Bread Machine Cracked Wheat Bread

My bread machine cracked wheat bread is crunchy & full of fiber. It is a delicious bread and great for making more wholesome sandwiches (versus using white bread). My recipe is made with cracked wheat or coarse bulgur wheat.

Cracked Wheat Bread – Lots of Grains in Crust & Interior

Recipe Sections

1. Ingredients
2. Instructions
3. Helpful Tips

FYI – Bulgur wheat is very similar to & generally more available than cracked wheat in many US supermarkets. See tips section lower down on this page to learn more about bulgur wheat and cracked wheat.

Sliced Bread Machine Cracked Wheat Bread

Since this bread machine wheat bread is done in a bread machine, it is pretty simple & easy to make. This recipe takes me about 5-10 minutes to prepare and then the bread machine does the rest of the hard work (such as mixing, kneading & baking). No oven is required to make this bread machine wheat bread.

Ingredients – 1.5 lb Version

• 1 1/8 Cups – Milk (warm) – 266 milliliters
• 3 Tablespoons – Olive Oil – 45 milliliters
• 1 Cup – Whole Wheat Flour – 145 grams – This recipe based on using regular “supermarket” whole wheat flour and not freshly milled wheat flour. See the tips section below for more info.
• 1 1/4 Cups – Bread Flour – 150 grams
• 3/4 Cup – Cracked Wheat (or Coarse Bulgur Wheat) – 129 grams – If you prefer less “crunchy” breads, you can use 1/2 cup of cracked/bulgur wheat.
• 1/4 Cup – Light Brown Sugar (packed) – 54 grams – If you prefer less sweet breads then use 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 1/8 Teaspoons – Salt – 6.8 grams
• 1 1/8 Teaspoons – Instant Yeast (or Bread Machine Yeast) – 4.1 grams – Not active dry yeast

Ingredients – 2 lb Version

• 1 1/2 Cups – Milk (warm) – 355 milliliters
• 4 Tablespoons – Olive Oil – 60 milliliters
• 1 1/3 Cups – Whole Wheat Flour – 193 grams – This recipe based on using regular “supermarket” whole wheat flour and not freshly milled wheat flour. See the tips section below for more info.
• 1 2/3 Cups – Bread Flour – 200 grams
• 1 Cup – Cracked Wheat (or Coarse Bulgur Wheat) – 172 grams – If you prefer less “crunchy” breads, you can use 3/4 cup of cracked/bulgur wheat.
• 1/3 Cup – Light Brown Sugar (packed) – 72 grams – If you prefer less sweet breads then use 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons – Salt – 9 grams
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons – Instant Yeast (or Bread Machine Yeast) – 5.4 grams – Not active dry yeast

Servings – Roughly 12 slices

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

Package of Bulgur Wheat

Instructions

• Bread machine settings – 1.5 or 2 pound loaf, light color and “basic/white” bread setting.
• Unplug your bread machine & remove the bread pan from the unplugged bread 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). I like to make a small “pocket” on top of the flour in order to hold the yeast in one spot before the machine starts.
• Put the bread pan (with all of the ingredients) back into the bread machine, close the bread machine lid and then plug in the bread machine.
• Enter the correct settings (e.g. 1.5 lb or 2 lb loaf, light color & basic/white bread setting) and press the “start” button.
• When the bread machine has finished baking the bread, unplug the bread machine. Remove the bread from the bread pan and place the bread on a cooling rack. Use oven mitts when removing the bread machine container (bread pan) as it will be very hot!
• Let the bread cool on the cooling rack for 1 to 2 hours before cutting.
• Please read the tips section below for extra information on how to make this recipe successfully.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment & 5 star rating below. Jump to comment section

📌 Save this recipe – Bookmark or pin it

Love bread machine recipes? Then subscribe to my email newsletter

Roast Beef Grilled Cheese Sandwich – Made With Cracked Wheat Bread

I know the sandwich above is NOT super healthy. However, I like roast beef sandwiches as well as grilled cheese sandwiches. So the use of cracked wheat bread to make my sandwiches & paninis slightly eases my health “guilty conscience”!

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 my 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 Bread Machine Recipes such as banana bread, extra soft white bread, French bread, bagels and pizza dough.

• Unless you have a giant bread machine with 2 mixing paddles, you should make my 1.5 lb version FIRST!!! Some bread machines with a supposed 2lb loaf capacity are smaller than advertised. Their “2 lb capacity” is based on the manufacturer’s smaller internal recipes and not on many standard online recipes. Therefore, I would recommend seeing how my 1.5 lb version works in your bread machine before attempting the 2 lb version. This could save you from the 2 lb version overflowing your bread pan (if your machine has problems with standard 2 lb online recipes).
• I have also 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. For example, some bread machines with a “2 lb loaf capacity” are better suited for my 1.5 lb recipes (as they can’t handle my fluffy 2 lb recipes) and some are better with my 2 lb recipes (as their pans have lots of extra space).

• My bread machine wheat bread recipe uses cracked wheat or coarse bulgur wheat.
• Strangely enough, bulgur wheat is easier to find in many US supermarkets than cracked wheat (despite these products being very similar). See the picture higher on this page of a package of bulgur that I bought from my local supermarket.
• What is cracked wheat? Cracked wheat is made from wheat “berries” (whole seeds) that have been broken or crushed into smaller pieces.
• What is bulgur? Bulgur is a wheat product made from cracked wheat/crushed wheat. However, bulgur differs from cracked wheat because it has been partially cooked (parboiled), dried and then ground into different sizes. According to Wikipedia, “Bulgur is sometimes confused with cracked wheat, which is crushed wheat grain that, unlike bulgur, has not been parboiled… Bulgur is recognized as a whole grain by the United States Department of Agriculture”.
• FYI – Bulgur is an ingredient used in various Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes such as pilaf recipes, stews, salads, etc.
• Visitors – Did you make this recipe with cracked wheat or coarse bulgur wheat? Which was easier to find in your supermarket? Please leave your cracked wheat & bulgur wheat suggestions & tips in the comment section below.

• If you use bulgur wheat (instead of cracked wheat) to make this bread machine wheat bread recipe, you need to use COARSE bulgur (and not finely ground bulgur). Coarse bulgur is hard & crunchy. Whereas finely ground bulgur does not add much crunch to the bread. Moreover, it can throw off the recipe because finely ground bulgur absorbs more moisture than coarse bulgur.
• One of my visitors (thanks Sabrina!) pointed out that some bulgur wheats come in different coarseness “grades” (e.g. 1 through 4). For example, bulgur #1 is a fine/extra fine bulgur (which you do not want to use for this recipe). You want to use bulgur #2 (medium bulgur) or even better bulgur #3 (coarse bulgur). I would not use bulgur #4 where the grains are too large (not chopped enough in my opinion for this bread).
• This bread machine cracked wheat bread is also a little easier to make than my recipe for Bread Machine Multigrain Bread. Why? Because it can be sometimes a little difficult to find multigrain cereal (the version consisting of chopped up bits of hard grains) in some US supermarkets. However, many major US supermarkets seem to carry bulgur in the baking section or breakfast cereal section.
• Many of my peers (blogging competitors) make their cracked wheat bread recipes with mainly all purpose flour and cracked wheat/bulgur wheat. However, I feel that if you are making cracked WHEAT bread then you need to use some whole wheat flour too. Therefore, I use a blend of whole wheat flour and bread flour in my bread machine cracked wheat bread recipe. The whole wheat flour adds more fiber and the bread flour helps with the rise of this bread machine wheat bread.

• Do NOT pre-moisten the cracked wheat/coarse bulgur wheat or you will be adding too much liquid to the recipe. The cracked wheat/bulgur should be dry when added to the bread pan.
• This bread machine wheat bread 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 FRESH 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. Therefore old whole wheat flour is likely to negatively impact the flavor of bread machine wheat bread.
• 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.
• FYI – For longer storage, some of my visitors like to store their whole wheat flour (within an airtight container) in their freezer.

• Always use FRESH ingredients for the best results. Ingredients that have been sitting in the pantry for months can become stale or pick up weird smells & flavors.
• Try to keep your ingredients (e.g. flour) in airtight food containers in order to extend their shelf life. Airtight containers protect ingredients from moisture (in the air), pests, dust, etc.
• Flour (if stored in an open bag and not in an airtight container) can absorb a lot of moisture from the air. This extra moisture throws off recipes and can lead to bread collapses, etc.
• This bread machine wheat bread recipe uses some bread flour in order to improve the rise of the bread & make a less dense bread (as whole wheat flour rises less than bread flour). However, if you do not have any bread flour then all purpose flour is okay too. The bread just won’t rise as well.
• This recipe will NOT work with gluten free flour. Gluten free flour differs significantly versus flours with gluten and requires you to use recipes specifically designed for the use of gluten free flour. If you use gluten free flour in this recipe, you are likely to have a baking disaster.

• 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.
• You can use whole milk, skim milk, etc. You can also use non-dairy milks such as soy milk and oat milk. FYI – I like to use whole milk because it adds a little extra flavor to the bread. However, you should choose a milk that best meets your family’s taste & dietary preferences.
• You can also use water if you do not have any milk. Just replace the milk called for in the recipe with water on a 1:1 basis. You will lose a little bit of flavor (but the bread will still be tasty & crunchy!).

• You should let your bread COMPLETELY cool down before slicing. If you try cutting bread while it is still warm, you will squash & compress the bread and interfere with the bread slowly releasing the steam/water vapor from the interior. Premature slicing can negatively impact the bread by making the bread more gummy. FYI – It can take 1 to 2 hours for a bread to completely cool.
• Do not overbake your sandwich bread!! As soon as the bread machine done, you should remove the pan from the machine and then remove the bread from the pan. This applies to most sandwich breads made with a bread machine but always follow the recipe’s instructions for the best results.
• Do not forget the bread & let it sit in the bread machine or pan after the machine has finished baking. The residual heat will continue to bake the bread, drying it out and the loaf will turn into a rock!!
• Cool your bread on a wire cooling rack. This type of rack allows moisture to escape via all the sides of the bread (including the bottom of the loaf). FYI – A lot of moisture escapes through the paddle hole in the bottom of the bread.
• If you place bread on a cutting board or plate to cool down, the bottom of the loaf will become soggy. The escaping moisture has nowhere to go and is trapped by the plate/cutting board. This means that the bottom of your bread just sits in the trapped moisture.

• This recipe uses bread machine yeast (or instant yeast) and NOT active dry yeast. Bread machine yeast and instant yeast are not the same as active dry yeast. Bread machine yeast and instant yeast are added directly to the recipe’s ingredients. In contrast, active dry yeast must be pre-activated for 5-10 minutes in water/milk before being added to a recipe’s ingredients. If you try to use active dry yeast for this recipe, it is less likely to work properly (as the recipe instructions & leavening time is based on the use of bread machine yeast).
• 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 is not likely to be viable if it has been sitting in your pantry for years.
• 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.
• Do NOT confuse or mix up the 1.5 lb & 2 lb ingredient amounts and machine settings when making this bread machine recipe (e.g. accidentally using some of the 2 lb ingredient amounts when making the 1.5 lb version). Cough, cough… said in a small voice… I have done this before!

• 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 measuring cup or accidentally add a teaspoon when a tablespoon is called for), you are using the correct ingredients (e.g. bread machine yeast versus regular yeast or bread flour versus all purpose flour), etc. Please don’t “wing” things with recipes.
• 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 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.
• Having trouble with bread collapses & misshapen bread tops? Make sure to read Bread Dad’s article on Bread Machine Bread Collapses. It has reasons 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 (yeast likes kitchen temps of 75-80 degree F), 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.
• 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)!
• This is one of the reasons that people should store flour in an airtight container if they have already opened the flour package.
• If you would like to read my review of the bread machines that I own & use to create my bread machine recipes, please visit my Best Bread Machines page. It covers bread machines such as Hamilton Beach, KBS and Zojirushi. The page provides my thoughts on the machines’ strengths and weaknesses.

• You can also use this homemade bread to make one of Bread Dad’s hot & toasty Grilled Cheese & Panini Sandwich Recipes such as air fryer grilled cheese, chicken paninis and ham & cheese paninis.
• Be aware that some bread recipes may differ slightly between different types of bread machines. Therefore, please read your bread machine manufacturer’s instructions for basic bread recipes (e.g. white bread or whole wheat bread) as these are more likely to work on your individual bread machine.
• 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 machine recipes (e.g. white bread, whole wheat bread, banana bread, pizza dough & cornbread), please visit Bread Dad’s section on Bread Machine Recipes.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment & 5 star rating below. Jump to comment section

Plan to make this again? 📌Pin it or save it for later

Want More Recipes? Try These Next

1. Bread Machine Recipes – 90+ recipes for banana bread, sourdough bread, pizza dough, cinnamon raisin bread, etc.
2. Bread Recipes – French bread, buttermilk bread, bagels, Italian bread, etc.
3. Banana Bread Recipes – 60+ recipes for chocolate chip banana bread, banana nut bread, eggless banana bread, etc.
4. Quick Bread Recipes – Recipes using baking soda such as pumpkin bread, cranberry bread, etc.

🥖Want to make your bread even better? 1. Explore bread machines that I own & use 2. Essential tools that make baking easier

Reference Sources

1. Wikipedia, Bread Machine
2. Wikipedia, Bulgur
3. Wikipedia, Wheat
4. Wikipedia, Wheat Berry

Related Recipes

1. Bread Machine French Bread
2. Bread Machine Multigrain Bread
3. Bread Machine Oatmeal Bread
4. Bread Machine White Bread
5. Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread
6. Soft Whole Wheat Bread – Oven baked

Please leave a comment & recipe rating in the comment box below. Thanks!