This Honey Whole Wheat Bread is moist, flavorful and doesn’t fall apart! From breakfast toast to sandwiches, this bread is the perfect addition to any meal!
Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Honey Whole Wheat Bread is my absolute favorite homemade bread, because it is so moist and really holds its shape. You know how some breads break apart when you cut them? This one never does. Not to mention the flavor! It’s slightly sweet, warm and hearty, just like homemade bread should be. My friend used to make this bread when we were going to school in Idaho and it always filled our apartment with that homey scent that just made me feel comforted and cozy. Slather this bread with honey butter or jam in the mornings, use it for sandwiches at lunchtime or serve it alongside soup for supper. No matter how you serve it, this homemade bread will be a hit with your family!
Tips for Wheat Bread
- The quality of wheat makes a huge difference in baking wheat bread. Hard Red Wheat, Hard White Wheat, and Soft White Wheat all make delicious wheat breads. Grinding your own wheat will give you the most nutritious wheat bread. You can also purchase freshly ground wheat flour from a flour mill or wheat flour from the grocery store.
- Much research has been done to evaluate the benefits of wheat bread over white bread, and the benefits of using 100% whole wheat products. When you purchase bleached white flour, you are purchasing wheat that has undergone so much processing that very little to none of the vitamins and minerals found in whole wheat remain. When you grind your own wheat, you can be assured that all of the nutritional value is still in your flour.
- If you have picky eaters at home who won’t eat wheat bread, try using ½ unbleached white flour and ½ whole wheat flour in this recipe. You won’t be able to tell the difference, and neither will they! The bread will have a lighter color and texture than whole wheat bread, and you’ll still have a portion of the health benefits of whole wheat.
- Of course you can make this recipe with white flour, if that’s what you have on hand.
- Top this bread with our mouth watering Homemade Honey Butter, or a dollop of our Fresh and Easy Strawberry Jam or our simple Raspberry Peach Freezer Jam. So yummy!
More Delicious Homemade Bread Recipes
Is there anything better than a warm slice of homemade bread? Here are some more of our favorite bread recipes.
- Irish Soda Bread – This authentic Irish Soda Bread is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. It is easy to make. The bread doesn’t have to rise and there is very little kneading involved.
- Subway Bread – This bread works great for Subway sandwiches. It is soft, slightly chewy, and has a fresh, homemade flavor.
- Zucchini Bread – This is our Mom’s no-fail recipe for zucchini bread. A moist, flavorful bread with a slightly crispy crust.
- Rosemary Parmesan Focaccia Bread – The perfect dipping bread! It is delicious dipped in olive oil or as a side for soup.
- Sally Lunn Bread – A sweet bread recipe that has been passed down in our family for generations.
How to Make Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups really warm water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast or 2 yeast packets
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 6 cups whole wheat flour approximately
Instructions
- Pour warm water into a large bowl. Add yeast.
- Allow yeast to dissolve and froth, then stir in shortening, honey and salt.
- Add flour a cup at a time until you have a soft dough. Knead and put into a bowl.
- Cover with a cloth and let raise about an hour or until it has about doubled in size. (It raises much better if you put in front of a window with the sun shining in or on top of a warm oven).
- Knead again and place bread into baking tins and raise again for another hour.
- Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until brown on the top. Butter the top of the bread while still in the oven and let cook another 2 minutes.
- Remove and let cool about 10 minutes in the pans. Turn out and cool for 10 more minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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If using a kitchenaid mixer and dough hook how long should kneading go using this method?
Love this bread!! Just made it for the 2nd time! I do adjust the recipe like one of the comments said.. ½tbsp salt, ½cup honey and I add a bit more flour (I use freshly ground red spring wheat). This is the best 100% whole wheat recipe I’ve found! Thank you!!
Thank you, Ellie! I’m so happy you like the recipe. And thanks for letting us know about the adjustments. We will test this recipe again.
I don’t use crisco. Would butter work in this recipe?
Yes, butter will work fine.
I can’t use Crisco. Has anyone had success with something else/natural? Coconut oil? Lard?
Made two changes; double the honey (1/2 cp), halve the salt (1/2 Tbl).
First try at recipe as provided, bread was a bit salty tasting and bland. Made the adjustments above and bread was much improved.
Thanks
How long do you knead bread for?
Knead the dough until you can form a smooth ball.
Can you sub olive oil for shortening?
I haven’t tried it that way, so I cant speak to how it would change the taste or texture. Let us know how it turns out if you do try it!
I’m a novice so here’s my experience. The dough rose beautifully the 2nd time but when I went to put it in the oven & pulled the towel off, the dough fell on all 3 loaves simultaneously. So I have some flat bread. Better luck next time!
Too much or too little liquid can cause the dough to fall. When you are forming the dough make sure it is a smooth ball. If it is rough, add more liquid, if it is too squishy, add more flour. Hope this helps!
I just made the bread, very delicious. My family loved it.
Very easy to make and it taste so good. Only change I made I replaced one of the cup of flour for all purpose. It came out beautifully and moist!
How long does the bread stay good for? Should it be kept in the fridge or the pantry?
We store it in the pantry. It will stay good for about a week. You can also freeze it for up to three weeks.
If a regular loaf pan is 9 X 5, what size is the long loaf pan? (New to bread baking)
A long loaf pan is 9×5. A regular is 8.5×4.5. Hope this helps!
Hi – My daughter and I are going to make this as a school project. How long do we knead it each time? Thanks, can’t wait to try it!!
You want to knead until it is pliable and soft… around 10 minutes or so. Hope this helps!
Can this be made using stand mixer with dough hook?
Yes. 🙂
Is it necessary to cut the shortening into the flour?
Cutting it in is a baking technique that helps the fats get evenly distributed into the flour. It just makes for a better base when making bread. Hope this helps!
This bread is so good! I have been making it for a couple months now, alternating with some other bread recipes, but I always come back to this one. Great flavor and great texture. I use about 5 cups wheat flour and use white for the rest. Thanks!!!
What kind of salt did you use in your recipe? The bread looks delicious – I can’t wait to try it! Thank you!
we usually use Kosher salt
I was just wondering what type of salt you use in your recipe? The bread looks delicious – I can’t wait to try it! Thank you!
I tried this recipe today. It did not rise. Don’t know what I did wrong. The yeast never did Froth. The water was very hot. I almost think it was too hot. I threw it out. I may try it again. 🙁
It could have been defective yeast or too hot of water. Hot tap water is usually fine, but yours may be extra hot.
Made this bread this morning and it turned out perfectly. Thankyou
nice it makes 2 long loaves. I have been making white bread for years for my 6 children and once in awhile make raisin bread. Make this recipe and when you put half the flour in put in 1 cup raisins then knead in more flour as needed.
I’m glad this recipe! Thank you for the tip when adding raisins. That sounds delicious!
I live in India and made this bread today. Turned out perfect! Thanks for a great recipe.
I halved it, used butter and half all purpose flour. Awesome.
Many thanks!