I’m not sure if this was good timing… or the worst timing possible, because right as I decided “I want to start making more food from scratch,” we also decided to completely redo our kitchen.
And by “redo,” I mean:
my husband and I are literally building and installing our cabinets ourselves.
So naturally… this felt like the perfect time to start baking homemade bread.
🏡 Baking Bread Without a Real Kitchen
Right now, our kitchen is somewhere between:
- a construction zone
- a storage space
- and a very questionable cooking environment
We’ve got tools where plates should be,
cabinets in progress,
and just enough counter space to make things… interesting.
So yes, this is the season I chose to start baking bread. Not when everything was finished. Not when it was convenient.
Now.
🍯 Why I Chose Honey Wheat Bread
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t ready for anything complicated. Sourdough felt like a whole personality I haven’t developed yet.
So I went with something that felt:
- simple
- forgiving
- and actually useful for everyday meals
Honey wheat bread just made sense.
Something we could:
- use for sandwiches
- toast in the morning
- and feel good about making at home
🍞 The Recipe I Used (Beginner-Friendly Honey Wheat Bread)
If you’re just getting started like me, this is a really simple place to begin.
📝 Ingredients:
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/3 cup warm milk
- 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 3 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp salt
👩🍳 Instructions:
1. Activate the yeast
In a large bowl, mix together:
- warm water
- warm milk
- yeast
Let it sit for a few minutes until slightly foamy.
2. Add initial flour
Add 2 cups of whole wheat flour and mix until combined.
Cover and let it rest for 60–90 minutes.
(This is where the magic starts happening.)
3. Add remaining ingredients
Add:
- honey
- butter
- lemon juice
- remaining 1 1/3 cups flour
- salt
Mix using a dough hook (or by hand) until a dough begins to form.
4. Knead the dough
Knead (or use dough hook) for 8–10 minutes.
The dough should be:
- soft
- slightly sticky
- but still workable
5. First rise
Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel.
Let rise for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size.
6. Shape the dough
Punch the dough down and turn it onto a floured surface.
Roll into a rectangle (about 8 x 15 inches), then roll it up into a log.
Place into an oiled loaf pan.
7. Bake
Bake at 350°F for 30–45 minutes, or until:
- top is golden brown
- loaf sounds slightly hollow when tapped
8. Cool + store
Let cool before slicing (if you can wait 😅)
Store at room temperature for up to a week.
🧠 What I’m Learning So Far
I’m very much in the beginner phase, but here’s what I’ve noticed already:
1. It doesn’t have to be perfect
The loaf wasn’t bakery-level… but it was homemade—and that counts.
2. The process is part of the point
It takes time.
You can’t rush it.
And honestly… that’s kind of the beauty of it.
3. Starting messy is better than waiting
If I had waited for our kitchen to be finished…
I probably wouldn’t have started yet.
🏡 The Irony of This Season
There’s something kind of funny about it.
We’re rebuilding our kitchen from the ground up—
literally building cabinets, installing everything ourselves…
And at the same time, I’m learning how to use that space in a completely different way.
Slower.
More intentionally.
Less convenience, more process.
Even if right now that “process” includes working around tools and unfinished cabinets.
🤍 Why This Matters to Me
This isn’t really about bread.
It’s about changing the rhythm of our home.
Doing more things by hand.
Being a little more present.
Letting things take time.
Even when life feels busy… or messy… or unfinished.
🌿 If You’ve Been Wanting to Start…
You don’t need:
- a perfect kitchen
- the best tools
- or everything figured out
Clearly 😅
You can start right where you are.
🍞 Follow Along
I’ll keep sharing:
- what works
- what doesn’t
- and what I’m learning as I go
Honey Wheat Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/3 cup warm milk
- 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 3 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp salt
Directions
- Mix the first 3 ingredients.
- Add two cups whole wheat flour and mix until combined. Allow to rest sixty to ninety minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix with a dough hook until the dough starts to form. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Kneed the dough or beat with a dough hook for 8-10 minutes.
- Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel to rise about 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down and turn it out on a flowered surface.
- Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 8×15″
- Roll it up into a log and place it in an oiled loafpan.
- Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, or until done and top is golden brown.
- Store at room temperature for up to a week.
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