Kevin Lee Jacobs

Gardening, Recipes & Home Décor Tips

Molasses Whole Wheat Bread

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 33 Comments

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Last updated on August 24th, 2021

Moist, light, and aromatic, this Molasses Whole Wheat Bread is THE best “healthy” bread I’ve ever baked. It’s an easy thing to mix and knead. Like my Basic White Bread, all you need is a bowl, a loaf pan, and at least one clean hand! Here’s the recipe in both video and printable formats:

To watch me make this bread, just watch the video recipe above. I’ll show you how to knead the dough without adding extra flour as you work.

A note about non-fat dry milk. This pantry staple contributes milk solids without adding extra liquid that would make the dough unmanageable. Milk solids, as I learned when making Japanese Milk Bread Rolls, give yeast breads a soft, pillow-like crumb. If you can’t buy non-fat dry milk (watch the video to learn why I always keep the stuff on hand), then just omit it. You’ll still end up with a very good whole wheat bread!

Molasses Whole Wheat Bread is terrific when simply topped with butter.

And just wait until you try it with butter AND a drizzling of molasses!

Of course the bread is terrific for sandwiches and toast. I hope you’ll give it a try! xKevin

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Here’s the printable:

Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Molasses Whole Wheat Bread

My favorite "healthy" bread! The recipe below, which makes one 8- by 4-inch loaf, is adapted from King Arthur Flour.
Prep Time12 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: bread
Cuisine: American

Equipment

  • a large mixing bowl
  • a greased 8- by 4-inch loaf pan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water (about 105°F)
  • 2 teaspoons active dry (or instant) yeast
  • 1/4 cup neutral-tasting vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 3 1/2 cups (400g) white whole wheat flour (or, use regular whole wheat flour)
  • 1/4 cup non-fat dry milk
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • Non-stick vegetable spray for greasing the work surface and the loaf pan

Instructions

  • Stir the water and yeast together in a large mixing bowl. Then stir in the vegetable oil, molasses, flour, dry milk, and salt. Stir just until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl. Cover with cling film, and let rest for 30 minutes.
  • Spray your hands and a non-porous work surface with non-stick vegetable spray. Scrape the shaggy dough onto the work surface, and knead it (do not add additional flour!) until smooth -- 6-8 minutes. Form the dough into a ball.
  • Quickly wash, dry, and grease the mixing bowl. Add the dough to the bowl, and then flip the dough to grease its underside. Cover the bowl with cling film and place it in a warm location until the dough doubles in volume -- about 90 minutes.
  • Deflate the dough, and then transfer it to the (not-greased) work surface. Pat out and form the dough into a loaf. Put the loaf in the greased bread pan, cover loosely with cling film, and let rise until a crown forms 1 inch above the rim of the pan -- 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Bake on the middle rack in the preheated oven until until the crust browns and the center of the bread registers at least 190°F when tested with a digital thermometer -- 35-45 minutes. To avoid a too-dark crust, cover loosely with aluminum foil during final 10 minutes of baking. Cool to room temperature before slicing. As if you can wait that long.

 

 

Comments

  1. 1

    MaryB says

    yum! Thanks for this recipe.
    Pam is wonderful stuff, isn’t it.
    Saved the recipe. Too hot here to bake, but winter is coming. 🙂

  3. 3

    Karen Mary says

    Just in time – I’ve been thinking that bread-baking weather is here and I’d like to find a new recipe! This looks perfect. Thanks Kevin! (I used to stir molasses into our kids’ milk for a treat when they were little. Happy to find a new use for it!)

  4. 4

    Miguel T says

    Going to make this later, it’s very close to Anadama Bread if you increase the molasses slightly and add 1/2 cup cornmeal. Gives it a great crunch when you toast.

  9. 9

    Anna C says

    Pardon my ignorance but can I use regular powdered milk instead of non-fat dry milk? Or tee they the same thing?

  10. 10

    Krista says

    Thanks for this recipe Kevin! Growing up in Nova Scotia, fresh baked bread topped with butter and molasses was a staple. Baking the molasses into the bread is brilliant!! I will try this today 🙂

  11. 11

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Hi Anna – Powdered milk and instant non-fat dry milk are the same thing. Hope you enjoy the bread!

    Hi Krista – Thanks for the heads-up regarding butter and molasses on bread. A delicious new experience for me!

  12. 12

    Mary in Iowa says

    I just placed another order with King Arthur Baking, and this will be a go for me when it arrives. May I suggest that the same cup used for oil be used for the molasses? The remaining oil slick will help the molasses slide right out of the cup without so much of it that always remains in a dry cup.

  13. 13

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Hi Mary – Good to see you! Normally I would do just what you suggested: add the molasses to the cup that previously held the oil. I put each in separate containers because…video recipe!

  14. 14

    Jacqueline says

    Cool! We’ve already had snow here, ( yes, ten months with snow showing up this year), which means more ‘kitchen time’. I make my own bread and am going to substitute molasses for sugar in several recipes to see how it turns out.

  16. 16

    Rose says

    I’m not good at kneading, or I’m extremely lazy. Can this be made in a mixer with a dough hook? Would the kneading time be shorter?

  18. 18

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Hi Jacqueline – Snow? Oh, no!

    Hi Jan – A 9×5 pan holds 30% more than an 8×4 pan. Therefore, to adapt this recipe for a 9×5 loaf pan, increase all ingredients by 30%.

    Hi Rose – So glad you watched the video. Happy baking to you!

  21. 21

    Angie says

    5 stars
    OMG I could smell that bread right thru my iPad lol I’m gonna try this it looks so yummy I love ❤️ all ur videos and I’ve sent info about ur website to a friend of mine who lives n Vermont and He bakes lots of different recipes like u do from all over the world ! …..also I’m glad to c Binky has bloomed into a beautiful little kitten all my animals have been rescued they r the best and I love Avery too Keep those recipes and videos coming I enjoy them all!!!!☮️Peace ✌️ Love ❤️ and Happiness to u all

  22. 22

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Hi Sonja – I have no experience with bread machines. Sorry I can’t provide an answer for you!

    Hi Diane C – Neither whole wheat nor white whole wheat are considered “bread” flour. Bread flour has a high gluten content. To gain experience and confidence in bread-making, I highly recommend that you start with my Basic White Bread recipe. The dough is easy to mix and knead by hand. Fabulous for sandwiches/toast. Click here for the recipe.

    Hi Angie – Thank you so much!!!

  25. 25

    Toni O'Brien says

    Thanks for your prompt reply. I love molasses brown bread and my sensitivities to gluten are such that I can get away with a slice now and then so I will have to settle for that occasional theft!! THe Buckwheat Galettes seem similar to the Almond Flour Crepes for which you gave us a recipe recently and I use them for my “bread” quite often. I have flavored them with different herbs and spices and I quite like dill in them. I shall now also try the Buckwheat Galettes. You are awesome! Thank you so much.

  26. 26

    Lyn says

    I like the idea of oil instead of more flour. Can this technique be used with other bread recipes?

  27. 27

    Goldie L says

    5 stars
    This is the easiest and most delicious whole wheat bread. My bread machine broke down and I used my Cuisinart processor. Came out PERFECT! Will make this often. Thanks so much for this recipe.

  29. 29

    Karen says

    I made this bread today. I followed the recipe exactly except I used my mixer to knead it for 2 minutes on high and then 50 turns by hand. I also used a bit larger bread pan as that is what I had. Absolute PERFECTION. Thank you so much for this recipe. I make wheat bread all the time, but this adds a nice sweet flavor.

  31. 31

    jane says

    5 stars
    Too lazy to measure the molasses, however, my two small loaves are divine. (I also lazily used a stand mixer with a few minutes of real kneading). Thank you!

  33. 33

    Sherrie Lopez says

    I misjudged my time this morning and had to leave. This was just after I put the dough in the pan. So I put it in the fridge. It’s been out for a few hours and no change. Not an inch over the pan. Is it salvageable?

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