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100% Whole Wheat Bread (Single Loaf Recipe)

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This 100% whole wheat bread is a simple way to make a single loaf of nourishing, delicious, homemade bread. Whether you’re a first-time bread maker or a seasoned baker, you will fall in love with this soft and tender sandwich bread recipe.

Side view of sliced whole wheat bread on a wooden cutting board.

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Our most popular bread recipe on the site is our classic wheat bread recipe. Many first-time breadmakers have tried this recipe with success, and many seasoned breadmakers have loved it. The recipe, however, makes two loaves and many readers have asked me to create a single-loaf whole wheat bread recipe. So this is that promised recipe.

It is delicious and simple to make. Whether you’re a beginning or seasoned baker, it’s a classic recipe I make all the time.

Whole Wheat Bread Ingredients

Here are the key ingredients you will need to make this delicious homemade bread.

  • Whole wheat flour: I use stone-ground whole wheat flour, but whole wheat bread flour and white whole wheat also work.
  • Instant Yeast: I love instant yeast because you can add it directly to the dough without proofing. If you want to use active dry yeast, dissolve it in 2 tablespoons of the water in the recipe, along with a drizzle of honey, for 5 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
  • Honey
  • Cooking oil: Use your favorite neutral cooking oil
  • Salt

How to Make a Single Loaf of Whole Wheat Bread

If using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, you will want to proof the yeast before proceeding with the recipe.

Step 1: Combine the Ingredients

  • Add flour, water, instant yeast (or proofed active dry yeast), honey, oil, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Step 2: Knead the Dough

  • If kneading by hand, transfer the bread dough to a very lightly floured surface, oil your hands, and knead for 6 to 7 minutes or until smooth.
  • If kneading in a stand mixer, using the dough hook, knead for 5-7 minutes at medium speed until smooth. If necessary, adjust the dough with additional flour or water as needed.

Step 3: First Rise

  • Transfer the dough to an oil-coated bowl and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it is puffy. It may not double in size.

Step 4: Shape the Loaf

  • Coat an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan and set aside. Then, gently deflate the dough and shape it into an 8-inch log, pinching the seam and the ends together tightly. Place the dough, seam side down, in the prepared pan and cover loosely.
Side view of bread rising in a metal loaf pan.

Step 5: Second Rise

  • Let the bread rise for 1-2 hours, or until the center has crowed about 1 inch above the rim. Preheat the oven to 350℉ near the end of this last rising.
Side view of 100% whole wheat bread loaf, unsliced, on a parchment lined wooden board.

Step 6: Bake the Bread

  • Uncover the loaves and place them in the oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a digital thermometer registers between 180°-190°F. If desired, tent a sheet of foil over the loaf after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning.
  • Remove the bread from the oven and loaf pan and transfer it to a rack to cool completely before slicing. Brush melted butter or olive oil over the warm bread as it cools for a delicious crust.

Tips for Making Whole Wheat Bread

Bread making is easy, but these tips will help you ensure your bread is as delicious as possible.

Kneading the Bread

It’s important to knead the bread so that it develops gluten, which helps it rise. The window pane test is an easy way to test if your bread is ready for rising.

Window pane test to determine if the bread has been fully kneaded.

Take a small section of dough and stretch it into a square shape (like a window). Keep stretching until the middle becomes thin enough that light can pass through it without breaking. If there are no tears in the dough, you can be sure it is properly kneaded.

Dough Rising

Professional bakeries often have proofing ovens (also known as proofers, proofing cabinets, dough proofers, or proofing boxes). These help ensure the dough is in an ideal environment of warmth and humidity, allowing it to maximize its rise.

I don’t have a proofing box at home, but years ago, while speaking to a colleague and professional breadmaker, he shared his trick for creating one. I do this every time I bake bread.

Creating a proofing box in the microwave for bread dough rising.

Add 2 cups of hot water to a jar or liquid measure. Loosely cover your dough and add both to a microwave, close the door, and don’t open it for about 1 hour. It really does create a perfect environment for bread rising! You can also add a loaf pan filled with very hot water to the bottom of your oven, place the covered dough on a rack above the water, and let it proof there. Do not turn on the oven.

How Long Will Homemade Bread Last?

Because homemade bread doesn’t typically contain preservatives, it doesn’t last as long as store-bought bread.

Cool the bread completely and store it at room temperature in an airtight container or resealable bag for 2-4 days. Properly stored in the refrigerator, it will increase its shelf life to about 1 week.

For longer storage, it can be frozen as a whole loaf or sliced for up to 3 months.

Top view of sliced homemade bread on a white plate with butter and honey.

More Bread Recipes You May Also Want to Try

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Horizontal side view of sliced 100% whole wheat bread on a wooden cutting board.

100% Whole Wheat Bread Single Loaf Recipe

Make your own delicious and nourishing whole wheat bread with this easy recipe. Perfect for beginners and experienced bakers alike!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients 

  • 3 ¼ cups whole wheat flour* (plus 1-2 tablespoons as needed)
  • 1 ¼ cups warm water
  • 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast or 1 packages active dry yeast dissolved in 2 tablespoons of the water in the recipe
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt

Instructions

Proofing Active Dry Yeast

  • If you're using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast (which can be added directly to the ingredients), add warm water and honey to a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let it sit for 5 minutes. If using instant yeast, skip this step.

Combine the Ingredients

  • Add flour, water, instant yeast (or proofed active dry yeast) honey, oil, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Knead the Dough

  • If kneading by hand, transfer the bread dough to a very lightly floured surface, oil your hands, and knead for 6 to 7 minutes or until smooth. If kneading in a stand mixer, using the dough hook, knead for 5-7 minutes at medium speed until smooth. Adjust the dough with additional flour or water if necessary.

First Rise

  • Transfer the dough to an oil-coated bowl and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until the dough becomes puffy. It may not double in size.

Shape the Loaf

  • Coat an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan and set aside. Then, gently deflate the dough and shape it into an 8-inch log, pinching the seam and the ends together tightly. Place the dough, seam side down, in the prepared pan and cover loosely.

Second Rise

  • Let the bread rise for 1-2 hours, or until the center has crowed about 1 inch above the rim. Preheat the oven to 350℉ near the end of this last rising.

Bake the Bread

  • Uncover the loaves and place them in the oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a digital thermometer registers between 180° 190°F. If desired, tent a sheet of foil over the loaf after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning.
  • Remove the bread from the oven and from the loaf pan. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before slicing. Brush melted butter or olive oil over the warm bread for a delicious crust as it cools.

Notes

Whole Wheat Flour

  • Regular whole wheat, whole wheat bread flour, white whole wheat flour all work great. I always use Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour.
  • Adjust the flour amount as necessary so that it pulls away from the bowl and is easily handled.

Storage

  • Wrap bread and store it at room temperature for several days or freeze it for longer storage.

Bread Rising

  • I learned a trick bread-rising trick a long time ago that I’ve used in my kitchen ever since. And it works regardless of the season. Bread needs a warm place to rise. A professional breadmaker told me he doesn’t have a proofing box at home, so he adds a cup of very warm water and the covered dough into the microwave. It creates the perfect “proofing box” at home. Just be sure not to accidentally start the microwave!  

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 153mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 100 whole wheat bread recipe, best whole wheat bread recipe, homemade whole wheat bread, how to make whole wheat bread, whole wheat bread recipe

18 Comments

  1. Hi, This is my second attempt at making this loaf and both times I struggled to get the loaf to release from the bread pan. I usually have to run a knife around the edge and once it starts to release I end up losing part of the bottom when turning it out. Anyone else having this issue? Any tips?
    Thanks

    1. Hi Erica! That can definitely happen with homemade bread. You want to let the bread cool slightly, until the pan is cool enough to handle but not all the way cool. Then, run a knife around the edges to loosen it from the pan, and then pull it out. I love to use a nonstick metal loaf pan, which helps with sticking. Be sure that you have thoroughly coated the insides of the pan, bottom and sides, with butter, oil, or cooking spray. If it continues to be challenging, you can always line the inside of the pan with parchment (bottom and sides) which makes it really easy to remove the bread from the pan. Hope this helps!

      1. The parchment paper worked perfect this time! Will definitely be using it from now on.
        I wanted to also ask, have you tested using no sweetener? Would more water or oil need to be added to substitute for the lack of liquid?
        Thanks

        1. Hi Erica! I’m so glad the parchment worked well for you!

          As to eliminating the honey- you can definitely do that. You may need to add additional water if the dough feels dry.

          Start with 2 tablespoons and add more as needed. If you find you’ve added too much water, increase the flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is tacky but not sticky- just as you’ve done with these loaves. ❤️

  2. First time bread maker here. If you’re using the instant yeast do you still need to add the warm water to the mix? For some reason every time I try this recipe the dough is dry and falls apart. It doesn’t look like dough. I got it to work one time lol im learning so im not sure what im doing wrong

    1. Hi Bri— if you’re using instant yeast, add it directly to the flour. The only time you let it proof in warm water is when using active dry yeast. I’m so happy you’re becoming a bread baker! You’ll get it— and it’s so rewarding. When your dough looks dry during the kneading process, add small amounts of water (1-2 teaspoons) until it reaches a slightly tacky consistency. Dough can sometimes feel dry because the liquid is not evenly distributed throughout the dough. Try kneading it a bit longer.

  3. 5 stars
    I’ve tried a couple of other wheat bread recipes, but I’m sticking with yours! I like that it comes out so fluffy and light without having to add extra wheat gluten. Great texture and flavor.

    1. Hi Amanda! Thank you so much for trying the recipe — I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it! I love the texture too.

    1. That’s such a great idea! I haven’t tried it, but I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work. I would add them toward the end of the kneading process. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!

  4. I was looking at your Classic Wheat Bread (2 loaves) first. It also calls for Instant Yeast, but says to proof it first. This 1 loaf just has you mix it in, which us What I always do with Instant Yeast. Is there any reason it’s proofed in the 2 loaf recipe??

    1. No, there is no need to proof instant yeast, just mix it into the flour— I’ll check the instructions— thank you!

5 from 3 votes

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