1 lb Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread

This 1 lb bread machine whole wheat bread is soft, tasty & has a bunch of healthy fiber. As you know, homemade whole wheat bread is a delicious way to sneak some fiber into your family’s lunch sandwiches.

My bread is a 50/50 combination of whole wheat flour & bread flour. The whole wheat flour provides the flavor & fiber and the bread flour provides the rise & softness. It is great for people who like milder-tasting whole wheat bread (e.g. my kids).

1 lb Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread

Recipe Sections

1. Ingredients
2. Instructions
3. Helpful Tips

This 1 lb bread machine whole wheat bread recipe is ONLY for small compact bread machines (such as the Briskind Compact Bread Maker or Zojirushi Mini Breadmaker). 1 lb bread machine recipes do NOT work well in bread machines that have 2 lb or greater loaf capacities. See the tips section below for more information.

Since my recipe creates a small bread machine loaf, it is perfect for singles, small families and people who do not want a lot of leftover bread.

Panini Sandwich made with 1 lb Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread

Ingredients

• 3/4 Cup – Milk (warm) – 172 milliliters – See the tips section below about using buttermilk for an even softer bread.
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons – Unsalted Butter (sliced & softened) – 35 grams – If desired, you can replace the butter in this recipe with an equivalent amount of olive oil.
• 1 Cup – Whole Wheat Flour – 145 grams – Recipe based on using regular “supermarket” whole wheat flour and not freshly milled flour. See tips below.
• 1 Cup – Bread Flour – 120 grams
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons – Light Brown Sugar – 32 grams – If you prefer non-sweet whole wheat breads, you should use only 1 tablespoons of light brown sugar.
• 3/4 Teaspoon – Salt – 4.5 grams
• 3/4 Teaspoon – Bread Machine Yeast (or Instant Yeast) – 2.3 grams – Not active dry yeast

Servings – Roughly 9 slices

Equipment Needed – Measuring cup & spoons, silicone spatula, oven mitts, cooling rack and a bread machine.

Bread Pan – Ingredients for 1 lb Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread

1lb Whole Wheat Bread – Straight From The Pan

Instructions

• Bread machine settings – 1 pound loaf, light color and “basic/white” bread setting.
• Soften the butter in your microwave. FYI – I like to semi-melt the butter for better “mixability”.
• Unplug your bread machine.
• Remove the bread pan from the unplugged bread machine (so when you add the ingredients, they can not accidentally spill into the machine).
• Pour the milk into the bread pan and then add the other ingredients. Place the bread machine yeast in last and the yeast should not touch the liquid or salt (until the bread machine is turned on and the ingredients start to be mixed together by the bread machine). Put the bread pan with ingredients back into the unplugged bread machine.
• Plug in bread machine. Enter the correct settings (1 lb, light color & basic bread) and press the “start” button.
• When the bread machine has finished baking the bread, unplug the bread machine and remove the bread pan from the bread machine. Wear oven mitts as the bread pan & bread machine will be hot.
• Remove the bread from the bread pan and place the bread on a cooling rack. Use oven mitts when removing the bread as the bread & bread pan will be hot.
• Let the bread cool on the cooling rack for 1-2 hours before cutting.
• Please read the tips section below for extra information on how to make this recipe successfully & to avoid common bread machine problems.

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Helpful Tips

• The tips below are designed to help bread machine “novices” and those who haven’t touched their bread machine in years.
• Click on this “print recipe” link if you want to print out this recipe. It includes all of the recipe’s ingredients and instructions. However, the recipe print function does not include our tips section. Please read the tips section in order to avoid common recipe problems.
• This recipe is part of Bread Dad’s series on easy 1 lb Bread Machine Recipes such as buttery white bread, oatmeal bread and multigrain white bread.

• FYI – This bread is the 1 lb version of my popular Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread Recipe (which focuses on 1.5 lb and 2 lb loaves).
• For this recipe, you need to use the Basic/White bread setting on your bread machine. I recommend NOT using the “Whole Wheat” setting. Why? Because this bread is made from 50% bread flour. Moreover, I like to use the basic setting because it helps me to create a softer whole wheat bread (without a hard crust).
• FYI – The basic/white bread setting is usually setting 1 on most machines.
• However, if you want bread with a harder crust, you should use either the medium or dark color crust setting. You will get a darker & thicker crust versus the light color crust setting.
• The whole wheat setting is best for 100% whole wheat bread recipes (not recipes that are a blend of whole wheat flour & bread flour). The whole wheat setting usually has a longer rise time versus most basic/white bread settings. Whole wheat flour has less gluten than bread flour so it needs more time to rise.
• If you want to make a 100% whole wheat bread, please visit my recipe for a 1 lb Bread Machine 100% Whole Wheat Bread.

• This recipe is based on using regular whole wheat flour (from the supermarket) and NOT freshly milled flour. Recipes using freshly milled flour require more moisture than recipes using regular whole wheat flour. If you use freshly milled flour (instead of supermarket-type whole wheat flour) then your bread might come out too dry (if you are using this recipe).
• Use relatively NEW whole wheat flour or your bread will taste strange (or even bad). Whole wheat flour has been refined less than all-purpose flour or bread flour. This means whole wheat flour has more of its natural bran and germ. Wheat bran & germ are rich in natural oils. Unfortunately, the presence of these oils also means that whole wheat flour is faster to spoil than all-purpose flour or bread flour.
• Whole wheat flour can spoil quickly (turn “rancid”) when left in your pantry at room temperature. Whole wheat flour does not last nearly as long as all-purpose flour or bread flour at room temperature. Whole wheat flour generally only lasts for 2-3 months at room temperature in the pantry. In contrast, white flour can last for 6-12 months at room temperature.
• For longer-term storage, whole wheat flour should be stored in the freezer or refrigerator in an airtight container (in order to prevent any moisture from reaching the flour).

• As I stated at the top of the page, this recipe is ONLY for small compact bread machines.
• 1 lb bread machine recipes generally do NOT work well in larger machines with 2 lb loaf capacities, especially if the machines have 2 paddles or a wide horizontal bread pan. However, some visitors have success making 1 lb recipes in a 2 lb “compact” bread machine with a vertical-oriented bread pan (a pan with a square bottom that mainly pushes the bread upwards versus a pan with a wide rectangular bottom)
• If you use larger bread machines with 2 paddles or a wide horizontal bread pan, a 1 lb loaf usually comes out more like a pancake (with lots of exterior crust and less of the soft interior).
• If your bread machine says that it makes 1lb, 1.5 lb AND 2 lb loaves, it will probably have a problem with smaller loaves. Generally, a bread machine is good at making small loaves OR larger loaves (usually not both).
• FYI – I have added a page to Bread Dad with the Bread Machine Pan Sizes for a number of popular bread machines. This should help you to determine if your machine is capable of handling Bread Dad’s 1 lb, 1.5 lb or 2 lb recipes.

• WARNING – Since 1 lb recipes use smaller amounts of ingredients, it is easier to mess up 1 lb recipes!! There is less room for measuring errors versus larger loaves. To make 1 lb loaf recipes successfully, you need to measure accurately (no eyeballing ingredients).
• The top of your bread can sometimes be a little lumpy due to the smaller amounts of ingredients in a 1 lb loaf. Why? Because, as I stated above, there is less room for measurement errors in small loaves versus large loaves. A little too much moisture or flour has a bigger impact on a 1 lb loaf versus a 2 lb loaf.
• To make my 1 lb bread machine recipes, I own & use a Briskind Compact Bread Maker Machine. In case you are interested, another popular (but more expensive) bread machine focused on making 1 lb loaves is the Zojirushi Zojirushi BB-HAC10 Mini Breadmaker.
• If you liked this 1 lb bread machine recipe, you might also like to try Bread Dad’s other 1 lb bread machine recipes such as buttery 1 lb Bread Machine White Bread, 1 lb Bread Machine Multigrain Bread and 1 lb Bread Machine Oatmeal Bread.

• In case you are looking at getting a bread machine to make 1 lb recipes, here are some of the benefits of a small compact bread machine; 1 lb loaves are perfect for single people or people who don’t want a ton of bread, a compact machine takes up less space in the kitchen (so more convenient for an apartment versus buying a giant bread machine), it uses less energy than a large bread machine, it creates smaller sandwich slices (sometimes, in my opinion, the slices from 2 lb loaves are too large – especially for kids), etc.
• The disadvantages of a small compact bread machine; small bread pan capacity (so you can’t make a larger loaf if you have guests coming over), not many online recipes are focused on 1 lb loaves, sometimes 1 lb loaves have more uneven crusts (vs bread made with larger horizontal bread pans), etc.
• Visitors – What compact bread machine did you use to make this recipe (such as Briskind Compact Bread Maker or Zojirushi Mini Breadmaker)? Please post your machine & any compact bread machine tips in the comment section below.

• Do NOT use cold milk. The main problem with using regular milk is that people tend to use cold refrigerated milk and this can slow the yeast growth. Try to use warm milk (or instant powdered milk mixed into warm water). However, you should also be aware that the milk/water should not be too hot because very hot milk/water can kill the yeast.
• Optional – If you are out of dairy milk (or do not want to use dairy milk), you can replace it with soy milk, oat milk, water, etc. I use whole milk because it adds a little extra flavor to the bread but you should use a milk substitute that is best for your family.
• Optional – If you want to create an even softer whole wheat bread, use buttermilk instead of the milk called for in the recipe. Buttermilk is acidic and this helps to “tenderize” the gluten in the flour. Buttermilk is a great way to soften homemade bread. See my Buttermilk Powder page for more details on how to make your own buttermilk.
• Optional – If you do not have butter, you can replace it with a neutral tasting vegetable oil (e.g. canola oil or corn oil) on a 1 to 1 basis.
• Optional – If you are trying to cut down on saturated fat and want a healthier bread, you can replace the butter in this recipe with an equivalent amount of olive oil.

• This recipe uses bread machine yeast (instant yeast) and NOT active dry yeast.
• When adding the yeast, it should be placed in a position that is separate from the salt (e.g. placed on opposite sides of the bread pan). Close contact with salt can kill or slow the growth of the yeast. I like to make a small “divot” on top of the flour in order to hold the yeast (separate from the salt) before the bread machine starts mixing the ingredients.
• Many bakers like to make a small pocket in the top of the flour in order to hold the bread machine yeast in place (looks sort of like a small flour volcano with a yeast crater). This is done to prevent the yeast from falling into the liquid ingredients (and activating prematurely), coming into contact with the salt, etc. until the bread machine is turned on.
• I would recommend NOT reducing the salt in this recipe. You generally want to keep the salt-to-yeast ratio at a 1:1 basis in most bread recipes (1:1 based on teaspoons to teaspoons and NOT grams to grams). The salt moderates the growth of the yeast. If you cut the salt (and disrupt this 1:1 ratio), the yeast will grow faster than expected. In turn, this leads to more bread collapses (because the yeast rises too high and then craters in the middle) and/or results in “slack” less manageable dough. In addition, less salt will impact the flavor and browning of the bread.
• 1 lb bread machine bread is great for making sandwiches. For example, the panini sandwich (shown in one of the pictures above) is made with my 1 lb bread machine whole wheat bread. It is a delicious club panini made with cheese, turkey, bacon, tomatoes, lettuce… and of course, whole wheat bread!

• Having trouble with bread collapses & misshapen bread tops? Make sure to read Bread Dad’s article on Bread Machine Bread Collapses. It has reasons for and solutions to potential bread collapses.
• If your bread comes out too dense, it is likely due to one of the following reasons; You are using old or stale yeast, using a cold refrigerator temperature liquid (which slows yeast growth), baking in a cold winter temperature kitchen, using all purpose flour (versus bread flour as called for in the recipe), placing salt on top of or next to the yeast (salt kills yeast so it must be placed away from the yeast in the bread pan), etc. For more reasons, you should visit Bread Dad’s Why Is My Bread Machine Bread So Dense? page.
• For information on other possible errors, please visit my Common Bread Machine Mistakes page.

• If you start substituting ingredients (e.g. using different types of flour not called for in the recipe), you are experimenting and should not expect similar results to the recipe shown above. Experimenting can be fun. However, you should expect some successes but more potential disappointments when you start to experiment with recipes. For example, if you substitute whole wheat flour for the bread flour, you will probably experience a problem (as whole wheat flour doesn’t rise nearly as well as bread flour). Moreover, whole wheat flour has a totally different flavor.
• If you have a problem with a bread machine recipe, please make sure that you are following the recipe exactly (e.g. using the correct bread machine settings), you are using the correct amount of an ingredient (e.g. don’t eyeball the measurements versus using a measurement cup or accidentally add a teaspoon when a tablespoon is called for), you are using the correct ingredients (e.g. bread machine yeast versus active dry yeast or bread flour versus all purpose flour), etc. Please don’t “wing” things with recipes.
• If you haven’t used your bread machine in a long time, please buy some NEW bread machine yeast before making your bread. Old yeast can die or lose its potency and this will lead to bread that does not rise properly. Bread machine yeast may not be viable if it has been sitting in your pantry for years.
• FYI – Bread machine yeast loses its potency over time. Generally, bread machine yeast lasts for only 3-4 months after you have opened the bottle. However, if the yeast is exposed to air & moisture (e.g. the bottle not sealed tight) or exposed to higher temperatures, the yeast will expire even more quickly.

• Kitchen humidity can impact a recipe. A winter kitchen tends to be drier due to your heating system drying out the air. In contrast, a kitchen in the summer can be much more humid. This change in humidity impacts baking as flour can soak up humidity from the air. Therefore, you might have to add 1-2 teaspoons of liquid in the winter if the dough is looking too dry. Or you might have to add 1-2 teaspoons of flour in the summer if the dough is looking too wet. If your kitchen is very dry or humid, you might have to add even a little more (but start with 1 teaspoon at a time until you achieve the right consistency). Of course, excessive kitchen humidity or dryness can impact a recipe at any time during the year (not just in the summer & winter)!
• Humidity is also one of the reasons that people should store flour in an airtight container (if they have already opened the flour package). Flour (not in airtight containers) can pick up extra moisture from the air while sitting in the pantry. This can throw off recipes, spoil the flavor, degrade shelf life, etc.

• You can also use this homemade bread to make one of Bread Dad’s delicious & toasty Panini Recipes.
• My recipes are based on US ingredient measurements (e.g. US cups & tablespoons). However, as a courtesy to our European visitors, I have also included some very ROUGH European equivalents (e.g. grams & milliliters). Since I rarely use European measurements when baking, please let me know in the comment section below if any of the European ingredient measurements need to be changed (e.g. for XYZ ingredient, milliliters are more commonly used versus the grams information listed in the recipe).
• Always wear oven mitts/gloves when dealing with a bread machine. The bread pan and the rest of the bread machine can get very hot during the baking process. This means that the bread pan and bread machine is likely to be very hot when you attempt to remove a baked good from the bread machine and/or bread pan.
• For more easy bread ideas, please visit Bread Dad’s sections on Bread Machine Recipes and Homemade Bread Recipes.

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Reference Sources

1. Wikipedia, Bread Machine
2. Wikipedia, Whole Wheat Bread

Related Recipes

1. 1 lb Bread Machine All Purpose Bread
2. 1 lb Bread Machine Multigrain Bread
3. 1 lb Bread Machine Oatmeal Bread
4. 1 lb Bread Machine White Bread
5. Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread – 1.5 & 2 lb recipes
6. Soft Whole Wheat Bread – Oven baked

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