If you’ve been hesitant to try your hand at homemade wheat bread, this recipe is for you! It’s nearly fool-proof, thanks to the addition of a bread machine, and it tastes absolutely amazing!
Homemade Wheat Bread Recipe
There is something about the smell of freshly made bread wafting through the house that is so warm, comforting, and inviting!
I have fond memories of baking bread with my mom and siblings growing up.
We didn’t have a Bosch, so Mom had all of us participate in the kneading. She’d divvy up the big mound of bread dough into five separate smaller mounds of dough and set the timer for ten minutes. We’d all roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Our efforts paid off when the bread came out of the oven a bit later and we got to enjoy a warm slice slathered with honey and butter. Delicious!
With only two arms and two little ones right now, my bread-baking isn’t quite so ambitious. Instead of mixing it all up myself in the big silver bowl like my mom, I put all the ingredients in my bread machine. And instead of five loaves, I make one loaf. But, it’s still homemade bread and it’s still delicious.
I usually make it at least two or three times per week as our little family can eat a whole loaf in one day!
Why You’ll Love this Wheat Bread Recipe
Not only does it taste great and make your house smell amazing, this homemade wheat bread is much better for you than store-bought bread — and it costs much less too!
Homemade Whole Wheat Bread Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F.)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cup whole-wheat flour (we grind our own, see note below)
- 1 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (get this in bulk from Sam’s or Costco)
NOTE: My dad bought me this grain mill for Christmas. I really like it and have found the bread is so much better-tasting with freshly-milled flour. We buy our grain from Whole
Foods — it’s slightly more than I pay for whole wheat flour at the store, but considering it’s organic and freshly-milled flour is much higher in nutrition, it’s worth a bit of a higher cost to us.
How to Make Homemade Bread Machine Bread
1. Put all ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed.
2. Set on dough cycle.
3. When dough cycle is finished, take dough out and shape it into a loaf.
4. Place loaf in a greased bread pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20-45 minutes (until doubled).
5. While bread dough rises, preheat oven to 350ºF.
6. Once dough is fully risen, bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
7. Let dough rest in pan for 10 minutes before removing it to a cooling rack.
Wheat Bread Recipe Substitutions
This bread tastes great with honey as well — if you’d like to substitute that for the sugar.
And if you don’t have whole grain flour, you can use all-purpose for the entire recipe.
Easy Bread for Beginners Recipe Tips
Make sure to add the ingredients in the order listed, and select the correct dough cycle.
When it’s time to form the dough into a loaf, you’ll want to knead it a few times to press out any extra air bubbles. Press the dough into a small rectangle (about 9″ x 12″) and then roll up into a log, pressing the seam and folding the ends under.
Keep the dough covered as it rises to prevent it from drying out. And make sure your oven is fully preheated before putting the bread in.
If you don’t have a bread machine, you can mix the dough in a Kitchen Aid or other stand mixer, then cover and let rise for 30-60 minutes. Then continue with step 3 above.
How to Store Homemade Wheat Bread
Once the bread is completely cooled, place it in a bag or food storage container and store on the counter, at room temperature. Do not store in the fridge as this will dry it out.
Homemade bread is best within the first 48 hours. If you plan to store it longer than that, you can slice it and store it in the freezer. Then just pull out a slice or two whenever you’re craving fresh bread and pop it in the toaster.
Homemade Bread Recipe for Bread Machine FAQs
Patience! There’s a chance you won’t get it “just right” on the first time. Be willing to try again and again until you learn the feel of the dough when it’s ready for the pan, or the small of the bread when it’s ready to come out of the oven.
Adding milk, eggs, and butter (oil) to any homemade bread recipe will make it soft and fluffy. Also, allowing adequate rise time will help with the fluffiness too!
Sugar or honey can add sweetness to the bread. You can also add garlic, cheese, cinnamon, or any number of herbs to drastically change the flavor.
Most brands should work for bread — just make sure you pay attention to if it’s “Active Dry” yeast or “Rapid Rise” yeast. Also, if you plan to store your yeast for a longer period of time, it will stay fresher longer in the freezer.
Yes… and no!
You definitely want to let it rise long enough (until it’s doubled in size) but if you let it continue rising indefinitely, the dough will eventually collapse on itself once the gluten structure gives out. Usually 30-60 minutes is a good rise time.
Homemade Bread Recipe for Bread Machine
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water 110-115 degrees F.
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed.
- Set on dough cycle.
- When dough cycle is finished, take dough out and shape it into a loaf.
- Place loaf in a greased bread pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20-45 minutes (until doubled).
- While bread dough rises, preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Once dough is fully risen, bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Let dough rest in pan for 10 minutes before removing it to a cooling rack.
Nutrition
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Reader Interactions
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We love comments from readers, so chime in with your thoughts below! We do our best to keep this blog upbeat and encouraging, so please keep your comments cordial and kind. Read more information on our comment policy.
Catherine Ediger says
The link to Tammy’s original recipe is not working. Can you send the recipe or post a new link.
Crystal Paine says
Unfortunately, her site is no longer in existence.
Kathy says
I know this is an older recipe but I love it! My one question is what size bread pan do you use? 9×5 or 8×4?
Crystal Paine says
Either size will work.
Allie says
I’ve got a picture of the loaf I made here:
http://learningtobefrugal.wordpress.com/2008/10/21/bread/
Allie
Learningtobefrugal.com
Allie says
Okay, I’ve tried your bread recipe about 3 times now. The first time was completely in the bread machine. The other times, I did the dough in the machine and then baked it in the oven.
I found the bread very tasty and a good texture. It was lovely for sandwiches.
However… It didn’t rise much higher than the pan. Any advice?
Thanks,
Allie
Learningtobefrugal.com
Kim in TN says
A sweet friend shared this tip with me on freezing bread. Put your cooled loaf into a plastic bag and twist-tie it. Put it in a brown paper sack and fold the top of the bag down. Never any freezer burn or bad taste! I bake either six whole wheat sourdoughs or five honey whole wheats at a time, and pop them into the freezer this way. I try not to leave bread in the freezer more than 6-8 weeks. The fresher the better!
Lisa says
I made this recipe last night, and my family loved it. The only problem is that we barely managed to slice 12 slices so we could each have two! I totally agree with baking the bread in the oven. The crust is definitely softer. Thanks for a great recipe which my family has already requested I make again.
Andrea @ Mommy Snacks says
So I thought I was being ambitious just making mine in the bread machine…but, you’re using a grain mill…not sure how long it will take me to get there, but I’ll make another loaf using my bread machine soon enough 🙂
Anna says
I love that grainmill! I have one about 30 years old that my mother-in-law never used and gave to me 6 years ago or so.(they have changed it a little) It is so sturdy and does every grain I have ever given it with great gusto! We buy our grain from a grain mill that sells to farmers. It is food grade and we get it much cheaper. In March we bought it for $27 a 60lb bag of grain. Corn and Rye were much cheaper so we supplement that in with our wheat.
tammy says
to those of you that are making multiple loaves of bread, what is your best method for storing it in the freezer? how long will it last there? i made this recipe today and was HANDS DOWN the best i’ve ever made! the entire family loved it! we were having phone issues today and the man from the phone co had to come by…he walked in just as i was taking the pan out of the oven! he said it was like heaven!
Laura says
Crystal,
I have to say this is the BEST whole wheat bread recipe I have every made.. and I have made a LOT in search of my “perfect one” and this is it!!! Thanks so much for posting this!! This bread really is the best!
Joscelyn says
Thanks Crystal! I was looking for a good recipe! I will try it for sure!! I grind my own flour too! ( Using my mom’s mill! :o)) Only, I have a great source for the wheat berries and it’s cheaper than buying flour in the store! … an Amish community! And they sell it cheap there! Along with yeast!!
Annie says
Crissy,
Here is a recipe for your daughter. I haven’t tried it in a loaf pan yet, but there is not milk, soy or nuts. Hope she’s not allergic to eggs: http://travisanniejackson.blogspot.com/2008/08/super-easy-bread.html
Paula says
Thanks for the recipe! What type of bread machine do you use for the mixing/kneading?
Frugal Dr. Mom says
Looks like a great recipe! I can’t wait to try it. I love homemade bread. I prefer to bake mine in the oven as well rather then in the bread machine. It makes a much prettier loaf.
Jenn says
I’m sure you’ll hear about this at some point, but I can’t recommend “Artisan Breads in 5 Minutes A Day” highly enough. It’s a no-knead recipe, and the idea is that you spend 10 min. on the dough one day and only 5 min. of hands-on time every day or two actually shaping and baking bread. It’s a great investment.
I do have a couple of questions, though… I belong to Sam’s Club, so I can get two Orowheat loaves for $4, which really is not bad at all. When you figure in the oven use and the rising (no pun intended) price of flour that I’ve noticed lately, I’m wondering if it’s really that big a money saver. I enjoy the fresh baked bread, so I do it for taste and enjoyment, regardless.
FrannyFrugal says
We too grind our own wheat. I’m saving for an electric grinder, got my eye on the Wondermill, but meanwhile we are using a hand grinder like this one –
http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_FP%20M100_A_name_E_Hand+Grain+Mill
It was a gift, and it takes forever to grind, but keeps the kids busy 🙂
Audreyblissful says
Love the new design and the recipe. I was just telling my friend the other day about how I needed a new bread recipe to try. Thanks for the tasty goodness.
Money Saving Mom says
I don’t use my bread machine to bake the bread because I don’t like the end result. The crust is much softer and the bread tastes much better–in my opinion–when baked in the oven.
rachel says
I love making homemade bread!!!
mmmmmmmm……. and I think you new page design is super 🙂
stephanie jones says
I have been baking my own bread since before my husband and I were married 4 years ago, and grinding my own wheat since then as well. I found a kitchen mill from a lady who was selling them pampered chef style, and when she bought a whisper mill, I got her display kitchen mill for$75. I use honey instead of brown sugar (it’s healthier, but pricier) and a kitchen aid to knead and prepare the dough. I bought a bread machine at a yard sale for $3, and thought I would use it, but it sits in the pile waiting for my own garage sale as it is much more satisfying to knead the bread with my own hands. It is, admittedly, much messier. I love the way my house smells on Thursdays. My recipe makes 2 loaves, and we only use one, so we pass the second loaf on to others.
Erica says
Thanks for the recipe Crystal. I ‘ll have to try to make our own whole wheat bread this week. By the way, which bread machine do you have?There are so many out there I’m wondering if some are more user friendly and reliable than others. Thanks, Erica
james says
Yes we use a kitchen aid for the kneeding. but its pathetic how simple it is to make bread. Eventually you get diff recipes you like more then the next but i cant say i’ve made a loaf I hated or something yet they’ve all been good.
People should not be intimidated by bread making. It is easy the hardest part is waiting for it to rise but while you wait you do other things. Its probably easier to bake bread then to bake a cake.
My advice dont be intimidated it is cheaper it is healther and it is tastier and it is not hard believe me.
Teresa says
We love homemade bread here…and that is all that we use. I do not buy any bread at the store, and have found that it saves us a ton of money. Not only is it frugal, I know exactly what I am feeding my family.
jsp says
also the Nutrimill is worth looking at as another grain mill …also if people have connections with LDS friends, they could get wheat for around 30 cents a pound…
Emily says
This is one of our big money savers too. Of course our recipe is a little different. One of our main differences is we use honey instead of brown sugar. We also use all freshly milled wheat flour. The freshly milled flour is so good for you that we try to get as much of it as possible.
Mary Ellen (Carolina Momma) says
How funny! I just wrote about the Homemade Wheat bread recipe from Tammy’s on my blog yesterday! It was my first time making bread. I now count eating a slice of homemade bread still warm from the oven with a butter among my simple pleasures!
Amiyrah says
Quick question:
why wouldn’t you just make the bread right in the bread machine?
Christy says
Your bread recipe is one of the best I have found!!!! We use your recipe almost daily and our whole family loves it!!! When I first got my grain mill, I couldn’t find a good whole wheat bread recipe for just 1 loaf…that’s when I found yours and we love it!!! Recently, I was able to buy a Bosch and now we use yours and increase the amounts to make 5 loaves!! Thanks for sharing!!
diane says
I have a Whisper Mill that I got over 10 years ago. I grind Red winter wheat.
Crissy says
Thank you so much for all you do. It has truely changed my life and my families lives. Do you have any recipes for bread making without any milk or soy. My daughter is very allergic to several things like milk, soy, nuts, fish, citrus. Thanks so much for you help and my God pour out His blessings on you!
Crissy
angela says
I’m confused – if you have a bread machine, why not cook the bread in the bread machine?
Kathy says
It doesn’t come out as a nice shaped loaf , or rise as well ,I like to take it out and reshape to a nice loaf or buns , and it gets a 2nd rising too !
Frugal Freebies and Deals says
If you have a Kitchen-Aid Large mixer (I know these are not frugal- but I got mine as a gift) you can easily let it do the mixing and kneading for you- when I make bread that it how I do it.
Sandra says
I have never attempted to bake my own bread because I am afraid of the specific water temperature and the yeast. I’ll book mark this page and give it a try next week. I promise.
Carrie says
Holy expensive flour mill, batman! Can I just use two rocks and rub them together? haha
I can’t wait to try out your recipe! Thanks!
p.s. Love the new look!!
Amy says
Crystal, Why don’t you do the whole cycle in your bread machine? Is there any reason you don’t let it rise and bake in there?
thanks!