Easy Honey Wheat Bread Recipe | Soft Homemade Sandwich Loaf
Soft, lightly sweet honey wheat sandwich bread with a tender crumb and reliable rise using simple pantry ingredients. Great for sandwiches and toast and stays soft for days.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Warm water (105–110°F)
- Honey
- Active dry yeast or instant yeast
- Bread flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Fine sea salt
- Milk powder (optional)
- Neutral oil or soft butter, for greasing
- Warm honey or melted butter, for glazing (optional)
Instructions
Instructions
- Stir warm water and honey in a large mixing bowl until dissolved, then sprinkle active dry yeast over the surface and let stand until foamy, or proceed immediately if using instant yeast.
- Add butter and salt to the yeast mixture, stir in whole wheat flour and milk powder if using, then gradually add bread flour until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead until smooth and elastic, by hand for 8–10 minutes or in a stand mixer on medium-low for 6–8 minutes, adjusting with small amounts of flour or water as needed for a soft, slightly tacky dough.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 60–90 minutes.
- Gently deflate the dough, pat into an 8x14-inch rectangle, roll up from the short side, pinch the seam, tuck the ends, and place seam-side down in a greased 8.5x4.5-inch or 9x5-inch loaf pan.
- Cover and let rise until the dough crests about 1 inch above the pan rim, 30–60 minutes, and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 190–195°F, tenting with foil if the top browns too quickly.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, transfer to a rack, optionally brush the warm loaf with honey or melted butter, and cool at least 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
For a softer crust, brush the hot loaf with melted butter or honey. If dough is sticky during kneading, dust in 1–2 tablespoons more bread flour; if stiff, add water 1 teaspoon at a time. Use instant yeast by mixing it with the flours. An 8.5x4.5-inch pan yields a taller loaf; a 9x5-inch pan yields a wider, slightly shorter loaf. Internal temp of 190–195°F indicates doneness. Variations: replace 1/4 cup flour with oats; add seeds to the crust; swap half the water for buttermilk; make a cinnamon swirl; use maple syrup instead of honey. Store wrapped at room temperature 3–4 days or freeze slices up to 3 months.