This bread machine whole wheat bread recipe is very easy. It helps you to create a delicious homemade whole wheat bread with natural fiber and nutrients. Whole wheat flour is less processed than most white flours and thus loses less of its natural goodness during the milling process. Therefore, bread machine whole wheat bread has more natural fiber & nutrients than most white breads. Homemade whole wheat bread is perfect for breakfast toast and lunch sandwiches.
Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread
This whole wheat bread machine recipe is for health conscious adults… not for sugar craving kids!!! If you are looking for a fluffy white bread recipe, this is bread is not for you. Instead, you should try our buttery Bread Machine White Bread recipe. However, if you are looking to a hearty brown bread with lots of natural fiber then this bread machine whole wheat bread is perfect for you. For more on the benefits of whole wheat, you should read this American Heart Association article. Also see our flour picture below because it visually illustrates how whole wheat flour is less processed than regular white flour.
Recipe Sections
Since this whole wheat bread recipe is done in a bread machine, it is simple & easy to make. This recipe takes me about 5-10 minutes to prepare and then the bread machine does the rest of the work. FYI – You will find a printable and “pin-able” recipe at the bottom of this page.
Whole Wheat Flour – Not Your Usual White Flour
Ingredients – Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe – 1.5 lb loaf
- 1 1/8 Cups – Milk (lukewarm) – 259 milliliters – 1 1/8 cups of milk is equivalent to 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of milk
- 4 Tablespoons – Unsalted Butter (sliced & softened) – 57 grams
- 1 1/2 Cups – Whole Wheat Flour – 173 grams
- 1 1/2 Cups – Bread Flour – 180 grams
- 4 Tablespoons – Light Brown Sugar – 52 grams – If you prefer non-sweet whole wheat breads, you should use only 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar.
- 1 Teaspoon – Salt – 6 grams
- 1 Teaspoon – Bread Machine Yeast – 3 grams – Not active dry yeast
Ingredients – Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe – 2 lb loaf
- 1 1/2 Cups – Milk (lukewarm) – 345 milliliters
- 5 Tablespoons – Unsalted Butter (sliced & softened) – 71 grams
- 2 Cups – Whole Wheat Flour – 230 grams
- 2 Cups – Bread Flour – 240 grams
- 5 Tablespoons – Light Brown Sugar – 65 grams – If you prefer non-sweet whole wheat breads, you should use only 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar.
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons – Salt – 9 grams
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons – Bread Machine Yeast – 4.5 grams – Not active dry yeast
Servings – Roughly 12 slices
Equipment Needed – Measuring cup & spoons, silicone spatula, oven mitts, cooling rack and a bread machine.
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Recipe Video – Watch How My Recipe Is Made
Instructions – Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe
- Bread machine settings – 1.5 or 2 pound loaf, light color and “basic” bread setting (not the whole wheat setting)
- Soften the butter in your microwave.
- Unplug your bread machine.
- Remove the bread pan from the unplugged bread machine (so when you add the ingredients to the bread pan, 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). Place bread pan (with ingredients) back into bread machine.
- Plug in bread machine. Enter the correct settings (for either 1.5 lb or 2 lb loaf version) and press the “start” button.
- After the bread machine has finished, unplug the bread machine and remove the bread pan. Use oven mitts when removing the bread machine bread pan because it will be very hot!
- Remove the bread from the bread loaf pan and place the bread on a cooling rack. Let the bread cool down on the cooling rack for at least 30-60 minutes.
- After removing the bread from the bread loaf pan, don’t forget to remove the mixing paddle if it is stuck in the bread. Use oven mitts as the mixing paddle will be very hot coming out of the bread machine. Or wait until the bread is completely cooled and then remove the mixing paddle.
- In our Sunbeam bread machine, the baking takes about 3 hours for a 2 pound bread at the light color & basic bread settings (and about 2:53 hours for the 1.5 lb version). However, some machines can differ and you don’t want to be away from home when the bread machine “finished” alarm goes off! Your bread machine should show you the length of the baking time after you have entered the settings into the machine. This will allow you to know when to be in the kitchen in order to remove the bread.
- Please read the tips section below for extra information on how to make this recipe successfully & to avoid common bread machine mistakes. You also can watch my recipe video to “see” how to perform each recipe step.
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Other Bread Dad Sections
- Bread Machines – My favorites
- Bread Machine Cookbooks
- Bread Mixes – Ingredient kits
- Bread Tools – Bread slicers, etc.
Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread
Helpful Tips – Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread Recipe
- The tips below are designed to help bread machine “novices” and those who haven’t touched their bread machine in years.
- Click on our “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.
- If you would rather “see” how this recipe is made, please watch the step-by-step recipe video on this page. It is a short & simple video that shows you how to make this recipe.
- This recipe is part of Bread Dad’s series on easy Bread Machine Recipes (such as buttery white bread, multigrain bread, banana bread and French bread).
- If you would like to make the dough in your bread machine BUT you want to bake the bread in your oven (in order to avoid the bread machine mixing paddle hole in your loaf, etc.), you should try out our Soft Whole Wheat Bread Recipe. It is the “oven-baked” version of the recipe on this page.
- FYI – Most kids don’t like the taste of whole wheat bread. However, you can “trick” them by hiding it in something like a nice grilled cheese sandwich!!!
- For this recipe, you need to use the “BASIC” bread setting on your bread machine. Do NOT use the “whole wheat” setting.
- Make sure NOT to confuse the 1.5 lb & 2 lb ingredient amounts and machine settings! Cough, cough… said with an embarrassed grin… I have made that mistake before!
- If you haven’t used your bread machine or bread maker 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.
- This recipe is NOT for 1 lb capacity bread machines. Please check the capacity of your bread machine before making this recipe. This recipe helps you to create 1.5 lb and 2 lb bread loaves. If you have a small bread machine (i.e. a bread machine that has only a capacity for 1 lb breads), you will be unable to make this recipe. The loaf will be too large for your machine and overflow the bread pan (and the top is likely to collapse). An example of a bread machine with only a 1 lb capacity is the Zojirushi Home Bakery Mini Breadmaker (model BB-HAC10).
- For bread machines with a loaf capacity greater than 1 lb, consider making the 1.5 lb version first. Some bread machines with a supposed 2lb loaf capacity are smaller than advertised. See how the 1.5 lb version works in your bread machine before attempting the 2 lb version.
- 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.
- 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).
- This recipe uses 50% whole wheat flour and 50% bread flour. This helps the bread to rise and creates an “airier” & softer bread while still providing lots of whole wheat fiber.
- Optional – One of our visitors suggested that people try premixing the wheat flour and bread flour. He stated “Combine the wheat and bread flour in a bowl and whisk before adding to the bread machine. It improved consistency in color and texture”. Thanks Mike for the suggestion!
- Do not use all purpose flour to make this recipe. This recipe uses bread flour because it has more gluten than all purpose flour. This helps to add “structure” to the bread and capture more of the CO2 put out by the bread yeast. Thus bread flour breads tend to be fluffier than all purpose flour breads. If you make a bread combining all purpose flour & whole wheat flour, it will probably be too dense.
- However, if you are looking for a bread machine recipe that creates a 100% whole wheat bread (and contains no bread flour), you should try out our 100% Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe.
- Or try Bread Dad’s Bread Machine Honey Wheat Bread recipe if you prefer to use natural honey (versus more processed sugar) to make your whole wheat bread.
- Or if you are looking for extra fiber, check out my High Fiber Bread Recipe. Made with whole wheat flour and golden flaxseed meal.
- Optional – Sprinkle some multigrain or old fashioned oat flakes on top of the dough after the final kneading (and before the baking cycle commences) if you want to make your finished bread to look even more “natural”. However, don’t put your hands inside your bread machine & always wear oven mitts. Read your bread machine manual to see how & when this is done with your specific machine.
- When adding the yeast, it should be placed in a position that is separate from the salt (i.e. 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 & liquid) before the bread machine starts mixing the ingredients. Looks sort of like a flour volcano with a yeast crater in the middle.
- If you don’t put in the exact measurements (esp. for the flour & liquids) or your kitchen is too hot/cold/humid, the mixture might be too dry or too wet when the bread machine is kneading the dough. If the mixture is too dry, you can try adding a couple of tablespoons of water (or milk) and see if that corrects the issue. If the mixture is too wet, you can try adding a couple tablespoons of flour. FYI – The mix shouldn’t look like a desert or soup after roughly five minutes of kneading. It should look like a nice ball of dough.
- 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 lukewarm milk (or instant powdered milk mixed into lukewarm water). If the milk is just coming out of the refrigerator and thus is too cold, I like to put the milk in my microwave for 15-20 seconds in order to warm it up. However, you should also be aware that the milk/water should not be too hot because very hot milk/water can kill the yeast.
- Once you have mastered basic bread machine bread recipes (like this bread), you might like to try some of Bread Dad’s more advanced bread machine bread recipes (i.e. French bread or Italian bread). In these recipes, the bread machine will still do the hard work of kneading the dough but you will have to shape the bread by hand.
- 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 you start substituting ingredients (i.e. 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.
- If you have a problem with a bread machine recipe, please make sure that you are following the recipe exactly (i.e. using the correct bread machine settings), you are using the correct amount of an ingredient (i.e. 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 (i.e. bread machine yeast versus regular yeast or bread flour versus all purpose flour), etc. Please don’t “wing” things with recipes.
- 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 (i.e. white bread or whole wheat bread) as these are more likely to work on your individual bread machine.
- 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. The flour will pick up extra moisture from the air while sitting in the pantry and this can throw off recipes, spoil flavor, degrade shelf life, etc.
- This recipe uses bread machine yeast (instant yeast). It does NOT use 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 activated in water/milk before being added to a recipe’s ingredients. If you try to use active dry yeast for this recipe, it is much less likely to work properly (as the recipe instructions & leavening time is based on the use of bread machine yeast). Examples of yeast that can be used for this recipe include Fleischmann’s Bread Machine Yeast, Fleischmann’s Instant Yeast, Saf Instant Yeast, Red Star Instant Yeast, etc. You should not use active dry yeasts for this recipe such as Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast, Red Star Active Dry Yeast, etc.
- 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 (i.e. the bottle not sealed tight) or exposed to higher temperatures, the yeast will expire even more quickly.
- Once you have opened the bottle that contains the bread machine yeast, the yeast will last longer if you store the bottle in your refrigerator or freezer. Just make sure the bottle is sealed tight (as yeast will deteriorate quickly if exposed to air, moisture and/or heat).
- Bread machine yeast in a bottle that has never been opened should last until the bottle’s “Best If Used By” date… but only if the bottle has been stored properly (i.e. in a refrigerator, freezer or in a dark, dry & cool spot in the pantry) and the bottle remains unopened.
- If you would like to watch more Bread Dad recipe videos, please visit the Bread Dad YouTube channel.
- My recipes are based on US ingredient measurements (i.e. US cups & tablespoons). However, as a courtesy to our European visitors, I have also included some very ROUGH European equivalents (i.e. 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 (i.e. for XYZ ingredient, milliliters are more commonly used versus the grams information listed in the recipe).
- Before using your bread machine, you should always read the bread machine manufacturer’s instructions in order to use the bread machine effectively and safely.
- 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 recipes, please explore Bread Dad’s Bread Machine Recipes or Homemade Bread Recipes sections.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment below & give us a 5 star rating. It is ALWAYS great to hear from someone who has enjoyed our recipes!! Jump to comment section
Gourmet Bread Mixes – Packaged bread mixes are an easy way to make delicious homemade bread because the ingredients are already pre-measured. At no extra cost to you, we make a small commission if you buy products via the links below.
- Farmhouse Honey Wheat Bread Mix
- California Raisin Gourmet Bread Mix
- Black Russian (Pumpernickel) Bread Mix
- New York Rye Gourmet Bread Mix
- San Francisco Style Sourdough Bread Mix
- Other Popular Mixes such as Buttermilk White Bread, Cranberry Nut Bread, Italian Country Bread, Lumberjack Bread, etc.
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Whole Wheat Bread Questions
What type of fiber is in whole wheat bread?
Whole wheat bread usually has a decent amount of insoluble fiber. In contrast, breads such as oatmeal bread have more soluble fiber. According to Wikipedia, insoluble fiber “Speeds the passage of foods through the digestive system” and “Adds bulk to the stool, which alleviates constipation”.
How long does whole wheat flour last in the pantry?
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. Whole wheat flour has more natural oils because it is less processed than “white” flours (i.e. all-purpose flour or bread flour). Unfortunately, these natural oils spoil quickly. Therefore, whole wheat wheat flour spoils more rapidly than all-purpose flour or bread flour. If you want to extend the life of whole wheat flour, it should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
Reference Sources
- Wikipedia, Bread Machine
- Wikipedia, Dietary Fiber
- Wikipedia, Whole Wheat Bread
Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread Recipe (+ Video)
This bread machine whole wheat bread recipe helps you to easily create a soft & delicious whole wheat bread containing natural fiber and nutrients. Whole wheat flour is less processed than most white flours and thus loses less of its natural goodness. This whole wheat bread recipe allows you to create 1.5 lb and 2 lb versions. For more great bread recipes, please visit Bread Dad (BreadDad.com).
Servings: 12 Slices
Calories: 219kcal
Ingredients
Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread – 1.5 lb Version
- 1 1/8 Cups Milk – 259 milliliters – 1 1/8 cups of milk is equivalent to 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of milk
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (sliced & softened) – 57 grams
- 1 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour – 173 grams
- 1 1/2 Cups Bread Flour – 180 grams
- 4 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar – 52 grams – If you prefer non-sweet whole wheat breads, you should use only 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar.
- 1 Teaspoon Salt – 6 grams
- 1 Teaspoon Bread Machine Yeast – 3 grams – Not active dry yeast
Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread – 2 lb Version
- 1 1/2 Cups Milk (lukewarm) – 345 milliliters
- 5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (sliced & softened) – 71 grams
- 2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour – 230 grams
- 2 Cups Bread Flour – 240 grams
- 5 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar – 65 grams – If you prefer non-sweet whole wheat breads, you should use only 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar.
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt – 9 grams
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Bread Machine Yeast – 4.5 grams – Not active dry yeast
Instructions
- Bread machine settings – 1.5 or 2 pound loaf, light color and “basic” bread setting (not the whole wheat setting)
- Soften the butter in your microwave.
- Unplug your bread machine.
- Remove the bread pan from the bread machine (so when you add the ingredients to the bread pan, 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). Place bread pan (with ingredients) back into bread machine.
- Plug in bread machine. Enter the correct settings (for either 1.5 lb or 2 lb loaf version) and press the “start” button.
- After the bread machine has finished, unplug the bread machine and remove the bread pan. Use oven mitts when removing the bread machine bread pan because it will be very hot!
- Remove the bread from the bread loaf pan and place the bread on a cooling rack. Let the bread cool down on the cooling rack for at least 30-60 minutes.
- After removing the bread from the bread loaf pan, don’t forget to remove the mixing paddle if it is stuck in the bread. Use oven mitts as the mixing paddle will be very hot coming out of the bread machine. Or wait until the bread is completely cooled and then remove the mixing paddle.
- In our Sunbeam bread machine, the baking takes about 3 hours for a 2 pound bread at the light color & basic bread settings (and about 2:53 hours for the 1.5 lb version). However, some machines can differ and you don’t want to be away from home when the bread machine “finished” alarm goes off! Your bread machine should show you the length of the baking time after you have entered the settings into the machine. This will allow you to know when to be in the kitchen in order to remove the bread.
Notes
This is a Bread Dad recipe and may not be copied or reproduced. This recipe is copyright protected under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Legal Disclaimer
Nutrition estimate based on the 2 lb. loaf recipe. The nutritional information is provided using recipe tools such as WP Recipe Maker. These figures should only be considered as an estimate. They should not be construed as a guarantee of accuracy given visitors may use different serving sizes, ingredients, etc. See our legal disclaimer for additional nutrition disclosures.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 307mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 168IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
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Related Recipes
- Bread Machine Honey Wheat Bread
- Bread Machine 100% Whole Wheat Bread
- High Fiber Bread (for bread machines or ovens)
- Soft Whole Wheat Bread (oven baked)
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