing? Or is it a loaf we can bring from the oven to the table and slice big hot chunks to slather with butter?
Since my first loaf is cooling on a rack right now, while we all stand around and try to decide whether to cut into it right away, I’ll probably find out about the slicing it hot in a short while. But we are TRYING to wait till it cools sufficiently.
Can you please tell us the nutrition values on your whole wheat bread ? Thank y’all !
And Dow you reduce baking temp when using non stick dark pans ??
This was so easy! I was afraid to make bread since I have been using a breadmaker for so long. Since it broke I have been looking for a good recipe and came across yours and the reviews were great. Thanks so much for sharing and I will definitely be checking out more of your recipes.
Made the Honey Wheat bread twice to make sure the first perfect loaf, wasn’t a mistake. Even patted it and said who’s your Daddy, lol. Following your excellent recipe and video, was so easy. Thank you, my wife is very impressed with the texture and taste. Aerating the dough before measuring is definitely the answer to great texture. Your recipe is the answer to great taste.
Hi, can you please share the recipe measurements in grams, like your other wheat bread.
Thank you for the simple and delicious recipe, I tried and cake out well, but felt little dense so wondering my cup measurements might be the reason.
This chart might help: https://www.jennycancook.com/category/metric-conversion-chart/
Hi Jenny made your easy honey wheat bread,it rose nicely. But sank while baking any idea what I did wrong……thanks
Sorry, not Jenny but I may be able to answer you. It sounds like you over proofed it…meaning it rose too high in the pan before you baked it. The yeast will produce gas which creates the rise-when it goes into the hot oven it gives it a super boost… but it only has so much oomph to it before it runs out. Recipes normally say to let rise only an inch over the pan to allow some of the yeast power to really explode in the oven (called oven spring).
Any time I am looking for a recipe, I check your website first. I have a loaf of honey whole wheat rising right now and some oatmeal cookies in the oven. Your recipes are the best and I have good luck with them each and every time. I just follow the recipe!!
I am wondering if you have a recipe for cornbread?
First time I tried the honey wheat bread and it turned out sooo good!
Can I add raisons?
Love your recipes!
Thank you
Would like to freeze before baking would u do it before the rise and how long after u take out of oven u need to wait before baking
I’ve tried 3 of your recipes amazing ❤️❤️❤️❤️ simple right to the point your breads absolutely love your lemmon brownies I have to make one a week or their is a fight on lol LoL ??? I go to of places to find recipes I always come back to you ❤️❤️❤️ ohh to fall off the bone rib recipe to die for !!! Love ?? thank you for being you ❤️ I use to always watch you show back in the day toooooooooooo ❤️ wish you would come back to that also much love I’ll be following you here
Hello thank you for this recipe.
How much yeast and oil should I use for 4 to 6 loaves ?
Hello thank you for this recipe.
How yeast and oil should I use for 4 to 6 loaves ?
OMG!!! It is very good. When I was a child mom used to bake bread all the time. She was an excellent baker, among other things. Well, anyway Now, after all these years, I finally baked my first bread. I used your recipe. Instead of regular sugar or honey I used maple syrup and replaced cow’s milk for unflavored coconut milk. Wow, better than I expected.Thank you. Some day I hope to translate more of mom’s recipe book she had since 1945.
Have a good day and stay healthy. God bless you.
Thank you for this recipe! I’ve subbed vanilla soy milk instead of cow’s milk, and it turned out very well twice so far. I also added sesame seeds on top, which added a nice texture to this hearty, dense loaf. Delicious!
Hi Jenny,
Thank you for the wonderful 2 hour no knead bread. I made it last week and my husband loved it. We are transplants from New Jersey and we are missing really good bread.
Do you have any semolina bread recipes?
Also I love your hair color! Can I be nosey and ask what color is it?
I’m going to try the honey wheat bread tonight.
Thank you again for the great recipes!
Can I use almond milk in this recipe for my vegan son and wife!?
Hi Lynn, I plan to try with almond milk & chia seeds, with hot water instead of the egg or honey which is not Vegan.
https://plenteousveg.com/vegan-egg-substitutes-baking/
Scroll down to the chia seeds, black, kinda gloppy, on a spoon lol, & great to use if you are in need of an egg . . . . . so nutritious!
I MISS JENNY❣
Yes, I use Almond milk.
What a perfect and simple loaf of healthy bread! I can’t even stand the thought of store bought when it’s so easy and fun to make this.
Jenny, your breads are amazing and your videos are a hoot!
I have been making your breads and a few of your veggie recipes and they have ALL quickly moved to my ‘go to’ list after one attempt.
THANK YOU for all of your help with these gems and for guiding us into brave cooking and baking!
I hope you keep making the videos and continue to post your tried and true recipes. THANKS! E
QUICK QUESTION: Can I add 1/2ed garlic cloves to your whole wheat or white bread recipes? Would love to try that if it won’t flop. Thanks!
How about garlic, diced olives and oregano for an olive bread.
I have been baking my own bread for about 6 weeks, I have tried several recipes and this is my go to. It is quick and easy and very yummy. Thanks for the recipes
If not consumed the same day, should the bread be refrigerated? I have concerns because of the milk and eggs.
Eggs and milk are cooked! What about the store bread?
GO VEGAN!!!
What should the internal temperature be for this bread? The same as your no-knead bread?
Finally made this loaf today: Wow! Superb! About five minutes after the loaf hit the preheated oven, a wonderful aroma started wafting around the stove. Just sampled a few slices — oh my! Doesn’t need a thing, perfect and delicious as is. Ridiculously easy to make. Nice warm day (~ 85°f) here, so let the dough proof on the patio. Big rise. Stuck to the recipe, with one addition — I placed small pan of boiling water at the back of the stove and misted the oven with a water-spritzer just before inserting the unbaked bread. This loaf of honey whole wheat bread is perfection!
Belated Birthday greeting, Jenny. A good friend of mine shares your birthday — another super-smart, multi-talented Gemini!
Cheers & wishing you a Wonderful year ahead!
??☕☕??????????
Clarification: I should have said:
I stuck a small pan of very hot water ‘at the back of the rack’ (oven). Hope that’s clearer.
This is my favorite bread recipe so far.
Jenny, when you say to “aerate” the flour, do you to mean sift it first? Or something else?
Where do you find your adorable kitchen timers? And what pans do you use for cooking, the ones with the wooden handles?
Thanks,
Jeanne
Please look at my FAQs above and How-Tos in the blog.
Can you double this recipe without changes
Can you double the recipe without changing anything? I made 1 loaf. Yummy now would like a double batch. Thanks
Jenny, For a vegan may I substitute water for the milk in the honey- whole wheat bread – and it still make a lofty loaf?
I am a vegetarian and have used Almond milk.
Does anyone know how to change this recipe if you do not have a stand mixer?
Thanks in advance!
You can mix it by hand and just knead it longer, maybe 150 turns.
150 turns produces a wonderful loaf!
Just pulled my third out of the oven and it’s beautiful and delicious! Thank you Jenny.
What do you think of using white whole wheat flour?
White whole wheat works well.
Dear Jenny
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I’ve never baked bread before and this recipe is super easy and fast. Last week I tried it for the first time and it was good even though I didn’t let the dough rise long enough. I tried it again this week and it was sooooo delicious! I prepared the recipe by hand (don’t have a mixer), checked the temperature of the milk, kneaded the dough 150x and voila! The loaf came out of the oven 30 minutes ago and half of it is already devoured!
Can’t wait to try your other recipes. Thanks again for sharng this yummy recipe.
Jenny LOVE LOVE ALL OF YOUR VIDEOS,,,,,,,, BUT MISS SEEING NEW VIDEOS,,,,,,, sure wish you would come back to you tube
Hi Jenny, I made your Easy Honey Wheat Bread yesterday! My husband said that it was much better than store bought. And my daughter ate it last night and requested to have it toasted with butterthis morning! Thank You for such a health oriented website! My family is looking forward to “healthier meals” thanks to you. GOD bless you and your family. JESUS LOVES YOU.
Not sure what I am doing wrong but this dough was sticky sticky sticky. I felt like I had to add another cup of flour and now not sure if it will rise. We will see but it doesn’t look good right now 🙁
Look here first (https://www.jennycancook.com/problems-with-yeast-baking/) and you may find an explanation.
My dough was also sticky, which was fine. You just have to place it from the bowl into a bread pan. What I do, I pour it like a pudding, and even it with spatula. My friend used to have an Italian deli , and she made similar dough and did the same. I also drizzle on top with olive oil. Same temperature and same time. You can judge yourself if you want longer time, a few minutes. But I made just the other day similar recipe and it turned out to be , good as well.
Hi Jenny,
Thank you so much for this recipe! I love making bread, but haven’t found one that I love until this one! I was wondering, how do you store this loaf? I did add 1/4c extra milk(I use whole milk) because the last time I made it it turned out a bit dry. Since it is a bit more moist I am wondering if it’s ok to store on the counter?
Thank you again!
Do you think any of your bread recipes can be made in a bread machine?
Thanks
Sorry, I have no experience with bread machines.
Almost all bread recipes can be used in a bread machine with little or no difference in ingredients. I usually make my recipes on the dough setting of the bread machine and then shape and do one more rise and bake in oven. MUCH faster. Don’t be afraid to try. In this recipe make sure you use the whole wheat setting as the extra kneading is needed to form the gluten properly…
Hi Borzoilady. If use a breadmachine you must add the ingredients in a specific order or you can kill the yeast .It cannot be exposed to salt for too long or it will kill the yeast ?breadmachines take quite a while to knead and let bread rise btw. Plenty of breadmchine recipes online too which I’m sure you have discovered by now? I prefer personally,the loaf pan and regular oven as bread machine loaves are too high even though you can cut in half.goodluck!
Has anyone tried adding dough enhancer to this recipe? If so, how much?
Do you mean gluten?
I usually add a level teaspoon of gluten (‘flour’/powder: Bob’s Red Mill) for each cup of flour, which gives it properties like bread flour. I never buy bread flour. The gluten assists the rise and moisture retention, and the results were noticeably better than without gluten added.
I am making Jenny’s no-knead whole wheat bread this way now; it’s one-third of the way through its three-hour rise. I expect it to turn out fine, like the other no-knead loaf I made from this site.
There is a lot of commentary on the Web re. how to convert all-purpose flour into a bread-flour equivalent. Amounts vary. But I find ‘less is more’, so I use just a teaspoon of gluten per cup of flour, and it’s worked out well. Hope that helps.
Hi Jenny,
Very informative and wonderful site.
I believe that I followed everything to a “T”. But do not
Know what happened my loaf dropped and turned out the shape
Of the pan. Did raise nicely like your photo.
Can you please shed some light on what may have happened
Many thanks
Maria
Baking is an exact science so it could be anything. First, you have to follow the recipe exactly, including the size of the pan, and make sure your oven temperature is correct. Sometimes, in moving the loaf into the oven, if you bump it hard enough, it can flatten. Besides that please look under my “Questions?” link at the Problems With Yeast Baking link.
I LOVE the taste of the Honey whole wheat bread, but no matter what I do I keep seeming to have a deflated loaf. I mix the flour with a whisk before measuring, I use a quick rise yeast, (the only other kind of yeast here on the island is traditional and it doesn’t seem to work) and follow the rest of the instructions exactly. Since I live in Newfoundland it’s cold most of the year, so I warm up the oven to 170 degrees (the lowest) then turn the oven off after I put it in to rise, and I leave it in for about 35 mins (b/c an hour seemed to puff it up so much it always fell as the oven cooled off, but less time has had good results twice). Also seems to cause it to fall when I open the oven to put the foil on top so I eliminated that as well. My toaster oven has a warm setting so I tried to rise and cook it in there but I had to keep the foil on the whole time since it’s so close to the heating element. But that seems to not cook it completely either and then it’ll still fall once I take it out. I’ve made this recipe maybe 30 times trying to crack the code as it’s so tasty but I’d love some tips if you have em. Should I not whisk the flour before I measure? Less oil? Is extra virgin olive oil causing a problem? Is it the honey? A little less? Pretty demoralizing to see so many people have success with it, what am I doing wrong? 🙁
I have a couple of thoughts but can’t be sure if they are the problem. So here goes…
1) Follow the recipe exactly.
2) The only change I would make is try sugar instead of honey.
3) It’s possible you are rising it with too much heat. Skip the oven and try one of these ideas: https://www.jennycancook.com/where-to-rise-dough/
4) Be sure your oven is preheated fully to 375 – use an oven thermometer to be sure.
Good luck and please report back.
Hi Jenny,
Can you use whole milk in this recipe?
I have only made this recipe with 1% milk so I guess you will have to try. Please report back if you do…
I made this today and used whole milk. It turned out great! Thank you for the recipe. I didn’t know how easy making bread could be.
Yes, you can add whole milk to this recipe. I dont like 1percent milk, so i use whole milk. It doesnt make any difference. It comes out perfectly.
Wowzer!! I’ve made this wonderful bread a few times not to once be disappointed. I decided to take it a step further and make it this time grinding fresh wheat berries to make my own flour. Oh my, my!! It took it to OVER THE TOP deliciousness!! Soft crumb with a slight sweetness. Thank you for this recipe. I’ll never use another store bought loaf of bread!!
Hi Jenny,
When trying to print your recipes using the “print” icon at the top of the recipe, I keep getting blank white pages instead of the recipes. Not sure what’s wrong but strange. :/
I assume you are using a desktop computer. For some reason, in some browsers (like Google Chrome), the “print menu window” appears to load faster than the actual recipe page you’re trying to print. The workaround we’ve used is to close the print window and then either wait for the recipe page to load or refresh it, and then print via the Chrome browser menu – File > Print. I hope this helps. Or if you have a different browser, it will probably work there.
Thanks for the tips! As a matter of fact, I am using Google Chrome. I’m just highlighting the recipe, then bringing up a print menu from that.
Hi Jenny My bread didn’t rise in one hour in a sunny window 🙁 My yeast is new. Can I proof yeast with the warm milk and sugar for 10 min BEFORE adding the mixture to the bowl? That way I will know for sure that yeast is ok. (I used instant and I didn’t think you needed a hot liquid for that)
WONDERFUL recipes…thank you!
There is no need to proof instant yeast. It looks like your bread didn’t rise because the milk was not warm enough. I encourage you to trust my recipe, heat the milk to the proper temperature (120-130), and try again.
Thanks so much for your reply…absolutely love your videos. Waiting a few hours and bread rose in sunny window. BEST bread that I have ever made and just finished a french toast breakfast. Do you rise bread in the oven Jenny?
Thanks again.
p.s. Made two loaves again this morning and used almond milk and agave nectar. Loaves rising FAST in sunny window on this cold canadian day! I even used the dough hook throughout and it worked beautifully. I am going to make just about everything (other than meat) that you put out there. Thanks so much for sharing Jenny….fabulous sense of humour too 🙂
I use a warming drawer for rising dough.
I found this on internet: “proof” or rise in microwave: Put a cup of water in glass measuring cup in microwave on high 2 min, then place bowl of dough that’s covered with cloth in microwave and close door and let sit. Heat and moisture from this helps rise faster. Also check in about 30min, if water is cold and still need more rising, remove dough pan, reheat water, replace dough and close door again.
Thank you for sharing this.
For those of us who do not utilize microwaves….I turn my oven on to heat up to lowest temperature. My is 170*. I then turn my oven off, put my loaf in with a towel over it and let it rise in there. When done. Open oven and remove towel. Turn oven on to heat to baking temperature and bake. I add about 5-7 minutes to baking time to accommodate for the heating of oven. Works every time….
Microwaves destroy all nutrients, minerals in water are no longer beneficial & they put out emf’s which are harmful.
We are becoming more aware of these dangers by looking into the coming 5G.
Cut the cord off & make it into an expensive bread box for this glorious homemade bread ?
How do you heat one cup of milk to 120 Fahrenheit. How man minutes is 120 Fahrenheit
In the microwave it takes me about a minute for milk to reach 120 F. It’s impossible to say how long it would take on the stove as it depends on the level of heat, type/size of pot, etc.. The best way to get the right temperature is to use an instant-read thermometer.
How long it takes in the microwave also depends on your fridge setting…..