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–+ servings
finished loaf of honey wheat bread sliced on cutting board
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4.86 from 7 votes

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 Time30 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
rising2 hours
Total Time3 hours 5 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: honey wheat bread, sandwich bread with wheat flour
Servings: 1 loaf
Calories: 70kcal
Author: Katie

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

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. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 199mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 63IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg