Last updated on April 9th, 2026 at 03:34 pm
There’s nothing quite like the smell of homemade sandwich bread baking in the oven. Add in the richness of freshly milled flour, and you’ve got a loaf of bread that’s not only delicious but also packed with nutrition. This recipe is perfect if it’s your first time baking with freshly ground wheat and you want something approachable but still impressive.
Whether you’re making toast, sandwiches, or grilled cheese, this bread is soft, fluffy, and full of flavor, so much better than store-bought bread.
Why Make Fresh Milled Flour Sandwich Bread
Baking with freshly milled flour is one of the best ways to enjoy soft sandwich bread at its most wholesome. Unlike white flour, which has been stripped of the bran and germ, fresh flour keeps all the nutrition intact. That means more fiber, more flavor, and better texture in every slice.
I began my bread-making journey with store-bought bread, but once I invested in a grain mill, the difference was undeniable. Fresh flour absorbs more water, allows the dough to rise more evenly, and creates a nutty, full-bodied flavor you just can’t get anywhere else.
{This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full Disclosure Page for details}
Why You Can Trust This Recipe
As a homesteader and busy mom, I have spent years testing countless bread recipes in my own kitchen using fresh-milled flour, whole grains, and both traditional and modern baking techniques. I have experimented with various bread flours, including whole wheat flour and white flour blends, to learn how to achieve the best dough rise and perfect the kneading process. Whether using a grain mill, a KitchenAid mixer, or cast iron loaf pans, I have found reliable methods that consistently produce soft, flavorful homemade sandwich bread. Even if it is your first time baking bread at home, this recipe is approachable and beginner-friendly. You can learn more about my hands-on experience, from-scratch recipes, and practical tips for homesteading on my About Me page.
Why You Should Mill Your Own Grains
If you’re wondering if a grain mill is worth the extra cost, here are a few reasons why it pays off quickly:
- Nutritional Value – Whole grains keep their vitamins and oils until the moment you mill them.
- Flavor – Bread made with whole wheat flour or a blend of bread flour and fresh flour has depth you won’t find in store-bought loaves.
- Control – Choose which wheat berries to use for different flavors and textures.
- Shelf Life – Wheat berries last for years, unlike flour, which goes stale in weeks.
Equipment
- KoMo Classic Grain Mill – Ideal for milling large amounts of whole grains at home.
- KitchenAid Grain Mill Attachment – A more affordable option if you already own a KitchenAid mixer.
- Cast iron loaf pans or standard bread pans – These help create a consistent shape and crust.
- A sturdy work surface for the kneading process.
Ingredients
- Wheat berries (hard white wheat, & hard red wheat)
- Hot water
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Honey
- Salt
- Eggs
- Vital wheat gluten (optional)
- Instant yeast or active dry yeast
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Mill the Wheat:
Grind wheat berries into flour. For best results, use a kitchen scale and measure in grams for accuracy. (Reserve 50 grams of your flour for step 3)
2. Autolyze:
Add flour and hot water to a bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix briefly just until the flour and water are combined. Cover and rest for 15–30 minutes.
3. Add Remaining Ingredients:
With the mixer on low, add in the olive oil, honey, egg, salt, vital wheat gluten, yeast and lastly the remaining 50 grams of flour.
4. Knead: 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Use the windowpane test to check gluten; continue kneading until it passes. (see recipe card for more tips)
5. First Dough Rise:
Remove the dough from the mixer and allow the dough to rest in a covered oiled bowl until doubled in size.
6. Shape and Second Rise: Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and shape it into a rectangular loaf. Place the shaped dough into prepared bread pans.
7. Second Rise
Let it rise for the second time. The rise time will vary on the temperature of your home, buy typically about an hour.
8. Bake
Bake at 350°F until the internal temperature reaches 185–190°F. (Bake for 20-25 minutes before placing the thermometer into the bread)
9. Cool and Slice
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing into your homemade loaf of bread.
10. Storage
Keep bread in a beeswax bread bag or bread box at room temperature for 4-5 days. For longer storage, freeze loaves tightly wrapped for up to 3 months.
More Fresh Milled Flour Favorites
If you’re just getting started, this is one of the easiest recipes to try with fresh milled flour. Next, make this fresh milled flour waffles & pancakes or learn the basics in my getting started with fresh milled flour guide.
Tips for Success
- Fresh flour absorbs more water than white flour, so be prepared to adjust hydration levels as needed.
- Don’t rush the kneading process. Proper kneading is what develops gluten structure and gives your loaf strength.
- Always use warm water to help activate the yeast and create the right environment for a strong dough rise.
- Include an autolyze step whenever possible. Allowing the flour and water to rest before adding other ingredients improves hydration, strengthens gluten, and makes the dough easier to handle.
- Choose instant yeast if you want faster results, or active dry yeast for a slower, steadier rise.
- Keep a notebook to track what works for you. Baking with fresh milled flour often involves trial and error, and recording your results helps you refine your process over time.
Health Benefits of Fresh Milled Flour
One of the biggest reasons to switch to fresh milled flour and mill your own wheat is the nutrition. When you mill whole grains at home, you’re keeping the bran, germ, and endosperm intact, which means your bread is full of natural fiber, protein, healthy fats, and vitamins. Store-bought flour, on the other hand, is a highly processed product. The bran and germ are stripped away to extend shelf life, leaving behind a lifeless powder that is then “enriched” with synthetic vitamins in an attempt to replace what was lost. In reality, it’s just another processed food on the grocery store shelf, far removed from the nourishing grain it once was. With fresh milled flour, you know you’re feeding your family the real thing, packed with living nutrition and flavor.
Related Recipes
- Fresh Milled Flour Waffles & Pancakes & How to Freeze — fluffy waffles and pancakes made with fresh milled whole grain flour, with tips for batching & freezing.
- 4 Ingredient Fresh Milled Flour Whole Wheat Tortillas — soft tortillas made with minimal ingredients, using fresh milled flour for flavor and texture.
- Start Milling Your Own Flour at Home ‐ How to Guide — a how-to resource showing how to mill, store, and bake with fresh milled flour.
Variations
- Honey Wheat Loaf
- Seeded Sandwich Bread
- Cinnamon Raisin Loaf
How to Serve
This bread is perfect for sandwiches, toast, grilled cheese, or as a hearty base for French toast. Once you taste it, you may never go back to store-bought bread.
Resources for Baking with Fresh Milled Flour
- Grain Mill – I use and love my Komo Classic Grain Mill for consistent, fine flour, but other options include the KitchenAid Grain Mill Attachment for beginners or the NutriMill Harvest for a mid-range choice.
- Mixing Bowls – A set of mixing bowls with lids is very helpful in breadmaking and allows the dough to rise without drying out.
- Bread Pans – Stoneware and cast-iron loaf pans help create even baking and beautiful crusts, but metal pans work well too. [Add your affiliate link]
- Kitchen Scale – Accurate measurements are key when adjusting hydration for freshly milled flour.
- Bench Scraper – Makes shaping and handling sticky dough much easier.
- Notebook or Baking Journal – Keeping track of your recipes, hydration levels, and results will help you master baking with fresh milled flour.
- Instant Read Thermometer – To ensure your water is the right temperature for yeast and to check bread doneness.
- Books –
Easy Fresh Milled Flour Sandwich Bread (Beginner Friendly Recipe)
Ingredients
- 576 g. wheat berries 300 g hard white wheat, 276 g hard red wheat
- 1.5 cups hot water
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vital wheat gluten optional
- 1 Tbsp. instant yeast or active dry yeast
Instructions
- Mill the Wheat- Grind wheat berries into flour. For best results, use a kitchen scale and measure in grams for accuracy. (Reserve 50 grams of your flour for step 3)
- Autolyze- Add flour and hot water to a bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix briefly just until the flour and water are combined. Cover and rest for 15–30 minutes.
- Add Remaining Ingredients- With the mixer on low, add in the olive oil, honey, egg, salt, vital wheat gluten, yeast and lastly the remaining 50 grams of flour.
- Kneading Process- Knead the dough for 5–8 minutes. If kneading by hand, work on a clean surface and fold the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. Perform a window pane test to check gluten development. Continue kneading on low for another 5 minutes, testing again every few minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test. The total kneading time may range from 8 to 25 minutes, depending on your mixer, the type of grain used, and how quickly the gluten develops.
- First Dough Rise- Remove the dough from the mixer and allow the dough to rest in a covered oiled bowl until doubled in size.
- Shape and Second Rise- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and shape it into a rectangular loaf. Place the shaped dough into prepared bread pans, stoneware, or cast iron loaf pans work best, and let it rise for the second time. The rise time will vary depending on the temperature of your home.
- Bake- Bake at 350°F until the internal temperature reaches 185–190°F. (Bake for 20-25 minutes before placing the thermometer into the bread)
- Cool and Slice-Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing into your homemade loaf of bread.
- Storage- Keep bread in a beeswax bread bag or bread box at room temperature for 4-5 days. For longer storage, freeze loaves tightly wrapped for up to 3 months.
Elena says
I am brand new to baking with fresh milled flour and am trying this recipe for my first loaf! I’ve tried it a couple of times today, but am having some issues.
Roughly how long should it take for the bread to double in size for the first rise (and the second, for that matter)? I am using instant yeast (I’ve checked to make sure it isn’t expired!), warm water (about 100 degrees), and the dough is passing the window pane test. I let it sit for a hour and it basically hadn’t risen at all. My house is about 74 degrees. I am also just using hard white wheat.
Also, my dough seems to have many small, hard clumps of some sort. Any idea why that might be?
Thank you!
Amber says
With instant yeast and a 74°F kitchen, I’d typically expect the first rise to take around 60–90 minutes and the second around 30–60 minutes. With fresh milled flour, though, watch the dough rather than the clock. If it hasn’t risen much after an hour, give it more time.
The small hard clumps could be flour or bran that hasn’t fully hydrated. Make sure you’re allowing the dough to rest/autolyse before kneading and that all the flour is incorporated.
Since you’re passing the windowpane test, that’s a great sign! Fresh milled bread has a bit of a learning curve, so for now I’d let the dough tell you when it’s ready rather than relying strictly on the suggested times.
Rebecca says
I'm new at using fresh milled flour. This recipe is very easy to follow.
The bread is SO delicious, I make this recipe every week and we do not get tired of it. It also freezes really well.
Amber says
It does freeze really nicely! Glad you like it, thanks for sharing.
BB says
Can this be made to fit a larger Pullman pan? I'd need to increase the recipe by around 1.25x but I'm not sure how to handle 1.25x an egg. Should I stick with 1 egg or use 2 eggs?
Amber says
What size pullman pan are you using? In bread dough, it's generally better to round up rather than down because the extra egg adds moisture, richness, and structure. If the dough feels a little softer than usual, you can always add a tablespoon or two of fresh milled flour during kneading until it reaches the same consistency you're used to.
BB says
It's a 13x4 inch Pullman pan. For anyone curious, this recipe multiplied by 1.25 comes out perfectly using 2 eggs. When using the website's slider on "12 servings", slide it up to 15 servings, and that's 1.25x. It's easier to convert things to ounces first instead of trying to eyeball 1.88 cups. lol
Roxanna says
When I try to watch the video it won’t let me get past the ads. I’ve made this bread and it’s fantastic but I think I mess up on the kneading part and would love to watch the video for reference. Can I get it emailed to me directly?
Amber says
I will look into that for you.
Gloriana says
If I’m using only hard white, does it change the amount of flour I need? I’ve made this twice now following directions very closely and the dough is so so wet I have to add more flour to get it to come to a ball. It never passes the window pane test. And then the loaf is very dense after baking. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong!
BB says
I've made this with only hard white wheat tons of times. It doesn't change the amount of flour you'll need. This dough will always be really wet, but don't add more flour (this is why your bread is turning out too dense). What helps me is extending the autolyze time (or adding in a 10-30 minute rest period after Step 4, and then repeating Step 4). From what I've read, fresh milled flour dough will not pass the windowpane test in the same way that store-bought flour dough will, because the rough texture makes tiny rips in your windowpane. I just get to a point of "good enough" windowpane, and proceed. It's harder to work with and shape wet dough to go in the pan, but just do your best and it will turn out fine after baking!
Julie C. says
Making this bread was my first attempt at using freshly milled flour, and WOW, what a great recipe! The dough rose beautifully. The finished loaves smelled and looked heavenly, and the bread was soft and delicious!
Amber says
Yay! I'm so glad you had a great first attempt. Thanks for sharing your feedback.
Brie says
Can this be made with 100% Spelt or Kamut? I just made this recipe using all hard white wheat berries, and it was amazing. This was my first loaf with fresh milled flour, and the recipe was so easy to follow, I want to try it with the other wheat berries I bought. 🙂
Amber says
Yes! I’d start with blending them first instead of jumping straight into 100% spelt or kamut. Spelt has weaker gluten, so it can overproof more easily, and kamut usually needs a little less water. But both make really delicious bread once you get a feel for them. So glad your first loaf turned out well. Happy baking.
Karla says
Finally! An easy, understandable and delicious bread recipe! I’ve tried many others but this one worked to give a high loaf, beautiful and delicious. I’m throwing aaaalll the other recipes out! Thank you for an easy recipe without all the fuss and complication!
Amber says
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing your experience and kind words.
Betsy Parker says
This recipe is by far the very best FMF recipe I have tried yet. It is light, airy, and absolutely delicious!
All of my previous endeavors have tasted fine, but they were much too heavy and dense.
This is my new go to recipe, and the experimentation can now stop!
I cannot thank you enough for sharing this recipe!
Amber says
Thank you! I’m happy I could help and so glad it worked for you. Happy baking.
Vikki says
I don't use vwg in my bread recipes is there a substitute I can use instead? Also what size baking pans did you use? Thank you
Amber says
The VWG is optional; I use a 9x5x3 stoneware baking pan. Sometimes I make a larger loaf and 6 buns, and other times I make two medium loaves.
Sarah Kamel says
Of all the similar fmf sandwich bread recipes I’ve tried this has definitely been the best. Very, very tasty and nice big loaf. I had to leave in the oven maybe 10-15 mins longer than the recipe said.
Amber says
Yay! I'm so glad it turned out, and you liked it. Just to be clear, the baking time depends on the size of the loaf, and the instructions say bake for 20-25 minutes before placing your internal temp probe in the bread and baking until it reaches 185-190°. Hopefully, that was clear in the directions. Happy baking!
Laura says
I only have hard red wheat berries. will it affect the recipe if I use only one kind ?
Amber says
Hard red wheat will still work great it will just have a slightly more flavorful taste profile. More nutty and “wheat” tasting.
Crystal says
excited to try this!! other recipes I've seen say to strain out the bran flakes from the milled flour to help the gluten form. i notice your recipe doesn't say to do this! would love to be able to skip that step
Amber says
I think sifting defeats the whole purpose of milling your own flour. I have never done that and have good success.
Jess says
easy to follow and some good tips. my bread had to bake for almost 40 minutes to get to the right temp. at 25 it was only at 100 degrees and when I pulled out the thermometer it was not cooked. I don't know why I'm having so much trouble but I'm starting to give up.
Amber says
Depending on the size of your loaf or loaves and the kind and size of your pan will vary the baking time greatly, that's why I recommend baking to the internal temp, not baking for a specific time.
Dayna says
This bread was delicious. I made it just as written. I am wondering though would it still work if I put in less honey? We try to stay away from sugars as much as possible.
Amber says
Thanks for the question. Yes, you can reduce the honey and the bread will still work just fine. I’d start by cutting it in half, just know it helps with softness and moisture so the texture may be a little more hearty if you reduce it too much.
Amanda says
Great recipe! It came out so fluffy! I had to make some small tweaks to amounts and autolyse time since I live in Florida and the humidity makes such a big difference with all of the fresh milled recipes I’ve tried. But this has been my fluffiest loaf yet! Thank you for the great recipe!
God bless.
Amber says
That makes perfect sense. This is where your environment and the type of wheat you’re using can vary from person to person. Knowing what the dough should look and feel like will help you make those adjustments with confidence.
Claudia MacKenzie says
It turned out not bad for my first try. Will need to tweak it a bit, was quite sticky which is why I don't think I kneaded it enough.
Amber says
If you are kneading by hand try adding a bit of oil to your hands to help with the stickyness. Reach out if you have questions.
Katie says
I have made several fresh milled flour sandwich bread recipes and they never quite turn out. My kids RAVE about this and say it's my best ever! It tastes so good even without butter or any toppings. Soft and fluffy. It doesn't fall apart when you spread things on it. It's great. My go to now for ever!
Amber says
You made my day! I'm so happy your family loves it as much as mine does.
Betsy Parker says
This is exactly my experience! I am so thrilled to be able to make a soft FMF loaf!
Amber says
Thank you for sharing! I’m so glad you had a good experience.
Sandy says
Great recipe! My bread turned out light, fluffy, and rose beautifully—it looked amazing. The taste was really good overall. I did have a quick question: while baking, the top was getting pretty brown, even though the inside had not reached the correct temperature at about 45 minutes.
I also noticed a slight yeast taste—could that be from not baking it long enough, or something else?
Other than that, it turned out great. The only downside is that it disappeared fast—we had six people, and it was gone in one day!
Amber says
I'm so glad you liked it! Did you make one large loaf? You certainly can, but you will have a much darker crust. I prefer a lighter crust, so I make two smaller loaves or a medium loaf and six buns, depending on what's on the menu for the week. As for the yeast taste, I don't have any insight, but I’d be curious if it happens again next time.
Athena says
My loaf deflated every time I try this recipe, any thoughts as to what I’m doing incorrectly? Thanks!
Amber says
A loaf that deflates is most often over-proofed during the second rise. Try baking it when the dough is about 1 inch above the rim of the pan instead of waiting for it to double. Also make sure you've developed a good windowpane during kneading. If it still happens, let me know whether it collapses before baking or while it's in the oven, and I'll help you troubleshoot further.
Brenda says
I just made this yesterday, I followed the recipe as written but for some reason it just wouldn't rise in the bowl, my house wasn't cold but I finally put the bowl near a heat source and it finally did rise some but took literal hours to do, I ended up getting it divided and into the 8 x 4 cast iron bread pans and after another 1.5 hours I decided it was risen enough to bake, it baked for 35 minutes but after removing from the oven it did collapse down onto itself some and it is a bit dense and gummy. My instant yeast was brand new and fresh, not sure why this happened
Amber says
Use warm liquid (about 100 to 110°F). Dough temperature matters more than room temperature.
• Make sure the dough is soft and slightly tacky. Fresh milled flour absorbs liquid slowly, so if the dough feels stiff it may need a little more water.
• Let the flour hydrate. A 15 to 20 minute rest after mixing the flour and water helps the bran absorb moisture and improves the rise. Don't add anything else but flour and water in the stage.
• Don’t overproof in the pan. Bake when the dough is about 1 inch above the rim of the pan rather than waiting for it to double.
• Bake until the internal temp reaches about 200 to 205°F to avoid a gummy texture.
Fresh milled flour can take a couple loaves to get the feel for, but once you dial it in the rise and texture get much more consistent.
Julie S. says
Fantastic recipe! I've made sourdough sandwich bread for years but this was my first time trying a sandwich loaf with freshly milled flour. I can honestly say it's probably the best bread I've ever eaten. The crumb was perfect and soft! Will definitely make this again.
Amber says
Yay! Thank you so much for the great feedback.
Erin Seastrom says
the first time I made this, it was very salty (I use Redmond's). I am at 3900' elevation so I typically adjust for high elevation. The next time, I cut the salt by 25% and it turned out perfect. I also substituted dark maple syrup for the honey.
Amber says
I use Redmond’s Real Salt too. Does elevation affect how salty something tastes?
Erin Seastrom says
Not usually. I generally cut my leavening ingredients by 1/4 to 1/2, but I always make a new recipe exactly as stated so I know how it behaves, then adjust accordingly. I'm not sure why it came out salty; that is not typical. Thinking about it now, I can only assume that I got out of order and maybe added the salt twice.
Bambi Earls says
Thanks for this recipe! Tried it today and it's my first time using FMF. I used all hard white wheat. My dough was definitely more wet than I anticipated but I saw your other comment about trying a little less water next time and will do 👍 It rose beautifully!! I also substituted granulated sugar for the honey, as i didnt have any honey on hand. Its baking as we speak and Im sure its going to taste great, if how it smells is any indication 😍 I will come back and update once we have all tried it!
Amber says
Awesome, definitely adjust the hydration as needed, every wheat is different. You'll start to know what the dough is supposed to look and feel like. Great job, I hope it turned out phenomenal.
Katie says
I only have hard red, and soft white. Can I use all hard, red, or use hard, red and soft white together?
Amber says
You can definitely use all HRW. It will be a darker loaf and will have more of a “wheat” flavor.
Tatiana says
This didn’t work for me. 😩
It was extremely sticky and yet acted like there wasn’t enough water.
I ended up gradually adding so much (via my hands) that it probably doubled the amount of oil, if not more.
It was so tough it darn near broke my kitchenaid, so I had to finish by hand and after kneading for 45 minutes (not including the 10 or so minutes it was in the mixer) it still wasn’t anywhere near passing the windowpane test.
I finally just gave up. It’s rising now, for better or for worse. I have a huge 5” diastasis recti (ab separation) and I shouldn’t have kneaded it by hand at all, let alone 45 minutes, so I had to quit.
I used a different recipe with the same wheat and it finished in the mixer just fine so I don’t think it’s the wheat. That recipe was much more wet.
Amber says
A couple quick questions so I can help troubleshoot.
Did you do the autolyze step?
What type of wheat did you use?
Did you add all of the flour at once, or did you reserve about 50 grams like I describe in the recipe?
You can and should adjust water based on your flour and your home’s humidity. Not all freshly milled wheat behaves the same. A wetter dough is absolutely fine and often makes the bread softer and easier to handle.
If the dough feels sticky but tight, it usually needs more hydration, not more oil. Try adding water in very small amounts, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is smooth, soft, and only slightly tacky. Adding extra oil will not help gluten development and can actually make the dough feel greasy and harder to work with.
Fresh milled flour often benefits from a longer autolyze so the bran has time to soften. Even 20 minutes before adding salt and yeast can make a big difference in dough strength.
If the dough is not passing the windowpane after mixer kneading, it often just needs more bulk fermentation time rather than more kneading. I would not keep adding oil in that situation.
For a reset, I would suggest starting with about 1/4 cup less water next time, making sure to autolyze and to reserve the 50 grams of flour. After adding the remaining ingredients, add the reserved flour gradually. The dough should come together without issue.
If it is still slightly sticky, I lightly oil my hands and the bowl, remove the dough from the mixer, and coat it gently. At that point it becomes easy to handle. There is no need to overwork the dough just to chase a perfect windowpane. It is not critical with fresh milled flour in my opinion.
If you want, let me know what wheat you used and how long you autolyzed and I can help dial it in for your kitchen.
Summer says
Can you tell me how many cups of flour to use in this recipe? I have already milled the wheat berries and froze the flour.
Amber says
Two things: 576 grams of whole wheat berries is still 576 grams of flour, so if you have a kitchen scale, weigh it out as accurately as possible. If you don't have a scale, I would start with 4.5 cups, but you could need as much as 4.75 depending on the wheat variety you are using, and I still recommend reserving about 50g to be added after the autolyze stage. I hope that helps.
Erin Seastrom says
the first time I made this, it was very salty (I use Redmond's). I am at 3900' elevation so I typically adjust for high elevation. The next time, I cut the salt by 25% and it turned out perfect. I also substituted dark maple syrup for the honey.
Beth says
If you add the warm water to the flour and wait 30 mins, the water is no longer warm. Will the yeast still work? Do you keep the flour and water warm somehow? Sorry, I'm very new to the whole thing.
Amber says
I cover the bowl with flour and water while it's autolyzing. It is still warm when I add the remaining ingredients. You can mix active dry yeast directly into dry ingredients and let it activate during mixing.
Dawn says
What do you mean cover with flour and water while autolyzing? My mom’s bread recipe always had us add the yeast to warm water. Can I do that?
Amber says
When using FMF it's important to autolyze the flour and water ONLY, this should be covered for the 15-20 minutes. The active dry yeast does not need to be bloomed for this. It can just be added to the recipe.
Abigail says
Tried this recipe for the first time and it turned out beautiful and delicious my husband said its the best bread he's ever eaten. my only question is when you use Active dry yeast at what point are you blooming it before adding to the dough mixture ?
Amber says
Thank you so much, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! That’s the best compliment.
You actually don’t need to bloom the active dry yeast for this recipe. You can add it right in with the rest of the ingredients when you mix the dough. The warm liquid in the recipe activates it just fine, so there’s no need to proof it separately.
Karen says
This is my first time baking with flour I milled myself and this recipe was great. The step by step instructions were really helpful, especially the Tips for Success. I have no idea what kind of wheat berries I used. The store I bought them from said they are organic hard wheat berries, and they didn't know if they were white or red. (I am guessing they were red based on the pictures I googled). I had to use more water during the autolyze process (about 1.8 cups) and I had to knead the dough with my KA for closer to 35 minutes before it passed the windowpane test. I used a 9x5 metal loaf pan, because that was all I had, and I baked it about 35ish minutes. To my pleasant surprise, it actually turned out! Nothing ever seems to work for me the first time I try anything, but this did! Now mind you, mine does not look as perfect as Amber's but that is OK...maybe someday it will. I am thrilled with the results. Thanks Amber for this great recipe, it really helped me feel less intimidated with my first go at baking with fresh milled flour.
Amber says
I am so happy for you. I completely understand how intimidating trying something new can feel. The most important part is that you tried, and you succeeded. Even I have days when my bread does not turn out quite right and I cannot always explain why. It just happens sometimes. The more you bake, the more you will learn how the dough should look and feel. I have also noticed that hydration can change depending on the type of wheat and even the weather (humidity). Once you get a feel for it, making adjustments becomes much easier. Please reach out anytime if you need help.
Melissa says
Couple more questions 😉
Can I use hard white and spelt in this recipe?
Do you have any recipes that use spelt?
Amber says
I have not tested this recipe with spelt yet, but I have made it using 100 percent hard white wheat with great results. I have also successfully substituted einkorn in place of the hard red wheat, and the bread turned out beautifully.
Melissa says
This will be my first ever attempt at making bread from fresh grain. Can you explain what windowpane means? Also, just to make sure I understand what you mean by autolyzing, that is just letting the dough rest for 8-10min after adding the water, correct?
Thank you 🙂
Amber says
The windowpane test is just a way to check if your dough has developed enough gluten. You take a small piece of dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. If it stretches thin enough that light can pass through without tearing, kind of like a window, it’s ready. If it tears right away, it just needs a little more mixing or kneading time.
And yes, you’ve got autolyse exactly right. It simply means letting the dough rest but I would suggest 15 minutes minimum, I prefer 30 if I have the time, after you’ve mixed in the water. This gives the flour time to fully absorb the liquid and start developing gluten on its own. It makes the dough easier to work with and improves the final texture of the bread.
If this is your first time baking with fresh milled flour, don’t overthink it. The dough may feel slightly different than store bought flour, but that’s normal. You’re on the right track. Resist the urge to add more flour, just let it keep kneading and only add more if you absolutly need to. Using oiled hand also helps if the dough it is bit sticky.
Lisa Bradley says
This is a sill question, but how many loaf pans do you use? All the pictures are of 1 loaf, but the directions say put the dough in the prepared loaf pans.
Amber says
The recipe is for two standard 8 ½ × 4 ½ × 2 ½ inch pans, which makes two medium-sized loaves. For making the full recipe as one single loaf, the best pan size is a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. So it really depends on what size pan you are working with. I find that I prefer the color of the crust when making smaller loaves, but we like the size of one large loaf, which results in a darker crust to reach the ideal internal temperature.
Julie S. says
I have 9" x 5" loaf pans but this dough was too much for one. I ended up lopping off about a third of the dough and shaped it into a mini loaf. I may try putting all the dough in a 10" bread pan.
Amber says
Sometimes I make two medium loaves, sometimes I make one huge loaf and sometimes I make one loaf and 6 buns or rolls depending on what I have on the menu for the week.
Tammy S says
I came across this recipe and had to give it a try after reading your positive reviews and they were all recent. This was my 3rd attempt at FMF bread and your recipe was perfect. My hubby said I could make this all the time. Soft, fluffy and so easy to make. Looked like I’d been using FMF for years. Thank you.
Amber says
YAY! I am so glad you tried it and your family loved it! Happy Baking!
Jaclyn says
This was delicious but my dough was very wet (I added a little extra flour too). And it didn’t really rise at all. So tastes good, nice and soft, but a very short loaf. What could I do different? I only have hard white so I used only that. Also, I only had active dry yeast, not instant so that’s what I used. Thanks!
Amber says
I also use active dry yeast. I’d start by using a little less water in the first step. Every grain absorbs hydration a bit differently, so try decreasing the water by about 3/4 tablespoon to start.
Next, double-check that your yeast is still good. I store mine in the freezer for long-term storage and keep a small amount in the fridge for regular use.
Lastly, if your oven has a proof setting, that can be really helpful when it’s cold. If not, simply turning the oven light on and proofing the dough inside often works just as well. -Amber
Jaclyn says
Awesome - thank you!! I had just bought the yeast but I’ll try these other tips!
Debbie Campbell says
Can you substitute melted butter for the olive oil?
Amber says
You shouuld be able to, make sure the butter isn't too hot. If you try it come back and let me know how it turns out.
Deann Higgins says
made this recipe today and my loaves came out beautiful, soft and fluffy. I am so excited that I found your page and this recipe, I was about to give up, as I have tried several recipes and all came out super dense. This is my #1 go to for sandwich bread moving forward.
Thank you....
Amber says
I'm so happy it worked out for you! Bread can be a bit of a learning curve however there are so many other ways you can use FMF. We also love tortillas, muffins and pasta. Thoses are much less technique sensitive.
Susan Moore says
Would this work with hard white and Kamut? If so , would I use the same ratio?
Amber says
Yes, I do sometimes use kamut (khorasan) in this recipe. Just be mindful that you may not need quite as much liquid, so add it gradually during the first step.
Deidre says
This seems to be a very sticky dough, if it’s kneaded longer, does it tend to become less sticky?
Amber says
If you find it sticky the wheat berries you are using might need less hydration, so use less water next time. Alternatly you can use some EVOO on your hand and in your bowl to help with the sticky dough. Two things I have found is not all wheat berries are the same even the same exact kind from one purchase to another and you really haveto learn how your dough should looks and feel.
Amber says
Fresh-milled flour is stickier than all-purpose flour, so start with a little less water — about 3 to 4 tablespoon less to begin. Every wheat variety needs slightly different hydration, and even the same brand can vary from batch to batch.
Lightly oil your hands when removing the dough from the mixing bowl and place it into an oiled bowl, turning to coat. That usually makes it very workable. I mix only until it reaches the windowpane stage.
Sharon says
I do not care for honey. can I omit the honey?
Amber says
You can, however, honey not only acts as a sweetener, but it also gives a small boost to yeast activity. It will still rise, but might be slightly less golden and slightly less tender.
Ginny says
I haven't tried this yet cause I want to make 2 loaves at a time and when I click on the 2x it give the total grams of berries to us but it doesn't break it down to how much of each kind. that amount stays the same as if you're making 1 loaf.
Amber says
The original recipe makes two smaller loaves with 300 g hard white wheat, 276 g hard red wheat, I just make one large loaf, however you can double that to 600g hard white and 552 hard red. I do see what you mean about the recipe card not breaking it down when you 2x the recipe. Thanks- Amber
Christin Dukes says
I made this today and it is so delicious. My husband said it tastes like Outback Steakhouse's bread. My bead looks a little darker than yours.
Amber says
Awesome! I’m so happy you tried and and got good feedback.
C Reese says
I have already milled berries how many grams of flour do you use.
Amber says
Milled berries equal the same amount of flour. If you mill 600g of wheat berries you get 600g of flour.
J says
This was my first time with milled flour and the recipe turned out perfect. Took awhile to rise but no problems otherwise. The consistency was amazing!
Amber says
I'm so happy to hear this! If you every have any questions feel free to reach out, fresh milled flour can have a bit of a learning curve.
Katy says
Will this recipe work with only hard white wheat berries?
Thanks!
Amber says
Yes, it will. I also like einkorn and hard white wheat.
Ali says
My question is why do you add yeast in later and do you let it bloom or do you just add in the yeast?
Amber says
You add the yeast in later because you are autolyzing the flour. You don't let it bloom, you just put it in the recipe with the other ingredients after the flour has had time to absorb the water and soften the bran AKA autolyzing.
Tracey says
Can I use the dough setting on bread machine then transfer to oven? I have issues with my hands. If so, do I use dough setting once to knead and rise, then loaf pan to rise again before putting in oven? I need help!
Amber says
You can certainly try it that way. I would still autolyze the dough so the flour has more time to absorb the water, and bread machines have a particular order in which you are supposed to add the ingredients.
Tim says
I've made some bread before with my flour mill, but this is the best I've made. Twas a good test of the used stand mixer. I just had red wheat and no vital wheat gluten and it still was the best I've made.
Flavor on point and soft and fairly light. The autolyze process seems to be a thing.
Amber says
Awesome! Thank you for sharing. Thank you for your comment I appreciate it.
ruup says
i feel the issues with hands. i use a bread machine. i put the flour and water in and use the "mix" setting, which stirs things for fifteen minutes. i come back about an hour later, add the oil salt yeast honey. then restart on the dough setting. for my machine that's a 90 minute programme but whole grain flour is always slow so i wait until it's over the rim, usually 2 hours. then i stir it down and empty it into an oiled bread pan, with a rubber spatula. let it rise about an hour. bake it off. i never use eggs as they're poison for me, but your experience is individual. Best of luck, hope this helps!