Last weekend we went camping, I was getting ready to make a loaf of bread to take with us for our lunches and decided I wanted something with a little more tooth to it. Going into the mountains, planning on lots of hiking, made me want a bread that would really give me tons of nutrients. So I opened my pantry and pulled out every grain, oat, and seed that I had in there. I thought about calling it “kitchen sink” bread because that’s how I was feeling when I just kept adding bits of everything I could find. I am so glad I didn’t let it stop me… because this whole grain seed bread is AMAZING!
Seriously, I am so addicted to the soft chewy bread full of grains and oats and seeds. It isn’t a heavy bread like so many can be, it just has a nice tooth to it. It was perfect for making sandwiches, or just slathering it with some PB&J or even just jelly. Tonight for dinner we used it for our chicken salad sandwiches and loved it all over again.
I used my favorite whole wheat sandwich bread recipe to start out. And the method is very similar so I am not going into crazy detail about my process. Go ahead and read this very picture heavy post for all the tips and tricks I have to share about making the perfect loaf of bread, then come back here and see how I made it even better with lots of delicious goodness 🙂
Please don’t be scared off by the long list of ingredients. The best part of this bread, you can use what you have, just add a little extra so you can balance out the total volume. It’s a surprisingly forgiving bread once you get the basics down 🙂
To start, you will put 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/3 cup vital wheat gluten and 1 1/4 Tbsp active dry yeast into the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix it all together and then add in 2 1/2 cups of warm (125-130 degrees) whey. I have been using whey in all my bread making since I have it in my fridge left over from making my own Greek yogurt. But if you don’t have it, go ahead and use water. It’s still delicious! Beat the mixture on medium for 1 full minute. It should start to get stringy. Then cover with a clean towel and let it rest for 10 minutes, until it’s all bubbly.
While it rests, go ahead and toast your rolled oats and steel cut oats. I put 1/2 cup rolled oats and 1/4 cup steel cut oats into a pan on the stove and turn it to medium high. Then I shake it around frequently while the oats warm and toast. It will take about 3 minutes. You will know when they are done when they start to darken in color and smell nutty.
Then you will want to make some oat flour if you don’t already have some. I do this by throwing a couple cups into my blender or food processor and giving it a whirl until it resembles flour. I usually do a couple big batches and store it in an airtight container in the pantry. Adding the oat flour into pancakes, muffins, and cookies can give them a fun nutty texture.
When the bread is done resting, add in 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 Tbsp salt, and 1 1/4 Tbsp bottled lemon juice. Mix it all together then beat again for 1 minute at medium speed.
Now is where we get a little crazy… add 1/2 cup oat flour, 1/4 cup ground flax meal, and 1/4 cup wheat germ to your dough. Mix it in good then it’s time to switch out your paddle with your dough hook. 
Mix your toasted oats, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, 2 Tbsp chia seeds and 2 Tbsp flax seeds in a small bowl. Then pull out 1/4 cup of this mixture and set aside. Add the rest to your mixing bowl and mix it together.
Now start adding in your flour. I start with 1 cup and knead that in. Then 1/2 cup, then by 1/4 cup or less until the dough starts pulling away from the edges. This mixture is very sticky and takes a little more patience to get it to pull away and knead into a ball. But just keep scraping down the sides of the bowl and be patient so you don’t add too much flour. This is how mine looked when I stopped adding flour and just kept kneading it while scraping the sides down.
Keep kneading for about 5-8 minutes. It will start pulling into a ball. This dough will not become as smooth on top as the other one because there is a lot of texture in the dough. But it will look very pretty when it’s all baked. This is how it looked when I stopped kneading it.
Now turn the dough out onto an oiled surface and roll out into a log. Cut the log in two with a pastry cutter or bread knife.
Move one section of the dough aside. Then pour 2 Tbsp of the reserved oat/seed mixture in front of the bread dough.
Roll your log of dough around in the oats/seeds until it picks up all of it and the dough is evenly covered.
Place it in a well greased 9 in bread pan and then repeat with the other half of the dough and remaining 2 Tbsp of the oat/seed mixture.
Place these in a warm oven (no hotter than 100 degrees). I do this by turning on my oven to preheat for 1 minute then turning it off. Then my oven is the perfect warm, draft free place to raise bread! Let it raise for 15-20 minutes in the oven until the bread is risen to just the top of the bread pan. Now turn on your oven to preheat to 350 degrees while the bread is still in it. Set your timer for 30-35 minutes (my oven preheats slowly so I need to bake it for 35 minutes). The bread will finish raising as the oven preheats, then cook.
When your bread is done, immediately remove it from the bread pans and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack. If you try to cut into your warm loaf, it will just smoosh the whole loaf. It will still taste good, but I promise, if you can be patient for a couple hours it will look good too 🙂
Now that is a loaf of bread that makes me smile!
I’ve been enjoying it with a little honey butter on it lately. Or toasted in the morning with smashed avocado on top! This bread is my new favorite bread and my kids love it too, win win!
A soft but hearty whole grain seed bread made with whole wheat, oats and a variety of seeds. Perfect for sandwiches or toast.
Whole Grain Seed Bread
Ingredients
Instructions
Susan says
I made this recipe, but have to say, that turn on the oven while the bread is still inside, is definitely a bad idea, I’ve made that before and ruined a amazing triple sized panettone a few years ago.. I’ve made it again today, and same, my beautiful bread fall off and flatten in the middle just like a cake, when you open the oven. Just keep the bread outside until the oven is hot enough to start cooking it! I’m waiting to see it inside!
Kati says
I do not open the oven after raising, just turn it on. Maybe if you do not open the door till baking is done it will not fall. Either way, you can raise the bread outside the oven and add after the oven is preheated, it just takes a little longer to raise that way. But the bread will taste amazing either way!
Renee says
I just tried this for the second time. The first time it came out like a brick. The second time it’s better, but when I added the flax meal and oat flour, the dough began to pull away from the bowl immediately and was very tough and dry. I still added another 1 1/4 cup of flour and then a tough more water, but it really never looked like your did before you began kneading. I turned it out and kneaded it by hand for about five minutes and the dough did not gain any elasticity. It rose a bit on the counter, but in the end, after the bake, it still rose only slightly above the bread tin. It’s still fairly soft but not terribly flavorful and certainly not fluffy like I see in your photos. I followed your recipe exactly until the problem started as noted above. Afterward, I tested my yeast and it’s alive and well. Any thoughts on what I might have done wrong?
Renee says
Please excuse my typos! That’s what I get for trying to type a comment on my phone… 🙂
Kati says
Ha ha! I cant type on my phone either 😉
Kati says
The only thing I can think of is that your flour might be dense and compacted. Try fluffing it up with a spoon before measuring it. This is one of the reasons professional bakers use weight because your flour can compact easily. If you don’t need to add the additional flour, don’t do it. You want a soft and barely not-sticky dough to give you the light airy bread. Since I grind my own flour, my flour is super aerated.
Renee says
Thanks for the reply! I actually mill my own flour as well and measure by weight in grams (many thanks to the Great British Baking Show!). Once the bread really cooled and I tasted it, it’s not too dense. It’s not as fluffy as yours, but it is soft and I really think the flavor popped a bit after sitting for a few hours. I’m going to try it again. I have a few ideas. I’m really trying to become more adept at bread and this recipe is so amazing. Thanks again for the reply!
Kati says
Ha ha! I have been binging the Great British Baking Show lately so I loved this! Once you figure out the recipe for your kitchen, you will be making it all the time! Good luck.
gloria says
can this recipe be made in a bread machine
Kati says
I have not tried it. But if I was going to try, I would start with mixing the flour, water & yeast and then letting it rest for the 10 minutes. Then place that in the bread machine and add the rest. Let us know how it turns out.
Sherry says
This bread looks delish! I saved it to my yummly recipe box, too. Thanks for sharing with us at Funtastic Friday. Please join us again this week.
Kati Farrer says
The bread is delish! Thanks for sharing, Sherry.
Nina Lewis says
This sounds outta this world delicious. I wish I had a piece of it to eat right now. I’m printing out this recipe so that I can make it. (Oh, and it looks beautiful, too!) Thanks so much for sharing at my Grandma Ideas Sharing Time link party.
Kati Farrer says
Thanks! I had to make another couple loaves cause I loved it so much, so I am eating it right now 🙂 I hope you get a chance to try it and let me know what you think.
Lou Lou Girls says
I absolutely love this! Pinned and tweeted. Thank you so much for bringing such a masterpiece to our party. I hope to see you tomorrow at 7 pm. We can’t wait to party with you! Lou Lou Girls
Kati Farrer says
Thanks so much 🙂
Cathy says
There is nothing in the world like homemade bread! 🙂 Yummed!! Thanks for sharing on MMM! 🙂
Cathy
Kati Farrer says
I agree Cathy, homemade bread is the best! Especially while it’s still warm with butter and honey, YUM!
Jenna @ A Savory Feast says
Making homemade bread is the BEST! I love when there are big seeds and grains in it like this. I’m a big texture person when it comes to food. This recipe sounds perfect for me!
Kati Farrer says
Thanks Jenna! I too love the added texture in the bread, that or a nice chewy crust of an artisan bread are the best.
Breann from Stop the Frown says
I am so glad I found your blog through #wineddown. I am bookmarking this page to make this bread this week! Thanks!
Kati Farrer says
Hello Breann. I’m glad you stopped by. I hope you like the recipe, it is definitely my new favorite.
Mandy says
This looks amazing! I’ve been trying to get into baking bread more often and my biggest reason for doing so is to get more nutrients in my bread. Love how healthy this one is!
Kati Farrer says
Thanks Mandy! There is definitely no lack of nutritious ingredients in this bread. I got as much good stuff as i could fit in there 🙂
Chelc | Inside the Fox Den says
Yum! I loved when my mom would make homemade bread growing up. It made the house smell soooo good! Definitely going to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday, hope to see you again next week!
Kati Farrer says
I hope you like the recipe Chelc. My husband loves it when I make bread too. Nothing beats the smell of bread baking 🙂
Sam @ DIY Just Cuz says
I’ve never made my own bread before but WOW that looks & sounds delicious. I’m so afraid of making it too dense..! Thanks for sharing, I got here from Show & Tell Link Party (: Pinning.
Kati Farrer says
Sam, don’t be afraid of making bread, it really isn’t that hard. Just err on the side of too little flour and you won’t have dense bread. This bread recipe is so great for a super soft loaf.
Sam @ DIY Just Cuz says
Thanks for the advice, I bet this kind of bread would be perfect for a gourmet-esque grilled cheese!
Kati Farrer says
It definitely works for a grilled sandwich, it’s not heavy enough for a panini since it’s a soft bread and would smoosh in a press, but I like to grill it with a couple cheeses and some sliced tomatoes! Yum.