BHA & BHT Free Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread
Whole wheat bread from a bread machine is one of those simple pleasures that never gets old, and this version delivers a deeply golden, hearty loaf with just a handful of real ingredients. The combination of honey and butter gives the crumb a subtle richness, while vital wheat gluten helps the whole wheat flour develop enough structure for a satisfying, chewy texture that holds up beautifully for sandwiches or toast. Store-bought whole wheat breads are notorious for containing preservatives like BHA and BHT to extend shelf life, which makes label-reading a constant chore. Baking your own loaf sidesteps all of that — every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify, so you know exactly what's going into every slice. The bread machine does the heavy lifting through kneading, rising, and baking, making this an almost entirely hands-off process. Just layer the ingredients in the right order, select the Whole Wheat cycle, and let the machine work its magic. The hardest part is genuinely waiting the full hour after baking before you slice into it — but that patience pays off with a clean, even crumb that doesn't compress into a gummy mess. Once you have a reliable homemade loaf this easy, it's hard to justify reaching for a packaged alternative ever again.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
- 1 ⅛ cups warm water (80–90°f / 27–32°c)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp vital wheat gluten
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
Instructions
- 1
Add the ingredients to the bread machine pan in the order listed: water, butter, honey, salt, whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, and yeast. Keep the yeast separate from the salt by making a small well in the center of the flour and adding the yeast there.
- 2
Insert the pan into the bread machine, select the Whole Wheat cycle, choose a 1.5 lb loaf size, and set the crust to Medium. Press Start and allow the machine to complete the full cycle, including kneading, rising, and baking — typically 3 to 3 hours 30 minutes total.
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