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If you’ve ever craved the perfect homemade loaf that’s wholesome, tender, and absolutely bursting with hearty grains, this Soft Multigrain Bread Recipe is going to become your new best friend. Imagine a bread with a delicate, pillowy crumb, touched with the nutty richness from multigrain cereal and the subtle sweetness of brown sugar, all wrapped up in a golden crust that invites you to tear it apart. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just dipping your toes into bread-making waters, this recipe balances simplicity and flavor so beautifully that every slice feels like a warm hug straight from your kitchen.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gathering these straightforward ingredients is the first step to creating a loaf that’s soft on the inside yet full of texture and character. Each component plays a special role: the multigrain mix offers hearty texture and nutrition, the yeast brings your dough to life, and brown sugar adds just the right touch of sweetness to balance the flavors beautifully.
- Dry multigrain cereal mix or rolled oats: Provides a wholesome, nutty base that gives this bread its signature texture and heartiness.
- Boiling water: Softens the grains perfectly, creating moisture that contributes to a tender crumb.
- Instant or active dry yeast: The magic ingredient that makes your bread rise and become light and fluffy.
- Brown sugar: Adds a gentle sweetness that balances the earthiness of multigrains and helps activate the yeast.
- Unsalted butter: Brings richness and softness that makes every bite melt in your mouth.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and controls yeast activity for an even rise.
- Bread flour: The high-protein foundation that creates structure and gives your bread a perfect chew.
- Optional mix-ins (sunflower seeds, nuts, dried fruit): Give an extra layer of flavor and fun to each slice if you’re feeling adventurous.
How to Make Soft Multigrain Bread Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the multi-grain base
Start by soaking your multigrain cereal mix or oats in boiling water. This step softens the grains, giving the bread its characteristic tender, slightly textured bite. Be sure to cool the mixture to about 110°F before moving on—too hot, and you risk killing your yeast, but a bit cooler just means your dough will take a little longer to rise.
Step 2: Activate the yeast
Add yeast and brown sugar to the warm cereal-water mixture, stirring gently to combine. Let it sit for a few minutes until the surface becomes bubbly and foamy—that’s your signal that the yeast is happily waking up and ready for action.
Step 3: Incorporate flour, butter, and salt
With your mixer fitted with a dough hook or a sturdy spoon, mix in softened butter, salt, and part of the bread flour gradually. This ensures a well-developed dough with balanced flavors. Expect a slightly sticky but workable texture. If you’re mixing by hand, get ready to embrace some arm power—it’s a satisfying part of the process!
Step 4: Knead until perfect
Knead the dough for around 3 to 5 minutes, either by mixer speed or by hand on a lightly floured surface. Your goal is a dough that feels soft and slightly tacky but pulls away from your hands without sticking excessively. For a foolproof check, try the windowpane test—stretch a small handful of dough thin enough to see light through without tearing. This means your gluten is beautifully developed and your bread will rise wonderfully.
Step 5: First rise
Lightly coat a large bowl with oil, place your dough inside, and turn it to coat. Cover it warmly with foil or a towel, and let it sit until it doubles in size—about 1 to 2 hours. Watching your dough transform and grow is one of the most exciting parts of baking!
Step 6: Shape the loaf
Once risen, punch down the dough and roll it out gently into a rectangle shape before rolling it back into a loaf. This shaping step creates lovely layers and air pockets inside your bread. Place it into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan, then cover for the second rise. This little nap lets your bread puff up again, promising a soft, airy interior.
Step 7: Second rise
Let your shaped bread rest until it rises about 1 to 2 inches above the pan’s edge, usually around 1 hour. This final proof ensures a light, tender crumb and gives your loaf a beautiful shape once baked.
Step 8: Bake to golden perfection
Slide the loaf into a preheated oven at 350°F, positioning it on a lower rack to avoid an overly browned top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting with foil if the crust browns early. Your bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped or reaches an internal temperature of 195°F to 200°F—this signals a perfectly cooked center.
Step 9: Cool and enjoy
Allow your loaf to cool briefly before slicing. If you can resist, letting it cool fully helps the crumb set and slice beautifully. Then dive in and savor the result of your loving craftsmanship!
How to Serve Soft Multigrain Bread Recipe
Garnishes
This bread is delicious as-is, but you can elevate it with a simple spread of creamy butter or your favorite nut butter. A sprinkle of seeds on top before baking can add a lovely crunch and visual flair.
Side Dishes
Pair your soft multigrain bread with soups, stews, or fresh green salads. It also makes an amazing base for breakfast avocado toast or a sturdy sandwich layered with fresh veggies and cheeses. The versatility means you can enjoy it any time of day.
Creative Ways to Present
Try slicing the bread thick and toasting it with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon for a cozy breakfast treat. Or create small crostinis topped with goat cheese and seasonal fruits for irresistible appetizers that wow your guests.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Soft multigrain bread keeps wonderfully at room temperature for 2 to 3 days when wrapped tightly. Keeping it sealed preserves its softness and prevents it from drying out.
Freezing
If you want to enjoy your bread longer, slice and freeze it in an airtight bag. This way you can pop slices in the toaster straight from the freezer and enjoy fresh-tasting bread any time.
Reheating
For best results, reheat slices lightly in a toaster or oven to refresh the crust’s crispness while keeping the interior soft and inviting. Avoid microwaving if possible, as it can make bread gummy.
FAQs
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast in this Soft Multigrain Bread Recipe?
Absolutely! Just be sure to dissolve active dry yeast in warm water first and let it activate for about 5–10 minutes until bubbly before mixing it with other ingredients.
What if I don’t have bread flour? Can I use all-purpose flour?
You can substitute all-purpose flour, but the texture might be a bit less chewy since bread flour has a higher protein content that helps with the bread’s structure.
How long does the bread stay fresh once baked?
Stored at room temperature in a sealed container, this bread stays fresh for 2 to 3 days. Refrigerating can extend freshness up to 10 days, but it might slightly alter the texture.
Can I add extra seeds or nuts to this recipe?
Yes! Feel free to mix in sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, or dried fruits for extra flavor and crunch. Just keep it to about half a cup to avoid weighing down the dough.
What does the “windowpane test” mean for beginners?
The windowpane test is a great way to check if your dough has been kneaded enough. Stretch a small piece gently; if it becomes thin and translucent without tearing, your gluten is well developed and your dough is ready to rise.
Final Thoughts
Baking this Soft Multigrain Bread Recipe might just become the happiest part of your day. It’s comforting, nourishing, and so rewarding to pull a warm loaf from the oven filled with wholesome flavors and a tender crumb. Trust me, once you bake this, you’ll find yourself slicing it up for every meal and sharing it with everyone you love. Give it a try and experience firsthand how delicious homemade bread can be.
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PrintSoft Multigrain Bread Recipe
This Soft Multigrain Bread recipe yields a tender, flavorful loaf combining the wholesome goodness of multigrain cereal mix with the perfect balance of sweetness and texture. Ideal for sandwiches or toast, this bread boasts a soft crumb and a slightly nutty flavor thanks to the optional sunflower seeds or nuts. The recipe utilizes a straightforward yeast-based dough, requiring two rises and baking to achieve the perfect soft crust and airy interior.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (approximately 12 slices)
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (60g) dry multigrain cereal mix or old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1 and 3/4 cups (410ml) boiling water
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 3 Tablespoons (37g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 and 1/3 cups (433g) bread flour (spooned and leveled), plus more as needed and for hands/work surface
Optional Add-ins
- 1/2 cup (60g) sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, pepitas, raisins, or dried cranberries
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Place the multigrain cereal mix in a large heatproof bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Pour the boiling water over it and let it cool until it reaches about 110°F (43°C), which takes approximately 20 minutes. Maintaining the correct temperature is crucial to not kill the yeast.
- Activate yeast: Whisk the yeast, brown sugar, and the warm multigrain cereal mixture together in the mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and let sit for 5-10 minutes until the surface becomes foamy and bubbly, indicating that the yeast is active.
- Mix dough: Add the softened butter, salt, and 1 cup (130g) of bread flour to the yeast mixture. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape the bowl sides, then add another cup of flour. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is somewhat incorporated. Add the remaining flour and optional seeds or nuts and beat again on medium speed until the dough starts to come together and pulls away from the bowl sides, about 2 minutes. Add more flour in small increments if the dough is too sticky.
- Knead the dough: Continue kneading in the mixer for 3-5 minutes or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for the same duration. The dough should remain slightly soft and pass the windowpane test—stretch a small piece until thin without tearing to check.
- First rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough inside, turning it to coat all sides. Cover with foil, plastic wrap, or a clean towel and let it rise in a warm area for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
- Prepare loaf pan and shape dough: Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Punch down the risen dough to release air. Lightly flour your work surface, hands, and rolling pin, then roll the dough into an approximately 8×15 inch rectangle. Roll it up into an 8-inch log and place it into the prepared pan.
- Second rise: Cover the loaf with foil, plastic, or a kitchen towel and let it rise until it rises 1-2 inches above the pan rim, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven and bake: Adjust the oven rack to a lower position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake the loaf for 35-40 minutes. If the top browns too fast, tent the pan with foil. Test doneness by tapping the loaf for a hollow sound or using a thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 195°F-200°F (90°C-93°C).
- Cool and store: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing or allow it to cool completely. Store leftover bread tightly covered at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Notes
- Use a digital thermometer to monitor the water temperature precisely; too hot kills yeast, too cool slows rising.
- For those without a mixer, mixing and kneading by hand is perfectly fine but requires more effort.
- Perform the windowpane test to ensure adequate gluten development during kneading.
- Optional mix-ins like sunflower seeds, nuts, or dried fruit add flavor and texture but can be omitted for a simple bread.
- The first rise needs a warm environment; countertop works well but avoid cold drafts.
- To avoid top over-browning, tent the bread with foil during baking.
- This bread keeps best when stored tightly wrapped to retain moisture.
