A 5 ingredient, Easy Whole Wheat Bread recipe with very minimal hands-on time & no special ingredients needed. It's soft, fluffy, crusty & unbelievably good!
Imagine this... The smell of Whole Wheat Bread filling the air as it bakes in your oven. Breaking off a piece of that crust while it's still hot, slathering it in the most delicious Easy Vegan Butter. Devouring it.
Well guess what? I have some really good news. This could be you in just a couple of hours.
Now before panic sets in, bread and yeast does not have to be scary. So many people are daunted by it and it's such a shame because baking bread and eating the result, is one of life's true pleasures and it really isn't difficult. There really is nothing better than tucking into a loaf of warm, freshly baked bread that you, yes YOU, made all by yourself!
So many of you have made my No Knead Focaccia Bread and everyone starts off being sceptical of it. They think it can't possibly work because it is so incredibly easy. But it does. Every. Single. Time.
This Easy Whole Wheat Bread is a little step up from that, in that it takes a little more effort. But it's really not much more especially if you own a stand mixer.
But, if you don't have a stand mixer, don't worry because you can knead the dough by hand and get exactly the same result. You just need to use a bit more elbow grease! Think of the extra calories you will burn. That equals more bread that you can eat!
This is why I am loving this Easy Whole Wheat Bread:
- Hands on time is minimal
- It's light, fluffy and soft with a lovely crusty crust
- The flavour is mild and nutty and it doesn't taste too 'whole wheaty'
- It's completely sugar free
- You won't find any additives or dough conditioners like in store bought bread
- It keeps well for a few days
- You can double up the recipe and freeze one loaf for another day
- It makes the best sandwiches, toast and soup or stew accompaiment!
How to make Whole Wheat Bread
Here's how to make your own homemade whole wheat bread:
- In a bowl combine the flour, yeast, salt and olive oil
- Add water
- Mix together then knead either by hand or with a stand mixer
- Lightly grease a bowl and leave the dough to double in size (it will take around 60-90 mins)
- Shape the loaf and put into the pan
- Leave until risen to about 1 inch above the top of the pan
- Slash if you want to, then bake!
I bake bread 2 or 3 times every week and have tried many, many loaf pans. My favourite by far is this one from USA Pans (not sponsored or anything, I just love it!):
I have been using it for about 2 years now and it still looks brand new and yeast bread and banana bread etc never, ever stick. I wipe a tiny bit of oil over it with kitchen paper and whatever I am baking slides right out so easily.
I call this loaf a Light Whole Wheat Bread because it uses a combination of white flour and whole wheat flour. By doing this you get a much softer, lighter loaf. It's a great beginner's easy whole wheat bread.
If you use a greater ratio of whole wheat flour your loaf won't be as light and fluffy. By making lighter whole wheat bread, it becomes more family-friendly too. Children don't tend to like the taste of 100% whole wheat bread but this one is much milder in flavour and I have never had any problems getting my son to eat it.
Ok, so you think you aren't a bread baker? Well guess what? You are about to become one!
Ready, steady, bake!
Success Tips - As with all of my baking recipes where precision is key to excellent results, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients, rather than using cup measurements. I love this one because it is very reasonably priced and it has a tare function which is really handy. It means you can place any bowl on the scale and reset to zero so it doesn’t include the weight in its the calculation, plus you can reset to zero when adding multiple ingredients to the same bowl which saves on washing up!
Recipe FAQs
Despite the common myth, the addition of sugar to bread dough is not necessary. There are enough natural sugars in the flour to feed the yeast and get a good result. That is why I do not include any in this recipe.
Oil or vegan butter makes the crumb softer and also acts as a preservative. If you don't add any your bread will have be crustier and it won't keep as long before going stale.
Hungry for more?
For more great bread recipes, check out these very popular reader favourites:
- Sourdough Starter
- No Yeast White Bread
- Vegan Soda Bread
- No Knead Sourdough Bread
- Easy Flatbread Recipe
- Easy No Knead Focaccia
- Homemade Pita Bread
📖 Recipe
Easy Whole Wheat Bread
Author:
Ingredients
- 300g (2⅓ cups) all purpose white flour , strong bread flour in the UK
- 200g (1½ cups) wholewheat flour , strong wholemeal flour in the UK
- 10 grams (1 tablespoon) instant yeast or quick rise yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil , vegetable oil, sunflower oil or melted and room temperature vegan butter are all good subs
- About 310mls (1⅓ cups) tepid water , see recipe notes
INSTRUCTIONS
- To see my video showing how to make this recipe, just scroll up a little to just above the recipe card. Add both flours, the yeast and the salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. If you are working by hand use a large mixing bowl.
- Add the olive oil and the water. Turn on the stand mixer and knead the dough for 10 minutes. My Kitchen Aid manual recommends speed 2 for bread dough. You might need to stop the machine after a couple of minutes and scrape down the sides if it isn't catching all of the flour as it kneads. If it feels a little dry add a few drops more water. Add it very gradnually though so you don't accidentally add too much. It should feel slightly tacky but not wet. If you are working by hand, stir the ingredients together with a spatula until a rough dough is made, then turn out onto a clean surface. I prefer to oil my surface and hands rather than use flour. It stops everything sticking and means there is no chance of you adding too much extra flour which will affect the texture of your bread, making it dry and heavy. Knead for 10 - 15 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic and when squeezed together between both of your hands, it should bounce back slowly. If you are unsure how to knead I recommend watching this video to help you perfect your technique.
- Once kneaded, grease a large bowl with a little oil, then put the kneaded dough in it and move around to coat all over in a light coating of oil. I tend to reuse the bowl I mixed the dough in.
- Cover with a damp, clean dish towel ( I just run mine under the tap for a minute then wring out), cling film or an unused shower cap and leave on the kitchen counter until doubled in size. The time this takes will vary depending on how warm your kitchen is but bear in mind that the longer it takes to rise, the more flavour there will be so unless you are in a hurry, don’t rush it by cranking up the heating or putting it somewhere very warm. Mine generally takes between 60 - 90 minutes to double.
- Once the dough has doubled scrape it gently onto a clean, lightly oiled work surface. Be sure you don't tear it as you do this. Use the heels of your hands to flatten it into a rectangle roughly the width of your bread pan.
- Fold the bottom third up and use the heel of your hand to push it down and seal it a bit. Then fold the top third down and push it down to seal it again. Then fold the dough in half again and pinch closed. Watch my video to see these steps. Gently turn under the ends if they look a little untidy then gently place in a lightly oiled bread pan. It will fit well into an 8.5 by 4.5 inch pan or a 9 x 5 inch pan.
- Rub a tiny bit of oil over the surface of the dough to stop sticking, then cover again with a damp dish towel, cling film or a shower cap and leave until the bread dough is nicely domes and about 1 inch above the sides of the pan. It won't take as long this time. In my kitchen about 30 - 40 minutes.
- While you are waiting for your loaf to rise preheat your oven to 400° F.
- Once the dough is ready you can bake right away, or you can slash the top if you have a bread lame, sharp enough knife or razor blade. It needs to be super sharp though or it will drag the dough and ruin your loaf. If you do not have anything suitable then don't worry and leave out this step. You can slash anyway you like, one slash straight down the middle, or two or three width ways. The slashing enables the dough to expand a bit more and you will get slightly better oven spring than you will if you do not slash. It isn't essential though and really doesn't make too much difference.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.
- After this time it will be baked through. You can check by knocking on the bottom. It should sound hollow. Remove from the pan and cool on a cooling rack .
- As hard as it is to resist eating it when fresh out of the oven it really is best to leave it to cool completely before cutting. Cutting while still warm affects the crumb and might make it slightly damp and doughy. I sometimes make two. One for eating while warm and one for later!
NOTES
Oil-free - You can omit the oil from this recipe. The bread will be crustier, won't be quite as soft and it won't keep as long. Oil acts as a softener and a preservative. Storage - Store in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 days. This bread also freezes well for up to 3 months. Sugar - Despite the common myth, the addition of sugar to bread dough is not necessary. There are enough natural sugars in the flour to feed the yeast and get a good result. That is why I do not include any in this recipe.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
J.C. says
This was a great recipe. My family ate it in less than a day, they loved it and so did I. Thanks! And I will be making this again!! :)
A Virtual Vegan says
The only problem with homemade bread is you end up eating more of it then you usually would! Glad you all enjoyed it!
Pamela says
I love this recipe! Can the raw dough be frozen for later?
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you're enjoying it! You can freeze bread dough but I personally don't advise it. It is really hard to get it defrosted and proofed exactly right because it takes so long, and it never seems to bake as well as if you were to bake it right away. Cooked bread freezes so well that it's much easier to just bake it, cool and freeze the finished loaf.
If you do really want to freeze the dough though the best time to freeze is after it has had its first rise and then been knocked back and shaped into a loaf. Freeze the loaf in the loaf pan lined with cling wrap and as soon as the dough is solid you can remove it and transfer to a freezer bag.
To thaw put the frozen dough back in its greased pan, cover with a damp clean dish towel and leave to thaw and rise. The time will vary depending on the temperature of the room but it will take a long while (hours) and you will need to keep an eye on it. As soon as its proofed bake it as per the recipe instructions.
Hope that helps!
Pamela says
Thank you very much! As always, you are clear and easy to understand! Have a wonderfully fun year!
Jennifer says
Loved this recipe and the bread! Will definitely be making again! Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
So pleased you enjoyed it Jennifer!
Christine E. says
Enjoyed making this bread because it is vegan and so easy! Makes the most delicious toast! Loved how you included the tip of oiling your hands and surfaces rather than using flour. I used olive oil and the bread came out with a beautiful crust and light and airy on the inside.
Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Christine!
Chaya says
This recipe looks great! Would it come out ok if I leave out the salt?
A Virtual Vegan says
Salt is really important in bread recipes. It makes a significant difference to flavour and it tights the gluten structure, adding strength to the dough. It also helps the loaf hold on to the carbon dioxide gas that is formed during fermentation, encouraging volume and a good rise. It also slows down fermentation and the enzyme activity.
You will probably get an ok result if you omit it but the bread definitely won't be at it's best. And also note that if you reduce the salt or omit it you will also need to reduce the amount of yeast a little. It's not something I've ever tried so I'm not sure by how much. I'm guessing 7 grams would be about right?
Hope that helps.
Lara says
I only have active dry yeast, can I use that instead of the instant? If so, what would the amount be? I am a total novice bread maker and am not sure. Thanks for all the great recipes Melanie!
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes that's fine. And it will be the same amount. You will need to dissolve it first before using it though as per the instructions on the packet. Use the water from the recipe to do that (not any extra) and you'll have to add a bit of sugar too. a couple of teaspoons will be fine or whatever it says on the packet.
Add the flour, olive oil and salt to your mixing bowl then pour the yeasty water in once its activated/bubbly.
Hope that helps and good luck!
Lara says
Thank you!
Michelle says
I am a regular bread baker but was in the mood to try something new. This recipe is fantastic and I would encourage any new bread baker to give it a try as the instructions and video are excellent and the finished product is soooo worth it!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Michelle!
GARY SYMS says
Tried and tested this recipe, made both loaf and buns which came out perfectly, tasted great as well as a good shelf life of at 3-4days if kept in the fridge.
jane says
Hi Melanie, I'm making this recipe again but just wanted to say, I don't think the video is linked to this recipe page? I found the video by googling so all good, but I remembered from when I made this bread before I had to do the same thing. The kneading video is there as a link, but not the one where you fold it to fit the pan (which is the bit I couldn't remember!!!). I'm experimenting with different flours today so will let you know how we go!!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm not sure which video you are referring to. Maybe you found the Youtube or Pinterest video when Googling? Or someone has copied it and uploaded it somewhere perhaps?
The full video for all of my recipes though is always in the actual post on my website under the heading "watch how to make it" so you can see the whole process. Unless you have an ad blocker of some kind that is and then you won't be able to see it because they block the videos too.
Jane says
Ah, probably the ad blocker! But there is still a live link to the kneading video mentioned in the text so not sure how that works! I just got the video from your you tube I believe. Bread came out wonderfully well with approx 60% wholemeal spelt, 35% wholemeal wheat and 5% rye. Hooray for home made bread for Easter! :) Take care xx
Piret says
This is a great recipe! It was my first time ever to bake something with yeast and I was quite nervous about the dough actually rising, but it was perfect! I let it rise 1h at first and second time it took about 40 minutes. Bread was soft from the inside and crusty from the outside, my husband said it reminds him of childhood! Also I love the fact that the ingredients are so simple and there is no sugar - no need for it whatsoever! Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it and found it easy to follow! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review/rating. It's much appreciated!
Pam says
We were very pleased and the recipe was easy and I am making more tomorrow. We love the texture and the flavor! Thank you for a great sugar free bread recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm glad you're enjoying it Pam! The only problem with homemade bread is it disappears too fast ;O)
Kimberly says
This came together perfectly and tastes amazing. Unfortunately, afterwards both my husband and I were left feeling quite overwhelmed with salt. I plan on playing with it to decrease the salt level, but I know salt is important in bread for many reasons. Do you have any experience you could share on trying to decrease the salt? Thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
This is an average amount of salt for a loaf this size but if you want to reduce it, the lowest I would recommend going is 7 grams of salt. I don't know what that is in teaspoons so you will need to weigh it. Any less than that and the recipe might not work as well.
Fhdgsh says
Great recipe, but horrible website.
Emily Chua says
I cant find the video for this recipe.
A Virtual Vegan says
It's there under "Watch How to Make it" a few paragraphs down from the top.
Terri says
In what order are the ingredients for a bread machine?
A Virtual Vegan says
I have only ever made this recipe by hand. You would need to follow the manufacturers directions. It will tell you the order of ingredients in your manual.
Michele says
Hi. Can grapeseed oil be used in place of olive?
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes any oil will work fine.
Dave says
We don't use our bread machine anymore. This recipe is the easiest bread recipe around, and the first one we've had an exceptional success rate with.
We use the recipe as the basis for buns, monkey bread, and cinnamon rolls.
We did buy a couple of loaf pans, but don't miss the bread machine at all!
PazzoJeterPancakes says
I have not had the best success with making bread in the past...some wins, but most fell far short of perfect. lol
I followed your instructions exactly, and I was rewarded with a perfect, beautiful loaf of really delicious wheat bread! I am SO happy with the results! Thanks, Mel, for this great recipe.
So, of course, I am thinking of my next loaf. Could this recipe be used with the addition of dried herbs or spices for flavored breads? Thinking of Italian herb or garlic something...??
A Virtual Vegan says
That's great! Nothing is more satisfying than making your own bread. Now I know why you made the butter!
In answer to your question, yes, this dough can be used as a base for all sort of different breads. You can add herbs, spices, garlic, dried fruit etc.
I also use it for pizza - I just do the first rise, shape it into pizzas, top with toppings and bake immediately
focaccia type bread - instead of shaping into a loaf stretch it out flat on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, herbs, and whatever other bits you like (cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced potato, sautéed onions etc), leave for 30 min to rest then bake.
Just bear in mind that adding additional things to the dough will affect the rise times. Sugar for instance will speed things up whereas spices slow it down. And garlic if raw can really slow things down or even kill the yeast if there's enough of it. I recommend using roasted garlic then it's not a potent and shouldn't make too much difference.
Have fun experimenting!
PazzoJeterPancakes says
Now you have me REALLY excited to try some of the ones you mentioned, Mel!! Thanks again for the great suggestions and of course your amazing, well-tested, delicious recipes!
P.S. The bread also tasted great dipped in the, broth from your creamy potato soup, lol
mindy says
thank you for this recipe. i found great pleasure in its preparation, finished outcome, and taste and texture. Excellent!
what do you recommend for adjustments in recipe to 1. use only whole wheat flour, and 2. to make two loaves at a time?
thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm glad you enjoyed it! To make it all wholewheat the only thing you will probably need to change is the water. It might need a little more. Make it as written first though and just add a little bit more if necessary while bring the dough together or when kneading. Cook time etc will remain the same.
To make 2 you can just double the recipe. I do it all the time. I always make 2 and freeze one. Mix it all up together and let it rise like normal, then split it in half and shape your 2 loaves. They can bake in the oven on the same shelf for the same time as the recipe states.
I hope that helps!
mindy says
thank you for your quick reply. in doubling the recipe, do i double the amount of quick rise yeast?
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes double the yeast too.