Last fall I shared my recipe for Rye and Whole Wheat Sandwich Loaf. That is now my go-to recipe for rye sandwich bread, and it makes a perfect base for for reubens and other hearty sandwiches. In fact, it is so easy to make and my wife and I love it so much that I wondered if I could make a whole wheat version of it. So I substituted whole wheat flour for the rye flour, and changed the sweetener to honey which got me off to a good start. With a little more tweaking and testing, this recipe for Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread was born.
Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
This bread has 66% whole wheat flour, with a bit of honey for flavor and a little oil to soften the crumb. I use either traditional red whole wheat or white whole wheat flour, or sometimes even a combination of both. The white whole wheat flour has a sweeter and milder taste plus a lighter color, while the traditional red whole wheat flour gives the bread a darker color and more of a classic whole grain taste. I find no real difference in the performance of the two flours, and both make a great bread. It is important to use high protein flours intended for bread baking. Soft wheat or pastry flours don’t give bread the lift that higher protein bread flours give. I am a fan of King Arthur flours, and I always use either their unbleached bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour for baking. For a real taste treat try using an heirloom whole wheat flour like Red Fife or Turkey Red.
slice of Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
I use the dough cycle of my bread machine to do the work of kneading and the first rise. If kneading by hand, around 8-10 minutes should do it. If using a stand mixer, knead at low speed for about 5-6 minutes. After the first bulk ferment, I form the dough into a rectangle and proof in a greased 8-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ loaf pan.
dough rising in loaf pan
The dough typically takes 60 to 90 minutes to rise, depending on the room temperature, and is ready for the oven when it has risen 1″ over the rim of the loaf pan.
eggplant sandwich on toasted Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Be sure and let the dough rise high enough before baking to avoid the bread splitting when it expands in the oven. And let the finished bread cool thoroughly before slicing. It slices even better the next day. I freeze any leftovers, and I try and always have some of this bread in the freezer since we use it so often.
Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread 
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A Happy Acres Original
Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
4 oz unbleached bread flour
8 oz whole wheat flour
1 tbsp vital wheat gluten
1-1/2 tsp instant yeast
1-1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 tbsp honey
8.5 oz water
1. Put all ingredients in bread machine in order listed. Use dough cycle. If dough seems too wet or too dry, add a bit of water or flour accordingly. It should form into a ball while kneading, and clean the sides of the bread machine.
2. When cycle is complete, remove dough from machine and punch down to remove any air bubbles.
3. Shape dough to fit a greased 8-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ loaf pan. Cover and let rise for 60-90 minutes, until dough has risen 1″ over the rim of the pan.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake loaf for 30-35 minutes, until instant read thermometer inserted into center of loaf reads 190°F. Bread may be covered in foil near the end if getting too brown.
5. Remove bread from oven, let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan and let cool thoroughly before slicing.
Servings: 12
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 135 calories, 24 calories from fat, 2.8g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 244.8mg sodium, 114.2mg potassium, 24.4g carbohydrates, 2.8g fiber, 3g sugar, 4.5g protein, 10.3mg calcium, <1g saturated fat.
Sounds delicious! I’m still not at a point where I have to time to bake my own bread – which I did a lot of before having kids! – but I think it won’t be too much longer. My daughter loves baking desserts and I’m actually thinking of trying to steer her towards bread baking, a much healthier alternative!