Fresh Milled Honey Oat Bread
This fresh milled honey oat bread recipe is surprisingly simple, incredibly nourishing, and unbelievably delicious. If you’re new to baking with fresh milled grains, this is a nice beginner yeast bread recipe that turns out great every time! Is there anything better than a loaf of cozy, hearty, fresh baked bread?
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Grand Teton Ancient Grains.
What makes this honey oat bread special
This bread has a special place in my heart. I first baked it on a snowy Alabama day (very rare!), and its warmth and sweetness captivated me from that moment on!
Flavor. First, the fresh milled flour has a rich, nutty flavor like no other (trust me). The added sweetness from the honey and richness from the butter makes it even more mouthwatering.
Texture. While using fresh milled flour makes this loaf a little more dense, it still has plenty of lightness and a spongy quality. So soft with a crispy outer crust.
Simplicity. Make this once, and you’ll keep coming back to it. It’s the perfect mix of simplicity but still a fun baking project when you want something a little more special and impressive. It’s perfect for toast, sandwiches, and more!
Nutrition. The nutrition of this wholesome honey oat loaf is unmatched thanks to fresh milled flour! More on this below.
Why use fresh milled flour in this bread recipe?
If you want more nutrition and flavor, fresh milled flour is the way to go. The flour on grocery store shelves has been stripped of most of its nutrients to keep it from going bad. But once you mill your own grains and taste that freshness, you’ll never go back.
Fresh milled flour is one of the richest food sources of vitamin E, plus it’s bursting with B vitamins and an array of minerals (over 40 different nutrients)! Learn more about how to mill your own flour.
Fresh Milled Honey Oat Bread Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delightful loaf:
- Wheat berries. I source mine from Grand Teton Ancient Grains, and know I’m getting the best quality. They use regenerative organic farming practices for the most nutrient dense grains. For this recipe, I use a mix of hard white wheat and ancient Einkorn.
- Rolled oats. Old fashioned oats are what you need for this recipe. We will be adding some inside the loaf for a nice texture, and also rolling the crust in the oats for a pretty presentation.
- Instant or active dry yeast. You can make this recipe with either kind of yeast. I typically use instant, but if you use active dry, just let it sit for 5-10 minutes in the warm water/honey mixture until foamy.
- Honey. I love using local honey, but any kind works.
- Butter. This is a great alternative to oil used in most bread recipes, and it adds a richness and delicious flavor.
- Sunflower lecithin. This is optional, but I highly recommend using it. In my opinion, it is a key ingredient for fresh milled flour recipes. It prevents the dough from getting too dense and adds a softness and lightness to the bread.
How to make this honey oat bread
This fresh milled honey oat bread is fairly simple and also really fun to make. See the video above and in the recipe card to get a better feel for it.
Step 1: First, you’re going to prep the yeast in warm water & honey if using active dry. With instant dry, you can skip this step and add it directly to the mixer with the other ingredients, if you prefer.
Step 2: Mill the wheat berries on the finest setting. My preference isusing 2 cups hard white, 3/4 cup Einkorn. But you can use all hard white if you prefer. This gives the bread a bit more structure, while mixing with einkorn adds a bit more nutrients and different flavor profile.
Step 3: Add all the dry ingredients to a stand mixer (if using) and mix. Pour in the yeast, water, honey mixture as well as the melted butter. Mix with a dough hook or by hand until it comes together.
Step 4: Knead at low speed (stand mixer) for 6-7 minutes or by hand for 8-10 minutes. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky but still hold together.
Step 5: Add dough to a greased bowl and cover, letting it do its first rise until doubled in size (around 60-90 minutes).
Step 6: Turn out dough and shape into a loaf, rolling it in oats if desired, and then transferring it to an oiled loaf pan.
Step 7: Allow bread to complete its second rise until the bread reaches the top of the loaf pan. This can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
Step 8: Bake in a preheated 375 F degree oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before slicing!
Substitutions & Recipe Notes
- Feel free to sub your choice of oil for butter based on your personal preference.
- You could also add a bit of molasses to this bread for a interesting flavor profile.
- Fresh milled flour can vary with the variety of grain used, so you may need to add a bit more flour or water to reach the right consistency. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Fresh milled flour absorbs more moisture than white flour, so go slow with adding extra flour and give the dough a little time for it to absorb before adding more to prevent dryness.
- Use warm, not hot water which will kill the yeast. Also ensure the yeast is fresh for a proper rise.
Storage & freezing tips
Bread stays fresh 3-4 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Bread freezes wonderfully for up to 3 months, so I like making multiple loaves at once and freezing several for later.
More fresh milled recipes to love:
- Fresh Milled Sourdough Bread
- Millet & Oat Double Chocolate Muffins
- Fresh Milled Yeast Rolls
- Fresh Milled Pumpkin Muffins
Fresh Milled Honey Oat Bread
This fresh milled honey oat bread recipe is incredibly nourishing with fresh milled wheat and unbelievably delicious with a touch of honey.
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups unmilled wheat berries , (I like hard white or a mix of 2 c hard white and 3/4 c Einkorn)
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast (1 packet) , or active dry
- 4 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 Tablespoon sunflower lecithin
- 1 1/4 cups warm (not hot) water
- Extra rolled oats (for topping)
Instructions
- Prep the yeast: In a stand mixer or large bowl, add honey, warm water (around 105 F), and yeast. Mix lightly and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- Mill the wheat berries: On the finest setting, mill the wheat berries into a large bowl. I like using 2 cups hard white berries, and 3/4 cup Einkorn. You can get creative with different combinations of grains. But using a good amount of hard white helps give the loaf more structure.
- Combine: To the flour, add rolled oats, salt, and sunflower lecithin and mix. Add the flour mixture into the yeast mixture. Pour in the melted butter as well. Mix with a dough hook or by hand until the dough comes together into a soft dough.
- Knead: With a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, knead at low speed for 6-7 minutes. Alternatively, you can knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes until elastic and smooth. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky but still hold together. Add a tiny bit more flour if dough is too sticky, or a bit more water if too dry.
- First rise: Add dough to a lightly greased bowl covered with a clean towel. Let rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes, or until dough is doubled in size.
- Shape loaf: Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a loaf. Flatten a bit and roll it up, pinching the seam closed at the bottom.
- Transfer: If desired, add some extra rolled oats to a small piece of parchment paper. Roll the top side of the loaf gently in the oats to coat the top of the loaf. This is optional, but looks really pretty and rustic. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and transfer the loaf, seam side down, into the pan.
- Second rise: Cover the bread pan loosely with a towel and allow to rise a second time for about 30-45 minutes, or until dough rises about 1 inch above the pan’s edge.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 375 F and bake bread for 30-35 minutes, until top is golden brown.
- Cool: Remove bread from pan onto a wire rack or cutting board to cool. Cool for about an hour before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Fresh milled flour can vary with the variety of grain used, so you may need to add a bit more flour or water to reach the right consistency. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Avoid adding too much flour, which will make the loaf dry and dense. Fresh milled flour absorbs more moisture, so be patient and let the dough rest a few minutes before adding more flour. Add just a spoonful at a time until dough reaches the right consistency.
- Storage: Bread stays fresh 3-4 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Bread freezes wonderfully for up to 3 months, so I like making multiple loaves at once and freezing several for later.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 78Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 65mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 2g
