35 Comments / baking, bread, cooking, recipe, whole wheat / By Heather Jackson
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I have been working really hard to find the best 100% whole wheat bread recipe for our family.
These are the criteria I wanted to accomplish:
- Soft crust for sandwiches
- Easy to make
- Makes 2 loaves at a time
- No crazy ingredients
- No refined sugar
- Tastes good
Clearly, I wasn’t asking for much.
I have been trying different recipes and taking bits and pieces from each. I think I have finally hit on a bread that really works for us. It is kid and husband approved, so I hope you like it too!
**A few notes: when I say “warm water” I mean water that feels just slightly above body temperature. Too hot and you kill the yeast, so it’s better to be too cold than too hot. You can substitute butter for coconut oil or honey for maple syrup. Use what you have! Also, I have written these instructions for a KitchenAid mixer*affiliate link* because that is what I have. It should be easy enough to do this by hand if you don’t have a mixer. The kneading step is very minimal.
***Most of my bread making supplies are purchased through Amazon as “subscribe and save” items. I have included a link at the bottom of the post in case they aren’t something you generally keep on hand.
100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Heather Jackson
This 100% Whole Wheat Bread recipe rises three times, but the dough is a dream to work with and the taste and texture are excellent!
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Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups warm water
- 2 tbsp . yeast
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or substitute butter
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or substitute honey
- 1 tbsp . salt
- 6-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Instructions
Pour water into mixing bowl and add yeast. Let sit 5-10 minutes.Meanwhile melt together coconut oil and maple syrup. Remember not to get this too hot or you will kill your yeast. Coconut oil is liquid at 76°.
Pour oil/syrup mixture and salt to the mixing bowl. With paddle attachment on low speed (speed 1) add flour a little at a time while mixing.
When it has all been added, swap to a dough hook and turn speed up to knead dough just long enough to make sure the dough isn't sticking too much to the side of the bowl. If it is too sticky, add more flour a tablespoon at a time.
The dough is perfect when it forms a nice ball. Remove dough hook, cover bowl with a clean towel and set in a warm place. Let rise 1 hour or until the dough reaches the top of the bowl.
Punch dough and let rise for another hour.
Next grease 2 loaf pans and divide the dough into 2 balls. Pick up one ball and stretch it until it is a rectangle about as long as your bread pan.
Now roll the dough into a log the best you can and place in the pan. Do the same with the second ball, cover both pans with your cloth and let rise one more hour.
Bake in a 350° oven for approximately 35 minutes. I normally have to tent mine loosely at 25 minutes with tin foil to keep from burning the top. It should be nicely brown on the top and sound hollow when you tap on it. Turn bread out onto a cooling rack.
Notes
It will slice much more nicely when it is cool, but I usually go ahead and have a slice or two while it is hot and slathered with butter. Bliss!
(Some people use the rolling pin instead of stretching, but I avoid rolling pins whenever I can!)
Here are some pictures in case you are new to baking your own bread. Please don’t judge the photo quality! Both of my camera batteries died right as I started baking, so I took most of these with my phone!
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| Yeast and water mixture starting to foam |
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| After a brief kneading, the dough comes together to form a rough ball. |
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| After 1 hour rising. This is ready to be punched down and allowed to rise again. |
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| Dough shaped and in the pans for the last rising. |
For more great recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Homestead Kitchen! *affiliate link*
***This post contains affiliate links. That means that a small percentage of the purchase price of items bought through my links goes toward keeping this blog up and running and food in Beulah’s bowl, so thanks!***
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Summary
Recipe Name
100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
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Average Rating
3.5
Based on 19 Review(s)
