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Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread

Chelsea Colbath
A simple homemade sandwich bread that's the perfect balance between dense and fluffy. Double this recipe to make 2 loaves in the same amount of time!

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup steel-cut oats
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon instant or dry active yeast
  • 1/2 Tablespoon salt
  • 2 cups white whole wheat flour can sub any or all with all-purpose or regular whole wheat, if desired
  • 2 Tablespoons rolled oats for topping

Instructions
 

  • 1. Pour steel-cut oats and boiling water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Let soak for 30 minutes, or until warm to the touch.
  • 2. Add butter, honey, and yeast to the water mixture, and stir to combine. The warm water should start to soften/slightly melt the butter.
  • 3. Add all remaining ingredients (yeast, salt, flour) and mix with the paddle attachment for 3-5 minutes, or until dough is sticky, but holding together in a ball. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1-1/12 hours, or until dough has doubled in size.
  • 4. Dump dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it out with your hands to make a rectangle, about 6x10" or so. You want the short end of the rectangle to be the same size, or slightly smaller than, the length of a loaf pan. Starting at a short end, tightly roll up the dough into a log. Sprinkle oats on the counter and roll the dough in the oats to get them to stick.
  • 5. Grease a loaf pan with nonstick spray, and put your shaped loaf into the pan. Cover and let rise for at least 45 minutes, but up to 1 1/2 hours, until the loaf has risen to the top of the pan.
  • 6. When the loaf has risen, turn on the oven. Preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake the bread, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes. A finished loaf of bread will be golden brown and feel hollow, not squishy, when you push/tap it.
  • 7. Let bread cool, then cut and use for all your sandwich needs. Bread is best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Pre-sliced bread freezes well, and slices can be removed from the freezer as needed to make sandwiches.

Notes

If you don't have a stand mixer, this bread can be made by hand. Follow all instructions the same, except you will stir the dough with a wooden spoon for 5-8 minutes, or if you're comfortable kneading dough, you can stir just to combine and then knead it on the counter for 4-5 minutes. Proceed with all other directions as written.