Milk & Honey Whole Wheat Bread is the perfect sandwich loaf. This easy whole wheat bread recipe makes a soft and slightly sweet bread that you’ll love.
With it’s soft texture, hint of honey and hearty whole wheat flavor, Milk & Honey Whole Wheat Bread tastes fantastic and will keep fresh for several days.
You can start the dough the night before and finish the bread in the morning to have fresh bread for lunch.
Scroll through the step by step photos to see how to make Milk & Honey Whole Wheat Bread:

After just 30 minutes on a warm spring day the sponge is active and ready.

Allow the dough to double in volume before shaping.

The bread is ready to bake when it’s about doubled in volume and fills up the pan. If you poke the dough the dent should slowly fill-in. If the dough springs right back it’s not quite ready.
A timeline for making this Milk & Honey Whole Wheat Bread Recipe:
- If you plan to bake the same day, start the sponge early in the morning.
- By the early afternoon your bread should be ready to bake.
- To start your bread the day before, start mixing the dough late in the afternoon or early evening.
- Make the dough up until the point that it goes into the pan.
- Cover the pan in plastic wrap and allow it to rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next morning, take the loaf out of the refrigerator. It should have risen to fill the pan over night.
- Leave the loaf at room temperature while the oven preheats. If it hasn’t risen enough, give it a little extra time at room temperature to finish rising.
- You’ll have fresh bread by lunch time.
- If you find at any point the dough has over-risen, you can knead the dough, reshape and let it rise again.
I always mix bread dough in my Kitchen Aid Mixer, but the dough can certainly be made by hand. Start mixing with a wooden spoon and switch to your hands when the dough gets too thick to stir.
Bread dough is much more forgiving and less scary than it seems. And of course nothing smells or tastes as good as a freshly baked loaf of bread.
Looking to make a great submarine sandwich? You can make Homemade Hoagie Rolls!
If you’ve got a sourdough starter, you can make Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread with Milk & Honey.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.
Milk & Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients
- 6 ounces warm water (¾ cup)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast (1 packet)
- 10 ounces bread flour (2 cups)
- 8 ounces whole milk (1 cup)
- 1 ½ ounces honey (2 tablespoons)
- 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
- 7 ½ ounces whole wheat flour (1 ½ cups)
- 1 egg for egg wash
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, combine the water, yeast and ½ cup of the bread flour to form a smooth batter. Cover the bowl and allow the mixture to rise for ½ hour. Warm the milk until scalding hot then set it aside to cool until it is slightly warmer than body temperature.6 ounces warm water, 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast, 10 ounces bread flour
- Add the scalded milk, honey and salt to the sponge. Stir to combine.8 ounces whole milk, 1 ½ ounces honey, 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
- Add the whole wheat flour and ½ cup of the bread flour. Stir until the batter looks like thick pancake batter. If using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook.7 ½ ounces whole wheat flour
- With the mixer running, continue adding bread flour until the dough gathers on the hook and clears the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes. If mixing by hand, add as much of the flour as you can in the bowl then finish kneading in the rest of the flour by hand.
- Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Knead to form a smooth ball. If the dough is very sticky sprinkle a little more flour as you knead.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover and set aside in a warm spot to rise for about 1-1 ½ hours until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9"x5" loaf pan with a very light film of vegetable oil or with baking spray.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Without kneading out the air, gently push the dough to a 9" rectangle. Tightly roll the dough from top to bottom to form a log shape. As you roll pinch the ends of the dough to form a tight roll.
- Set the dough into the pan and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Set in a warm place and rise until the dough almost doubles in size, about 1 hour.
- Use a sharp knife or razor to cut a ½" deep slash down the center of the loaf. Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds.1 egg for egg wash, Sesame seeds for garnish
- Bake about 30-35 minutes until golden brown and and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The interior temp should be about 200 °F.
- Cool in the pan about 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Cool to room temperature before slicing.
Equipment
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Nutrition
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Danielle
Friday 18th of August 2023
Is the weight of 2 cups of flour 10 ounces?
Eileen Gray
Saturday 19th of August 2023
Yes.
Azura
Tuesday 13th of June 2023
I’ve just baked this bread a second time. The first time was a little chaotic - the kneading, baking time, etc all had to be adjusted as I had never baked whole wheat bread before but it came pretty decent. This time around, everything went well - I overnight proved it and I just took it out of the oven. Waiting for it to cool down so I can have a slice (or two) for breakfast. Thanks for the recipe - it’s a keeper!
kelly
Tuesday 21st of February 2023
Wow! I have been making artisan sourdough for years and my family just wanted some sandwich bread. This turned out perfect! This is now my go to recipe. Excellent instructions and so tasty. Thank you!
Eileen Gray
Tuesday 21st of February 2023
Thanks! There's also a Sourdough version of this bread. You might also like the Sourdough White Sandwich Bread too.
Christina Toth
Monday 25th of April 2022
Love this bread! I just finished baking 2 loaves because making just one keeps me in the kitchen when I need to get out to the garden. How do I start it the night before to finish it before lunch? Thank you!
Christina Toth
Tuesday 31st of May 2022
@Eileen Gray,
Thank you so much!
I make at least 3 loaves this bread every week. My family loves it❣️
Eileen Gray
Monday 25th of April 2022
I would make the dough in the evening and let it go through the first rise. Shape the bread and put it into the pan. Cover the pan and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the fridge in the morning. It may already be risen by then and you can go ahead and bake. If it's doesn't rise enough in the fridge overnight leave it at room temp to finish rising and then bake. It should be done by lunch.
Marie
Tuesday 18th of January 2022
Love this bread! I always make the sponge with everything except the bread flour and add it after the sponge has risen. Have not needed the full 2 cups of bread flour yet. Always comes out beautifully and tastes amazing!
Eileen Gray
Tuesday 18th of January 2022
I just made a loaf of this the other day and it was gone in no time.