This bread machine whole wheat bread is an easy everyday loaf made with 100% whole wheat flour and just six simple ingredients. With only about 5 minutes of hands on prep, the bread machine takes care of the kneading, rising, and baking for a hearty, sliceable loaf that is great for sandwiches and toast.
I love making a simple loaf of bread in my bread machine to use for everyday breakfasts and lunches, or as a side with a quick dinner. Bread Machine White Bread, Oatmeal Bread, and Seed Bread are some of my favorites, but I come back to this bread machine whole wheat recipe often, too.
Don’t have a bread machine? Try my no-knead bread recipe instead! Try using your homemade sandwich bread to make tuna salad sandwiches or a classic BLT!
I love this recipe!! this is my second time making it!! thank you!
Kelly L
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Whole Wheat Bread
This has become one of my most popular bread machine recipes, with more than 140 reader ratings and hundreds of comments. I like it for everyday sandwiches and toast because the ingredient list is short and the bread machine handles everything from kneading to baking. One thing I have learned from making whole wheat bread is that checking the dough during kneading makes a big difference, since different whole wheat flours can absorb water differently.
Key Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Whole Wheat Flour: The type you should search for in the US and Canada will be labeled as “Whole wheat flour”. In the UK and Australia, this is called “Strong wholemeal bread flour”. It will have a coarser, more grainy texture than white flour. It will also usually be labeled as “strong” or “high-gluten” which means that it has a high amount of gluten, which is perfect for breadmaking. For the most accurate results, weigh the flour rather than measuring it by volume.
- Instant Yeast: This recipe was developed using instant yeast, sometimes labeled bread machine yeast. For the most consistent results, I recommend using it rather than substituting another type of yeast.
- Melted Butter: Adds flavor and helps keep the crumb tender. Olive oil can also be used if you prefer.
- Sugar: A small amount of granulated sugar adds a touch of sweetness and helps the crust brown. Leaving the sugar out will give you a paler crust and a slower rise.
- Salt: Salt does more than season the loaf. It controls how fast the yeast works and strengthens the dough. Do not leave it out or reduce it, or the loaf will rise too fast and sink in the middle.
- Water: Use water at 110°F (43°C), as tested for this recipe.
How to Make Whole Wheat Bread in a Bread Machine
Visit my recipe for Bread Machine White Bread for more tips and tricks!
- Add Ingredients: Layer your ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the following order: Water, Butter/Oil, Sugar, Salt, Flour, and lastly, Yeast.
- Set Up and Turn On: Add the bread pan to the bread machine, and make sure that it’s secured. Close the lid, and plug in the machine. Select the Whole Wheat or Whole Grain cycle and the 1½ pound loaf size.
- Let the Bread Maker Work: The bread machine will now take over for you, and knead, proof, and bake your bread dough!
- Cool: When the baking cycle ends, unplug the bread machine, open the lid, and remove the pan from the machine with kitchen mitts. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then shake it out of the pan and allow it to cool completely. Carefully remove the paddle from the bottom of the loaf if it got stuck there.
Check the Dough During Kneading
Bread machines vary, and whole wheat flour can absorb different amounts of water, so it is worth checking the dough during the first kneading cycle. The dough should form a soft, smooth ball that is slightly tacky but not wet or smeared around the bottom of the pan.
If the dough looks dry or crumbly, add water 1 teaspoon at a time. If it looks very sticky and is not forming a ball, add whole wheat flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
What to Expect From 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Because this loaf is made entirely with whole wheat flour, it will be darker and slightly denser than bread made with white bread flour. It should still rise well and have a soft, sliceable crumb, but it will have the heartier texture and nutty flavor you expect from whole wheat bread.
More Bread Machine Recipes to Try
Bread Machine Brown Bread
Bread Machine Rye Bread Recipe
Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
Bread Machine Dinner Rolls
FAQs
Follow your bread machine manufacturer’s recommended ingredient order. For the machine used to test this recipe, the ingredients are added with the liquids first and the yeast last.
Follow this recipe, using 50% whole wheat flour and 50% white bread flour. Increase the yeast to 1 ½ teaspoons, then follow the recipe as written.
You should store your homemade bread wrapped in plastic wrap or foil to keep it soft and fresh. Bread machine wheat bread can also be frozen, wrapped well and airtight, for up to two months. Avoid putting bread in the fridge, as the conditions there will dry out your loaf.
You should always make sure that your yeast is fresh and active. It could be that your yeast is dead, or you added too much salt or sugar, or you forgot to add the yeast.
You probably added too much yeast.
If this happens for some reason, add more liquid (1 tablespoon at a time) until a ball of dough is formed.
You need to add more flour, add it gradually (1 tablespoon at a time) until a ball of dough is formed.
This loaf makes good peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and good toast.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (350 ml) water at 110°F (43°C)
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter melted, or 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 4 cups (480 g) whole wheat flour strong wholemeal flour in the UK
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
Instructions
- Layer your ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the following order: Water, Butter/Oil, Sugar, Salt, Flour, and lastly, Yeast.
- Add the bread pan to the bread machine, and make sure that it’s secured. Close the lid, and plug in the machine. Select the Whole Wheat or Whole Grain cycle, the 1½ pound loaf size, and medium crust.
- The bread machine will now take over for you, and knead, proof, and bake your bread dough!
- When the baking cycle ends, unplug the bread machine, open the lid, and remove the pan from the machine with kitchen mitts.
- Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn it out and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Carefully remove the paddle from the bottom of the loaf if it got stuck there.
Notes:
- Weigh the Flour: 4 cups of whole wheat flour can differ by 50 to 70 grams from one person to the next depending on how it goes into the cup, and that swing is the most common reason this loaf comes out dense or sinks in the middle. This recipe is built on 480 g. If you do not have a scale, stir the flour in the bag to loosen it, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level the top with a knife. Do not scoop the cup straight through the flour.
- Water temperature: Use water at about 110°F (43°C), as tested for this recipe. An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to check the temperature.
- Yield: One medium loaf, about 1½ pounds (680 g).
- Cook Time: 4 hours, based on the tested bread machine. Cycle times vary by model.
- Nutrition: Nutrition is a rough estimate, based on the loaf cut into 10 slices.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Jim Gambini says
But there CAN’T be 337 mg sodium in each serving (when loaf is sliced into 10 slices). Adding up all the sodium in all the ingredients totals to about 1400 mg of sodium. Divided by 10 (10 slices, 1 slice=1 serving) is only 140 mg. It’s even less if olive oil replaces the butter (which i do) and the salt is reduced (I use just 1/2 tsp) or even eliminated.
Where do the other 237 mg come from?
*Note: I’ve only just started making bread myself to monitor intake of sodium and other nutrients.
Carole says
If you use powdered milk in addition to this recipe, where do you add it?
Diana says
With the flour!
KK says
Hi! Another Commentor asked about powdered milk but I don’t even see that on this recipe but Ive used it before. Was I supposed to add it? I’m a newbie and learning about flour. I bought 25 lbs of King Arthur Lancelot ( high gluten) I made this recipe and it’s really good. I forgot to sift my flour so I wonder if that makes big difference. I used my bread machine and would love to find other recipes for the high-gluten flour.
Diana says
Hi, there is no milk powder in my recipe but it can be added if desired (2 tablespoons), or use milk instead of water in the recipe for a softer loaf. Sifting flour before making bread with it helps to aerate it, and will make a fluffier, less dense bread. It’s not necessary for success but is an option.
Denise says
This was my first attempt at baking bread. I used extra virgin olive oil instead of butter, left out the sugar, and reduced the salt to one teaspoon, and this bread turned out soft and fluffy. I will definitely be making it again in the future since it’s so hard to find a 100% wholemeal bread without sugar and rapeseed oil.
Elaine says
Can I do the dough only cycle baking it in my oven instead? I like my regular bread pan sizes better.
Diana says
You definitely can! Let it knead and proof the dough, then transfer to your preferred pan and bake it in the oven.
Dorothy says
Is there a reason we don’t add powdered milk to the recipe? Just wondering because some recipes I perused added the milk.
Diana says
Hi Dorothy, it’s a personal preference. My Dad used to get heartburn if I added milk and sugar to bread, so I just eliminated the milk and used less sugar. But you can totally add powdered milk if you like! It changes the texture a little (makes it smoother), and it’s also added for flavor.
Dorothy says
Well I tried it with powdered milk yesterday and it was so good. The crust was chewy, would the milk do that? My husband and I both love crusts and usually tease each other about who gets it first, but this time we shared and agreed that it was so much better than bought bread.