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.
More Bread Recipes To Try!
Bread Recipes
Bread Recipes
Bread Recipes
Bread Recipes
Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.
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 dassana! the atta bread recipe is great. got wonderful results with 24 mantra atta .thank u for this recipe & the Andhra mango one as well. armed with all the pickle ingredients i’m looking forward to preparing it.
thank meveera for letting me know. most welcome. do try the andhra pickle and do let me know ????
Hi I’m a regular viewer of ur recepeis n ur masala puri recepie come out very well thanks a lot
For bread recepie I’m able to set my oven only to 200c should I increase the baking time n can u pls specify the flour to be taken in gms n water in ml
Looking forward for ur response
thanks kulsum. baking time varies with different oven models and types. in some oven even at less temp, the baking time can be less. so just keep a check while baking. if the top becomes golden, then tap the bread with your knuckles. if it feels hollow, its done. 3 cups atta is 360 grams. water is 250 ml which is 1 cup. you can add more if required.
Dassana, Can we add vital gluten to this recipe to achieve better results?
If yes then in what proportion?
Thanks.
you can add vital gluten. but i do not know how much amount as i have never used it.
How do tailor this recipe for a bread machine? Any suggestions?
i have no idea as i have never used a bread machine. so unable to help you.
Hi
I just made this bread and turned out dense,my dough was not so sticky and also i feel it didnt rise well what can i do to get lighter loaf and also can we use the same dough to make bun too ?
Thanks
sindhu, could be the dough has not leavened well. thus it has not risen well. this problem is mostly due to the quality of yeast. use a good quality yeast. if you have used dry active yeast, then do make sure that the water is warm and not on the cooler side or hot. if the water is cool, the yeast won’t activate and if the water is hot, the yeast cells die. also knead very well. about 8 to 10 minutes. you can use the same dough to make buns too.
Hi, I’ve tried this recipe a few times n it comes out really well. I have a couple of questions
1. While using instant yeast also do we need to add sugar ,?
2.can this be made with a combination of various flours?
In that case would there be a change in the amount of yeast n water ?
U tried it with 2 1/4 cup wheat flour n 3/4 cup ragi flour n followed the same recipe it came out well
So could I do half ragi half wheat flour with the same proportions?
Could I also add other flours?
3. Can we add things like flaxseeds pumpkin seeds etc while mixing the dough ?
Would be nice if u could put up a multigrain bread recipe if u haven’t already
Thank you
Looking forward to ur reply
Shantal
thanks shantal.
1. some sugar does help in leavening reaction. so i would suggest to add some sugar. a pinch will also do.
2. with ragi, i tried a couple of times. but the bread becomes heavy and dense if more ragi is used. so i would suggest to add 1/2 cup ragi for 2.5 cups of whole wheat flour. you can add other flours also. but do make sure that whole wheat flour is more as compared to other flours.
3. yes you can add seeds like pumpkin and flaxseeds.
4. i do plan to add a multigrain bread recipe in some time.
For baking can I use a normal.cake tin or should I use only the loaf mould
for baking bread, its always better to use a loaf pan. the texture of the bread can get affected if baked in a round cake tin.
How can I test the effectiveness of instant yeast? I tried this recipe but the dough didn’t double in size after an hour. I am using falcon brand instant yeast and it’s within the expiry date.
julie, what i suggest is that add the yeast is the sugar + warm water solution and let it sit for 10 to 12 minutes. if the yeast is active and effective, then the solution will bubble up and become frothy. however, do take care that the water should not even be slightly hot. it should be lukewarm. you can also use water at room temperature to check the yeast quality. but here you will have to keep the solution for some more minutes like 20 to 30 minutes.
the recipe did not work well as i feel its due to the yeast not getting activated. a suggestion is to dissolve the yeast granules in water and then add it to the flour.
Dear, Dassani Amit
It my first time to make bread it came
out perfect.No yeast smell.But I was confused when you said on a recipe list 1tsp of yeast., then on preparation you said on number 2 and 3 to add yeast. I just used 21/4tsp.
it was ok. can you pease rectify for me that.
Thank you
Softy
its just 1 teaspoon instant yeast. yeast is not added later. it looks confusing in step 3 and i will change it. 21/4 teaspoon yeast is too much. i am wondering why there was not yeast aroma. usually if more yeast is added then too much yeast aroma is felt.
if using instant yeast, then just add 1 teaspoon
if using dry active yeast, then just add 1/2 tablespoon.
if using fresh yeast, then add 1 tablespoon.
hope this helps.
Hi!
I am very fond of cooking and read recipes on the internet. Somehow your recipes work for me better than any other. I have tried many of them, but me and my mother are a fan of the banana cake, butter biscuits and the bread. It turns out fabulous and my little toddler loves them.
Thanks Tush for your positive feedback on these recipes. Glad to know that you and your mother liked them very much. Do try some more recipes.
Hi,
How to check of my instant yeast is working?I’m using Falcon brand of dry instant yeast but when used in the above recipe the dough didn’t double in 45 mins. I live in mumbai and the weather is pretty hot right now. So that shouldn’t cause any issue with the rise. Could you let me know what might be the problem??
julie, the dry instant yeast which you are using is basically dry active yeast. some brands do name dry active yeast as dry instant yeast and this causes confusion. dry active yeast needs to activated separately in warm water + sugar solution. the mixture will bubble up and become frothy. then this mixture has to be added to the flour along with the rest of the ingredients and then kneaded. if dry active yeast is added directly to the dough, the bread will be like a rock.
instant yeast has granules which resemble poppy seeds (khus khus) and dry active yeast has granules which are slightly larger in size.
Thank you So much dear
welcome pradnya.
Hello dear yesterday i made dis n that was good. Want to ask u that y bread is having a particular smell of yeast compare to ready made bread. What to do to avoid that smell. While baking i cover my bread with foil after 10 min because d upper layer become too hard.. Is it right .? plz help as u always ?
Pradnya, readymade bread is made with fresh yeast. if you use a good quality yeast then that smell won’t be there. your bread has got baked too much. you can bake at a slightly lower temperature and don’t keep the pan very close to the top heating element.
Excellent recipe for atta bread. Works out fantastically. Thanks
thanks a lot surinder.
Tried twice yesterday, failed both times :(, i followed all the instructions, the dough rised double in the size bit when baked it went back to the original size, what cud have went wrong, pls help
manjiri, what pan size did you use? the pan size should be correct or else the bread can fall flat while baking. also if the dough falls flat that it could be uneven kneading. the kneading is very important and it should be done for atleast 8 to 10 minutes.
I didnt knead the dough that much, the shopkeeper told me the pan size is 8 by 4 but the pan looks bigger, will knead longer next time and will try a different pan, thanks 🙂
welcome manjiri. thanks for the reply. usually any bread dough has to be kneaded very well. ideally when you stretch the dough, it should not break. that means the gluten strands have developed well. there is also a window pane test that can be tested on the dough. you can read more about window pane test on google. you can also knead in parts. eg add some water and knead. then give the dough a resting time for 3 to 4 minutes. then again add water and knead. so this way you can knead in two to three parts. usually i knead in one go. since i am so much used to making chapati dough, its easier for me ?