Cracked Wheat Bread

This cracked wheat bread is hearty, wholesome, and incredibly satisfying. It’s one of the first yeast breads I ever made—adapted from James Beard’s Beard on Bread—and it’s still a favorite. The cracked wheat gives it a slightly chewy texture and nutty flavor that works beautifully for toast, sandwiches, or just warm with butter.

This recipe makes two generous loaves, perfect for keeping one on the counter and tucking the other in the freezer. It’s sturdy enough for everyday sandwiches, but it also feels special sliced thick and served warm with butter, honey, or jam. If you’ve only ever made basic white bread, this is a great step toward heartier, more flavorful loaves without adding a lot of extra work.

What You’ll Like About This Recipe

• Hearty but still soft. The combination of cracked wheat, whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour gives the bread a satisfying chew and nutty flavor while keeping the crumb tender enough for slices, toast, and sandwiches.
• Simple ingredients, big flavor. Pantry staples like butter, milk, molasses, and honey turn a basic yeast dough into a richly flavored loaf with natural sweetness and a deep golden crust.
• Flexible to mix and knead. You can stir the dough together by hand and knead it on the counter, or let your stand mixer with a dough hook do most of the work, so it fits whatever equipment you have.
• Versatile for everyday meals. This bread is just as good at the breakfast table as it is alongside soups, stews, or salads, and it makes excellent toast, grilled cheese, or rustic garlic bread.

Ingredient Notes

• Bulgur (cracked wheat) – Simmering the bulgur in boiling water softens the grains so they blend into the dough and add a pleasant chewy texture instead of staying hard. Use regular or medium bulgur; very fine “instant” bulgur will cook more quickly and may need a shorter simmer.
• Active dry yeast – Gives the dough its rise and structure. Make sure the yeast is within date and that the warm water is just comfortably warm to the touch, not hot, so you don’t damage the yeast.
• Butter – Softened butter enriches the dough, adding flavor and helping keep the crumb tender and moist. Unsalted butter works best so the overall salt level stays balanced.
• Molasses and honey (or brown sugar) – These sweeteners add more than sweetness; molasses brings a subtle, almost caramel note and a deeper color, while honey or brown sugar rounds out the flavor and helps with browning.
• Milk – Adds richness and helps produce a softer crumb and golden crust compared to using water alone. Whole or 2% milk both work well.
• Whole wheat flour – Contributes a pleasantly nutty, slightly rustic flavor and extra fiber. It also absorbs more moisture than all-purpose flour, which helps balance the cooked bulgur.
• All-purpose flour – Forms the bulk of the dough to keep the loaves light enough to rise well and slice easily. You may not need every bit of the flour; add it gradually until the dough is smooth and just slightly tacky.

Steps to Make Cracked Wheat Bread

1. Cook the cracked wheat in boiling water until the grains are plump and all of the water is absorbed, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
2. Proof the yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl until it looks foamy on top.
3. Stir the butter, salt, molasses, honey, and milk into the warm cracked wheat, then let the mixture cool until it feels just lukewarm to the touch.
4. Combine the cooled cracked wheat mixture with the yeast mixture, then begin stirring in the whole wheat flour and some of the all-purpose flour, a cup at a time, until a soft dough forms.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it becomes smooth, elastic, and springy, adding only enough additional flour to keep it from sticking. A stand mixer with a dough hook can handle this step if you prefer.
6. Shape the kneaded dough into a ball, place it in a buttered bowl, and turn it once so it’s lightly coated. Cover and let it rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size.
7. Gently punch down the risen dough, divide it into two equal portions, and shape each one into a tight loaf.
8. Place the shaped loaves in well-buttered loaf pans, cover, and let them rise again until the dough is puffy and just reaching the tops of the pans.
9. Bake until the loaves are browned and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, then transfer them to racks and let them cool completely before slicing.

Pro Tips

• Hydrate the bulgur thoroughly before adding it to the dough so the grains don’t continue to steal moisture during rising and baking. If it looks dry after cooking, stir in a splash of hot water and let it sit a few more minutes.
• Add the flour gradually and stop when the dough is smooth and only slightly tacky. Too much flour will make the loaves dense and dry instead of soft.
• Check the dough rather than the clock when you’re waiting for the rise. Look for the dough to double in size and hold an indentation when gently pressed with a fingertip.
• Shape each loaf with a bit of surface tension by rolling it into a log and pinching the seam closed. This helps the bread rise upward instead of spreading too much in the pan.
• Cool the baked loaves completely on racks before slicing so the crumb can set. Cutting too soon can squash the interior and make the slices gummy.

Recipe Variations

• Turn it into dinner rolls. Instead of shaping two loaves, divide the dough into smaller balls and place them in a greased baking pan for pull-apart rolls. They’ll bake a bit more quickly and are perfect for holidays or to serve alongside soups and stews.
• Make it sweeter. Increase the honey slightly and add a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough for a lightly sweet breakfast bread. This version is especially good toasted and spread with butter, jam, or cream cheese.
• Go dairy-free. Use a neutral oil instead of butter and swap the milk for water or a plant-based milk. The texture will be slightly less rich, but the cracked wheat still provides great flavor and chew.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm with butter, honey, or jam.
• Add to a breadbasket for soups, stews, or chili.
• Use for hearty sandwiches like turkey or roast beef.
• Toast slices and top with peanut butter or mashed avocado.

How to Store

• Room temperature – Let the loaves cool completely, then store them in a bread box, paper bag, or loosely wrapped in plastic or foil. They will keep well at room temperature for about 3 days.
• Freeze – Wrap whole loaves or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. For easiest use, freeze sliced so you can pull out just what you need.
• Refresh – Thaw frozen bread at room temperature, then warm slices briefly in a toaster or low oven to bring back their soft interior and crisp edges. Whole loaves can be wrapped in foil and warmed in the oven until just heated through.

Cracked Wheat Bread

Diana Rattray

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Servings 24 servings

Calories 136

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Course Bread

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Other TimeProof Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 55 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  

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• 1/2 cup bulgur, cracked wheat
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 pkt active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup warm water, 100 to 110 F
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons honey, or brown sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

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• In a saucepan, cook the cracked wheat in the boiling water for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking until all the water is absorbed.
• Dissolve the yeast in the 1/3 cup lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl and let it stand for 5 minutes.
• Stir the butter, salt, molasses, honey, and milk into the cooked cracked wheat.
• Cool the cracked wheat mixture to lukewarm, then add to the yeast mixture. With a large spoon or with one hand, start stirring in the all-purpose and whole wheat flour, 1 cup at a time.
• When the dough is stiff enough to work, turn it out onto a floured board and knead for 10 to 12 minutes, working in a little of the remaining flour as necessary. Alternatively, you may use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment at this point.
• When the dough is smooth and elastic, shape it into a ball and put it in a buttered bowl, turning to coat it with butter. Cover with plastic wrap, place in a warm, draft-free spot, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down and shape into two loaves.
• Place the dough in well-buttered 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans, cover, and let rise again until doubled in bulk or until it reaches the tops of the pans.
• Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on top and bottom. Cool on racks.

Notes

Adapted from Beard on Bread by James Beard.

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 408mgPotassium: 94mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 76IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg

Disclaimer:

Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.

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