Grocery prices just keep rising and we’re all feeling it, so I decided to revisit some of my old bread recipes. Because if there ever was a time to learn how to make homemade bread, it’s now! It only takes a couple of dollars to make this super delish homemade honey wheat bread that is soft, fluffy, flavorful, and perfect for toast or sandwiches. And while it does take some time to make a loaf of bread, most of that is hands-off time that you can use to tend to other business. ;)
What’s in Honey Wheat Bread?
This recipe starts with the basic yeast bread ingredients: flour, salt, and yeast. Then I added a little honey to give the bread just a hint of sweetness and a little olive oil which helps keep the bread (and the crust in particular) nice and soft. I’ve used a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour for this bread to keep the texture light and fluffy.
Can I use All Whole Wheat Flour?
While you can make bread with 100% whole wheat flour instead of a mix of white and wheat, that tends to produce heavier, dense bread. Whole wheat flour absorbs more moisture than all-purpose flour, so you may need to adjust the ratios in this bread slightly. I find that for the best texture, a 50/50 mix of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour produces the best results.
How to Store Homemade Bread
It’s very important to let homemade bread cool completely to room temperature before storing to prevent trapping steam and creating condensation. Homemade bread doesn’t contain preservatives like store-bought bread, so you’ll need to either consume the bread quickly or freeze it for longer storage. (Or make bread pudding with the leftovers!)
If storing your bread at room temperature, wrap the bread in cloth or paper to allow just enough airflow to prevent moisture build-up. Homemade bread will last about 2-3 days stored at room temperature.
If storing in the refrigerator, keep the bread in an air-tight container. This is my preferred method because I don’t usually eat bread that quickly. Bread stored in the refrigerator will stay good for about 5-6 days.
If you need to store your bread for longer, freeze it. I suggest slicing the bread prior to freezing so you can thaw or use 1-2 slices at a time as needed without thawing the entire loaf. I often toast my slices straight from the freezer for convenience! Make sure to freeze the bread in an air-tight, heavy-duty, freezer-safe container (like a freezer bag).
New to making homemade bread? Try our super easy No-Knead Bread!
Honey Wheat Bread
Servings 12 slicesIngredients
- 1.25 cup warm water ($0)
- 2 tsp active dry yeast or instant yeast ($0.34)
- 2 Tbsp honey ($0.50)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil ($0.36)
- 1.5 cups whole wheat flour* ($0.57)
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour* ($0.38)
- 1/2 Tbsp salt ($0.05)
Instructions
- Stir the yeast and 1 Tbsp of the honey into the warm water until dissolved, then set it aside for about five minutes to allow the yeast to activate. A thick layer of foam should develop on the surface of the water.
- While waiting for the yeast to bloom, stir together 1 cup of the whole wheat flour with the salt.
- Once the yeast is foamy, add the rest of the honey (1 Tbsp) and the olive oil and stir to combine. Pour the yeast water into the bowl with the flour and salt, then stir until combined. Add ½ cup more of whole wheat flour and stir until combined again.
- Now start adding all-purpose flour, ½ cup at a time, until you can no longer stir the dough with a spoon. At that point, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and begin to knead all-purpose flour into the dough, a little at a time.
- Knead the dough for about five minutes, slowly adding flour as you knead, or until the dough no longer sticks to your hands, but is still fairly pliable. I used 1.5 cups all-purpose flour total, but the total flour amount will vary with the type of flour used and relative humidity in the room.
- Place the kneaded dough back into the mixing bowl and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise at room temperature for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Lightly coat a bread pan with oil. Punch the dough down to deflate, then take the dough out of the bowl. Shape the dough into a log about the same length of your bread pan.
- Place the shaped dough in the bread pan and let it rise for anohter hour, or until it has risen about 2-inches above the edges of the bread pan.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Once fully preheated, add the risen bread and bake for 30 minutes, or until the bread is deeply golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool just a few minutes (to make it easier to handle), then carefully remove the bread from the pan to fully cool.
- Once cool, slice and serve your delicious homemade bread!
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Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Honey Wheat Bread – Step By Step Photos
Start by dissolving 1 Tbsp honey and 2 tsp instant yeast or active dry yeast in 1.25 cups of warm water. Set the mixture aside to allow the yeast to bloom. It should develop a thick layer of foam on the surface.
While waiting for the yeast to bloom, add 1 cup whole wheat flour to a bowl with ½ Tbsp salt and stir to combine.
Once the yeast has bloomed, stir another 1 Tbsp honey and 3 Tbsp olive oil into the yeast water, then pour that mixture into the bowl with the flour and salt. Stir to combine.
Stir another ½ cup of whole wheat flour into the dough.
Now start adding in all-purpose flour, ½ cup at a time until you can no longer stir the dough with a spoon.
When a shaggy ball of dough forms that can no longer be stirred with a spoon, it’s time to turn the dough out onto a floured surface to knead.
Begin kneading in more all-purpose flour a little at a time. Knead for about five minutes, or until the dough no longer sticks to your hands, but is still pliable. I used about 1.5 cups all-purpose flour in total, but the total flour amount can vary depending on the type of flour used and the relative humidity in the room.
Place the kneaded dough back into the mixing bowl and cover it with a towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for one hour, or until doubled in size.
Once doubled in size, punch the dough down to deflate. Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a log the same length as your bread pan.
Lightly coat a bread pan with olive oil then place the shaped dough inside. Let the bread rise for another hour, or until it has risen about two inches above the top of the bread pan.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Once the bread has risen, transfer the bread to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the crust is deeply brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
After 30 minutes, remove the bread from the oven. Let it cool for just a few minutes to make it easier to handle, then carefully remove it from the bread pan to finish cooling.
Once cooled, slice and serve the bread, or store it for later!
Oh, the other thing. I use a single edged razor blade to slash the top of breads. It stays sharp and cuts cleanly and not too deeply. I keep it in a wine cork in my knife drawer. Cheers!
Great tip, thanks!
Beth, I just made this recipe two days ago and I must say it is sooooo good! I did use really good ingredients, tho. King Arthur All Purpose flour (non bromolated) employee owned, Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat flour (also employee owned), and some local honey. I think ingredients do make a difference. I will be making this again and again. Thank you for a great basic sandwich bread!
Awesome! Thanks, Beth!
Abby – Hmm, maybe try to knead it for a minute or two longer. That will help develop the gluten, which will help it hold it’s shape when rising. Since you’ll be kneading it longer, try to add flour slower when you knead so that the dough doesn’t get too dry and stiff (just sprinkle very lightly with flour as you knead). Bread is one of those things that you will always get better at the more you try, so keep it up :)
This was my first time making homemade bread, and I was pleased! However, it turned out pretty dense and crumbly. Any suggestions besides letting it rise longer? I used a Pampered Chef bread pan, but does aluminum work better? Can’t wait to try this out again!
I don’t know if you check this anymore but do you think i could use half sugar and half honey to cut down on the cost a little bit?
I made this last night. It will be our new sandwich bread since my bf took it for lunch today and approved. It is light like the bread you would buy from the store, but the taste and texture are so much better. I baked it in a glass bread pan at 375, and my oven must run hot because the top crust was a little overdone. Will try it at 365 when i bake more tomorrow. Thanks!
Oh, wow, that dough looks extra dry! Did you double check that you used the right amount of water? One and one quarter cups? Is that picture of the dough just after you kneaded it? The dough should still be soft and supple after you’ve kneaded in the rest of the flour. You do not need to add in a full three cups, just enough to make it a soft, elastic dough that no longer sticks to your hands. The amount of flour that you need to add will differ probably every time you make it depending on the moisture in the flour and the air. Try adding it very slowly (a very, very light sprinkle) as you knead so that you get at least a full three minutes of kneading in. If you add a ton of flour as you knead, it will get very dry and stiff before you get a chance to knead it enough.
Start with those tips and see how it goes, but most importantly, don’t give up! :)
Hey Beth,
Just tried this recipe (first time making bread), and it came out pretty dense.
http://imgur.com/a/Y7tMg
I know my kneading technique was bad after watching a few videos. I got a cup of AP flour in while still in the bowl, but had a hard time working the rest in on the counter top. Any thoughts?
Any olive oil will work – I used extra virgin :)
Hi I am trying to make this recipe. But, I only have extra virgin olive oil and safflower oil. Is any of them ok? Or should I really get olive oil, Please help?
My first loaf just came out of the oven! I couldn’t wait to slice off a piece and it was fabulous. :-D
I love this bread!! Okay so, I think I didn’t add enough flour because my dough was SUPER elastic after the first and second rise. It was spilling over my bread pan after the second rise. So I’ll try a tad more flour next time (only used maybe a cup and a half of AP flour). It did collapse a little when trying to cut the slice in the middle but again, it was too elastic. Once it baked though, it was heaven. The crust was perfect.
I have made this bread twice now and each time, it came out perfect, it is so delicious, words can’t even explain, thank you so much for a great recipe and easy to follow photos, thank you!!
thank you so much!! you’re the best!