Honey Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

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Your favorite honey whole wheat bread that is always soft, tender, and lightly sweetened. This easy recipe makes a great sandwich loaf or snack served with butter and a drizzle of honey!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here.

This honey wheat bread is light, fluffy, not too whole wheat/ healthy tasting, with the perfect amount of sweetness. You’ll love that this homemade sandwich bread stays super light and fluffy and doesn’t get hard or tough once it cools. It’s the perfect loaf of bread and it’s super easy to make with just a few pantry staple ingredients!

Love bread? Check out this Braided Challah loaf next!

Honey Wheat Bread Ingredients

All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Whole wheat bread ingredients on a table.
  • Whole Wheat Flour – The star of this homemade bread recipe. You can use any organic whole wheat flour. 
  • All-Purpose Flour – This is an important ingredient because 100% whole wheat bread doesn’t always taste the best. It can be crumbly, dry and super healthy tasting. I like to use roughly half whole wheat flour and half white all-purpose flour to create a light and fluffy loaf of bread. There’s enough whole-wheat flour in this recipe that it will still taste like whole-wheat bread but its texture will still be soft and great for sandwiches or snacking.
  • Honey – Another key ingredient. Naturally sweetens the loaves while giving a subtle honey flavor. You can use whichever brand or flavor of organic honey you like!
  • Dry Active Yeast – Use dry active yeast instead of instant dry yeast. For dry active yeast, will you need to proof it in water first, and for instant dry you don’t, it’s just added to the flour. I like using dry active yeast because I can see if the yeast is fresh and bubbly and will work before I get started baking. Another plus is that the one I use is non-GMO and I haven’t had any issues with it!
  • Warm Water – Getting the correct water temperature to proof the yeast can be a little tricky but you should be able to put your finger into the water and barely feel it. It should be warm but not uncomfortably so. 
  • Salt – Super important. Salt should go in everything because it helps to balance out all the flavors of the other ingredients. 

How to Make The Best Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Step 1. Add the yeast package, honey, and ½ cup of warm water to the bowl of the stand mixer. Give it a mix, then allow it to sit for 5 – 10 minutes or until the yeast is proofed or bubbly. 

Step 2. Next, add in the rest of the warm water, vegetable oil or butter, whole wheat flour, all-purpose white flour, and salt. Knead with the dough hook attachment for 10 minutes, or until everything is incorporated and you have a smooth and slightly sticky dough. The dough should stick to the bottom of the bowl, but not the sides, if it does add a few more tablespoons of flour. 

Step 3. Lightly dust the counter with flour then turn the dough onto the counter. Turn the dough over and using the sides of your hands turn the dough counterclockwise, do this several times to create a smooth ball of dough with a taut surface. 

Step 4. Lightly grease the mixing bowl with vegetable oil. Add the dough upside down to cover with oil, then turn it right side up. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap then allow it to sit in a warm environment for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. 

Step 5. Line 2 loaf pans with parchment paper. Set aside. My loaf pan is 5 x 9 inches.

Step 6. Once the dough has doubled in size, divide the dough in half. Spread one piece of dough in a rough rectangle shape, and fold the dough in thirds like an envelope. Fold the two short ends over themselves, then starting on the long side, tightly roll up the dough. Place in one of the loaf pans and repeat with the other piece of dough. 

Step 7. Brush loaves with an egg wash, cover with plastic wrap, and allow them to double in size in a warm environment. 

Step 8. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a splash of water to the loaf pan, under the parchment paper. Bake the loaves for 20 – 25 minutes until they are golden brown and when tapped sound hollow inside. Allow the loaves to cool then slice and serve with butter and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy!

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Tips and Tricks for Making Homemade Bread

  • The dough will be a little sticky. It will stick to the bottom of the mixer bowl, but it shouldn’t stick to the sides. If it does, add a little bit more flour, a tablespoon or two. 
  • Fold and shape the dough before putting it into the loaf pan. By spreading the dough out then folding it like an envelope, then rolling it up tightly, it will create a nice loaf of bread. If you need a visual of this process, check out my video above on how to do these steps. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you proof yeast for bread?

To proof yeast for bread, combine a package of active dry yeast with warm water and honey. Give it a mix then allow the yeast to rise to the surface of the water and get bubbly.

How do I know when my yeast is ready to use?

Active dry yeast is usually ready in about 5 – 10 minutes, it will look fluffy and bubbly on the surface of the water. If you used too much water, it may not look ready but it could be. If the water was too hot it can kill the yeast, and if the water was too cold the yeast may not be active but dormant. 

What temperature should my water be for proofing yeast?

110 degrees Fahrenheit is the sweet spot for proofing yeast. You can check the temperature of your water by using a kitchen thermometer. What I like to do is stick my finger into the water, if the water is too hot to the touch it’s too hot to use. You are looking for warm water that is close to your own body heat. If you can keep your finger in the water for 5 – 10 seconds and still tell it’s warm, it’s ready to use!

How do I know when my bread is fully baked?

It can be a little hard to tell when bread is fully baked, but it’s ready when the outside is golden brown and when tapped it sounds hollow. This recipe is done after 20 – 25 minutes. 

What is the best way to slice homemade bread?

Bread should be sliced once it has cooled down. Once they come out of the oven, the loaves are still cooking. If you slice them right away they will be a gummy, a little chewy, and the slices will be smashed. It’s best to wait until they have cooled for 30 – 40 minutes, they are still warm to the touch but not piping hot. 
Another way to get nice slices of homemade bread is to use a serrated knife, it has little teeth at the end and the blade is not smooth. The serrated edge will cut the bread instead of smashing it, creating nice, uniform slices. 

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Close up of a slice of honey whole bread with butter and honey on a wire rack.

Honey Whole Bread Recipe

Your favorite honey whole wheat bread that is always soft, tender, and lightly sweetened. This easy recipe makes a great sandwich loaf or snack served with butter and a drizzle of honey!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Save Rate
Course: bread
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 24 slices or 2 loaves
Calories: 103kcal
Author: Tonya Fowler

Equipment

  • 2 (1.5L) loaf pans 5×9 inches
  • Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
  • Silicone pastry brush

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ teaspoon dry active yeast 1 (1/4 ounce) package of yeast
  • 5 tablespoons honey
  • 1 ½ cup warm water divided
  • 3 tablespoon butter softened and unsalted or olive oil
  • 1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vegetable oil for greasing the bowl

Egg wash

  • 1 egg large
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions 

  • Add yeast, 1/2 cup of warm water, and honey to the bowl of a stand mixer. Give it a mix and allow the yeast to rise for 5 minutes. It will start to bloom and rise to the surface of the water and look very bubbly.
  • Next, add the rest of the warm water, softened butter or vegetable oil, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt. Knead with the dough hook attachment, for 5 – 10 minutes or until it becomes a smooth elastic ball of dough. The dough will be sticky and stick to the bottom of the bowl, but it should pull away from the sides.
  • Next, lightly flour the counter and turn the dough onto it. Pull the sides of the dough together into a ball. Turn the dough upside down, and using the sides of your hands turn the dough clockwise, so the surface of the dough is taut. Turn the dough a couple of times. 
  • Then lightly grease the mixing bowl with vegetable oil. Place the dough upside down, pinch the sides together, then turn the down right side up. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and place in a warm environment until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 – 2 hours. Next, line two loaf pans with parchment paper, it helps to remove the loaves after they have baked.
  • Then divide the dough in half. Take one of the sections and spread it out into a rectangle shape. Fold the dough into three sections, like an envelope. Then roll the dough tightly lengthwise. Place it into the loaf pan seam side down and repeat with the other piece of dough.
  • Brush both loaves with an egg wash, then cover with plastic wrap. Allow them to double in size in a warm environment for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the loaves for 20 – 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top and when tapped sound hollow inside. Allow them to cool for at least 30 – 40 minutes before slicing them. Serve with butter and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy!

Notes

All nutrition information is a rough estimate and this recipe card may contain affiliate links. 
If the water was too hot, the yeast won’t bloom. Grab another package of yeast and start again.
 
The water shouldn’t feel uncomfortably too hot, but warm. You should be able to put your finger into the water for at least 10 – 20 seconds and it feels warm and comfortable.
 
Store bread wrapped in plastic wrap in a plastic bag for 1 – 2 weeks in the refrigerator or in the freezer for a month.

Nutrition

Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutrition information is automatically generated and should be only used as a rough estimate. This recipe card may contain affiliate links.

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