Citric Acid Free Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Total time1 hr 36 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time16 min

Warm, pillowy, and satisfying in a way that store-bought versions rarely manage, this whole wheat pita is the kind of bread that makes you wonder why you ever stopped baking at home. For anyone avoiding citric acid, packaged flatbreads and commercial pitas can be a minefield — many contain preservatives or dough conditioners that sneak it right in. This recipe keeps things beautifully clean: just whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, honey, sea salt, olive oil, and water. The honey feeds the yeast and adds the faintest natural sweetness, while the blend of flours gives each round a hearty, slightly nutty flavor with a tender chew. The real magic happens in the oven — a screaming-hot preheated baking sheet mimics the floor of a traditional bread oven, causing the pitas to balloon up dramatically in just a few minutes. Wrapping the finished rounds in a kitchen towel while they cool traps steam and keeps them soft and foldable, perfect for stuffing or dipping. Once you pull your first batch off that hot pan, golden and puffed, you'll have a hard time going back to anything from a plastic bag.

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Ingredients

8 servings

1 cup warm water (about 110°f / 43°c)
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast Original Signature SELECT Active Dry Yeast - 3-0.25 Oz Food Club Active Dry Yeast, Gluten Free Kroger Active Dry Yeast Fleischmann's - ACTIVE DRY YEAST 3PK
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1 tsp honey
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl

Instructions

1
Combine the warm water, yeast, and honey in a large mixing bowl and stir briefly. Let stand for 5–8 minutes, until the surface is foamy and the mixture smells yeasty.
2
Add the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and 2 tbsp olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6–8 minutes, until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky, and springs back slowly when poked.

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