100% Whole Wheat Bread
This simple, hearty and delicious wheat bread is made with 100% whole wheat flour.
This 5-ingredient 100% whole wheat bread is made with only whole wheat flour. It’s nutty, chewy, and slightly sweet— and anything but dense or dry. I love it with butter or jam, but it’s also great for sandwiches too.
If baking bread intimidates you, I can assure you that this loaf is an easy recipe that any level of baker can make!
Table of Contents
- What does “100% whole wheat” mean?
- Ingredients you’ll need to make this whole wheat bread
- How to make 100% Whole Wheat Bread
- How to help your dough rise faster
- Bread baking FAQs
- More whole wheat bread recipes
- 100% Whole Wheat Bread recipe
What does “100% whole wheat” mean?
“100% whole wheat” means that no all-purpose or bread flour is included in this recipe. Some whole wheat bread recipes also include these other flours, often to help the bread stay light in both flavor and texture.
And while it’s sometimes true that whole wheat flour can weigh down baked goods, that’s not the case for this loaf! This 100% whole wheat bread is soft, fluffy and rich in flavor. And since it’s made with only whole grains, it might be a bit more healthy too.
If you follow my recipe and instructions, adding only enough flour as needed, and kneading it long enough to develop the gluten in the flour, you’ll have a soft and tender (and tasty!) loaf of bread.
Ingredients you’ll need to make this whole wheat bread
There are only 5 ingredients needed to make this recipe! (Full recipe at the bottom of this article)
- Whole wheat flour
- Butter— Vegetable oil will also work.
- Molasses— I love the dark smoky flavor the molasses gives this whole wheat bread. You can also use honey or maple syrup, though the bread will be milder and lighter in color.
- Active-dry or instant yeast
- Salt
How to make 100% Whole Wheat Bread
You can of course prepare this whole wheat bread by hand, but I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook if you have one. A stand mixer will prevent you from accidentally adding too much flour, and it will help you knead the dough long and well enough to give the bread a light and fluffy texture.
- Warm water, butter and molasses. Combine them in a saucepan over medium heat until butter is just melted. Cool to 120-130°F, about 5 minutes.
- Combine with whole wheat flour and salt. Add liquids, some whole wheat flour and salt to mixer bowl and combine to make a wet bowl.
- Knead while adding remaining flour. While kneading with dough hook, add more flour 1/4 cup at a time until dough is firm but still tacky to the touch (you may not need all 4 cups of flour).
- Let rise in warm place. Shape dough into ball and cover with plastic wrap or towel and rise (or “proof”) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Shape. Gently punch down the dough and roll out into a rough rectangle about 10 inches wide and 12 inches long. Roll up dough into a log and into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Let rise again. Cover and rise for about 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake. Bake until loaf is golden brown, 30-40 minutes. If you want a shiny golden crust, brush lightly with melted butter.
- Cool & enjoy! The loaf should cool before slicing to finish setting up. Don’t slice for at least 15 minutes if you want warm bread, or let it cool completely.
How to help your dough rise faster
If your kitchen tends to be a bit cooler, particularly in the fall and winter, it will slow down the rise. To help your dough rise faster, here’s a few warmer suggestions:
- Oven: Heat your oven to its lowest setting for a few minutes, then turn it off. Place the covered dough on the center rack and close the door.
- Microwave: Heat 1 cup of water in your microwave for 2 minutes. Remove water and place the covered dough in the microwave and close the door.
- Other: I’ve also risen bread on top of a warm oven, running dryer machine, and even on a chair set over a heater vent.
Bread baking FAQs
Any brand of whole wheat flour will work well in this recipe. However, different brands will vary on intensity of flavor and coarseness of the grains. King Arthur and Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour are varieties I’ve used and love.
It’s more hands-on than using a stand mixer (obviously), but isn’t difficult! I like this tutorial on how to knead bread by hand.
1) It could be that your yeast has expired. Check the expiration date on that packaging. If you don’t know, you can test the yeast. Add 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) of yeast to a cup with 1/2 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes. If the mixture foams and increases in size, then your yeast is still good. If not, it has expired.
2) It’s possible you killed the yeast by adding the liquids before they cooled down properly. Temperatures over 140°F will kill yeast, and it’s helpful to use a thermometer to make sure your liquids are between 120-130°F.
1) See solutions above in case it is an issue with your yeast.
2) Be sure to add only enough flour to achieve a firm but tacky dough. It should clear most of the sides of the bowl during kneading, and will feel tacky to the touch without actually coming off and sticking to your fingers. Adding too much flour will make a dense and dry loaf?
3) Give your dough enough time to rise before baking. It should almost double in size each time. See my tips above for creating a warm place for proofing dough.
I prefer homemade bread within 1-2 days of baking for the freshest flavor and texture, however it will last 5-7 days if stored correctly (see below).
Bread should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Do not store bread in the fridge, as it actually makes it stale more quickly. A plastic bag, plastic wrap and even a bread box are all fine options.
More whole wheat bread recipes
You might enjoy these other great bread recipes made with whole wheat flour:
100% Whole Wheat Bread recipe
100% Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups water (355 ml)
- 2 tablespoons butter (28 grams)
- ¼ cup molasses (60 ml)
- About 4 cups whole wheat flour (450 grams)
- 2 teaspoons salt (8 grams)
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast or instant/quick rise yeast (1 envelope, 7 grams)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the water, butter, and molasses over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and let cool for about few minutes (to 120-130°F).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 2 cups of the flour, the salt, and yeast. Add the liquids and mix on low until moistened.
- Continue to mix on low and add the remaining flour ¼ cup at a time until dough is firm and almost clears the sides of the bowl, but still feels tacky to the touch. You may not need all 4 cups of flour.
- Continue to knead the dough for 2-4 minutes more until dough is smooth and elastic (doesn't immediately break when you pull a pinch of it off.)
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 hour (if using instant/quick rise yeast rise time will be about 30 minutes). Punch down the dough, and let sit for 10 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a rough rectangle about 10 inches wide and 12 inches long. Roll up dough and into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again until doubled again, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until loaf is golden brown. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely. Brush with a bit of melted butter to make the loaf shine, if desired.
What a gorgeous loaf of bread and such a simple recipe. YUM.
Love this! Homemade bread is the best!
I’m in a boulanger & baking arts program right now, and this recipe is very similar to one we make, except we make massive batches in a 60 quart mixer. We also add raisins to the mix, and then brush the loaves with clarified butter and cinnamon sugar as soon as they come out of the oven. People go mad for it!
Thanks for giving me a single loaf recipe that won’t require the purchase of a Hobart and deck ovens…
Love the idea of sprinkling the loaf with cinnamon sugar! Good luck with your baking arts program, I’m jealous!
Love the recepie. Thank you! But is it possible to leave out the molasses or substitute it? Please let me know ASAP.
You’re certainly welcome to try leaving it out, though the flavor of the bread will be different. You’ll also need to increase the water amount, though I can’t say by how much without trying it myself.
sub the molasses for honey or 2T(ish) sugar, if you do sugar add 1/4c water, the flavor will be a little bit different. I do this recipe with honey instead of molasses, and have done it with sugar instead as well, both taste good – am going to try molasses next.
there’s nothing like a homemade loaf of bread and yours looks simply fantastic!!
Mary x
Can I use golden syrup or treacle instead of molasses?
I haven’t used any of those ingredients before, so unfortunately I couldn’t say for sure. Sorry!
This bread looks great! Is there any reason that I can’t use my bread machine to do the mixing, kneading, and the first rise? I do that with other bread recipes with great results.
I’m sure you can put your bread machine to work with this recipe, though since I don’t use one myself I can’t offer much help. Red Star Yeast has a page on their site devoted to bread machine tips: http://www.redstaryeast.com/tips-troubleshooting/bread-machine-tips.
Now that is one gorgeous loaf of bread! I bet your house smelled amazing…
I love that your recipe really is whole wheat unlike the stores and I am all about using molasses in my wheat bread
Fresh warm bread with a piece of salted butter. Hmmmmm
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I know you’re away at a funeral this weekend and I’m so sorry for your loss. I made this loaf on Friday and it’s just terrific. A definite keeper and one that is perfect for add ins like nuts or a cinnamon swirl. Best wishes to you and your family.
Thank you so much for the comment! I love the idea of nuts or a cinnamon swirl. You’ll have to let me know how it turned out if you give those a try.
can i substitute honey for the molasses? my daughter has an extreme allergy to sugar and I don’t know how she would react with molasses.
Your recipe is almost perfect. You need more water and a more even cooking. It looks gummy in the middle. I have heard people soak the flour with the liquid before they mix it, but I don’t. You should use more yeast in this recipe as well. Keep trying!
I don’t know about all that, recipe came out perfect for me (except I used 49g of honey instead of molasses).
I recently started making bread, mainly 100% whole wheat. This is the best. I decreased flour by 1/2 cup and used agave instead of molasses. Perfect for my palate! Easy to make. This will be a staple in my kitchen!
Thanks for the feedback Debbie!
Absolutely love this bread. I sub honey for the molasses and use EVOO in place of the butter. I have made it several times since finding this recipe. In fact, I just pulled a fresh loaf from the oven. Next loaf, I’m going to put a layer of cinnamon sugar and a few raisins on before rolling it up.
This is the best recipe I have made with wheat bread! Even my kids loved it! I will definitely be making this one often.
I don’t make a lot of bread, so I’m a bit confused by the yeast instructions. I thought you could only add instant yeast to the flour mixture directly, but if you’re using active dry yeast, you have to activate it with the warm liquids first?
I learned this method from Red Star Yeast (read about that here) and have been using it in almost all yeast recipes since. It saves a step! Traditionally recipes have you activate yeast with warm liquids first not just to get the yeast going, but also to “prove” that the yeast was still active. If it didn’t foam or rise, then you’d throw it out and try again without having to start all over with a loaf of bread. If you pay attention to expiration dates this step just isn’t necessary. I hope this helps!
Hi, The bread looks so nice and spongy .. Can you please tell me, what is Molasses?
Thanks
Here’s the first page when you google it. If you don’t have molasses where you live, you can also use honey or maple syrup. Hope this helps!
Useless recipe. Volumes to grams is right out of wack.
I would like to bake 2 loaves at a time. Can I just double all the ingredients?
Question, The first time I made this it turned out great. The second and third time it didnt rise in the second rising. The only difference I’m aware of is that I used syrup the first time and molasses the other two. Any ideas?
Excellent recipe, came out so good and super easy to make. So addictive.
I like whole wheat bread but every recipe I found had a combination of whole and white flour. Being new to baking bread, I wasn’t ready to experiment to get a new recipe. This is hearty, delicious and very flavorsome. This is the kind of bread that makes me feel I have found the best bread recipe, there is no reason to try any other!
This makes a great loaf of bread. I used half honey and half molasses and it’s really good!! I am curious though, the recipe calls for dry active yeast but not to proof it first?? Was that a typo or do you actually not proof the yeast? I proofed my yeast in the water, molasses,, honey, butter mixture first just to be sure. This will definitely be my go-to now for whole wheat bread! Thanks so much for posting 🙂
No need to proof the yeast! Unless maybe it’s expired or you’re not sure how old it is. I learned straight from Red Star Yeast reps that the only reason to proof it first is to make sure it’s active and alive. Mixing it with warm liquid and seeing it bubble and foam is “proof” that’s it’s active. If you have fresh yeast that you trust, you can skip this step. 🙂
I just want to tell you once again how much we are enjoying this bread, it’s just simply a wonderful loaf. I do use half honey and half molasses but find the measurements are all just bang on. I bake mine for exactly 40 minutes and it’s perfect~ I was wondering if you have a white bread recipe? The brown is our go-to but I love the texture of this bread but I like white to gift to people.
Thanks so much,
Bonnie 🙂
Hi Bonnie! I’m so happy to hear how much you love this bread – it’s one of my faves too! I definitely should work on a white bread version, adding it to my recipe list!
Before I chose a recipe I like to read the comments to see how people think and changes that are made to make a better loaf
This recipe seemed to get good reviews with little change but, as usual, recipes are only a guide. Here are my changes/additions;
Butter and olive oil half and half
I subtracted a cup of the whole wheat flour and substituted with 1/2 cup of German fine cut oats and 1/2 unbleached bread flour
Quite a bit of flour was added a during the hand kneading.
I have a microwave/convection oven with set temperatures so the oven was preheated at 200C then turned down to 180C and baked for 30 minutes and turned back up to 200 for another 5 minutes. As always I had a tray of water under the loaf
I bake a loaf of bread a week using different recipes but I think this is going to be my go to bread recipe
Nutty flavour
Thanks
Best whole wheat bread I’ve ever made. Just the right amount of sweetness. It got gone quickly!
Very easy and delicious!
Could I use whole wheat bread flour in this recipe?
Thanks,
I would like to bake 2 loaves at a time. Can I just double all the ingredients?
That should work!
I made this today and it is the best whole wheat bread I have ever made. It is chewy, moist, and has a great taste. I did swirl some cinnamon sugar in the bread which I think made it even better! This will be my go to recipe for sure.
Hi I baked your recipe but my bread collapse in middle in oven,I put my loaf with lid in oven.my loaf is 10″*5″*5″ please guide me for my mistake.i use honey instead of molasses.thanks
This was my first attempt at making bread and this recipe is amazing and simple for bread baking novices like me! Fantastic!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I made this for my husband and he loves it! Came out beautifully!
Absolutely amazing.
followed recipe exactly, turned out great!
Nothing is better than a slice of homemade bread. Love your recipe!
Nothing is better than a slice of homemade bread. Nice recipe!
This is almost exactly the same recipe as I have for white bread. I made it and the family loved it.
Made this today…delicious! Didn’t have molasses so I used Steens 100% pure cane syrup.
This was fabulous for a 100% whole wheat bread – and very soft too. Thank you for sharing!
The whole wheat bread is absolutely delicious! And I do mean absolutely! I used maple syrup and 2 cups whole wheat and two cups AP flour. Will use white whole wheat instead of AP next time.
I see a lot of these comments are years old. I am right in the middle of the first rise of this bread and it looks sooo good. Anyway, I was wondering if you’ve tried some add ins to this bread such as cinnamon and brown sugar or anything like that?
I haven’t tried adding anything to this bread, though I’m sure it is possible, and delicious!
Perfect
I was craving a vegetable plate with a hunk of hearty whole wheat bread for lunch today. So I made this recipe this morning.
It is perfect. Dense, wheaty flavor, light enough, delicious. It reminds me of the breads that were served in hippie vegetarian restaurants at coastal Northern California restaurants in the 1970s.
I’m trying your recipe for the first time right now in a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Could I also bake this in a boule shape in my Lodge Dutch Oven? If so what temp and time would you recommend? I gave 5-star at this point cause it was so easy to make!
Thank you.
I’m not sure about baking as a boule in a dutch oven. I’m sure it can be done, but I don’t know about time and temperature since I haven’t tested it. If you do, please come back and let me know how it goes!
This is really good. I’ve made (tried) many 100% whole wheat bread recipes over my 50 years of baking. This is my favorite.
Used active dry yeast, so bloomed it in the warm water/molasses/butter for 10m before adding it to the flour and salt. Only used 1 1/2 tsp salt, because 2 tsp seemed like a lot. Used all 4c of flour, and kneaded by hand. Doubled in size both times in 1 hour. Baked for 30m. Turned out well, very soft!
Hi Annalise. Thank you for this recipe! I used instant yeast 1 packet. The bread rose beautifully in 30 minutes. I punched it down, ro??ed it out and put it in the pan but it did not rise much again. i will try again. Can it be baked on the first rise only? Not sure what I did wrong.
Hi Wendyl! It could simply be that you didn’t give the dough enough time for a second rise. Try increasing time (maybe even double it) until dough has roughly doubled in size and looks nice and puffy. You could also try a warmer place for the rise. Did the loaf turn out okay?
Hi Annalise. Thanks so much for the quick reply. I will try again. I gave the second rise an hour and it was in a warm p!ace. It could be that the first rise was really high, more than double after 30 min, and I expected the second to be that high.. I used a packet of instant yeast which is 11gm not 7. I also subbed honey for molasses. I live in the mtns in Bali and molasses not easy to get. Will let you know. Thanks!!!
Hi Annalise. Thanks so much for the quick reply. I gave the second rise an hour and it was in a warm p!ace. It could be that the first rise was really high, more than double after 30 min, and I expected the second to be that high.. I used a packet of instant yeast which is 11gm not 7. I also subbed honey for molasses. I live in the mtns in Bali and molasses not easy to get. Will let you know. I mixed in lots of seeds and made flatbread. I will try again. Thanks!!!
Hi Annalise. I just made the bread again and it came out beautifully. I had been using a no knead never fail whole wheat recipe until I found yours. I could never cut the bread without it crumbling, hard as rock crust crust even though lower oven temp and wet, doughy inside. Your bread is a winner. I found a company that imports Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour into Bali. Its a great flour. Your bread is a winner. 🙏 Wendyl
Made this for my parents and they absolutely loved it. They asked for more so they could have it in the freezer. My mom didn’t even care for wheat bread, until I made this. She’s hooked. Followed the directions as written and came out beautifully.
I made this for my parents and they absolutely loved it. I had to make more before I left to come home. My mom didn’t even care for wheat bread until I made this. Now it’s her new favorite. I followed the directions as they are written and the bread came out beautifully!
Can this recipe be doubled
Sure!
I came across this recipe while searching for a strictly whole wheat bread (too many recipes have white flour added). I have adopted a mostly plant-based diet to help heal my gut after illness and made it with Earth Balance spread instead of butter, and honey as I didn’t have molasses on hand. Served it for family lunch with home made strawberry jam as an accompaniment to home made soup. It was a huge hit. I also used my bread hook for the very first time in my mixer – so much easier than hand kneading. Thanks so much for sharing.