Easy Soft Freshly Milled Sandwich Bread (100% Whole Wheat, Beginner Friendly)
This easy soft fresh milled sandwich bread is perfect for beginners looking to bake fluffy, 100% whole wheat bread at home. Made with 100% freshly milled flour, this recipe creates a tender, sliceable loaf that’s perfect for sandwiches and toast.
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What is Fresh Milled Flour Bread?
Fresh milled flour bread is bread made with milled whole grain wheat berries for a hearty, healthy bread with more flavor and nutrients than breads made with all purpose flour.
Looking for more fresh milled goodness? Consider trying more of my whole grain recipes!
For another beginner friendly fresh milled flour bread recipe, try my FRESH MILLED FLOUR HOAGIE ROLLS RECIPE!
Want a NO-KNEAD fresh milled loaf recipe? Try this EASY, NO KNEAD ARTISAN LOAF!
Getting ahead of myself, if you are brand new to FRESH MILLED FLOUR, START HERE!
Wondering which wheat berries work best for specific recipes? CLICK HERE!
Ready to dip your toes into FRESH MILLED SOURDOUGH? START HERE!
Why you will love this Fresh Milled Sandwich Bread
- Soft & Fluffy – This loaf is soft and tender, yet holds up perfectly well to all your favorite sandwich toppings.
- 100% Whole Grain Goodness – Made with all Fresh Milled Flour, this loaf is packed with whole grains for a hearty, delicious loaf.
- Great for Sandwiches and Toast – Fill with your favorite sandwich toppings or toast and top with butter and honey for a tasty treat!
- Beginner Friendly – This recipe walks you through the process of making fresh milled flour bread step-by-step!
Tips for baking with freshly milled flour in your bread recipes
If you are brand new to using freshly milled flour, start here :Using Fresh Milled Flour in your Kitchen
Soaking:
Freshly milled flour has the bran and germ intact. This means the flour is at optimum nutrition however the bran and germ are like little hard pieces that cut the gluten as it tries to form.
Not soaking the dough will result in a dough that doesn’t form gluten as well. It will take longer to pass the windowpane test and the end product will be drier and crumbly.
The trick is to soak the flour in the water for 30 minutes to soften the bran and germ making way for proper gluten development and effective kneading.
Kneading:
Any bread recipe requires proper kneading for a good rise and for gluten develpment.
My recipes usually call for kneading in a stand mixer on speed 2 for 10-15 minutes with the dough hook attachment. This makes a soft and stretchy dough that will result in a much better end product.
The goal is to reach the “windowpane” test. This means you can stretch the dough very thin without it tearing.
Properly kneading freshly milled flour doughs will result in a better rise and texture of the finished product.
Rise time:
Freshly milled bread products tend to rise or ferment a bit quicker than their all-purpose counterparts.
Learning to keep an eye on the dough as it rises will make sure that it doesn’t over proof.
Typical rising times for freshly milled sandwich loaves are 1 1/2-2 hours for the first rise and 1 hour for the second rise.
Of course this varies based on the temperature of your home. If it is on the cool side this may take a bit longer. If on the warmer side, it may take a bit less time.
Look for the dough to dome when it is rising. It will become puffy and airy to the touch. This is the time to move forward with the recipe.
What you will need for this recipe:
Freshly milled flour:
For this recipe I used 1/3 Kamut and 2/3 Hard White Wheat. This makes for a very light loaf with a mild flavor.
You can use any wheat berry you choose. I will caution you that using Einkorn is a little trickier. Einkorn doesn’t like to be kneaded.
It will continue to get stickier the longer you work it. Here is my specific recipe for bread using Einkorn flour: Easy Einkorn Sandwich Bread
Water:
I use filtered water. You can use well water, as well. I would caution against using tap water because of the presence of chlorine.
Olive oil:
The olive oil helps with the softness of the bread. I prefer using olive oil in my baking because of the added flavor. You can use melted butter or coconut oil if you choose.
Honey:
This recipe calls for a small amount of honey for a touch of sweetness. It is optional.
Salt:
Salt adds flavor to the sandwich bread. I prefer to use Redmond’s Real Salt.
Yeast:
I use instant yeast in this recipe. If using active dry yeast you will want to first bloom the yeast in a 1/4 cup of warm water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it gets foamy before using in the recipe.
Sunflower Lecithin:
Lecithin is a natural emulsifier and distributes the fats throughout the dough. This will result in a much softer loaf that isn’t dry and crumbly. You can substitute and egg for this purpose, as well.
Step by Step Instructions for making this super soft freshly milled sandwich loaf:
Grinding the wheat berries:
Measure the wheat berries by grams (if you prefer cup measures, grind 4 2/3 cups of wheat berries). This is the grain mill I use and LOVE it: Nutrimill Grain Mill
Grind the wheat. I prefer grinding my wheat to a bread flour consistency. On my grain mill that is at the 11 o’clock position.
Mixing the dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the water, flour, olive oil, honey (if using), and lecithin. Mix until just combined.
Soaking the flour:
Cover and allow to soak for 30 minutes.
This is the stand mixer I use and it is a must if you make freshly milled bread recipes: Nutrimill Mixer
Kneading the dough:
After 30 minutes add the salt and yeast and start the kneading process. I knead on speed 2 for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is soft and stretchy.
A NOTE ABOUT WINDOW PANE TEST
Depending on the sourcing of your particular wheat berries, a “window-pane” test may not be your best angle. Instead, knead for 8-10 minutes and check for the dough to glossier and have a stretch to it when you lift up on it. These visual cues can be much more helpful than waiting for the coveted “window pane”.
First rise:
Place the dough in a large bowl that has a bit of oil in it. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and place it on your work surface.
Second rise;
Divide into 2 equal parts.
Shape the dough into a log and place in a greased loaf pan. This recipe makes 2 loaves. I use the Lodge 8.5×4.5 cast iron bread pans Lodge Loaf Pan
I find the cast iron loaf pans to be the best. They are very non-stick and easy to clean.
Cover and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until it is approximately 1-2 inches above the rim of the loaf pan.
Baking the bread:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature is at least 195 degrees F.
Allow the bread to cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing and storing.
Frequently Asked Questions
One of the most common things that will lead to a dense loaf is adding more flour if the dough looks wet. Keep in mind that fresh milled flour will absorb liquid more slowly and will be less wet after 30 minutes. If you add flour to make the dough stiffer before soaking, you will get a denser loaf.
Hard white wheat and hard red wheat have the best gluten structure for making sandwich bread. Adding a portion of Kamut will lighten the loaf and lead to a buttery and nutty flavor with an airier crumb.
No. The soaking process will soften the bran and germ and ready the dough for proper kneading and lead to a lighter texture.
You can use an egg for the substitute with the similar results.
While you can leave them out, I highly recommend using one of them. The texture of the bread will be a bit drier and crumbly without it. Sunflower Lecithin is available in most super markets in the supplement aisle.
Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing. Store in plastic or fabric bread bags. This bread will store at room temperature for 5-7 days. I prefer to place one loaf in the freezer. The bread freezes remarkably well and tastes just as fresh when thawed. The night before you will need it simply place it on the counter to thaw.
Yes, you can use store bought whole grain flour. The steps will be the same.
Storage Tips:
This 100% whole wheat bread will store at room temperature in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to a week.
For longer storage, freeze after slicing in a freezer safe bag for up to 3-4 months.
Super Soft Freshly Milled Sandwich Bread
This freshly milled loaf is slightly sweet and super soft! It's full of nutrition and has the best flavor!
Ingredients
- 900 grams wheat berries (7 cups freshly milled flour)
- 500 grams lukewarm water (2 1/4 cups)
- 50 grams olive oil (1/4 cup)
- 20 grams honey (2 tbsp) optional
- 10 grams salt (2 tsp)
- 10 grams yeast (1 tbsp)
- 2 tablespoons Sunflower Lecithin. May substitute an egg.
Instructions
- Weigh out and grind the wheat berries. If using measurements, grind 4 2/3 cups of wheat berries.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add the lukewarm water, flour, olive oil, honey, and lecithin or egg.
- Mix until combined.
- Cover and allow to soak for 30 minutes.
- Add the salt and yeast.
- Start kneading on speed 2.
- Allow to knead for 10-15 minutes or until soft and stretchy.
- Place dough in a lightly greased large bowl and cover.
- Allow to rise 1-1 1/2 hours or until doubled.
- Punch down the dough and place on your work surface.
- Divide into 2 equal parts.
- Roll out the dough and shape into a log shape.
- Place into 2 greased loaf pans.
- Cover and allow to rise until they are 1-2 inches above the rim of the loaf pans.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until internal temperature is at least 195 degrees F.
- Cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.
- Store at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container or plastic bag.
- Store in in the freezer in a freezer safe bag for up to 3-4 months.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 24 Serving Size 1 sliceAmount Per Serving Calories 145Total Fat 4.3gSaturated Fat 0.6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3.5gCholesterol 0mgSodium 175mgCarbohydrates 22gFiber 3gSugar 1.0gProtein 4.5g
This website provides recipes and calculates the nutritional value to best of our ability. There may be slight variations in nutritional value based upon the alternative ingredients you may have on hand to use.
I have a Kitchenaid Professional 6 quart Bowl Lift Mixer. Would this work to knead this dough? If so, do you know what speed I would use?
It is speed two on kitchen aid with dough hooks . you will have to scrape I find that it doesn’t do a very good job and leaves un mixed flour on bottom. My b day was in june my hubby bought me a artiste and a mill so I can follow Mary better.
Yes, I would use speed 2
Can you do this with sourdough starter instead of yeast? what would the substitution be?
I recently received a KA mill attachment. My first attempt was a major flop. I made this recipe yesterday and everyone approved. Thank you for sharing this recipe! Do you have a recipe for rolls or could this recipe modified to make rolls?
I do have a roll recipe! Just search sourdough rolls. I have one for fresh milled flour and one for all purpose. I’m so glad everyone liked it!
Mary Rose, Wow that was a quick reply. Happy new year and thank you so much! I’m super excited to try it! Have a blessed day!
I am wondering if I use a egg do I have to use less water?
No, use the same amount of water.
under ingredients it says 7 cups fresh milled wheat flour from berries. but in directions it says 4 2/3 cup so im confused. I have 2- 2 lb loaf pans how much flour so I need? thanks
So, 4 2/3 cups of wheat berries will grind into 7 cups of flour. I hope that helps!
I am brand new to fresh milled flour. In fact this was the first ever recipe I’ve ever done. I didn’t have Kamut but I did have Spelt. So I did 1/3 Spelt and 2/3 the Hard white.
My bread turned out amazing, it was soft, delicious and we fought over pieces. This recipe was easy to follow and to understand. I really appreciated it. The Window Pane test and I didn’t get along but it was stretchy!
I had two loaf pans that were different. 1 had tall sides one was short but wider. Both pans worked great.
Do you know why the bread fell when I cooked it? Not horrible but it certainly isn’t like your picture!
This can happen when either it rose a bit too long and lost its rising power in the oven or during shaping a hole was just under the crust and caused it to collapse.
is the yeast instant or regular?
You can use either, but I usually go with Instant Yeast.
I just made this yesterday. The bread is so soft and has a delicious taste! And such a pretty golden color too. This is my new favorite bread recipe!
I don’t have fresh milled flour. How do I adapt this recipe for the use of a good quality unbleached bread or all purpose flour? I looked so yummy!!!
I have a recipe just for all purpose flour. Here’s the link: https://therosehomestead.com/the-perfect-white-sandwich-loaf/
I thought I was going to have to throw out my dough🤦🏻♀️The worst consistency I have ever made but I continued on and even though they fell in the oven the flavor and texture was great! I used hard red, hard white & spelt. Thanks!
My first try at fresh milled flour. I used hard white wheat berries! It turned out amazing!
I’m so glad it turned out good!
I am confused about measurements, could you clarify? You say to way out 7 cups and 700 grams but then you say to grind and add 4 2/3 cups later. Help please!
So, the 2 different methods are weighing and measuring. For weighing it’s 900 grams wheat berries. If measuring it is 4 2/3 cups wheat berries. I put both in so if you don’t have a scale, you can still make it. It all comes out to the same amount of flour when ground. It’s just that weighing the wheat berries will give more consistent results.
Have you even tried making this into French bread shape? do you think it would work? maybe 4 French loaves? only bake for 25 or 30 minutes?
I haven’t tried, but feel certain you could do that with no problems. If you try it, please let me know!
I did it! just did 2 loaves. they were huge and fluffy! husband said it’s the best bread I have made so far. if you use French bread pan probably would need to split into 3 or 4 loaves. I also added about 2 T of vital wheat gluten and did the egg instead of lecithin.
When do you put the flour in? Do you put all the flour in at one time?
You put it all in at one time and let it soak before kneading.
Hi, I have a zojirushi bread machine. Do you know if it would be possible to make this in that machine? Just thought I would ask! Thank you!!
I would think that will work just fine. I would add liquids first, then the flour, salt, and make a well in the flour and add the yeast. Then set it to program for yeast bread. This does make 2 loaves, but, if I’m not mistaken, the Zojirushi makes a 2 loaf recipe. Please let me know if this works and I will make a note on the recipe post.
did you ever try this in the bread machine?? I was going to see if I could figure it out but saw your comment and thought I’d see if it worked.
I am currently working this recipe out in the bread machine and will make a separate post very soon with the adjustments needed. So far, it looks like it’s going to be so good!
Hi Mary, I was wondering whether to use powdered or liquid sunflower lecithin.
Thanks,
Steve
I use the powder. You’re welcome!
I just completed this bread with the same berries. I can’t wait until I’d is cool enough to cut and taste. Thank you for sharing
I milled flour for the first time to make bread and used your recipe. I made sure to follow the directions and kneaded the dough like 18 minutes in my Bosch till it was soft and stretchy. I put it in a bowl to rise and let it rise 1 1/2 hours. It definitely doubled. Then I punched it down and split it and rolled it into logs and in greased bread pans. They barely raised and did not raise in baking. They were dense loaves instead of light and fluffy. I used part hard white and hard red. I can’t figure what I did wrong. My family likes the bread anyways
Question, how long did they rise in the bread pans and what was the temperature in your kitchen approximately?
I let the first rise 90 minutes then I punched it down and made 2 loaves I put in the pans. After 2 hours it rose to just a hair over then no more and didn’t rise while baked. We had the air conditioner set at 75
I love this recipe, thank you!
The flavor is great although I believe I over proofed since it didn’t do much for the second rise. Maybe I punched it down too much after the first rise?
I have a few questions since I am pretty new to baking. 😅
First, is it okay to add additional water if I am using active yeast or should I factor it into the 2 1/4 cups in the recipe?
When mixing the ingredients together, is it okay to use the bread hook on the mixer since they are in the mixing bowl or is it best to use a spoon?
Also, is it possible to make one loaf by halving the recipe?
Thank you!
I can’t wait to try again!
First question, is take the amount of water into account when proofing the yeast. I usually take 1/4 cup of the water, warm it, and proof the yeast before adding to the rest of the recipe. Second, yes, you can definitely mix the dough using the dough hook on the mixer. You can half the recipe for sure. I actually did that this week and made one loaf and it turned out great.
Love your post on making this bread! I’m new at this fresh milling, and I was wanting to know how many of the 900 grams of wheat berries are Kamut and how many grams are the hard white? I’m excited to try this bread! Thank you for your recipes.
I do 500 hard white and 400 kamut. I am making it right now! Thanks so much.
Hey! I see 7 cups in the recipe list and then 4 2/3 cups in the instruction. I did 900g but hopefully everything else correlates to that measurement!! Thank you!
Yes, they all correlate, the 4 2/3 cup of wheat berries is 900 grams which makes 7 cups of flour.
Thank you! Well I feel dumb 😂 makes sense that it’s flour vs wheat berries measurements lol
Can we substitute sourdough starter for the yeast?
You can, but I recommend using this recipe that is made specifically for sourdough: https://therosehomestead.com/whole-grain-sourdough-sandwich-bread/
my second rise was a flop. it didn’t rise at all. I will try again but ive not had any luck using fresh milled flour and its been frustrating. I am still baking them but I imagine it will be dense. any suggestions?
How long was your first rise compared to your second rise? Also, how old is your yeast?
I have finally found THE bread recipe I have been looking for! I have tried dozens of recipes, but this one came out perfect! Thank you!
Can I use butter instead of oil? When making sandwich bread does using one of the other produce different qualities (besides flavor) in the bread or are they interchangeable? Thank you.
Yes, you can use melted butter for this recipe. It will make it a bit richer in flavor. Either works just fine.
Hi. I read several areas of your site, and I guess I just misunderstood the measurements here and there, but I ended up with 3 cups of milled red wheat berries, and I did 1 cup of milled kamult. So I kind of estimated this as half of your recipe. Everything went great, and it rose perfectly, and I used my instapot to do the first rise which was perfect.
The taste was great.The texture is great, but I noticed when I began to slice it, it kind of started to crumble a bit, so I’m not sure what I could do to maybe change that, to make it stay together just a bit more, if you have any thoughts.
thanks
Thank you for the recipe. If including an egg, does the bread need to be refrigerated?
Can you use soft white wheat. And if so do I need to add wheat gluten or anything to it? What are your thoughts on adding vitamin c powder to dough for allowing bread to last longer?
Unfortunately, soft white wheat alone will not do well for bread since it has such a low gluten amount and a higher moisture level. You can add up to 1/3 soft white to hard white with decent results, though. I’ve never used Vitamin C to my bread so that is something I need to research.
Mary Rose, if I only have a hand coffee grinder, can I use that to grind the wheat berries and if I do not have an electric mixer, can I do it all manually, and then how long will it take and is there anything special that I should look out for?
Sure you can grind wheat berries in a coffee grinder, the flour will be more coarse, but it will still be usable. Hand kneading will take about 10-15 minutes. What you’re looking for is for the dough to glossy and stretchy. Take care to not add too much flour during kneading as it could lead to a denser loaf.
I’m not sure what happened for me. Followed the recipe, weighed everything out. Only deviation was I used 300g hard red/white/kamut. Using a Bosch mixer, milled berries on bread grind. Sat for 30 minutes to hydrate. I mixed for over 25 min (with lid off so it wouldn’t get too warm) and it never got a window pane and would tear apart. I’m going to try again tomorrow. Meanwhile I’ll have some $$ tasty croutons. lol
Try just letting it knead for 10 minutes and proceeding with the recipe. As I noted with another commenter, depending on your particular wheat berries, it can be harder to reach the coveted window pane test. The bread will still turn out just fine. The window pane lends to a better rise in the oven and a somewhat better texture, however the bread will still turn out without it.
I am on my 3rd attempt with this recipe and even after buying a new mixer (my KA could NOT handle the consistency) my dough STILL will not reach windowpane stage. I’ve been mixing for an hour and a half. I’m about to give up on this recipe and look elsewhere.
I would just let it knead until it is glossy and somewhat stretchy and move on to the rise. Depending on your particular wheat berries, it can be harder to reach the coveted window pane. It will still turn out just fine if you knead for 8-10 minutes. The window pane is coveted because it will lend to a better rise in the oven and a somewhat better texture. I sure hope that helps!
Can I just use hard white berries by themselves or do you have to mix berries
Can I just use hard white berries by themselves or do you have to mix berries
Absolutely! I made this a week or so ago with all hard white wheat and it was lovely!