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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Hi Jami,
I’ve searched for and used many “whole wheat bread” recipes that were usually half wheat and half white, and I looked for a fully whole wheat flour recipe that didn’t turn out like a brick! (But my sweet husband said he liked my “brick bread”.) Then, ahhhhhh! I found yours and now it’s our all-time favorite!!! He says “This is it! Honey, just make this one.” I can’t put into words how much it means to finally have such a good recipe that is healthy, amazing, tasty, and perfect every time! Yay! Thank you!
Oh, yay – this makes me so happy because it’s how I felt, too!! (Love that your hubs ate the ‘brick bread!’)
Thank you for your recipe! I have a question about step two: “Add honey, oil, salt, and 4 cups of flour.) The ingredients mention “3 to 3.25 cups of ww flour”, and I used 2 cups in the first step. Is this a typo, or am I missing something? I’m new to making bread so thank you in advance for your patience and I can’t wait to make it again! The first time I followed the recipe I only added one cup of flour for step two, to get the total of 3 cups of flour. It turned out ok, for my first ever loaf. But it really was only enough to make one loaf. So, I’m thinking I did something incorrect. Thank you again! 🙂
Hmm, I’m not sure what you’re looking at – did you adjust the recipe to make only half? Under ingredients the way the recipe appears on the site (for 2 loaves) it lists 6 to 6-1/2 cups of flour total. This would incorporate the 2 cups in the sponge and then the 4 cups later with 1/2 cup available if needed to get the consistency pictured (though I do caution to add as little extra as possible).
Thank you! Yes, my serving size is 1 loaf (hence 3 to 3.25 cups of flour) but in step 2, it calls for 4 cups of flour. So, that’s why I was unsure.
Yeah, so when you adjust down, it only does the ingredients, not my directions. Those remain for the two loaves. 🙂
I haven’t made this yet BUT I plan to this week! One question, can I opt out the honey? My 1 year old can have it but my friends babies aren’t 1 yet so if they wanted a grilled cheese or pbj I want to make sure I have bread they can eat! Thank you (:
Sure! You can use sugar in place of the honey – the amount here gives the yeast immediate food to consume which helps the rise, so I wouldn’t leave it out completely.
Jami, is it possible to do this recipe in one larger loaf? Any idea how big of a loaf pan would be needed to do that? I have a 5″x10″ pan but I am not sure if that would be big enough. Thank you!
Sorry, I don’t know that info, Kat. I do know that this makes 2 1-pound loaves and a 5×10″ is for a 1.5 pound loaf, so I would guess the dough wouldn’t all fit.
Best whole-wheat recipe. Should this bread be “baked” or “convection” baked. I’m always wonder.
Unless it specifies convection, recipes are always regular baking, as is this one. I don’t really do much convection baking because my results haven’t been consistent. 🙂 I’ve heard it dries out things like bread and cake anyway…
I’ve been searching for the perfect whole wheat sandwich bread recipe to bake weekly for my family. This is the third recipe I’ve tried, and the flavor and texture are absolutely amazing! It’s a keeper!
I do have a few kinks to work out due to my unique situation: I live at 8,000 ft. elevation and am new to milling my own flour. My first loaf rose beautifully, but then flattened when I shifted it to the oven to bake. After baking, there was a large air pocket (tunnel) near the top of the loaf. I have a few ideas for modifications to try on my next attempt, but I would also welcome any suggestions.
I’m so glad you found this recipe to be as wonderful as I think!
When that’s happened to me, it’s usually because of overproofing. Maybe it was warm in your kitchen or you have some situation that bread rises more quickly? I’ll leave it for less time and go by how it looks and not the clock (it should be just barely over the edge of the pans). Hopefully that will help some!
Need the dough longer to remove air 7 minuets as fast as your mixer can safely need. Don’t over rise (about 1 1/2″ in the center) or you will create balloons and they could fall when baking. place in a draft free place to rise like a toaster oven or microwave. It should never take an hour to rise. Everything you are using needs to be warm, ingredients and all equipment (room temp. or more) Timing wont work you need to watch for the rise you want.
If kneading in the mixer with the dough hook, what speed should the mixer be at?
I use a Kitchenaid and the directions state to not use it above level 2 if using a dough hook so that’s what I use to knead dough.
Thank you!! I am new to bread making. I needed a 100% whole wheat bread and I came across your recipe. I’ve been making it for two months now and my husband loves it. I use freshly milled hard white wheat. Extra virgin olive oil or light olive oil.
My only problem is I have a small stand mixer and it can only mix one loaf at a time. Oh well. Very glad to have a good everyday bread recipe!
Wow, new to bread making and grinding your own wheat – kudos to you, Stephanie!
I’m so glad you are able to make bread regularly with this recipe!
Yeah, I had to grind my own wheat due to newly discovered food allergies in the family- needed to make sure there weren’t any additives in the flour. So glad this recipe has worked well for us. Making another loaf tomorrow!
Can I put all ingredients in a bread machine and make it this way?
I think some comments said they successfully did this, though this recipe makes 2 loaves so you’d need to cut it in half, I’d guess?
This had been my go to bread recipe for quite a while now, and the one I send to everyone interested in making bread for their family! It’s so easy and versatile, and makes a great bread for every day use!
I sub out whatever sugar I have on hand, sometimes honey, but this week I happened to have coconut sugar I got as a gift that I didn’t like in anything. It made for amazing bread. I also tried adding in a cup of leftover, cooked oatmeal this week. I let the initial sponge go a little longer than usual to really get the gluten going (I just left it while I took my kid to preschool) and ended up using maybe a half cup more flour than usual since it had extra fluid, and it turned out amazing! Seriously, this recipe is so good as is, and such an amazing jumping off point to try out different things, too!
Wow – that sounds great, Amy – what a wonderful adaptation! I’ve never thought how coconut sugar could make it taste different.
Thank you so much for your review!
Have you tried this with home-milled flour?
I haven’t but some others have in the comments with success. I would use more of what the dough should look like more than exact measurements, as the home-milled flour absorbs more water, and you may have to add more water or use less flour.
I’m going to try this. With all the Round Up in our grains and ridiculous bread prices, I’ve started baking bread the last 2 months and getting the hang of it. I’ve been ordering organic non gmo flour from Azure Standards . My whole wheat recipe is ok so I like the sound of this being softer and only one rise. You are very practical and simplify things. Thanks Jami!
Good for you, Nadia! I think you will love this as much as I do 🙂
I’m new to whole wheat bread (have only ever tried my hand at sourdough). I got a beautiful rise at 50 minutes (let rise in the oven with light on for some heat- it’s a bit chilly here today), but I took the loaves out as I was going to preheat the oven, and they deflated a lot! I guess I’d need to just immediately put in the oven as soon as the rise is achieved? Someone else mentioned reshaping and proofing again… thoughts? Thank you for sharing this recipe! Can’t wait to eat the bread.
Ah, they overproofed (spent too long proofing too fast). The light in your oven must’ve done its job! You want to watch the loaves and not let them get more than 1/2-1 inch over the top of the pan, which could happen at different times for different kitchens/situations.
You need to preheat the oven, so you wouldn’t be able to just leave them – and if they’re overproofed, they will deflate when cooked, as well.
You can reshape and proof again – and watch the progress. 🙂
I just made this and dang is it good! I recently started experimenting with bread baking after some recent health issues as a matter of controlling what’s in my food. I just assumed 100% whole wheat bread was going to be dense, heavy and dry (most I’ve seen use a mix of white and whole wheat flours), but not this. I’m eating a sandwich as I’m typing this and have the second loaf in the freezer. So simple with easy to follow directions! This is going into my regular rotation, no more store bought sandwich bread for me.
Thank you for sharing this!
Yay!! I’m so glad this will be in your rotation now!
My first thought is “What? You only let it rise once?” I’ve never heard of shaping a loaf directly after kneading but I’m willing to give it a try. I also use fresh ground wheat berries for whole wheat bread and let the flour soak in the liquid (that is called out in the recipe) over night. Helps the wheat flour absorb the liquid better.
One of the reasons I love this recipe – hope you enjoy it!
Well, it was an experience I must say. I followed the directions (I added the gluten), shaped the dough, set my timer and walked away. In one hour I was back and YIKES! The dough was flat,over proofed and oozing over the Edges of the pans ( I used the larger bread pans). So I dumped the dough back out on the counter, reshaped it, put it back in the pans for 25 minutes for a second proof, baked it and Voila! Two perfect loaves of bread. Delicious! I live at 7000 ft altitude and sometimes baking can have unexpected results!
I’ll try this recipe again using a shorter proof time and see if I can master the One Rise method.
Wow, so glad that turned out for you! That literally had never happened for me. 😀
Every kitchen is different, though, and we’ve got to do what works in ours with bread baking!
Thanks for updating and the review!
I really appreciate your comment. I live at 6500 feet and have been making this recipe for a long time (using organic regular unbleached flour) and I’m always trying to figure out ways to avoid over proofing. I decreased the yeast by a quarter tablespoon but that was is not always enough. Funny thing, one time I was out of oil and only had bacon grease, so I used that and it made the bread less crumbly.
I haven’t bought bread in a few months thanks to this recipe. It always turns out for me, but it’s been noticeably softer when I use avocado oil vs olive oil. Yum!
I’m so glad you like this, Kristina, and I love that tip – I’ll have to give that a try!
This recipe needs a thousand stars,however l let my dough raise for an hour and roll into the bread pans let it raise again and baked awesomeness
Thank you for the 1000 stars, Hellen, and your tip!
I have used this recipe a few times, and it always bakes perfectly. I am new to bread making and have tried a few other recipes that I couldn’t get right 😩 This one was easy to follow and and worked on the first try. The whole family loves it! This morning I am experimenting using it as cinnamon roll dough (which is currently rising) fingers crossed I do it all correctly 🤞
I’m so glad your family enjoys this bread, Kristi! It was the same for me – when I came up with this, it was the keeper. 🙂
This recipe makes wonderful bread, but I had some initial difficulty with it. Not all cups of flour ar equal, I am milling my own flour, and I am using an Anskarsum mixer to knead the dough. The first time through I added too much flour. It would be very helpful if you would indicate the weight of the flour since many home bread bakers, like me, ordinarily work with weight and baker’s percentages, not volume measures.
Thanks for the review, David!
I find there are so many variables with bread that over the years of baking, I now go mostly by what I know it should look and feel like. I never add the full amount of flour until I see what is going on with the dough, especially if I’m using whole grain flours. I really encourage you to do this for new recipes, as your kitchen (temp, humidity, etc.), tools, and flour all make a difference.
That said, I know that many readers feel better with weights, so I’m trying to add them to recipes. It’s still not exact, though, as you can find different weights from a cup of flour on KA website vs. a google search. This article explains a bit: https://pastrieslikeapro.com/2017/04/frustrating-facts-measuring-flour/
Jami, I’ve been baking bread ‘by hand & by feel’ for over 45 years…and I ventured into home milling this years. I don’t think you understand the particular challenge home millers face, and why it’s pretty-much essential that they have the weight of the flour before trying & tweaking & tweaking & retrying & retweaking a recipe that’s designed for store-bought whole grain (or other) flours. It has to do with a much ‘fluffier’ volume & and different need for fluid. We already understand the challenge, and there is no ‘chart’ or method that can do the conversion (at least not from whole grain flours to whole grain home milled flours).
>BUT, if we have the actual weight of the grain you’re using, it’s possible for us to have a success on the first try-or-two of your recipe. But without the actual weight, we can try-and-fail many times.
>SO, on behalf of all the home millers out there, I want to share it would be a great courtesy to us (for very little effort on your part), if you would simply weigh out the “6 to 6 1/2 cups of flour” you use…and let us know here (and possibly update your blog for others).
THANK YOU for your consideration & kindness.
Thanks for the explanation, Kristi. I am working to add the weights to recipes.
One cup of flour is 120grams.
This bread turned out perfectly. I followed the recipe to a T. Great height and crumb. My 2 and 4 year old children loved it. Thank you so much for the recipe!!!
Glad you all loved it, Nichole – thanks so much for the review!