Sunflower Honey Wheat Bread

Sunflower honey wheat bread is a bread machine workhorse that bakes up tall, seedy, and sweet enough to eat toasted with nothing but butter. A hefty cup of sunflower seeds goes into the dough along with a third cup of honey, so each slice tastes like a fancy bakery loaf without the bakery price.

The blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flour keeps the texture light instead of dense, which is the common trap with honey-wheat loaves. Skim milk powder adds protein and browns the crust to that golden brown color.

The bread machine handles everything. Add ingredients in the order your machine’s manual recommends (most want liquids first, yeast last, so the yeast doesn’t hit the salt or hot water early). Press start and walk away.

Kitchen Tips

• Raw, unsalted sunflower seeds are what you want. Roasted salted will throw off the sodium.
• Check the dough after five minutes of kneading. If it looks dry, add water a tablespoon at a time. Whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid than all-purpose.
• Use the whole wheat cycle if your machine has one, it gives a longer rise that the heavier flour needs.
• Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing or the crumb gums up.

Variations

• Swap half the sunflower seeds for toasted pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds.
• Add a quarter cup of raisins or dried cranberries for a breakfast loaf spin.
• Brush the crust with melted butter the moment the machine beeps for a softer finish.