No Knead Whole Wheat Bread is the most comforting food in the world! I have to admit it can be intimidating though if you’ve never made it before. No worries! This recipe is so EASY to make and I’m going to walk you through all the steps (and there aren’t very many)! You basically throw everything in the bowl of a stand mixer (no bread machine needed) and let it do the work for you! Plus I love that this recipe is 100% whole wheat bread and it doesn’t have any refined sugar!
Coming home to the smell of Cake Mix Butterscotch Cookie Bars, S’mores Cookies, or Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies wafting through the house is glorious! But, there really is nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread welcoming you home after a long day at work or school!
Sometimes whole wheat bread can be dense and heavy. Not this bread recipe! It makes great sandwich bread too!
I try really hard to be available, and present, when my boys get home from school. They’re bursting with stories from their day and they can’t wait to share. I LOVE having a little snack for them and being able to just hang out and enjoy them for a few minutes before they rush off to do chores. The secret to getting them to stay is having sliced homemade bread, plenty of soft butter, and Raspberry Peach Freezer Jam!
Do I always need to proof yeast in bread recipes?
I’m not kidding when I say this is the easiest bread recipe in the world! Throw all the ingredients in a mixer bowl at once. No need to let the yeast proof. Turn the mixer on and let it rip for about 5 minutes. The mixer will effortlessly knead that bread to perfection!
Every bread recipe is created a bit differently. Many of them require proofing the yeast. In simple terms that means mixing it with warm water and some form of sugar which allows the yeast to get bubbly.
One of the major differences in determining whether yeast needs to be proofed is the type of yeast you are using. There’s active dry yeast and instant yeast. Be sure to read the recipe carefully and follow directions. For this recipe, I use instant yeast.
This recipe calls for “dough enhancer”. From what I’ve read about dough enhancers they improve taste, texture, and crust of homemade bread. I’ve made this bread recipe omitting the dough enhancer and I don’t notice a huge difference, so I think you can successfully omit it. However, if you’d like to try it here’s a link to dough enhancer https://amzn.to/2Excf2B {Amazon Affiliate Link}
Rising yeast bread
One of the awesome things about this recipe is that it doesn’t need to rise before shaping into loaves, which is such a time saver. Shape the dough any way you’d like. I typically roll it out on a canvas mat and shape it into two loaves. Remember though, you won’t need to knead the dough at all. The mixer already did that for you. How easy is that?
Now that it’s shaped into loaves, it needs to rise until doubled. Time will vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen, probably about 30 minutes.
Be sure to cover bread loaves with plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick spray. It helps keep the bread from drying out while it rises.
Butter the tops of bread
You guys, my family owns a dairy farm! Of course, I’m going to suggest buttering the tops of freshly baked bread with butter! Not only doesn’ it make it absolutely gorgeous, but it also gives it that added richness! Yum!
Unwrap one end of a stick of butter and gently rub it over the bread tops! That’s the easiest way to do it, and you won’t get any dishes dirty either!
Do I need to let warm bread cool on a rack?
Leave baked bread in the pan for a couple of minutes after removing it from the oven. Bread will continue to bake and create steam inside the warm bread pan, which makes the bread soggy. You don’t want soggy bread!
Remove loaves from the bread pan and let completely cool on a baking rack, unless you just can’t wait and dive in right away!
If you have any loaves left after they have completely cooled store them in an airtight container. I love these Bread Bags {Amazon affiliate link}!
What is the best kind of wheat to use in making bread?
There are several different varieties of wheat out there. You should see how much wheat is grown in my little farming community! Our rural roads are busier than ever in late July and August because of all the grain trucks! It’s a crazy busy time of the year when farmers pretty much work around the clock! It’s exciting though!
Some varieties of wheat include; hard red winter, hard red spring, hard red wheat, soft red winter, durum, and soft white wheat.
Varieties are based on when they are planted, the hardness of the wheat, and color. Red wheat varieties have a bit more protein than white wheat. And obviously it has a bit darker color, and a more intense flavor.
My favorite variety is soft white wheat because it looks, and tastes, closest to white flour. If I buy whole wheat bread from the grocery store they complain, but they are perfectly okay with homemade whole wheat bread!
NOTE: I’ve had questions about using bread flour instead of whole wheat flour. I’m guessing you could substitute 1:1 and with success. I’ve never tried it though so I can’t promise anything!
What is the difference between active dry yeast and instant (rapid rise) yeast?
The granules in active dry yeast are bigger than the granules in the instant yeast. Instant yeast can be added to bread with the rest of the ingredients. Because active yeast granules are bigger they take a little longer to activate. Can you substitute active yeast for instant yeast? Yes! Here’s what you’ll need to do to activate it.
- Add warm water (between 105-110 degrees) to a measuring cup.
- Use 25% more active yeast than the amount of instant yeast called for.
- Sprinkle yeast over warm water.
- Sprinkle about a Tablespoon of sugar (or another sweetener like honey) over the water.
- Gently stir.
- Let sit in a warm spot until bubbly.
Yeast does lose the ability to activate if it’s too old. So check the expiration date for the best results.
What can I serve No Knead Honey Whole Wheat Bread with?
Obviously, homemade bread is amazing served with any soup, salad, or main dish! It’s also a scrumptious snack all on its own! Here are a few super easy main dish ideas for that will complete a hearty, comforting meal!
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Tortellini
- Lemon Pesto Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken
- Slow Cooker Creamed Peas, Potatoes, and Ham
- Slow Cooker Cubed Steak in Mushroom Sauce
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Here’s the printable No Knead Whole Wheat Bread recipe!
If you’re intimidated by making homemade bread, THIS is the recipe for you! Homemade bread has never been easier than with this recipe! It turns out perfect every single time and even my boys who claim they only like white bread devour this stuff by the loaf!
Try it out, come back and leave me a comment letting me know what you think! I have a feeling you, and your family are going to LOVE it!
No Knead Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups warm water
- 1/4 cups oil
- 1/2 cups honey
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp dough enhancer
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 5-7 cups whole wheat flour divided
- 1 1/2 TBSP instant yeast
Instructions
- Grease two bread pans. Set aside.
- Put all ingredients (starting with 5 cups of flour) in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add yeast last.
- Mix on low speed until mixed together. Add additional flour half a cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Continue adding flour until dough peels away from sides of the bowl.
- Keep mixing on low speed for 5 more minutes.
- Remove dough from mixer bowl, divide in half, and shape into two bread loaves. Place one loaf in each prepared pan.
- Spray plastic wrap with nonstick baking spray. Cover bread pans with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size. The amount of time will vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen. It usually takes around 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread for 30-35 minutes.
- Brush tops of bread loaves with butter. Remove bread from loaf pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Slice and store in an airtight container.
Pam says
I made this recipe after work today and it turned out beautiful and very yummy.it has a great trexture. I’m fairly new at succeeding in making a decent loaf of bread ,so I’m delighted in how easy it was to do. Thank you for providing this recipe, we LOVE IT!!
Amy Engberson says
I love this! Making bread can be intimidating, but this recipe really is so EASY! I’m glad you loved it!
Joni says
Amazing how easy this bread is ! It is TRULY NO KNEAD!!
Amy Engberson says
Thanks for commenting! This recipe is not only super easy but even my picky “white bread only” kids love it! Glad your family loves it too!
Nancy says
This recipe looks amazing! I’m assuming you use the dough hook on your stand mixer to mix it (as opposed to the paddle) but can you confirm that? And apologies if I somehow missed that in your recipe and/or write up. Thanks!
Amy Engberson says
Hi Nancy! Yes! I always use the dough hook when I’m making any kind of bread with my Kitchen Aid.
Anila says
Excellent bread. So soft and perfect. Thanks for the recipe!
Amy Engberson says
I’m glad you loved it! My boys turn their noses up at whole wheat bread unless it’s this recipe!
Alice Beef says
I love to eat bread and your recipe give me a creative way to make the delicious one. The taste is really good. Thank you so much for your experiences and sharing.
Amy Engberson says
Bread really is one of the best foods ever! I love the flavor and texture of this bread too! Enjoy!
John Allen says
This recipe really looks good and the pictures of the freshly baked loaves is drool inducing. I’d really like to make it, but I’ve got 3 different sizes of loaf pans and the size of the loaf pans used in the recipe aren’t mentioned. Are they 4×8 or 5×9?
Amy Engberson says
A 5×9 will work perfectly! I can’t wait for you to try this bread! It’s so easy and comforting!
Ann says
What is dough enhancer? I’ve never heard of this before and if there is a certain brand that you use, would you tell me.
Thanks.
Amy Engberson says
From what I’ve read about dough enhancers they improve taste, texture, and crust of homemade breads. I’ve made this bread recipe omitting the dough enhancer and I don’t notice a huge difference, so I think you can successfully omit it. However, if you’d like to try it here’s a link to dough enhancer https://amzn.to/2Excf2B {Amazon Affiliate Link}
Charlene Spratt says
What is dough enhancer? And the bread looks delicious. Just beautiful.
Amy Engberson says
From what I’ve read about dough enhancers they improve taste, texture, and crust of homemade breads. I’ve made this bread recipe omitting the dough enhancer and I don’t notice a huge difference, so I think you can successfully omit it. However, if you’d like to try it here’s a link to dough enhancer https://amzn.to/2Excf2B {Amazon Affiliate Link}
Carol Aubee Girard says
What is dough enhancer I haven’t heard of this before?
Amy Engberson says
Dough enhancer is a powder that’s supposed to improve texture, and crust of the bread. I’ve ommitted it before and had good results, however I like to add it. Here’a a link dough enhancer from Amazon. https://amzn.to/2Excf2B {Amazon Affiliate Link}
Carol Aubee Girard says
Thanks, I should have looked at all the comments before asking sorry for a repeat question.
Enjoy your day!
Medison From CookwareStuffs says
Hi…Amy, this is too easy to make & healthy, fresh as well…Thanks for sharing…keep shared your new amazing & healthy recipes….!
Amy Engberson says
Yay! I’m glad you enjoyed it! There’s nothing quite like homemade bread!
Amy says
Oh, wow! This looks to die for!
Amy Engberson says
Thanks! It’s so perfect served with about any main dish!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
Looks delicious and so easy to make! !
Amy Engberson says
It’s seriously the easiest bread recipe in the world which makes it perfect for busy days!
Krista says
This bread sounds amazing! I would love to have that smell in my house right now!
Amy Engberson says
The only thing that smells better is brand new babies! It’s pretty good though!
Valerie says
This looks delicious!
Please tell me what “dough enhancer” is. I’ve baked a lot of bread & rolls but have never heard of this.
Thank you!
Harriet says
Why has there been no answer to this question? I too have been baking bread for many years and have never heard of “dough enhancer”. Please advise?
Thanks!
Amy Engberson says
Good morning Harriet! Please forgive me for my absense for a few days. I went away with my family and thouroughly enjoyed my time with them! Again, I apologize for not being available 24 hours a day. Please be patient with me and others. From what I’ve read about dough enhancers they improve taste, texture, and crust of homemade breads. I’ve made this bread recipe omitting the dough enhancer and I don’t notice a huge difference, so I think you can successfully omit it. However, if you’d like to try it here’s a link to dough enhancer https://amzn.to/2Excf2B {Amazon Affiliate Link} I hope you enjoy the bread as much as we do!
Harriet says
Thanks for the info. I’m used to kneading bread but thought this might be an interesting alternative.
Amy Engberson says
I think you’ll be pleased with the results! This method is much easier than kneading dough by hand. The mixer does all the hard work and it turns out every time! Good luck!
Taylor says
Love that there’s no kneading in this bread recipe! Simple and delicious!
Amy Engberson says
That’s one of my favorite parts of this recipe! Who has time for kneading dough!
Melanie Bauer says
Looks so good! I love how easy this recipe is, can make them at home now!
Amy Engberson says
It’s seriously faster than going to the store to buy bread! And a million times better too!
Katerina @ diethood .com says
This bread looks amaaazing!! A MUST try!!
Amy Engberson says
It’s one of those foods that’s so comforting! I love how easy it is too!
Jade says
This looks delicious! I cannot wait to try this recipe at the weekend!
Amy Engberson says
I live and hour from the grocery store and I can make this bread faster than I can run to the store to grab a loaf! It’s so much better than store bought bread too! I can’t wait for you to try it! Let me know what you think of it!
Sabrina says
Something about homemade bread just makes my heart happy! Every sandwich made with it tastes so much better!
Amy Engberson says
I know exactly what you’re talking about! It’s so comforting and makes you just want to be at home! And yes, give me all the sandwiches with homemade bread!
Demeter says
Love how super easy this to make! It’s a total win and it’ll make you feel like baking pro! Thanks
Amy Engberson says
Yep! Even the most beginner bread makers will feel like pros with this recipe! It’s so easy and so delicious!