Emulsifier Free Classic Multigrain Bread
Store-bought multigrain breads are notorious for sneaking in additives like lecithin, DATEM, and mono- and diglycerides to extend shelf life and improve texture — making a clean loaf surprisingly hard to find. This recipe skips all of that entirely, relying instead on real ingredients and solid technique to build structure and flavor from scratch. The secret weapon is the grain soaker: rolled oats, millet, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds steeped in boiling water before they ever hit the dough, which adds moisture, chew, and a nutty depth that no additive can replicate. Whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, honey, butter, and yeast round out the ingredient list — nothing you'd need to cross-reference against a label. The dough gets a proper knead and two unhurried rises, so the crumb comes out tender and open with a beautifully golden, oat-scattered crust. Brushing the top with melted butter right before it goes into the oven gives it that bakery-style finish that makes it almost too pretty to slice. Once you've pulled a loaf like this out of your own oven, it's genuinely hard to go back to anything wrapped in plastic.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
For the grain soaker
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 2 tbsp millet
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 2 tbsp flaxseeds
- ½ cup boiling water
For the dough
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 cup warm water (105–110°f / 40–43°c)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
- 1 ½ tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
For finishing
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp rolled oats (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the rolled oats, millet, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds in a small heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling water over the grain mixture and stir to combine. Let the soaker stand for 20 minutes, until the water is fully absorbed and the mixture has cooled to room temperature.
- 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), combine the warm water and honey and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let stand for 5–10 minutes, until the yeast is foamy and active.
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