whole wheat

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This quick and easy muffin recipe uses whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and semisweet chocolate chips to make a fluffy, moist muffin. each is topped with a simple streusel. For a healthy spin on a chocolate lover's breakfast favorite, try these muffins! Find the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

What better way to start the weekend than with a healthy(ish) breakfast treat like these whole wheat chocolate chip muffins? With brown sugar, a simple streusel, and loads of semisweet chocolate chips, these cookie-flavored baked goods also have the added benefit of whole wheat flour! If you’re looking for something to enjoy all weekend long, these are IT.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This quick and easy muffin recipe uses whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and semisweet chocolate chips to make a fluffy, moist muffin. each is topped with a simple streusel. For a healthy spin on a chocolate lover's breakfast favorite, try these muffins! Find the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

On Family Breakfast

In the hay day of this website, there was no shortage of breakfast pastries to enjoy in the morning. You needn’t look farther than my kitchen counter or the freezer drawer to find stacks of danishes, homemade pop-tarts, and slices of quick bread. I was constantly testing recipes, and, as a result, I had the leftovers to show for it. As you can imagine, my family got used to these kind of things, and mornings were actually quite pleasant.

But then something called “REAL LIFE” happened, and as much as I would have loved to keep up with our stock of sugary breakfast treats, it just wasn’t happening. Instead, I offered easy stuff: Toast. Dry cereal. The occasional scrambled egg. You know, normal American breakfast foods.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This quick and easy muffin recipe uses whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and semisweet chocolate chips to make a fluffy, moist muffin. each is topped with a simple streusel. For a healthy spin on a chocolate lover's breakfast favorite, try these muffins! Find the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This quick and easy muffin recipe uses whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and semisweet chocolate chips to make a fluffy, moist muffin. each is topped with a simple streusel. For a healthy spin on a chocolate lover's breakfast favorite, try these muffins! Find the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Unrealistic Expectations

So last week, when I pulled out a Tupperware of chocolate chip muffins, my kids lost their mind. I mean, seriously, head over heels. It was all, “MOM, YOU MAKE THE BEST BREAKFAST,” and, “THESE MUFFINS ARE INCREDIBLE,” and (my personal favorite), “SERIOUSLY, YOU ARE THE BEST MOM EVER!” Truly, in that moment, the clouds parted and I heard *actual* angels singing.

Here’s what I decided: I showed my hand too quickly. By having a surplus of homemade treats for a good portion of their life, they haven’t figured out that this isn’t normal in most houses. What kind of 8-year-old knows they prefer croissant over pain au chocolat? What average 6-year-old complains because there’s no more funfetti biscuits in the freezer? I’ll tell you: ones that haven’t been fed enough Fruity Pebbles, that’s who.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This quick and easy muffin recipe uses whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and semisweet chocolate chips to make a fluffy, moist muffin. each is topped with a simple streusel. For a healthy spin on a chocolate lover's breakfast favorite, try these muffins! Find the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This quick and easy muffin recipe uses whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and semisweet chocolate chips to make a fluffy, moist muffin. each is topped with a simple streusel. For a healthy spin on a chocolate lover's breakfast favorite, try these muffins! Find the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

The good news for them is that I’m testing loads of breakfast recipes this month, so there’s bound to be a few stragglers to munch in the coming weeks. The bad news is that I’m on to them and there will definitely be some granola bars and Cheerios in their very near future.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

While they were inhaling the muffins, I kept one little secret from them: these are almost kinda sorta healthy! I mean, sure, there’s sugar and chocolate involved, but doesn’t that addition of whole wheat flour make all of us feel a smidge better? Plus, these whole wheat chocolate chip muffins are really good. So good that I ate a whole one during the photo shoot while trying to “get the perfect shot” of a bitten muffin. I won’t even lie- one bite would have been a fine photo.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This quick and easy muffin recipe uses whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and semisweet chocolate chips to make a fluffy, moist muffin. each is topped with a simple streusel. For a healthy spin on a chocolate lover's breakfast favorite, try these muffins! Find the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

To make these whole wheat chocolate chip muffins, we start with the wet ingredients. Sour cream, oil, an egg, and some vanilla stir together before adding in a mixture of brown and white sugar. Next comes the dry ingredients. Equal parts all-purpose and whole wheat flour stir in with leavening and salt. Finally, the chocolate chips fold in and the streusel sprinkles on top. Voila!

The muffins bake up into soft, slightly chewy treats with rounded, chocolate-studded top. They taste even better on day 2, although I recommend rewarming. If you are in need of a new treat to wow your family and friends- these are it! Happy Friday and happy baking to you!

If you like these whole wheat chocolate chip muffins you should try:

Whole Wheat Blueberry muffins
Banana Nutella Muffins
Healthyish Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Biscuits
Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Print

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

These whole wheat chocolate chip muffins are simple and fluffy, loaded with semisweet chips and topped with a streusel!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 18
  • Total Time: 23 minutes
  • Yield: 12
  • Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

 For the streusel (optional):

  • 11/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips 

For the muffins:

  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup (80 gm) vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (100 gm) sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 gm) brown sugar packed
  • 3/4 cup (105 gm) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup (105 gm) 100% whole wheat flour (see notes)
  • 21/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and put paper muffin lines in a 12-compartment tin.
  2. First, make the streusel. Stir together the flour and sugar and use the back of a fork to cut in the butter until the mixture consists of moist clumps. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
  3. Next, make the muffins. In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, oil, egg, and extract until smooth. Stir in the sugars. Add the flours, baking powder, and salt, stirring just till barely combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Divide the batter among the 12-muffin compartment. Mine usually end up about 2/3- 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle the streusel on top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool briefly before consuming!

Notes

  • As an option, you can use 1-1/2 cups of whole wheat flour and only ½ cup of all-purpose flour. In this instance, use ½ cup brown sugar and only ¼ cup of white sugar. This will help to keep the muffins moist.
  • If you don’t plan to consume the muffins on the day of preparing them, seal them in a Tupperware or large plastic bag and freeze until ready to consume. This will help to keep the muffins moist and fresh!

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins

Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins by the Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. These are healthy, whole grain muffins, sweetened naturally with golden raisins and topped with a simple streusel. The muffins are kept moist with oil and grated carrots and can be made ahead and frozen to be shared later. These better for you breakfast treats are the great way to stay on top of your diet in the new year! Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com

I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions. The idea of a resolution always feels a little like a temporary fix, a band-aid, for needs that require long-term effort and solutions. In my experience, resolutions are typically nothing more than the onset of a 3-week fad diet and an onslaught of inner shame when I inevitably fail. There’s an unspoken expectation that I will eventually quit my resolution, even on January 1.

In the past, I’ve been consumed by who I’m not and the things I don’t have. The new year, a fresh start, a clean slate, has always been an escape route- the perfect opportunity for an unsteady leap towards the illusion of something that I think might make me more content. I’ve literally spent years of Januarys starving and straining and guilting myself into perfect misery. Into failure.

Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins by the Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. These are healthy, whole grain muffins, sweetened naturally with golden raisins and topped with a simple streusel. The muffins are kept moist with oil and grated carrots and can be made ahead and frozen to be shared later. These better for you breakfast treats are the great way to stay on top of your diet in the new year! Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com

This year, I’m looking at resolutions a little differently. I’m still making goals, still setting the bar high for myself, but I want more. Instead of smaller thighs, I want more confidence. Instead of less debt, I want more financial freedom. And instead of fewer stress-induced grey hairs, I want MORE LIFE: More joy. Deeper relationships. Stronger skills. Increased hope and laughter and kindness to offer to the world.

January may be there perfect time to cut back, make changes, or switch gears, but this year I am motivated by the possibility of more. I’m not making alterations on my life because of the ugly things I see in it; I’m taking baby steps towards a joyful and abundant life that I know I should be living. If it takes me 30 more years to get there, I’m okay with that. I’m moving forward and towards more.

Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins by the Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. These are healthy, whole grain muffins, sweetened naturally with golden raisins and topped with a simple streusel. The muffins are kept moist with oil and grated carrots and can be made ahead and frozen to be shared later. These better for you breakfast treats are the great way to stay on top of your diet in the new year! Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com

Whole-Wheat Carrot Muffins

Maybe you’ve made a resolution to lose weight or bake a little healthier this year. Maybe, like me, you want more vegetables and sources of nutrients in your diet. These whole wheat carrot muffins- sweet, delicious, and simple to make- are the answer to those goals.

Making the Muffins

To make them, we start by mixing together the dry ingredients. Whole wheat flour and leavening are combined with warm winter spices. In a separate bowl, we stir together eggs, oil, and brown sugar for sweetness. The dry ingredients and the liquids are folded together before carrots and golden raisins are added to the mix. Muffin tins are filled to the brim with batter and topped with a simple golden streusel for an extra pop of sweet.

Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins by the Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. These are healthy, whole grain muffins, sweetened naturally with golden raisins and topped with a simple streusel. The muffins are kept moist with oil and grated carrots and can be made ahead and frozen to be shared later. These better for you breakfast treats are the great way to stay on top of your diet in the new year! Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com

These whole wheat carrot muffins are simple but flavorful, a feel good kind of food I don’t often showcase on this blog. This is the type of dish you don’t feel bad about preparing or sharing- the kind of food that gives you more.

Make these whole wheat carrot muffins this month and let me know what you think! No matter what your goals are this month, I hope you find yourself with more of all of the good things by the time February rolls around. I’m looking forward to hanging out with you guys this coming year, so, as always, thank you for making this space a home for me. Y’all are the best.

Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins by the Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. These are healthy, whole grain muffins, sweetened naturally with golden raisins and topped with a simple streusel. The muffins are kept moist with oil and grated carrots and can be made ahead and frozen to be shared later. These better for you breakfast treats are the great way to stay on top of your diet in the new year! Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com

If you like these whole wheat carrot muffins, you should check out:

Peach Crumb Muffins

Hummingbird Muffins

Carrot Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Glaze

Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Blueberries and Brown Butter Crumble 

Raspberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake

Print

Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins

These whole wheat carrot muffins are a healthier breakfast option without sacrificing any flavor. Make them ahead and share with friends for a tasty treat!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 15

Ingredients

For the muffins:

  • 2 cups (260 gm) whole wheat flour
  • 11/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (80 mL) canola or vegetable oil
  • 11/4 cup (250 gm) brown sugar, packed (see notes)
  • 1 cup (225 gm) full-fat Greek yogurt, at room temperature (see notes)
  • 11/2 cups (160 gm) grated carrots
  • 1 cup (150 gm) raisins

For the topping:

  • ¼ cup (50 gm) brown sugar, packed,
  • 11/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

Instructions

  1. Move a rack to the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with 12 liners.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, oil, brown sugar, and yogurt.
  3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold just until almost combined. Add in the carrots and raisins and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
  4. Divide the batter up between the muffin tins, filling until about 3/4 of the way full.
  5. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and cinnamon for the topping. Use the back of a fork to cut in the butter until pea-sized clumps form. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the muffins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted comes out barely clean. Be careful to not overbake!

Notes

  • You can reduce the sugar in muffins by ¼ cup for fewer calories, if desired. The additional sugar enhances the sweetness, but a single cup of sugar produces a satisfactory muffin as well. I prefer the recipe as is.
  • You can substitute buttermilk or sour cream for the full-fat Greek yogurt, but do not use a low-fat version of any of these options.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Flaxseed Bread

Flaxseed Bread Recipe by thewoodandspoon.com . 100% whole grain wheat sandwich bread with added fiber from flax seed meal. Moist, fluffy, easy yeast bread recipe that makes two loaves. No bread maker required. The Wood and Spoon Blog.

There’s things they don’t tell you. No, I’m not referencing the government or our mothers or even this flaxseed bread, although we’ll get to that later. I’m talking about having a baby.

When preparing for a new baby, we like to spend a lot of time dwelling on the details. Nursery colors, eating schedules, carseat safety ratings- the usual. We worry about the baby’s growth, the baby’s movements, passing our blood sugar tests, and whether or not we’ve gained the right amount of weight. When you sign up for parenthood (because that’s where babies come from, obviously), we spend so much time minding those basic fears and needs that we often overlook the aftermath- the anatomical apocalypse that typically ensues after labor and delivery.

Flaxseed Bread Recipe by thewoodandspoon.com . 100% whole grain wheat sandwich bread with added fiber from flax seed meal. Moist, fluffy, easy yeast bread recipe that makes two loaves. No bread maker required. The Wood and Spoon Blog.

Body Changes

I was faced with a reminder of my pregnancies this past weekend. About a month ago, I quit nursing George, but it was just last Saturday that I put on one of my favorite bras for the first time in over a year. I’m not going to sugar coat it- it wasn’t even close to being the right size. Where the bra was once flush to my flesh, there were now gaping, fist-sized pockets of space. I tightened the snap, cinched the straps, and readjusted “the girls”, but it was no use. My children, quite literally, sucked the life out of my breasts, and no amount of underwire or Kleenex stuffing was enough to make that bra work.

Obviously this is trivial in the grand scheme of things. HELLO, MY BODY NURTURED AND GREW A HUMAN- it’s the greatest miracle of my life! But mercy, I wish gravity and hormones would cut my lady parts some slack. Haven’t they been through enough trauma? Given that my chest gets smaller with each pregnancy, I project that Aimee and I will be sharing training bras within the next few years. At the very least, I’ll have the option of shopping for swimwear in the junior’s department again.

The Things They Don’t Tell You

Tiny, fried-egg-on-a-stick post-nursing boobs are just the itty bitty tip of the iceberg. No one tells you about hot flashes, swollen feet, hair loss, or hormones. Or the, ahem, sanitary items you get sent home from the hospital with or the giant, granny panties that you’re forced to wear them with. No one tells you that the few ounces of flesh that used to sit perky in your bra are now going to be hanging low in the saddlebags of your nightmares. Why on earth would the universe leave us to discover these things in the privacy of our own mirrors at home? Why does no one tell us these things?

Flaxseed Bread Recipe by thewoodandspoon.com . 100% whole grain wheat sandwich bread with added fiber from flax seed meal. Moist, fluffy, easy yeast bread recipe that makes two loaves. No bread maker required. The Wood and Spoon Blog.

Flaxseed Bread Recipe by thewoodandspoon.com . 100% whole grain wheat sandwich bread with added fiber from flax seed meal. Moist, fluffy, easy yeast bread recipe that makes two loaves. No bread maker required. The Wood and Spoon Blog.

I say we band together. Let’s talk about the weird stuff that happens so that we’re not forced to deal with it alone. Let’s dust off all of the taboo things that the old fashioned think aren’t ladylike enough to talk about. And let’s just talk the facts. No one should have to discover new stretch marks on their own. No one should have to face those unspoken realities without a friend.

Flaxseed Bread

There’s things you don’t have to tell people about this flaxseed bread. You can just toast it, butter it, stack it in a sandwich, or make croutons for all I care. All I know is that people will love this flaxseed bread and they never have a clue that it’s healthy. It’s a 100% whole wheat bread packed with loads of fiber-rich ground flaxseeds, naturally sweetened with honey, and flavored with only enough salt to make the flavor just right. This is the soft, flavorful sandwich bread you can enjoy and feel good about eating.

This recipe for flaxseed bread is a modified version of my 100% whole wheat sandwich bread. To pack in extra flavor and fiber, we simply substitute some of the whole wheat flour for ground flaxseeds. It’s important to use ground flaxseeds (better known as flaxseed meal) and not whole seeds. Using the milled form of the seeds ensures that our bodies get the fullest benefit from the nutrients they have to offer, and remember, our bodies need all the help they can get, right?

Flaxseed Bread Recipe by thewoodandspoon.com . 100% whole grain wheat sandwich bread with added fiber from flax seed meal. Moist, fluffy, easy yeast bread recipe that makes two loaves. No bread maker required. The Wood and Spoon Blog.

Making the Bread

We start by activating some active dry yeast in a bowl. Once dissolved, the honey, oil, and a bit of milk make an appearance to moisten all that whole grain goodness that we’re about to add. A pinch of salt, some flaxseed meal, whole wheat flour, and a little bit of vital wheat gluten rounds out the rest of the ingredients contained within the bread. After a couple of rises, the loaves are ready for a sprinkling more of seed and then the oven.

Once baked, these loaves are golden and nutty with a moist and tender crumb- the perfect vehicle for your morning toast, afternoon sandwich, or midnight schmear of peanut butter. I prefer to pair this bread with savory toppings, but it’s bread- you can literally use it for anything. The good news is that this recipe will make two loaves- one for you and one to hide from your kids and eat yourself one to share with a friend! If desired, you can wrap the extra loaf in foil and save in the freezer as I like to do from time to time.

I hope you give this flaxseed bread a try and that we can continue to talk about the nitty gritty. Because it’s only Monday and I want to hang out with y’all at least once more this week, stay tuned later this week for a bonus recipe. HINT: it’s sweet and breakfasty and just the thing you need to make this weekend’s brunch extra awesome. I think you’ll love it. Happy Monday to you and cheers!

If  you like the flaxseed bread, you may also like:

Honey Oat Bread

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Blueberry Cornbread

Print

Flaxseed Bread

This recipe makes two loaves of moist and nutty flaxseed bread- 100% whole grain and 100% delicious.

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 120
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (240 mL) warm water
  • 2 teaspoons (7 gm) active dy yeast
  • 11/4 cup (300 mL) milk (I use 2%), room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) honey
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) light oil (canola, vegetable, or extra light olive oil)
  • 33/4 cups (450 gm) of whole wheat flour
  • ¾ cup (75 gm) flaxseed meal
  • 2 tablespoons (20 gm) of vital wheat gluten
  • 1 tablespoon (20 gm) salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons of mixed seeds (I prefer flax, poppy, sesame, or chia, but any combination will suffice)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over the water and allow to dissolve, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the milk, honey and oil. Add 1-1/4 cups of the flour, flaxseed meal, gluten, and salt, stirring just until combined. Add the remaining flour and stir until dough is a fairly uniform, shaggy dough.
  3. Allow the dough to rest 30 minutes.
  4. In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment (or by hand, if preferred) knead dough until dough is smooth and only slightly tacky, about 7-8 minutes. If dough is too sticky, add up to 1/2 cup of additional whole wheat flour.
  5. Spray a large bowl lightly with baking spray and place dough inside, covering tightly with a sheet of Saran wrap. Allow to rest in a warm spot for about 1-1/2 hours, or until dough has risen and has approximately doubled in size.
  6. Once risen, remove dough from bowl and separate in to two equal pieces, handling the dough as little as possible. Gently form the dough balls in to small loaf shapes.
  7. Place dough in to two separate loaf pans (8.5″ X 4.5″ X 2.75″) that have been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with Saran wrap and allow to rise again for about 45 minutes, or until the dough has just barely risen over the top of the pan. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  8. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water to create the egg wash. Once the loaves have risen, brush the tops of each with a thin coat of the egg wash and sprinkle with the seeds. Place loaves in the oven and immediately decrease the heat to 375 degrees. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until loaves have browned and sound hollow when tapped on the top.
  9. Allow to cool in pan for ten minutes and then remove to finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Notes

  • It is vital that bread rises well prior to being baked. If your bread is not rising well, place loaves in a slightly warmer spot in your kitchen. I let my bread rise next to a warm oven.
  • Allow bread to cool completely prior to slicing.
  • Bread will keep on the counter for several days but will keep best in the refrigerator for up to 6-7 days. There’s no preservatives in this stuff so it won’t last as long as your supermarket bread- eat fast!
  • Wrapped securely in aluminum foil, bread will keep in a freezer for up to four months.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Whole wheat sandwich bread recipe by the wood and spoon blog by kate wood. This is a fluffy, healthy, 100% whole wheat sandwich bread that is fluffy and mild tasting. This is a homemade bread good for kids to eat. Makes great toast and sandwiches. Made soft with vital wheat germ. Naturally sweetened with honey. Find the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Everyone has their things.

Growing up, my mom was a stickler for writing thank you notes.

If someone gave you a birthday present, you wrote a thank you. If someone gave you graduation money, you wrote a thank you. Heck, if someone gave you a piece of gum or shared a glass of water, that was probably worth a note too.

My dad had his things as well. He believed in waking with the sun. Sleeping in, according to him, was a waste of perfectly good morning hours and an obvious sign of laziness.  So on Saturday mornings around 6:30 a.m., he would call up the stairs, “Good morning, Kate,” and I was expected to be downstairs ASAP. This was incredibly painful for 14 year old me as I had probably stayed up till 2 am watching reruns of “Saved By The Bell” or “TRL” (I see you, Carson Daly).

photo of whole wheat sandwich bread

I remember, at the time, hating these things my parents believed in. I would complain about having to awkwardly write a long, drawn out note instead of just calling to say thank you like all my other friends did. After all, I had a super fancy, brand new Nokia phone, and it was good for things other than playing Snake… maybe, I think.

Similarly, I was always the weirdo kid awake at 7 a.m. at slumber parties and church lock-ins, laying in my sleeping bag for hours, pretending to still be asleep and not the girl whose stomach was growling in protest from the delayed breakfast hour.

I never really got my parents. Now, so much makes sense.

My abhorrence for thank you notes has been replaced with a deep spirit of gratitude. Scouring TJ Maxx for discount stationary or spending $5 on a fancy letter-pressed card  is totally acceptable to me because there’s something  so romantic and sincere about putting pen to paper.  In the same way, I am now a tried and true morning girl. A creature of habit, my recipe for a perfect morning (every morning) is 10 ounces of coffee, 1 tablespoon of almond coffee creamer, and a few moments of quiet before the baby wakes up and the opening credits of a busy day starts rolling.

Thank you notes and early mornings fit me like a glove. They’re familiar and feel good to my soul. They’re my bread and butter.

whole wheat sandwich bread

On that note, I have a recipe for you. This is my go-to recipe for whole wheat sandwich bread. It’s excellent toasted with peanut butter and honey, and equally delicious with thick slices of tomato, cheese, and basil sandwiched in between. It’s 100% fluffy, moist, and (hooray!) whole wheat.  If you’ve never made bread before, this is a great recipe to start with as no bread machine or stand mixer with dough hook is required.

Read the instructions carefully before starting and make sure you set aside enough time for the proper rise. If you don’t let you bread rise enough prior to baking, you won’t get the height and fluff we’re looking for here. And let’s be honest- bread without fluff? Why bother? 

Watch this quick tutorial for a how-to on shaping sandwich bread loaves if you need the run down.

 

Print

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

100% whole wheat sandwich bread that is super simple, slightly sweet, and totally delicious.

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 90
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (240 mL) warm water
  • 2 teaspoons (10 gm) active dy yeast
  • 11/4 cup (300 mL) milk (I use 2%), room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) honey
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) light oil (canola, vegetable, or extra light olive oil)
  • 5 cups (600 gm) of whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons (20 gm) of vital wheat gluten
  • 1 tablespoon (20 gm) salt

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over the water and allow to dissolve, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the milk, honey and oil. Add 2 cups of the flour, salt, and gluten, stirring just until combined. Add the remaining flour and stir until dough is a fairly uniform, shaggy dough.
  3. Allow the dough to rest 30 minutes.
  4. In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment (or by hand, if preferred) knead dough until dough is smooth and only slightly tacky, about 7-8 minutes. If dough is too sticky, add up to 1/2 cup of additional whole wheat flour.
  5. Spray a large bowl lightly with baking spray and place dough inside, covering tightly with a sheet of Saran wrap. Allow to rest in a warm spot for about 1-1/2 hours, or until dough has risen and is approximately double in size.
  6. Once risen, remove dough from bowl and separate in to two equal pieces, handling the dough as little as possible. Gently form the dough balls in to small loaf shapes.
  7. Place dough in to two separate loaf pans (8.5″ X 4.5″ X 2.75″) that have been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with Saran wrap and allow to rise again for about 45 minutes, or until the dough has just barely risen over the top of the pan. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  8. Once risen, place loaves in the oven and immediately decrease the heat to 375 degrees. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until loaves have browned and sound hollow when tapped on the top.
  9. Allow to cool in pan for ten minutes and then remove to finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Notes

  • It is vital that bread rises well prior to being baked. If your bread is not rising well, place loaves in a slightly warmer spot in your kitchen. I let my bread rise next to a warm oven.
  • Allow bread to cool completely prior to slicing.
  • Bread will keep on the counter for several days but will keep best in the refrigerator for up to 6-7 days. There’s no preservatives in this stuff so it won’t last as long as your supermarket bread- eat fast!
  • Wrapped securely in aluminum foil, bread will keep in a freezer for up to four months.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

SOMETHING SWEET FOR YOU

Sign up to get new Wood & Spoon blog posts delivered straight to your inbox!
Enter your email address