Whole Grain Brioche Bread Recipe

Name: Whole Grain Brioche Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 595 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup warm milk; 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet); 1 tbsp honey; 4 large eggs; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 5 tbsp sugar; 3 1/2 cups whole grain flour (spooned and leveled); 1 1/2 tsp sea salt; 1 cup butter (very soft (2 sticks)); 1 egg; 1 tbsp milk

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This whole grain brioche bread is pillowy soft and full of flavor! Buttery, rich, and lightly sweet, brioche bread is delicious in French toast, made into sandwiches, or fresh from the oven with butter.

A loaf of whole grain brioche bread on a striped towel.

Whenever we have dinner guests, I love making fresh bread to go with whatever meal we’re having.

This whole grain brioche bread is one of my go-tos. It’s easy to make and everyone raves about it!

Whole grain brioche bread is rich, fluffy, and full of flavor. With raw honey, lots of butter, and freshly milled flour, this bread recipe is a winner every time.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love It

Whole grain brioche bread is truly a crowd-pleaser. It has a rich, slightly sweet flavor and the most decadent soft texture.
If you like baking, you’ll love making this recipe! It’s such a fun recipe and the final product is wow-worthy.
It’s not hard to use up a brioche loaf; it goes with pretty much any meal. Whole grain brioche bread pairs deliciously with a pot roast, makes a great bun for pulled beef sandwiches, and is irresistible in brioche french toast.
This recipe is the perfect bread to make ahead of time because it cold-proofs in the fridge for several hours. That means you get to enjoy fresh-from-the-oven bread without adding stress to your cooking and preparation time.

Ingredients

Milk: Make sure it’s warm enough to bloom the yeast but not so hot that the yeast is killed. Aim for 100-110°F.
Active dry yeast
Honey: Raw honey adds a delicious flavor to the dough while contributing to its sweetness.
Eggs: The high egg content is part of what makes brioche so soft, fluffy, and delicious.
Vanilla extract
Sugar: Adds additional sweetness that brioche bread is known for.
Whole grain flour: I use freshly milled flour, spooned and leveled.
Sea salt
Butter: Make sure it’s very soft before adding it to the bread dough.
Egg wash: An egg whisked with a bit of milk will give this bread its shiny, golden brown top.

How to Make Whole Grain Brioche Bread

Yeast and milk blooming in a mixing bowl.

Step 1: Add milk, yeast, and honey to a small bowl and whisk together gently. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Whisk in eggs, then add vanilla, sugar, flour, and salt and stir to form a sticky dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Kneading brioche dough with a stand mixer.

Folding the brioche dough over on a countertop.

Step 3: With a standup mixer, use a dough hook attachment to knead on low speed for 3-4 minutes.

Step 4: Add butter and continue to knead on medium speed (5-6) for about 5-6 minutes. The dough should be a little sticky, pulling off the sides of the bowl and it will be tacky, but smooth. It should also not stick to your fingers when you poke it. It will be really stretchy.

Tip: Don’t be tempted to add any flour. If it’s still really sticky, just knead it for a couple more minutes. This is more tacky than your typical bread recipe.

Step 5: Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. wet your fingertips and fold the dough in on itself, starting on one side, rotate and fold it in, until each side has been folded in. Flip it over and tighten it into a ball.

Step 6: Transfer to a bowl and cover to rise for an hour.

Step 7: Still covered, after an hour, transfer the dough to the fridge to chill for 8 hours.

Brioche dough balls into bread pans, unbaked.

Step 8: After 8 hours, remove it from the fridge and bring it to room temp. Place it on a lightly floured surface and divide into 16 pieces, and shape into balls.

Step 9: Lightly grease 2 9×5 bread pans, and arrange the balls in 2 rows of 4. Cover and rise again for 3-4 hours. They won’t double in size, but they should rise enough where each piece is pressing into the next.

Brushing brioche bread with an egg wash.

Whole grain brioche bread in bread pans.

Step 10: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk eggs and milk, brush the top and bake 35-40 minutes. Cool it on a wire rack for 10 minutes before cutting into it.

Whole grain brioche bread with a slice cut off.

Expert Tips

Don’t be tempted to add any additional flour. If the dough is still really sticky, just knead it for a couple more minutes. This is more tacky than your typical bread recipe.
I use butter to grease the bread pans. You can also use any oil.
If you opt for milling your own flour, I recommend investing in a high-quality grain mill (I use the Mockmill professional grain mill). It makes a huge difference in the final texture of your bread.
Keep in mind that the rise time will vary depending on the warmth of your home. If the temperature of your house is quite cold, you can let the dough rise in the oven with the oven light turned on.

Recipe FAQs

Why isn’t my brioche bread rising?

Bread can have trouble rising if the yeast is expired or the milk is at the wrong temperature. Make sure your yeast is still fresh and your milk is warmed to 100-110°F. The yeast should be frothy after the 10-minute wait in step 1. Keep in mind that bread can take longer to rise in cold temperatures, so if your house is cold, it may just need longer to proof.

What is brioche bread best used for?

Brioche bread is delicious by itself with butter, honey, or jam. It pairs perfectly with soups, roasts, and other cozy meals. Brioche bread makes a delicious bread option for homemade French toast and it is great for sandwiches. You can incorporate this whole grain brioche bread into every meal of the day!

What’s the difference between brioche bread and regular bread?

Brioche bread has more butter, eggs, and sugar than regular bread. This makes it softer, richer, sweeter, and more golden in color than a typical bread loaf.

A loaf of brioche bread with a slice out of it.

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