Old-Fashioned Wheat Bread

This bread machine wheat bread keeps things honest. A blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flour gives the loaf a lightly nutty flavor without the dense heaviness of a 100% whole wheat bread. Maple syrup adds a subtle sweetness that sugar can’t match.

Canola oil and powdered skim milk keep the crumb soft and moist. There’s no butter or eggs in this recipe, which makes it a cleaner, simpler loaf that stays soft for days. The sea salt rounds out the flavors and keeps the bread from tasting flat.

This is a set-it-and-forget-it loaf. Load the pan, press start, come back to warm bread.

Kitchen Tips

• The whole wheat flour ratio here is low on purpose. Going higher than ⅓ cup in this recipe makes the loaf dense and heavy without adjusting the liquid.
• Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. The flavor difference is noticeable in a bread this simple.
• Add ingredients in the order your machine recommends. Most call for wet first, then dry, with yeast last on top.

Variations

• Swap maple syrup for honey for a more floral sweetness.
• Increase whole wheat flour to ½ cup and add an extra tablespoon of water for a heartier loaf.
• Add a tablespoon of wheat germ for extra nutrition and a toastier flavor.