Looking for a simple and delicious whole wheat bread recipe? This is it! Just 4 ingredients. Perfect for beginner bakers. And makes the best sandwiches around!
If you prefer your whole wheat bread with honey, check out this Honey Whole Wheat Bread recipe.
This whole wheat bread recipe is the little black dress of the bread world. It’s perfect for plain ole toast, but you can also dress it up fancy as a Dagwood-esque sandwich and it holds up like a boss.
Move over wimpy sandwich bread, there’s a new kid in town!
It’s got 3 ingredients plus water. (So, really 4 ingredients). Just flour, salt, and yeast. And water. Don’t forget the water.
I just don’t really think of water as an ingredient…
And there’s no sugar! And that’s one of the many things I love about this whole wheat bread recipe.
Because I get plenty of sugar in everything else!
It’s really one of the best breads for toasting. Although I could be a little biased. And I might just possibly have said that about some of the other breads I make…but what’s not to love about toasting fresh, homemade bread? It’s just magical!
So, are you ready to make some magic?
Easy Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups warm water
- 2 packets of active dry yeast (1½ Tablespoons bulk yeast)
- 1½ Tablespoons sea salt
- 1½ cups whole wheat flour
- 5 to 6 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter for brushing on top (optional)
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water and the yeast. Stir to dissolve and let it sit for a few minutes.
Once it has started to bubble, add all the whole wheat flour (1½ cups), the 1½ Tbsp sea salt, and 3½ cups of the all purpose flour. Beat that all together until well mixed.
Start adding more of the all purpose flour a little at a time until the dough comes together.
If you are using a mixer, switch to the dough hook, or turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, adding just enough flour to keep it from sticking to your hands. This is a sticky dough, so pay attention and don’t add too much flour.
First Rise
Form the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover the bowl with a damp bread cloth or plastic wrap.
Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until it’s doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1½ hours.
Second Rise
After doubling in bulk, punch the dough down to get out all the air bubbles and form into 2 loaves. The dough will still be sticky, so flour your hands well.
Place the loaves seam side down in greased loaf pans and cover again. Let rise another 30 to 45 minutes until doubled and the dough is a little over the lip of the pan.
Baking your Whole Wheat Bread
Preheat the oven to 350°F about 20 minutes before baking.
When the dough has doubled, brush the tops of the loaves with the melted butter if you’re using it.
Bake in the pre heated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown, and bread sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.
If the bottom of the loaves isn’t as brown as you’d like, pop it back into the oven without the pan for an additional 5 minutes.
After baking, turn those beautiful loaves out of the pans and put them on a wire rack to cool. If you have any melted butter left, why not brush that over the tops as well?
Try to let it cool completely before you slice it. I always say that, but I am never able to do that myself…
Store your amazing bread loaves in an airtight bag or container. It should keep for 5 to 7 days. I think. I don’t usually have any last that long since we eat half of it still warm from the oven, lol.
It also freezes beautifully for 3 to 5 months. Wrap in plastic wrap and pop it into a zipper freezer bag. Let it thaw completely before you unwrap it.
So there you go. Simple but magical.
Just don’t expect someone to show up with a bippity-boppity-boo!
More bread recipes you’ll love:
Easy Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups warm water
- 2 packets of yeast 1 ½ Tablespoons bulk yeast
- 1 ½ Tablespoons sea salt
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
- 5 to 6 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter for brushing on top optional
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water and the yeast. Stir to dissolve and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Once it has started to bubble, add all the whole wheat flour (1 ½ cups), the 1 ½ Tbsp sea salt, and 3 ½ cups of the all purpose flour. Beat that all together until well mixed.
- Start adding more of the all purpose flour a little at a time until the dough comes together.
- If you are using a mixer, switch to the dough hook, or turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, adding just enough flour to keep it from sticking to your hands. This is a sticky dough, so pay attention and don’t add too much flour.
- Form the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover the bowl with a damp bread cloth or plastic wrap.
- Allow the dough to rise until it’s doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- After doubling in bulk, punch the dough down and form into 2 loaves. The dough will still be sticky, so flour your hands well.
- Place the loaves in greased loaf pans and cover again. Let rise another 30 to 45 minutes until doubled and the dough is a little over the lip of the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F about 20 minutes before baking.
- When the dough has doubled, brush the tops of the loaves with the melted butter if you’re using it.
- Bake in the pre heated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the loaves are golden brown, and bread sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.
- If the bottom of the loaves isn;t as brown as you’d like, pop it back into the oven without the pan for an additional 5 minutes.
- After baking, turn those beautiful loaves out of the pans and put them on a wire rack to cool. If you have any melted butter left, why not brush that over the tops as well?
- Try to let it cool completely before slicing.