Soft Oatmeal Bread
We absolutely love this oatmeal bread! It's soft, flavorful, and perfect for spreading with butter, making sandwiches, or toasting. It also pairs beautifully with soups for a cozy meal. With its simple steps, this recipe is ideal for beginner bread bakers!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup warm milk 115-125°F
- ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 3 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup warm water 110-115°F
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 packet
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
Topping
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm milk and oats. Let sit for 30 minutes to allow the oats to soften.
- Add the butter, honey, warm water, yeast, salt, all-purpose flour, and whole wheat flour to the bowl with the oats and milk. Using the paddle attachment, mix until well combined.
- Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed for about 8 minutes, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should feel slightly sticky but not overly wet. If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time.
- Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Grease a 9x5-inch or 8½x4½-inch metal or glass bread pan. Lightly flour a work surface and transfer the dough onto it. Knead a few times to release large air bubbles, then shape the dough into a ball. Gently form it into an oval loaf by cupping it between your hands and tucking the ends under as needed. Place the dough into the greased bread pan, seam side down.
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in the pan until the top of the loaf is just above the rim, about 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white and water with a fork. Lightly brush the mixture over the top of the loaf (you won’t need all of it), then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of oats on top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the center of the loaf registers 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. If the top begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover it with foil partway through baking.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. For the best slices, wait until the bread is fully cooled before cutting.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
I use a stand mixer to mix and knead the dough, but if you don’t have one, you can mix the ingredients in a large bowl with a spoon and knead the dough by hand on a clean work surface.
Baking Time: The bread bakes faster in a glass pan (mine was ready in 45 minutes) and takes a bit longer in a metal pan (about 52 minutes).
Baking Tip: When placing the loaf in the oven, position the pan so that the long edge runs front to back. This helps the bread rise evenly. If placed side to side, the loaf may rise unevenly.
Using Active Dry Yeast Instead of Instant Yeast:
To substitute active dry yeast, proof it first: Combine the ½ cup warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the honey in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Whisk and let sit for 5 minutes until bubbly and foamy. Then, add it to the mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients. Dairy-Free Option:
For a dairy-free version, replace the milk with a non-dairy alternative or water. Swap the butter for olive oil or a neutral vegetable oil like canola.
To substitute active dry yeast, proof it first: Combine the ½ cup warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the honey in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Whisk and let sit for 5 minutes until bubbly and foamy. Then, add it to the mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients. Dairy-Free Option:
For a dairy-free version, replace the milk with a non-dairy alternative or water. Swap the butter for olive oil or a neutral vegetable oil like canola.