A foolproof recipe for the softest, most tender and delicious Whole Wheat Bread that’s easy to make with my step-by-step photos and secret (but super simple!) ingredient. I am sure you will love this homemade Wholemeal Bread (or Atta Bread) made with the usual bread baking staples.
About Whole Wheat Bread Recipe
This soft and tender whole wheat bread has a similar fluffy consistency as your favorite White Bread,, but with the yummy flavor and health benefits of whole wheat.
How is it possible to make such a magical loaf? After much trial and error I finally stumbled across the secret ingredient that’s key for the softest crumb.
Similar to Naan and Bhatura, my wholemeal bread recipe includes yogurt (or curd). The creamy, slightly acidic consistency of the yogurt creates a delightful texture every time! Plus, yogurt is rather mild in flavor, so you get that full earthy taste of wheat you love.
And YES, this recipe can be made vegan-friendly! The acidity of yogurt is what creates the great rise for a super soft crumb, but this can be easily replicated. Simply swap with vegan almond yogurt or cashew yogurt, or even just lemon juice or vinegar.
I have tried making the bread with cashew yogurt, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar and they all work well.
Below are my step-by-step photos and instructions for making the best whole wheat bread from scratch. I use my hands to knead the bread, but feel free to use a standing mixer with a dough hook instead.
This Wholemeal Bread recipe works wonderfully with any kind of baker’s yeast. Be it instant yeast (or rapid rising yeast), dry active yeast or fresh yeast.
Remember to proof dry active yeast or fresh yeast in lukewarm water. And also note that the leavening time or the time taken for the dough to rise will be more when using these two types of yeast.
Note: To make this wholemeal bread, I have used instant yeast (rapid rising yeast). In the recipe card below I have mentioned proportions if using dry active yeast or fresh yeast.
How to make Whole Wheat Bread
Proof Yeast
1. In a large bowl or in the bowl of a standing mixer, add ½ cup of water and 1 tablespoon of raw sugar. The water can be room temperature or lukewarm.
However, if using active dry yeast or fresh yeast, then be sure to use lukewarm water.
Wondering which yeast to choose? The leavening and rising time of instant yeast is faster compared to dry active yeast. You also don’t need to proof the instant yeast like the dry active yeast, but I still show you the full proofing method to help if you are using dry active yeast.
2. To the bowl add 1 teaspoon of instant yeast (rapid rise yeast).
If using dry active yeast, add 1.5 teaspoons. Swirl the bowl around or stir with a spoon to help the yeast dissolve in the water.
3. Mix well and let the yeast proof for 10 to 15 minutes.
Make Wholemeal Bread Dough
4. Now to the frothy yeast water mixture, add 3 cups of whole wheat flour (360 grams), 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of your favorite neutral flavored oil (or butter or ghee) and 2 tablespoons of yogurt (curd).
For a vegan-friendly loaf: Use either 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, or 2 tablespoons of almond or cashew yogurt in place of dairy yogurt.
5. Mix well with a spoon.
6. Add ½ cup of water in parts as you mix.
7. Now begin to knead the mixture into a soft dough, adding water at intervals as needed.
8. The dough will be slightly sticky at first, but it will be fine after the initial rise. If the dough looks dry, however, you can add some more water.
Work in 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough looks too sticky (is actively sticking to your hands), then sprinkle in a bit of flour.
Knead very well for a total of 8 to 10 minutes to get a supple, pliable and soft dough. A slightly sticky dough is fine.
Proof Dough (First Rise)
9. Flatten the dough to fill the bottom of the bowl. Lightly brush the top of the dough with water.
10. Place a towel over the bowl, and proof the dough for 30 to 35 minutes if you have used instant yeast.
For dry active yeast, give a time of about 1.5 to 2 hours for the dough to double in size.
11. After the initial rise, the dough should be nearly double in size like in the photo below.
12. Use your fist to punch the dough lightly into the bowl, and knead again lightly.
Shape to a Loaf and Proof Loaf (Second Rise)
13. Work the wholemeal bread dough out of the bowl and onto a clean work surface. Roll into a ball.
14. Now form the dough into a log, and gently pinch the edges into a seam.
15. Place the dough log into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan. Cover again with a kitchen towel and let rise.
- If you have used instant yeast – leaven for 20 to 30 minutes.
- For dry active yeast or fresh yeast – set aside for 45 minutes to 1 hour or more depending on the temperature conditions.
16. While the dough leavens, preheat the oven for 20 minutes at 220 degrees celsius (425 degrees Fahrenheit).
If using a convection oven or oven with a fan, then preheat at 200 or 205 degrees celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes.
Score and Bake Whole Wheat Bread
17. Make a ¼ inch cross or slits on the bread. This helps the steam escape as the bread bakes, and creates a tender and soft loaf.
18. Lightly brush the top of the loaf with milk (dairy or vegan). You can even brush with some oil or butter or ghee.
This is an optional step but it definitely gives a lovely golden color and also a perfectly chewy crust and moistest crumb.
19. Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 25 mins. If using a convection oven, shorten bake time by a few minutes.
20. Bake the whole wheat bread dough until the top crust is golden.
Remove the bread from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes to cool. Then gently tap on top of the loaf: if baked properly, the bread should should hollow.
If the bread does not sound hollow, put it back in the oven to bake for a few more minutes.
21. While the wheat bread is still hot, carefully remove it from the pan (using oven mittens/gloves) and place it on a wire rack to cool.
The bottom of your loaf will get soggy if you leave it in the pan for too long!
Let the Atta Bread cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy homemade whole wheat bread sliced with butter, ghee, jams, peanut butter, or any of your favorite spreads.
You can also use this wholemeal bread or atta bread to make various recipes like sandwiches, Bread Pakora, Bread Roll etc.
I love to make Veg Sandwich, Paneer Sandwich, and Cheese Sandwich with this atta bread.
Storage
Once cooled, wrap in a cling film or keep in a bread box at room temperature for up to one week. If you live in a warm or hot place, refrigerate the wheat loaf.
To freeze, place the whole wheat loaf in an airtight bag after wrapping in cling film, and keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
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Whole Wheat Bread | Wholemeal Bread (Atta Bread)
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole wheat flour (regular whole wheat flour or chapati atta) – 360 grams
- 1 cup water divided, depending on quality of flour, can add upto 1.25 cups water
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast or 1.5 teaspoons dry active yeast or 1 tablespoon fresh yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt or edible rock salt or pink salt
- 1 tablespoon raw sugar or white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons oil or softened butter or ghee (clarified butter)
- 2 tablespoons yogurt (dairy or vegan) or 1 to 1.5 tablespoon vinegar or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 to 3 teaspoons milk (dairy or vegan), for brushing the top of the bread, optional
Instructions
Proofing yeast
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of a standing mixer, add ½ cup of water and 1 tablespoon of raw sugar. The water can be room temperature or lukewarm.But, if using active dry yeast or fresh yeast, then make sure to use lukewarm water.
- To the bowl add 1 teaspoon of instant yeast (rapid rising yeast).If using dry active yeast – add 1.5 teaspoons of it. Swirl the bowl around or stir with a spoon to help the yeast dissolve in the water.
- Let this mixture sit for 10 to 12 minutes until the yeast activates.
Forming Whole Wheat Dough
- Next to the frothy yeast water mixture, add the whole wheat flour, salt, preferred neutral flavored oil (or butter or ghee) and yogurt.
- Mix with a spoon.
- Next add ½ cup of water bit by bit and begin to knead for 8 to 10 minutes or as needed.
- Knead to a soft, supple and smooth dough. A well kneaded dough which when stretched should not tear.
- Add more water if required while kneading. The dough can be slightly sticky.
- Brush some water all over the dough and keep in a deep wide bowl covered with a lid or kitchen towel for 30 to 35 minutes if you have used instant yeast.If dry active yeast or fresh yeast has been used – keep in the covered bowl to leaven for 1.5 to 2 hours or more until the dough doubles.
- After the initial rise, the dough will be double in size. Remove and then lightly punch and knead the dough again.
- On a clean work surface roll the dough into a neat ball.
- Make a log of the dough and gently pinch the edges into a seam – meaning tuck in the edges at the corners.
- Place the prepared dough log in a greased 9×5 inches loaf pan with tucked edges facing downwards. Cover with kitchen towel again.
- Cover and let it rise the second time for 20 to 30 minutes if you have used instant yeast.For dry active yeast or fresh yeast – set aside for 45 minutes to 1 hour or more depending on the temperature conditions in your city or town.
Baking wheat bread
- Preheat the oven at 220 degrees C/425 degrees F for at-least 20 minutes.
- Once the bread has risen in the loaf pan, make a ¼ inch cross or slits on the bread. This helps the steam escape as the bread bakes, and creates a tender and soft loaf.
- Keep the loaf pan in the oven and bake at 220 degrees C/425 degrees F for 22 to 25 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
- While baking, if the wheat bread begins to brown too much from the top, then cover with parchment paper or aluminium foil.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes to cool. Then gently tap on top of the loaf: if baked properly, the bread should should hollow.If the bread does not sound hollow, put it back in the oven to bake for a few more minutes.
- When the bread is still hot, remove it from the loaf pan using oven mittens/gloves and keep it on a wired tray to cool.
- Let the Wholemeal Bread loaf cool completely before slicing it with a serrated knife.
- Enjoy homemade Whole Wheat Bread sliced with butter, ghee, jams, peanut butter, or any of your favorite spreads. Or use the Atta Bread to make your favorite sandwiches or snacks from bread.
- Store bread in the fridge for about a week or the freezer for about a month.
Video
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Whole Wheat Bread recipe from the archives first published in December 2013 has been updated and republished on December 2022.
Hi! I would like to know what is the temperature for the butter and even when I use instant yeast should I warm the water first to mix the dough? When you say we can use loaf tin with lid when should I use to cover it? Is it during the second rise or during the baking? Thanks!
temperature of butter is at room temperature. for instant yeast, no need to use warm water. lid is used during baking and not during second rise. you need to grease the lid also before baking.
Hi! I have just made the bread yesterday. It was my first time doing one. I was glad it turn out pretty well. It was quite dense though. I am not sure why..I did use the same yeast brand that you used (mauripan). May I know how many minutes do we have to knead the dough before and after the first rise?
denseness can be due to the quality of flour and the percentage of gluten in the flour. some bran in the flour makes it less dense. so you can add additionally some wheat bran – about 1 to 2 tablespoons. you have to knead the dough very well. 7 to 8 minutes before. after the first rise, 1 to 2 minutes.
Perfect. .. wow … few days ago breads were in news for its cancerous ingredients. .. now no worries, I can make fresh bread at home. Thank you.
welcome ami and thankyou so much 🙂
hi I tried the wholewheat bread it was not at all soft followed the recipe as it is specify the yeast brand that u use I used dry yeast I have tried twice.
arati, which brand you used. also did the yeast proof well. most of the times the bread won’t be soft, if the yeast has not been proofed well. did you make a separate warm water + sugar + yeast solution. for dry active yeast, you have to proof them separately and then add to the flour. i have used mauripan instant yeast.
If I don’t want to add the cereal or grain, do I have to reduce water or adjust other ingredients? Thanks.
which cereal or grain?
Hi the bread was well baked but when I cut into it it became crumbly can I add a cup of plain flour or there is an other solution for this
rupashi, i have already replied to your comment. link here – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/100-whole-wheat-bread-atta-bread/#comment-505765
did you increase the other ingredients too after adding plain flour. also which brand of yeast did you use. bread is crumbly either due to the yeast not getting proofed properly or not kneading the dough well. you can add plain flour, but if you add an extra cup apart from the 3 cups of whole wheat flour, then you have to increase the other ingredients proportionately. to keep the recipe same, add 2 cups of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of plain flour.
Love the recipie
thanks rupashi
Love this recipie??
thanks shreya
Dassana, love your Recipies and have tried several of them. I seem to be having some problem with the whole wheat bread though. Followed the steps exactly. Used Blue bird brand active dry yeast and activated it and was bubbling up nicely. The dough doubled in volume after the first proofing. Used a 9 by 5 inch pan. After the second proofing the dough had risen fully till the top of the pan. Baked it for 22 mins. The bread was little bit dense (not very dense) and was only half the height of the pan. So the slices look elongated and not nice squares. After making toasts in sandwich maker the crust becomes hard. Where could I have gone wrong?
when the dough rises, you will get a dome shape in the bread slices, which does not give a square shaped bread. to get a square shaped bread, you have a use a lid on the pan. you do get loaf pans with lids. crust should not become hard. i make this whole wheat bread often for sandwiches. so i never had any issue with the crust becoming hard. hence unable to pinpoint what must have caused this issue. some heaviness is always there in a whole wheat bread. it cannot be light and airy like that of a bread made with maida or all purpose flour. hope this helps.
Hi.. I try to make all your recipes and they turn great☺️ I tried this cake for the first time and it turned great but when I started to cut it all the pieces started coming out? My mother recommended to add about a cup of plain flour. Is it okay or should I use less . But the bread turned out to be great. It was evenly baked. Thanks a lot
thanks rupashi. you tried which cake? for the bread did you add more water after adding 1 cup of plain flour. also the other ingredients will increase proportionally.
There’s a discrepancy in the first rise duration. Step by step says 35 mins, but in your detailed recipe you’ve mentioned 1.5-2 hours. Could you please let me know.. Thanks 🙂
ruchira, there is no discrepancy. the 35 mins first rise is if using instant yeast and the 1.5 to 2 hours first rise is if using dry active yeast. in the stepwise pics, i have shown the method with instant yeast. whereas since not everyone will get instant yeast, i have mentioned the method separately in the recipe card, if using dry active yeast. hope this helps.
Hello Amit,
Can you please tell me a good brand of yeast, as i tried to make this receipe and it was a complete disaster… The loaf didnt rise both times and so i went ahead with the baking bit. It turned out half cooked and no rise watsoever. I think there may be an issure with the quality of the yeast as i followed the reciepe to the T. Please help.
nishi, a good quality yeast is very essential for a good loaf. the solution has to froth and bubble up. if you get this right, then there won’t be issues with the bread. in this pic, you can see how the dry active yeast solution has risen and bubbled – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/garlic-bread4.jpg
i use mauripan brand of intant yeast.
Hi.. I just wanted to know if we can do the first rise in the refrigerator overnight.. Actually 18 hrs would be convenient for me.. Should I decrease the amount of yeast.. Any tips..
aarthi, yes you can. no need to decrease the amount of yeast.
Nice easy recipe. See that you have not included gluten.
would also like to know if you have tried retarded fermentation or artisan no knead bread?
aruna, i have not tried these methods till yet.
Super soft yum bread.Great Recipe.
thanks nisha for the positive feedback 🙂