Honey Wheat Bread Recipe

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This homemade honey wheat bread recipe is an easy to make with 8 ingredients & is perfect for sandwiches and toast. It’s a classic loaf of moist & sweet honey whole wheat bread.

a loaf of Honey Wheat Bread with 3 slices cut out of it.

Nothing compares to freshly baked bread (like these homemade dinner rolls and this pretzel bread). The smell, the taste, itโ€™s truly a beautiful thing. Even the process is therapeutic.

From the first rise of the dough to the first slice of the finished product, the whole experience makes a house feel like a home. This Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread is one of our favorites.

I love thisย honey wheat bread because it’s healthier and more delicious than store-bought breads. You knowย exactlyย what you are eating and feeding your family with zero preservatives or artificial ingredients.

Plus using white whole wheat flour in place of refined white flour is an easy way to add nutrients when you bake because it’s full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

overhead view of a loaf of Honey Wheat Bread with 3 slices cut out of it

Homemade Honey Wheat Bread: Substitutions

overhead photo of the labeled ingredients in this Honey Wheat Bread recipe
  • Honey. I have only ever made this bread with honey. I am guessing that another liquid sweetener, like maple syrup or agave, could work well in this recipe. However, since I have not tried it I cannot guarantee results!
  • Canola oil. Any neutral oil works well in this recipe: avocado oil, melted coconut oil, olive oil, etc. Melted butter also is a great substitute. 
  • All-purpose flour. you can use all whole wheat flour but the bread will be much denser. If you would like to do this, I would suggest white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
  • Whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour are great substitutes.ย 
loaf of Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread with two slices cut out sitting in front fo the loaf

How to Make Homemade Honey Wheat Breadย 

Let’s walk through this recipe together, and don’t forget to watch the video.

You can mix the dough in a standing mixer using a dough hook or by hand. It’s very easy to do either way.

The first step is proofing the yeast. Combine the water, honey and yeast in your mixing bowl and let rest until foamy – about 5 to 10 minutes.

Then, add the rest of the ingredients and use the dough hook or a wooden spoon to combine.

Add enough flour for the dough to form a slightly tacky ball. Then place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a damp tea towel to rise until doubled in volume.

How to Make Honey Wheat Bread  - dough in a bowl before rising

This honey wheat bread recipe involves two rises. First the dough rises in the bowl and the second time around it rises in the loaf pan.

How to Shorten rise time

Put the bowl with the dough inside covered with a damp tea towel on the upper rack of your oven (the oven must be off). Then place two cups of boiling water in an open container underneath the dough. The warm damp environment will make the dough rise much faster. Just be sure to remove it before you preheat the oven.

Overhead view of Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread dough rising in a mixing bowl

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and transfer it to a greased loaf pan. If desired, press the oatmeal on top of the loaf. If the oats do not stick well, brush the top of the loaf with water or milk, then add the oats.

How to Make Honey Wheat Bread - dough in a loaf pan before rising

Cover the loaf pan with the damp tea towel and let rise until it is just at the top of the loaf pan.

How to Make Honey Wheat Bread - dough in a loaf pan after rising before baking

Then, bake the honey wheat bread in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the loaf makes a hollow sound when hit with a wooden spoon. Or, until the internal temperature of the loaf is 185 degrees F.

If the top is browning too quickly loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil and move to a lower rack in the oven.

Honey Wheat Bread in a loaf pan after baking

Cool & Serve

Let the bread cool in the loaf pan on a wire cooling rack for at least 10 minutes, or more if you have time. Then, remove the honey wheat bread from the pan, transfer it to a cooling rack and cover it with a towel. This will keep the bread warmer for longer, and it will also help the crust stay nice and soft.

There are so many ways to serve this honey wheat bread. The first, is warm and plain with a slather of cinnamon honey butter, peanut butter, apple butter, jam, etc.

Or, use it to make your favorite sandwiches. Some suggestions include: the best BLTs, chicken salad sandwich, turkey cranberry sandwich, grilled cheese, etc.

a loaf of honey wheat bread before being cut

Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Freeze

Slice the loaf into individual slices, wrap it in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. I suggest slicing so if you only want to remove one or two slices at a time to enjoy you can.

Overhead view of a loaf of Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread on a cutting board with three slices cut out and laying on the cutting board

Honey Wheat Bread Recipe FAQs

Can you freeze honey wheat bread?

This bread freezes and reheats beautifully! I often make two loves, one for now and one to freeze for later. Be sure to slice the bread before freezing it! This way, you can pull out the number of slices you need for a given meal instead of the entire loaf

How do you store homemade bread?

Store this homemade whole wheat bread in an airtight container or plastic bag. If you will eat it within one day, keep it at room temperature to avoid drying out. If you will take longer to finish a loaf I recommend storing it in the refrigerator.

a loaf of honey wheat bread with two slices cut out of it

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Honey Wheat Bread Recipe

Laura
This homemade honey wheat bread recipe is an easy to make with 8 ingredients & is perfect for sandwiches and toast. It's a classic loaf of moist & sweet honey whole wheat bread.
4.98 from 36 votes
Course bread, Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 12 slices
Calories 129.5
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Rising time2 hours
Total Time35 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Topping

Instructions 

  • In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, add warm water, honey and yeast. Stir to combine and let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is foamy (proofed). (Or you can use a large bowl and mix by hand).
  • Add canola oil, all-purpose flour 1 cup of whole wheat flour and sea salt to the proofed yeast mixture.
  • Stir the mixture with the dough hook, starting on low speed and increasing to medium-high, until combined
  • Slowly add remaining whole wheat flour ยผ cup at a time, mixing after each addition.
  • Once the dough has formed a ball that is only slightly tacky and pulls away from the sides of the mixer, transfer it to a well-floured surface and knead until it becomes elastic and smooth.
  • Place dough in a lighly oiled bowl covered by a damp towel in a warm place to rise. Let rise until doubled in size (about 1-2 hours).
  • After dough has doubled in size, gently press all the air out of it and grease a 9×5โ€ loaf pan.
  • Transfer the dough to the greased loaf pan and cover with a warm damp towel. If desired, press oatmeal on the top of the loaf.
  • Let the dough rise until it reaches the top of the loaf pan, then preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden brown and the loaf makes a hollow sound when hit with a wooden spoon. If the top is browning too quickly loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil and move to a lower rack in the oven.
  • Remove the bread pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes release the sides of the bread with a knife, and gently flip the pan over to remove the bread. Serve warm or let cool!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions
  • Canola oil. Any neutral oil works well in this recipe: avocado oil, melted coconut oil, olive oil, etc. Melted butter also is a great substitute.ย 
  • All-purpose flour.ย you can use all whole wheat flour but the bread will be much denser. If you would like to do this, I would suggest white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
  • Whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour are great substitutes.ย 
Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freeze
Slice the loaf into individual slices, wrap it in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. I suggest slicing so if you only want to remove one or two slices at a time to enjoy you can.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 129.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.7g | Protein: 3.6g | Fat: 1.6g | Sodium: 194.1mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 5.8g | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

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4.98 from 36 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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39 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Thank you for your time sharing these gorgeous recipes, Iโ€™ve made a few and theyโ€™re delicious. Lorraine UK

  2. 5 stars
    Great recipe, delicious! Just wanted to ask, why so much yeast? I use Fleischmanns and only use 2 1/4 tsps for most breads. Can more whole wheat flour be used if I use bread flour?