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The Absolute Best Honey Wheat Bread Recipe

4.43 from 7 votes

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This Honey Whole Wheat Bread Recipe is one of my favorite homemade bread recipes. It’s perfect for sandwich bread loaves, mini loaves, or dinner rolls for any meal. This is the best honey whole wheat bread recipe ever!

Honey What Bead on cooling rack

I love to use this recipe when I’m having dinner guests.

I make individual loaves for each person like you can get in some fancy steakhouses.

These are my favorite mini loaf pans! They are the perfect size for 8 mini loaves of just about any recipe I’ve tried.

And they have a dark surface so you get a deeper color on the bottom and sides of the loaves.

This honey wheat bread recipe uses a combination of whole wheat flour and white flour. That gives it a lovely nutty taste.

The added gluten of the white flour increases the elasticity of the dough which makes it rise really well and gives it a softer texture that 100% whole wheat.

These mini Honey Whole Wheat Bread loaves are also great for gifting.

They are perfect for adding to a basket of homemade jams and jellies. Or even a basket of homemade cheese and sausages!

I’m telling you, this bread goes with anything!

The honey doesn’t make it taste sweet, either. So no worries about how it tastes with savory meals.

You can, of course, just make 2 regular sized loaves of bread. And I’ve given you the directions for that.

But I like to change things up a little. 

We like to serve these Honey Whole Wheat Mini Loaves with bowls of flavored homemade cream cheese and an assortment of jams and jellies.

Ready to go play in the kitchen?

mini loaf od honey wheat bread on wooden cutting board

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Ingredients

  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • 3 cup whole wheat flour
  • 5 – 6 cups unbleached all purpose flour, white flour, or bread flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cup milk, scalded
  • ½ cup (1 stick or 8 Tablespoons) butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • ½ cup warm water
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • Melted butter to brush on tops

Instructions

First you need to make the sponge.

Sprinkle the yeast in a small bowl or measuring cup on top of the warm water and stir to dissolve.

In a small saucepan, scald the milk.

Add the butter and honey and stir it in until the butter is melted.

Now set the butter honey mixture aside and let cool down to lukewarm.

When the milk mixture has cooled down, transfer it to a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.

Add in the egg and yeast mixture and mix well.

Now stir in the whole wheat flour, mixing well for 3 minutes.

Cover with plastic wrap or damp kitchen towel and let the sponge rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, stir in the 1 1/2 tsp salt and enough flour so that the dough comes together in a ball.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to knead by hand, or leave in the mixer and attach the dough hook.

Now you need to knead for about 5 to 8 minutes until it’s no longer sticky.

Clean out your bowl and butter or oil it.

Form the dough into a ball and place dough in the greased bowl, turning over to grease the top.

Cover again with a damp bread cloth or towel and let the honey whole wheat dough rise until it’s doubled. That should take about 1-½ hours.

rsen bread dough in mixing bowl
ready to form into loaves

If your kitchen is cold, it could take a little longer.

After it’s doubled, punch down the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.

To make the mini loaves, divide the dough into 8 pieces.

Form each piece into a ball,

ball of honey whole wheat bread dough on counter
dough ball

flatten the ball,

flattened dough ball on counter
flatten it out

fold in the sides,

sides of dough ball folded in towards center
fold in the sides

and roll it up into a loaf and tuck the ends under.

dough rolled into loaf shape
rolled up and ends tucked under

Do the same thing for all 8 of the balls of dough.

Place each loaf seam side down into a buttered bread pan.

bread dough in mini loaf pans
and seam side down in buttered pans

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.

risen bread dough in pans
risen and ready for oven

Make a slash down the length of the loaf right before baking.

Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes until the honey whole wheat loaves are golden brown and thumping on the bottom produces a hollow sound.

Remove from pans onto a wire rack and brush with melted butter.

baked honey whole wheat bread on cooling rack
and golden brown!

Let the bread cool before slicing. If you can…

If making 2 regular sized loaves, bake at 375°F for 30-40 minutes.

This bread is great just sliced with butter and jelly. It’s perfect for toast. Or use a slice or two for amazing French toast.

Frequently Asked Questions About Honey Wheat Bread

How long will homemade Honey Wheat Bread last?

Not long at my house! But in other places it should keep for 3 to 5 days tightly wrapped or in a zip top bag on the kitchen counter.

Can I freeze Honey Whole Wheat Bread?

Absolutely! Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, place in a zip top freezer bag and toss it in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat it, let it thaw at room temperature. Slice and serve.
You can also slice it before freezing. That way you can grab a piece or 2 and pop it in the toaster without thawing the whole loaf.

More crazy good bread recipes you’ll love:

Honey Whole Wheat Bread on wooden cutting board

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

This Honey Whole Wheat Bread Recipe is one of my go-tos. It's perfect for sandwich bread loaves, mini loaves, or dinner rolls for any meal.
4.43 from 7 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rising Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Servings 8 mini loaves
Calories 351 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pkgs dry yeast
  • 3 c whole wheat flour
  • 5 – 6 cups unbleached flour
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 2 c milk scalded
  • ½ c 1 stick butter
  • 1/3 c honey
  • ½ c warm water
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • Melted butter to brush on tops

Instructions
 

Make Sponge

  • Dissolve the yeast in a small bowl or measuring cup with the warm water.
  • In saucepan, scald milk. Add butter and honey. Set aside and let cool to lukewarm.
  • Transfer to large mixing bowl or bowl of electric mixer. Add in the egg and yeast.
  • Now stir in the whole wheat flour, mixing well for 3 minutes.
  • Cover and let the sponge rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Bread Dough

  • After resting, stir in the salt and enough flour to come together in a ball.
  • Turn out onto a lightly floured board to knead by hand. Or leave in the mixer and attach the dough hook.
  • Knead for about 5 minutes.
  • Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top.
  • Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
  • Punch down dough and let rest for 10 minutes.
  • Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a loaf.
  • Place each seam side down into a buttered bread pan.
  • Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes until the loaves are golden brown and thumping on the bottom produces a hollow sound.
  • Remove from pans onto a cooling rack. Brush with melted butter.
  • If making 2 regular sized loaves, bake at 375°F for 30-40 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1loafCalories: 351kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 9gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 574mgPotassium: 280mgFiber: 5gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 487IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 2mg
Keyword whole wheat bread, honey whole wheat bread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
By on March 6th, 2022

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