Homemade Whole Wheat Bread with Nuts and Seeds

If you are looking for a healthy, high fiber whole wheat bread recipe, then you have to try this one.

It is filled with walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and more.

My hubby makes this bread recipe regularly and it is his favorite.

What is in this homemade whole wheat bread recipe

For this recipe, you will need:

  • all purpose flour
  • whole wheat flour
  • yeast
  • sugar
  • salt
  • oil
  • warm water
  • walnuts
  • sunflower seeds
  • sesame seeds
  • pumpkin seeds
  • poppy seeds

Optional ingredients I often use:

  • turmeric powder
  • oregano
  • rosemary
  • pecans

How to make this whole wheat bread recipe

Here’s a quick video on the steps for making the bread. Of course, you can scroll down and read all the steps in more detail.

Step 1: Before starting the bread, be sure your ingredients (namely the flour and seeds) are at room temperature. You don’t want to use cold ingredients here.

Activate the yeast

Step 2: Mix the sugar and warm water in a separate bowl. Add in the yeast and leave to proof for 10 minutes. If the yeast does not soften and form bubbles, it may not be usable anymore. Discard and try again with a new packet of yeast.

Mix dry ingredients

Step 3: In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients together like all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, walnuts, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin and poppy seeds. Here I also add in a dash of turmeric powder. But, you can add any of the optional ingredients. Make this recipe your own with your favorite nuts, seeds, and spices.

ingredients for whole wheat bread recipe

Bring everything together

Step 4: Add the activated yeast and oil to the dry ingredients. Knead to form a smooth dough. It doesn’t take long to come together and you don’t need to keep kneading it.

knead dough for homemade whole wheat bread

Leave to raise

Step 5: Cover and leave the dough to rest for 45 minutes. It should double in size by that time.

Shape

Step 6: Punch down after the proofing time.

Step 7: Cut the dough in half (it doesn’t have to be a perfect half) and fold one half of the cut dough onto itself to form a tight dough ball. Repeat for the second dough to form artisan shaped bread. Place them on a parchment lined tray. Or add them to dutch ovens. Both ways work well to keep the shape of the bread.

Step 8: Give each a couple slits along the top to make it look fancy.

shape and slot whole wheat bread

Bake

No preheating is needed in this recipe. That’s right you are baking from a cold oven!

Step 9: Set the oven to 375°F and bake for 45 minutes.

baked homemade whole wheat bread

Here’s a look at inside the bread:

whole wheat bread slices with nuts and seeds

Tips for making this bread recipe

This bread is pretty simple to make and, to be honest, pretty fool proof.

Be sure to have all your ingredients – especially the dry ingredients at room temperature – when making this recipe. If you are short on time, you can add the ingredients to the oven for about 5 minutes to warm them up.

You can also toast the walnuts and seeds before mixing them into the flour. Of course, this is not necessary, but toasted nuts generally have a crunchier texture.

If you don’t have the specific seeds or nuts I used, substitute with what you have or leave them out. I’ve often used pecans in this bread and poppy seeds are only a recent addition. I’ve also used a few teaspoons of ground flaxseeds in the bread.

So, feel free to experiment with what you have and what is healthy for you.

Next week, I’m thinking about adding dried cranberries to the bread. How do you think that’ll work? Heh! Experimenting with food is always fun.

More food please!

Whole wheat artisan bread recipe


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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread with Nuts and Seeds

If you are looking for a healthy, high fiber whole wheat bread recipe, then you have to try this one. It is filled with walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and more.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Proof time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: whole wheat bread
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 217kcal
Author: Ros Singh

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 11 g yeast (1 packet)
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • tsp salt
  • cup oil
  • 2 cups warm water
  • ½ cup walnuts
  • 3 tbsp sunflower seeds
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • ½ tbsp poppy seeds
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder

Instructions

  • Allow dry ingredients to come to room temperature.
  • Mix sugar, warm water and yeast in a bowl.
  • Leave to activate for 10 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients together including salt.
  • Add the activated yeast and oil to dry ingredients.
  • Knead to form a smooth dough.
  • Cover and allow to raise for 45 minutes.
  • Punch down.
  • Cut dough in half.
  • Shape each half to form a tight dough ball.
  • Place on a baking tray or dutch oven.
  • Cut slits on the top of the dough.
  • Bake for 45 minutes at 375°F (starting in a cold oven, no preheating necessary).
  • Remove from oven.
  • Cool before slicing.

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One Comment

  1. 5 stars
    This bread is amazing and so simple to make. I did add the tumeric and also toasted the seeds and nuts. Super.

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