Gluesticks Blog

  • About
  • Sewing
    • My Book
    • Kids Sewing Projects
    • All Sewing Projects
  • Crafts
    • Kids Crafts
    • Paper Crafts
    • Free Printables
    • All Crafts
  • Holidays
    • Christmas
    • Halloween
    • Patriotic Holidays
    • Easter
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Gift Ideas
      • Teacher Gifts
      • All Gift Ideas
    • Parties
  • Home
    • Home Decor Projects
    • Cleaning & Organizing
    • Gardening
    • Motherhood
  • Recipes
    • Kids in the Kitchen
    • Appetizer Recipes
    • Bread Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
      • Cake Recipes
      • Cookie Recipes
      • All Dessert
    • Main Dish Recipes
    • Slow Cooker
    • Sides & Salads
    • Holiday Recipes
    • All Recipes

April 17, 2020 By Brandy 44 Comments

Home » Recipes » Bread Recipes

The BEST Honey Wheat Bread Recipe (Video)

Filed Under: Bread Recipes

Jump to Recipe

This honey wheat bread is made from a combination of whole wheat and white flour, and is sweetened with honey. Soft and light, but sturdy enough to slice into sandwich bread. Makes 2 loaves. This post contains an affiliate link.

Looking for another delicious white bread recipe? Try our Amish white bread or English muffin bread!

Watch our step by step video!

If you are like me and prefer homemade white bread to wheat bread you NEED to try this recipe! It contains whole wheat and isn’t dense like many wheat recipes. I’ve been baking up loaves of homemade bread for 20 years and still haven’t found a recipe for 100% whole wheat bread that I love, but this half and half loaf is divine.

Making Bread by Hand

My Grandma Eva made loaves of fresh honey whole wheat bread every week. Her bread was always 100% whole wheat, sweetend with honey, and made without a mixer. Just a wooden spoon. She taught me that you can definitely make delicious homemade bread without any fancy machines. I’ve used my stand mixer to make my dough, and it works great, but I really don’t find it that much easier than just stirring by hand. My favorite tool for dough making is this dough whisk. I highly recommend it!

sliced honey wheat bread

This honey wheat bread is half whole wheat and half white flour. Sweetened with honey it is RIGHT UP THERE on the list of favorites with our Amish white bread recipe. I make loaves of this for the kids to use for toast and sandwiches.

Soft and Light Honey Wheat Bread

(Scroll down for printable version)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons yeast
  • 1 3/4 cups warm water
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • 3 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • butter

Instructions

  • Combine 1/2 c. warm water and yeast in a small bowl. Cover and let proof for 5-10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.
  • In a large bowl combine the rest of the water, honey, shortening and salt. Add yeast mixture and stir.
  • Stir in whole wheat flour. Mix for 2 minutes.
  • Stir in all purpose flour 1 cup at a time until a soft dough forms.
  • Knead on a lightly floured surface 5 minutes, until the dough is elastic.
  • Lightly oil the mixing bowl (2 tsp.) and place dough into bowl. Turn dough over so that oiled side is facing up. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (60-80 minutes).
  • Punch dough down and divide dough into two sections and form into loaves. To form into a loaf roll dough out to a 9″x18″ rectangle. Roll up the 9″ side. Pinch edges to seal.
  • Place into greased bread loaf pans. Cover and let rise for an additional 40 minutes.
  • Heat oven to 375 degrees and remove all racks except for the bottom rack so that the tops of the bread are in the center of the oven. Bake bread on bottom rack for 40 minutes or until tops are a deep brown and the loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped.
  • Remove from pans while hot and brush with butter. Cool 30 minutes before slicing.

loaf of honey wheat bread on cutting board

Just look at that texture! Soft and light and so easy to slice. Make sure to brush the top with butter to make it even softer. This bread stays fresh for 2 days on the counter and freezes well.

honey white bread with one slice cut from it

To see exactly how I make and shape homemade bread, be sure to watch our step by step video at the top of the post. Spread warm bread with butter, honey butter, or homemade strawberry jam. Yum!

honey white bread with one slice cut from it

Honey Wheat Bread

This honey wheat bread is made from a combination of whole wheat and white flour and is sweetened with honey. Soft and light, but sturdy enough to slice into sandwich bread. Makes 2 loaves.
3.93 from 89 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Rise Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 24 slices
Calories: 130kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 4 1/2 teaspoon yeast (2 packages)
  • 1 3/4 cup warm water
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • 3 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3-4 cup all purpose flour
  • butter

Instructions

  • Combine 1/2 c. warm water and yeast in a small bowl. Cover and let proof for 5-10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.
  • In a large bowl combine the rest of the water, honey, shortening and salt. Add yeast mixture and stir.
  • Stir in whole wheat flour. Mix for 2 minutes.
  • Stir in all purpose flour 1 cup at a time until a soft dough forms.
  • Knead on a lightly floured surface 5 minutes, until the dough is elastic.
  • Lightly oil the mixing bowl (2 tsp.) and place dough into bowl. Turn dough over so that oiled side is facing up. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (60-80 minutes).
  • Punch dough down and divide dough into two sections and form into loaves. To form into a loaf roll dough out to a 9"x18" rectangle. Roll up the 9" side. Pinch edges to seal.
  • Place into greased bread pans. Cover and let rise for an additional 40 minutes.
  • Heat oven to 375 degrees and remove all racks except for the bottom rack so that the tops of the bread are in the center of the oven. Bake bread on bottom rack for 40 minutes or until tops are a deep brown and the loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped.
  • Remove from pans while hot and brush with butter. Cool 30 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcal

WHAT IS THE BEST KIND OF FLOUR TO USE for honey wheat bread?

For wheat I like to grind my own if I have wheat berries on hand. The wheat tastes so much better when ground fresh, but that isn’t always an option so my second favorite is King Arthur’s 100% whole grain wheat floud. For whtie flour I generally use bread flour or all purpose. I’ve switched back and forth many times and honestly, I can’t tell a difference between the two for most recipes. This batch of honey wheat bread was made using all purpose flour.

3 Delicious Variations for Honey Wheat Bread

  • Before rolling up the bread into a loaf shape, spritz with water and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar for a cinnamon swirl loaf. 
  • Brush with butter before baking and sprinkle with oats.
  • Make a cinnamon raisin loaf by spritzing with water, sprinkling with cinnamon and sugar and adding a handful of raisins before rolling up into a loaf shape.

 

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PROOF YEAST?

I like putting 1/2 c. of the warm water into a small bowl with the yeast and 1 tsp. of sugar (if the recipe calls for sugar. This recipe calls for honey so I leave the sugar out and just proof the yeast with warm water). Give it a stir. Place a small plate on top and let it sit for 5 minutes. When you go to add the rest of the ingredients make sure to subtract the 1/2 c. of water and 1 tsp. of sugar that you already used for the yeast proofing.

CAN YOU USE INSTANT AND DRY ACTIVE YEAST INTERCHANGEABLY?

For the most part I use whatever yeast is available. Most of the time it’s the instant yeast that comes in a large package from Sam’s Club. When I use dry active yeast I add 10-15 minutest to the rise time. Technically you do not need to proof instant yeast, only dry active yeast, but I’ve gotten so used to proofing my yeast that I proof it for every recipe.

WHERE IS A GOOD PLACE TO LET THE DOUGH RISE?

A warm place is the perfect place for yeast to do its thing. I preheat my oven for 60 seconds then shut the heat off. I place my bowl of dough with a damp cloth covering it inside my oven.

How Do You Know When Your Bread Is Done?

The top should be nice and golden, and when you tap the top it should sound hollow. When you’ve achieved both, pull those loaves out of the oven and brush with butter. They’re done!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

About Brandy

Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you!

Previous Post: « Animal Themed Movie Night Snack Board
Next Post: How To Make Perfect English Toffee Every Time (Video) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Donna says

    August 7, 2020 at 10:04 am

    4 stars
    Can this be made in a breadmachine?

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      August 7, 2020 at 4:14 pm

      Hi Donna! I haven’t tried making it in a bread machine before. I’m sorry!

      Reply
  2. Debra says

    October 31, 2020 at 5:19 pm

    Brandy, I never comment but this bread is so delicious! My whole family enjoyed it so much that I had to thank you.
    This is my first attempt at whole wheat and I was worried it would be too dense.
    Nope! It rose so high and is so fluffy! It was sheer torture waiting 30 minutes before digging in.
    Thank you from my whole family. 10+ stars on this recipe! 🙂
    Debra

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      November 1, 2020 at 11:30 pm

      This made my day! I’m so glad your family enjoyed it!

      Reply
  3. Anne says

    November 5, 2020 at 10:28 am

    What kind of shortening can I use? Is butter ok?

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      November 5, 2020 at 12:26 pm

      Hi Anne! You can use butter.

      Reply
  4. Millie says

    January 13, 2021 at 9:29 am

    Making bread for the first time. What size pan did you use?

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      January 13, 2021 at 9:56 pm

      9″ x 5″. Good luck!! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Siti Gurung says

    January 15, 2021 at 3:25 pm

    Hello there,
    Have you tried full wholemeal flour instead 50/50 flour?
    Will there be a difference in texture of the bread?

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      January 15, 2021 at 6:01 pm

      Hi Siti! I have not made this with 100% wheat bread, just because I prefer a mixture, but you can make it with all whole wheat flour! There will be a difference, it will taste stronger like wheat and might not be as light, but it will still work great!

      Reply
  6. Niki says

    January 25, 2021 at 6:41 pm

    Hi Brandy,

    What oil would you recommend as a replacement to the shortening? I need to make it dairy free so can’t do butter..

    Thanks,
    Niki

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      January 25, 2021 at 8:18 pm

      You might try canola oil! This is my go-to oil for other recipes.

      Reply
    • Kim says

      April 21, 2021 at 5:53 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks so much for this yummy & simple bread recipe. As a diabetic, it’s often hard to find quality products in stores, so I find myself searching for homemade recipes. I often have to search quite a bit for ones that don’t use sugars as well so was pleased to see your recipe use natural honey instead. 😀 As I’m also watching my weight, I do use coconut oil instead of shortening and do use a 3 to 1 ratio of wheat to white flour instead of a 50/50 ratio, but the recipe still works great and the family loves it! They ask me to bake this regularly. Thanks so much for a great and easy recipe.

      Reply
      • Brandy says

        April 22, 2021 at 2:03 pm

        So glad to hear!!

        Reply
  7. Ladd says

    February 9, 2021 at 4:34 pm

    Awesome bread, thanks! What is the best way to store it?

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      February 9, 2021 at 9:34 pm

      I store mine in a plastic bag on the counter for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it!

      Reply
  8. Sue says

    February 17, 2021 at 6:08 pm

    5 stars
    This is now my most favorite wheat bread! Soft and delicious, not dense-doorstop wheat bread. I used coconut oil instead of shortening.

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      February 18, 2021 at 9:33 am

      So good to heart and I’ll have to try making it with coconut oil!

      Reply
  9. Niki says

    February 24, 2021 at 2:52 pm

    I let the bread rise for 60 mins instead of 40 the second time around because they didn’t look big enough but when I put them in the oven one of them collapsed. The other did too but not as much. What did I do wrong?

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      February 25, 2021 at 3:28 pm

      Hi Niki! I’ve had this happen sometimes over the years and never really knew why. Most loaves turned out fine, but then there was always one that flattened and made me feel like I couldn’t bake, haha. I’ve heard it can happen if the dough is over-worked (kneaded too long), not kneaded long enough or the dough was left to rise too long. Maybe one of those happened to you, it’s hard to know!

      Reply
  10. Sara says

    March 7, 2021 at 10:01 pm

    Hi Will this recipe half for a single loaf?

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      March 8, 2021 at 7:12 pm

      Hi Sara! You can make a single loaf!

      Reply
  11. Cathy Longoria says

    March 19, 2021 at 5:05 pm

    I truly enjoyed making this bread. Thank you for the recipe. I especially love the smell in my home while rising and baking. It lasts all day.

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      March 20, 2021 at 1:30 pm

      I feel the same way! Smells so good! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. 😊

      Reply
  12. Kari says

    June 1, 2021 at 7:23 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipe. Have you ever tried to make it into dinner rolls instead of just loaves?

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      June 3, 2021 at 1:01 pm

      Not this particular recipe, but you totally could! Make the dough normally then follow the directions here for the rise, shaping, and baking! https://gluesticksblog.com/dinner-rolls-recipe/

      Reply
  13. Alex says

    June 11, 2021 at 8:41 pm

    Hi tried the recipe….. the bread was delicious….. but can I swap shortening and use coconut oil instead? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      June 12, 2021 at 9:08 pm

      Hi Alex! I don’t see why not. I haven’t tried it, but have used coconut oil for many other baking recipes with great success! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Ann says

    July 30, 2021 at 12:43 pm

    What is the carb count

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      August 4, 2021 at 10:25 pm

      Hi Ann, I’ve never calculated carbs in a recipe before.

      Reply
  15. Jeanette says

    August 3, 2021 at 7:00 pm

    Can I add a grain soak to this recipe?

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      August 4, 2021 at 10:20 pm

      I don’t see why not, I’m not sure what adjustments would need to be made.

      Reply
  16. Sandeep says

    August 30, 2021 at 8:39 pm

    Tried this recipe with butter and turned out to be delicious. Just wanted to know if I interchange butter with coconut oil or shortening is the quantity used same? Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      August 31, 2021 at 8:42 pm

      Hi! I think that would be fine! My grandma used to make hers with shortening. 🙂

      Reply
  17. Jeanette says

    September 4, 2021 at 12:38 am

    5 stars
    Hi, I used butter instead of shortening and replaced some water and flour with sourdough discard and it turned out perfect. I’m never sure of what shortening is as, in Australian, we have butter or margarine.

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      September 5, 2021 at 10:07 am

      So glad to hear! Shortening is similar to lard (only vegetable oil based). Butter is a wonderful substitute!

      Reply
  18. Marion says

    September 17, 2021 at 2:10 am

    I was wondering. I am wanting to try this but 1 tbsp of salt is alot. Do you think I could reduce this. I need to watch my hubbys intake of salt

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      September 17, 2021 at 5:01 pm

      Hi Marion, absolutely! You could probably reduce it by half and it would be fine. I have other bread recipes that I use that make two loaves and use 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

      Reply
  19. Katja Beh-Forrest says

    March 12, 2022 at 3:48 pm

    5 stars
    This is so straightforward and just a great recipe. The only thing I did differently was swap butter for the shortening, but they came out so well. It’s my new go-to sandwich bread. I’ll definitely be making it a few times a month. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      March 12, 2022 at 7:00 pm

      So glad to hear!!

      Reply
  20. Kim Minick says

    April 28, 2022 at 7:47 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe! I followed the recipe exactly as written and it turned out perfectly! I’m not an experienced bread maker, so I was a little nervous about trying it. But both my husband and I give it two thumbs up.

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      April 28, 2022 at 9:26 pm

      So glad to hear!!

      Reply
  21. Julia says

    May 16, 2022 at 2:42 pm

    I was so happy I found this recipe, my husband and I love honey wheat bread. Have been looking for a recipe I could make at home. Thank you so much for sharin!

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      May 16, 2022 at 5:57 pm

      You’re welcome! 😊

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

About the Author

Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you! Learn More About The Author

My Sewing Book for Kids!

kids sewing book cover

Newsletter

Pop Tart Gingerbread House!

pop tart house with candy and frosting

Snowman Hot Chocolate Bombs!

hand holding snowman hot chocolate bombs over mug

Hot Chocolate Bombs!

hot chocolate bomb next to white mug of hot chocolate

Pop Tart Bunny House

pop tart bunny house. on white plate

Affiliate Link Disclosure

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Let’s Connect!

If you make one of my projects, I’d love to see it! Tag me @gluesticksblog #gluesticksblog

Bonus Guide

  • Home
  • Website Accessibility
  • My Book
  • Privacy Policy
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2022 Log in

Gluesticks blog logo
  • About
  • Sewing
    • My Book
    • Kids Sewing Projects
    • All Sewing Projects
  • Crafts
    • Kids Crafts
    • Paper Crafts
    • Free Printables
    • All Crafts
  • Holidays
    • Christmas
    • Halloween
    • Patriotic Holidays
    • Easter
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Gift Ideas
      • Teacher Gifts
      • All Gift Ideas
    • Parties
  • Home
    • Home Decor Projects
    • Cleaning & Organizing
    • Gardening
    • Motherhood
  • Recipes
    • Kids in the Kitchen
    • Appetizer Recipes
    • Bread Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
      • Cake Recipes
      • Cookie Recipes
      • All Dessert
    • Main Dish Recipes
    • Slow Cooker
    • Sides & Salads
    • Holiday Recipes
    • All Recipes