Caffeine Free Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread
There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a golden, hearty loaf out of a bread machine, and this whole wheat version delivers every time. The combination of honey for a touch of natural sweetness, butter for richness, and vital wheat gluten for structure means you get a proper, sliceable loaf — not the dense brick that whole wheat bread sometimes turns into. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of stimulants, so you can enjoy a slice any time of day without a second thought, even in the evening before bed. The bread machine does all the heavy lifting through the kneading, rising, and baking, so your job is basically just layering ingredients in the right order and pressing Start. One important tip the recipe gets right: keeping the yeast nestled in a small well of flour, away from the salt, gives it the best chance to activate properly. Let the loaf cool for a full hour before you cut into it — it's genuinely worth the wait for a clean, fluffy crumb that holds up beautifully for sandwiches or toast.
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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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