Honey Wheat Sandwich Bread

ByKatie

A recipe you’ll turn to again and again, this sandwich loaf relies on a blend of white and whole wheat flour to create a perfectly light and soft honey wheat bread.

Perfect for sandwiches, this recipe is perfect for doubling and freezing so you always have homemade bread on hand. It’s the perfect yeast bread recipe for picky people 😊.

finished loaf of honey wheat bread sliced on cutting board

Soft Honey Wheat Bread

 This bread combines the best of both worlds: light and fluffy white flour with hearty and flavorful flour. Honey makes any recipe feel just a bit more wholesome. We start baking this every fall when it’s time to head back to school. It’s perfect for a homemade sandwich.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
rising 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Serving Size 1 loaf

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter unsalted
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast

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Instructions

  • Mix the ingredients. Add all ingredients to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Combine until a dough forms that holds together and does not stick to the sides or bottom of the bowl. As the butter melts and is worked into the dough during kneading, it will make the dough more hydrated, so hold off on adding any more water now, even if it seems a bit dry.
    ingredients in mixing bowl.
  • Knead the dough.  Knead for ten to fifteen minutes until it is smooth, soft, and reaches the windowpane stage (meaning that when the dough is stretched, a translucent area appears).  If the dough is still dry after a minute or two of kneading, sprinkle on the water a teaspoon at a time. Different brands of whole wheat flour can absorb moisture differently, so you may need to adjust a little.
    grid of kneading process for bread dough.
  • The first rise. Shape the dough gently into a ball and place it into a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and place into a warm place to rise. Let the dough rise for 60 minutes until it is puffy and has doubled in size.
    Two images showing stages of bread dough proofing. The first image displays a small ball of dough in a floral patterned bowl, indicating the beginning of the proofing process. The second image shows the same dough, now doubled in size, filling the bowl .
  • Shape into a loaf. Spray the loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Gently stretch the dough into a rectangle. Use your loaf pan as your guide and make the short side of the rectangle the same length as the longer side of the loaf pan. The rectangle will be about 9 x 18 inches. Tuck in the corners and top of the dough. Think of the saying "shoulders in, head down." Keep rolling into a log. Tuck the ends under. Pinch the seams closed and place the loaf, seam side down, into a lightly oiled loaf pan.
    These images depict the shaping of bread dough. The first image shows a greased loaf pan next to a rolled-out piece of dough on a marble countertop, while the second shows the dough being folded and shaped into a loaf.These images depict the shaping of bread dough. The first image shows a greased loaf pan next to a rolled-out piece of dough on a marble countertop, while the second shows the dough being folded and shaped into a loaf.
  • Second rise. Cover with heavily greased plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise again until the dough rises to one inch above the top of the loaf pan. The bread will rise very slightly as it bakes, so make sure you are happy with the height of the bread before you bake it. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
    wo images illustrating the final proofing and baking of the bread. The first shows the dough in the loaf pan before baking, risen to just below the rim. The second shows the dough after the final rise, now cresting over the top of the pan, indicating it's ready to be baked.
  • Bake.  Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If you have an instant-read thermometer, check the temperature. Whole wheat loaves can be difficult to eyeball since they are darker, to begin with. The finished bread should be between 195-200 degrees. Remove the bread from the loaf pan and allow it to cool fully on a wire rack. Wait to slice until the loaf is fully cooled.
    fully baked loaf in pan.

Notes

Having trouble? Read my best bread tips for help. 
This bread freezes very well! Fully cool, slice, and put in a bread bag to pop out individual slices for toasting.
Want to increase the whole wheat flour?  You can!  Just substitute more of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat.  The result won’t be quite as light. 
 

Something about this recipe just says fall to me. Maybe it’s because we use it for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches most of all.

It’s become something of a back-to-school tradition for us to make a big batch so we’re ready in August.

Bread Baking Tips

  • Start mixing at a low speed to prevent flour from flying everywhere.
  • Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing for nice, neat slices.
  • If the bread is browning too quickly in the oven, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top to prevent it from burning. Sometimes honey will cause things to brown too fast.
  • If your kitchen is too cool, you can create a proofing box in your oven. Turn it on to the lowest setting for a minute, then turn it off, and place your dough inside to rise.

Key Ingredients and Tools

Whole Wheat Flour. This flour is found in the baking aisle, right next to the regular kind.

Honey. Honey sweetens the bread and helps retain moisture for a softer loaf.

Instant or Active Dry Yeast. You can find this in the baking aisle, but I prefer to buy in bulk online.

water, honey, wheat flour, white flour, and butter on wooden board

Loaf Pan. I use a standard sized loaf, which is 8.5 x 4.5, often called 8×4.

Bread Knife. You’ll want a good bread knife to slice your loaf without crushing it.

Storing Homemade Bread

Remember, homemade bread doesn’t have preservatives, so it won’t last as long as storebought.

Room Temperature Storage: Once the bread has completely cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in a resealable plastic bag. You can also use a breadbox if you have one. It will stay fresh for about 3-4 days.

Freezing Instructions: If you want to keep the bread longer, slice it first, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil or place it into a freezer bag. This way, you can take out just what you need, and it’ll last in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave it out at room temperature or toast it straight from the freezer.

I always make 2-3 loaves at a time and stock my freezer.

More Sandwich Breads to Love

Sandwich bread is easy and practical. Here are some more to try.

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By Katie Shaw

Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.

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Recipe Rating




31 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Best bread recipe I’ve tried! Made in a Pullman pan which turned out perfect. This is going to be my ‘go to’ bread recipe from now on.

    Reply

  4. Hello, I was wondering if I could make this recipe ahead at all? Like could I do the first rise, refrigerate and then finish the next day?

    Reply

    1. yes! just make sure to cover it very tightly with oiled plastic wrap so the dough doesn’t dry out.

      Reply

  5. 5 stars
    Hey I’m looking forward to trying this recipe, I like to keep track of my calories and I see it’s 70 calories is that for one slice ?

    Reply

  6. Hi! Would this recipe work if I use bread flour and white whole wheat flour in the measurements in the recipe?

    Reply

  7. Hello. Could I use the same recipe but put it in my bread machine on the whole wheat setting? Is there anything I should adjust or any reason it wouldn’t come out the same in the machine? My first attempt came out like a brick, not your recipe but a different one. I am trying to find one that will work.

    Reply

  8. your bread looks beautiful. I want to make it but would like 2 loaves. While doubling the ingredients, do I double the yeast too ???? it seems 4 tsps. would be a lot.
    Thank you.

    Reply

  9. 5 stars
    Best bread I’ve made so far. I made a few changes. I used 2 cups white bread flour and 3/4 cups whole wheat flour. Added 2 tablespoons wheat gluten. Olive oil instead of butter. 2 1/4 teaspoons rapid yeast. Delicious bread.

    Reply

    1. that’s awesome jim… i’ll confess i’ve never used wheat gluten in my recipes. I’m going to try it though! 🙂

      Reply

  10. Would it work to use:
    1 c AP flour
    3/4 c Oat flour
    1 c Whole wheat flour

    I have never baked with oat flour before and am unsure if it will change the texture and rise much/at all.

    Reply

    1. hey Jack, oat flour doesn’t have gluten so I do think the rise will be affected a little. but since you have mostly wheat flour it should still rise enough. I’d give it a shot!

      Reply

      1. Thank you for your reply. I am going to make it as it is written, then try adding some oat flour (or oats?) the next time.
        Maybe I will try adding just a bit of wheat gluten to offset the oats.

  11. 5 stars
    I’ve baked this a few times, super easy bread recipe!

    I do like to combine my while wheat flour and water at least an hour before baking. It shortens the kneading time a lot

    Reply

  12. Can I add seeds to this recipe and can it be made in a bread machine. I don’t do bread machine but my friend does. Thanks

    Reply

  14. 4 stars
    I have a 99 yr old brother Joe who will only eat wheat flour. He didn’t even know I added some bread flour with your recipe and it came out lovely. As long as Joe is happy and he eats, because Joe is having trouble eating, but he is eating your bread and that makes me very happy. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply