The BEST Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe (Super Easy!)

Have you ever smelled fresh bread baking in your house? It’s the BEST smell ever! And guess what? Making your own whole wheat bread machine recipe is super easy. The bread machine does all the hard work for you – you just dump stuff in and press a button. How cool is that?

This whole wheat bread machine recipe is really yummy. It’s not dry or boring like some whole wheat bread you might have tried. It’s soft and fluffy, and it tastes amazing for sandwiches, toast with peanut butter, or just eating plain with some butter on top. Plus, it’s way healthier than the bread from the store because you know exactly what goes in it – no weird ingredients you can’t say!

Related Recipe: Easy Honey Wheat Bread Recipe

The best part about this whole wheat bread machine recipe? Your bread machine mixes everything, lets it rise (that means get bigger and fluffier), and bakes it all by itself. You can go play, do homework, or watch TV while it works. In about 3 hours, you’ll have fresh, warm bread that your whole family will love. Let’s make some bread!

What You Need to Know About This Recipe

Name: Super Easy Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe

What it is: Soft, yummy bread made with healthy whole wheat flour

Time to get stuff ready: 10 minutes
Time for the machine to work: 3 hours
Total time: 3 hours and 10 minutes
How many slices do you get: 12 big slices
Calories in each slice: About 145

Related Recipe: Easy Homemade Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Ingredients for Your Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe

The Wet Stuff

1¼ cups warm water (should feel like bathwater – not too hot!)
2 tablespoons honey (or you can use maple syrup)
2 tablespoons butter, melted (or use cooking oil)
1 egg

The Dry Stuff

2½ cups whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour (makes it extra fluffy)
1½ teaspoons salt
2¼ teaspoons yeast (this is what makes bread grow!)
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten (this is optional, but it makes bread softer)

Important: Ask a grown-up which order your bread machine likes ingredients. Some machines want wet stuff first, some want dry stuff first!

Related Recipe: Make Yummy Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

How to Make This Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe

Making this whole wheat bread machine recipe is really simple! Just follow these easy steps and you’ll have amazing bread.

Step 1: Check your water temperature. Make sure the water feels warm, like a nice bath – not hot like soup! Too hot = dead yeast. Too cold = sleepy yeast.

Step 2: Pour in the wet ingredients. Put the water, honey, melted butter, and egg in the bread machine pan. This is the base of your whole wheat bread machine recipe.

Step 3: Add the flour on top. Dump the whole wheat flour and bread flour on top. Spread it around so it covers the wet stuff completely.

Step 4: Put salt in the corner. Just sprinkle the salt in one corner of the pan. Don’t let it touch the yeast spot yet!

Step 5: Make a little hole for the yeast. Use your finger to make a small hole in the middle of the flour. Don’t go all the way down to the wet stuff!

Step 6: Add the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast in that little hole you made. This is the magic ingredient that makes your whole wheat bread machine recipe work!

Step 7: Pick your setting. Ask a grown-up to help you choose “Whole Wheat” or “Basic” on the machine, and pick medium crust color.

Step 8: Press START and relax! Now the machine does all the work. You can go do other stuff! The bread machine will mix, knead, let it rise, and bake your whole wheat bread all by itself.

Step 9: Wait patiently. The machine will beep when it’s done. This usually takes about 3 hours.

Step 10: Take it out carefully. When the machine says it’s done, have a grown-up take out the pan right away because it’s super HOT!

Step 11: Let it cool down. Put the bread on a cooling rack and wait at least 30 minutes. I know it’s hard to wait, but hot bread is really hard to cut!

Step 12: Cut and enjoy your homemade bread! Use a special bread knife (the one with bumpy edges) to cut nice slices. Now you can enjoy your whole wheat bread machine recipe!

Related Recipe: Simplest Rustic Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Cool Tricks to Make Your Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe Even Better

Want super soft bread? Add that wheat gluten stuff – it’s like giving your whole wheat bread machine recipe superpowers! You can also use milk instead of some of the water. And make sure you measure the flour right – don’t pack it down too much.

Yeast is like a tiny pet. It needs to be fresh, so check the date on the package. Keep it in the fridge so it stays happy. And don’t let it touch the salt right away – they don’t like each other at first!

If something goes wrong with your whole wheat bread machine recipe

Is bread too hard? Try using more of the white bread flour next time
Bread looks flat? Your yeast might be too old, or the water was too hot
Crust too dark? Pick the “light” crust button next time

Fun Ways to Change Your Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe

One of the coolest things about this whole wheat bread machine recipe is that you can make it different ways!

Sweet Honey Bread: Use more honey (¼ cup) in your whole wheat bread machine recipe – perfect for peanut butter and jelly!

Crunchy Seed Bread: Add 3 tablespoons of sunflower seeds or other seeds when the machine beeps. This makes your whole wheat bread machine recipe extra healthy!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ½ cup raisins to your whole wheat bread machine recipe – tastes like dessert!

Pizza-Flavored Bread: Add Italian spices and some parmesan cheese to your whole wheat bread machine recipe for a pizza-y taste!

Half and Half Bread: Use less whole wheat flour and more white flour in your whole wheat bread machine recipe if you want it lighter.

No Animal Stuff: Use oil instead of butter and skip the egg in your whole wheat bread machine recipe. Just add a bit more water!

Related Guide: Authentic Rougamo Bread Recipe

How to Keep Your Bread Fresh

After you make this whole wheat bread machine recipe, you’ll want to keep it fresh and yummy!

Keeping it on the counter: Wait until the bread from your whole wheat bread machine recipe is totally cool. Then put it in a plastic bag or bread box. It stays good for about 4 days. Don’t put it in the fridge – that makes it get hard faster!

Freezing it for later: Cut the whole loaf from your whole wheat bread machine recipe into slices first. This makes it easier later! Wrap it really well in plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag. It stays good in the freezer for 3 months. When you want some, just pop a frozen slice in the toaster!

If your bread gets a little old, sprinkle a tiny bit of water on your bread from the whole wheat bread machine recipe. Ask a grown-up to warm it in the oven for a few minutes. Or use it to make French toast or croutons!

What’s In Your Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe? (The Healthy Stuff)

Each slice from this whole wheat bread machine recipe has:

Calories: 145 (that’s like energy for your body)
Fat: 3g
Carbs: 26g (gives you energy to run and play)
Fiber: 3g (good for your tummy)
Protein: 5g (helps your muscles grow)

Questions Kids Ask About This Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe

Can I use only whole wheat flour in my bread machine recipe?

You can, but your bread will be denser and less fluffy. Whole wheat flour is super healthy, but it makes denser bread. If you want to try making your whole wheat bread machine recipe with 100% whole wheat flour, add an extra tablespoon of that wheat gluten stuff and a little more water. It won’t be as light and airy, but it’ll be even healthier!

Why didn’t my whole wheat bread machine recipe work?

The bread didn’t get big and fluffy! There are a few reasons your whole wheat bread machine recipe might not have worked perfectly. Maybe the yeast was too old (check the date!), the water was too hot (which killed the yeast – oops!), or too cold (which made the yeast sleepy). Also, make sure the salt didn’t touch the yeast right away when you were making your whole wheat bread machine recipe – they need to be kept apart at first!

Can I make this whole wheat bread machine recipe without a bread machine?

Yep! You can make this whole wheat bread machine recipe by hand, too. Mix everything in a big bowl, then squeeze and push the dough for about 10 minutes (this is called kneading – it’s like playing with playdough!). Let it sit and grow big for about 90 minutes, punch it down (the fun part!), shape it like a loaf, let it rise again for 45 minutes, then bake it in the oven at 350°F for 30-35 minutes. But the bread machine is way easier!

How do I know when my whole wheat bread machine recipe is done?

Your bread machine will beep when your whole wheat bread recipe is finished! The bread should be golden brown and smell amazing. If you’re not sure, ask a grown-up to help you check – they can use a thermometer or tap the bottom (it should sound hollow, like tapping on an empty box).

What’s the difference between bread flour and regular flour in a whole wheat bread machine recipe?

Bread flour is like the strong superhero of flours! It has more protein, which helps make better bread. When you use bread flour in your whole wheat bread machine recipe, you get fluffier, taller bread. Regular all-purpose flour works okay, too, but your whole wheat bread machine recipe might not be quite as fluffy. If you really want awesome bread, use bread flour!

Do I have to use honey in my whole wheat bread machine recipe? I don’t like sweet bread!

You can use less honey (just 1 tablespoon) in your whole wheat bread machine recipe, but the honey does important jobs: it feeds the yeast (yeast eats sugar!), makes the crust nice and brown, and keeps the bread moist. If you use too little, your whole wheat bread machine recipe might not rise as well. But 1 tablespoon won’t make it taste super sweet – promise!