Sometimes I can’t believe the fun we get to have here! ย All the biscuits, all the cookies, and all in the name of work!ย Today we’re exploring a whole wheat bread recipe. Specifically, Whole Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread! ย It’s the last in our 4-challenge King Arthur Flour Baking Bootcamp!
First we madeย Triple Berry Cinnamon Swirl Bread, a braided bread stuffed with loads of fresh berries, cinnamon and butter.
We madeย Apple Pie Biscuitsย with sweet fall apples and tender biscuit dough.
This Winter we made Gruyรจre and Green Olive Loaves, big salty, satisfying and cheesy loaves.
Now! ย Hearty loaves of honey, oat, and wheat!
These oatmeal studded loaves bake up light and golden! ย Perfect for slicing thick and topping with softened butter, ripe avocado, or fruity jam.
As we move through January, I find myself craving staples… simple foods that I can slather in butterย for warmth and comfort.
Here’s what we’re going to need for this whole wheat bread recipe:
1 โขย King Arthur Unbleached White Whole Wheatย Flour. ย A sweeter and more mild whole wheat flour. ย Perfect for adding whole wheat goodness without being too dense.
2 โข I use thisย King Arthur Flour Bench Knifeย just about everyday in my kitchen. Itโs perfect for scraping little dough bits from the countertopโฆ something a sponge just pitifully attacks. You might also use the bench knifeย to slice though the center of the rolled dough. Itโs sharp too! I love this tool!
3 โข Kitchen fashion is important to me.ย Hedley & Bennettย understands my needs for a functional, durable, totally chic apron. Not too frilly. I always want to be more badass than 50โs housewife-y in the kitchen.
4 โขย Lovely and durable kitchen towels for resting our dough from LoomedNOLA.
5 โข Havingย Colorful Mixing Bowlsย is the kitchen equivalent of having a great black dress in your closet. Necessary treat.
6 โขย Loaf pans for loaves of bread and pound cakes.
7 โขย Theseย wooden spoonsย just get better with time.
8 โข Is it normal to have a completely mismatched set ofย Measuring Cups, or should I just treat myself to a matching set like this? Donโt answer thatโฆ
9 โขย Theย Pyrex glass measuring cup. ย A forever kitchen classic.
10ย โขย Same goes for theย Measuring Spoonsโฆ itโs nice to have a full matching set.
Let’s get baking! ย We’re in this together. ย Here are some important details!
โขย Baking 101: The Difference Between Baking Floursย for all the nitty-gritty on bran and germ and protein content.
โข King Arthur Flourโsย Bakerโs Hotlineย is a fantastic resource for curious home bakers to discuss your fears, concerns and eventual successes. Give them a ring! Itโs magic. 1-855-371-2253
Our ingredients:
Oatmeal, brown sugar, honey, butter, salt, cinnamon, and yeast.
Two kinds of flour: ย white whole wheat and all-purpose flour for heartiness and balance.
Warm water to bring it all together.
The old-fashioned oatmeal goes into a large glass measuring cup.
Brown sugar along with the honey, butter, salt and cinnamon.
Warm water will help plump the oatmeal, dissolve the sugar and honey, and melt the butter.
Stir stir for cohesive flavors.
White Whole Wheat plus unbleached All-Purpose Flour.
The whole wheat flour adds a hearty and nutty texture to the bread. ย A lovely balance to the oats and honey.
Active dry yeast stirred into the flour. ย We’re going to need theย umph.
Stir the flour and yeast together to combine.
Wet ingredients meet dry. ย Oatmeal and all!
A wooden spoon to bring it all together.
The mixture will be fairly thick.
In the bowl, the dough will be rather shaggy.
We’re going to need some knead time.
Generously flour a clean work counter.
Transfer the shaggy dough to the floured counter.
I use the heel of my hand to knead the dough together.
Keep kneading into a smooth dough ball.
I like to clear any dough scraps off the counter, still keep the space covered in flour, and then continue kneading.
Knead and fold. ย The dough will become cohesive and smooth.
This little dough baby is ready to rest!
Into a large, lightly oiled bowl to rest and rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Look at that perfectly fluffy rise!
The risen dough is dumped back onto the floured counter and, using a bench knife, sliced in half. ย We’re making two loaves of bread!
Each half of dough is sprinkled lightly with flour and then it’s time for shaping.
Log-shaped. ย Loaf-shaped. ย Knead gently and fold under so any seams are on the underside.
Perfect for the loaf pan!
Just make sure the corners are tucked in and the dough is ready to rise again.
Simple loaves. ย Risen and light. ย Ready for the oven!
These loaves bake up perfectly hearty and pleasing. ย Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing. ย The loaves need time to rest so the inside texture is just right. ย I like to serve this bread sliced thick, spread with salty softened butter, and either jam or cinnamon sugar.
Print
Whole Wheat Honey Oatmeal Bread
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves 1x
- Category: bread
Description
Hearty and wholesome whole wheat loaves made with honey and oats.
Ingredients
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt or 2 1/2 teaspoons table salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon instant or active-dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
- 4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, oats, brown sugar, honey, butter, salt, and cinnamon. Let cool to lukewarm, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the yeast and flours, stirring to form a rough dough. Knead (about 10 minutes by hand, 5 to 7 minutes by machine) until the dough is smooth and satiny.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour. Since the dough is warm to begin with (from the boiling water), it should become quite puffy.
- Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a loaf. Place the loaves in two greased 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ bread pans.
- Cover the pans with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow the loaves to rise until they’ve crowned about 1″ over the rim of the pan, about 60 to 90 minutes.
- Bake the loaves in a preheated 350ยฐF oven for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting them lightly with aluminum foil after 25 minutes, to prevent over-browning. Remove them from the oven when they’re golden brown, and the interior registers 190ยฐF on a digital thermometer.
- Turn the loaves out onto a rack to cool. Store at room temperature, well-wrapped, for several days; freeze for longer storage.
136 Responses
This has become my go-to homemade bread recipe. I have taken it in to work where it was an unexpected hit. It’s especially good as toast. As for the thread on when to add yeast, I follow the instructions as written and it has turned out well every time. Definitely a good recipe for beginning bread bakers.
I am trying this recipe replacing some of the flour with 1/4c almond flour and 1/4c coconut flour, adding 1/8c mixed seeds.. How long do you initially knead the dough? I’ve also added 1 teas. gluten
I’m sorry, but I do not think that combination of flours is going to work.
Can i just use whole wheat flour? I am trying to get away from white four.
Yes, but you might need a bit more liquid.
I’d like to try this recipe, but I’m wondering if it’s really sweet, and can the cinnamon be lessened or omitted? I don’t think it would be good with savory foods.
Hello! I think the cinnamon can be adjusted to your taste, especially if you’d want to use it for sandwiches. Happy baking! xo
Hi Joy! I’m curious if you have used milk instead of water in this recipe? I have a very old time recipe for this bread and it calls for milk.
You can. Have I yes. It’s definitely possible.
My bread didn’t rise. Is it my yeast gone bad or sow thing else could have gone wrong?
Yes, probably the yeast.
I’m a little late to the Bootcamp, but I made this bread tonight and it’s so incredibly delicious! I love the slight sweetness and spice. Can’t wait to try more Bootcamp recipes!
I just made this loaf – WOW. It is SO good. The photos helped me make sure it was all looking right. :) Totally saving this one for the future!
Joy thank you for sharing your gifts and talents of baking. You are amazing. I am just getting back into bread making. My efforts have not produced good loaves as of yet. I am going to keep trying of course. I have checked several stores around me that carry King Arthur Flour and none of them have the White Whole Wheat flour. Can I use the Hard white wheat that I grind up? Or is there a better substitute for the White Whole Wheat Flour. I am hoping to make this tomorrow if possible. Thanks agin
My BFF and I love this recipe. I love it because it’s super easy to make and lasts me all week. She loves it because every time I bake it I give her the second of the loaves. I can never finish it by myself.
I also highly recommend slapping some honey almond butter on at the end. So good.
Can I replace the brown sugar with honey?
I would not suggest replacing the brown sugar with honey. It would be too much liquid.
I’m always scared yeast won’t activate when I bake bread. Do you think you could activate it in warm water and a pinch of sugar to ensure it is active or would this mess things up?
I only have regular whole wheat flour (It’s not the white whole wheat) is it still okay to use? Thanks.
I really hope that was a technical glitch and not an intentional effort on your part. After receiving the same post on Oatmeal Bread for weeks on end, I asked, via (private) email to be removed from all JoytheBaker Posts to help stop the Oatmeal Bread loop. I looked for an Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the correspondence I had access to but found no such link. Fairly common I thought but I couldn’t find it in on the pages I had. Last night, I received 27 emails in my Inbox with Unsubscribe links in them.
I do not know what to think here. I really don’t Technical difficulties or malicious intent? I am really praying for the former, truly. I have hit the Unsubscribe link, let us hope with that and this reply, the technical problems are resolved. Best of luck.
Malicious intent? Never. You’ve received the same Oatmeal Bread post for weeks on end? From Joy the Baker? Must certainly be a technical glitch. I believe I wrote you back yesterday (or the day before?) about the unsubscribe button at the bottom of any newsletter email, but let me look into why you might be receiving so many email. I can totally understand your frustration and I’m sorry!
I’ve also received several comments from Joy the Baker. They all began with Joy’s original post, but we’re generated because individuals participating in the contest had just tried the recipe, we’re about to or needed advice. No harm. No foul.
I only want to make one loaf of bread as I only have 1 pan; I’m assuming I can just halve the ingredients? I only ask because you’re recipe says one tablespoon of yeast, and half of that is 1.5 teaspoons, but every bread recipe I’ve ever made requires one full envelope of yeast which measures to 2 1/4 teaspoons. Please let me know, Thanks!
Hi Kelsey! I would say that you could halve the recipe but use 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast.
I made this yesterday and now my dogs have the world’s biggest dog biscuit :( After spending time online and talking to the KAF baker’s hotline, my problems are solved! There are three gorgeous loaves cooling on my counter right now, cannot wait for breakfast! Thank you for this bootcamp ????
Ooooooh Joy, this bread looks delicious! I will definitely be making it this weekend! When is the deadline for this challenge?? I don’t see it posted on here…
This is baking in my oven right now! My house smells so good!!
Hey, your site has really changed! Wow! Since when? I am in love with the idea of MORE images and your images are GREAT so keep ’em coming!
And Bread Lovin’ once again. Must get into more healthy bread baking. Nice.
Classic honey oatmeal sounds so great. So many different things you could add in to this base for variations.
I have submitted a pic, does my IG account need to be public?
I just made this and it’s delicious. Just delicious. Futzed around with the recipe a hair and jammed some goodies in the middle. Will definitely make again and I highly recommend. Super easy to make.
Joy! When is this bootcamp deadline?! I’ve got to schedule my baking and photography sessions around school and work :( Which is yucky but when I have the time to bake it feels like such a reward. And an excellent stress reliever!
Yes, yes, yes. This is sooooo gonna happen in my kitchen this weekend.
Can I make this without a loaf pan? Its the only thing I don’t have!
Could you use Whole Wheat Pastry Flour for this? I happen to have a whole bag that I don’t know what to do with
Making this bread right now, but dying to know where you got that beautiful watch from?!?!
Just completed the dough up to the rest time. It was a very tough dough. I’m afraid. Is there anything I can do now to soften it up? Or is this just a tougher dough?
Mona, KAF told you that it didn’t matter if you didn’t proof the active dry yeast? My bread is an example of what happens when you just add the active dry yeast to the flour without proofing. The dough doesn’t rise. I thought the recipe was incorrectly written when it came to using the two different yeasts. Very disappointed.
Can I use my mixer and dough hook instead of kneading by hand? We are expecting over a foot of snow soon, great time to bake bread!
Whip out that mixer and get to making bread, June!
Mine barely rose. I gave it hours. :( The yeast was good too, used it a week ago for bagels.
I called KAF and they said it doesn’t matter if you don’t bloom active dry yeast….o was really taken aback as for all my life that’s what I know about yeast…instant..throw it in..ADY mist be bloomed. Something isn’t right here. Can you tell me what type of yeast you used ? Instant or ADY?
Probably active dry. I don’t have the bag anymore. It was a big bag from Costco that I moved to a jar I keep in my fridge.
Hi Joy! I have a silly question – where did you get your watch?? It’s beautiful!
Thank you so much! I got the watch from Piperlime!
The bread looks amazing. Excited to try it this week. Can I ask where you got that watch?
Thank you Tammy! I bought the watch from Pimperlime!
I love hearty, oaty breads. I’m always intimidated by bread making. I’m always worried I won’t knead it enough, or it won’t rise or something. Thanks for the step-by-step, this is great!
I never have much luck with homemade bread, so I’m always a little hesitant to try to make it from scratch, but this post makes it look possible. Maybe I’ll give it another shot – thanks for the amazing tutorial!
So glad round 4 is here! :) So sad it’s the last one. :(
Joy, the photos in this post look AMAZING. I want this bread right now. Good thing I can bake.
i am looking for a low carb recipe for bread. thank you
Can i make this in my bread machine? Would it be considered a 2 pound loaf?
Rose perfectly twice. Put them in oven and fell flat! What the heck happened??
First of all, I have LOVED the baking boot camp! Second of all, I inadvertantly bought whole grain whole wheat flour, so I used it anyways. It turned out a little tougher, from all the gluten, but still so delicious!
Can I make this in my zojirushi bread machine? Would it be considered a 2pound loaf?
Fresh baked bread is one of my favorite things! This so hearty and delicious!
I love this bread and make it quite frequently. I’ve even tweaked the recipe a bit. I add a bit of whole wheat flour and a bit of steel cut oats as well.
Next up is adding bananas. Seriously. I have made a banana yeast bread before, using a recipe from the Tassajara Bread Book, and that one is quite delicious.
Whipped up KA French Baguettes last night and Baking THIS up now! Thanks!
I have used the honey oatmeal bread recipe from your KAF bread flour bag for years. This looks similar but sweeter. I will definitely try this version. My question, can I use an organic seven grain breakfast cereal blend in place of the oatmeal? Any modifications? I have done this with the old recipe and it worked well. I enjoy the heartier flavor and texture. Thanks!
IThe bread looks amaxing and your photo steps are wonderful. ‘ve been inspired to share this recipe and Blog with my Nutrion and Wellness classes. We will donate the breads to the Cougar Food Cupboard for the Feb 4th distribution. This will also fit into our FCCLA No Kid Hungry service project. Thanks so much
Um, if this is inappropriate you can totally delete it and I apologize in advance if it’s offensive. I’m also amazed nobody else has pointed it out. These photos, your breasts, stunning. I’m not a dude and I’m not hitting on you (though I’m sure many would). I say this purely from one gal pal to another. I hope that’s okay. If it’s not, yikes, sorry, I went there.
Also, the bread looks delish, but that’s hardly new news around here. :)
The original recipe called for instant yeast and you call for active dry yeast to be dumped right into the mix ? Wouldn’t you need to raise the active dry yeast in some warm water and sugar before adding it directly ? This part really seems confusing somI would appreciate your opinion ?
I made the bread by just adding the yeast to the flour. My bread didn’t rise as much as I thought it would and I wonder if it’s because I didn’t use instant yeast. Still tastes good though.
Mary, I called KAF today as this blog is co sponsored with them, and they agreed that absolutely “active dry yeast” must always be bloomed first, before adding as opposed to instant yeast. I was a bit annoyed as I am guessing other bakers wasted theme and ingredients with these faulty directions. I hope Joy the Baker fixes the issue, as KAF said they would be in touch with her re: the mistake in the blog directions.
Mona, Thank you for following up with me re: the yeast question. I’m truly disappointed that Joy didn’t respond. I bake for fun and not very often do I make bread with yeast, so I don’t understand how Joy could’ve missed this very important step in the recipe (if I caught it). As I said previously, my bread still tasted good but a little dense. Would have been much better if I had better directions and the bread had risen more. Somehow I felt I wasted my time with something that could have been much better. Thanks again.
Mary- I think when you have a trusted source such as KAF and sometimes Joy The Baker, certainly in a boot camp for new bakers, when a mistake is made..it should be corrected immediately so new bakers don’t experience disappointing results and become discouraged…throwing active dry in would def cause a leaden loaf…and then there’s Pepperidge Farm????. Also KAF is aware and should have called this …I hope you keep enjoying the process. I love baking and while I am def not a terrific baker, it’s. Fun and calming and my 10 grandkids enjoy it ! Have fun !
I used active dry yeast and added it directly to the flour, no blooming, and my loaves came out amazing! I was nervous because I read your comments after I had already added the yeast to the flour. Perhaps there is another reason your loaves came out too dense. This is really my first loaf of bread without a bread machine so I can’t offer any ideas, sorry.
Joy, just made the bread! The smells in my kitchen were so amazing! And half the bread is already gone… Thanks so much!!!
I love your bread recipes, they always work and they are definitely very popular here at home :)
This is happening soon. Very soon. This baking bootcamp has been my kind of bootcamp!
WHERE IS YOUR SHIRT FROM?? It’s so perfect. The bread, also perfect.
It’s from Zara!
If you use active dry yeast, is there any need to dissolve it in warm water before adding to the flour? Your recipe does not state this step, so I want to make sure that it will work by just adding to the flour mix.
mine turned out amazing….thank you joy for the inspiration.
I’m so glad I tried it! The bread is so, so good. And really not a tough recipe. Thanks!!
Even though I can’t participate, I’ll still try the bread! It looks lovely!
Love this recipe. I am a huge fan of bread baking and always on a look out for fresh ideas. Thanks for sharing
https://highheelsbrownhair.blogspot.co.uk/
Just pulled this bread out of the oven and our house smells amazing. I’m looking forward to enjoying a slice of this bread for breakfast tomorrow. Thanks, Joy! (And congrats on the Oprah article!)
I use a recipe very similar on a regular basis. It is my favorite ! Thank you for the lovely photos !
Oh, lovely! It’s like I can smell the bread proofing now.
i ended up having to add an additional 3/4 cup of water during the kneading process! Not enough moisture! Probably the cold winter we’re having!
We’re in the middle of our second serious snow storm this week. I made this today and it’s so easy and delicious. The bread was perfect for being storm stayed. Thanks for sharing.
Hi. Could I sub white whole wheat flour??? I usually have whole wheat on hand, but not today! And I want this bread today, dang it!:) TU in advance!
This bread looks unreal! Instead of buying bread this week, I think I’ll go ahead and make some! I do have one obnoxiously annoying question though… that shirt. So simple, so cute. Can you share from where you acquired it? Thanks!!
Just wanted to say that that watch is EVERYTHING, What kind is it?
Looks and sounds fan-freakin-tastic! I have got to start making my own bread!
This sounded so delicious that my kids and I are making it today. The dough is rising right now. However, I noticed that in the recipe it says to let dough rise an hour before dividing, and in your instructions with photos you say to let rise two hours. Which one is correct? Thank you! (Hoping it’s an hour so the kids can see the finished product before bed…)
ive been having a go at bread recently, and i have real issue with it – it always seems ot be doughy in the middle! I think its to do with the proving but i cant work it out!
So delicious!
Yum!
Tell me about the apron that you’re wearing in these photos? I love the simpleness of it!!!
It looks amazzzingggggg! So delicious! Need to try this recipe.
http://www.trangscorner.com
Sounds lovely!
Yum! I must make this bread this weekend! Delicious Joy!
I LOVE your watch!! Can I ask where you got it?
I got it from Piperlime!
It’s like you read my mind, Joy! I’ve been looking for a really good wheat bread recipe and this one looks perfect! I love all the photos!
Your hands and nails look awesome, Joy! Do you have to use loaf pans or can you shape and bake on a baking stone?
Wowzer, this bread loos AMAZING! Excited to try it out, love me a step-by-step tutorial. Pinned!
Oh, they are beautiful! The recipe sounds too easy for me to mess up!
This looks amazing Joy!! So wonderful!
I love everything about this — I can *almost* smell the fresh baked goodness!
Sunday I am making this! It is suppossed to snow all day and yummmmmmo, the smell of bread wafting through the house!!! Cannot wait!!
I would have been much more interested in the whole Baking Bootcamp concept if a video had been included. Watching someone do what they are explaining is so much more helpful than pictures.
two loaves. one maj.
I see what you did there.
I love baking bread in the winter! It warms up the whole house – they should really turn the smell of freshly baked bread into a candle – love it so much! These loaves look delicious!
This might be terrible to ask but could you use this recipe in a bread machine?
Thank you!
Not a terrible question! A bread machine is another beast in the kitchen and changes the recipe in way that I’m not familiar with. I’m sorry I can’t help you more.
These pictures just make me want to bake! There is something really therapeutic about kneading bread. I tried to look at that apron posted and it gave me a page not found message. So I don’t know if the link is broken or if its just broken for me?
So sorry! Let me check on this for you!
Do you think it would work to replace the butter with coconut oil (or another oil)? I would love to make this vegan!
https://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
Yes I think you can! Go for it!
Part of the fun of baking at home is to experiment. I’m with Joy; Go for it! But be sure to post photos and report back on the results.
I love bench scrapers (bench knives). I have about 10 of them and that was after whittling them down.
I love the step by step and it looks like the bread came out great. It would look good brushed with a light egg wash to give it a golden crust as well. Thanks for sharing!
A light egg wash would be lovely!
I love bench knives (bench scrapers). I have like 10 of them (and that was after whittling them down!)
I love the step by step and the bread looks amazing. It would be great with a light egg wash to give it a golden top. Thanks for sharing!
Definitely a classic and gorgeous sandwich bread! Love this joy!
Awesome! I hope you bake it up!
Could I freeze the dough and simply bake it when I’m ready for it?
I tink freezing the dough will kill the yeast and prevent this bread from properly rising in the oven. Letting it rise in the refrigerator overnight might be a better option!
I freeze bread all the time to bake later. Doesn’t kill the yeast. Once you’ve kneeded and shaped, wrap in plastic wrap and put it in a ziploc. When you want to bake it, take it out, remove the plastic wrap and pop in a loaf pan. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and then let it rise on the counter the 2nd time like normal (2-4 hrs). Works great
Mmmm honey bread sounds so warm, so perfect for winter!
Would you be willing/able to give gram measurements for those if us in the UK who, no matter how hard we try, still struggle with cups?
You can find the original recipe here and get it in grams if you’d like. https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/vermont-whole-wheat-oatmeal-honey-bread-recipe
This looks so delicious – I have been dying to try bread, and oatmeal is one of my favorite foods on earth so it’s very appropriate. I also love your photos by the way – the outfit you are wearing is perfect to make the food stand out!
Jill
Latest Post: Hurdles to Eating Clean: 3 Easy Ways to Beat Them for Good
I love making bread! :)
https://justsem.wordpress.com/
What I Did This Weekend. Thankyouverymuch.
I made a similar recipe from Orangette that was so delicious, but considering I have all of these ingredients on hand alreadyโฆ might be trying this version soon. Just feels like the right thing to do.
Totally the right thing to do!
Would it be bad to let the rise go in the fridge for a longer rise? I know typically it lets the flavors develop more but I was unsure if it would be not as good for this type or yeast bread.
Thanks! It looks great! I’m excited to make it!
I think it resting the bread overnight in the fridge is a great idea!
Best bootcamp ever!
I love the step-by-step journey, and the resulting loaves are sure to be comfort food perfection! I love whole wheat bread with a touch of honey, so these seem right up my alley (though I usually go the sourdough round). Thanks for sharing – and too bad the challenge is only open to U.S. residents!
My friends keep inviting me to this bootcamp workout thing in the park. I’m having a hard time telling them the only bootcamp I want to go to is the of the baking variety. Butter > lunges.
This is why I like you.
This bread looks amazing! I am saving this recipe for our next family brunch.