Perfect Oatmeal Sandwich Bread at Home
This oatmeal sandwich bread is a perfectly soft sandwich loaf sweetened with honey and brown sugar, then topped with old-fashioned oats.
Even picky kids will love this soft and slightly sweet loaf. It’s the perfect homemade bread for sandwiches or PB&J.
Oatmeal Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Pyrex cup (for heating water)
- Large spoon or spatula
- Stand mixer or bread machine
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2-2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup softened butter
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (SAF brand is my favorite)
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Instructions
- Mix hot water and oats. In a large mixing bowl, combine the hot water and oats. Stir and let it cool to lukewarm, around 90℉ (32℃). Do not skip this step, as hot water can kill the yeast.
- Knead the dough. Add the honey, brown sugar, salt, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, softened butter, and instant yeast to the bowl. Stir until combined. If the dough seems dry, add water a tablespoon at a time until it comes together. Knead by hand, using a stand mixer, or in a bread machine on the dough cycle until smooth and elastic. The dough should pass the "windowpane test" when stretched. (If using a bread machine, skip to step 4.)
- First rise. Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and place in a warm area to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. A slightly warmed oven that is turned off works well for this.
- Shape into loaf. Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Stretch it to match the length of your loaf pan. Tuck in the corners, then roll it up tightly into a log. Pinch the seams to seal.
- Second rise. Place the dough, seam side down, into a lightly oiled loaf pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until it reaches about 2 inches above the pan, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) during the last 15 minutes of this rise.
- Bake. Remove the plastic wrap from the risen dough. If desired, brush the top with water and sprinkle oats on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Allow the loaf to cool completely before slicing. The bread stays fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days when tightly wrapped or can be frozen for up to a month.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Tips:
Let the butter come to room temperature before mixing it into the dough. This makes it easier to mix evenly.
Knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic. If you’re using a stand mixer, it should take about 7-10 minutes. By hand, it will take a bit longer. Proper kneading helps develop the gluten, giving the bread a better texture.
Find a warm, draft-free spot for your dough to rise. If your kitchen is cold, you can place the bowl in a slightly warmed oven (turn it on for a minute, then turn it off before placing the dough inside).
Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing. Cutting into warm bread can make it gummy and harder to slice evenly.
Key Ingredients and Tools
Quick yeast: This type of yeast works faster compared to active dry yeast. It’s my favorite kind to work with, but active dry is fine too. Look for this in the baking aisle, often near the flour and baking powder.
Regular oats: Typically found in the cereal aisle. Make sure to get the old-fashioned variety, not instant or quick oats, for the best texture.
Mixer: Using a mixer makes kneading the dough much easier and more efficient. If you don’t have one, you can knead by hand, but it will take more time and effort.
Brush: A brush is useful for spreading water or butter on top of the loaf before baking. This helps the oats stick and gives the crust a nice finish.
Making sandwich bread can be quite a challenge, especially when we’re so accustomed to the soft and processed store-bought options. I’ve had my fair share of homemade bread rejections from my kids too! However, it’s a blessing that I’ve come across this recipe that’s been a game-changer for me.
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.
What size loaf pan are you using for this recipe??
I love the ingredients and the taste. However, the dough is too dry no matter how long you knead. Shaping it into a nice loaf is also a problem. I am an experienced baker and frustrated. Useful thoughts welcome
hi susan! just add a little more water. sometimes if you’re using a different brand of oats they’ll absorb water differently and give you a drier loaf. i’d add a tablespoon or two more after mixing in the oats.
Made this bread today and it turned out great! Soft, yummy, and perfect for sandwiches! Mixed the dough in the bread machine which kept it super simple. Thanks so much for the recipe! I’ll definitely be making again!
A lovely bread. Smells so good! I freeze individual slices to be able to pull out for sandwiches as needed. Just had a grilled turkey and gouda. Makes me happy 😊
Wow, this bread is amazing! I love how soft the texture is. Even the kids love it! Thank you!
This was delicious and came together beautifully. The dough was tender and soft!
This is a terrific sandwich bread recipe. Great taste and texture.
I love the texture of this oatmeal sandwich bread. Not too heavy and it tastes so good!
Delicious recipe
Complete waste of time. Have tried this twice with varying inputs, proofing the yeast separately, etc. Dough is way too dry. Added a bit of water the second time… still didn’t rise in a smaller baking pan.
david i’m sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you. if the dough seems dry and is not forming a ball you should add a little more water. if it seemed right as you kneaded but still was dry i’m not sure what the issue is.
This is my new favorite sandwich bread! Perfect for an 8×4 pan. I only had quick oats but it came out delicious and tender, slightly sweet. Love it!