Oatmeal Honey Bread
There is no secret that bread is among my favorite things to make at home and at the cooking school. The simplicity of adding some flour and yeast to water and–without much effort–being rewarded with a warm, golden loaf of bread is an unparalleled kitchen experience.
In my continuous search for new recipes for a perfect loaf of bread, I came upon one by King Arthur Flour for Oatmeal Honey Sandwich Bread. The description read, “this is a lovely, soft, mildly sweet loaf, perfect for sandwiches and toast”. My first thought was that I wished I was as good with descriptions as the catalogue writers, but my second thought was that I have to try this recipe right away!
With only minor ingredient adjustments, this recipe worked perfectly and was foolproof to make. Instead of using the two bread pans called for in the original, I used a long Brotform basket (a gift from my friend Joanne) to hold the rising dough. I dusted some flour over the coiled willow reeds of the basket and, after the dough had risen, I turned it out to bake free form on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. When the loaf was ready it had that distinct, traditional pattern of the floured lines over the golden crust that made this simple loaf of bread a work of art. This recipe for oatmeal honey bread is a keeper!
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 cup rolled oats (regular or quick)
- 2 TBSP. honey
- 2 TBSP. brown sugar
- 4 TBSP. butter
- 2½ tsp. sea salt
- 1 TBSP. instant yeast
- 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
- 3½ cups AP flour
- In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a hook, combine the boiling water, oats, honey, brown sugar, butter and salt. Let cool to lukewarm, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the yeast to the lukewarm mixture and stir to combine. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Add the flours and mix for 4-5 minutes or until a smooth dough is formed. If the dough is too wet add a tablespoon of flour. If it is too dry add a tablespoon of water and mix again.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and allow the dough to rise for one hour. Since the dough is warm to begin with (from the boiling water), it should become quite puffy.
- Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a loaf. Place the loaves in two oiled 8½" x 4½" bread pans. Cover the pans with a lightly oiled plastic wrap and allow the loaves to rise until they've crowned about 1" over the rim of the pan, about 45-60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for about 35 minutes, tenting them lightly with aluminum foil after 25 minutes, to prevent over-browning. Remove them from the oven when they're golden brown, and the interior registers 190°F on a digital thermometer. Turn the loaves out onto a rack to cool.
Tried this recipe – you are correct its a keeper. I am not experienced at making bread but this one was so easy. I ended up with two beautiful loaves of bread. Its great toasted with jam. Try it and you too will be surprised at how easy and delicious.
I am so glad you tried this recipe for oatmeal honey bread, Cynthia! It really is an easy recipe, especially for someone making bread for the first time. Thanks for sharing!