Easy, Soft 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Tutorial
Step-by-step tutorial to make soft 100% whole wheat sandwich bread with a 15 minute sponge and only 1 rise. With 1000’s of comments and 5-star ratings, this fan-favorite may be the recipe that finally frees you from store-bought bread!
✩ What readers are saying…
“I have stumbled upon your recipe years ago, and it has been my go-to bread recipe ever since. Hands down, the best recipe I’ve ever used. Both for taste and for ease in making!” -Tiffany
Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
Let’s finally make perfect, whole wheat sandwich bread!
A number of years ago, before there were blogs, I taught myself to make bread. Through those few years of trying to get it right, my family ate many leaden loaves of bread without complaints (for which I’m eternally grateful!) in my quest for an easy, 100% whole wheat loaf that made great sandwiches and toast.
I’ve experimented with many different flours (Barley-Rye-Spelt bread, anyone?) and in the end adapted a great recipe that’s quick and easy and turns out a consistently good loaf.
This is the recipe that allowed me to stop buying our sandwich bread – really.
I don’t want you to have to go through all that, though, so I’m sharing a step-by-step tutorial so that you can start turning out great loaves right away – and free you from store bought sandwich bread forever!
First, though, why bother learning to make your own bread?
- It tastes WONDERFUL.
- You know exactly what’s in it.
- It takes less hands-on time than running to the store (a revelation to me, like most of our other pantry basics!)
- It’s cheap – these two loaves cost about .75 cents each (and I’m probably over-estimating).
- It just makes you feel good.
- It tastes WONDERFUL.
Convinced? Me, too!
I want to encourage you that you, too, can make bread… I promise. Just give it a try and DO NOT be discouraged by any loaves you may turn out that aren’t perfect (they’re still good for toast and breadcrumbs)- it’s all a part of the learning.
Trust me on this – I know. Just keep practicing.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
- Flour: You can use any type of whole wheat flour for this recipe, regular, bread, or white whole wheat. Many have asked what brand of flour I use and it’s typically Bob’s Red Mill.
- Yeast: Since this recipe starts with a sponge, both active dry and instant yeast work.
- Honey: I love the flavor of honey and how it compliments the whole wheat, but if you can’t do honey you can use cane sugar. Some have told me they’ve used maple syrup as well. You can lessen the sweetener if you want, but I’d always keep at least a tablespoon to help feed the yeast.
- Oil: I use an expeller pressed sunflower oil and occasionally avocado oil – both oils are more neutral tasting than olive oil. Some have told me they’ve used melted butter with good results.
- Update on Using Vital Gluten: As of November of 2010, I no longer add the extra gluten listed in my original recipe. My loaves are still fine for our family, but are probably not quite as high as the loaves pictured here. I’ve listed it as optional now in the recipe.
How to Make Soft 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
1. Make the sponge.
Combine warm water*, yeast, and 2 cups of flour in the bowl of a stand mixer (this can, of course, be mixed in a bowl by hand- I’ve just never done it that way…) and let it sit 15 minutes to create a sponge.
2. Add oil and then add the honey.
Adding the oil first and then the honey causes the sticky honey to just slide right out – no scraping needed. A lovely little trick.
*Note: I use warmest tap water without a problem, but if you’re unsure, you want to use a thermometer and have your water between 105 and 110 degrees – hotter than this will kill the yeast!
PRO TIP: this is the Kitchenaid mixer I use, after burning out my Artisan lift-top with all the whole wheat loaves I was making weekly. It is an investment, but the benefits are worth it to me, since it does the work of mixing and kneading (as well as being used for other baking recipes).
3. Add salt and 4 cups of the flour.
You can also add the vital gluten here, if using. You’ll mix until the dough starts to look like the photo above. Remove the paddle attachment and change to the dough hook to knead (or for those doing it by hand, turn out on floured surface).
4. Knead 6-7 minutes (or 10 minutes by hand).
After kneading, the dough should be cleaning the sides of the bowl, though sticking to the bottom. If it is sticking to the sides during the kneading process, you can add a little flour, a tablespoon at a time.
BIGGEST TIP: Be careful not to add too much flour – the dough should feel tacky to your finger when you touch it, but not slick to it. It’s okay if the dough still sticks to the bottom of the bowl- in fact with whole wheat it usually will (the dough should not roll out of the bowl on its own).
6. Prepare the pans.
Grease two 9 x 5 inch pans* while the dough is kneading. You can use oil, butter, or even line with parchment. I spray with oil and use a small silicone brush (no stray pieces left like from a regular brush) to get into the corners.
7. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and cut in half.
Smoosh the dough down into an even-looking oval shape that you can cut in half with a dough scraper or regular long knife. TIP: On counters that can’t be used for dough, I use a tea towel dusted with a bit of flour- the dough doesn’t stick as much, so you use less flour, plus it’s easy clean-up.
*Update TIP: If your loaves aren’t rising as much, try making the bread in smaller pans. I now use these 8.5×4.5 USA loaf pans which I love because they don’t stick at all!
8. Shape the loaves
- a) Pat each half into a fairly even oval the length of the pan. (I used to stress over trying to shape a loaf – using a rolling pin and making it big, then I realized its not rocket science it only needs to be big enough to roll up a bit and create tension.)
- b) Roll up gently.
- c) Pinch the seam together and then pinch the ends and bring them in toward the seam.
- So that it looks like d) when shaped.
9. Place shaped loaves into pans.
Fit the shaped loaf into your prepared pan and repeat with the other loaf. TIP: Another reason I like using a towel to shape them: I simply take the tea towel, shake it off gently over the sink, and use it to cover the pans. Otherwise, cover with a plastic shower cap or other type of cover.
10. Let the dough rise.
Set the pans in a warm place. Don’t worry too much about this – the counter is fine, even the top of the fridge – just no cold drafts. Timing: Set a timer for 50 minutes, then turn the oven to 350 degrees to preheat for the last 10 minutes of rising time.
TIP: Depending on the warmth of your kitchen, time of year, and freshness of your yeast, you may need more OR less time rising. Go with the 1/2-inch or so above the pan as your guide and not necessarily the exact time I use in my kitchen.
11. Bake
When the loaves have risen 1/2 inch to 1 inch above the pans (1 hour for the loaves pictured above, but check yours sooner), put them in the preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, then turn them around for even cooking and bake another 15 minutes, for 30 minutes total.
Notice one risen loaf is bigger than the other in the photo above right? It really isn’t about perfection around here – the bigger one seems to have a growth on the side, too – it’s a bubble and I just don’t worry about these things!
12. Take the loaves out of the oven.
To make sure they are done you can turn out a loaf and knock on the bottom for a hollow sound, but if your oven is truly at 350 degrees I’ve found they will always be done at 30 minutes. TIP: When you first make the loaves in your oven, I suggest you check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer – it should be between 200-220 degrees Fahrenheit in the center of the loaf. Then you’ll know how long your oven will take. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then run a spatula around the edges right away to loosen any sticking parts.
13. Let cool on a rack.
Turn the loaves out onto racks and let cool at least 30 min. to 1 hour before cutting or you’re going to smush the bread down when you try to cut it! I know it’s hard, but have patience, it will be worth it in the end. (Then, if you’re like me, cut off one of the lovely ends, spread it with just a bit of real butter and bite into that soft, crispy wonderfulness…there’s just something about fresh-out-of-the-oven bread!) Cool the loaves completely before slicing, storing or freezing.
PRO TIP: See that completely flat spatula? It’s one of my favorite cooking tools – this spatula is just the BEST. It’s plastic, but sorta sharp for a spatula, so it gets EVERY last bit of dough from a bowl and is better at loosening things out of pans than knives because it’s not sharp enough to actually cut through anything.
Reader Raves
“THE BEST BREAD I HAVE EVER MADE!!!! Omg I absolutely love this recipe!” -Janet D.
“My ride or die sandwich bread! This is the most simple recipe and is so hard to mess up!” -Codie
“This is our go to bread—made it at least a dozen times. Easy. Soft. Delicious. We grind our own whole wheat flours out of wheat berries. Retains nutrients and has more fiber!” -Nani
“I’ve been making this for my family for almost a year, we no longer buy bread at the store!” -Becca
“I recommend your recipe to everyone I know who is looking for a no-fail 100% whole wheat. I’ve been baking and tweaking this recipe for a couple years. Last year, my dad said “this bread is so good, you should enter it in the State Fair.” Not only did I win the Grand Champion in the Washington State Fair in 2024, I won the Washington Wheat Growers Association Award.” -Betsy
I hope you love this whole wheat sandwich bread as much as I do and that it helps you to not have to buy loaves anymore!
Want to save this?
Enter your email below and you’ll get it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get easy new recipes, gardening tips & more every week!
Soft 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- Two 9×5 inch OR 8.5×4.5 inch loaf pans (highly recommend the smaller loaf pans to get a consistent rise)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine water, yeast and 2 cups of the flour in a mixing bowl. Set aside to sponge for 15-20 minutes, until risen and bubbly (warmer weather takes 15 min, cooler temps usually needs 20).
- Add honey, oil, salt, (plus gluten, if using), and 4 cups of flour. Mix until dough starts to clean sides of bowl. Change to dough hook (or turn out to knead by hand), and knead 6 to 7 minutes (10 by hand). Add only a few tablespoons of flour at a time if dough sticks to sides, being careful not to add too much.
- Form into two loaves and place in greased 9×5 pans (or 8.5×4.5 inch pans for a better rise). Allow to rise in a warm place for 50-60 minutes, until 1/2 to 1-inch above pans. TIP: You may need 15-30 minutes longer if your kitchen is cold – or less time if it's warm – but don't let it overproof (rise too much) or the loaf will fall when baked. Preheat oven to 350 degrees ten minutes before rising time is done.
- Bake for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through if needed.
- Immediately remove from pans to cool on a rack. Allow to completely cool before slicing.****
Notes
Nutrition
Soft Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread FAQs
The standard answer is to store bread wrapped in a bag (linen or plastic) at room temperature for 2-3 days and to never refrigerate it because that makes it go stale faster.
However, it will often mold before we eat it, so I do regularly refrigerate our bread! It’s perfectly fine for toast and will soften up with a warming in a toaster oven.
Also, a tip is to separate the loaves into halves if your household doesn’t eat that much bread and freeze the parts you aren’t using for later.
Double wrap each loaf in plastic bags (reused from produce bags work) and freeze until you need them, up to 4 months. You can freeze whole or cut before freezing (I always cut before so the slices are easy to remove). They freeze beautifully and you’ll never have to run to the store for bread again!
This is one of the most-asked questions I’ve gotten over the years. Since I don’t have a machine and the machines all have different capacities, I’m pointing you to this article from King Arthur Flour: How to convert your favorite recipes to a bread machine.
Or try Jerri H’s tips from the comments: “I dove in and experimented with making one loaf of this delicious bread in my bread machine, using the “dough cycle” and baking it in the oven after letting it rise in the bread pan for 75 minutes. I cut all the ingredients in half, and added 1/4 cup of bran flakes to give it a little extra fiber boost. I also used a tablespoon of vital wheat gluten. The bread turned out just as good as ever, however it didn’t seem to rise as high as when I made the full recipe by hand.”
More Easy Bread Recipes
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in the first year of the website, 2009.
Disclosure: affiliate links in this article will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn’t change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.
Can I substitute all purpose? I just ran out of whole wheat.
Well, yes, you can. But of course most bread made with regular flour turns out soft, so you’ll be missing the wonder of this bread. 🙂
Sorry, I should have been more specific. If I substitute AP flour (because I was out of WW) do I need to adjust the amount of water added?
Best whole wheat recipe I’ve found so far!
Thanks,
Carella
I’m not sure, Carella – I’ve never made them with AP flour before! I wouldn’t think it would make a difference, though, with the water.
I’m not a baker. This is so easy! I’ve had better wheat bread but it still tastes and smells delicious, is perfect for sandwiches, and is SO easy (with a mixer). If the gluten makes it fluffier and you don’t care about more gluten in your diet, I imagine adding it makes this bread even better, but it doesn’t need it enough to make me want to take the time to find gluten in the store 😉 I found this recipe on my first go at whole wheat bread. I won’t have to waste time trying anymore. Thanks for doing the hard time Jami!
I’m so happy you had this experience, Nicole! It’s the easy part that allows this to become a regular part of our cooking lives, so good, fresh bread is available to all. 🙂
Hi Jami – If I halve the recipe, will it work in a breadmaker? Thanks!
There are a lot of comments on this, so I can’t go back to look, but I’m sure some readers have made it in a machine, and they must’ve halved it to be able to do so. You’ll have to experiment with it!
If you freeze this bread do you freeze whole or in slices and what do you do to thaw it? Thanks!!
You can freeze either way, Amanda. You do have to thaw it fully before slicing if freezing whole. I found it easiest to slice and then freeze – then the kids could easily get pieces even if the whole loaf wasn’t thawed yet. 🙂 I leave on the counter in the baggie to thaw.
Hello there, could I use coconut oil in this recipe?
Yes!
I have not had a loaf of bread as warm and fluffy as this since I was a child eating fresh baked white breads. This bread is so soft and delicious- the first whole wheat loaf I have ever had that was better in consistency than store bought breads.
I switched to only 100% whole grains years ago, and have never had, much less made, a loaf of bread as beautiful, soft and tasty as this one.
Yay! It’s so nice when that happens with a recipe isn’t it Destiny? That’s why I love this recipe.
This recipe is amazing! It slices and holds together SO well. I’m so glad I found your page! The only thing I wish was better is that my bread doesn’t seem to get as much rise as yours in the pics. Granted, it’s winter and freezing out and even though I put it in a warmer place to rise, there might be drafts and whatnot.. Other than that, I couldn’t be happier with it! Thank you!
You’re so welcome, Bree – glad you liked it! Yes, in the winter my loaves don’t rise as much either.
Since we were going to my parents’ for dinner tomorrow, of course I had to try a recipe I’ve never tried before. I do that all the time! I don’t have a stand mixer but do have a WonderMix which has a dough hook type thing and I’ve used it to make bread many times. I didn’t make the sponge due to the instructions for how to use the WonderMix state to add things differently. I used melted butter instead of oil.
The dough was lovely, had such a nice feel to it. It rose nicely, though the loaf I had in a silicone pan deflated even though I was so very careful removing it to preheat the oven (carefully slid it onto a pizza stone right off the oven rack). It looked fine at first, I turned away to do something then when looked again it was deflating. The other one in my stoneware loaf pan was just fine. They baked in my convection oven at 325 for 30 minutes and came out looking just lovely.
We didn’t wait until it was completely cooled to slice the deflated one – because warm bread with butter! It was beautiful inside and tasted fantastic. Can’t wait to try the one that didn’t deflate, it will probably be even better. My 9 year old said that was one of the most delicious homemade breads he’s ever had. Will definitely make this again, thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Dawn!
HI, The bread recipe turned out great! Thank you. Now you mentioned your kids would kill you if you changed the cinnamon roll recipe but I can’t find it.
Please help.
Thanks so much and Merry Christmas. We just finished with Chanukkah!
Sandy
I’ve been making whole wheat bread for years with mixed results. Finally, with this recipe and directions, I’m making great bread consistently! Thanks for sharing!!
I’m so glad, Karin – thanks for letting me know!
Hi Jami! Just finished baking this bread…SOO good! Have always wanted to try my hand at baking sandwich bread, and this turned out lovely. And I was surprised at how it was fairly simple to make! Thank you for sharing!
Just curious though: how long would you say the shelf life of this bread is (with & without putting it in the freezer)?
Yay! It really is only good for 3-5 days at room temperature, Amelia – a lot longer in the freezer. I’ve found it depends on the type of freezer you have – frost-free freezers will produce freezer burn quicker than regular freezers.
Good recipe thank you
Trying this recipe for the first time. I love making bread, but have not found that perfect recipe yet! Hoping this is it! I used brown sugar instead of honey because I have a 10 month old. Couple questions, could I substitute 1 cup of milk for 1 cup of water, and if I added oats would I need to decrease the amount of flour accordingly? Bread is rising now! Can’t wait to try it!
I hope you enjoyed the bread, Liz! Yes, you can substitute milk for water and visa versa. As for the oats, it depends on how much you want to add I’d guess. Definitely not 1:1, though. I think you could add 1/2 cup with no decrease and anything over that I would use less flour. It may be a thing where you add 1 of oats and 1/2 c. less flour and then see what the dough looks like, adjusting as needed while kneading.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I’ve been baking bread for years but have never used whole wheat. I started looking for a bread recipe that didn’t use all-purpose flour because it is enriched. I recently found that I’m allergic to MSG and have suffered severe migraine headaches for years, so I’ve changed a lot of what I can eat and I thought bread was one of the many things that had to go. Whole wheat flour has no additives so I was on a mission to find a recipe and I came across yours Jami and so glad I did! Not only is this a very simple recipe but the texture and taste are amazing! Again thank you for sharing and giving me back my favorite passion, baking bread!
Oh, I’m so glad to know this, Shannon! Yay – everyone should be able to enjoy warm bread from the oven, right? 🙂
Hello Jami. I just discovered you and am now trying your recipe for Soft 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread.
I’m impressed. The two loaves are rising very nicely in my oven with the light on inside for warmth.
Looking good.
Soon to bake
Rising was a concern of mine regarding whole wheat.
Wonderful, Richard – enjoy them!
How do you make rye bread?
Rye is usually made by replacing 1-1/2 cups of the wheat flour with rye flour and adding 1 tablespoon caraway seeds.
I’m going to keep trying!! But the bread hard or soft it’s awesome!! I was looking for recipies with no sugar, I’m sugar intolerant so using honey or agave instead of sugar makes me sooo happy!!
Wonderful!
I just did the bread, but I don’t know what I did wrong! I did the recipe step by step and My bread is not soft, is really hard, although the flavor is Amazing
Bummer! Without being there with you, I can’t guess what happened. All I can say is to keep trying – I had many breads that didn’t turn out well, it’s often part of the process. 🙂
Is it possible to make this into cinnamon and raisin bread? As I will be making two loaves, I was thinking of making one a little bit different.
Yes, you can add the cinnamon and raisins as you roll/shape the loaves if you’d like. Many readers have said they’ve done this.
Thank you, I am very excited to try this recipe.
Hi! I followed the bread recipe exactly and my loaves only got Half as tall as your. Not sure what to do different!
Unfortunately with yeast doughs lots of things can impact them in our home environments. Especially weather and temperature. Also different types of flour, or the addition of too much. That’s why we need to keep practicing and figuring out our environments and what works best. Though even after all this time some weeks the dough rises perfectly for me and other times not. I just count it all as “imperfectly perfect” bread. 🙂