This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.
A step-by-step tutorial to make the tastiest homemade sandwich bread you’ve ever had! Anyone can make it using this guide and recipe.
I’ve always been afraid of the fickle beast. That’s what my friend, Carla, and I call yeast. Good homemade bread without a bread maker has eluded me for years, because I could never get the yeast or recipe or something just right. That all changed recently.
One of my best friends and mentor, “Aunt” Jeannette, spent the afternoon with me and my 4-year-old daughter last week teaching us the art of making homemade bread. As I made this same recipe again with my daughter this past weekend, I reflected on the soulfulness–the great history of humanity even–that is felt when you make bread and pass it on to another generation. Perhaps one day I’ll be able to pass along this little artifact from our home to my daughter’s children.
Now, besides the beauty of the process, homemade wheat sandwich bread is the best sandwich bread I’ve ever tasted. I’m not exaggerating. Not only is it all recognizable ingredients (aka real food!), but your family will gobble it up and it’s cheap. Read on to see how much I’m saving by making my own now.
I picked Jeannette’s brain, tested this recipe many, many times, and did research to create this complete guide to making homemade wheat sandwich bread. Expect that I’ll be experimenting with a 100% whole wheat bread and the use of honey as a sweetener soon! 🙂 I really encourage you to give this recipe a try and let me know how it goes!
Table of Contents
Why should I take time to make my own homemade sandwich bread?
It’s MUCH tastier than bread you can buy at the store.
It’s cheaper than the store (see my savings below).
You control what goes in. No preservatives or yucky cheap ingredients like HFCS or words you can’t pronounce.
Did I mention it tastes good? This bread makes your home feel and smell like home.
Here are just two of our favorite ways to use this sandwich bread…
3 small loaf pans (These are the ones we used and highly recommend! Their smaller size makes for a shape that is much like sandwich bread and produced a beautiful golden top.)
What ingredients do I need for homemade wheat sandwich bread?
whole wheat flour (I highly recommend white whole wheat flour, because it’s much lighter.)
I’ve been buying some delicious bakery bread for years that is about $6 a loaf. I know…ridiculously expensive. But, it’s really, really good local bread and not full of preservatives. In fact, most of the homemade loaves at our farmer’s market are $6 and up.
Here’s my rough estimate of what our Homemade Wheat Sandwich Bread cost me with the ingredients I used. I’m sure you could use cheaper ingredients than I did, though. Check out how much money I’m saving per loaf now!
So, if I make my own bread, I’m saving $4.70 per loaf of bread. We go through 2-3 loaves a week, so that’s $38-$56/month saved!
How long does it take to make 3 loaves?
Here’s the time break-down:
30 minutes to put the ingredients together and knead in the mixer
about 1 hour for the first rise
about 30-40 minutes for the second rise
about 25 minutes to bake
TOTAL TIME = 2 1/2 – 3 hours (only about 40 minutes of that is active work on your part)
So, if you spend one morning a week (in between doing other chores around the house), you can have homemade wheat sandwich bread for the entire week!
What else do I need to know before starting?
Read through the entire recipe and lay out all equipment and ingredients.
The most precise part of this recipe is getting the water the right temperature so you don’t kill the yeast or not activate it. That’s why you need a thermometer.
Keep moving quickly at the beginning of the recipe to stay on track with the timing. You’ll have time to clean up and work on other things during the two rise cycles and while it’s baking.
Take a cold stick of butter after it’s done, and run it over the top as soon as it comes out. Makes a pretty glaze and adds flavor!
Other than the temp of the water, bread-making is more of an art than a science. Experiment with the amount of flour. Keep in mind that weather and temperatures within your home will affect it, as well. It just takes practice…and I know I still have a lot to go! But, it’s so fun.
How should I store the bread? How long does it last?
Tightly wrap cooled bread in plastic wrap and store on the counter or in pantry. It may last longer in the fridge, but it will get drier faster.
If you aren’t going to use it within 2-3 days, tightly wrap in a few layers of plastic wrap and then with foil on the outside. Place in the freezer, where it will stay good for up to 3 months.
Here’s a tutorial of how to make Homemade Wheat Sandwich Bread, complete with pictures. The full recipe is at the bottom.
Ingredients:
3 cups warm water (110-115 degrees) 1 ½ tablespoons yeast ¼ cup sucanat or packed brown sugar 3 ½ cups unbleached white flour, plus ½-1 cup more as needed (if dough is too sticky and for dusting the counter) 3 ½ cups white whole wheat flour ¼ cup ground flaxseed 1 tablespoons salt 3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten, optional 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil a cold stick of butter, optional
Step-by-Step Directions:
1) In your kitchen aid mixer bowl, add warm water (make sure it’s between 110-115 degrees), yeast, and sugar. Stir until combined and let stand 5-10 minutes. Should become foamy on top, like mine above, if the yeast is activated. If not, sorry, start over.
2) Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl, whisk together flours, flaxseed, salt, and vital wheat gluten (optional).
3) Then, add olive oil into the yeast/water mixture. Don’t stir. Then stir in the flour mixture until combined. Using the bread hook, mix dough on a low setting in Kitchen Aid Mixer for about 10 minutes.
4) Stop and take it off the hook every few minutes to assure it’s mixing well. (I do this about 3-4 times.) You can also add more small amounts of flour in increments if the dough is too sticky while it is mixing.
5) Place dough ball in large greased bowl. Turn it around in the bowl to get it greased all around.
6) Then cover the bowl with a smooth dishtowel.
7) Set bowl in a warm place and let it rise until doubled in size, about an hour. I’ve found that letting it rise in a warm oven works best for me. I preheat it to the lowest temperature (170 degrees) and then turn it off before putting the dough in to rise.
8) After the dough has doubled, punch down the dough in the bowl. (This is fun!)
9) Then, divide the dough evenly into three equal parts on a lightly floured surface. A food scale makes it easier to divide the dough exactly. I just eyeball it myself.
10) Roll out each portion of dough with a rolling pin to remove air bubbles.
11) Then, roll up each one into a loaf size and put into pan seam-side down. Sometimes I have to squish and reshape the dough roll a little to make it fit into the loaf pans the right way. Spray tops of loaves with baking spray.
12) Cover with the light towel again and let rise again only until it’s doubled, about 30-40 minutes. Again, I do this in a slightly warm oven (about 170 degrees). Note: Do not let it over rise or the bread will deflate when it bakes!
13) Bake loaves on the middle rack at 350°F degrees for about 25 minutes or until top is golden brown.
(Important Cooking Note: If you preheat the oven first, the loaves take about 25 minutes to bake. But, if you let your bread rise in a 170°F degree oven like I do, then simply leave the bread in there, remove the towel that’s on top, and turn the temp to 350°F degrees. This method takes about 30 minutes.)
To test for doneness, look for golden brown tops and tap the tops. If the loaves sound hollow, then they baked through.
14) Let loaves completely cool in the pan on a wire rack.
15) Optional: Take a cold stick of butter while they are still warm, and run it over the top as soon as they come out. (Do this! It looks so pretty and tastes so good.)
16) Once the bread is cool, slice on a cutting board and serve! Tip: Using a bread knife, saw back and forth and don’t press down on bread.
Below is a nice printable version of this recipe for you. May your home be filled with warmth and soulfulness as you make this homemade wheat sandwich bread!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Homemade wheat sandwich bread is the best sandwich bread I’ve ever tasted. I’m not exaggerating. Not only is it all recognizable ingredients (aka real food!), but your family will gobble it up and it’s cheap.
3 ½ cups unbleached white flour, plus 1/2-1 cup more as needed (if dough is too sticky and for dusting the counter)
3 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
¼ cup ground flaxseed
1 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten, optional
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
a cold stick of butter, optional (do not use if making this dairy-free)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
In your kitchen aid mixer bowl, add warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir until combined and let stand 5-10 minutes. Should become foamy on top, if the yeast was activated.
Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl, whisk together flours, flaxseed, salt, and vital wheat gluten (optional).
Add olive oil into the yeast/water mixture. Don’t stir.
Using the bread hook, add flour mixture slowly (about 1 cup full at time) on a low setting in Kitchen Aid Mixer and then let it knead for about 10 minutes. Add a little more flour if it’s too sticky. Stop and take it off the hook every few minutes to assure it’s mixing well. (I do this about 3-4 times.)
Place in large greased bowl. Turn dough ball around in the bowl to get it greased all around. Then cover the bowl with a smooth dishtowel. Set bowl in a warm place and let it rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
Punch down the dough in the bowl. Then, divide evenly into three equal parts on a lightly floured surface.
Roll out each portion of dough with rolling pin to remove air bubbles. Then, roll up each one into a loaf size and put into a greased pan seam-side down. Spray tops of loaves with baking spray.
Cover and let rise again only until it’s doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Note: Do not let it over rise or the bread will deflate when it bakes!
Bake loaves on the middle rack at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown. (Important Cooking Note: If you preheat the oven first, it takes about 25 minutes to bake. But, if you let your bread rise in a 170 degree oven like I do, then simply leave the bread in and turn the temp to 350 degrees. This method takes about 30 minutes. To test for doneness, look for golden brown tops and tap the tops. If the loaves sound hollow, then they baked through.)
Let loaves completely cool in the pan on a wire rack. Optional: Take a cold stick of butter after it’s done, and run it over the top as soon as it comes out.
Then gently turn the loaves out and slice on a cutting board. Tip: Using a bread knife, saw back and forth and don’t press down on bread.
As co-founder of Thriving Home, Rachel dreams about creating recipes (literally) and uses her husband, her 3 kids, and even the neighbors as guinea pigs several nights a week. She believes that good food has the power to bring families and friends closer together and continues to wake up excited about her job each day, even after 10+ years!
I made this recipe this past weekend and it turned out so well! My loaves ended up being a little short, though. What size loaf pans did you use? My loaves seemed to rise appropriately in their pans, so maybe my pans are smaller-than-average? Regardless, this recipe is a definite keeper, and I will be experimenting with Vital Wheat Gluten in more bread recipes.
I’ve used slightly different sized pans over the years. The loaves sometimes come out taller and thinner and sometimes flatter and wider, but I always end up with bread that is gone in days! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve been making this recipe for almost two years now. My family was going through bread so quickly I decided to make start making my own. I make this recipe once a week with great success. Here are a few tips I’ve learned and would like to pass along. After adding the flours to the yeast, stir 1-2 minutes to mix it together,then let the dough set for up to 30 minutes to allow the wheat to really absorb the liquid before allowing it to rise. Also, replacing flax with hemp seeds every once in awhile gives it a really nice flavor and the bread is more moist. Lastly, I live in a really humid climate so in the summer I reduce the water by half a cup. I hope these are helpful!
Thank you for this recipe. I have been making home made bread for years. I have never made bread so soft and squishy before. I got a little ahead of myself and didn’t follow the recipe exactly as you have outlined, but it is great. As I read though the comments I noticed a lot of people had similar questions. Here is what I did, I hope my experience might help someone else. I used honey and omitted the wheat gluten. I used regular yeast, not the fast rising kind. I don’t measure anything, and I mixed the whole thing by hand. There’s just something about sticking your hands into a bowl of goop and turning it into a pliable dough, I love mixing it by hand. Here’s a little secret I never told anyone before: I always use one bowl and don’t mix the dry ingredients separately but add them as I go. It’s not the way any recipe says to do it, but it works for me. Love this recipe. Thanks.
I love this recipe. So glad I found it. I like to have my dough rise in front of the fireplace. I follow to the tee, & it turns out perfect every time.
My husband found me 3 steel bread pans that are connected at an antique store. They are amazing! Do yourself a favor & invest in steel or iron bread pans. Nonstick or aluminum coated aren’t good for you in my opinion.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the bread! What a great tip about the pan, too. I’ll keep my eye out for a steel or iron bread pan. I also use glass ones sometimes, which I feel are safe as well.
Hi, I was wondering if you could ask your friend how much of the reg active yeast she used for this recipe? I’m guessing it would be a different amount than the instant yeast?
My loaves are currently on their second rise… And I realize I forgot the brown sugar. Haha of course. I hope it doesnt mess it up but if so I’ll use it for breadcrumbs and try it again later. It was really easy!!
Oh I hope not either! I made some last week and didn’t have the right kinds of wheat; I tried subbing some homemade oat flour and they got too dense. But, the good news was that it was still really yummy (despite being dense). Maybe yours is salvageable, too??
If you want to use all whole wheat flour, try whole wheat pastry flour. I’ve found that it’s lighter, making for a less dense, less “heavy” loaf of bread. I use it for biscuits, artisan bread, honey wheat bread, and I’m going to try it with this recipe next!
It’s funny you ask that. Actually I’ve recently begun leaving them in the oven as it preheats. And they turn out perfectly. I just check for doneness by looking at the tops (golden brown) and tapping the loaves (do they sound hollow?). Takes about 30 minutes from the time I start the oven. If it’s already preheated it takes less time…maybe 25 minutes.
OMG I won’t let my husband buy any store bread ever .. we nomally bake are ezequiel style bread every sunday is are routine. . Omelet with artisan homemade bread .. which we love but for sandwich is not that good . . Today y just try your recipe OMG is so GOOD .. thanks thanks you make my family a happy one .. we love are wheat and carbs ..
Ha, ha! My friend, Tanya, who developed the recipe said she stirs the ingredients together and then turns it out on a well-floured surface and then kneads it by hand. This takes more time than the mixer, so I’m not sure how long you’d have to knead it. Good luck! It will be a good workout!
I love this recipe, I’ve made it several times with success. I do have two questions have you attempted a honey wheat using this recipe? I was also curious if I needed to adjust the vital wheat gluten when adding a gluten free flour, such as amarunth flour? Thanks!
I haven’t tried to make it with honey yet but I’d like to. And, I’m sorry that I don’t know much about GF flour and the adjustments you need to make there. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
I am curious to know if this is 2 different bread baking times? The pans are different in the first picture than the rest of the pictures. The bread really looks good. I make 100% whole wheat. I use hard white Montana Wheat that I grind myself. I just don’t consider it whole wheat if it isn’t 100% whole wheat. I know lots of recipes say that it is.
These pics are from two different times I baked the bread. You’re right! How did it turn out with 100% whole wheat? The times I’ve done that so far it has been too dense for my taste, although I love knowing it’s 100% whole grain.
How many slices do you typically get out of a loaf? I love this recipe!
Since we typically just slice away at random on the loaves, I don’t really know. Sorry!
I made this recipe this past weekend and it turned out so well! My loaves ended up being a little short, though. What size loaf pans did you use? My loaves seemed to rise appropriately in their pans, so maybe my pans are smaller-than-average? Regardless, this recipe is a definite keeper, and I will be experimenting with Vital Wheat Gluten in more bread recipes.
I’ve used slightly different sized pans over the years. The loaves sometimes come out taller and thinner and sometimes flatter and wider, but I always end up with bread that is gone in days! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve been making this recipe for almost two years now. My family was going through bread so quickly I decided to make start making my own. I make this recipe once a week with great success. Here are a few tips I’ve learned and would like to pass along. After adding the flours to the yeast, stir 1-2 minutes to mix it together,then let the dough set for up to 30 minutes to allow the wheat to really absorb the liquid before allowing it to rise. Also, replacing flax with hemp seeds every once in awhile gives it a really nice flavor and the bread is more moist. Lastly, I live in a really humid climate so in the summer I reduce the water by half a cup. I hope these are helpful!
Thank you for this recipe. I have been making home made bread for years. I have never made bread so soft and squishy before. I got a little ahead of myself and didn’t follow the recipe exactly as you have outlined, but it is great. As I read though the comments I noticed a lot of people had similar questions. Here is what I did, I hope my experience might help someone else. I used honey and omitted the wheat gluten. I used regular yeast, not the fast rising kind. I don’t measure anything, and I mixed the whole thing by hand. There’s just something about sticking your hands into a bowl of goop and turning it into a pliable dough, I love mixing it by hand. Here’s a little secret I never told anyone before: I always use one bowl and don’t mix the dry ingredients separately but add them as I go. It’s not the way any recipe says to do it, but it works for me. Love this recipe. Thanks.
I love this recipe. So glad I found it. I like to have my dough rise in front of the fireplace. I follow to the tee, & it turns out perfect every time.
My husband found me 3 steel bread pans that are connected at an antique store. They are amazing! Do yourself a favor & invest in steel or iron bread pans. Nonstick or aluminum coated aren’t good for you in my opinion.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the bread! What a great tip about the pan, too. I’ll keep my eye out for a steel or iron bread pan. I also use glass ones sometimes, which I feel are safe as well.
Hi, I was wondering if you could ask your friend how much of the reg active yeast she used for this recipe? I’m guessing it would be a different amount than the instant yeast?
My loaves are currently on their second rise… And I realize I forgot the brown sugar. Haha of course. I hope it doesnt mess it up but if so I’ll use it for breadcrumbs and try it again later. It was really easy!!
Oh I hope not either! I made some last week and didn’t have the right kinds of wheat; I tried subbing some homemade oat flour and they got too dense. But, the good news was that it was still really yummy (despite being dense). Maybe yours is salvageable, too??
If you want to use all whole wheat flour, try whole wheat pastry flour. I’ve found that it’s lighter, making for a less dense, less “heavy” loaf of bread. I use it for biscuits, artisan bread, honey wheat bread, and I’m going to try it with this recipe next!
Can you mix this up and freeze it until ready to bake?
I have never tried this, but I know lots of people do freeze dough. I don’t feel qualified to give instruction on it, though. Sorry!
My name came up wrong it’s brook not broom lol stupid autocorrect
Just want to say I love this recipe and have been making it for a month now instead of buying bread. Thank you for sharing!
Wonderful! My pleasure. So glad you’re enjoying it.
Do you take them out of the oven while preheating, or just turn the oven on and let it preheat with them in there?
It’s funny you ask that. Actually I’ve recently begun leaving them in the oven as it preheats. And they turn out perfectly. I just check for doneness by looking at the tops (golden brown) and tapping the loaves (do they sound hollow?). Takes about 30 minutes from the time I start the oven. If it’s already preheated it takes less time…maybe 25 minutes.
OMG I won’t let my husband buy any store bread ever .. we nomally bake are ezequiel style bread every sunday is are routine. . Omelet with artisan homemade bread .. which we love but for sandwich is not that good . . Today y just try your recipe OMG is so GOOD .. thanks thanks you make my family a happy one .. we love are wheat and carbs ..
So glad you liked it!
I don’t have.a.Kitchen Aid mixer or bread maker. What can I use to mix? What.did they use.in the.old days? lol
Ha, ha! My friend, Tanya, who developed the recipe said she stirs the ingredients together and then turns it out on a well-floured surface and then kneads it by hand. This takes more time than the mixer, so I’m not sure how long you’d have to knead it. Good luck! It will be a good workout!
I love this recipe, I’ve made it several times with success. I do have two questions have you attempted a honey wheat using this recipe? I was also curious if I needed to adjust the vital wheat gluten when adding a gluten free flour, such as amarunth flour? Thanks!
I haven’t tried to make it with honey yet but I’d like to. And, I’m sorry that I don’t know much about GF flour and the adjustments you need to make there. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
I am curious to know if this is 2 different bread baking times? The pans are different in the first picture than the rest of the pictures. The bread really looks good. I make 100% whole wheat. I use hard white Montana Wheat that I grind myself. I just don’t consider it whole wheat if it isn’t 100% whole wheat. I know lots of recipes say that it is.
These pics are from two different times I baked the bread. You’re right! How did it turn out with 100% whole wheat? The times I’ve done that so far it has been too dense for my taste, although I love knowing it’s 100% whole grain.