Easy, Hearty, White Wheat Bread | Baking Recipe

This is an easy, hearty bread recipe, made with a packet of yeast and a dash of whole wheat flour that requires very little kneading, fussing or attention. Jump to recipe.

No sourdough needed

In March 2020, in lieu of my newfound work from home position amidst COVID lockdown, I fulfilled my dream of having my very own sourdough starter. Months later, after a tumultuous string of events that ultimately led to the decision to move, I decided it was time to let my starter go. After all, it hadn’t been bubbling for weeks and was producing a strange grey liquid on top that smelled a bit like toe jam.

And so there I was, having passed into and out of the sourdough starter phase of quarantine 2020. Thankfully, I am persistent upon purchasing yeast packets whenever I see them, particularly when grocery store stocks began dwindling and the shelves looked more and more bare with each visit.

Cooler months are coming, and while grocery shelves may be stocked, it’s still nice to enjoy a loaf of homemade bread on the weekend. Bonus: your house will smell like fresh baked bread for days!

Bread that sticks to your ribs

This is not a fluffy, Wonder bread recipe. This bread has density and a heartiness that makes for a great breakfast toast or soup companion. Slice thin for best results. The wheat flour adds a heftiness that makes it extra filling and flavorful compared to a fluffy white bread.

Homemade bread for the rest of us

I love freshly baked, homemade bread. What I don’t love is spending countless hours preparing it only to have it come out subpar. That’s why this is my go-to homemade bread recipe. It’s simple, straightforward and comes out great every time.

If you are new to making bread, here’s a video of me kneading the dough by hand. You can watch it before you begin the recipe, or while you are kneading the dough. Let’s make bread together!

Easy, Hearty White Wheat Bread Recipe

This bread is made to fill you up! Read the full recipe, including tips and notes about mix-ins before beginning. We suggest making it as is for your first try, and experimenting with mix-ins as you feel comfortable. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup warm water
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon Active Dry Yeast or Instant Yeast
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour

Directions

1. Bloom the yeast. Add water, honey salt and yeast to a glass bowl. Whisk gently to combine Let sit 3-5 minutes until bubbles appear on the top of the liquid.

2. Add flour.

• Add the all-purpose and wheat flours to the bowl with yeast. Incorporate using a spatula until dough becomes shaggy, then you can use your hands. Remember to scrape the bottom of the bowl to fully incorporate flour.
• Once all the flour is incorporated and the dough has come together in a bowl, turn out onto a lightly floured wooden board or clean, flat surface.
• Knead using the heel of your hand until dough is smooth and not sticky.
• You can easily do this by hand, but if you prefer, use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.     Watch closely so as to not overmix.

3. Heat oven and rest dough.

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Turning the oven on now allows plenty of time for it to come fully up to temperature before baking the bread.
• Place the round dough on the wooden board. Cover gently with a clean flour sack towel (dish towels also work) and allow it to rise for 30-45 minutes.

4. Prepare your loaf pan.

• Using a paper towel, lightly rub the inside of the pan with olive oil. (This step isn’t really necessary especially if you have a good non-stick loaf pan, but it won’t hurt the bread and gives some peace of mind during the baking process. Better safe then stuck!)
• Cut a strip of parchment to fit long-ways in the loaf pan, with some excess over the sides. This will make it easy to lift the loaf out of the pan once its done baking.

5. Shape the bread.

• Gently roll the dough back and forth to make a log shape approximately the same size as your loaf pan. It shouldn’t take much to get it into shape.
• Place dough into loaf pan and using a bench knife, lame or razor blade, score lightly down the middle.

6. Bake. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

• You are looking for a nice golden outside and a hollow sound when you knock on the bread.
• Leave cooling rack for an hour or so before slicing for a clean cut, and to ensure its finished the cooking process.

Notes & Tips

• Spread olive oil on your baking sheet or loaf pan so the dough doesn’t stick.

• Check for doneness by tapping the bottom of the bread. If it sounds hollow, the bread is finished cooking.

Mix-In Ideas

Add any spices, seasonings or mix-ins you’d like. Try adding sliced olives, patted dry, Italian seasoning or a sprinkle of your favorite cheese! Add mix-ins after dough is kneaded, but before it is shaped and rested.

Some ideas to get you started:

• Kalamata Olives

• Parmesan, with pesto brushed on top just before baking and a sprinkle of flaky salt.

• Sunflower seeds, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained dry before baking.

• Carmelized onions and blue cheese

• Sundried tomatoes