Whole Wheat Seeded Sandwich Bread
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Nothing compares to the satisfaction of baking your own bread, and this Whole Wheat Seeded Sandwich Bread is a standout. Packed with whole grains and an assortment of hearty seeds, this loaf is the perfect combination of wholesome nutrition and delightful texture.
Each slice delivers a nutty flavor with a slight crunch, making it ideal for sandwiches, toast, or simply enjoyed with a smear of butter. This bread brings homemade comfort to your kitchen while providing a nutritious staple that’s perfect for everyday meals.
Why You’ll Love This Whole Grain Bread:
Nutritious and Wholesome: Made with whole wheat flour and an array of nutrient-dense seeds, this bread is full of fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats.
Flavorful and Versatile: The mix of sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds creates a deliciously complex flavor that pairs well with sweet or savory spreads.
Perfect Sandwich Base: The sturdy yet soft texture holds up to any fillings, making it an excellent choice for sandwiches or hearty toast.
Homemade Simplicity: Baking bread at home means you can enjoy the freshness and control exactly what goes into each loaf.
Gathering Ingredients:
Active Dry Yeast. Active dry yeast will work the best for this recipe as it gives the bread a fast rise time.
Brown Sugar. You can omit the sugar in this recipe, though it does help improve the flavor overall. You can also use any other type of sweetener in a 1:1 ratio to replace the brown sugar such as honey or maple syrup.
Sunflower Kernels.
Flaxseeds.
Poppy Seeds.
Sesame Seeds.
Salt.
Butter.
Bread Flour. This recipe is made with a high gluten bread flour. If you would like to use all-purpose flour, you will have to adjust the amount that you use. Simply watch the dough as it kneads to determine whether you need to add more or less flour.
Whole Wheat Flour. You can use store bought or home milled whole wheat flour!
How to Make Whole Wheat Seeded Bread:
Step One: In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together the warm water, yeast, and brown sugar. Let this rest for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the yeast begins to grow, or bloom.
Step Two: While this is resting, in a small bowl, mix together the sunflower kernels, flaxseeds, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds until they are well blended. Add about 2/3 of the seeds (50 g) to the bowl of warm water and yeast. Set the rest aside for use later.
Step Three: Next, stir in the salt and butter, about 1 minute. Then, begin adding the flour. Turn the mixer on low to medium speed. Stir in 1 cup (125 g) of the bread flour, then add in the whole wheat flour. Once these two flours have fully absorbed into the water, about 2 to 3 minutes, begin adding the remaining 2 cups (250 g) of the bread flour. Add the flour slowly, watching the dough as it kneads together, and stopping when the dough no longer clings to the sides of the bowl and has formed a single soft and pliable mass, about 5 minutes.
Step Four: Knead the finished dough in the mixer for about 6 to 8 minutes, or on the countertop with your hands for about 8 to 10 minutes. When the dough is smooth, bouncy, and elastic, shape it into a tight ball. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a warm, damp towel or plastic wrap and leave the dough to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
Step Five: Deflate the dough with your hands. Then, place the dough on a clean work surface. Press it out with your hands to about the size of a standard piece of paper, 8.5 x 11-inches (22 x 28-cm). Taking one of the shorter ends, roll the dough closed like a jellyroll. Pinch the ends closed and tuck them under the loaf. Then, pinch the seam closed with your fingertips.
Step Six: Sprinkle the remaining portion of seeds onto the countertop. Roll the top of the dough in the seeds, pressing gently so that the seeds stick to the bread. If you are having trouble getting the seeds to stick, you can brush the top of the loaf with a bit of water to help.
Step Seven: Place the finished loaf with the seam side down in the baking pan. Cover the pan with a towel or with plastic wrap and let the loaf rise until nearly doubled, or just peeking over the edge of the pan, about 35 to 45 minutes.
Step Eight: Bake the bread in the preheated oven for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the bread has turned a deep brown color and it sounds hollow inside when tapped upon with your fingertips. If you notice that the seeds are over-browning near the end of baking, you can tent the loaf with foil for the final 10 to 15 minutes of baking.
Tips for Working with Whole GRains:
Learn How Bread Feels. This tip is more easily said than done. It’s often difficult for beginner bread bakers to tell when their dough has absorbed enough flour, resulting in a dense loaf that won’t rise. The trick is in understanding what the consistency of bread dough should feel like. Bread dough that is ready to bake should look like a squishy pillow. It should be soft, pliable, bouncy, but not sticky. It should not stick to your fingers or cling to your bowl. It should easily pull away and be one with itself, but still soft enough to make indentations with your fingers that bounce back after a few seconds.
Understanding Different Flours. Incorporating different flours into your bread can take some time to master. Bread flour is a great addition for beautiful gluten structure in your crumb. Whole grain flours will soak up liquid more slowly, so you need less of them in your dough. I like to blend whole grain flours with all-purpose flour to ensure that my loaf still has a great rise.
You can read more about working with whole grains in this post!
Serving Suggestions for a Cozy Fall Evening:
This Whole Wheat Seeded Sandwich Bread pairs beautifully with hearty autumn soups like broccoli cheddar or butternut squash. Serve slices toasted with creamy butter, honey, or a homemade fruit preserve for a comforting snack. It also makes a robust base for sandwiches piled high with seasonal roasted vegetables or classic turkey and cranberry combinations.
Final Thoughts:
Making Whole Wheat Seeded Sandwich Bread at home is a rewarding experience that fills your kitchen with warmth and irresistible aromas. Packed with seeds and whole grains, this bread is as nutritious as it is delicious. Perfect for any season, it’s a versatile staple that will become a cherished recipe in your baking repertoire. Enjoy!
xoxo Kayla
Whole Wheat Seeded Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) warm water
- 2 1/4 tsp (7 g) active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp (14 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 3 tbsp (22 g) sunflower kernels
- 2 tbsp (18 g) flaxseeds
- 2 tbsp (17 g) poppy seeds
- 2 tbsp (19 g) sesame seeds
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp (44 g) salted butter, softened
- 3 cups (375 g) bread flour
- 1 cup (125 g) whole wheat flour
Instructions
- In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together the warm water, yeast, and brown sugar. Let this rest for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the yeast begins to grow, or bloom.
- While this is resting, in a small bowl, mix together the sunflower kernels, flaxseeds, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds until they are well blended. Add about 2/3 of the seeds (50 g) to the bowl of warm water and yeast. Set the rest aside for use later.
- Next, stir in the salt and butter, about 1 minute. Then, begin adding the flour. Turn the mixer on low to medium speed. Stir in 1 cup (125 g) of the bread flour, then add in the whole wheat flour. Once these two flours have fully absorbed into the water, about 2 to 3 minutes, begin adding the remaining 2 cups (250 g) of the bread flour. Add the flour slowly, watching the dough as it kneads together, and stopping when the dough no longer clings to the sides of the bowl and has formed a single soft and pliable mass, about 5 minutes.
- Knead the finished dough in the mixer for about 6 to 8 minutes, or on the countertop with your hands for about 8 to 10 minutes. When the dough is smooth, bouncy, and elastic, shape it into a tight ball. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a warm, damp towel or plastic wrap and leave the dough to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
- When the dough has finished rising, preheat the oven to 375° F (191° C). Grease a standard 5 x 9-inch (12 x 22-cm) loaf pan and set this aside for now.
- Deflate the dough with your hands. Then, place the dough on a clean work surface. Press it out with your hands to about the size of a standard piece of paper, 8.5 x 11-inches (22 x 28-cm). Taking one of the shorter ends, roll the dough closed like a jellyroll. Pinch the ends closed and tuck them under the loaf. Then, pinch the seam closed with your fingertips.
- Sprinkle the remaining portion of seeds onto the countertop. Roll the top of the dough in the seeds, pressing gently so that the seeds stick to the bread. If you are having trouble getting the seeds to stick, you can brush the top of the loaf with a bit of water to help.
- Place the finished loaf with the seam side down in the baking pan. Cover the pan with a towel or with plastic wrap and let the loaf rise until nearly doubled, or just peeking over the edge of the pan, about 35 to 45 minutes.
- Bake the bread in the preheated oven for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the bread has turned a deep brown color and it sounds hollow inside when tapped upon with your fingertips. If you notice that the seeds are over-browning near the end of baking, you can tent the loaf with foil for the final 10 to 15 minutes of baking.
- Remove the bread from the oven and leave it to rest in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling. Do not slice the bread until it has cooled fully, about 1 hour.
- Store this bread wrapped in plastic or a muslin bread bag at room temperature for about 4 days.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
2613Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
