Fluffy Honey Wheat Sandwich Bread | Made with 100% Freshly Milled Flour
A soft, fluffy, and delicious honey wheat sandwich bread made with freshly milled flour. This is my go-to homemade sandwich bread for my family. Great for making sandwiches or toast. Easy to make, dairy free, no complicated steps. I think you’ll love this one!
After making this bread many times, I have officially modified and improved this recipe as of Feb 28, 2026.
There’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven, and this Fluffy Honey Wheat Sandwich Bread using freshly milled grains is one of those recipes you’ll come back to again and again. With a soft, tender crumb and a slightly sweet flavor from honey, it makes the perfect everyday loaf. Whether you’re building sandwiches, serving it alongside tomato soup, or toasting it for breakfast, this homemade bread beats anything you can find at the store.
The best part? This bread is made with simple pantry staples and comes together with very little effort. The honey adds natural sweetness, olive oil keeps it moist, and freshly milled flour gives it a hearty yet light texture. Once you’ve baked your own loaf, you’ll see just how rewarding homemade bread can be.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft & fluffy: Perfect for sandwiches and toast.
- Wholesome: Made with freshly milled whole wheat flour and natural sweetener.
- Beginner-friendly: No complicated steps, no sourdough starter, & the stand mixer does the hard work.
- Two loaves at once: One to enjoy fresh and one to freeze or share.
- Dairy Free: Using olive oil makes this dairy free and also helps it come together really quickly, no melting butter!
New to Freshly Milled Flour?
For a more comprehensive guide to working with Freshly Milled Flour, checked out my Beginner’s Guide to Freshly Milled Flour where I go over equipment, where to buy grains, how to store them, and more. I also go over this recipe in full detail in this video on youtube.
Ingredients Measured in Grams For Accuracy
I use and love this scale for all of my baking.
- 540 grams of room temp or warm water
- 110 grams olive oil
- 160 grams honey
- 16 grams sea salt
- 800 g (about 6–7 cups) freshly milled whole wheat flour, divided. I’m using 600 grams hard red wheat and 200 grams kamut for added nutrition.
- 1 Tbsp instant yeast
- 1.5 tsps apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar gently strengthens gluten structure and improves rise and texture—especially in whole wheat dough.
A Note on Yeast
If you only have active dry yeast, you just need add the yeast at the beginning with the water, honey, and oil and make sure your water is warm to the touch. Your yeast wants a warm cozy temperature to BLOOM. Once that yeast looks foamy, add in your flours. You can also do this in a separate bowl with a little but of the water from the recipe and a big pinch of sugar. This is a really fast and reliable way to bloom your yeast. I store my yeast in the freezer to make sure it is always fresh.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Honey Wheat Sandwich Bread
1. Make the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, olive oil, honey, and yeast. Allow the yeast to bloom if needed. Then add the salt and apple cider vinegar. Add all of the flour and mix until just combined. Let the mixture rest for 10-30 minutes to hydrate the flour.
For best results, I recommend using a stand mixer like this one. It saves time and gives you perfectly kneaded dough that is gentle on freshly milled grains and develops that gluten naturally without the arm workout. Knead for about 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Mix the flour until just incorporated, then let it sit for 10-30 minutes.
Knead for 10-15 minutes until more smooth and elastic.
Let rise until doubled in size
Shape into 9×4 loaf pans
Allow to rise in pans.
Bake!
3. First Rise: Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
4. Shape Loaves: Punch down the dough, divide it in half, and shape into two sandwich loaves. Place them in greased 9×4 loaf pans and let rise for another 45 minutes.
5. Bake: Bake at 375°F for 5 minutes and then reduce to 350 and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190. I like to use 2 9×4 usa pans for this. Be sure to grease the insides well with some avocado or olive oil.
6. Cool & Slice: Cool completely before slicing to keep the texture soft and fluffy. For an extra touch, brush the tops with butter while they are still warm, it will make the tops soft and glossy.
Tips for the Best Loaf
There are many variables when making homemade bread. Don’t be discouraged if a recipe doesn’t turn out exactly as you hope, this is a learning process. Extra humidity in your flour or your environment, and the temperature of the room, all have an impact on the final results. The key is learning what tweaks need to be made.
If the dough seems too dense, let it rest longer before kneading. The longer the rising process, the more flavor develops, so it’s ok if this whole thing takes longer. You can also stunt the rising of your dough by placing it in the fridge. This allows those flavors to develop and slows down time for you if you are not ready to tend to your dough.
If you are looking for some extra fluffiness and rise, try adding 1 egg! It can cause the tops to brown a little faster but it adds that extra rise and fluffiness you may be after.
Most Common Problems + Fixes:
1. Not enough gluten development
- Whole wheat needs thorough kneading.
- Knead 8–15 minutes by mixer. In my ankarsrum mixer I sometimes go 20 minutes because it’s so gentle on the dough, which mimics hand kneading and really helps with gluten development in freshly milled flour.
- Dough should feel elastic and slightly tacky.
👉 Fix: If it tears easily instead of stretching, keep kneading.
2. Too much flour
- Whole wheat absorbs flour slowly.
- If you add flour too quickly, the dough gets stiff and can’t rise well.
👉 Fix: Add flour gradually and stop when dough pulls from the bowl but still feels soft.
3. Yeast not active
- Water too hot kills yeast; too cool slows it way down.
- Ideal water temp: 100–110°F.
👉 Fix: If dough doesn’t noticeably rise in the first hour, move it somewhere warmer or start over with fresh yeast.
4. Large air bubbles
Sometimes large pockets of air for, this can be annoying when you cut into your loaf. B
👉 Fix: Be sure to press down the dough to remove excess air when you are shaping your loaves. It will rise again the pan and hopefully you will have a nice even crumb for sandwiches. Also be careful to not over proof your dough. (aka, don’t forget about it!)
When Bread Isn’t Rising Well
Check these first:
1. Cold kitchen or cold water
- Whole wheat rises slower than white bread.
👉 Fix: Let it rise in:
- the oven with the light on
- near (not on) the stove
- covered with a towel or plastic wrap
Expect 1½–2 hours for the first rise sometimes.
Fluffy Honey Wheat Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
Notes
- A Note on Yeast If you only have active dry yeast, you just need add the yeast at the beginning with the water, honey, and oil and make sure your water is warm to the touch. Your yeast wants a warm cozy temperature to BLOOM. Once that yeast looks foamy, add in your flours. You can also do this in a separate bowl with a little but of the water from the recipe and a big pinch of sugar. This is a really fast and reliable way to bloom your yeast. I store my yeast in the freezer to make sure it is always fresh.
- Add Extra Yeast You can add more yeast if needed, this speeds up the process. I like using 1 tbsp for this 2 loaf recipe because it means the bread doesn’t rise too fast and the flavors have more time to develop. But if you find you are waiting too long, you can always add another tsp of yeast and it will speed things along.Â
- Brush tops with melted butter after baking for a softer crust.
Method
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, olive oil, honey, and yeast. Allow the yeast to bloom for a few minutes if using active dry yeast. Then add in the salt, apple cider vinegar, and yeast.
- Add in the flours and mix until just combined. Allow the dough to rest for 10-30 minutes.
- Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes on medium speed until it looks more smooth and elastic. Then turn off the mixer, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise for about 1-2 hours untul it has doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough, divide it in half, and shape into two sandwich loaves. I like to do this with wet hands and a very lightly wet countertop. Shape the dough into a rectangle, pushing out any visible air bubbles, and then fold and roll tightly into a nice loaf shape that fits the length of a 9×4 pan.
- Place them in greased loaf pans and let rise for another 45 minutes or until it's reached the top of the loaf pan.
- Bake at 375°F for 5 minutes then reduce the heat to 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown and slightly hollow-sounding when tapped.
- Cool completely before slicing to keep the texture soft and fluffy.
Video
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I haven’t tried this yet but am told if you light candles while you cut onions then your eyes won’t burn!!
Hello! I love your vlog and watch weekly with my daughters! What kind of wheat berries did you use for this bread? Thank you!
Thank you! I used a combo of hard red wheat, hard white, and kamut. This is my favorite combo for bread. I do 1 cup of kamut and then split the rest between the hard red and hard white.
Is store bought whole wheat flour okay in place of fresh milled? Haven’t quite gone down the rabbit hole of flour milling yet (;
yes it’s ok! They behave a little differently so you may need to add a little more flour, but start with the recipe measurements and only add more if the batter looks to thin : )
I am very new to milling my own flour. What should the dough consistency be after adding the yeast and kneading? I know you say smooth and elastic. So, should it be an actual dough ball not sticking to the bowl at all? I think this is where I’m struggling. My dough even after 20 minutes of kneading never is what I would say smooth and elastic. I think not knowing exactly what my dough should look like (I’m a visual learner) is throwing me off.
Hi Karina! It should be somewhat smooth and elastic, but not as smooth or elastic as you are used to seeing with all purpose flour. After the dough has had some time to rise, when you go to shape it, you will find it’s much easier to work with at that point (verses when you are initially kneading the dough in the mixer) I’ll try to to get some update photos next time I make this to show the texture. I also recently added 1/4 cup extra water to the recipe, it seemed to need more for me, but keep in mind different grains sometimes have different moisture levels. Thanks for your comment!
Looks very good! I have a question, can you taste the olive oil in bread?
What kind of yeast should be used?
Same
Question I have! Did you ever figure it out?
Instant!
Can i make this with just the yeast and no sourdough starter? I love your channel and blog by the way!
Hi Melissa, yes! This recipe has no starter in it, I created this recipe specifically for people who didn’t want to bother with a sourdough starter : )
Love your videos! Are those USA bread pans you are using? Did this recipe work for their 9x4x4 pans?
yes that is what I was using!
Best and simplest fresh milled bread recipe I’ve found, and I’ve tried a lot! No need to add lecithin or other ingredients to make it good. I find that the flour amount in grams is spot on. Texture and taste are great, very soft but holds together when you slice it. So glad to have found THE bread recipe!
I’m a big fan of your vlog! I’ve watched every single video! Most Wednesday mornings I’m one of the first people to watch! I made this recipe today and it’s delicious! My only problem was that both loaves stuck to the pan and tore the bottom out of them. What could have gone wrong? Should I let them cool in the pans? Was my dough too wet? I oiled my pans super well. Help!
Thank you so much for watching every week. That truly means a lot to me and I’m so glad you loved the recipe!
Sticking is almost always a pan issue, not something you did wrong. Some pans just grab bread even when they are well oiled. Next time I’d recommend lining the pan with parchment or using butter plus a light dusting of flour. Let the loaf cool about 5-10 min, then turn it out while it’s still warm. I hope this helps, please keep me posted if this fixes the issue!
I made this recipe today using store bought whole wheat flour. I only made half the recipe and used 300 g of whole wheat and 100 g of bread flour. Rather than making sandwich bread, I made 8 nice hamburger buns or rolls. We enjoyed them very much and they were nice and soft. Thank you Christina for all your recipes. I enjoy watching your videos.
What type of yeast do you use? Instant or regular?
I typically use instant yeast
Instant!
Can you make this recipe in a bread maker?
This batch is a double recipe for two loaves, so it wouldn’t fit in my bread machine. I do think it would work if your machine is big enough!
I didn’t realize it was for two so I don’t think mine is big enough either.
Hi! I love your channel and your recipes. You’ve given me so much new inspiration. For some reason whenever I attempt this recipe, the dough is always really dense and stiff. I wonder if it’s the Kitchenaid Mixer or if it’s the whole wheat flour I’m using. I usually use KAF whole wheat which I think is hard red wheat. Would love if you could share your in-progress dough pics so I can see if mine is matching yours! Or if you have any ideas other than adding more water, since I did that but it still never really develops the stretchiness I expect from kneaded bread dough.
Hi Chelsea, I tend to have a hard time with the kitchen aid as well. It’s not gentle on the dough which is why I switched to an ankarsrum mixer. I would suggest adding a little more oil and water. As well, I would give the dough more time to rest and hydrate before kneading it. I generally only add half the flour, let it absorb the water for at least 30 minutes or more, and then add the rest and kenad. Also try not adding all the flour and see how that turns out. There are a lot of variables in bread making which can make recipes tricky sometimes!
The bread actually baked up a lot better than I thought it would – I panicked when it looked so dense and my mixer got hot and so I added KAF bread improver which ChatGPT then said probably made matters worse 😅. However! It actually rose pretty well and tasted great. Next time I make this, I’ll add the flour gradually (I added all at once this time, oops) and will likely knead by hand. Thank you again!
This was my first time milling my own flour and I ate half of a loaf all to myself haha! It turned out so flavorful and fluffy which I was nervous about since I hear self milled flour breads can be quite dense. I used my KitchenAid mixer and hand kneaded. Will definitely make this again and again!
Hi Christina! Do you think it would be alright to use avocado oil instead of olive oil?
I do think that would work! It will have a slightly different flavor, but I think it will still be good. let me know how it turns out!
Can I substitute maple syrup for the honey? I have a son who can’t have it. Thanks!
I think I would prefer to use sugar only because I’m not sure what flavor maple syrup will add to the bread. If you do use sugar, add about 3-4 tbsp extra water to accommodate for the loss of moisture.
I made this bread 2 weeks ago and it was the best fresh milled bread I’ve made so far! Really amazing recipe. I just made it again today and it didn’t end up being as good. Christine, I saw that you changed the recipe a few days ago. Did the original recipe call for 2 tbsp of yeast and now its 1? I’m wondering if maybe I need that extra boost of yeast! Thank you in advance 🙂
Hi! The original recipe still contained 1 tbsp of yeast, but it wouldn’t hurt to do a little more, maybe 1 1/2 tbsp? I made this today and it turned out amazing, but sometimes I have flops too! Give it another go : ) Perhaps you need need to let your yeast bloom and make sure the water isn’t too hot that it kills the yeast.
I will try all of those things! Thank you so much for getting back to me. We’ve already eaten a whole loaf in 2 days lol!
what causes the loaves to collapse on the top sides and corners after baking? they are dense and slightly gummy is a few areas. I’m getting frustrated because this is a recurring thing for me when baking breads from FMF, I followed your recipe exactly as written today, I haven’t cut into it yet but it did collapse very slightly on the corner of one loaf. Thanks in advance!
Hi Brenda, I’m not quite sure what is causing it to collapse, I haven’t had this issue. Do you think maybe you ned a little more flour or it over proofed? Also do you have an oven thermometer that tells you the real temp in the oven?
I made the loaves today, though one loaf was slightly imperfect, it was by far the best bread I have made yet, so soft and delicious, hubby and I love it! I watched the video while I was baking it. Thanks so much for a great recipe with great instructions!