It’s easy to make this homemade whole wheat bread sweetened with honey! This no-fail recipe bakes up golden brown into a soft, hearty loaf perfect for sandwiches and toast.

A sliced loaf of homemade whole wheat bread showing a soft, fluffy crumb.

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Honey Whole Wheat Bread

This whole wheat bread recipe is one I’ve been making for years. It’s adapted from my homemade white bread, which has gotten thousands of rave reviews, just made a little heartier and a touch healthier. Still just as delicious though!

If bread baking feels intimidating, don’t worry. Just like my French bread, this honey wheat bread recipe walks you through every step and is hard to mess up.

Ingredient Notes

Wheat bread ingredients on a marble counter.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Warm water: Warm water helps activate the yeast, aim for water that is around 105°F. If the water is too hot, it could kill the yeast.
  • Yeast: I like to use active dry yeast as opposed to instant yeast as the bread develops more flavor during a slower rise.
  • Sugar: This feeds the yeast and adds a small touch of sweetness. I love coconut sugar but you can substitute with white sugar or honey.
  • Butter: Unsalted butter will add richness to the bread. It will need to be melted.
  • Salt: Adjust salt if your butter is salted.
  • Honey: Honey and whole wheat taste really great together!
  • Evaporated milk: Milk helps yield a softer bread.
  • Flour: I use a combination of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour for a lighter, fluffier bread. You can use all whole wheat flour or all white whole flour if preferred.

How to Make Whole Wheat Bread

Add yeast and sugar to a small bowl, then pour warm water on top. Let sit until the mixture begins to foam and bubble, about 10 minutes. Don’t skip this step, it’s the best way to make sure your yeast is alive and active before you start!

Combine the liquid ingredients. Add melted butter, honey, evaporated milk and salt in a large bowl, then pour in the bubbly yeast mixture and stir. This is what gives the bread that rich, slightly sweet flavor you are going to love.

Active dry yeast proofed and ready to go.
Activated yeast, bubbly and ready to go.
Melted butter, honey, evaporated milk and salt combined before adding the yeast mixture.
Combining the wet ingredients.

Add flour and knead. Start with 3 cups of flour and knead with a bread hook or your hands. Keep adding flour a cup at a time up to 5 cups, then switch to adding half a cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Once your fingers no longer stick to the dough you know it’s ready. A stand mixer makes this so much easier, but hands work just fine too!

Form into a ball, coat with butter, cover with a warm towel and set in a draft-free spot until doubled. This is a great time to clean up the kitchen while the magic happens.

Kneading the whole wheat bread dough with a bread hook until it pulls away from the sides
Kneading the whole wheat dough.
Covering the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot
Cover and 1st rise.

Punch the dough down and knead on a floured surface for 2 to 3 minutes. It only takes a couple minutes but makes a real difference in the final texture.

Cut into two pieces, roll into rectangles, then roll up and tuck the ends under. Place into greased bread pans. Take your time shaping these, it’s worth it for a beautiful loaf!

Whole wheat bread dough doubled in size and ready to punch down.
Dough doubled in size and ready to punch down.
Wheat bread dough being kneaded and shaped into a ball.
Kneading dough before shaping.

 Let rise until both loaves look like a good loaf size. Patience here pays off!

Bake at 375F for 25 to 35 minutes until golden. Brush the tops with butter straight out of the oven, trust me on this one.

Shaped loaves in the bread pans for the second rise.
Shaped loaves in the bread pans for the second rise.
Two golden brown whole wheat bread loaves fresh from the oven.
Two golden brown whole wheat bread loaves.

Expert Tips

  • Vital wheat gluten. This is my secret weapon for whole wheat bread! Just 3 tablespoons added to the dough lightens the texture and gives you a softer, fluffier loaf. Totally worth keeping on hand.
  • Use a mix of flours. The best flavor comes from combining whole wheat flour with 2 cups of all purpose or bread flour. You can use all whole wheat but the loaf will be a little more dense. Totally still delicious though!
  • Speed up the rise. Cover the bowl with a warm towel and set it by a sunny window, on top of a heating pad, or in the oven at 170°F with a small pan of water. Works like a charm every time.
  • Wait for it to double. Make sure your dough is fully doubled in size before you touch it after the first rise. It’s tempting to rush but this step really matters.
  • Butter the top right away. As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, rub butter over the top while it’s still hot. It softens the crust and adds the most amazing flavor.
  • Let it cool before slicing. I know it smells incredible but give it time to cool before cutting in. Slicing too early can make the inside gummy and you worked too hard for that!
Homemade whole wheat bread sliced on a cutting board.

Wheat Bread Troubleshooting Tips

Why didn’t my bread rise? This almost always comes down to the yeast. Make sure your water is warm but not too hot, anything over 110°F can kill the yeast before it gets started. If your yeast didn’t foam and bubble during the proofing step, start over with fresh yeast before moving on.

Why is my bread dense? A few things can cause this. The dough may not have risen long enough, the yeast may not have been fully activated, or there was too much flour added. Make sure you are waiting for the dough to fully double in size both times and measure your flour carefully.

Why is my crust too hard? The most common fix is buttering the top as soon as it comes out of the oven. You can also tent the loaf loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking if it’s browning too fast.

How long do I knead the dough? By hand it takes about 10 minutes, with a stand mixer and dough hook about 8 minutes. Your dough is ready when it’s smooth and elastic. Try the windowpane test, stretch a small piece thin and if you can see light through it you’re good to go.

How long does the dough need to rise? Plan for two rises. The first takes about an hour to an hour and a half. The second will be a little shorter. Both times you are looking for the dough to double in size.

What pan should I use? An 8×4 or 9×5 metal bread pan works best. Silicone and glass pans both work too but may affect baking time so keep an eye on it.

How do I know when the bread is done? Tap the bottom of the loaf and listen for a hollow sound. You can also use an instant read thermometer, 190°F means it’s done.

A slice of homemade whole wheat bread topped with honey on a white plate, served with butter and a bowl of honey on the side.

More bread recipes you will love include this recipe for brioche bread, artisan bread and easy Dutch oven bread.

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A sliced homemade whole wheat bread loaf with a soft fluffy crumb, served with butter.

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

4.98 from 73 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Rising Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 32 (2 loaves)
It's easy to make this homemade whole wheat bread sweetened with honey! This no-fail recipe bakes up golden brown into a soft, hearty loaf perfect for sandwiches and toast.
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Ingredients 

  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 3 Tablespoons coconut sugar , can substitute with white sugar or honey
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • 1 Tablespoon salt
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ½ cup  evaporated milk
  • 3-4 cups whole wheat flour , can also use all white whole wheat flour
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour , can also use all white whole wheat flour
  • 3 Tablespoons vital wheat gluten , optional
  • 2 Tablespoons butter , melted (for topping)

Instructions

  • Activate yeast. Place 1 Tablespoon yeast and 3 Tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Pour 2 cups warm water (not too hot) over the yeast mixture and let it sit for about 10 minutes, or until nice and bubbly.
  • Combine 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/4 cup honey, 1/2 cup evaporated milk and 1 Tablespoon salt into a large mixing bowl. When your yeast mixture is ready, add them together and mix.
  • Add flour and knead. If you are using a stand mixer, attach the bread hook and then pour in 3 cups of flour (and the wheat gluten if using). Stir/knead it as well. Then add in 1 cup of flour at a time and mix. When you get to 5 cups of flour in the bowl, add in 1/2 cup more of flour at a time until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides. You’ll know it’s ready when your fingers no longer stick to the dough.
  • First rise. Then coat the ball of dough and sides of the bowl with butter and cover the bowl with a warm towel. Set by the window and allow it it rise (about 1-1.5 hours). When it has risen over the bowl, punch it down and place on a floured surface.
  • Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes.
  • Shape. Cut dough into two pieces and roll both out into a rectangle. Roll the dough up and tuck the ends under. Then place into 2 greased bread pans (8×4 or 9×5 will work).
  • 2nd rise. Let the bread rise again, and when it looks like a good loaf size, place them in the oven at 375°F for 25-35 minutes. When the bread is done, it will sound hollow when tapped on. Coat the top with butter and remove onto a cooling rack. 

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Flour: I like to do a mix of flours for the texture, but you could replace the wheat and white and just use a white whole wheat flour if preferred. 
Vital Wheat Gluten: This is added to whole wheat bread to improve the bread’s structure and elasticity, as whole wheat flour has less gluten than white flour. It helps the bread rise better and maintain a lighter, more appealing texture. If you don’t have any, you can leave out, but I would use half all-purpose flour. 
Storage: Store leftover bread in a brown bag on the counter for 3-5 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 106kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 244mg, Potassium: 62mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 75IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 17mg, Iron: 0.8mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Slice of homemade wheat bread topped with butter and honey.