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    Home » Breads » Honey Wheat Bread: Yeast Free!

    Honey Wheat Bread: Yeast Free!

    March 25, 2020 , Updated June 18, 2020 Maria 197 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    A loaf of honey wheat bread on a wooden board.

    With just a few wholesome ingredients, you can make this Honey Wheat Bread. This easy to make, no-knead, no yeast whole-wheat quick bread recipe is ready in less than one hour!

    Sliced honey wheat bread on a wooden board.

    Let me repeat: NO yeast, NO knead, quick whole wheat bread!

    A bread recipe without yeast is the simplest definition of quick bread. Baking soda or baking powder (or a combination of both) is used as the leavening agent to get a quick rise.

    If you looking for more yeast free recipes, this non-traditional Irish Soda Bread also requires no kneading and is leavened with both baking powder and baking soda. This Piadina recipe uses only baking powder, and this Quick Flatbread requires only flour, water, salt and oil. 

    So many wonderful possibilities!

    Foods such as muffins, cornbread, scones, biscuits, loaves are all different kinds of quick bread. 

    In a way, it’s the fast-food version of bread! 

    You won’t believe how easy it is to make this homemade wheat bread.

    Just three easy steps.

    Are you ready?

    Ingredients

    • Whole wheat flour. A great way to get that fiber we all need!
    • Baking soda. This will provide the bread to rise.
    • Salt. Not much, just a few pinches.
    • Buttermilk. A wonderful addition in a quick bread.
    • Honey. A natural ingredient.
    • Olive oil. Adds a fruity element.

    As far as accessories are concerned, you don’t need much. You need two bowls, a whisk, a wooden spoon and a 9 x 5 rectangle baking pan. That’s it!

    An overhead shot of sliced honey bread with a checkered blue tea towel and a bread knife.

    Instructions

    The first thing we are going to do is either grease and flour or spray non-stick spray in a 9 x 5 (2L) loaf pan.

    Set the pan aside while we measure and combine the ingredients.

    An overhead shot of a bowl of whole wheat flour, salt and baking soda.

    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour (3 cups), baking soda (2 teaspoons), and salt (¼ teaspoon). Take a few minutes to properly whisk these ingredients together to ensure even distribution of the baking soda. Set it aside.

    An overhead shot of a bowl of buttermilk, oil and honey.

    In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk (2 cups), olive oil (2 tablespoons) and honey (¼ cup).

    An overhead shot the honey wheat dough in the process of being combined.

    Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and with a wooden spoon stir to combine. You will notice that the mixture comes together very quickly.

    Do not over mix. 

    Sunflower seeds can be seen on the honey bread dough in a rectangular pan, about to be baked.

    Immediately transfer the batter to the 9 x 5 loaf pan. If desired, sprinkle the top of the loaf with about one tablespoon of sunflower seeds. 

    Place the pan in a preheated oven at 300℉ (150ºC) for about 55 minutes. 

    A freshly baked loaf of whole wheat bread on a cooling rack.

    Remove from the oven and allow it to cool down on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. 

    Cool completely before slicing.

    Tips

    • Preheat your oven to the right temperature.
    • Prepare your pan before you begin this recipe as the baking soda will start reacting as soon as it comes into contact with the liquid ingredients. 
    • Properly whisking together your dry ingredients ensures even distribution of the baking soda or baking powder, which will, in turn, ensure a uniform rising in your bread.
    • Do not over stir; combine wet and dry and stir until moistened…resist the urge to keep stirring.
    • The minute you combine your wet and dry ingredients, immediately place the mixture in your pan and in the oven. The “lifting” component of the soda (which is really the carbon dioxide) starts reacting as soon as it’s in contact with the wet ingredients.

    Buttermilk Substitution

    To replace 1 cup of buttermilk, measure and pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a 1 cup measurer. Pour enough milk to reach the 1 cup mark. Stir and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. 

    Honey recipes we love

    If you enjoy baking with honey, you will love this flavorful, moist and perfectly sweetened Honey Spice Cake. Cookie recipes with honey are also quick, easy and delicious to make. Two of my favorite recipes are these Honey Cookies and of course this Honey Cocoa Biscotti.

    A few slices of a no yeast wheat bread on a wooden board, next to a bread knife.

    Recipe origins

    This non-yeast bread recipe is from my collection of recipe booklets from Robin Hood.

    Does anyone remember those? 

    I’ve had this recipe for years but I never got around to trying it until recently.

    To be honest, I had some whole wheat flour that was expiring and I finally remembered I had tagged this recipe. It was so good that I’ve already made it 3 times this week. I actually had to go buy more whole wheat flour!

    As usual, I’ve made a couple of changes: I decreased the amount of salt and I used olive oil in the recipe.

    If you are expecting a light airy bread, this is not the recipe for you.

    This quick whole wheat honey bread provides a crumb which is dense and soft and, you know what, it works!

    I am enjoying mine right now, toasted, smothered with Almond Butter – yum!

    It only takes 5 minutes of prep time and less than one hour in the oven!

    If you have ever wondered how to make bread without yeast, this is the recipe for you!

    THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

    Ciao for now,

    Maria

    ★★★★★ If you have made this easy bread recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

    A loaf of honey wheat bread on a wooden cutting board.

    Honey Wheat Bread

    This no yeast, quick whole wheat honey bread provides a crumb which is dense & soft that is just great toasted! This recipe is really too simple not to try.
    4.93 from 40 votes
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: snack/breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 55 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 10 servings
    Calories: 202kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups whole wheat flour 468 grams
    • 2 teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups buttermilk or sour milk
    • ¼ cup honey
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds Optional, to sprinkle over the top.

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 300℉ (150ºC).
    • Spray 9" x 5" (2 L) loaf pan with non-stick spray.
    • In a very large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, honey and oil together.
    • Combine this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix only until combined with a wooden spoon.
    • Place batter in a pan.
    • If using, sprinkle top with sunflower seeds.
    • Bake for approximately 55 minutes or until done.
    • Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before removing bread from pan. Cool completely before slicing.
    Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

    Video

    Notes

    • Preheat your oven to the right temperature.
    • Prepare your pan before you begin this recipe as the baking soda will start reacting as soon as it comes into contact with the liquid ingredients. 
    • Properly whisking together your dry ingredients ensures even distribution of the baking soda or baking powder, which will, in turn, ensure a uniform rising in your bread.
    • Do not over stir; combine wet and dry and stir until moistened...resist the urge to keep stirring.
    • The minute you combine your wet and dry ingredients, immediately place the mixture in your pan and in the oven. The "lifting" component of the soda (which is really the carbon dioxide) starts reacting as soon as it's in contact with the wet ingredients.
    Buttermilk Substitution: To replace 1 cup of buttermilk, measure and pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a 1 cup measurer. Pour enough milk to reach the 1 cup mark. Stir and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. 
    Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 
    *Recipe adapted from Robin Hood

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 328mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1.3mg
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    This post was originally published on June 4, 2015, republished on February 22, 2019 and more recently on March 25, 2020 with updated content. Thanks for watching and sharing.

     

     

     

     

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    Filed Under: Breads, Breakfast and Brunch

    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Watson Anne L.

      June 22, 2022 at 3:38 pm

      5 stars
      I make this with whey drained from my Greek yogurt making instead of buttermilk. It’s great!

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 24, 2022 at 10:27 am

        Thanks so much for sharing Watson! This is such a wonderful idea!

        Reply
    2. Melissa W.

      November 19, 2021 at 7:27 pm

      I just took a loaf of this bread out of the oven. I can’t wait to try a slice.

      Reply
      • Maria

        November 21, 2021 at 8:39 pm

        Enjoy Melissa! Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply
    3. Anne

      March 09, 2021 at 12:40 am

      I wasn’t expecting much, simply because it was so easy to make. My husband and I loved it! This will definitely be a weekly treat in our home. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 10, 2021 at 9:19 pm

        How wonderful Anne! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, appreciate it.

        Reply
    4. Vera

      January 23, 2021 at 9:28 am

      5 stars
      So easy AND delicious. The bread came out perfectly; it was so tasty, almost like cake, that no butter or spread was even needed. I’ll be making this regularly.

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 23, 2021 at 2:08 pm

        So thrilled to read this Vera! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    5. Suzie Lall

      January 21, 2021 at 11:03 pm

      Hi, can you substitute the honey for anything else that doesn’t have sugar?

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 24, 2021 at 10:22 pm

        Sorry Suzie, I haven’t tried this recipe with any other ingredient. Perhaps another visitor will be able to help out. Thanks for stopping by.

        Reply
      • Carmel

        January 26, 2021 at 11:03 am

        I am diabetic and would use this recipe I found for a 1/4 cup honey substitute:

        Ingredients:
        1 1/4 cups granulated sugar substitute, like Splenda
        1/4 cup water

        Instructions:
        Dump the granulated sugar and water into a pot, and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves into the water.
        Then, replace the honey called for in the recipe with an equal amount of honey substitute. This mixture is a good approximation for the thickness of honey, so you shouldn’t notice a significant change to your recipe.
        Hope this helps!

        Reply
    6. Kelly

      January 15, 2021 at 1:58 pm

      Hi, definitely will give this a try. My husband needs healthy bread alternatives after a heart attack. I was surprised there was no baking powder? I’ll let you know how it turns out. Thanks

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 24, 2021 at 10:25 pm

        Thanks so much for your interest Kelly. Enjoy!

        Reply
        • Kelly

          February 04, 2021 at 7:28 pm

          Follow up – made this exactly as listed. My husband loved it. I have made two more loaves to serve with homemade soups. I also made, sliced and froze slices for my kids at university. I delivered them to dorms with jars of homemade jam. Thanks again. ❤️

        • Maria

          February 04, 2021 at 7:34 pm

          So thrilled to read this! Thanks so much for sharing Kelly, truly appreciate it!

    7. Jennifer

      January 11, 2021 at 6:52 pm

      I’m curious if the honey is for more than just flavour, I’m wondering if it can be subbed out for a different sweetener.

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 24, 2021 at 10:24 pm

        Thanks for your interest Jennifer. Unfortunately, I haven’t tested this recipe with any other sweetener. Perhaps another visitor can help out.

        Reply
    8. Peni

      November 22, 2020 at 6:40 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Maria

      Great recipe, excellent instructions.
      Easy (even for me) and perfect results
      I didn’t have buttermilk so I used powdered milk with two tablespoons
      of vinegar. Also used bread machine whole wheat flour because that’s all I had.
      Delicious…. thanks for sharing

      Peni

      Reply
      • Maria

        November 23, 2020 at 11:01 am

        So thrilled to read this. I love how resourceful you are! Thanks so much for taking the time to share, appreciate it Peni.

        Reply
    9. Nancy

      November 04, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      5 stars
      I made this today. It’s fast and simple to make , has a good flavor and texture.

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 24, 2021 at 10:25 pm

        How wonderful Nancy! Thanks for taking the time to share.

        Reply
    10. Nimitha

      October 31, 2020 at 5:16 am

      5 stars
      Wow! This was very tasty and required hardly any effort. My 7 year old loved it. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Maria

        October 31, 2020 at 7:40 am

        My pleasure Nimitha, thanks so much for sharing!

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Maria! a dietitian and full-time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

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