The aroma of Amish honey wheat bread baking in the oven is enough to make anyone hungry. Amish brown bread may not be quite as fluffy as white bread since whole wheat flour gives a denser texture. However, it is still soft and flavorful while also being a touch healthier!
Warm, fresh, homemade bread slathered with butter and honey is so delightful to the taste buds! There are six of us in our home, and the first loaf is usually gone within the first half-hour out of the oven because no one can stop with only one piece.
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Ingredients
- Warm Water (about 110°F) is used to activate the yeast. It helps dissolve the yeast and jump-start the fermentation process, which creates carbon dioxide bubbles, making the bread rise.
- Active Dry Yeast is the leavening agent that makes the bread rise. When activated by the warm water, yeast consumes sugars in the dough and releases carbon dioxide gas, causing the dough to expand and rise.
- Butter or Oil adds moisture and richness to the bread, enhancing its flavor and texture. It also helps to keep the bread soft and tender.
- Milk adds moisture and tenderness. It also contributes to the flavor and richness due to its fat content.
- Honey adds sweetness and also helps to feed the yeast.
- Salt enhances the flavor of the bread.
- Wheat Flour adds flavor, texture, and nutrients. It contains the wheat kernel's bran and germ, adding fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Whole wheat flour also absorbs more liquid than white flour, resulting in denser bread with a nuttier flavor.
- White Bread Flour is high in gluten, providing structure and elasticity. It gives the bread a lighter texture and helps it rise higher.
- Optional: Flax Seed Meal adds nutritional value, including omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and protein. It also adds a nutty flavor.
These ingredients work together to create a flavorful, nutritious, and well-textured honey wheat bread.
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How to Make Homemade Amish Wheat Bread
- Add yeast to the warm water in your mixing bowl. I use my kitchen aid mixer. But if you don't have a big stand mixer with a dough hook, you can make this by hand.
- The Amish always make homemade bread by hand (here are some tips on how to knead), and I also made it by hand for years until I finally got a Kitchen Aid. A mixer just makes it easier.
- Let your yeast mixture rest for about 5 min. until it's looking nice and bubbly.
- Melt the butter and add the milk and honey. Bring it to a lukewarm temperature. (You just want this lukewarm. If it's too hot it can kill your yeast.) Pour it into the yeast mixture and add the salt. Now you're ready to start adding the flour.
Kneading Bread with a Mixer
- Start by adding about 3 cups of wheat flour. Mix for about a minute.
- Continue adding bread flour only ½ cup at a time and knead/mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Then knead on speed 2 for about 2 - 3 minutes. If it's still sticking to the sides, it needs more flour.
- Once it's no longer sticking to the sides, pour a tiny bit of oil into the side of the bowl, as it's stirring to grease your bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a dish towel, and let it rest for about an hour.
- After it's risen, you're ready to shape it into 2 loaves. Place into greased loaf pans, and let it rise again.
Baking Homemade Bread
- Bake at 350 for 30 - 35 minutes. (Heavier pans require longer baking time. Your bread should be golden brown on top, and the crust will look firm. Tap the bottom of the loaf - if it sounds hollow, it's baked through. If you have a thermometer, the internal temp should be about 190°F.)
- Remove it from the oven and spread butter over the top of the crust.
- Let it rest in the pans for a few minutes then transfer it to a wire rack to cool.
- Make sure to enjoy a piece of this Amish Honey Wheat Bread while it is still nice and hot. Because it will never taste any better than straight out of the oven, slathered with butter and honey.
- Slice it carefully with a sharp bread knife in a sawing motion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can replace the bread flour with all wheat flour. Just know that 100% whole wheat bread will be denser and not rise as high.
The most common reasons are:
The yeast was expired or killed by liquid that was too hot.
The dough didn't have enough time in a warm spot to rise.
Too much flour was added, making the dough too heavy.
Homemade bread is best within 2-4 days at room temperature in a bread bag or airtight container. For longer storage, freeze it. Let thaw at room temperature before slicing.
Amish Eat Lots of Bread
Homemade bread is a staple in many Amish homes. I guess because it's a good filler for a hard-working family, and it tends to keep you full longer than some foods.
We didn't usually eat snacks between meals, so we wanted to fill up at mealtime. And when you're out working on the farm, you need the energy to keep yourself going.
Growing up, my mom would bake several loaves of homemade bread every Friday. And it was served for almost every meal, along with butter and homemade jam.
Although you'll often find white bread on the table in Amish homes, some of them will also opt for a healthier version and make wheat bread or honey oat bread instead.
You can, however, also use this recipe to make white bread. Just replace the wheat flour with white bread flour.
This is not a 100% wheat bread recipe since we use some white instead of all wheat. Homemade bread with freshly ground 100% wheat is the best for you, but it's also a bit tricky to conquer.
I hope you enjoy this Amish honey wheat bread recipe. If you try it, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank You!
📖 Recipe Card
Amish Honey Wheat Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water about 110°
- 2 packages active dry yeast equal to a scant 2 TBS
- 3 Tablespoons butter or oil
- ½ cup milk
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 cups wheat flour
- 1 ¾ - 2 ¼ cups white bread flour
- Optional: ½ cup flax seed meal for nutritional value
Instructions
- Pour the warm water into your mixing bowl (I use my kitchen-aid mixer with the dough hook), and add the yeast. Stir it and leave it sit for about 5 minutes, or until it's bubbly.1 ½ cups warm water, 2 packages active dry yeast
- Meanwhile, melt your butter, add the milk and honey, and bring them to a lukewarm temperature. Add warm milk mixture to the yeast mixture and stir it.½ cup milk, ⅓ cup honey, 3 Tablespoons butter or oil
- Add 3 cups wheat flour and salt. Mix on low, then increase to speed 2 and mix for about a minute. Add the bread flour, ½ cup at a time, mixing until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Knead for another 2 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. (If it's still sticking to the sides, you need more flour.)2 teaspoons salt, 3 cups wheat flour, 1 ¾ - 2 ¼ cups white bread flour, Optional: ½ cup flax seed meal
- Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for ½ to 1 hour.
- Punch dough down and divide it in half. I grease my hands with butter to work the dough and shape each half into a loaf. (Roll each half into about a 9″ oblong shape. Roll the dough tightly. Pinch to seal the seam, then pinch the ends and tuck them under.) Place the dough, seam side down, in greased 9x5″ loaf pans. I like to poke the loaves a few times with a fork, to release any air bubbles.
- Cover and let rise again for ½ hour or until it has risen just above the edge of the pan. Preheat oven to 350°. Once the oven is hot, bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until golden.
- Spread butter over top and let it rest for a few minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. But, of course, this is where you will have to carefully slice a piece or two and enjoy it with some butter and honey. Because it's always best while warm. Slice it very carefully with a bread knife to keep from smashing your soft bread.
- Cool and bag or place into an airtight container.
Tracy
This recipe was easy and absolutely delicious!! I’ve made this multiple times and every time it comes out perfect. It feels so good to be making my family’s bread from scratch instead of the bread from the store with all the chemicals and preservatives. No need to worry about the storm not having any bread when a storm is coming because I can just make several loaves and know we are taken care of. Thank you for sharing!
Anna
So glad you are enjoying it!
Jo-Ana Suchanski
Delicious and simple. Soft and tasty. Thanks for the recipe!
Anna
My pleasure! Glad you're enjoying it!
Kathy Roberts
This bread is great! Thank you.
Anna
I'm glad you enjoy it!
Sara
A few years ago my eyes were opened to real nourishing bread from a Mennonite store. Shortly after I got to work trying my hand- after lots of trials and searching I can say this is the BEST template for homemade sandwich bread. It creates the perfect sandwich from honey to grilled cheese. I really appreciate finding this blog!
Anna
Thank you! So glad you're here!
Anna
Yummy wheat bread!
nancy
Used all purpose flour and honey in this recipe. It is raising right now for the first time. But it is looking good
Judy Helser
Two questions, please……
1) what amount of honey to replace sugar?
2) is that 5 – 6 cups of whole wheat flour?
The Amish make wonderful food! Thank you for aharing!!
Anna
I would just use the same amount of honey , or maybe a little more. You can use whatever flour you want. I use about 1/2 white as nc half whole wheat. Bread flour makes it nice too.
josiah
This bread is Soo good
Lacrisha
The recipe calls for 3 Tablespoons sugar…but then it says 1/2. What does this mean? I’d love to try it, but don’t want to mess it up. Thank you.
Anna
I'm sorry. I had this recipe on my blog, then today I was copy and pasting it to make a pin on pinterest. Guess I messed it up. I fixed it now. Sorry! I'm totally new at this stuff, trying to get it figured out. Haha?
Terry&Mildred Watson
The bread sounds so good!!
Anna
It is amazing!