Honey Oat Bread recipe made with part whole wheat flour, honey, milk and oats. It’s one of my favorite homemade bread recipes!
Recipe Ingredients for Honey Oat Bread
Here’s what you’ll need to make this bread:
–3 cups all-purpose flour (I used half whole wheat flour)
–3/4 cups oats (either instant or old fashioned)
–1 TBSP instant yeast
–1 cup milk
–1/4 cup lukewarm water
–2 tablespoons butter
–1/4 cup honey
Toppings:
- 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons honey, warmed
- 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons oats
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE HONEY OAT BREAD
If you’ve never made bread before, here is the basic formula for making your own at home. It really is an easy process and you’ll be thrilled with the results. Plus your entire house will smell like freshly baked bread which is amazing.
STEP 1: COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, oats, yeast, and salt. Set aside.
STEP 2: COMBINE LIQUID INGREDIENTS
In a small bowl, or a two cup measuring cup, warm the milk so that it’s hot enough to melt the butter, but not boiling. Add the butter, stirring until melted, then stir in the water and honey.
STEP 3: MIX & KNEAD THE BREAD
Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, mixing with a dough hook until it just comes together to form a dough. Knead in the mixer, with the dough hook attachment, for 7-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic (if you’re making this recipe by hand, the dough will be very sticky at first; flour your hands and work surface generously and be patient). If the dough is still very wet and sticky after 5 minutes of kneading, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is barely tacky. If the dough is too dry, add water, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) at a time, to soften it up.
STEP 4: FIRST RISE
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled, about 1/2 to 1 hour.
STEP 5: PUNCH DOUGH AND SHAPE IT
Once doubled, place the dough on a clean, dry work surface. If the dough is too sticky, lightly flour the surface before continuing. With your fingers, flatten the dough into a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Tightly roll the dough, tucking the ends as needed, into a loaf. Place the shaped dough into a 9×5-inch loaf pan and brush the top with the warmed honey and sprinkle with the oats. Allow loaf to rise in a slightly warm location until doubled, about 1/2 hour. (It’s winter so I find my bread rises best in the oven- I turn the oven on 350 for a minute or two, then turn it off. Place loaf on the oven rack with the light on.)
STEP 6: SECOND RISE
When dough has doubled, preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 C). I just leave the dough in the oven while preheating.
STEP 7: BAKE THE BREAD
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown and the internal temperature is about 190 degrees. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before serving.
I use a digital cooking thermometer near the end of the baking time to make sure the bread is fully cooked. Fully cooked bread will be 190-200 degrees F. Bread recipes that include milk will need to cook until 200 degrees. My all-time favorite cooking thermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Another great thermometer is the ThermoPop which is a more basic version that works just as well!
STEP 8: COOL THE BREAD
Let the bread cool in the pan it cooked in so it can maintain it’s shape. Once it’s cooled you can transfer it to a cooling rack.
I prefer to cool it for at least 20 minutes. If you try and slice it while it’s too hot, the loaf will get smashed- it’s a soft bread!
AVOID SUNKEN BREAD
The easiest and best way to avoid sunken bread is to use a cooking thermometer to check the inside of the loaf. Fully cooked bread will register 200°F on a thermometer. My all-time favorite thermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Another great cooking thermometer is the ThermoPop which is a more basic version that works just as well!
Soft & Sweet Honey Oat Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour can use half whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cups oats either instant or old fashioned
- 1 TBSP instant yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup honey
Toppings:
- 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons honey warmed
- 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons oats
Instructions
- In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, oats, yeast, and salt.
- In a small bowl, or a two cup measuring cup, warm the milk so that it’s hot enough to melt the butter, but not boiling. Add the butter, stirring until melted, then stir in the water and honey.
- Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, mixing with a dough hook until it just comes together to form a dough. Knead in the mixer, with the dough hook attachment, for 7-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic (if you’re making this recipe by hand, the dough will be very sticky at first; flour your hands and work surface generously and be patient). If the dough is still very wet and sticky after 5 minutes of kneading, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is barely tacky. If the dough is too dry, add water, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) at a time, to soften it up.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled, about 1/2 to 1 hour.
- Once doubled, place the dough on a clean, dry work surface. If the dough is too sticky, lightly flour the surface before continuing. With your fingers, flatten the dough into a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Tightly roll the dough, tucking the ends as needed, into a loaf. Place the shaped dough into a 9×5-inch loaf pan and brush the top with the warmed honey and sprinkle with the oats. Allow loaf to rise in a slightly warm location until doubled, about 1/2 hour. (It's winter so I find my bread rises best in the oven- I turn the oven on 350 for a minute or two, then turn it off. Place loaf on the oven rack with the light on. You can see my set-up in the picture below.)
- When dough has doubled, preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 C). (I just leave the dough in the oven while preheating.) Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown and the internal temperature is about 190 degrees. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before serving.
Video
Nutrition
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How do you store homemade bread?
You’ll store bread in an airtight container. I bought bread bags off Amazon.
Best Bread Pan?
I bake a lot of bread and the pans I prefer are either ceramic, glass or cast iron. These pans will bake bread more evenly and release the bread more easily after baking. I don’t like using dark or nonstick pans because the bread cooks unevenly. It darkens on the outside before the bread is cooked on the inside, so the coloring is uneven. Read more about which bread pan is the best here!
Can I use raw honey?
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Deniz says
I made this bread for dinner and it was a hit. It rose a little too much in the pan and then sunk and it was done in half the time that was on the recipe, it was very helpful to check the inside with the thermometer! Will be making it again, thank you!!
Ally says
Made this today. It’s one of the tastiest loaves I’ve ever had and the first non-sourdough bread I’ve ever made. I must have over-proofed on the 2nd proof though as it sunk in the middle half way through baking. I used the proof in the oven method (we have a dough proof setting) and then turned the oven on with the loaf still in the oven. Next time I think I’ll either reduce the oven proof time to 15 minutes or will remove the loaf while the oven gets up to temp.
I substituted 1 cup of flour for multigrain flour and used 1/2 cup of whole milk and 1/2 cup of oat milk. I’m in the UK, so used strong while bread flour vs AP flour. I also used a bit less honey in the dough. It was so soft and light, even with the sunken and slightly tacky middle, and went perfectly with our homemade pumpkin soup for lunch. I will certainly make again.
Tom says
With honey, these slices of bread have slight fragrance of bread and honey. Also, I can smell the oats. It’s an unforgettable when I combine the bread with fruit jams and or almond milk.
Nellie says
Isn’t homemade bread just the best?! I love the smell of oats and honey too!
Bri says
Hi, I make this loaf weekly and I love the taste! The past couple of times that I have made this loaf, the middle has dipped in. The sides are nice puffy and tall but the middle doesnt get as tall. It’s not as much sunken in as it just doesnt get as tall. Would you know why?
Thanks!! Love this recipe!
Jessica says
What type of bread pan are you using? I find I get the best rise when I use a glass, ceramic or cast iron bread pan. Also, I’ve started checking the internal temp of all my baked breads- it sounds like the middle isn’t quite cooked. Breads should be about 200 degrees F.
Clarisse says
Can you freeze leftovers? Or just leave it in the fridge after cooling?
Jessica says
You can just leave it in an airtight container on the countertop. Fresh made bread has no preservatives, so it will spoil faster. Yes, you can freeze it!
Paula Maslow says
How do you know when you get done mixing in mixer and you turn it out and work it that you know you have enough flour worked into it but not too much.
Jessica says
The bread dough should clean the side of the mixing bowl except for a small circle on the very bottom. You want the dough to be tacky, but not sticky. Know too that it will be more manageable after the first rise.
Nancy says
I made this bread today – rose beautifully both rises – fell to the rim while baking ? Any suggestions as to what happened? Thank you
Lou Ann Vavreck says
I loved the recipe and it was delicious. I will be making this bread again. Thanks!
Jeromy says
Can you double this to make 2 loafs?
Jessica says
Sure, just make sure your mixer can accommodate the increased amount of dough!
Barbara says
How much regular yeast should I use? Don’t have instant yeast.
Jessica says
You just use the same amount.
Pam Lerach says
I’ve been making bread for many years. this is likely the best and easiest I’ve made. Thank you. the only thing better would be if we could somehow incorporate some whole grains.
Tracy B. says
Hi, I tried making this as my first time making bread and I know I made a few mistakes. The flavor was really good but the top turned out hard as a rock while the rest was soft and it was super dense like bread you get from steakhouse restaurants. Any tips for a first time bread maker?
Jessica says
Did the bread rise? Wondering if you killed your yeast from using too hot water. This recipe is better suited for beginners- https://butterwithasideofbread.com/homemade-bread/
Joseph says
Just made the bread and it was wonderful! I ended up making mine a braid and cooking it on a pizza stone, the glaze dripped down the sides and cooked under it. It was amazing.
Alison says
Love that idea and I am glad it turned out so well!
Greig McKellar says
HOLD ON HERE! I’m new to making bread since covid got in the way. I’ve been making an Oatmeal Brown Bread which is abso great a number of times so far and it’s time to try something else! I just read two previous White Bread recipes and then your White Bread Recipe that takes much the same amount of flour and time as this one that both/all make Two loaves! Now you tell Jeromy to double the amounts to make two loaves! -This makes but one loaf?
I only have access to an active dry yeast and have been kneading by hand not having a machine, so how should I go about amending this recipe in order to proof my yeast to make this? Proof with the 1/4 cup of warm-110F water and then add it as prescribed to the recipe? This bread with more sugars in it and the milk only does a single rise if I read it correctly right? I’ve so far always kneaded and left it for 15 mins to rest before I cut the doe in two for two loaves.
I’m interested in trying this! Trying to be helpful and not sound simple -if that’s possible he says w a grin!
Jessica says
Yep- this is a more dense, hearty bread recipe. It yields only 1 loaf. : ) Yep- proof with warm water, let it sit until foamy, then use it in the recipe.
Shannon says
Just made this bread and it’s exactly what I was looking for. I made it with 1 1/2 cups wheat flour, a cup of all purpose, and 1/2 cup bread flour just cuz. Also subbed 1/2 cup oat milk and 1/2 cup whole milk (lactose free). I also accidently added a full cup of oats, but it didn’t impact how it turned out.
I would say to eyeball the honey for the top. I used maybe a TBSP if that and it felt like a bit much. Not wanting to waste it, I used all of it, trying to get an even coat over as much of the top as possible, and of course that made it stick to the pan a bit when it was done. Not a huge problem, just lost a small edge of bread.
Definitely use a thermometer because even 5 minutes makes a difference. I baked mine closer to 50 than 40.
Abbie Shepherd says
Personally, I thought that this was very nice and also fun to make. I would definitely make this again and recommend to others to try too!
GLENN STANTON says
I made this today , Its still to hot to cut , looks great I used 1/3 whole wheat flour and formed the dough into 4 balls placed closely like a pull apart., then baked covered ,starting in cold oven at 425 degrees for first 25 min. then uncovered for 20 min at 350 BEAUTY!!!!
Can I post a pic?
Alison says
I hope you enjoyed it Glenn! Thanks for sharing!
judith judge says
do you grease the bread pans
Jessica says
Depends on what type of pan you’re using. For glass & ceramic/ porcelain, I spray with non-stick spray. If you’re using non-stick metal that are still in good condition, you shouldn’t have to do anything. When I bake in my cast iron bread pan, I line with parchment.
Greig McKellar says
I made this this week and I used the Fleishman’s bottled ‘Traditional’ yeast which I expected great things of for this bread. I gave it more, more than enough opportunities to raise so I was disappointed that this loaf didn’t raise more than it did! After mixing it -I did this by hand now, let it rest, gave it time to raise in the pan, I rolled it out, and lots of time in the loaf pan. I did everything as directed and it just didn’t become as light and airy as I expected it to be. Would using those ‘Instant’ packets (1) per loaf, of yeast really make as much difference in the raise -and then lightnes in my loaf? Nice bread but no oompf!
Donna says
I’m not trying to be THAT person, but I’m allergic to milk. Do you know if I could substitute coconut milk and still get similar results? I know the flavor will be slightly different, but do you think the texture would still work?
Nellie says
I think coconut milk would work fine!
Andrea says
To get the nutrition stats that are posted with the recipe, did you use whole milk, non fat milk, or something in between? Looking forward to trying it, but want to know WW Smart Points…..