You know, I always wanted to be the kind of person who makes their own hummus and bakes their own wholewheat bread. So I’m pretty chuffed that I have become this person!
So now I can feel all wholesome and earth-motherish. Well, at least I would if I had some kiddos other than my two cat babies.
Recently someone was saying to me that they’re ‘eating clean’ now.
And ‘eating clean’ is quite the popular phrase in diet culture. But depending on which diet camp you’ve found yourself, ‘clean’ can have vastly different meanings. Like for some it means eating plenty of meat but cutting out grains and processed foods. And of course that is NOT what it means in the vegan community!
But anyway, I am not a fan of labelling foods like this because it’s a value judgement, like ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Which some can take to extremes (I did!) and it can lead to eating disorders.
But that being said, lately it can be hard to find a loaf of bread in the store that doesn’t have a heap of crap in it. There is one particular loaf of wholewheat bread that I bought, and we just didn’t get around to eating it. However, it was just as perfectly fresh 3 weeks after purchase as it was on the day I brought it home from the store! Hmmm!
So I do like to make some wholewheat bread myself, and when it’s as easy as THIS, then there’s no reason not to!
I have literally never come across a recipe as easy as this. It’s just 5-ingredients, and you don’t even have to knead it!
In fact, kneading is out with this recipe. You just throw in some wholewheat flour, a packet of dry yeast and a little salt, then mix in some maple syrup with some warm water, add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix in to just combine (no kneading! I’m not going to tell you again you super-keen kneading fan), move it into a greased loaf pan, cover with a cloth and leave it to rise for 20 minutes.
It does all its rising before it even hits the oven. So the height it is when it goes in is the height it is when it comes out!
Put it into the oven and bake for 40 minutes. And bingo you have freshly baked bread!
I mean really I don’t think it could be easier even if you used a bread machine. Well, I’ve never used a bread machine so I can’t really compare, but with a recipe as easy as this, who needs a bread machine?
Well, don’t quote me on that, maybe I’ll get one, one of these days. I do like nifty little appliances 🙂
And the BEST thing about baking your own bread is your whole house smells delicious and you get to eat it warm from the oven.
I mean really if you don’t feel like cooking, just make a loaf of this (it barely counts as ‘cooking’ it’s too easy), and serve it with a huge salad and dinner is done and dusted!
Or do like we did and just get all your favorite bread toppings out and have a feast. Peanut butter, different flavored jams, avocado or whatever your heart desires.
Of course it goes immensely well with any homemade soups too! So if you’re having a deliciously thick bean soup for dinner, then this is going to be awesome for dipping.
You will LOVE how easy this bread is to make, and how perfectly it comes out. Hearty, homemade, nourishing, filling, delicious wholewheat bread.
So let me know what you think of this recipe by leaving a comment! If you’ve made it already, pop back and rate it and let us know how it turned out! Don’t forget to #lovingitvegan on instagram too!
- 4 cups (520g) Wholewheat Flour
- 1 Packet (11g) Dry Yeast
- ½ tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Maple Syrup
- 2 cups (480ml) Warm Water
- Sift the flour into a mixing bowl.
- Add the yeast and salt and mix together.
- Dissolve the maple syrup in the warm water and then add to the dry ingredients.
- Mix - don't knead - until you have a sticky well combined dough.
- Transfer to a greased loaf pan.
- Cover with a cloth and leave to rise for 20 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 390 degrees fahrenheit (200 degrees celsius).
- After 20 minutes when the dough has risen, bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
- Absolutely BEST when fresh, but will keep for a day or two in a closed container. After which you can make the most delicious toast.
What an amazing recipe! The bread looks delicious. Can’t believe that it’s not only whole wheat but also so easy to make! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Vivian! It really is delicious! Let us know if you try it 🙂
I made this last night. It came out very dense… a little too much for my liking. Any tips for making the bread more fluffy/airy? Not sure what I could have done wrong. Thanks!
Hi Chris, I don’t think you did anything wrong. This bread just is quite a dense bread. It’s not light and airy. Did your bread come out looking pretty much like mine does in the pics? If so then it’s as expected. For example, based on weight, each slice is quite significantly heavier than a supermarket sliced bread that is more light and airy. I enjoy the denseness of this bread, it’s very wholesome and hearty and has a very nourishing feel. It’s also very satisfying. So if your bread did look much the same as mine in the pics, then I think it’s just not to your taste. I don’t think you did anything wrong.
Nom Nom
🙂 🙂
I am going to try this tonight.
Love the website design!
Cool! And thank you! 🙂
Hi, this recipe looks great! Do you use active dry yeast or fast rising yeast?
Hi Vanessa, the one I use is called ‘Instant Yeast’.
If I do not want the bread to be as dense, what do I do?
How long would this bread be good for…I live alone and it would probably take me awhile to finish the loaf…
Hi Beth, it doesn’t last long – the first day you bake it, it’s fabulously fresh and lovely, the second day you make (very delicious) toast with it. If you wanted it to last longer, you could slice it, and freeze it, and then toast it when you want some.
This is just outstanding. One problem I’ve always faced is a moderately warm environment for bread to rise. I tend to find that even if you cover bread with a towel that it’s just too cold in a room temp kitchen. I have tried the following with varying mixed results: I take a pan of hot water – very hot – and then heat the oven to 250 – then turn it off after it arrives at the 250 mark. Then I put the hot pan of water in the oven and then put the finished bread in with a towel over it. It tends to rise quite nicely. This bread will fall again a bit before it bakes but that is natural for it. This might not work for everyone nor might it be necessary but I found it necessary for me.
I love this simple recipe and I will give it a try tonight!
Have you tried making it without any sugar or maple syrup?
Would it still rise?
Hi there, you can definitely leave it out if you prefer. It won’t affect it rising. All the best!
Hi Alison,
Thanks for your response.
I made it with a bit of brown sugar.
Mine was too hard on the edge but I like how simple the recipe is.
As it is a whole wheat recipe, you do feel quite filling with just one or two slices.
Thanks for the simple recipe!