Citrus 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 gives you a proper, chewy crumb that holds up beautifully for sandwiches or toast. Every single ingredient here is straightforward and free from citrus in any form — no zest, no juice, no hidden citric acid — so you can bake with complete confidence. Store-bought whole wheat breads can be surprisingly tricky to vet, with ingredient lists that sometimes sneak in unexpected additives, but making your own puts you fully in control. The bread machine does all the heavy lifting through the kneading, rising, and baking cycle, so your hands-on effort is minimal. Just be sure to let the loaf cool on a wire rack for a full hour before slicing — it makes a real difference in the texture of every slice.
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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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