My mom used to make her own bread and yogurt from scratch.
I mean, come on. How cool is she?
I remember learning that and thinking my mom was the most awesome hippie mom ever and I wanted to do the same if I was ever a mama.
The bread-making season in our house ended sometime around the arrival of 10-pound me. But can you blame her? She had two babies to look after and who has time to make bread with so much life happening?
Well, the good news is, you do have time to make this bread. I even speculate you could make it with a baby on your hip because it is literally a dump, mix, rise and bake kind of bread! Let’s get to baking!
This recipe is simple in both preparation and ingredients.
Just 9 basic ingredients that are very forgiving. If you don’t have any of the seeds or oats on hand, just omit them! It’s still totally doable.
With a short 20-minute bake time, hands on prep time is only 15 minutes + the rise! Hello, free time.
When I say dump, mix, rise, I mean it.
You literally dump the ingredients in a bowl, mix and let it do its thing in the fridge.
All that’s left to do is knead in the seedy and oat-y things and let it rise once more while the oven preheats.
Twenty minutes later and you have a perfectly delicious, seedy, whole grain loaf on your hands.
This loaf is magnificent; everything you want in a homemade bread. It’s:
Seriously simple
Tender on the inside
Crusty on the outside
Loaded with whole grains
Seedy
Dreamy
& Perfect
This makes the perfect bread for toast, sandwiches, french toast, and everything in between.
I’ve been loving it with smashed avocado and a little vegan parmesan cheese and hemp seeds, or with peanut butter and flax seed. You really can’t go wrong.
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, or take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see what you come up with. Happy baking!
Easy Whole Grain Seeded Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 3/4 Tbsp fast-acting yeast (1 packet yields ~3/4 Tbsp or 2 1/4 tsp)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup, agave, or honey if not vegan
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Whole-Wheat Pastry Flour
- 1 3/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (plus more for rolling / dusting)
- 2 Tbsp raw or roasted sunflower seeds
- 2 Tbsp rolled oats
Instructions
-
Combine warm water (like bath water, or 110 degrees F / 43 C), yeast, maple syrup or sugar, salt, flax seed and flours in a large mixing bowl and stir. The result will be a sticky, rough dough. If using a stand mixer, beat at medium speed for about a minute. Otherwise just use a spoon to stir until well combined and when it can no longer do the job, knead and turn it in the bowl with your hands. Add flour until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides - about 3 3/4 cups total (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
-
Lift the dough out and lightly grease the bowl with nonstick spray or olive oil. Cover and let rise for 2 hours at room temperature and 2 hours in the fridge. Alternatively, go straight for the fridge for two hours to save time, though a longer rise is best.
-
Use fingers to create a small hole in the dough and pour in sunflower seeds and oats. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead about 20 turns or until elastic. Form into a loaf-like shape.
-
Place seam-side down in a lightly greased loaf pan or baking sheet and sift a light coating of flour over the top to help keep the dough moist. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 45-60 minutes.
-
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 C)* toward the end of the dough resting time and place a metal or cast iron pan (not glass, Pyrex, or ceramic) on the lowest oven rack. Also have 1 cup of hot water ready.
-
When the oven is preheated, slash the bread 2 or 3 times with a knife, making a cut about ½-inch deep.
-
Place in oven on middle rack. Then carefully pour hot water into the shallow pan on the rack beneath. Expect it to bubble and steam; then close oven door quickly.
-
Bake the bread for 26 to 35 minutes, or until deep golden brown and risen.
-
Remove the bread from the oven and let rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Then carefully remove from pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool. Let it cool completely before slicing for best results (otherwise it can be doughy in the middle).
-
Store leftovers in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to a few days. Transfer to freezer for longer term storage.
Notes
*Based on some users' experience, I lowered the baking temperature to 425* F (from 450) to ensure the middle gets all the way done. I've had success at 450* F, but it seems some people's ovens or loaf pans are not allowing it to cook all the way through. This information was updated 3/15/16.
*Adapted from my 7 Ingredient Muesli Bread.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 12 slices)
- Calories: 163
- Fat: 1.5g
- Sodium: 292mg
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 2.9g
- Sugar: 2.4g
- Protein: 4.4g
This post was sponsored by the lovely folks at Bob’s Red Mill. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Minimalist Baker!
Oh wow!! This definitely looks easy. And I just love all your bread topping combinations…NEED!
I’m kind of a toast snob. Hope you love this one Katrina!
Perfect! Looks absolutely lovely :)
Do you think this recipe can be made gluten free? Thanks, love and enjoy making your recipes!
I second this request! We have such mixed success buying GF bread that is tasty and making our own would be so much better…especially with a recipe like this.
I’ll add it to my list!
Yay! I might try it with my GF flours anyway, but it’d be good to have one from you. We trust you! :)
I third this request! Would love a GF version.
I have it on my list to test this gluten free but haven’t yet. Let me know if you give it a try!!
GAWGEOUS D Money!
Thanks frand!
Homemade bread is the best, ever. I used to be scared to work with yeast because my first loaf of bread turned out bad, but I have overcome my fear. I love the idea of using whole wheat pastry flour instead of regular whole wheat. Great idea. I like whole grains, but sometimes wheat can be a bit too strong. This sounds so simple and easy.
Thanks Neeli! This one really is simple and versatile. Hope you give it a try!
Hi Dana,
I made my first loaf of homemade bread today. I was so excited. But the bread tastes really salty. Would it be ok to cut down on the salt? Maybe to just a teaspoon?
Thanks
Hmm, not sure what happened! Cut back to 1 tsp next time and let me know how it goes! 1/2 Tbsp worked well for me.
Beautiful!! This looks so so good!
I love baking bread! This looks so easy and fun, I can’t wait to try it.
I bake my own bread weekly, and I have to say, Yum, this loaf looks so good! Is there a way to substitute regular dry active yeast in for the quick yeast? I know it’ll have to rise longer of course, but is there any other difference?
Not to my knowledge, no. Just let it rise a bit longer – maybe 30 minutes to 1 hour? As long as it doubles in size you’re good!
I just made this recipe, but only had dry active yeast on hand– it turned out pretty well (I just need to cook it for a few minutes longer next time and it’ll turn out perfect)!
Just remember to proof your dry active yeast first (it can’t be dumped in with dry ingredients the way that instant yeast can) and let it rise an additional 15-30 minutes or so. Also, apparently, you need to use 1/3 less active dry yeast per whatever the recommended amount of instant calls for in a recipe.
I didn’t know that last bit until I’d already mixed all mine in, so it clearly didn’t ruin this bread for me!
Thanks for the great recipe!!
Oh that bread looks delicious! Can’t beat the smell of fresh bread cooking, my nan would always cook her own bread, mine just never seems to turn out so well.
Courtney
SO beautiful! I am a total bread snob (as in I shell out $7 every week for the organic seeded whole wheat loaf at the co-op), and this looks like just the thing to replace that pricey habit. I have some avocados that are just begging to be smashed on top of it…
Ooh, ditch the expensive bread and make your own! Then, totally smash an avo on it. It’s a must!
This is such a fantastic bread recipe!!!! I can’t wait to have a go with it- a quick bake is exactly what I need right now- and it looks so much nicer than store bought bread!
This looks delicious! Can you sub sprouted whole wheat flour for the pastry flour?
Though i haven’t tried it myself, I am almost certain it would! Report back if you try it :D
I’m definitely making this!! I love Bob’s Red Mill products but had never looked at their website. This is a great quote on the site that definitely makes me want to support Bob’s Red Mill even more:
“Bob’s 81st birthday was particularly special. Rather than receiving gifts, he decided to give his greatest gift away — his business. Bob surprised all his employees by giving them total ownership of Bob’s Red Mill through an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP). For those who know Bob, it’s yet another example of his kind-hearted generosity. As Bob puts it “It was just the right thing to do. I have people that have worked with me for over 30 years and each and every one of them deserve this.”‘
That’s one of the many reasons I love Bob’s! They are truly a wonderful company full of integrity. Not to mention, their products are the best! Hope you love this bread.
Is fast acting yeast = instant yeast?
Yes!
And does instant yeast equal rapid rise?
Yes!
Yum! I love homemade bread & this one looks delicious!! Great job! I will totally be trying this out!
I loooove homemade bread, I make it on a similar way and it’s indeed the best one. however, lately I have been buying them in supermarkets, but it’s about time to start making them at home again. Will try this recipe as well. Looks yummy! <3
Great, Adela! Store bought is great when you’re busy, but if you have the time this one really is worth it! Especially since it’s so simple. Hope you give it a try!
ANY chance this can be adapted for a bread machine? I make a similar recipe with just honey, salt, flour and water in the bread machine…. but would love to add more goodies!
I’ve never used a bread machine, but I think it would work! Just try and follow the recipe as instructed, just using the bread machine to mix/rise. Good luck!
I just tried this recipe in my bread machine and it worked great. Just dump everything in and the bread machine does all the work…how easy is that? And I must say it is delicious bread! Toasts well. It’s a keeper! Thanks for the recipe!
So Im trying this in my bread machine right now and I had two questions/problems. First, Did you use the whole 3 3/4 cups flour right away? I went ahead and did that so fingers crossed!
Also, my bread machine usually mixes for a bit and then the bread rises for a long time. For some reason with this dough, the bread machine never stopped mixing it! She just kept going and going and going! I finally decided to take it out to let it rise… any idea why that would have happened?
The only thing I did different is sprinkle the yeast in the warm water to dissolve it first and then dumped everything else in, including all the flour on the recipe. It took most of the day in my bread machine but it turned out perfect. I’m not really familiar with how long it mixes…what is the norm because I don’t use my bread machine that often to know. I just dumped it all in and walked away hoping for the best! Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Dumb question of the century: I haven’t used my bread machine for 10 years and not since I became vegan. Should I assume that, when using the bread machine, I should skip the refrigeration part? :)
O.K. For some odd reason there is no reply option under Jem’s post so I am replying this way and hope you get the post. Skip the refrigeration part.
I can’t believe how easy this looks to make! Can’t wait to try it out!
Cant wait to make this! Any chance I could use wholewheat flour instead of the pastry flour?
Yes! It will be a little more hearty/rustic, but still delicious!
I wasn’t able to find the whole wheat pastry flour so I subbed half whole wheat flour and half cake flour — turned out wonderfully! Thanks for such a great recipe!
Just made this and it is so delicious. Both kiddos approve of it and they are pretty picky eaters. I will definitely be making it again. It was so easy to make and all you need to do is make sure you take the time to let it rise.
Thanks Liz! So glad you and the family loved it. Cheers!
This is one of the best wheat bread recipes I’ve seen lately.Hoping to try it this coming weekend!
Oh.. what a recipe.. I would definitely love to try it..
It looks so simple like that! I am definitely going to make this over the Easter break.
I made this yesterday and it was the first time I ever made bread from scratch. It tastes amazing ! I will be making this again tomorrow since the loaf is already almost gone ! Thanks for the great recipe!
Yay! Thanks Elise! So glad you enjoyed it.
I make bread/pizza dough every week using prettymuch the same proportions, and its so good! The only thing I do differently to make it quicker and easier (though, technically, longer and slower?!) is to mix the dough before bed, let it sit overnight, then do the second mix in the morning before work and pop it into the fridge for whenever I feel like baking it later that day. For me, it makes the whole process seem so easy, and the longer rise means a yeastier tasting bread! That way, if its 5:00 and I randomly decide I want fresh bread/rolls, the dough is just waiting for me in the fridge. It’s so nice like that :)
I love how easy this looks. The only thing holding me back from bread making is that I have about 10 inches x 18 inches of actual free counter space in my tiny apartment kitchen, but I think this could be done in that amount of space…
It’s totally doable! Our apartment kitchen is rather small :D PROOF: https://instagram.com/p/yIewJNn7Dh/
Lydia,
You can place a large wooden cutting board over your kitchen sink for a counter “extention”. #KitchenCounterRealestate
Thank you thank you for posting! Just took mine out of the oven, flipped it out of the pan and chopped off a burning hot end piece and couldn’t wait to eat it! So easy and so delicious! I used all whole wheat flour and that seemed to work great and kneaded in a grain mix, I love the flexibility of the recipe! Thanks Dana!
Yay! So great to hear it. Thanks for sharing Mary!
I love homemade bread and this looks so easy. Must Try it!
this looks wonderful! I only have bobs whole-wheat flour and spelt flour. could I use those and if so what combination? thanks so much!!
I think that’ll work! This bread seems pretty forgiving. Check back if you do!
so after I used up my ww flour I realized I did have the ww pastry flour. so I used a cup of reg bobs ww flour and 1 3/4 of pastry flour and a cup of regular white flour (don’t like using that). It turned out great! Yes it is forgiving :) thank you!
This looks lovely! I’l have to try a gluten free version! Will let you know if I have success :)
Bob’s Red Mill is the best! I love their gluten free options and I also find that their almond flour is the best texture out there.
If I use GF all purpose flour instead of the regular all purpose, what would you recommend subbing for the whole wheat? Thanks!
Bob’s is the best, agreed! Hmm, I would recommend maybe gluten free oat flour? Having not tried it myself I can’t make that recommendation strongly. But check back if you have success!
This looks amazing. I love homemade bread! However, I’m curious about the whole wheat pastry flour. I’ve had trouble using it in yeast-risen dough in the past (pizza dough mainly), and the description on the Bob’s Red Mill website even says that it doesn’t work well with yeast. Did you have any problems with it?
I didn’t! Good question. If you’re fearful, however, you could use regular whole wheat or white whole wheat.
Just out of curiosity, why is using a glass pan a no-no with this bread?
To my knowledge, it’s just because the oven is so high (450 degrees) that it risks shattering.
Ground flax seed?? This looks great! Going to try it tonight!
Just curious, could I let it rise at room temp the whole time or does it need to go in the fridge? And if so why?
It could probably sit at room temp the whole time but I wouldn’t exceed 3 hours or it will likely rise over your bowl.
Thank you for such a simple, fantastic recipe! I just took this out of the oven and it is soooo yummy! I have never been able to conquer bread. I can’t believe how little effort this required and with such a delicious outcome! I used whole wheat flour instead of wwp flour. But stuck to your recipe otherwise. Thanks so much!
Thanks for the advice. I went ahead and made the bread this afternoon and let it rise on the counter, just keeping an eye on it. The results are amazing! This bread is fantastic and since I’m not vegan I slathered it up with butter, but didn’t stop there. Peanut butter, avocado and tomato….Thanks so much! Do you think this would work with your gluten free flour blend?
So great! Thanks for sharing Leila. I’m not sure on the gluten free blend but I intend to give it a try soon! I’ll be sure to share my results so stay tuned!
This bread sounds fantastic! I forget how accomplishing it feels to make bread, even when it’s “easy”.
I made this yesterday. Hands down the best bread I’ve ever made! I’ve been trying to develop a super-grainy multigrain/seeded bread recipe, using soda bread as my starting point. This worked soooo much better! I followed your recipe and loved the results, but now I’ll probably try raising the amount and variety of seeds to see what happens. I also want to try making rolls, because I feel that this bread is screaming “get a veggie burger in me right now!”
I’d like to first say that myself, as well as, my family (of non-vegans) love your recipes. Im no chef and I don’t always have time and/or am on a budget, yet, some-how your recipes can make a mean dish with all my hick-ups along the way. Seriously, gold! so thanks for that. Now that the sappy bit is done, I’d like to ask for help on this one.
I tried to up the nuturitional content a bit, by subbing (1/4) cup a.p. flour with Psyllium Husk, for fiber. Now, the bread didn’t rice I assume for that reason. After I took it out of the fridge it was hard and un-kneadable. That being said, after baking it didn’t turn out too bad just crazy dense. Could it be possible to have it rise more? increase yeast? allow to yeast to proof? add more flour and/or liquid?
Loved the simplicity of this in any case, all my other bread attempts have been horrifying minus this one.
Thanks again.
Hmm, I’m not sure on that one! The psyllium husk probably did it and I’m not familiar with that ingredient. Maybe next time instead of that add more flax seed? Wish I could be of more help! Sorry Liz!
I love how simple this bread is, Dana! I’ve gotten into baking bread lately, and totally appreciate recipes that don’t take too much effort. (If I’m putting a lot of work into my bread, it better be brioche :D )
This is the flour blend I used to make this bread GF.
Big Batch
5 cups of brown rice flour
3 cups of sorghum flour
1 3/4 cup arrowroot flour
1 1/3 tapioca flour
1 tbsp + 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
Small Batch
1 1/4 cups of brown rice flour
3/4 cups of sorghum flour
1/2 shy cup arrowroot flour
1/3 tapioca flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
Made this overnight in my bread machine and the whole family has enjoyed it for breakfast. It was perfect for this cool autumnal morning. It’s delicious and filling. Even the three year old had no complaints. Thank you, will be making it again.
Hi Pascal, Can you tell me how long you baked it for in your machine? Thanks so much.
Hi Nancy,
I used the french bread setting on my machine. This is the longest setting and last 3h50mins.
This has a knead- rise- add additional ingredients (in this case the oats and sunflowers)- rise again, then bake process. This setting is my go to failsafe setting for all my bread mixes.
Hope that helps.
Pascale
Dear Pascal, thanks for the specs on bread machine. I will try this very soon!
Pascale – you posted this over two years ago, but I’m late to the party! I’m going to use a bread machine, too (and now the French Bread setting). What size loaf? 2 lb?
Thanks!
Thanks, Dana! I made this as well as your 7-ingredient Museli bread and they both turned out DElicious!! Probably the best success I’ve had with bread-making so far… yea! I mixed the ingredients the evening before, let the doughs rise at room temp. for 3 or 4 hours, then refrigerated overnight and finished the baking process the next morning. I used bread flour instead of all purpose flour, and was really happy with everything. I’m pretty new to bread making…. Is it OK to let the dough sit out for more than two hours, and what are your thoughts on using bread flour instead of all purpose? Thanks so much. I really am enjoying your blog. Your photographs and writing are stunning!
Thanks Kathy! So great to hear the recipes worked out so well. Cheers!
I’m not on Instagram, but will post photos on my blog with a link to your recipes. Thanks again, Dana!!!
Dana, Here’s a link to my photos and your recipes.
THANKS again Dana and John, you ROCK!!!
http://www.KathleenRupff.com/blog/day-851-a-photo-or-two-a-day-o-minimalist-baker-recipes
Thanks for sharing, Kathy! I think it’s OK to let it set out for longer. You just don’t want it to go too long or it will get massive and a little difficult to work with. You can probably use bread flour instead of all purpose but I haven’t tried that so can’t comment! Thanks for the kind words!
This bread is fantastic. Waiting for my 2nd batch to go into the oven as we speak! It is incredibly tough to always cook while in med school and this recipe is beyond easy and delicious! I love that I can sit and study and the dough does all the work! Have decided to make it a weekly staple in my home.
Definitely NOT recommended at high altitudes.
Is it flax seed essential on this bread? Coz, its hard to find flax seed in my place. can we substituted with something else?
Nope! Leave it out.
You know, you can do everything with a baby on your hip if you have to. But making something SIMPLE (and delicious-looking) sounds so much better than doing laundry and vacuum with 15 pounds strapped on to me! I’ve been itching to bake my own bread again and this looks just about perfect!
Wow! Looks amazing and simple to make. I have to try this!
I’ve made this bread twice now since your post, amazing! Once more…
This was so easy and tastes soooooo good! First time bread maker and Wow, thanks for the recipe!
Love your site… Made the chocolate cake too…
So my first try wasn’t wildly successful- and by that I mean it looked amazing from the outside and the inside….was, well not. I didn’t knead in the full 3 3/4 cups flour in at the beginning, I only used 1 additional cup as the dough was no longer sticking to anything? Should I use the additional matter no matter the sticking? I was afraid of kneading too much. Not sure if I over or under did it since the bread was sense and rubbery. Help!
Hmm, next time I might reccomend baking it on a baking sheet to allow it to spread more and cook through the middle. As for needing, in my experience, when the dough gets smooth and a little hard to work with you know it’s done!
Hi Dana,
Don’t like using white flour… can we use ALL whole wheat pastry flour? Or something other than the white flour?
Thanks! :))
How about spelt!?
My bread just came out from the oven and it’s looking- and smelling- incredible! Pretty sure it will taste great too :-) thank you so much for this lovely recipe!
I would highly recommend adding yeast to the warm water with a little sugar (to feed the yeast!) separately, and add it to the bowl after letting it get all frothy after 10mins. Even if it’s instant yeast I find that this extra step makes your bread even fluffier! :-)
Just made this – heavenly!
The only thing I did differently is I added the yeast to the warm water and maple syrup and let it stand for 10 minutes, then I added the rest.
Thank you! I’m going to make more tomorrow for a neighbor.
Can this be made in a bread maker also? Any other changes needed to be made if made in a bread maker?
Check the above comments!
I made this bread yesterday, the first time ever making bread!
My first issue was that when i combined all the ingredients and mixed them together, I just couldn’t get all the dough sticking together in one clump. The flour was not mixing well. I thought it maybe just needed some time to rise, but that didn’t really change much.
In the end it ended up being a somewhat continue loaf with a bunch of extra crumbly pieces…
It ended up tasking GOOD, but the consistency/appearance of it could definitely be better.
Do you have any ideas for why that might have happened? I didn’t have enough honey, and I also had the active dry instead of the fast…did I not let it rise enough?
Any ideas welcome, I’m definitely going to try and make it again next weekend!
Hmm, I’m not sure. Perhaps you didn’t knead it long enough? Not sure!! Next time try and use the specific ingredients (amounts, too) as that should help!
This is fantastic bread. My alterations: I used regular whole wheat flour, only 1 tsp salt, and didn’t have sunflower seeds. Came out with a loaf that was just dense enough to be satisfying, but not too heavy, with a beautiful crust that had a little bite. Only marginally harder than using the bread machine, with much better results (mine always comes out a little gummy in the machine). Avocado toast for breakfast tomorrow for sure!
Just for clarification, is the 3 3/4 cups flour at the end of the first step in addition to the two flours already called for in the recipe?
yes, please answer as I am perplexed as well!
Same question here!
I was confused by this as well. The wording should have been something like: “Continue adding the flour until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides – about 3 3/4 cups total.”
Will you be developing other breads like cinnamon raisin bread, walnut.
I’m not vegan but that vegan bread looks crazy good. I’ve been looking for a good whole grain bread recipe, something crunchy, and it looks like this is it right here. Thanks!
I’m just about to put this in the oven. I’m not sure what I did, but I ended up with two loaf pans’ worth so I froze half. I’ve never used water in the oven with bread before, maybe that’s why I always end up with a door stop, ha ha.
Hey Dana! Would it be possible to (successfully) use all whole wheat flour rather than whole wheat AND all purpose?
I think so, it just will taste more rustic and hearty if that’s OK with you.
This morning, I doubled the recipe and made two loaves. As I was in the process of putting the ingredients into my Bosch bowl, I realized the recipe does not call for any oil. Since I have baked my own bread for many years (using recipes that always call for a bit of oil), I was a little nervous about preparing it with no oil of any kind.
So, I added a little coconut oil and olive oil. Turned out great! However, several of the replies have stated that this bread was very good, and they apparently didn’t change the recipe by adding oil. Perhaps next time, I’ll try it without oil, (but I have left out the oil in other bread recipes by accident before and it was not very good too dry).
Dana, is there any reason that this recipe does not include oil?
Thanks.
Lynn
It’s just not necessary in my experience! Thanks for sharing, Lynn
Is it possible to replace the pastry and all purpose flour with your gluten free blend? Been trying to find a gluten free bread for my daughter using your gf blend ..any recommendations?
Dana, could you give me dimensions of the loaf pan, please. Thx.
9×5 inch
This bread is delicious! However, after 26 minutes the top is pretty brown and crunchy, but the center is still a bit raw. Any advice? Thanks for such a delicious recipe!
Hi Jodi! I had heard of one other person having that issue. Perhaps your loaf pan is a bit narrow? Maybe next time turn the heat down slightly (maybe 25 degrees?) and bake for 5-10 minutes more.
Can’t do any sugar.
Will it work without using any?
Thanking you in advance for any information you may send
Hi Jodi, i was very impressed with the recipe and comments and then yesterday i baked this bread with exact steps, only thing i did different was i replaced the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour totally and used 2 cups and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour. My bread was very dense and it didn’t rise at all in oven. i really wanna hands on this bread making. Can you please tell what i did wrong as it was hard dense and didnt cook in middle bread :-(.
Also please clarify that all purpose flour quantity is 3/4 OR 1 cup and 3/4?
Thanks,
Anjali
This bread is awesome! I have tried with little success to make bread that isn’t like a rock a few hours after it comes out of the oven. But, this is light and soft and delicious and so super easy to make.
Even my kids love it…
So glad I don’t have to buy store bread again!
BIG THANK YOU xx
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
I was so excited to try this recipe. Everything went well at first. The dough rose perfectly.
It looked great going into the oven. Baking at 450 for 20-26 minutes seemed a bit odd, but I followed instructions. First slice off the end was divine. After that, not so good. The whole middle of the loaf was raw. I would be afraid to bake too much longer at this high heat. Did I do something wrong?
Such a good recipe and easy!
Shelley, I’ve heard this from a couple people and I think it may have to do with the size of your loaf pan. I believe mine is a 9×5-inch. If it’s any smaller or narrower, this could be causing the issue. I’d recommend turning down the heat by 25 degrees and baking it 5-10 minutes longer next time!
The exact same thing happened to me! I loved the recipe and will definitely try it again with lower heat and keep it in a bit longer. Another issue I had was that the dough didn’t form itself throughout the pan and just stayed in the same form I rolled it in. It was a bit higher at the top and it didn’t spread out to the sides of the pan. I think this may have added to the raw part in the middle of the loaf. Perhaps it required more kneading?
Hi! Do you think I could use this as my basic bread? Say I follow this recipe but I add stuff.. pesto? Pizza rolls? Cinnamon rolls? Do you think this recipe will still do the job? Thank you!
Oh, I think that’s an awesome idea! Let me know what you come up with!
Made this! It was idiot proof. My first attempt at bread making and it was a success! Thanks for the awesome recipe, you’ve given me the best boost to continue baking breads!
I had no pastry flour so I used atta flour and AP.. then didn’t do the seeds and oats but made them as cinnamon bread and the second batch with as cheese rolls. Yum!
Hi Dana,
I look the idea of making this bread as it seems so simple and delicious. I am however gluten free.
I have had great success using oat, chia seeds, psyllium husk and other ingredients before but I seem to struggle with this one.
I have replaced the two flours with rice flour and buckwheat flour and come across two problems- one the bread won’t really rise no matter how long I let it and two- once baked it’s very doughy and crumbly…Any idea what it could be? Do you think it’s the flours I use?
Thank you for your help!
I am in love with this easy bread recipe! Today is the third time I’ve made it. Trying to make a fresh loaf every week. Thanks so much for the fab recipe!
Just made this but turned half into hamburger buns for our veggie burgers tonight. I had a pack of store bought buns in the fridge but NO ONE wanted one of those once they smelled (and tasted … oops, now I’m short one bun!) the ones that came hot out of the oven. DEEEELISH!
It was so easy and we loved it!
I have made this before… Today I made it & followed the complete directions. The previous time I made this bread it was okay. By following the directions, I.e. Rise time & allowing it to cool down completely before slicing made a huge difference! Love it. Very easy & very tasty. I can see myself making this time & time again.
Thanks Sandy!
I like in Korea, which is an ovenless, store-bought-white-bread-that-might-have-sugar-on-it wasteland (I, mean, I love this country, but the bread situation is sad). I’ve made this bread in my toaster oven several times now. It doesn’t all fit in the oven at once, but once I split it into two small loaves instead of one big it worked perfectly!
I am a total noob and this will be my first ever try at making bread at home, and I needed a Vegan option. This was the first recipe I found and Im going for it!! Ill report back when I finish, but I did have one question. Instead of 2 Cups WW Pastry flour and 1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose, can I just use WW flour and the UAPF for dusting? Is that the same thing?
Hi there,
quick question: so the bread has to rise for a total of four hours?
2 hours at room temperature and then another two hours in the fridge?
* Looking forward to making it :-)
this bread was simply incredible ! Everything it promised to be. I will only use this recipe for whole grain bread henceforth
So wonderful! thanks for sharing, Rashida!
Has anyone tried making rolls/mini loaves
using this recipe?
The directions say to let rise at room temperature for 2 hours AND in the fridge for 2 hours. Just want to be sure it’s 4 hours total? Thanks! Can’t wait to make this
Yep!
I made it two days ago. I’m obsessed! It’s so yummy. My 2 year old asks me for “delicious toast”. ?
Just wanted to post a quick thank you for this recipe! We have been searching a long time for a simple, vegan, whole wheat bread loaf…and have eaten more than our fair share of recipe failures. I took your advice to replace the AP flour with whole spelt flour, and it turned out perfectly. We will definitely be sharing and making often! Thanks again. :)
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Amy!
Sounds simple, but a 1/2 TABLESPOON of salt!! Are you kidding? That is way too much, and super unhealthy per portion to have almost 300mg! Otherwise it sounds good, but that sodium megates and health benefits-Sorry.
Feel free to reduce it! Thanks for sharing, Caro.
Delicious! And very easy:) I will definitely make this again. Thanks!!!
Hi,
Really want to try this recipe out but can seem to see the quantity of the ingredients…
mel
This looks simply delish. Will give it a try with whole grain spelt and whole wheat flour. Will let you know how it turns out! :)
Hi Dana,
Thank you so much for your recipe. I tried it today and it turned wonderful. I used wheat flourfrom Indian store ( Spring wheat flour) in place of pastry flour. Thanks again for sharing your recipe.
Can I omit the sunflower seeds? Do I need to sub anything else? Thanks!
Nope, just omit!
Would this recipe work in a bread maker?
Sorry if this is a silly question but I’m new to bread baking! What is the purpose of the pan of water in the oven? And you’re not putting the bread pan in the water pan, right? I was confused there. Thanks!
It helps add moisture to the bread and cook more evenly, because it steams!
Steam also creates a cri crust.
Hey! I’m from a very small town with no grocery store. I stock basic items. This bread looks like wonderful quick remedy to running 40 miles to the grocery store when I need a good hearty bread! One question, Can I use regular stone ground whole wheat flour instead of pastry flour? If so, is there any adjustments?
Yes! It will affect the flavor – make it more nutty and dense – but still good!
Made this bread yesterday – It’s delicious!
Great, thanks Catie!
This was my first time making bread, and I definitely made a good choice picking this recipe! I have cut back on added sugar and have switched to whole grain/whole wheat foods, and I do not like most of the whole wheat/whole grain bread found in stores. This recipe was easy and tasted amazing! I chose to use honey since I already had some and I’m not vegan, but otherwise I followed the recipe exactly.
Anyway, thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Hi, want to try this today, could you please explain step one? at beginning it says add flours and the again at end says add flour total 3 3/4 cup, which is the listed total… so do you start with half of that?
Thanks for including the nutrition info. per slice – but I don’t see a listing for number of slices/servings per. Could you include this info. so we’d get a better sense of caories/nutrition per serving?
thanks!
Do you think this can be made in a breadmaker? I haven’t found a bread that has some out great in my breadmaker. I would love to try this one.
Did you use ‘regular’ salt or sea salt?
I just made this bread today and I am in LOVE with it. I love your website and will be making and voting on more of your recipes. This bread is yummy, crusty, and oh so delicious. As a new vegan I am so thankful to people like you who have created such awesome sites like yours! It’s such a help in the kitchen. :)
So kind! Thanks Nicky! xoxo
Hi Dana! Why have you used a mix of whole wheat and all purpose flour? What happens if you just use all whole wheat?
I think a mix gives a lighter, more tender texture. But all whole wheat if you’re OK with a slightly more dense, nutty bread!
I have been making bread for over 20 years and today I made your recipe. It was both easy to make and very delicious.
I see no measurements for the ingredients?
Keep scrolling down and you’ll find them ?
Thoroughly thrilled with this luscious loaf ?✌️?☺️ Your recipe made my first loaf of bread ? I’m recommending you to all my vegan friends ?
followed the directions to the letter. came out doughy. sadly disappointed
I can’t wait to try this! It looks so good. With the AP flour the “whole grain” title is misleading though…
Hi, is it okay if you substitute the AP flour with whole wheat flour?
That should work!
I have recently found your blog and have enjoyed it so much. Have you tried this bread yet with gluten free flour? Maybe even Bob’s blend?
Thanks so much!
I haven’t! But if you do, let me know!
After you add the initial flour and beat it you add 3.5 cups until it no longer sticks to the side. Is that 3.5 cups wheat or regular unbleached flour?
Wanted to try to make homemade bread this week so I went with this recipe because it looked easy enough and had good comments (as usual)! Well I was not deceived! I used only unbleached all purpose flour and it did the job. I think I should’ve used a bigger pan though, because my bread reaaaalllly rised a lot in the oven and some parts in the middle are a bit undercooked (I was afraid to leave it longer because the top was getting pretty brown and hard). So I’ll be more careful next time but I’ll stay with this recipe!
Can I split this dough up and make rolls from it? If so, do I need to do anything different? Suggestion on what size rolls to make if that is doable? Need for Thanksgiving if it works. Please let me know. Many thanks.
I think that should work! However, can I suggest this recipe as a guide instead?
Thanks for answering. I will just make the rolls. But if you ever get the chance, the reason I was interested in the other recipe was because it was more whole grain, so healthier for us. Perhaps you could try it sometime and let us know if it works. I have never made bread before so I will start with the simpler one.
I have made this bread twice the past week. I omit the flax, oats, and seeds, because I end up using it for French toast. Maybe next time I will make it with them all. I’ve noticed I have to add a considerable amount of extra flour for the middle of my loaves to get done and I have to cook it for about 45 minutes. I’m not exactly sure why, but I think it is a combo of not using the flax seeds and maybe not kneading long enough? Any ideas? I do really love the flavor though. It’s the only home made bread I’ve ever tried and it is amazing!
I WILL keep trying until I get it right! It tastes too good not to
Thanks Rhea! If your center isn’t getting done, I’d recommend reducing the heat slightly and cooking it longer!
Dana, I am wondering why you have to refrigerate the dough. Why not just let it rise at room temperature, kneed, then rise again.
Thanks
Why step 5 (place a metal or cast iron pan with hot water in it)????
It steams and adds moisture to the bread!
Hello! I am a novice bread baker and came across your recipe. I have some questions: Do you have any low carb bread recipes? (1) Can this recipe be adapted for a bread machine? (2) Can the recipe use white whole wheat flour? (3) Can the carbs be reduced? Thanks so much!
Is the flax seed you mention in this recipe ground or whole? It looks like in the pictures you are using ground but the ingredients don’t specify.
By the way, I’ve been making this bread (instead of getting store-bought) for the past few months, and it is excellent!
Thanks!
Wonderful! It’s ground. But whole would work, too.
Hi!
I have two things here so far that are quite puzzling. So, your recipe states that the total time is 3 hrs 15 mins, but as Im going by the steps it turns out I should be resting the dough for 2 hrs room temp, 2 hrs fridge, and finally 1 hour before baking. That makes 5 hours rest time, am I misunderstanding something? Also, ingredient list calls for 3 and 3/4th cups of flour mixture. Then, after combining them as per instructions, there comes a part saying ” Add flour until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides – about 3 3/4 cups total”. So if we were to combine all the flour before then there should be none left? Im really curious now, Im going to have it rest 1 hour room temp, 1 hr fridge and maybe 30mins in the pan, see what happens. Looks amazing though!:)
Can you use all whole wheat instead of mixed?
Hi, made this bread today. I measured a T of whole flaxseed, then grounded it. Maple syrup was my sweetener of choice and I only had King Arthur flours on hand. I was also having a little confusion on the exact amount of flour added, I noticed a few others were too. Personally I kneaded in an additional 1/2 cup of whole wheat pastry flour. Didn’t have any sunflower seeds so I used double the oats. Messed up and let it rise first in the fridge then on the counter (I’m quite the amateur bread baker). I let it rise a little extra in the loaf pan until it was nice and tall. No joke, this recipe is indeed extremely forgiving. This bread came out absolutely stunning after 21 mins in the oven. A crisp crust and a wonderfully flavorful, tender crumb. Thanks for the recipe, Dana, and thank you to all the reviews/comments that helped me along my way.
I made this yesterday, and my husband and I loved it! The recipe I was using had a lot of butter and sugar, so I’m glad to have a tasty bread that doesn’t use either. One question though, what would need to change to make two loafs instead of one?
Hi Dana! I tried this bread recipe today I followed instruction but At first I had troubled with kneading the dough was too tough and I can’t able to knead it then when it was baked the bread is too heavy inside but not as crunchy outside please enlighten me what went wrong.
Thanks and God Bless.
I made this bread last week. It was soooo good. I made it again this morning but added 1 tbs of vital wheat gluten and an extra 1 1/2 tbs water. It improved the texture. Giving it chewier bite. This is a keeper.
I’ll be using your delicious recipe again!
My only complaint was the big sell on it, then a few key details being omitted in the recipe instructions. For a novice baker it might be confusing, ie. When do I add the yeast?
I turned it into a sourdough bread, using 3/4 cup active sourdough starter, 3/4 warm water in place of the 1 1/2 cups warm water and quick yeast. I made the mistake of using ground flaxseed which thickened the dough, so that it only took 3 cups flour.
I extended the fridge time to overnight, then the final rise took another 8 hours.
Very good though, with a subtle sourdough taste.
Also I used all whole grain, mostly red fife, wheat, and a little rye.
I still don’t get how a bread can be called ‘whole wheat bread’ and use half white flour. All whole wheat is fine, if it’s a good quality flour.
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Oops! My apologies about the instructions comment, looks like my reading was what lacked detail.
Sorry, great recipe, bake on!
Thank you for this recipe! It was so easy to make and looks delicious! I put walnuts cause I didn’t have any sunflower seeds.
I forgot to make cuts on the top but it seems to have turned out ok. Can’t wait to taste it! ?
Perfect, except the loaf stuck to the glass bread pan I used, in a few places, tearing it. Even though I oiled it. Anyone have any advice on how to prevent this? I’m new to bread making. Thanks
Maybe lightly grease the pan beforehand?
Also be sure to follow the “let stand for five minutes” direction after taking it out of the oven. If you try to dump it out right away it will almost always tear. After sitting for five minutes you might ease the sides with a butter knife before dumping onto the cooling rack. I use a heavy duty metal bread pan if that makes any difference.
I shared some of this bread with friends and they loved it, but mostly hoarded it to myself.
Hi,
I made the dough and it’s now rising but I have to leave and am not sure I’ll be back within two hours. Will the bread be okay if left at room temperature for three hours? More? Should put it in the refrigerator? Thank you.
That should be fine! Longer than three hours and I’d put it in the fridge…Good luck!
Thank you Dana. I made this twice already and the taste is good but something went awry with the texture. I was trying not to overdo the flour but ended up kneading (by hand) for a very long time and still had sticky dough. How much extra flour would be needed? I always weigh my ingredients so I added the correct amount in the beginning.
Fold in half, squash down, rotate, flip, repeat 20 times. It may help to sprinkle a bit of flour on top so when you flip it won’t stick to the kneading surface. If it sticks to your hands on top, again a very light dusting of flour before kneading. I soaked whole flax for awhile first and since it wasn’t ground added extra flour besides.
I am not a professional baker but have baked a lot of bread. And I long ago gave up weighing and measuring flour. You add flour until the dough is soft, silky on the outside and relatively non-sticky. The amount can vary day to day based on temperature and humidly, etc. That is why baking bread is an art that you learn as you go rather than a strict science. BTW, I mad this bread last night without measuring any flour and it turned out GREAT!
As a lucky recipient of half his loaf I have to agree!! It was amazing!!
Sorry, I saw your reply above. I’ll probably leave it at room temperature but take it off the top of the fridge when I leave. My house is pretty cold.
Ground or whole flax seeds?
Always ground.
Well, I just made the recipe last night and used whole flax seeds. This AM I am enjoying the “crunchy on outside, so soft and tasty on inside” toast. So I think either way would be OK.
This bread turned out great! The texture was better than my usual loaves. I don’t usually give my bread such a long rise time – or do the step with it rising in the fridge – but it was worth it! Thanks for the great (and easy) recipe!!!
Canyou use whole all whole wheat all purpose insread of pastry flour?
Yes! That should work.
Thank you for this divine recipe. In 2016, I’m working to give up commercially produced bread, and your recipe has empowered me to do just that. The only ways I altered your original recipe were (1) I woke up the yeast with the warm water and maple syrup for 5 minutes before mixing with the other ingredients, (2) I omited the oats and sunflower seeds (only b/c I didn’t have them on hand), and (3) as the bread came out of the oven, I brushed the crust with some melted butter. My first try at this whole bread making thing was a HUGE SUCCESS with my family, and I plan to make this over and over. Thanks again!
Dana,
I am gluten-intolerant. I am not to eat wheat, rye, barley or oats. Can I substitute sweet white rice flour and brown rice flour for the wheat and all-purpose flour? Thank you.
My bread didn’t bake in the middle. It was raw in the centre. I followed every instruction. Will definitely try again because the part I could eat was amazing!
Finally a bread I made the actually turned out. It’s so delisious. Thank you!❤️
Hi there! After 25 minutes mine was still quite gummy in the middle. I had unfortunately already dumped out the water, because I thought it was done. I put it back in the oven (sans water), checking it after 20 more minutes. It was still a bit gummy inside. Don’t get me wrong, we still sampled along the way and it was delicious. I’m just wondering if you have any thoughts as to the issue with my cooking time.
I used your recipe for Easy Whole Grain Seeded Bread. After baking, the crust was almost getting too dark (burnt) yet the inside was not fully cooked. What can I do to avoid this on my next try?
Hi Mark! It might have to do with the size of your pan. What I would suggest is lowering the temperature slightly and baking a little longer!
I am confused. The time listed for prep or cooking time does not reflect the fact that it seems that the bread needs to rise for 2 hours out of the fridge and 2 hours in. Can you just do it at room temp for 2 hours and then go on to the next step? Does it need a shorter time for the room temp rise?
Hi Emily! That’s been updated. Sorry to confuse! I was calculating for a fridge-only rise, but I suggest both!
So i let it rise at room temp and then in the fridge as well or just one or the other?
Both!
Hi Dana! I made this recipe using pastry flour instead of the white flour (used what I had in my cabinets). It gave me a giant, beautiful scone that tastes great. I am excited to try it with vegan butter, preserves, or maybe even drizzled with maple syrup. Next time, I will report back on my efforts using regular white flour. Thank you for the recipe.
Any idea what would cause the middle of the loaf to come out uncooked? The edges and ends were lovely but as you get closer to the center it became doughy. I cooked the loaf as directed for 25 minutes at 450 degrees.
This was really, really good! You might want to specify though, that the water pan should be metal. I used a Pyrex glass one the first time and it broke when I poured the water in. But even with having to put the bread back in the fridge while the oven cooled down so I could clean up the glass, it was probably the best homemade bread I’ve ever made! I think I will be making this again for sure!
Hi Dana!
I’m really keen to try this recipe; I’ve just purchased all the ingredients except whole wheat pastry flour. I’m in Sydney, Australia, and I’ve just found out it’s very hard to get a whole wheat pastry flour here. There is a white one available in supermarkets, for bread, pastry, cookies, etc – should I try this? I was hoping to keep all the ingredients as unrefined as possible. Is there something else I could use as a substitute?
Thanks!
Bronwyn
this is a little far down in the comments, but PEOPLE!!! before you ask the question, read ALL THE COMMENTS!!! most likely your question has ALREADY BEEN ASKED! and, hence, ANSWERED!!! for instance, CAN I USE ONLY WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR? WHY A PAN WITH WATER? CAN I OMIT X, Y, OR Z? sheezus, yahoos!!!
Mine turned out dense and weird :( Not sure what I did wrong. However this was the first time I’ve ever made bread, and the flavor was quite delish!
I just made this and it is so good. I didn’t have bread flour so I used regular so flour. Turned out great!! I needed breakfast options for my hubby and I. We are newly vegan so we’re looking for toast options. Thanks so much!!
We don’t have the wheat pastry flour here. I ve been searching for a while and have everything else in the Bob Mills range. What could I use instead?
Thanks
In step one, you mentioned to add flour, about 3-3/4 cup total, until the dough is no longer sticky. Is this amount of flour an addition to the 2 cups of WW pastry flour and 1-3/4 cup AP flour already added into the dough initially? Also, thank you so much for sharing this recipe!! I absolutely love making homemade bread and this recipe seems so nice and simple! :)
Anyone had issues with it being soggy in the middle? I’ve made it twice & baked it longer than recommended and it’s been doughy in the middle both times.
Bread looks delicious. Made the dough tonite and put it in fridge, but won’t be able to bake til morning. Should I let it come to room temp first, or continue as your recipe states when it has been the fridge for only the two hours with the kneading and rise in pan, etc.
Thanks for help and all your great recipes…Karen
When you say ‘flax seed’ do you mean whole seed or ground?
This looks wonderful! Would it be possible to use only wheat and all-purpose flour for this recipe?
Hi just tred this but turned in to rolls the temperature was to high for fan assisted burnt my rolls please advise.
Mike
I tried this recipe twice and the baking time and temp is causing my bread to burn on the top and be doughy in the middle. The first time I used a 8×3 or 4 inch cast iron bread pan (the instructions do not say what size to use). So the next time I used a 9×4, lowered the temperature and cooked for 18 minutes. I ended up with a burnt crust and undercooked center. Most whole wheat bread recipes call for baking at 350 for 35+ minutes. I might try that next and just spritz my oven with water when I put the bread in. I think the pan in the bottom is messing with the circulation of the oven.
I think this is the best bread I have ever eaten. First day of being a vegan is going well! Thank you!
This is the best bread recipe I’ve tried so far! It’s so delicious and was really easy to make. I made two loaves and in the second one mixed cinnamon and raisins – delicious! Thank you!
Can I ask why you prefer the whole wheat pastry flour? I’m just curious.
I would love to make this but I was wondering if I could use flax seed mean instead of flaxseed?
I made the one bowl WW seeded bread. I baked it for 21 minutes and later after it cooled discovered it was not done! I was very sad. Will the extra 5 minutes do the trick or is there a definite way to know it is done? I had to throw it away and will re-make today.
Thanks
The extra 5 minutes would’ve helped. You can cut into the middle and see before you pull it out!
Yum-my! This bread is delicious and easy… or easy and delicious. Either way, it’s a must bake. Especially for those who are intimidated by the bread process. Thank you, Dana. No more store-purchased everyday bread for our house. High kick!
I just made this bread. Sort of. I used white whole wheat and all purpose flour. It was in the refrigerator for 2 hours then out for two, shaped into a round and baked after the second rise — I did have to leave it in the oven for another 20 minutes to get the internal temp up to 190 or so (instant read thermo). The crust was looking dark so I put foil over it for the last 20. Came out fabulous. Nice crunchy crust and good texture. I will definitely make this again, maybe with the right flours and with a longer rise in the fridge.
Do you have to use both kinds of flour?
You could use one or the other, I just prefer the blend. All purpose will make the bread light and fluffy, and whole wheat will make it more dense and nutty.
I have made this bread several times. I love it. Today I’m going to try subbing in amaranth flour for some of the white flour. The first lime I made this I used what the recipe called for. 1 3/4 cup ap flour. Every time after that I have used the same amount of bread flour because it aids in gluten development. I also add about a tablespoon vital wheat gluten to improve rise and texture. Don’t get me wrong your recipe as is is very good. One of the best bread recipies I have made. But these additions make it great.
Personally, I find the supermarket breads too chewey – almost dough like – because they all add wheat gluten, to each their own of course. Maybe I’ll knead it more this time to develop extra texture.
Thank you so much for this simple and great recipe! As I always have managed to make the worst choices when presented with vagaries in recipes, I discovered a slight syntax error on step 1. The principle action of “add flour” can throw some bakers off as you use the line “3 3/4 total” at the end of that sentence, which obviously references the ingredients list but ignores that all of the flower had been already added at the beginning of the step. I caught this as it stopped sticking to the sides right away, but I thought I’d let you know.
I just wanted to comment and say I love this recipe! I also had the issue with the bread not being cooked all the way in the middle but cooked on the outside. I followed your advice and lowered my oven temp to 425 and baked for 35-36 minutes. I also tried it without any sweeteners and it tastes just as good with no added sugar/ sugarfree.
I actually wrote a more detailed blog post about how I make it if anyone is interested:
http://pinemanzana.wordpress.com/2016/02/20/minimalist-bakers-easy-vegan-whole-wheat-bread/
So long as it rises, sugar feeds the yeast.
oh my goodness…i tried to make a bread last week and it went terribly, but thought I’d brave it one more time…and i am so pleased i did. This loaf is perfection, i didn’t have any wholewheat flour left as used it up on the last failed attempt so used a mix of plain, kamut and oat flours…this is my new absolute favourite!! thank you so much.
Failed the first time, probably because I used active dry yeast instead of fast acting yeast. Also I don’t think I kneaded it enough the first time and it didn’t rise at all.
Second time it rose! And the loaf was glorious and crusty outside, soft and chewy on the inside! The flavor is great and the seeds and oats really add a nice texture to the loaf. I did have one problem that there was a small hole through the middle fattest part of the loaf. My guess is that maybe it was a weird knead or possibly that I should have baked it at a slightly lower temp for a little bit longer since it’s kinda dense around the hole part. Any suggestions? I live in Florida and I’ve heard that baking bread is difficult here because of the temp and the low altitude…
Overall I love the recipe and will be experimenting with it again! Thanks!
– Leda
I made this but the middle of the loaf was hollow and raw. ? I’ll have to try again!
I made this recipe today (modded to what I had in my pantry at 8 AM on a random Saturday). It’s cooling on the rack now, and the scent is driving me crazy! The crust has a lovely firmness to it. Really looking forward to cracking it open soon!
This sounds wonderful Forgive me if this has already been asked somewhere in the extensive comments (!) but when Step 4 says, “Place seam side down,” what seam is it referring to? Is there a seam if the dough is just shaped into a loaf? Thanks!
Hi there thanks for such nice recipe, I have been visiting your blog pretty regularly since few weeks… Love the pictures and recipes really look interesting. Also I have been through your tutorials on fizzle and wanted to extend my sincere Thank you…
I will try this recipe soon…
Hi, I’ve read through ALL the comments and I cannot find where you’ve answered the multiple people that continued to ask the same question about the “added” 3 1/4 cups of flour. You say: “Add flour until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides – about 3 3/4 cups total”. For us newbies, this is VERY CONFUSING and yet, I don’t see your answer anywhere (unless I missed it). Would you PLEASE explain that in easier terms for us first-time-bread-makers? Thank you… this looks very time-consuming and not very easy, but then again, I know nothing about bread making.. I’m looking for an ALL-GRAIN bread.
Hi Nancy! What I mean by that is, the dough should no longer be sticking to the sides of the mixing bowl. You’ll know when to stop adding flour when you can pick it up with your hands and it doesn’t stick to them. I found that amount to be about 3 3/4 cups. Hope that helps!
This recipe works for my new found vegan diet, I’m using whole wheat flour and spelt for the other 1 3/4 cup. I’m excited to see if this works together. This is my first attempt at making bread!:) I’ll repost if the spelt worked with this recipe.
I wish I could post a pic! The half whole wheat and half spelt flour turned out excellent! Ty for the recipe:)
Okay so I’m an avid amateur baker, it’s my favorite hobby and I absolutely love to do but I’ve never made bread before, that was one item that I just thought too intimidating… but today I conquered my fear with this recipe and I must say it came out fantastically! A hearty crust on the outside, with a nice chewy center, it is such a lovely bread! I will definitely be using this recipe for a long time; super simple, super easy, super yummy. I always believe that home made is better than store bought and home made bread helps take that power back. Wonderful recipe!
This bread is soooo easy and delicious! I think I totally messed up kneading it (hey, I’ve never made bread before), used a food processor (with a dough “hook” – really a dull blade) to mix it initially, thought I’d totally ruined it, but it still turned out amazing. I was also confused by how much flour to mix in initially (3 3/4 total of both kinds of flour? or 3 3/4 of just the all-purpose flour?), but I ended up barely adding any more all-purpose flour than listed in the ingredient list because the dough already seemed dry enough, and it turned out perfectly. It came out really weirdly shaped though, I think next time I will split it up between my two small loaf pans. Yum!!!!
Loved the recipe! First time I made it, the bread remained a little doughy in the middle but too dark on the top crust. The second time, I kept the temperature the same, but added a piece of foil on top of the bread (for the first 15 min of baking) and increased bake time to around 30 minutes until I reached a temp of 190 F in the center of the loaf.
Holy cow, best bread I’ve ever made. I will use this recipe forever!
Lovely recipe! This bread is perfectly fluffy while having a robust and earthy flavor from the whole wheat, honey and seeds. It was a breeze to throw together and I will definitely be making it again!
I am actually in the midst of trying this recipe. At the end of Instruction #1 it says to add flour until the dough no longer sticks to the sides. Is that approximate amount 3/4 cup or 3 3/4 cups? My dough stopped sticking after only 1 cup. Is that an omen of things to come? I’m making bread for the first time.
Thanks for posting this recipe! It was my first loaf of bread from scratch and the family loved it! I think it was a little on the dense side but otherwise great – I may have kneaded it too much after pouring in the oatmeal and sunflower seed. One question – the calorie count per slice listed seems high – is it really 163 calories per slice?
Did you use whole wheat “pastry” flour, as called for, or whole wheat flour? There is a difference. There would be nothing wrong with using making with the 2 cups whole wheat flour, it’s just going to be dense. I noticed at the last minute it said “Pastry” flour, which I didn’t have so in addition to the 1 3/4 AP flour, I made a subsitution for the 2 cups “pastry” by using 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup “cake” flour. It turned out great!
Yep, I did use whole wheat pastry flour. I think maybe I handled it too much so I’m going to try it again without so much kneading. All in all a great recipe!
You weren’t kidding about the Pyrex! Making the bread with a bit of a cold, a little out of it and didn’t read directions closely enough, just broke a Pyrex baking pan into about 10 pieces pouring the hot water in to bake. Not your fault at all, but it might not be a bad idea to put a short warning in there to grab the attention of airhead amateurs like me!! Still looking forward to seeing how it turns out…
I did the exact same thing. My pan exploded into a million pieces!
I’m considering making this bread, but I only have regular Wheat Flour, no Pastry Flour. Is that going to be a problem? Also, what would happen if I used Wheat for both the pastry and white flour? I don’t normally keep white flour around.
Hi Dana!
I just made this recipe with a few changes and it was amazing!! Thank you!!
Instead of all purpose flour I used white whole wheat flour.
I used active dry yeast instead of instant. I let the yeast bloom in the 1.5c of warm water and honey mixture for 10-15 min.
I baked the bread for 35min at 425. At the last 15 min I covered the bread with tin foil so the top wouldn’t get too dark.
The bread was 100% whole wheat and so light and tender! We loved it!
This is only my 2nd attempt to make bread. This recipe looked easy and foolproof, and it IS! It’s also forgiving. I had everything all set out, measured and ready to go, except the flour. That is when I realized the recipe called for whole wheat “pastry” flour, not whole wheat flour. Oh oh. Looked up substitutions and found I could sub 1 cup cake flour plus 1 cup of whole wheat flour in place of the 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour. The results were awesome. And I used molasses instead of syrup or sugar. And I didn’t have oatmeal so I subbed wheat bran, and toasted first. I usually better stocked on baking goods, lol. Anyway, the bread is delicious. I”ll definitely be making it again.
Like a fool, while reading over this recipe on my phone I only caught “not Pyrex”. So I put a dish in my oven and it exploded into a million pieces!! I’d recommend putting *DO NOT USE* in bold. I know this was a careless skim on my part, but it could have really hurt my husband or myself! Thankfully none of the debris hit us. The bread was good though.
I made this bread and it turned out wonderfully. Both appearance and taste were great. However, the middle of the loaf was undercooked and doughy, with a large hole in the center. I’m new to baking– can you recommend any ways in which I may have gone wrong? Could I not have baked it long enough? I baked the loaf in a glass pan, and my steaming pan was metal. My oven is electric. Any suggestions you can make will be appreciated.
In some vegan circles yeast is considered non-vegan, just fyi.
I’m non-vegan and I’m very excited make this, thank you for the recipe.
Hi Dana,
Would it be possible to make this in a bread machine?
Thanks :)
Can this recipe be adapted to bread machines? Can I use white whole wheat flour coupled with unbleached bread flour (King Arthur Flours)?
I was in a hurry and wanted to speed it up a bit. Had some luck and thought I should share.
Notes:
– The original instructions are slightly confusing – when adding in the flour, you do NOT add an *additional* 3.75 cups of flour after the initial mix, you merely start with intentionally less white flour (ie approx 1.5 ish cups white flour) and continuing adding white flour until you get the right consistency (so your total flour measurement at the end should be ~3.75 cups, NOT 7.5 cups)
– I used whole wheat flour instead of ww pastry flour and the loaf was not too dense. Nice and fluffy!
How I cut off ~3 hours from the recipe:
1. Mixed the yeast, water, and honey together in a big bowl and let set 5 minutes until foamy and fragrant.
2. Then added all the dry ingredients and mixed.
3. Kneaded as instructed and let rise in a bowl in a warm spot until doubled in size (just shy of 2 hours)
4. Skipped the refrigerated rise and went straight to mixing in the oats and seed + kneading
6. Set formed loaf on a floured pan to rise a second time while heating oven
5. Because the loaf was already warm, the second rise only took ~25-30min instead of 45-60min
6. Once loaf was doubled in size (~25min), baked per instructions
7. The loaf took ~30-33min to bake and it came out crispy on the outside, very soft and fluffy on the inside.
Loved the loaf and since I was in a pinch for time, I’m glad I was able to make it still come out nicely with half the time! Another addition would possibly be an egg wash on top of the loaf and then sprinkled with some oats or seeds, or even a nice drizzle of honey on top prior to baking.
Ahh! Thank you so much for your amount of flour explanation. Now I get it. Did make the bread, my first time, and it is wonderful. I will def try the shorter resting time.
Thank you so much! I was among those confused by the instructions. I’m excited to make this!
Hi! i’m allergic to yeast and eggs.. do you know if i can do this recipe without yeast?
I don’t think so.
Just had to add a comment after baking this as it was A-Mazing!! My husband and family loved it and we’ll for sure be making it again soon. Thank you for such a simple and GOOD bread recipe :))
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Madeleine!
I think I may have just found the solution to my bread problem. The problem being all store bought bread tastes like cardboard boxes to me.
Thanks! It’s wasn’t easy but I control myself to not eat the whole loaf ;)
This was my first time ever making bread. The recipe was easy, and the outcome was a delicious loaf of bread that everyone in the family enjoyed. Thanks!
I just made this recipe this afternoon and love it. I love cooking but I’ve never been much of a baker so easy was key here. I did add some extra grains like amaranth and chia seeds for the protein boost but I only had to add a tiny bit more water to make up for that. Yep I’m going to need to make this as a double batches twice a week it seems.
…can I use all whole wheat or is it necessary to have the 2 types of flour? I only have the one at the moment.
I made this today and it wouldn’t stop rising! It got absolutely huge by the time I took it out of the oven! It was wonderful and my mom wouldn’t stop raving about it! Thank you so much for such a great recipe!
Hi. Looks delicious….do you have any suggestions for adapting this for a bread machine? I feel safer leaving that on when we’re away. Thank so much.
Hi! I have been making this bread through the winter almost every other day. I LOVE it, and it was part of my morning routine in the winter. Im not baking as much in the heat this month! Early on I adjusted the temp to 375 degrees and baked for 40min with great success. It’s perfect every time. I have even played with different flours and seeds. Hope this helps! Love love your recipes and website. I dont know why, but my phone will not let me select the stars. 5!
Oh yea and I skip the refrigerated rise…i am impatient!
I tried making bread for the very first time and this is the recipe I used. It turned out really good, crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. And the best part was that it was so simple! I can’t wait to try baking some more bread!
Would this bread be suitable for those on the low Fodmap diet/ibs sufferers?
Thanks,
Tam.
I made this bread and it came out absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so much! By far the prettiest bread I’ve ever made :)
hi Dana, I was wondering if I could place the dough in the fridge and bake it the next day to have fresh bread in the morning without waiting so long?
Thanks for this recipe. I have been looking for an easy bread recipe that didn’t require hauling out the bread machine, and this is it! I make it almost weekly now…delicious.
Thank you for the recipe. This bread is almost artisan in look. I wish my grandmother had made me bread like this when I was a kid. Either way, homemade bread like this is so tasty. Thank you for sharing!
I gotta tell ya, this is the best at home bread recipe. I added in more whole wheat flour (3 cups) and less white whole wheat flour (3/4 cups), about a tablespoon of honey and 7g of yeast, and added in the flax seeds with oats and nuts as I kneaded the bread before baking. This is my fourth loaf and the best yet. Thanks for the recipe!!! <3 :)
Hello, small query here. Did you meant to say you used 3 cups whole wheat four and 3/4 cup all purpose flour?
Yep!
did you use the pastry flour or just all whole wheat flour?
Hi, thanks for this recipe. I intend to try it tomorrow but I’m a little confused with where you said to add flour till its no longer sticky. Is this 3 3/4 extra flour different from the quantities listed in the ingredients? I ask because at the opening paragraph in directions, i thought all the flour went in with maple syrup etc before mixing commences. Please clarify
Thanks
Can you use whole wheat flour instead of unbleached flour for this recipe?
Check the comments, yes!
I don’t think it’s a different quantity.
Hi Dana, can I use multigrain flour in this recipe like 3cups multigrain flour and 3/4 cup all purpose flour?
Second question is can I make bread completely with multigrain flour and not use any other flour in recipe?
Please help…this will be my first attempt to bake bread
Hello!
Thanks Dana for wonderful recipe!
I was wondering if sweetener is necessary? If yes, could it at least be substituted with oil or something?
Thanks!
I cannot find whole wheat pastry flour… is just regular whole wheat flour okay??
Please let me know:) I’m hoping to make it as soon as possible.
I used spelt whole wheat flour (3 cups) and whole wheat white flour (3/4 cup). I live in Germany and these are the “normal” types of flours found at the supermarket. Also, you need to use the bread flour and not pastry flour! Otherwise it won’t rise properly!
Hello Dana,
This was my first attempt to bake bread and it didn’t turned out to be success. The dough is uncooked from inside. The flour I used is multigrain flour. Could you please guide me so I can make it a success may be next time
Knead more in the initial stage. I did Knead > 2 hour rise > punch > 2 hour fridge rise > punch > knead > rise > shape
This is my second attempt at bread and it was delicious. The crust was prefect and the inside is moist and delectable. I accidently placed the oats in at the beginning and replaced the flax with hemp seeds and it all worked out. I also just made it as an artisanal round loaf.
Hi, I just made this for the first time and it looks lovely! If I wanted to make a few loaves at a time and freeze them to reheat later, how would I go about doing that? Should I freeze the dough before cooking? Or cook and then freeze to reheat?
Hmm, I would say freeze before cooking for best results! Let thaw before baking!
Thanks! :)
What is the difference between instant yeast, active yeast and the “fast acting yeast” that you say to use here? Are any of them the same? How does using one change the steps in the recipe?
Instant and fast acting are the same! You can use any of them here, but the fast acting ones cause a quicker rise. Good luck!
Fantastic recipe…my go-to!
To all the avid bakers out there: let your imagination and creativity flow! Add to it whatever you like, try out different flours etc., etc., etc.
I always add oat germ to the recipe, a wonderful addition.
Also, you can never go wrong with adding dates or raisins, walnuts or pecans. One of my favorite is cutting back on the all purpose flour and adding approx. 2/3 cups of coffee flour…simply devine!
I’ve tried many varieties, none of which were disappointing or failed. Adding herbs or even spinach make for a delicious loaf if you want to add an extra kick to your panini.
HI! I was wondering if you could make this ahead and leave to rise on the countertop for longer if you can’t make it to the fridge??? Say….If I can’t make it home from work to put in fridge??
Thanks so much!!
Jean
Hi! Can I use all whole wheat pastry flour? And can I omit the flaxseeds bc I don’t have any?
Yes!
I was really disappointed in this bread. I followed the recipe exactly including the 4 hours of rising and must say it was only ok. I will try the basic recipe again, but add additional salt and either brown sugar or molasses. I’m surprised folks rated it so high.
This bread was delicious. Super fast. I did the short rise and because I was still short on time only had it sit 15 minutes before cooking. Still came out fab. A definite keeper.
Thank you a lot for the recipe! It was the first time that I was baking a bread and the result is just awesome!
This is the easiest bread I have ever made. We love it. I have made 4 loaves so far & it is delicious. A couple of things that I am doing different are… I let the dough rise covered in the fridge for 2 hours & skip the prior 2 hours at room temperature. After that I leave covered in the bowl at room temperature for about 30 minutes. I followed through with the kneading with the oats & sunflower seeds, shaping into a loaf & placing in the bread pan. I let that rise for 45 minutes & for the final 15 minutes for a full 60 minutes I pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. We use a gas stove so the covered bread pan is put on the stove top near the back vent which emits heat & this helps raise the dough a little bit more. The bread is baked per the recipe but for 30 minutes. I have made 3 loaves by this method, using local honey. Thanks for this recipe. It is the home baked bread we were looking for. Too bad I can’t post some pictures, this bread is truly amazing.
Thank you so much for this recipe! This bread is soooo good!!! I didn’t expect it to turn out so yummy!!
We LOVE this bread. My fiance and I made it back and spring, and ever since then we’ve baked all the bread we’ve eaten! We made this several times after we found it and it worked like a charm every time. We recently switched to sourdough (it’s just better), but wanted to try this recipe again for nostalgia. It works really well leavened by sourdough while still maintaining everything we love about this recipe. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hey this looks great but I can’t eat gluten, if I change the WW flour to something else like Hemp/Buckwheat flour will it affect the recipe much?
Great question Fiachra! We haven’t tried this recipe with hemp or buckwheat flour but if you do, let us know how it goes!
Something to try the next time you make this (just for funsies). Take a portion of the flour and toast it in the oven. Just spread some of the flour on a baking sheet and bake it! I set the oven to 325 degrees and stir the flour every 5-10 minutes. It smells amazing and doesn’t take very long. It’s pretty much done when you think it’s done (depending on how strong you want the taste to be). It adds a bit of a nutty flavor to your baking. You could also do the same in a frying pan if that is easier for you.
Thanks for the recipe! I can’t want to try it out! I’m also very excited to [finally] find a bread recipe that doesn’t make multiple loaves.
Thanks for the tip Jesi!
I haven’t made bread from scratch in many years, if ever. My husband had always hated a heavy, seeded bread. Not so with this recipe. We both LOVE it. Eady to make. It’s just call the rising times that makes it an all day project. We live in Fl and I found that putting it, covered, out on the porch is wonderful for rising because of the coolness we like inside. I give it an A+++++
It was a total failure for me, as heavy as a brick. I did 2 hours Rising time on the counter and two hours in the refrigerator
Same thing happened to me. I question the extra flour amount used “until dough is no longer sticking to the sides. After 2 cups of flour, the dough seemed very dry. It never really rose properly and I followed all other directions.
Delicious. Will do again. Proofed the yeast with honey and the honey flavor really came through. I do find any whole wheat flour bread requires a little extra baking time then recipes publish. Also do not be tempted to add more flour when doing the initial mixing and kneading. It’s a sticky dough. I used the scoop and throw on the work surface method. It creates a nice tight structure.
My new go to bread recipe! I was looking for something seedy and heartier than my normal white bread recipe, but didn’t want it to take too much time. This fit the bill and the result exceeded my expectations! Both my kids love it, too!!! Love how soft it is on the inside and crispy on the outside. Just perfect. I added some raw pumpkin seeds for extra crunch! Yum!
Very easy to follow recipe.I also added pumpkin seeds.Delicious bread.
Hi, why do most whole wheat bread recipes call for a sweetener like honey or molasses or agave? Is whole wheat flour naturally more bitter? Thank you!
Because otherwise the bread won’t rise, as yeast relies on sugar to activate!