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We love this sandwich bread made with Fresh Milled flour! If you’re into freshly milled flour recipes try our no-knead whole wheat bread loaf, whole wheat pizza dough, and whole wheat tortillas!
Sandwich Bread Recipe
If you’re into whole grain foods and looking for a whole wheat bread recipe that your kids will even eat, then this is the homemade sandwich bread to make! Perfectly soft and fluffy and so easy to make! Our family loves this whole-wheat bread! It’s simple and is the best bread for sandwiches if you have your toddler eating it! I share all my bread-making tips so you can feel confident baking with yeast.
Out of all my bread recipes this loaf of bread has got to be one of the best sandwich breads (and way better than white bread)! I make homemade buns and sandwich rolls using this dough and it’s one of the most satisfying feelings knowing that I’m eating healthy bread using wholesome ingredients.
This easy bread recipe was slightly adapted from Sue Becker’s basic dough recipe using freshly milled flour. If you haven’t heard of their “real bread talk” on whole grain bread then you need to watch that video. The bread beckers have many yeast bread recipes, muffins, desserts, sourdough, and baking classes that all involve whole grains. Watch how I make this homemade sandwich bread with my step-by-step recipe, down in the recipe card.
Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Ingredients:
There are two types of grains you can use for this type of yeast bread recipe, hard white wheat or hard red. I like to use a combination of both and just run them through my grain mill. I use sunflower lecithin and vital wheat gluten for superior light and fluffy loaves of bread but you can enrich the dough with milk or additional eggs.
- Warm water- or hot water in the range of 105° and 115°F is ideal for proofing dry yeast.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil- adds softness to the bread and helps the bread stay moist longer. It pairs nicely with hearty grain and is perfect for baking.
- Honey- is the perfect wholesome sweetener for yeast bread, look for a mild-flavored honey like clover or Tupelo honey.
- Sea salt- look for a natural sea salt that is minimally processed.
- Eggs- are rich in lecithin and make a soft, smooth dough. It also helps the bread rise and gives the bread a nice brown color.
- Lecithin- emulsifies the ingredients to give the bread a soft smooth texture like store-bought bread. Add 1 tablespoon for every loaf of bread. I like to use sunflower lecithin but soy lecithin will work too.
- Vital Wheat gluten- ensures a good rise and makes a softer loaf. Do not exceed more than 1 tablespoon of gluten per recipe.
- Freshly milled flour- is made from hard red wheat or hard white wheat for this bread recipe. Yeast breads are best with hard wheat varieties, which have a high gluten content perfect for baking yeast breads.
- Dry Active Yeast- is what I typically use. Instant yeast can be used too.
How To Make Soft and Fluffy Homemade Sandwich Bread:
Kneading is key in developing and strengthening gluten. It also makes the dough elastic and stretchy when shaping. The best way to develop gluten is to knead the dough by hand or use a stand mixer for quicker results. This dough will be sticky when first kneading and will get smoother the longer it kneads. If it’s still too sticky after the 5-minute mark add freshly milled flour a tablespoon at a time until the sides no longer stick to the bowl.
Note: Whole wheat sandwich bread with freshly milled flour will be sticky to the touch after kneading. However, as it sits during the first rise it will absorb the flour and make it more workable. So, don’t be tempted to add too much flour after kneading.
- Combine and Knead the dough. A mixer can help use less flour which makes super fluffly loaves at the end.
- Rise the dough until doubled in size.
- Shape the dough. Place into a lightly greased 12-inch bread pan. Let it rise again while the oven preheats.
- Bake the bread in a long bread pan to replicate the store-bought bread loaf.
- Make evenly sliced bread by using this electric knife. Store bread in bread bags and freeze any extras.
Can I Make this in the Bread Machine?
This sandwich bread recipe yields two one-pound loaves. You can either use a two-pound bread machine or use it to knead the dough on the dough settings of smaller bread machines, then bake it in bread pans.
How To Store Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread?
The best way to store homemade bread is in bread bags. I will only leave a loaf on the counter if I know I will be using it within the next day. It’s best to freeze bread the same day you baked it for maximum freshness. I typically, double the recipe on baking days to keep extra on hand (it’s a great way to stop buying sandwich bread at the store too).
How To Freeze Sandwich Bread: Typically, I will bake and then cool the loaves on wire racks. After a few hours, I will bag them in bread bags and put the loaves in the freezer. Sandwich bread can be frozen for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Ways To Use Homemade Sandwich Bread:
Need creative ways to use up sandwich bread? Here are some meal ideas and tips to use up every last crumb!
- Cut the bread into thick slices to make French Toast!
- Dice the bread into bite-sized pieces for Homemade Croutons!
- Open-faced pizzas are always a hit with kids, simply spread with marinara sauce, cheese, and pepperoni, then bake!
- Break up leftover bread for this breakfast casserole.
- We love to make salami sandwiches with ham, mayo, yellow mustard, cheese, lettuce, and onions! Serve with pretzels!
Q&A
Can I Leave Out the Lechthin or Vital Wheat Gluten?
The lecithin and wheat gluten are optional ingredients so you can leave them out, however, sandwich bread is exceptionally soft and fluffy with them. If omitting make a sponge by combining the yeast, 1 cup of freshly milled flour, and warm water and allow it to sponge for 20 minutes before adding and kneading in the remaining ingredients. Also, you may want to add a couple of extra eggs for a softer loaf without the lecithin or gluten.
Tips for the Best Whole Wheat Bread:
- When making freshly milled flour using an electric mill, it will warm the flour making the dough stickier. Cool the flour an hour or so before making bread so the dough won’t be as sticky.
- Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes in a stand mixer before adding any additional flour. Freshly milled flour absorbs differently than store-bought wheat flour so, it will appear sticker. Time is key, the longer it sits it absorbs.
- The best whole wheat sandwich bread is made with freshly milled flour. It’s nutrient-dense and rich in fiber! Plus you know exactly what’s in it.
- Use this basic dough recipe in cinnamon rolls, hamburger buns, sliders, and more! It’s a very versatile dough recipe that isn’t too sweet.
- Work on a large pastry silicone mat when shaping, clean up can be easy.
- Add 2 minutes of kneading time for every extra batch of dough that you make.
- Store leftover freshly milled flour in a zip-lock bag in the fridge.
- If you are using coarse salt dissolve it in warm water first.
- A tip to get the honey out of your measuring cup is to measure the olive oil first then the honey.
More Whole Wheat Bread Recipes:
The best bread recipes come in wholesome form! Here are delicious whole wheat recipes that are wholesome and good!
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Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 5-quart stand mixer, (with hook attachment for kneading)
- 1 2-cup measuring cup, (and measuring spoons)
- 1 12-inch bread pan, (for store-bought loaves)
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups water , (about 105°F)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp sunflower lecithin
- 1 tsp vital wheat gluten
- 4 1/2 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour**, (590 grams) of hard red or hard white wheat*
- 1 Tbsp dry active yeast
Instructions
Directions:
- Combine the dough ingredients in the order given into the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix over low speed until combined.
- Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes over medium-high speed until it no longer sticks to the sides. (The dough will be tacky and sticky and will absorb the flour better after rising.)
- Place the dough into a greased bowl and allow it to rise covered for 1 hour (or until doubled).
- Transfer the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball.
- Pat the dough to a 9-inch oval shape and roll it up from the widest end, jelly-roll style. Pinch down the ends and place into a lightly greased 12-inch bread pan.
- Let it rise for 30 minutes or until it reaches the rim of the pan.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F for 25-30 minutes.
- Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes then remove and cool on a wire rack for 1-2 hours. Slice and store in a bread bag at room temperature for 1-2 days or freeze.
Notes
- This recipe yields one 12-inch loaf or two standard 8x4 bread pans.
- Freshly milled flour is whole grains that are ground into whole wheat flour using a grain mill. Hard red or hard white varieties are best for yeast bread.
- To omit the lecithin or gluten, make a sponge with 1 cup of freshly ground flour, yeast, and water and allow it to sponge for 20 minutes before kneading the remaining ingredients. Add 1 extra egg for extra softness.
- You can use instant yeast for the dry active yeast, just make sure you dissolve the dry active yeast in liquid first. Instant yeast can be added to the flour and does not need to be dissolved. Purchase bread bags for storing or freezing bread.
- If you milled extra flour, simply place it into a freezer bag and put it in the fridge or freezer. Use it for flouring your work surface.
- Add 2-4 more minutes of kneading time for every batch that you double.
Nutrition (per serving)
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