How to Bake with Whole Grains at Home

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Whole grains are all the rage, and with good reason! They’re packed with both flavor and nutrition.

But baking with them can be a bit tough, and I mean that in multiple senses of the word.

When used improperly and without much consideration for the ingredients on hand, baking with whole grain flours can lead to dense or dry results.

Fortunately, there are a few different ways that you can work these grains into your diet without compromising on texture, and you can greatly improve flavor.

Striking the right balance of more refined products and whole grain varieties is the key to making baked goods that reach their full potential in terms of flavor, texture, and nutritional content.

Continue reading to learn more about whole grains, and how to best incorporate them when you are in the kitchen!

Get to Know the Germ and Bran

With most types of white refined flour that are ground from wheat, the endosperm – the portion containing starch and protein – is separated from the germ and the bran, which are primarily fat and fiber.

The germ and the bran are removed in order to leave a finished product that is fine in texture and light in color.

“All-purpose flour” is a general term for a commerically available milled product that does not include the germ or bran and only includes the endosperm.

But in whole grain styles, the germ and bran remain intact, providing flavor and a huge host of nutritional benefits.

In some of our diets, consuming more refined white types of products has gained a bad reputation – its lack of dense nutritional value has led to its notorious status.

And that’s really unfortunate – refined white flour is an essential ingredient in traditional baking, especially when you want to incorporate healthier and heartier grains with the best results.

To illustrate, let’s consider wheat for a moment as if it were an egg.

The endosperm is like the egg white, composed of structural protein – but technically speaking, let’s not overlook that the endosperm contains both protein and carbohydrates.

The germ is like the yolk, and it contains fat, flavor, and so many nutrients. Finally, the bran is like the shell, and it’s made of fiber.

If you were to eat both egg white and egg yolk, you’d get the most bang for your buck as far as nutrients and flavor are concerned.

But try adding a bit of yolk into your next meringue and you’ll realize how necessary the separation of the white can be! Just that little bit of extra fat will prohibit the proteins from developing any strength at all.

Cooking with all-purpose white flour is similar to cooking with an egg white. The endosperm doesn’t have as much flavor as the germ or bran, but it lends a significantly important structural role.

In many recipes, the protein just can’t do its job if too much fiber or fat get in the way.

More than likely, we have all bought and used an all-purpose variety for our cakes, cookies, brownies, and more for years. You’re already an expert on that!

But if you need a little more schooling on whole grains, let’s go over specific classifications of wheat and types of whole grain flour next, and how they need to be treated in recipes.

Learn About Wheat Classifications

Wheat is generally classified according to three main considerations: its growing season, color, and hardness level.

The main classes grown in North America that are all milled into flour and typically used for baking include:

• Hard red winter
• Hard red spring
• Hard white
• Soft red winter
• Soft white

Winter wheat is sown in the fall and harvested in the spring, and is typically grown where winters are mild. Spring wheat is sown in the spring and harvested in the summer.

As for the color, different strains of wheat will produce bran in different colors. Red and white colors are the most common varieties.

When referring to the “hardness” or “softness” of wheat, this is an indication of protein content.

Harder kernels will have a higher protein content, and will yield a stronger milled ingredient with more protein.

More protein will create a stronger gluten network. However, in the specific case of whole wheat flours made with harder wheat kernels, the bran actually cuts into the gluten network, resulting in a denser dough.

Softer kernels will have a lower protein content, and will yield a weaker flour with less protein. Softer flour is better for baking products that need a tender texture, like cakes and scones.

Both whole wheat and all-purpose milled products can potentially be made with any of these varieties of wheat to produce a flour with a certain protein content and level of coarseness.

All-purpose can be made with a blend of both hard and soft varieties to yield its “all-purpose” baking quality. Remember, this particular product is milled to remove the bran and germ.

Understand the Different Types of Flour

Various grains and flour blends will behave differently in your recipe, so it is important to know how to navigate and select from the many types that are available.

Our guide to types of flour can help you learn the basics of the most common options available, but let’s focus specifically on some popular whole grain varieties here!

Buy and Store Them Carefully

The most important step in baking with whole grains is ensuring that you have fresh, high-quality flour available.

Because it contains the oils from the germ, it can go rancid much more quickly than a bag of refined white.

Make sure to purchase yours from a store that has a high turnover rate, and always check the sell-by dates before buying!

Once you’ve opened the bag, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. This will help to extend its shelf life. When it’s chilled, it will last for 3 to 6 months.

Of course, for the freshest and tastiest option, you could also look for a local miller, preferably one who makes a stone ground product.

My favorite kinds come from a local farm that mills their own wheat, and delivers their products around the state twice per week. It doesn’t get much fresher than that!

Though you could easily grind your favorite grains right at home! And don’t forget to read our complete guide to countertop grain mills to make the best selection for your specific needs and requirements.

This will require more labor on your part, but it can be well worth the effort if you want to make the most delicious baked goods with the freshest ingredients.

Only Substitute a Portion

Once you’ve chosen the appropriate variety for your recipe, or the one that you are most interested in using, it’s important to have the best ratio in mind to achieve a tasty and satisfying final product.

And I don’t recommend a 1-to-1 substitution for these styles.

The concentrated starch and protein found in white flour is necessary for a light and well-structured loaf of bread, cake, cookie, or scone.

Substituting a whole grain variety for all of the regular refined flour will almost always leave you with something resembling a brick – heavy, dense, dry, and not that enjoyable!

Instead, when making cakes, cookies, scones, and quick breads, try substituting 30 to 40% of the all-purpose flour with your whole grain alternative. This will bump up the flavor and nutrition without harming the texture.

When making artisan breads that require allowing the yeast to rise and proper kneading, you can increase this quantity just a little more. Using 50% whole grain to 50% bread flour will work just fine to ensure that you have developed enough gluten.

Don’t hesitate to add an extra tablespoon of water at a time if your dough feels quite dry when you are halfway through kneading.

Let the Dough Rest

Once you’ve mixed your dough or batter, one last way to ensure a good end result is to let it rest for a little while.

Waiting 10 to 20 minutes will create a noticeable difference, but if you can, try leaving it in the fridge overnight before you proceed with the recipe.

The moisture will soften the germ and the bran, creating a much nicer texture.

Use the Right Recipes

A safe and smart decision to make when you are new to whole grain baking, or any unfamiliar recipe for that matter, is to rely on tested recipes published by food professionals rather than attempting to make your own substitutions.

And we’re here to help you!

We’ve broken down our favorite hearty and healthy recipes into some basic categories – you’ll find a fun collection of really tasty options right here:

Sourdough Bread

My favorite way to incorporate heartier grains into baking is with sourdough bread.

The long fermentation process breaks down the fiber that makes grains difficult to work with in other baking applications. Plus, it really develops the nuances of flavor present in the different kinds of milled wheat products you are using.

Homemade Sourdough Bread: Get the Recipe Now

Because of this long microbial fermentation, fermented sourdough can handle a much higher ratio of whole grains than other baked goods.

I know some bakers who will make theirs with 100% whole grain, though I’ll admit this is a bit too dense for me. About 66% is the maximum that I enjoy.

To give my recipe a try with this recommended percentage, follow the instructions in my guide to sourdough. But instead of using 100 grams of whole wheat and 200 grams of all-purpose flour, reverse these amounts. Try 200 grams of a whole grain flour with 100 grams of white all-purpose.

Other Breads

If you are looking for easier-to-craft breads that don’t require as much of a commitment as sourdough, there are many options for you.

Whether you knead by hand for a workout, or enlist the help of your stand mixer, you’ll have fun making these recipes for fresh bread featuring bountiful ingredients:

• Dark Rye Bread
• Whole Grain Bread with Oats and Seeds
• Maple Oat Bread
• Soaked Whole Grain Bread
• Homemade Pecan Bread with Dried Blueberries

With a little preparation and planning, you can serve a freshly baked loaf of bread for your next homemade dinner.

And you can potentially use any leftovers to make our sweet and tasty bread pudding with fruits and nuts!

Muffins

Simple to mix, assemble, and bake, muffins are easy for beginner bakers. Save these recipes if you’re searching for a healthier start to days when you’re on the go:

• Cardamom Pistachio Muffins
• Healthier Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Sprouted Wheat Coconut Cocoa Banana Muffins
• Vegan 100% Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Muffins

Muffins are also freezer-friendly, so double up for bigger batches if you want to meal prep!

Desserts

We love a sweet ending to a meal, especially when dessert can be juuuuust a teensy bit wholesome and healthier!

If you need some ideas for the final course, we have a few suggestions for you:

• All-Butter Spelt Pie Crust
• Cookies ‘n’ Cream Spelt Cookies
• Vegan Spelt Walnut Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Whole Grain Chocolate Cake

Use the spelt pie crust as a perfect buttery base for your favorite pie filling – like juicy blueberries and chocolate silk.