Crazy Good Cracked Wheat Bread

Bread . . . I think it can be magical.

I remember many times in my youth, walking home from school and feeling a bit blue. Could it be because I had to walk?  I don’t think so.  We simply didn’t know any different at that time.  Looking back, I do believe it had something to do with friends . . . or maybe so-called friends.  As I entered the door of our home and the smell of freshly baked bread filled the halls . . . suddenly, all was well again.

The point of this story today, isn’t about mean girls . . . it’s about Crazy Good Bread!

I do believe that the wonderful Julia Childs knew best.

“How can a nation be great if their bread tastes like kleenex?” – Julia Childs

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This bread certainly doesn’t taste like Kleenex!

Don’t get me wrong Kleenex – I love you . . . I have one of you in my hand at all times, but bread shouldn’t taste like you.

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My husband even loves this bread, and he’s a picky bread connoisseur.  After spending time in Germany, It’s pretty darn hard to compete! The key to good bread is:  The next days bread!  Is it still moist and yummy? Check yes X.   Next time . . .Yes, next time I’m putting raw sunflower seeds and flax seed in the dough. We’ve become addicted to Dave’s Killer Bread, and I’m making this again and filling it with seeds.

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This Crazy Good Cracked Wheat Bread makes excellent sandwiches, because the bread is moist and soft.  My favorite is toasted, with just a bit of butter or jam.

Try this recipe . . . it really is Crazy Good!

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Crazy Good Cracked Wheat Bread

Print Recipe

Moist, delicious and good for you bread! You can use all Whole Wheat flour if you like.

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins
  • Total Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water
  • 1 cup cracked wheat
  • 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) + 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 1 cup whole or 2% milk
  • 2 cups all purpose or bread flour
  • 3 cups + whole wheat flour (may require additional)
  • 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten (opt)

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/4 cups of water to a boil. Stir in 1 cup of the cracked wheat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes; let cool to lukewarm.
  2. Note: A short simmer will give you a bit crunchier texture of cracked wheat in your bread – we like that!
  3. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water + 1 teaspoon sugar.
  4. Let stand until the yeast rises up, gets foamy and creamy looking. This will take about 10 minutes.
  5. Pour the cracked wheat mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the butter, oil, salt, molasses, honey, milk and the yeast mixture.
  6. Add the whole wheat flour and 2 cups of the bread flour 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
  7. Note: You can do this in a mixer, or by hand. I used a KitchenAid and added 1 1/2 cups extra wheat flour. Add additional whole wheat flour 1/4 to 1/2 cup at a time, just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Continue mixing until the dough is smooth and elastic but not stiff! My grandmother used to say: The dough should feel a bit like a soft earlobe when you pinch it!
  8. Lightly butter or oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil.
  9. Cover with a lid or warm damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
  10. Punch down (deflate) the dough and divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves.
  11. Place the loaves into two lightly greased 9×5 inch loaf pans.
  12. Cover the loaves with a warm damp cloth and let rise until doubled in size. This will take about 40 minutes.
  13. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F ( 190 degrees C).
  14. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on top and bottom.
  15. Cool on racks.

Notes

Additional Whole Wheat flour might be needed.
I added 1 1/2 cups extra flour to this recipe when using my KitchenAid Mixer.

 

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by Get Off Your Butt and BAKE

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  • C jackson - 04/21/2014 - 2:36 pm

    I dont know how you ended up adding 11/2 c flour! In my kitchenaid i couldnt even get the flour that was called for in. You sure About the water? The cracked wheat absorbed the 11/4 c so fast there was no way i could simmer it even four minutes.ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 04/24/2014 - 12:19 pm

      Hi C J

      I checked the original recipe, and this is correct. As I noted, I use a shorter simmer time, since we like the
      texture of the chewier cracked wheat (not very softened) in the bread. This is probably why I didn’t have the same
      problem. The water didn’t have time to fully absorb into the wheat.
      I have 2 types of cracked wheat in my pantry: one is quick cooking. That cracked wheat would absorb much quicker than the other.
      Hopefully the bread still turned out for you. We loved this bread! The next time I make this bread, I will time it precisely and make a note.

      Thank you,
      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Roger Wolf - 10/05/2014 - 6:51 am

    First time for this recipe.
    Worked fantastic! better than what you can get in the stores for over $4.00 a loaf. I didn’t modify a thing on the recipe, but I didn’t use any mixer. Just mixed and kneaded by hand. I did actually add the extra flour as stated while kneading.
    If you love cracked wheat bread, You need to make this bread!
    CheersReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 10/05/2014 - 4:52 pm

      Hi Roger,

      Thanks for leaving a comment. We also love this easy to make recipe.
      It’s fast to make, and also freezes well.

      I appreciate you!

      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Dee Dee - 11/10/2015 - 5:14 pm

    Its very good!! Our family loved it and will make it again and again! Thank you, its perfect, what I’ve been looking for for years!ReplyCancel