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.
Munch says
I've never made anything like bread before and this was so easy and straightforward! And it tastes flippin delicious! And you were so right about how good it feels to make your own bread and eat it! Thank you for guiding me on my first bread making journey hehe ?
A Virtual Vegan says
Aaaww that makes me so happy! There will be no stopping you now!
Katy says
Can you make this bread with all Wheat flour (no All purpose flour)
A Virtual Vegan says
You can but it won't be as light and fluffy and it won't be as forgiving to make as when you use a mixture of both flours. If you are a beginner bread maker I recommend you follow the recipe as is. You can then gradually increase the amount of wholewheat in subsequent loaves. If you are more advanced you will probably be ok.
elena says
It looks great and easy but as I´m on a low sodium diet I was wondering if I could make it minus the salt. Thanks.
A Virtual Vegan says
Salt is important in bread making, not just for flavour. It actually helps tighten the gluten structure. When you omit it, it makes the dough harder to knead, stickier and it will lose some of its structure both as dough and loaf. It will likely end up a lot flatter. Salt also retards the yeast. If there isn't any it might all ferment a bit too quickly. It also helps the colour of the crust. As it slows the rate of the sugar consumption by the yeast, more of it is available at the time of the bake for crust colouration. If there is no salt the baked bread will probably end up really pale once cooked.
I have forgotten to add salt when I've been baking before so have seen this first hand. So if you do want to bake it without, you will need to use less water, knead it longer and realize that your loaf probably won't turn out perfectly.Hope that helps.
Joan Wong-House says
I started baking my own bread about a year and a half ago and I must say that this recipe is the best loaf recipe that I have tried. Even with my errors the bread still came out fantastic. Simple ingredients and easy instructions, made this bread so easy to make. I think this is going to be regular in my house. I no longer have to by bread. It baked so pretty and it taste great. Thanks for the recipe.
Stephanie says
Would you recommend "regular" whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour? I am not an experienced bread baker at all, but I have heard that white whole wheat flour makes softer bread. Do you have any experience with this?
A Virtual Vegan says
I've never actually used white whole wheat flour because it's not available in the stores here. Regular whole wheat is fine in this recipe though and gives perfectly soft results at the quantities listed in the recipe.
Pierre says
Fantastic........I am not a baker of anything and this came out excellent.
Can a double batch be done to make two loafs at one time.
Thank you so much for sharing..
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so pleased it turned out well for you! And yes, feel free to make multiples. I always make 2 at a time and freeze one.
Pierre says
Mel, would I gain anything by substituting the all purpose flour with a bread flour.
Thanks, Pierre
A Virtual Vegan says
I find my loaves are lighter and fluffier with all purpose. When I make sourdough or want a more artisan type bread with a really chewy, hard, crusty crust I use bread flour. So it's a matter of preference really. For every day bread I always use all purpose.
Pierre says
Made a second loaf, came out on the dry side. Any suggestions?
A Virtual Vegan says
The crumb can be dry for many reasons so it's hard for me to pinpoint. It could have simply been baked too long, or not enough water was added to the dough or too much flour was used. Do you weigh the flour or use cups? I always recommend weighing for accurate results with flour. Cups are far too inaccurate. If cups must be used then you need to spoon the flour into the cup then level it with a knife without compacting or shaking the flour down in the cup. That gives you roughly the right amount. Also if you add more flour when kneading, don't. That ends up affecting the texture. If you knead by hand you get far better results kneading on a lightly oiled surface with lightly oiled hands then by using flour. Other culprits could be over-proofing or not kneading it enough. Hop that helps!
Ayu Hassan says
I made this today. And this is my first bread! And it’s delicious! My husband + mum said it’s more delicious than the bought ones. I tot making bread is not for me, it’s for the pros. But I guess I was wrong. So motivated to make my own bread from now on. Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
That's so good to hear! It only gets better the more you make too. Thanks for stopping by to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!
Gary McKinnon says
I didn't have white flour to hand so i used stoneground, strong wholewheat flour. Easy, quick and delicious :)
It was lovely and dense, but how can i make a less dense loaf that gets a bit bigger, mine didn't rise much in the oven?
A Virtual Vegan says
The density is probably a combination of factors but the main one is that you didn't follow the recipe and used all stone ground wholewheat flour rather than the combination of whole wheat and all purpose. It makes a massive difference. Unless you are an experienced bread baker it is quite hard to make a 100% whole wheat loaf with a light texture. As for rising, first is your yeast fresh, and secondly, is there a chance you let it rise too much the first time or in the rise before you put it in the oven? If so then the yeast would have not had the strength to work anymore when they got to the oven. The kneading and shaping also affect how a loaf rises.
Annie says
I will definitely try this recipe!!! I was wondering, I did some bread recipes before and the towel I put on top of the dough (when it's in the pan) always sticks on the dough :( any advice on that? Thanks! :)
A Virtual Vegan says
I always run my towel under running water to really wet it, then I wring it out and drape it over the dough. It shouldn't stick then. I do that with bread rolls on baking sheets too. Or, you can rub or brush a little olive oil on the dough and cover loosely with some cling wrap instead. Hope that helps and that you enjoy the bread!
Alyssa says
I made mine using my new food processor and it turned out amazing! I won't ever buy bread again I don't think... :)
A Virtual Vegan says
That's awesome Alyssa. I think once you are used to homemade bread it's really hard to go back to store bought again!
Lilah says
I recently followed a recipe for a vegan bread on youtube and it came out horribly! They were dense ugly loaves that didn't rise any more after I put them in the pans. THIS recipe worked beautifully though! I did add a little coconut sugar and I used whole wheat pastry flour and added a few tablespoons of vital wheat gluten and the dough was moist and easy to form into loaves and it tastes wonderful. It's such a simple recipe, I think one day I may even have it memorized. Thank you!!
A Virtual Vegan says
That's great. I'm so glad you are enjoying the recipe!
Edward Smith says
In this recipe you say to scroll up to watch your video, but I could not find any video... thanks.
A Virtual Vegan says
The video is definitely there. It is directly above where the recipe starts. It shows as an image of the loaf with a play sign in the middle of it.
Donna says
Love this bread recipe. It’s been our go to for a few years now. We made it even before you revamped the recipe with new photos etc !
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Donna. So glad you are enjoying it!
Annette Rippstein says
I would! like to know if I can put some Rosemary in the dough to make a Rosemary bread would you please email me back thank you
A Virtual Vegan says
Rosemary can increase yeast development so it might rise more quickly. If it rises too quickly it could affect the structure and flavour of the loaf. How much to add before this happens will be a case of trial and error. You could make it as it is, then knead in the rosemary just before shaping to limit the chances of something going wrong. I have this recipe too which you might like https://avirtualvegan.com/miracle-no-knead-focaccia-with-rosemary-sea-salt/
Amy Clark says
Hi Mel! For the light whole wheat bread recipe, can it be done in a bread machine?
Looking for forward to trying many of the recipes I have found today. My daughter was diagnosed with acid reflux and borderline severe lactose intolerance. Learning to cook without dairy is different for me. I am up for the challenge for my daughter's health and mine too.
Thanks for putting this site together!
A Virtual Vegan says
You're welcome and I am sorry to hear about your daughter's health problems. You will soon get the hang of being dairy free. It's not as difficult as you would think once you learn all the ways you can substitute dairy.
This bread recipe would work in a bread machine but you might need to scale the recipe down if the pan is a different size. And just for future reference, as a past bread machine owner ( a long time ago) I remember that all the recipes that come with the machines or in bread machine books include milk powder. You can safely leave it out completely and it makes absolutely no difference at all. I wasn't vegan when I had my machine, and started using the milk powder at first then one day ran out so made it without. I didn't ever go back to it after that because it was no different. I hope that helps and best of luck!