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
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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!
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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.
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This recipe was amazing! After searching and trying recipe after recipe, I stumbled upon this one. This. Is. THE ONE!!! Thank you for the straightforward instructions and pictures.
Yay! So happy to read this – thank you for the review. 🙂
What kind of salt do you use?
Sea salt, regular grain.
THE best, softest loaf of bread I’ve ever baked! Really thrilled. I didn’t use a mixer, mixed and kneaded by hand and it was still amazing 😀
Wonderful – thanks for reviewing it Divya!
This bread was delicious! I have only ever made bread once before and it was not very successful. I feel so accomplished! 😁 Thank you for the great recipe. Can’t wait to save money and make our house smell this good on a regular basis.
Quick question, do you slice it before you freeze it, or leave it whole and then slice once it has been defrosted?
I’m so glad you had success – best feeling, isn’t it? 🙂
I do both (slice before or after), thought it’s most convenient to slice first before freezing, then I can take out however many pieces I want if I’m not using the whole loaf even if I forgot to defrost it, lol.
This will be my first 100% wheat bread. Do I have to use leaf pans or can I shape it and bake on a baking sheet with parchment paper underneath?
You can shape and bake, but it will be more crusty that way.
This bread is delicious! I had never made bread before trying this recipe so was nervous but this recipe is easy to follow. I thought my kitchen was on the cool side so placed each loaf just off of the warming station on my stove with a towel over them and both loaves rose beautifully is 45 minutes. Definitely will bake this again, was a huge hit with my family.
Glad to hear this, Gabrielle – you’re now a bread baker!! Love your warming/rising tip, too.
I have made this a few times and it turns out very good. Everyone in my family likes but the only negative feedback I get is that too much crumbs fall from the bread; is there a way to reduce falling bread crumbs?
I’m glad to know people are enjoying the bread you make! Here is something I found online about reducing crumbs in homemade bread:
“Too much flour and not enough water can cause crumbly bread – people often do this if the dough is too sticky and they add more flour rather than kneading through it”
Hi, can I add in seeds, nuts and dried fruits to this bread dough? If yes, when should I add them in? Thanks 😊
Yes, I’d add them right before kneading to be throughout the dough. If you want them in a swirl, add them as you shape.
I used this recipe with the following changes: 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour, 4 cups organic whole wheat flour
I didn’t know what to look for in the ‘sponge’ and found there was a lot of clumps of flour so I kept flatening them against the bowl. Was I maybe ruining the yeast? I don’t know! Once all mixed together it looked fine but my kneading was more like the sourdough method (I was experimenting!). I didn’t know if it would have created enough gluten or not. But it seemed ok without many minutes of kneading. Splitting and shaped into 2 loaves just fine in glass 4×10 pans.
So to let rise what I did was preheat the oven to 350 for exactly 1 minute then turned off. Put my 2 loaves in to rise and kept the light on. I left them for 1 hour as you said. But then I left the loaves in the oven and just turned it on for 350 and set the timer for 30 minutes. I know this wasn’t following your recipe but I read it on another site and just wanted to try it. The crust wasn’t too dark and when I removed the loaves they didn’t sound hollow like I normally felt for my other bread. I let them cool then put in plastic bags till morning then cut one loaf – fortunately the crumb was astonishingly perfect! The crust was soft like bought bread and it sliced very well. Here’s my question: I found the taste a wee bit yeasty – was this due to any of my unique process? 🙂 I love the way the ingredients all went together – I will definitely make this again but would appreciate any feedback you may have on my taste factor. thanks!
First let me say, good for you for experimenting! I’ll have to try your raising/cooking method. 🙂
Second, I don’t know what to tell you about the flavor since I haven’t experienced that. Maybe it was the method? I don’t know. I don’t usually have clumps of flour, but if I did, I wouldn’t bother with them, they will come out when you mix in all the other ingredients. Maybe the kneading? It forms the gluten and maybe more gluten would reduce the yeast flavor for you?
Totally speculating here, ha! What I really can say is to try it again, modifying as you see fit and I bet you’ll find a system that works for you.
In going to jump in and say look at the amount of your rising time, and maybe reduce the amount of yeast. Did you make your sponge with the AP or WW flour? I noticed the hydration level seemed really high for a sandwich bread and there is only one rise (unless I’m misreading it?). I’m hopefully going to try today, tweaking to make it an 8 cup recipe to fit my 16x4x4 loaf pan.
Nope, you’re right, Suzanne, just the one full rise after the sponge period.
This recipe is wonderful! I love it! I was wondering, does it matter what kind of oil I use? I have been using vegetable oil, which has been great. But I was wondering if the recipe would still work out with using an alternative like olive oil or coconut oil?
I’m so glad, Kendra! You can use whatever oil you’d like – I’ve often used olive oil and once coconut (but refined, so there wasn’t a coconut flavor).
I’ve made this recipe at least 5 times and it hasn’t come out great any of those times. The rise isn’t great and it’s really sticky. I do 6.5 cups flour and it’s just awful to shape and doesn’t rise well. I could probably add at least a full cup of flour or more before it would look like the dough you have pictured. The loaves still taste good. I was wondering if you could share the weight of the flour you use? I’m not new to making bread, so I’m not sure why this isn’t turning out.
Sorry to hear this, Ashley. I will make a note to weigh the ingredients the next time I make it.
I love this bread recipe! Better than the 2 other ones I tried which were fine but quite dense. Thank you again.
You’re welcome – so glad you like it!
The water is too much 2 cups and half, it made the dough too soft and extremely sticky.
That’s the key to getting a soft loaf. You can add a couple tablespoons when kneading. The type of flour could also impact it. Honestly, I never have a problem with it too sticky – just the opposite in fact, I have to work to keep it moist.
My Dad has started a low sodium diet for his heart, and I’ve been trying different bread recipes for him. How will taking out the salt affect the flavor of this wheat bread?
Homemade bread without salt is not very good, Sarah – it’s really bland and you will immediately see why it’s needed! I have left it out accidentally a number of times and no one liked it (I did still use it for bread crumbs, though). You can try to cut it in half and see. But honestly, this isn’t a lot of salt for two loaves of bread – there are lots of other ways to cut out salt. 🙂
Well! It’s all in the taste buds of the consumer apparently, because I just made 2 loaves with this recipe and accidentally left out the salt, yet we are mmmm-ing nonstop over here. Salted butter makes it all right. This is by far the best whole wheat bread or any bread that I’ve ever baked. It rose beautifully (even at 3,500 ft elevation — though maybe that helps?) and is so soft and squishy! Thank you, thank you. I will remember the salt for the next go-round however!
Wonderful – so glad to hear it!
I made this today and it was a success. My husband and kids all really liked it too. I will definitely be making this routinely. Thanks so much for this recipe! I ommited the vital wheat gluten.
Lovely – thanks so much for the comment and rating!
I’ve tried your recipe 4 or 5 times and I want so badly to have success with it. I make lots of bread and I’m looking for a soft wheat sandwich bread so I really want this to work but I’m not having any success. I’ve increased the baking time by 30+ minutes the past two times and I still end up with raw dough in the middle.
Wow, I really don’t know what to say since that hasn’t happened to me and I haven’t heard that from any other comments. Do you think you are adding too much flour? Or do you know your oven is accurate? I’m not sure what else would cause you to have raw dough after so long.
Awesome 100% whole wheat bread. Light and fluffy, perfect sandwich bread! No extra gluten needed.
This recipe is great! I have used it over the years with my littles and just recently started making bread for my 6 month old. Since I can’t put in honey, any suggestions on tweaking the recipe? I tried simply omitting it this week and the bread is dense and lacking flavor. Luckily my little guy doesn’t know any difference and is gobbling it up, but I’d like to make some bread for me too 🙂 Thanks!
Yay – good for you, Krista! And yes, you’ve discovered that the sugar in bread gives the yeast something to eat which makes a lighter loaf. 🙂 You can substitute with either regular sugar or even maple syrup (though I don’t know the flavor impact of that). If using regular sugar, you can decrease it to 3 tablespoons.
I was making this (again) today and forgot to tell you the sugar substitution works lovely! Thanks!
Great! Thanks for letting me know, Krista. 🙂
Will halving this recipe mess up the bread? Or will the loaf still turn out well?
I’ve never done that, Janey, so I don’t know. It freezes well, so I just cool and cut the other loaf and stick it in the freezer.
Can you make this recipe in a bread machine?
I haven’t but some of the comments have said they did.
I’ve made this recipe several times. It is the most delicious wheat bread I’ve ever had. However, each time I make it the loaves turn out “short”. The baked bread is barely at the top of the pan. FYI my pans are 9.25×5.25. The dough rises in the pans to approx 1/2″ to 1″ above edge as described. However, as soon as I move the pans the dough falls. I am using the vital wheat gluten. I test the water temp to make sure it is near 110 degrees F. Any ideas why this happens ? Thanks !
I’m glad you enjoy this bread, Thomas. I know the frustration of the bread collapsing, too. There are a couple things you can think about doing to see if there’s a difference:
-knead the dough for a minute or two longer to develop stronger gluten strands.
-let the dough rise for about 10 minutes less (to see if over rising is the issue).
-think about the kitchen temperature – warmer areas will cause the bread to rise faster than it should.
Hopefully one of these will fix the problem for you!