Bread Machine 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Whole Wheat Bread Machine Sandwich Bread

4.47 from 328 votes

Bread Machine 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

A simple 100% whole wheat bread machine recipe that produces a soft, tender sandwich loaf with no white flour. Works with or without sugar, in any bread machine.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2 50

Total Time3

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 100% whole wheat bread machine recipe, Bread Machine, bread machine whole wheat bread, Bread Maker, no sugar whole wheat bread, soft whole wheat bread, whole grain bread, Whole Wheat, whole wheat bread machine recipe

Servings: slices (2 lb loaf)

Author: Ashley Adamant

Equipment

Bread Machine

Ingredients

Liquid Ingredients (add first)

1 1/4 cups water lukewarm
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup maple syrup or liquid honey

Dry Ingredients (on top of wet)

3 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. SAF Instant Yeast or 2 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the liquid ingredients to the bread pan in this order: water, olive oil, maple syrup.
Add the whole wheat flour on top of the liquid, covering it completely so the yeast stays dry.
Make a small well in the center of the flour. Place the salt on one side of the well and the yeast on the other, so they aren't in direct contact.
Put the pan in the bread machine. Select the Whole Wheat cycle and medium crust. If your machine doesn't have a whole wheat cycle, use Basic White and add an extra 1/2 tsp of yeast.
Press start. Watch the first 3 to 5 minutes of kneading. The dough should form a single shaggy ball. If it looks bone-dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. If it looks soupy, add 1 tablespoon of whole wheat flour at a time.
Let the machine complete the full cycle (about 3 hours on the whole wheat cycle).
Remove the loaf from the pan onto a wire rack. Let cool completely for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

One and a Half Pound Loaf Ingredients

To make a 1 ½ pound loaf of Bread Machine 100% Whole Wheat Bread, you’ll need the following:

Liquid Ingredients (add first)

1 cup (240 ml) lukewarm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. (22 ml) olive oil
3 Tbsp. (45 ml) Maple syrup (or liquid honey)

Dry Ingredients (on top of wet)

2 2/3 cups (300 g) Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/8 tsp. (7 g) salt
1 1/2 tsp. (5 g) SAF instant yeast, or 2 tsp active dry yeast

1-Pound Loaf: Cut the 2-pound amounts in half.

Cycle adjustment: If your machine does not have a whole wheat cycle and you need to use the basic or basic white cycle, add an extra 1/2 tsp to whichever yeast amount you are using. The basic cycle has a shorter rise, and the extra yeast compensates.

Stacking adjustments: If both apply (for example, active dry yeast AND basic cycle), stack them. A 2 lb loaf using active dry yeast on the basic cycle needs 3 tsp total active dry yeast (base 2 tsp, plus 1/2 tsp for active dry, plus 1/2 tsp for basic cycle).

Scale all yeast amounts down proportionally for 1 1/2 lb and 1 lb loaves.

No-sugar version: Simply omit the maple syrup. The bread still rises fully. Do not also reduce the yeast or salt.

Flour notes: Any 100% whole wheat flour works. White whole wheat (sometimes called "golden wheat") makes a milder, lighter loaf; traditional (red) whole wheat has more classic wheaty flavor. Do not substitute all-purpose or bread flour in this recipe unless you are making the half-and-half variation from the Variations section of the post.

Delay timer: Compatible with SAF instant yeast and bread machine yeast, as long as the yeast is placed on top of the flour away from the liquid. Not compatible with active dry yeast (which needs to be dissolved in water first, so it cannot sit dry waiting for the cycle to start).

Storage: 3 to 4 days at room temperature in a bread bag or wrapped in a clean dish towel. Do not refrigerate; refrigeration actually speeds up staling in bread. For longer storage, slice the whole loaf and freeze in a zip-top bag. Frozen slices toast straight from the freezer with no thawing needed.

Common troubleshooting:

Dense loaf: old yeast, water too hot, or wrong cycle. Start with fresh yeast, use lukewarm water (under 110°F), and use the whole wheat cycle if your machine has one.
Sunken top: too much liquid. Next time, hold back 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and watch the dough.
Dough too dry during kneading: add water 1 tablespoon at a time through the kneading window.

Oven-baked version: Mix and knead by hand or in a stand mixer for 7 to 10 minutes until smooth. Rise until doubled (about 90 minutes). Punch down, shape into a loaf, place in a greased loaf pan. Rise again until 1 inch above the pan rim (about 90 minutes). Bake at 375°F for about 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Nutrition