Simple 5-ingredient whole wheat bread. You just don’t get easier than this no-fail and no-knead recipe! Hearty, wholesome, nourishing and delicious!
You know, I always wanted to be the kind of person who makes their own hummus and bakes their own whole wheat 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 at all 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 and it can lead to eating disorders (not good).
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 junk in it. There is one particular loaf of wholewheat bread that I bought, and we just didn’t get around to eating it (or throwing it out).
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 whole wheat bread myself, and when it’s as easy as THIS, then there’s no reason not to! Also check out our other super easy bread recipes, our vegan white bread, vegan soda bread and vegan focaccia.
How To Make Whole Wheat Bread
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
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 some whole wheat flour, instant yeast and a little salt to a mixing bowl.
Then mix maple syrup with warm water and then 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 (a little parchment paper on the bottom is also a good idea), cover it 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 pretty much 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!
Who Needs A Bread Machine?
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 whole wheat bread is your whole house smells delicious and you get to eat it warm from the oven.
Serving Suggestions
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, maybe some roasted garlic hummus and avocado and various other toppings and dinner is done and dusted!
Of course it goes immensely well with any homemade soups too! So if you’re having a delicious vegan potato leek soup or vegan tomato soup or vegan lentil soup for dinner, then this is going to be awesome for dipping.
Recipe Variations
This recipe is very versatile and has worked great when we’ve switched up the flours. We have tried this recipe as follows and all have worked out great:
- 4 cups whole wheat flour
- 3 cups whole wheat flour, 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour, 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour, 3 cups all purpose flour
- 4 cups all purpose flour
Make It Gluten-Free
It even works with a gluten-free all purpose flour blend. I find that adding a tablespoon or two of olive oil (at the same time as the other wet ingredients) makes the gluten-free version come out softer.
Storing Tips
It’s best when very fresh (the day of making it) but it will keep for a couple of days in a closed container and it also makes very delicious toast!
You can freeze it, and that’s best done on the day of baking to lock in the freshness. If you freeze it on the second or third day then you can use it for toast straight from the freezer.
Want Some Toppings For Your Whole Wheat Bread?
- Homemade Vegan Butter
- Homemade Peanut Butter
- Homemade Cashew Butter
- Homemade Almond Butter
- Simple Vegan Guacamole
- Creamy Avocado Hummus
And for more breads, check out our vegan cornbread, vegan banana bread and our easy vegan dinner rolls!
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Easy No-Fail Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups Whole Wheat Flour (520g)
- 1 Packet Instant Yeast 2 ¼ teaspoons
- ½ tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Maple Syrup
- 2 cups Warm Water (480ml)
Instructions
- Add the flour to a mixing bowl with 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 9×5 loaf pan. You can also line the bottom with parchment paper if you think there will be any chance of it sticking.
- Cover and leave to rise for 20 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
- 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.
Video
Notes
- Weigh your flour for the most accurate results.
- Maple syrup can be replaced by another sweetener such as agave nectar or other syrup.
- If your dough hasn’t quite risen as high as mine in the picture at the 20 minute mark then leave it a couple more minutes, sometimes it takes a couple of minutes longer to get to the perfect height, but don’t leave it too long or it will rise too high and then you’ll get a muffin top loaf!
- Prep time includes the 20 minutes spent rising.
kathleen wharton says
Hi Iv just made this it’s lovely
Just wandered if you can freeze it
Alison Andrews says
Yes you can freeze it!
Jay says
I’ve been looking for a simple, moist, dense whole-wheat bread, and I //wanted// this one to work because it was so amazingly easy, but I was deeply suspicious — only 20 minutes to rise? 100% whole-wheat flour? REALLY? — and basically prepared for it to flop dismally. I therefore feel compelled to let other doubters know that it came out //perfectly// for me. I did use honey instead of maple syrup and active dry yeast (2.25 tsp, which I activated in the warm water before adding it to the dry ingredients) instead of instant, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly, and I’m so pleased with the result. I will probably add sunflower & poppy seeds next time to add a little extra flavor, but am otherwise perfectly happy. It is quite a dense bread, not an airy one, but I like a solid whole wheat, and this was just what I was hoping for. The crust was crisp and the bread sliced just beautifully — perfect for avocado toast!
Alison Andrews says
So happy to hear it was a success! Thanks for sharing Jay!
Bonnie J Abend says
Just came out of the oven. The recipe is simple and easy to follow but I don’t think there’s much flavor – checked the recipe again to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything. Mine needed a few more minutes to rise – I’ll try again and maybe use a tad more salt. Very easy!
Mikah Skye says
I enjoyed making this recipe! It was tasty for my whole family, which is rare! I didn’t have enough whole wheat flour, and substituting part of the flour, or all of the flour, for another flour worked well still. It was very soft with a crunchy crust and good with honey on top after it baked. It was super easy, and I appreciate this as some other recipes are quite complicated. This was the first bread recipe I’d tried, and I have made it more times since. I made this for a science project about chemical reactions, and it really helped. Thank you!
Melanie says
Fast, easy and better than the bread I was buying. Thank you!
Nick Russell says
Great recipe, simple ingredients, easy to make
Alison Andrews says
Thanks Nick!
Akshitha says
Amazing bread recipe! My entire family loved it. Your recipes are great. Thank you for sharing them with the world 🙂
Alison Andrews says
So glad to hear! Thanks Akshitha!
Selma Stansbury says
Never made bread before but I love this recipe. It is so easy to make. Now I make it at least twice a week since my family loves it so much and won’t eat store brands anymore ????
Thank you.
Fi says
Hi
I’m not sure what happened but mine did not come out good at all. I used white whole wheat flour and even with all the water it was too dry. The flour wouldn’t come together at all. I needed to add more water. The end product, the bread seemed soggy in the centre and didn’t really rise
Also, what if you only have active dry yeast? Would mixing it with some water and sugar make it a substitute for instant yeast?
Julie says
Hi! That looks awesome, I am super excited to try it.
What kind of flour did you use? It looks like there are some yummy bigger bits in it than the King Arthur I have.
Thanks so much,
Julie
Alison Andrews says
Hi Julie, I’ve made this with all kinds of flour but I think the one in the photos is a stone ground whole wheat.
Randee says
Love this recipe! The bread always comes out great! Thank YOU so much!! My question is can I make this recipe with rye flour? If I do, should I mix it with some white or can I use straight rye flour?
Alison Andrews says
I’m not sure about using rye flour as I’ve never tried it. Let us know how it goes if you try it! 🙂
Cv says
I have become a bread maker thanks to your recipe! I have been trying many variations like adding chia seeds, oats, different flours, seeds etc etc
MJ says
Huh second time making and it is soooooo good!
Janet says
Easy and delicious! I will definitely try more recipes from this site.
Alison Andrews says
Thanks Janet!
MJ says
I will make this bread again! Easy, fantastic, and delicious!