Our light and fluffy Oatmeal Bread recipe is made with whole grain oats, honey, and a mix of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour, for the best soft, chewy, and delicious bread.
I love adding oats to baked goods, like our Banana Oat Muffins, Applesauce Muffins, and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.
So much to love about this Oatmeal Bread.
Nothing beats the texture oats add to baked goods, and this homemade honey oat bread is soft, chewy, and absolutely delicious. It’s full of whole grains, and you can make it your own by adding nuts or dried fruit.
It conveniently makes 2 loaves so you can enjoy one now and freeze the other for another day. Make it exception by slathering with homemade jam like Blackberry, Peach, Strawberry, Raspberry, or Chia Seed Jam.
How to make Oatmeal Bread:
Soak Oats: Place oats and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Warm milk to a simmer then pour on top and give it a stir. Set aside for 1.5 hours, or until it cools to room temperature and oats are softened.
Make Dough: Combine warm water, instant yeast, honey, and salt in a bowl and stir well. Add the whole wheat flour and mix on medium low to combine. Gradually stir in all-purpose flour until the dough starts to pull away from the sides. You don’t want to add too much flour. The dough should still feel soft but not too sticky. Knead for a few minutes until smooth and elastic, scraping the bowl as needed.
Rise and Shape: Place bread dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a dry dish towel. Let rise about an hour, until doubled. Punch down dough then divide into two. Shape into loaves and place into loaf pans. Brush egg wash on top and add a small handful of dry oats on top. Cover and allow to rise again for 45 minutes to an hour, until risen above the loaf pan.
Bake: uncover and bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes until a thermometer registers 200°F, or until it produces a hollow sound when you lightly tap the top. Cool for a few minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Variations:
- Add Raisins: Add 1 cup after first rise, before shaping into loaves.
- Add Nuts: Add 1 cup after first rise, before shaping into loaves.
- Dried Fruit: Add 1 cup of desired fruit after first rise, before shaping into loaves; chopped dried apricots, cranberries, blueberries, or dates.
- Bread Machine: I’d recommend cutting the recipe in half to just make one loaf, depending on your bread machine capacity.
- Vegan/Dairy-free Oat Bread: Use dairy free butter and almond milk and omit the egg wash.
- Active Dry Yeast: If your yeast is fresh it’s not necessary to proof the yeast for this recipe. Just substitute an equal amount then use it instead of instant yeast.
Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: After knead the dough (before the first rise) refrigerate dough in an airtight container for up to one day. Remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Punch down dough and continue with recipe instructions.
To Freeze Bread Dough: Make the dough through shaping the dough into loaves. Add the dough to a freezer-safe or aluminum disposable bread pan. Cover tightly with two layers of non-stick aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow loaves to thaw completely, with a dry kitchen towel over them, and continue with the second rise, at room temperature (about 5 hours). Bake as instructed in recipe.
To Freeze Baked Bread: Freeze baked bread in a freezer-safe resealable bag for up to 3 months.
More Bread Recipes:
- Whole Wheat Bread
- Homemade White Bread
- Artisan No Knead Bread
- Healthy Banana Bread
- Beer Bread
- English Muffins
- Best Homemade Rolls
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Oatmeal Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk , brought to a simmer
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick or instant oats)
- 4 Tablespoons butter , softened
- 1/2 cup honey
- 4 ½ teaspoons instant yeast*
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 ¼ -3 cups all-purpose flour
- egg wash: 1 egg white + 1 Tbsp water
Instructions
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Add oats and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Heat milk to a simmer and pour on top, stirring to combine. Set aside for about 1.5 hours. Mixture should be at room temperature.
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Add honey, warm water, instant yeast, and salt to the bowl and stir well to combine. Add the whole wheat flour and mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add the all-purpose flour, a little at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Only add enough flour to make a dough that is soft, and not overly sticky (don’t add too much flour!). Knead for a few minutes until smooth and elastic and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
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First Rise: Transfer dough to a greased bowl and cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap. Allow to rise until double in size, about 1 hour.
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Punch down the dough and divide into two equal pieces. Shape into loaves and place in two lightly greased loaf pans. Make egg wash and gently brush some over the top of each loaf. Sprinkle a small handful of dry oats on top.
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Second rise: Cover with a well greased piece of plastic wrap gently laid on top and let rise in a warm place until risen about 1 inch over the loaf pans, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Carefully peel off the plastic wrap.
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Bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes. Loaves are done when tapping lightly on the tops produces hollow sound (or when instant read thermometer registers 200° F). Cool for 15 minutes on wire rack, then turn out of pans and cool completely.
Video
Notes
Active Dry Yeast: If your yeast is fresh it’s not necessary to proof the yeast for this recipe. Just substitute an equal amount then use it instead of instant yeast.
Add Raisins: Add 1 cup after first rise, before shaping into loaves.
Add Nuts: Add 1 cup after first rise, before shaping into loaves.
Dried Fruit: Add 1 cup of desired fruit after first rise, before shaping into loaves; chopped dried apricots, cranberries, blueberries, or dates.
Bread Machine: I’d recommend cutting the recipe in half to just make one loaf, depending on your bread machine capacity.
Vegan/Dairy-free Oat Bread: Use dairy free butter and almond milk and omit the egg wash.
To Make Ahead: After knead the dough (before the first rise) refrigerate dough in an airtight container for up to one day. Remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Punch down dough and continue with recipe instructions.
To Freeze Bread Dough: Make the dough through shaping the dough into loaves. Add the dough to a freezer-safe or aluminum disposable bread pan. Cover tightly with two layers of non-stick aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow loaves to thaw completely, with a dry kitchen towel over them, and continue with the second rise, at room temperature (about 5 hours). Bake as instructed in recipe.
To Freeze Baked Bread: place cooled, baked bread in a freezer-safe resealable bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Recipe adapted from a reader submission; Joan Klingler, Moscow Idaho.
Recipe originally published May 2020. Updated July 2022 and August 2024.
