This high protein whole wheat sandwich bread has the softest crumb and a slightly chewy crust. It is light and fluffy, not dense and heavy as all-whole-wheat breads can often be. Each slice has 105 calories and 6 grams of protein. The recipe makes two loaves of bread and freezes nicely.
This is my go-to high protein whole wheat sandwich bread, a recipe I've been making for years now, and it's lived on this blog for a decade. I have recently made some tweaks to it, including reducing the proofing intervals from three to two and reducing the amount of vital wheat gluten it uses, which would sometimes result in a chewy crust. For that reason I wanted to reshare it with those of you who believe unreservedly in the joy that an act as simple as baking bread can bring.
Homemade breads are usually far better tasting than anything you can buy, and this one is all that and so much more. It's very light and low-calorie, and you get two loaves for around -- or less than -- the amount of flour you'd typically use for a single loaf. That's because the vital wheat gluten helps the dough rise really high and gives the bread a very fluffy, light texture when baked. It's not just the perfect whole wheat bread, but it's the perfect bread if you are watching what you eat.
The first time I made this high protein whole wheat sandwich bread I used a cup of vital wheat gluten in it, and while the crumb was divine, it sometimes caused the crust to get very chewy. This time I've cut down the wheat gluten in half. I tried going lower but wasn't very happy with the rise and texture of the bread, so I really recommend keeping it to at least half a cup for the best results. This way you get the best of both: a soft crumb and a crust with the slightest bit of chewiness.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this whole wheat sandwich bread
- It's fluffy and soft, the perfect high protein whole wheat sandwich bread. Most whole wheat bread recipes, no matter how light they promise to be, turn out too dense for my liking and harden up within a day or two. This bread will keep nicely in the refrigerator after the first day for about a week, and you can freeze it too. Slice it, warm it, and it tastes as fresh as when you first made it.
- It's easy to make. You will need to knead this dough to develop the gluten, but you will also get spectacular results for that work.
- It's light. You get two loaves for just over three cups of flour, and each slice has more protein. So if you're watching what you eat this is the perfect bread for you because you'll be getting more for fewer calories.
- It's all whole wheat. Which makes it really good for you. And if you like seeded breads, you can add seeds to it to make it even healthier, higher in protein, and delicious.
Why vital wheat gluten?
For those unfamiliar with vital wheat gluten, this is a natural protein found in wheat and it is especially valuable in baking wholegrain breads because it helps them build structure-- in simpler words, it helps them rise. I've explained the role of gluten in bread-baking and the gluten content of various kinds of flours in this old post on my Whole-wheat French Bread.
But to do a quick recap, here's the reason whole wheat bread doesn't rise as well as a bread made with all-purpose flour or bread flour: gluten occurs in the grain's endosperm and all-purpose and bread flours are made by milling the endosperm which automatically gives them a high gluten content. Bread flour, especially, has a very high gluten content, making it ideal for breads (but not cakes).
Whole-wheat flour contains not just the endosperm but also the wheat germ and bran which are the outer coatings of the wheat kernel and are devoid of gluten. Since ounce for ounce whole-wheat flour has less milled endosperm in it than more refined flours do, it has a lower gluten content. Adding a bit of vital wheat gluten into the mix helps the bread rise higher and also improves the texture of the whole wheat bread, keeping it from becoming too dense.
While it is entirely possible to make an all whole wheat flour bread without the vital wheat gluten, and I'll share that recipe with you as well in the near future, this bread is way lighter and softer than any whole wheat bread recipe I've ever tried, and it remains my favorite.
Ingredients for high protein whole wheat sandwich bread
- 4 teaspoons active dry yeast.
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (use sugar or agave nectar as substitutes)
- ¾ cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
- 1 ½ cups nondairy milk (I used oat milk)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vital wheat gluten flour
- 3-4 cups whole wheat flour
How to make high protein whole wheat sandwich bread
- Add yeast and maple syrup to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour in the lukewarm water and mix well. Set aside for five minutes until the yeast froths to indicate it's alive. Add the vegetable oil and milk to the yeast, then dump in the vital wheat gluten flour and two cups of whole wheat flour.
- Mix until all ingredients come together, then add the salt. Continue kneading the dough, adding half a cup at a time and then, as the dough gets dryer, just a tablespoon at a time. On a low humidity day here in the DC area I needed about 3 ¼ cups. You might need more flour depending on where you are and the weather around you.
- Once you have a pliable, smooth but not sticky dough, continue to knead it further for 8-10 minutes. The kneading will help the bread rise really well, so don't take any shortcuts. If doing this in a stand mixer, which makes this way easier, knead at medium-low speed, around 4 in a KitchenAid.
- Once the dough looks like it does in the picture above, remove it to a clean, unfloured surface and knead briefly by hand before shaping into a smooth ball. Oil the bowl and place the dough back in it, coating the top with some oil or cooking spray to make sure it doesn't dry out. Cover tightly and set aside for 45 minutes to an hour during which time it should rise quite a bit, more than double.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, punch it down and knead it briefly again. The dough should be smooth. Divide the dough ball into two pieces and roll each into a rectangle with a rolling pin, keeping the breadth slightly smaller than your loaf pan.
- Roll up each rectangle of dough into a cylinder and tuck in the ends. Place the loaves, seam side down, in oiled loaf pans. Cover loosely (I use clean plastic shower caps) and set aside in a warm place for about an hour for the dough to rise.
- Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking another 30 minutes.
- Let the loaves cool on a baking rack for about an hour before you unmold them. Continue cooling on the rack before slicing.
Recipe FAQs and troubleshooting
Any whole wheat flour is fine, but I would recommend using either a white whole wheat flour or durum whole wheat flour, both of which give a lighter, softer crumb.
Yeast are single-celled fungi and are living organisms. Kept around too long, or in unsuitable conditions, yeast can die and if that happens your yeast will not bloom or bubble when you add it to lukewarm water. Packages of yeast usually have a use by date, so be sure to check that before you use it.
Another reason the yeast might not bloom is if you used water that was too hot. The water you add to yeast should be warm but comfortable to the touch--between 100 and 110 degrees on a thermometer. Water that's too hot will kill the yeast, rendering it useless for the bread.
A whole wheat dough needs to be kneaded really well for a great texture and flavor as well as for the rise. If you don't knead the dough long enough, you might not get as good a rise.
Also, don't overproof the bread dough--that could cause your loaves to fall flat in the oven. Stick to the recommended times, going only slightly longer if necessary.
I wouldn't usually score a sandwich bread, but I did in this case because in the past, especially when I was using a whole cup of vital wheat gluten, the bread would sometimes form a skin on top when baking with a large air bubble underneath. Having baked with the smaller quantity of vital wheat gluten for a while I feel comfortable saying that you don't have to score the bread if you don't want to.
The bread will keep wonderfully at room temperature for a day or so, after which you should place it in a plastic bag and refrigerate it for 3-4 days. Warm before eating. For longer term storage place in a freezer safe bag and freeze. You can also slice the bread before freezing.
That really is a great recipe, and if you still want to follow it, you will need to make just need a few tweaks: if you add a cup of VWG you will need less flour--around 2 to 2 ½ cups. The rest of the process is the same but the bread made with more VWG will rise much higher and you'll also have more protein per slice. I do recommend scoring the bread if you use more vital wheat gluten.
More delicious sandwich bread recipes
High-Protein Whole-Wheat Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- 1 Bowl or stand mixer
- 2 loaf pans
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sugar)
- ¾ cups water (warm)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or any neutral oil (I used olive. Avocado or any vegetable oil is fine)
- 1½ cup nondairy milk (warm)
- ½ cup vital wheat gluten flour
- 4 cups whole wheat flour (you might not need all 4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Mix the yeast, maple syrup and warm water in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set aside for the yeast to bloom, about five minutes.
- Add the milk, oil, vital wheat gluten and 2 cups of whole wheat flour to the bowl. Mix thoroughly, then mix in the salt.
- Continue to mix in the flour, a quarter cup at a time and then, as the dough gets dryer, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky. I needed about 3 ¼ cups this time, but on more humid days I've needed as much as 4 cups.
- Continue kneading the dough for another 10 minutes. You should have a really smooth, supple dough. Form the dough into a ball. Oil the bowl and place the ball of dough in it, coating the top with some oil or cooking spray so it doesn't dry out.
- Cover the bowl and set it aside in a warm spot. After 45 minutes it should have more than doubled.
- Remove the dough and punch it down, then form into a smooth ball. Divide into two pieces. Roll out each into an approximate rectangle, then roll each rectangle into a cylinder. Tuck the ends into the bottom and place the loaves in two oiled standard (6 cup) loaf pans, seam side down.
- Cover loosely (I use clean shower caps) and set aside in a warm spot for another hour or until they dome over the loaf pans. About 15 minutes before the bread has finished proofing, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Place the loaves into the oven and bake 10 minutes. Turn down heat to 350 degrees and contine baking another 30 minutes.
- Cool on a rack for about about an hour, then remove the loaves from the pan and continue cooling on the rack.
Recipe notes
- For loaves that rise even higher you can make this bread with 1 cup vital wheat gluten, as I had in the original recipe. The crust is chewier, but the bread tastes great and toasts wonderfully.
- Before you bloom the yeast make sure you check the date on the package of yeast to make sure it's not expired. Also make sure the water you use is warm but comfortable to the touch (between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Make sure you knead the dough, by hand or in a stand mixer, for the full 10 minutes. This will give you the best rise and texture.
- Don't overproof the bread dough. Stick with recommended times and go only slightly over if necessary. Overproofed bread can fall flat in the oven.
- The bread will keep wonderfully at room temperature for a day or so, after which you should place it in a plastic bag and refrigerate it for 3-4 days. Warm before eating. For longer term storage place in a freezer safe bag and freeze. You can also slice the bread before freezing. Thaw and reheat.
Nisha Tiwari
HI VAISHALI,
I BAKED AS LOAVES THEM WEEK BACK AND THEY TURNED OUT FANTASTIC. YESTERDAY I TOOK THE SAME RECIPE AND SHAPED THEM IN HOT DOG ROLLS AND BUNS, AND SKIPPED ON THE SECOND RISE, AND YOU WHAT THEY CAME OUT EXTREMELY GORGEOUS. SOFT AND DELICIOUS FOR SURE. THANKS ONCE AGAIN FOR UR RECIPES.................
GOD BLESS
NISHA.
Vaishali
Hi Nisha, so glad you liked this-- and great idea to bake them as hot dog rolls.
Nisha Tiwari
HI VAISHALI,
MY PERSPECTIVE TOWARDS ANIMALS KEPT IN ZOO AND THE CONCEPT OF HAVING ZOOS AT ALL HAS BEEN COMPLETELY CHANGED. M TRYING TO INCULCATE THE SAME THOUGHTS IN MY KIDS AND FOR THAT I HAVE TO TAKE THEM TO THE ZOO, AND MAKE THEM FEEL THE HARSHNESS OF CAPTIVITY AND LONELINESS; SO THAT THEY CAN FURTHER PASS ON THE SAME TO THEIR FRIENDS.
ITS GOOD TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE YOU WITH SUCH A HUMAN PERSPECTIVE SPREADING THE GODLY MESSAGE GLOBALLY.
IN WHAT WAY IS ATTA DIFFERENT FROM THE REGULAR WHEAT FLOUR, COZ I HAVE BEEN USING ATTA IN MY EVERY WHOLE WHEAT BAKING? ALSO, DOES THE RATIO OF YEAST TO FLOUR DEPENDS AND VARIES AS PER THE TYPE OF FLOUR USED?
NISHA
Vaishali
Hi Nisha, how lovely that you are teaching your children compassion to animals-- kudos to you.
About your question, atta is made with a lighter wheat and produces an airier texture in breads than regular whole wheat flour available here in the United States. You can substitute atta in any recipe that calls for whole wheat flour.
As for yeast and flour, you could use less yeast if you have more time on hand and can allow for a slower rise, or if you're using another rising agent, like sourdough.
john brancato
How do you make your whole wheat sourdough starter? I didn't see it...did I miss it?
Vaishali
Hi John, I did start one but the whole wheat would just not take, for some reason, so I ended up adding AP flour to it. I do want to try again -- there are recipes on the internet for WW starters-- but haven't had the time.
Lesley
Thank you so much for the recipe! I was looking for a recipe for a high protein bread and this recipe is the perfect jumping off point. eg. substituting spelt or rye or quinoa flour, adding whole grains, flaxmeal The possibilities are almost endless!
And yes, I do agree with you regarding zoos and aquariums. They mostly just make me sad... The Vancouver Aquarium has many very large tanks that exhibit local ecosystems as opposed to one kind of fish with plastic plants in a small tank. They help to convey the reality of community - how all organisms in an area are dependent on each other. There is also a floor dedicated to learning games for cildren - interaction of different species with each other, the influence of man on the aquatic environment and what each person can do to minimize it, etc. A good lesson to teach to people of all ages, no?
Vaishali Honawar
Hi Akta,
I am guessing you used the gluten? The gluten is imperative for the rise, since this is an all-whole-wheat dough.
Another possibility could be bad yeast. What kind did you use? I like using active dry because you can tell if it's alive before you add the rest of the ingredients, when you mix it in the warm water.
This has always been a fool-proof recipe for me and I make it at least once a month, so I am rather intrigued it didn't rise for you.
Akta
I purchased the vital wheat gluten from whole foods, but I have a feeling my problem was probably the yeast. Either it was too old or I didn't let it "froth" before i mixed it with the other ingredients...Ill make a second attempt this weekend and keep you posted...hopefully second time is the charm...thx for the feedback 🙂
Akta
Hi Vaishali, I stumbled upon your blog when i was searching for sourdough pretzel recipe (which by the way turned out perfect!!). I was really intrigued when I saw this recipe. I'm not a vegan but am a very strict vegetarian and it's hard to get enough protein in my diet without and eggs/meat...you can only eat so much lentils/beans. I followed your recipe to the dot but for some reason my bread did not rise much when i put it in the loaf (after the initial 2 rises). You said at that point it should have rised enough to form a nice dome over the loaf pan. I halved the recipe because its just me and my husband but when the bread was done it was about 1 1/2 inch high...did i do something wrong? I feel like the only thing i must've done wrong was let it rise the first time a little too long, about 3 hours. I did not use raipd rise yeast, if that helps.
Any suggestions would be great...this is my first try at a sandwich bread recipe...:)
Akta
Dake
Hello!!! I love your website. I have a question about the type of flour in the recipe. Is whole wheat BREAD flour the best to use? I am trying to learn and I did not know that there was a difference. Thanks so much!!!
Vaishali
Dake, if you can find whole-wheat bread flour, then yes, use that.
AgnostiChica
Thank you for this recipe, Vaishali. For quite some time, your Perfect Sandwich Bread has been my go-to recipe. I think I have found a worthy competitor in this one 🙂
Vaishali
Hi Nisha, that's not a stupid question. It is harder to check the doneness of loaves baked in a loaf pan as opposed to those baked on a flat cookie sheet. Here's one way to determine if your loaf is done: press the top with a fingertip. If it springs back, you can be pretty sure your bread's done. Hope that helps. 🙂
Anonymous
Hi Vaishali,
I baked it today and it was a 100% success, except that the loaves didnot have the golden colour on the sides. Also, how do one test tapping the bottom when the loaves are still in the hot oven and hot pan? I might sound stupid here.
God Bless
Nisha.
Anonymous
Hi vaishali,
I myself feel very suffocated when I see animals forced to survive in the zoo against their will and wish. Issues that u often raise in your article(s) are of "A SENSE OF HUMANITY", which I think is possessed by few blessed ones.
Coming to the bread; where I had completely lost the hopes of getting wheat gluten, I did found very good quality of vital wheat gluten. So now its time for me to bake some really healthy stuff for my family.
Once again thanks for your healthy and wonderful recipes, and drawing peoples attention to such sensitive issues.
God Bless
Nisha.
Vaishali
Jen, Thanks for the feedback! I always use a serrated knife to slice this or any bread-- it's the best way to make even slices. And even if this bread squishes a bit when you're cutting, it springs back when sliced.
Jen Pryor
I just made this bread and it is amazing! So light and fluffy! Just one question- what is the best way to slice the bread without squishing the pretty loaf? Any tips for making even slices? Thanks!
Vaishali
Veeanoo, yes, you do need to let it rise a second time. Also, you might get less of a rise with the rapid rise yeast.
veeanoo
I was planning to make the bread today....just one question...if i use rapid rise yeast do i need to punch down the dough and let it rise second time.....
cumincoriandercardamom
I always have a moral dilemma about these things and hence I tend to generally not think about it, but the last point about not seeing a zoo and see Nat Geo really did drive the point home..
I appreciate the choices you have made..