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Bread machine honey wheat oat bread is a soft, lightly sweet whole grain sandwich loaf with honey, rolled oats, and a balanced mix of whole wheat and white flour. The whole wheat gives it heartiness, the honey keeps the crumb tender, and the oats add a wholesome bite.
This is the whole wheat sibling to my Bread Machine Honey Oat Bread, which is the all-white-flour version. The two recipes share the same flavor profile (honey, milk, oats), but this one swaps half the white flour for whole wheat and adds a little more honey to balance the heartier flour. The result is a tender, slightly nutty loaf that holds up to sandwiches and toasts beautifully.
I’ve tested this in my Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme and a Cuisinart bread machine. The recipe card has 2-pound and 1 1/2-pound amounts; cut in half for a 1-pound loaf. See the Variations section below for 100% whole wheat, oat flour, dairy-free, and oven-baked versions, or browse my full collection of bread machine recipes.
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
This is the loaf I make when I want sandwich bread that feels a little more wholesome but still tastes like sandwich bread, not like a brick of whole wheat. The half-and-half flour ratio is the sweet spot: enough whole wheat for real wheat flavor and good fiber, enough white flour for a soft crumb that doesn’t fall apart in lunch boxes.
We go through one of these a week during the school year for sandwiches, and another in the summer when it gets toasted with butter and honey for breakfast.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Makes: 1 loaf, about 10 slices
- Active prep: 5 minutes
- Total time: about 3 hours (basic white cycle)
- Loaf size: 2 lb (1 1/2 lb amounts in recipe notes)
- Machine setting: Basic White cycle (works fine for 50/50 wheat-white blend), light or medium crust
- Flour: 1 1/2 cups whole wheat + 1 1/2 cups white flour, plus 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- Yeast: 2 1/2 tsp SAF instant yeast (also sold as bread machine yeast)
Ingredients for Bread Machine Honey Wheat Oat Bread
Standard pantry ingredients across the board. The half-and-half wheat-white flour ratio is the key to the texture; everything else is there to support it.
The recipe is written for a 2-pound loaf, the default on most modern bread machines, with 1 1/2-pound amounts in the recipe notes. To make a 1-pound loaf on a small machine, cut the 2-pound amounts in half. Add the ingredients in two batches: liquid first into the bottom of the pan, then dry on top.
- Water: Lukewarm, warm to the touch but not hot. Cold tap water also works; the machine warms it during the preheat cycle. Milk can be substituted for a richer, slightly softer crumb (use the same amount, but the loaf is then incompatible with the delay timer because of the dairy).
- Honey: The signature sweetener. Adds tenderness, feeds the yeast, and gives the loaf a subtle floral sweetness. Any liquid honey works. Maple syrup or molasses both work as substitutes (molasses gives a darker, more intense flavor).
- Butter: Adds tenderness and helps the crumb stay soft. Melted or softened both work; the machine handles either. Olive oil or any neutral oil (canola, grape seed, avocado oil, etc.) works as a substitute.
- Whole wheat flour: Half of the flour. King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour is what I use. For a milder whole wheat flavor, try King Arthur Golden Wheat Flour (their white whole wheat).
- White flour: The other half. All-purpose or bread flour both work. King Arthur All-Purpose is what I use most often; bread flour gives a slightly taller, firmer-crumbed loaf.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats keep their texture through the bake; quick oats will dissolve into the crumb and you lose the bite. Steel-cut oats do not work in this recipe.
- Salt: Essential for flavor and yeast regulation. Do not skip or reduce significantly. For low-sodium needs, see the Recipe Tips below.
- SAF instant yeast: SAF instant yeast is what I use. Bread machine yeast is the same product. For active dry yeast, use 3 tsp instead of 2 1/2 tsp and dissolve in the water for 10 minutes before starting.
Flour notes: The 50/50 ratio is the sweet spot for honey wheat oat bread. More whole wheat than that and the loaf gets dense and falls apart for sandwiches; less and you lose the wheat character. If you want to push to 100% whole wheat, see the Variations below for adjustments. Bread flour for the white half gives the best rise; all-purpose works fine. If your dough looks dry during the first minutes of kneading (whole wheat absorbs more water than white flour), drizzle in 1 tablespoon of water at a time. For other rise issues, see my Bread Machine Troubleshooting Guide.
For yeast, SAF instant yeast and bread machine yeast are the same product, placed in a well on top of the flour with the dry ingredients. If you only have active dry yeast, use an extra 1/2 teaspoon and dissolve it in the water first; wait 10 minutes until foamy, then proceed. If your machine has a Whole Wheat cycle and you’d like to use it, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of yeast to compensate for the longer rise time.
How to Make Bread Machine Honey Wheat Oat Bread
Set it and walk away, with one optional fancy step at the end (butter and oats brushed on top before bake).
Step 1. Add the liquid ingredients to the bread pan first. Water, then honey, then the butter cut into pieces. Pour the honey over the water so it rinses off the measuring cup cleanly.
Step 2. Add the flours on top, covering the liquid completely. Both flours can go in together; no need to mix them first. Then sprinkle the oats over the flour.
Step 3. Make a small well in the flour for the salt and yeast. Keep the salt on one side of the well and the yeast on the opposite side; direct contact slows the yeast.
Step 4. Select the Basic White cycle and light or medium crust. The honey browns faster than plain bread, so don’t use the dark crust setting. Press start.
Step 5. Watch the first 2 to 3 minutes of kneading. The dough should form a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides. Whole wheat doughs sometimes look dry at first because the bran absorbs water slowly; if it still looks dry after 3 minutes, drizzle in 1 tablespoon of water at a time. If too wet, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time.
Step 6. Optional: add the oat topping right before the bake cycle. About an hour before the cycle ends (after the last rise, before the bake), open the lid, brush the dough top with 1 tablespoon of melted butter, and sprinkle on 1 to 2 tablespoons of old-fashioned oats. Press lightly so they stick. Skip this if you don’t want to watch the clock.
Step 7. Remove when the bake cycle finishes. Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing, ideally at least 1 hour. Cutting warm bread tears the crumb.
Recipe Tips
Use light or medium crust, never dark. Honey browns faster than plain bread; the dark setting will produce a near-burnt result on this loaf. Light or medium gives a properly golden crust.
Watch the dough during the first 2 to 3 minutes of kneading. Whole wheat absorbs water more slowly than white flour, so the dough may look dry at first and come together as it kneads. If it’s still dry after 3 minutes, add water 1 tablespoon at a time. If too wet, add flour the same way.
For low-sodium diets, you can substitute potassium chloride salt. One reader reported success using 1 teaspoon of No-Salt (potassium chloride) plus 1/4 teaspoon of regular salt in place of the full 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. The yeast still rises properly with this substitution. Going below 1/4 teaspoon of total salt-type seasoning will affect the texture and yeast activity.
If your machine has a Whole Wheat cycle, use it for a slightly better rise. The Whole Wheat cycle includes a longer rise to give the heavier flour more time to develop. Add 1/2 teaspoon of extra yeast when using this cycle. Basic White also works well at the 50/50 ratio in this recipe.
Cool completely before slicing. A full hour on a wire rack makes a real difference for whole grain breads, which can taste gummy if cut warm.
Variations
This recipe is the baseline for several easy variations. Each is a simple tweak from the base recipe:
- 100% whole wheat honey oat bread: Replace all 3 cups of flour with whole wheat (use 3 cups whole wheat instead of the 1 1/2 + 1 1/2 split). Add 2 tablespoons of extra water and 1/2 teaspoon of extra yeast. The loaf will be denser and have a more pronounced wheat flavor; expect a slightly shorter rise. For a milder flavor at 100% whole wheat, use King Arthur Golden Wheat (white whole wheat).
- Oat flour version: Replace 1/2 cup of the white flour with 1/2 cup of oat flour (in addition to the 1 cup of rolled oats). Oat flour adds extra oat flavor and a slightly more tender crumb. Don’t exceed 1/2 cup or the loaf won’t rise properly.
- Cinnamon honey wheat oat bread: Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients with the flour. A reader reported great results with this addition; the cinnamon pairs beautifully with the honey. For a more pronounced cinnamon-and-raisin loaf, see my Bread Machine Cinnamon Raisin Bread.
- Dairy-free version: Use water (or non-dairy milk) and substitute the butter with olive oil or any neutral oil. The loaf rises and bakes the same way; the flavor is slightly less rich.
- Less sweet: Reduce the honey to 1/4 cup. The loaf will be more savory, better suited to deli sandwiches than to morning toast with jam.
- Knead in the machine, bake in the oven: Use the Dough cycle. When it finishes, turn the dough into a greased 9×5 loaf pan, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with oats, rise covered for 60 to 90 minutes until 1 inch above the pan rim, and bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 190°F. Cool completely before slicing.
- More honey and oat bread machine recipes: Try my Bread Machine Honey Oat Bread for the all-white-flour version, my Bread Machine Maple Oat Bread for a maple-and-buttermilk variation, my Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread for a 100% whole wheat sandwich loaf, my Bread Machine Honey White Bread for an all-white honey loaf, or my Bread Machine White Bread for the most basic sandwich loaf on the site.
My new favorite bread. I’ve been making honey whole wheat for years but this one is superior. Thank you!
FAQs
Yes, with adjustments. Replace all 3 cups of flour with whole wheat (no white flour), add 2 tablespoons of extra water, and add 1/2 teaspoon of extra yeast to compensate for the slower rise. The loaf will be denser and have a stronger wheat flavor than the half-and-half version; for a milder taste at 100% whole wheat, use King Arthur Golden Wheat (white whole wheat).
Yes. Use the same amount of milk (or buttermilk) in place of the water for a richer, slightly softer crumb. The loaf will be incompatible with the delay timer because of the dairy, but otherwise behaves the same. Don’t combine milk with the butter substitution unless you want a particularly rich result.
Lukewarm is ideal (warm to the touch but not hot). Cold tap water also works because the bread machine warms the ingredients during the preheat phase. Avoid water hotter than 110°F because it can kill the yeast.
My Honey Oat Bread is the all-white-flour version: milder, kid-friendly, very soft. This Honey Wheat Oat Bread swaps half the white flour for whole wheat and adds a little more honey to balance the heartier flour. Honey Oat is the everyday lunchbox loaf at our house; Honey Wheat Oat is the heartier sandwich loaf with a touch more wheat character.
4 to 5 days at room temperature in a bread bag or wrapped in a clean dish towel. The honey keeps the loaf moist longer than plain whole wheat bread. Do not refrigerate; refrigeration speeds up staling. For longer storage, slice and freeze in a zip-top bag; frozen slices toast straight from the freezer.
Bread Machine Recipes
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Bread Machine Honey Wheat Oat Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
Liquid Ingredients (add first)
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 Tbsp butter
Dry Ingredients (on top of wet)
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups white flour, bread or all-purpose
- 1 cup oats, instant or old-fashioned
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp SAF Instant Yeast, or 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
Optional oat topping (add right before bake cycle, about 1 hour before cycle ends):
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 tbsp oats
Instructions
- Add liquid ingredients to the bread pan in this order: water, honey, butter pieces.
- Add the flours on top, covering the liquid completely. Sprinkle the oats over the flour.
- Make a small well in the flour. Place the salt on one side and the yeast on the opposite side.
- Select the Basic White cycle, light or medium crust (don’t use dark, the honey will burn).
- Press start. Watch the first 2 to 3 minutes of kneading. Whole wheat absorbs water slowly, so the dough may look dry at first; if it’s still dry after 3 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time.
- Optional: about 1 hour before the cycle ends (after the last rise, before the bake), open the lid, brush the dough top with melted butter, and sprinkle with oats.
- Let the machine complete the cycle.
- Remove the loaf onto a wire rack. Cool completely (at least 1 hour) before slicing.
Notes
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 1/4 cups white flour (bread or all-purpose)
- 3/4 cup oats (instant or old-fashioned)
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp SAF Instant Yeast (or 2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast)
- SAF instant yeast or bread machine yeast: 2 1/2 tsp (interchangeable 1:1).
- Active dry yeast: 3 tsp, dissolved in the water for 10 minutes before starting. Not compatible with the delay timer.
- For Whole Wheat cycle: add 1/2 tsp extra yeast to the amounts above.
- Milk for water: 1:1, but the loaf is then incompatible with the delay timer.
- Olive oil or any neutral oil for butter: 1:1.
- Maple syrup or molasses for honey: 1:1 (molasses gives a darker flavor).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Great loaf of honey wheat bread 🍞. I use this recipe often.
So glad you like it!
This recipe is the best bread machine recipe I’ve found. It turns out great each time I’ve made it. It’s flavorful, has a great texture and makes a loaf that works well for sandwiches. The half cup honey creates a bread with a definite hint of sweetness I love but some may prefer to cut that in half.
Lovely!
My new favorite bread. I’ve been making honey whole wheat for years but this one is superior. Thank you❤️
I’m so glad you like it!
Is it ok to use only 100% whole wheat flour for this recipe?
That should be ok. It’ll definitely come out a bit denser, and I haven’t tested that variation myself. Give it a try and let me know how you like it?
The perfect loaf of wheat bread! Chewy, soft, and just a touch of sweetness!
Wonderful!