No-Fail Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

I really love making this simple bread machine whole wheat bread at home. It gives you all the good stuff from whole wheat without being heavy or dry like store-bought wheat bread. The secret? Using half whole wheat flour and half bread flour – my family eats it so fast it barely has time to cool down!

Check out my recipe video below to see exactly how I make this bread machine whole wheat bread step-by-step! If you love easy bread machine recipes, don’t forget to like and subscribe for more helpful baking videos each week.

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Why This Whole Wheat Bread Recipe Works So Well

Most whole wheat bread turns out too dense and dry, which is why my kids used to avoid it.

I’ve tried lots of bread machine recipes over the years, and most 100% whole wheat loaves come out like bricks.

This bread recipe fixes that problem by mixing whole wheat flour with regular bread flour. You still get all the fiber and nutrition from the whole wheat, but the bread flour helps it rise better and creates a much softer texture.

Even my picky eaters who normally push away anything “healthy” ask for seconds of this bread.

When this bread finishes baking, it has a nice golden brown color and a good rise. Cut into it and you’ll see a light brown inside with tiny wheat flecks.

The bread feels soft when you touch it – nothing like those heavy wheat breads from the store. It’s moist but not sticky, with a nice spring when you press it. The slices hold together perfectly for sandwiches but still have that soft bite when you eat them.

Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread Ingredients

Here’s everything you need to make this bread at home. I’ve included measurements for both sizes so you can pick what works for your machine.

For a 1.5 Pound Loaf:

• 1 1/8 cups lukewarm milk (259 ml)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (57 g)
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (173 g)
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour (180 g)
• 4 tablespoons light brown sugar (52 g)
• 1 teaspoon salt (6 g)
• 1 teaspoon bread machine yeast (3.6 g)

Note: Start with the 1.5 lb version first – Even if your machine has a 2 lb capacity, try the smaller version first to see how much space it takes in your bread pan. This helps determine if your machine can handle the larger recipe.

For this whole wheat bread, I find Fleischmann’s Bread Machine Yeast below works perfectly – it just seems to be what the bread recipe needs

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For a 2 Pound Loaf:

• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk (345 ml)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (71 g)
• 2 cups whole wheat flour (230 g)
• 2 cups bread flour (240 g)
• 5 tablespoons light brown sugar (65 g)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (9 g)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast (5.4 g)

Top Tip: If you don’t want your bread too sweet, just cut the sugar down to 2 tablespoons. It still turns out great and lets the wheat flavor shine more.

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

Nothing fancy required here – just the basics:

I use the Amazon Basics Bread Maker below for this whole wheat bread recipe. It is not fancy, but it has handled this 50/50 whole wheat and bread flour loaf perfectly every time.

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• Bread machine
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cooling rack

Note: If you have a small bread machine, stick with the 1.5-pound recipe. I’ve had overflow issues trying to make the 2-pound version in my compact machine.

How to Make Whole Wheat Bread in a Bread Machine

Making this bread is super simple if you follow these steps:

Step 1: Pour the lukewarm milk into the bread pan. Don’t use cold milk straight from the fridge – it slows down the yeast. I warm mine for about 15-20 seconds in the microwave so it feels just slightly warm to the touch.

Step 2: Add the brown sugar directly to the milk.

Step 3: Add the whole wheat flour next. Use regular supermarket whole wheat flour, not fresh-ground flour, which needs different moisture levels.

Step 4: Pour the bread flour on top of the whole wheat flour.

Step 5: Add the salt to one corner of the bread pan. Keep it away from where you’ll put the yeast.

Top Tip: Salt kills yeast on contact before mixing starts. Always put them in different corners of the pan to keep them apart until the machine starts mixing.

Step 6: Make a small dent in the top of the flour and add the bread machine yeast to this spot. This keeps it dry and away from the salt and milk until mixing begins.

Step 7: Add the softened butter in chunks scattered over the top.

Step 8: Put the bread pan back in your machine and lock it in place.

Step 9: Plug in your bread machine and choose the “basic” or “white bread” setting with light crust color. Don’t use the whole wheat setting even though there’s whole wheat flour in the recipe.

Did You Know? The whole wheat setting has longer rise times for 100% whole wheat dough. My 50/50 blend rises just fine on the regular cycle and gets a better texture.

Step 10: Press start and let the machine do everything else! It takes about 3 hours for a 2-pound loaf in most machines.

Step 11: When it beeps done, unplug the machine and use oven mittens to take out the hot bread pan.

Step 12: Turn the pan upside down and gently shake the bread out. Put it on a cooling rack right away.

Step 13: Let the bread cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. I know it’s hard to wait when your kitchen smells amazing, but cutting too soon can make the bread gummy.

Note: My mixing paddle usually gets stuck in my loaf, just wait until it cools completely before pulling it out so you don’t tear the loaf.

Related Bread Recipe: After you try this wheat bread, check out my Grandma’s Malt Loaf recipe here. I fixed it to work great in bread machines, and my family loves it just as much!

Bread Machine Troubleshooting

Even with an easy, fail-proof recipe like this, things sometimes go wrong. Here’s how to fix common problems:

Bread Not Rising Properly

When your bread turns out flat or dense:

• Check your yeast – it might be old. Even unopened yeast packets expire, and once opened, yeast only stays good for a few months.
• Make sure your milk was warm, not cold. Cold liquid puts yeast to sleep.
• Keep the salt and yeast separate before mixing starts.
• Is your kitchen cold? Yeast likes warm rooms (75-80°F). In winter, I sometimes put my machine in a warmer spot.

Dough Too Wet or Too Dry

The dough should form a nice ball during kneading:

• If it looks too dry and crumbly after 5 minutes of kneading, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
• If it’s too wet and sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour.
• Humidity really affects flour. In summer, when it’s humid, I often need extra flour. In dry winter months, I might need a touch more milk.

Bread Collapsed While Baking

There’s nothing more disappointing than a sunken top:

• You might have too much liquid or not enough flour.
• Try using a bit less yeast next time – sometimes it rises too fast and then falls.
• Check if your machine’s “basic” cycle is too long. A shorter cycle can help.

How to Store Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

This bread tastes best within the first couple of days, but proper storage helps it last longer.

Fresh homemade bread has no preservatives, so it only stays good at room temperature for 2-3 days. I keep mine in a plastic bread bag or an airtight container on the counter.

For longer storage, I slice the whole loaf once it’s completely cool, then wrap groups of 2-4 slices in aluminum foil and put them in a freezer bag. The bread freezes really well for up to 3 months.

When we want bread, I just take out a package and either let it thaw on the counter or toast it straight from frozen. This way, you never waste bread and always have fresh-tasting slices ready.

Whole Wheat Bread Nutrition

This bread tastes good and is better for you than plain white bread.

For the 2-pound loaf cut into 12 slices, each slice has about:

• Calories: 219
• Carbs: 36g
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 6g
• Fiber: 3g

That’s a nice balance that keeps you full longer than white bread because of the extra fiber.

Benefits of Whole Wheat Flour

Whole wheat flour makes this bread more nutritious than regular white bread.

Regular white flour has the wheat kernel’s bran and germ removed, which strips away a lot of nutrients. Whole wheat flour keeps all parts of the wheat kernel, so you get more fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

The extra fiber in whole wheat helps digestion and keeps you feeling full longer. It’s also better for blood sugar levels since it doesn’t cause the same spikes as white flour.

Just remember that whole wheat flour goes bad faster than white flour because of the natural oils in the germ. I keep mine in the fridge or freezer if I’m not using it quickly. At room temperature, it only stays fresh for about 2-3 months before it starts tasting off.

Did You Know? Just switching from white to whole wheat bread adds several grams of fiber to your diet each day without changing anything else about what you eat.

More Easy Bread Recipes You’ll Love

If you enjoyed this bread machine whole wheat bread, check out my YouTube channel for dozens more super-easy, fail-proof bread machine recipes that work every time. I walk through each recipe step-by-step in simple videos so you can see exactly how to get perfect results, even if you’re new to bread making.

• Easy Bread Machine Potato Bread – The mashed potatoes make this garlic loaf incredibly soft with a tender crumb that stays fresh for days.
• Bread Machine Honey Oat Bread – A foolproof recipe that combines the sweetness of honey with hearty oats for a breakfast bread everyone will love.
• Fluffiest Sweet Potato Bread – This gorgeous golden loaf gets natural sweetness and moisture from sweet potatoes, making it perfect for both sweet and savory toppings.

I hope you enjoy making this bread as much as my family has enjoyed eating it over the years – happy baking, friends!