Fresh Milled Sandwich Loaf in the Bread Machine

This fresh milled sandwich loaf in the bread machine is quite possibly the easiest bread you can make! Almost completely hands-off yet deliciously soft and lofty, you’re going to love how quickly you can have this fresh bread on the table!

If you have failed at making whole grain breads in the bread machine, this recipe is for you! No more dense loaves that don’t deliver that sandwich bread crumb you’re looking for!

Homemade bread has never been easier than this bread machine recipe!

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If you’re new to milling your own flour, CLICK HERE!

Want a sourdough version of the bread machine recipe? CLICK HERE!

Why use Fresh Milled Flour in your Bread Machine?

• Nutrition – Fresh milled flour boasts 40/44 essential nutrients and is packed with fiber making it the best flour for making all your bread items! You can’t get that with store-bought breads!
• Flavor – All purpose flour or white flour is flavorless and dead, but fresh flour is flavorful and hearty.
• Better for Digestion – Fresh whole grain flour has enzymes that aid in digestion and the high level of fiber aids in digestion, as well.

Which wheat berries work best for this Sandwich Bread recipe?

• Hard White Wheat – Hard white wheat flour is mild in flavor and light in texture. High in gluten and low in moisture, it makes a wonderful choice for sandwich bread. I recommend hard white wheat for beginners.
• Hard Red Wheat – Much like hard white wheat, hard red wheat has high gluten and low moisture, however it boasts more flavor and higher fiber.
• Kamut (Blended) – Kamut or Khorasan flour when mixed with hard wheat varieties lightens the loaf and adds a buttery, nutty flavor.

Ingredients you need to make this whole wheat bread recipe

Please note that these ingredients are listed in the order they should be added to the bread machine

NOTE: THIS RECIPE MAKES A 1 1/2 LB LOAF SIZE

• 1 cup warm water – Warm your water to around 95-100 degrees F.
• 1/4 cup olive oil – The addition of olive oil makes for a soft loaf. You can substitute with melted butter, melted coconut oil, or avocado oil.
• 1 tbsp honey – Although optional, the honey adds a bit of sweetness.
• 1 egg – Adding an egg will aid in the softness and ensure the bread isn’t crumbly.
• 3 cups fresh milled flour – I use 1 cup hard red wheat, 1 cup hard white wheat, and 1 cup Kamut flour.
• 1 1/2 tsp salt (spread on the outside of the flour) – I use a fine sea salt.
• 2 tsp yeast (make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast) – I used instant yeast, but you can use active dry yeast or bread machine yeast.

Gram measurements can be found in the printable recipe card below

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Grain Mill I use: NUTRIMILL HARVEST

Bread Maker I use: KBS PRO BREAD MAKER

Cooling Rack: 1/2 SHEET COOLING RACK

Step-by-Step Instructions for making Fresh Milled Flour Sandwich Bread in the Bread Machine

Mill the wheat berries

For best results, mill your wheat berries on a fine setting of your grain mill. I use the NUTRIMILL HARVEST to mill my flour. My knob is set on 9 o’clock for reference.

Add ingredients to the bread machine pan

Remove the loaf pan from your BREAD MACHINE and add the ingredients in the order that are listed. Liquids first, then dry ingredients.

When you add the flour on top, sprinkle the sale around the outside of the flour. Then make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast.

Choose the program

Return the loaf pan to the bread machine and plug in the machine.

Choose the whole wheat setting, 1 1/2 lb loaf size, and crust darkness, then press start.

Remove the paddle (optional)

After the first ferment there will be a brief stir to deflate the dough. After this happens, you can pause the machine, take the pan out, remove the dough from the pan and remove the paddle if you wish.

Shape the dough into a ball, spray the loaf pan with oil, and return the ball of dough to the pan and put the pan back in the machine. Press start to resume the last ferment.

I highly recommend NOT OPENING THE LID after the first kneading program as this can lead to a sunken top of the loaf.

Cool the loaf

Once the machine is finished baking, it will beep to alert you.

Remove the loaf pan and turn the loaf onto a cooling rack to wait until the loaf cools completely before slicing.

NOTE: If you chose to NOT remove the paddle, you will want to remove the paddle before cooling the loaf

Bread Machine Tips & Tricks for Fresh Milled Flour

• Do not use too much flour – Use just enough flour to make a soft ball of dough that pulls away from the sides of the loaf pan but is still tacky.
• Use oil – Fat is imperative to a soft loaf of bread, don’t skip this ingredient.
• Use an egg – Eggs help the bread to not be crumbly after cooling.
• Let bread cool completely – Your bread will be gummy if you slice it too soon after baking.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Sunken Loaf – This usually happens when your dough is too wet. For best results add flour until you get a soft ball of dough but not too dry. The dough should hold together and be tacky to the touch. Another reason this could happen is if you open the door to the machine while it is baking.
• Dense Bread – This happens because the there was too much flour added to the dough. If your dough is dry, shaggy, or you can see dry bits of flour, add a tsp of water at a time until you get a soft ball of dough that is sticky to the touch.
• Gummy Loaf – Usually this happens when you slice the bread too quickly and don’t allow it to cool completely.
• Crumbly Crumb – A crumbly loaf can happen if you don’t add fat or an egg to the recipe. Fats will aid the loaf to be soft and stretchy, not crumbly. Consider adding a tablespoon of Sunflower Lecithin if the problem persists after adding an egg and oil.

Storage and Freezing Tips

To store your bread on the counter, you have 2 choices. Slice the loaf after it cools and store in an airtight container or plastic bag for 3-4 days at room temperature.

Alternatively, you can slice a piece and store the rest of the loaf, cut side down on a cutting board or a piece of beeswax wrap in an airtight container until you are ready for another slice.

Freeze the loaf in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions