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Fresh Homemade Honey Oat Bread is great for sandwiches or toast. This delicious bread recipe is light and airy with a bit of texture from the oats.
Several years ago I made a new year’s resolution to strive to bake my own bread. I had always been a baker, but I was a baker of convenience. Before that I baked when I had extra time, I baked. I also baked when it was cold and snowy.
For several months I baked all our bread, but then after a year I fell back into baking when I had time. It seemed life got too busy and I didn’t have the time to bake every weekend.
Lately, I have gotten into the habit of baking most of our bread again. I truly enjoy baking bread. This honey oat bread is one of my go to recipes. It’s perfect for sandwiches or toasted and topped with honey butter.
Substitutions
Sometimes you might not have all the exact ingredients needed to make a recipe, but you still want to bake. For this recipe, there are several substitutions that will work.
- You can use all purpose flour instead of the white whole wheat flour
- Use one-minute oats instead of old fashioned oats
- Use canola or vegetable oil instead of olive oil
- Use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast – reduce yeast to 1 3/4 teaspoons of instant yeast.
How much time does it take to make homemade bread?
Baking homemade bread takes a bit of time. Well, a bit of planning and waiting time. Not a lot of hands on time. You do need to plan enough time to mix up the dough, let it rise, shape the dough, let it rise and then bake the dough.
I will often start a batch first thing in the morning on the weekends and by mid morning, my bread making in all done.
Plan between 3 and 4 hours from start to finish when making bread. Time will vary depending on how long it takes for your dough to rise.
What type of flour do I use to make bread?
This honey oat bread is made with unbleached all-purpose flour, white wheat flour, and old fashioned oats. White wheat flour is a lighter wheat than regular wheat flour. It is milled from hard white winter wheat instead of from hard red wheat. White wheat yields a lighter texture and flavor but is filled with all the nutrients you want from a whole wheat flour. If you don’t have white whole wheat flour on hand, you can use all purpose flour.
Why do bread recipes call for a range of flour?
Yeast bread recipes rarely list an exact amount of flour needed in the ingredients. Instead, a range is listed – 3 1/2 – 4 cups of flour. When making bread, the amount of flour varies from time to time. This depends on many factors – humidity in the air, exact measurements of liquids and flour, how compacted the flour is and more.
When making bread always add flour in small increments. Stop adding when you reach the final cup of flour. Gradually add flour until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Dough will still be a bit tacky, but not sticky. Be careful to not add too much flour or dough will become dry.
The more you make bread, the easier this becomes. And the more you make bread, you will realize that every time will be a bit different.
How to make bread in a stand mixer
- Add water, yeast and honey to a mixing bowl
- Let set for 5 minutes until mixture is bubbly or foaming
2
- Mix in oats,salt, oil and 1 cup of flour
- Continue adding flour 1 cup at a time
- Once dough forms a ball, mix on low speed (KitchenAid mixer speed of 2) for a few minutes.
- Add a bit more flour if dough sticks to side of bowl of becomes slack
- Knead for 10 minutes
Tips for making bread
- Making certain water is between 105 and 110 degrees
- When using active dry yeast, allow yeast to become active in a liquid for 5-10 minutes
- Preheat oven before baking
- Bake bread on the middle rack of your oven
- Allow bread to fully cool before slicing
Can this bread be frozen?
Yes, this bread freezes well. To freeze, allow bread to fully cool. I like to slice my bread and then place in a freezer safe bag. To thaw, let bread sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours.
Other great bread recipes
Don’t forget to PIN for later!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and take a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop.
If you loved this recipe you’ll LOVE all the others in this category. Check out all my bread recipes or this collection of bread here!
Honey Oat Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 - 2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
Topping
- 1/4 cup oats (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer, mix water, yeast and honey. Let stand for 5 minutes until bubbly.
- Mix in olive oil, oats and salt
- Mix in all-purpose flour.
- Mix in white whole wheat flour 1/2 cup at a time. You might not need all the flour. Reserve the final 1/2 cup to determine if needed. Dough should be tacky, but not overly sticky.
- Knead dough in stand mixer for 5 minutes
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least one hour, or until doubled.
- Gently deflate dough by pressing your fist into the center of the dough.
- Divide dough in two and shape into two loaves. Place loaves into greased bread pans. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Just before baking brush loaves with water, (or egg white mixed with 1 Tablespoon of water) and sprinkle with oats.
- Place in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for 40 minutes.
- Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove and place on a baking rack until completely cooled.
Notes
Substitutions
Sometimes you might not have all the exact ingredients needed to make a recipe, but you still want to bake. For this recipe, there are several substitutions that will work.- You can use all purpose flour instead of the white whole wheat flour
- Use one-minute oats instead of old fashioned oats
- Use canola or vegetable oil instead of olive oil
- Use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast - reduce yeast to 1 3/4 teaspoons of instant yeast.
Tips for making bread
- Making certain water is between 105 and 110 degrees
- When using active dry yeast, allow yeast to become active in a liquid for 5-10 minutes
- Preheat oven before baking
- Bake bread on the middle rack of your oven
- Allow bread to fully cool before slicing
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in March 2017. The post and pictures have been updated.
31 Comments
Valentina
May 5, 2020 at 2:05 pmThis looks like the most lovely soft texture. I would love to spread butter on it and just snack it up. 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
May 5, 2020 at 5:50 amYou always have such yummy bread recipes, Kathy, and this one is no exception. Honey oat? What’s not to love! I bet this one is so good generously smeared with butter! Pinned 🙂
David @ Spiced
May 5, 2020 at 4:52 amBring on the bread recipes! We’ve been making bread every week or so here, and it’s been so much fun. It’s a way to brighten the mood a bit given that we’re locked down. I love the honey + oat combination here. Pass me a knife!!
Jennifer
April 14, 2020 at 12:36 amI’m quarantine baking and haven’t been able to find flour. Like, in any form. All I have at home is all purpose…can you use all purpose for the whole recipe or is the 50/50 flour mix imperative?
Also, I’ve only got one bread pan so I’m going to have to bake each loaf separately. Can the other half of the dough be left covered while the first half is in the oven baking or is that going to over-prove it?
Kathy
April 14, 2020 at 6:45 amHi Jennifer,
You can use just all purpose flour in this recipe. Also, you could cut the recipe in half. If you decide to do a full batch and cook one loaf at a time, I would take the extra dough, cover it and refrigerate it. You could keep it refrigerated for a full day and bake your second loaf the next day. The rise time for the refrigerated dough will take much longer, but your bread should still be delicious!
Happy Baking!
Hannah
September 25, 2017 at 9:29 amI made this recipe last night – one of my fall goals is to bake a loaf of bread every weekend. It turned out great! 5 stars! It was easy and delicious.
Kathy
September 25, 2017 at 5:05 pmThanks, Hannah! I’m so glad you love it! It’s one of my favorites to bake and the kids’ favorites to eat!
Barbara L Belt
April 23, 2017 at 6:16 amCan you use a bread machine for the oat bread. Thank you for the ideas. Love your blog.
Kathy
April 23, 2017 at 6:41 amHi Barbara,
I haven’t used a bread machine so I’m not certain how it would work in one.
Thanks!
[email protected]
March 16, 2017 at 8:09 amYep! we’re right there with you! I’m looking out my window at snowbanks higher than my knees! This calls for bread! Your bread! So cozy and delicious!
Kathy
March 18, 2017 at 5:10 amThis winter just seems to be holding on!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After
March 15, 2017 at 7:01 pmWe just got 16-20 inches of snow from yesterday’s blizzard and I feel like it’s won’t be gone any time soon. I’ll just stay inside and bake your honey oat bread. I love eating a big thick slice of bread hot out of the oven with some real butter. YUMMMMMMMY!!!
Kathy
March 16, 2017 at 5:24 amYikes! You’d better stay inside and do some baking!
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen
March 15, 2017 at 12:42 pmI can smell that awesome aroma coming from your kitchen. Honey oat bread is my favorite, Kathy. And yours look perfect.