Cracked Wheat Bread (Bulgur Wheat Bread)
This Cracked Wheat Bread recipe is a real keeper. Rustic and chewy with a substantial bite, this recipe works with cracked wheat or bulgur wheat. Make this bread when you want a hearty loaf full of whole wheat flavor and goodness.
Table of contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
Wheat berries are unprocessed kernels of wheat, which include the bran, germ, and endosperm. Wheat berries (and cracked wheat) have all the great nutrition and full flavor of a whole grain.
If you can’t find wheat berries or cracked wheat you can use bulgur wheat in this recipe. Bulgur wheat is a little different than cracked wheat in that the grains are steamed/parboiled and then dried. I’ve made this bread with both cracked and bulgur wheat with good results.
This is a very moist dough which bakes up into a moist loaf. Please review the process photos to see the texture of the dough through the various stages of the recipe.
If you keep a sourdough starter, visit this post to make Sourdough Cracked Wheat Bread.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Bread Flour – High protein bread flour promotes great gluten development in the dough. The bread flour helps form the structure of the dough and can support the heavier grains.
- Whole Wheat Flour – With the bread flour, the whole wheat flour forms the structure of the bread.
- Cracked (or Bulgur) Wheat – Adds a chewy texture and hearty flavor to the bread. You must the cracked or bulgur wheat in boiling water to soften the grain before adding it to the dough.
- Yeast – I prefer instant yeast to rapid rise yeast for a slightly slower rise. A slower rise gives more time for flavor to develop.
Process photos
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Pour boiling water over the cracked or bulgur wheat and set it aside until most of the water is absorbed.
- Make a sponge with warm water, yeast and some of the bread flour, set it aside.
- When the bulgur or cracked wheat has absorbed most of the water you are ready to mix the dough.
- Add the soaked grains and the liquid to the sponge.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the dough. It will be quite sticky.
- Begin kneading the dough. As you start kneading, the dough will stick to the bowl and look quite shaggy.
- After 5 minutes of kneading the dough should gather on the hook and clear the sides of the bowl.
- After kneading the dough will be quite stretchy, but still a bit sticky. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a ball.
- Set the dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl to rise for 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
- The dough should double in size during the first rise.
- Knead the dough the form it into a football shape.
- Set the loaf aside to rise until doubled in size.
- Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with bulgur wheat or seeds.
- Bake until the internal temperature is 190F. Cool completely before slicing.
Storage
Thanks to the moist dough, the bread keeps extremely well at room temperature for 2-3 days. For longer storage slice the loaf, store the slices in a freezer bag and freeze for up to a month. Defrost or toast the bread as needed.
More Artisan Bread Recipes
- Homemade Bagels
- Multi Grain Bread
- Milk & Honey Whole Wheat Bread
- Honey Oatmeal Bread
- White Sandwich Bread
- Hoagie Rolls
- Crusty Semolina Bread
If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a star rating and a quick comment. Ratings and comments help my recipes show in search results. Thanks!
Cracked Wheat Bread (Bulgur Wheat Bread)
Ingredients
- 3 ½ ounces bulgur or cracked wheat (½ cup)
- 8 ounces boiling water (1 cup)
- 4 ounces warm water (½ cup)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast (7g)
- 5 ounces bread flour (1 cup, see note)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ oz honey (1 tablespoon)
- 5 ounces whole wheat flour (1 cup)
- 1 egg (whisked with 1 tablespoon of water for egg wash)
Instructions
- Combine 3 ½ ounces bulgur or cracked wheat and 8 ounces boiling water and set aside until cooled and most of the water has been absorbed.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine 4 ounces warm water with 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast. Add 2 ½ oz (1/2 cup) bread flour and mix to form a thick batter. Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 30 minutes while the cracked wheat cools.
- With the mixer running on low, add the cooled cracked wheat along with the soaking water. Add 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ oz honey and 5 ounces whole wheat flour. Mix to combine.
- If using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook. Slowly add the remaining bread flour until the dough comes together. At this point the dough will be quite sticky. Continue kneading the dough for 5 minutes until it gathers around the hook and cleans the sides of the bowl. If working by hand mix in as much flour as you can then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and finish kneading in the flour by hand. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes. Form the dough into a smooth ball
- Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 – 1 ½ hours. At this point the dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently knead for 5-10 seconds. Form the dough into a ball then roll the ends gently to form a football shape. If you will be using a baking stone, set the loaf on a wooden peel sprinkled heavily with cornmeal. If you don't have a baking stone put the loaf on a sheet pan sprinkled heavily with cornmeal or lined with parchment paper. If you have a banneton liberally sprinkle the inside of the basket with cracked wheat and wheat flour and set the dough into the basket.
- Cover the loaf with plastic wrap that has been lightly oiled or sprayed with baking spray to prevent it from sticking to the dough. Allow the loaf to rise about 1 – 1 ½ hours until doubled in sized and the dough springs back slowly when poked. If the dough was cold from the refrigerator it may take longer to rise.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F, place a baking stone in the oven to preheat if you have one. To create steam you can place a small pan (with rocks if you have them) onto the floor of the oven. You can also bake the loaf in a Dutch oven.
- When the bread is ready, use a thin, sharp knife or single edge razor to slash 5 diagonal cuts across the top of the loaf. Brush the surface of the bread with egg wash and sprinkle with cracked wheat. Slide the loaf onto the preheated baking stone (or slide the sheet pan into the oven)1 egg
- Pour a cup of water into the preheated pan at the bottom of the oven (CAREFUL, that steam is hot) and immediately close the oven door. If using a Dutch oven set a timer for 20 minutes. Remove the lid of the Dutch oven and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Bake until the loaf is nicely browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom (or the center of the loaf reaches 200 °F), about 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
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Just a heads up.
Cracked wheat, or kibbled wheat is raw.
Bulgur wheat has been parboiled and dried.
They need different treatment in bread baking.
Cracked wheat is best simmered until al dente.
Bulgur wheat can have boiling water poured over it and be left to cool before using.
If well drained neither should affect the dough hydration.
I’ve used both cracked wheat and bulgur wheat to make this bread as it is written and both work well.
I made this with bulgur wheat and followed the recipe apart from adding a little oil. This is a very wet dough with the amounts of flour in the recipe. The water in the soaked wheat definitely counts towards the hydration. I didn’t add extra flour but just baked the very soft dough in a loaf pan. It’s taken a few attempts to get it right, hence my 3-star rating.
Well, adding oil would definitely change the texture of the dough and the bread. What is “a little” oil? If you change the ingredients in the recipe you’re not really rating the recipe as it is written.
I love that you put the ingredient measurements in the instructions!
Yes, I love that feature myself. Glad it’s helpful.
You did a wonderful job of explaining how to crack the whole wheat; photos were clear and helpful, too. Also nice that you showed how to substitute bulgur for cracked wheat. Nice!
Too many ads popping up and running all over- don’t know how you control that.
I get it. The ads can be annoying. Unfortunately, without them there would be no Baking Sense. Bloggers are taking it on the chin right now between AI, content plagiarization and Google’s wild mood-swings. Ads are the only way I get paid for the time, money and energy I put into those clear photos and detailed information. Thanks for your understanding.
AI is ruining the whole industry. The machines put out flawed information and that reflects poorly on everyone.
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Yes, AI content is a monstrosity.
I would like to try making this bread in a Dutch oven. I have 2; a smaller 7″ LeCreuset cast iron one and a 9.5″ stainless steel. I think the 9.5″ may be too large but am unsure about the other as well. ???
Lorene
I would use the larger one. You’ll get more air circulation and a better rise.
Can you use whole wheat instead of cracked?
No, you’d get a totally different outcome. The cracked/bulgur wheat absorbs lots of the water and gives the bread a chewy texture. Here’s a recipe for Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread.