Multigrain Bread

There is something so satisfying about a loaf of Homemade Multigrain Bread made with multigrain hot cereal mix like 5-grain, 7-grain, or even 10-grain cereal. It manages to be soft and tender while still being packed with flavor and texture. This makes a fantastic and hearty sliced sandwich bread, but it's also delicious toasted with butter, apple butter, or jam!

If you enjoy homemade bread recipes then you should also check out my Amish White Bread and my braided Challah Bread, which are both simply fantastic. Or try my Sweet Molasses Brown Bread, which is another homey and hearty loaf.

There is nothing quite like a loaf of homemade bread coming out of the oven. Breadmaking is a skill and hobby that many people picked up over the course of the past year, and I know that I, for one, tried my hand at a few different types of bread.

It's therapeutic, wholesome and healthful, and just a great feeling to create something with your hands that has sustained millions of families for centuries. Plus, it's a great skill to have on hand!

This multigrain loaf was one that had been on my list for quite a while, and I'm so glad I finally got around to making it. My husband's cousin Heather was the one who inspired me to make this after she donated loaves of fresh homemade multigrain bread as an item for a church auction. I just couldn't resist going home and ordering some multigrain cereal so I could make my own!

What is Multigrain Bread?

Multigrain bread is a type of bread made with more than one grain, so it's pretty aptly named. The different types of grains not only help to give you a delicious flavor, but it also adds different textures and health benefits as well.

With so many seeds, grains, oats, nuts, or berries to use or choose from, this bread can be pretty versatile and adapted to what you have on hand or what your personal preferences are.

It's especially excellent with my homemade apple butter, which you see pictured here.

What is multigrain bread made of?

Multigrain bread is made of several different ingredients. Usually, this recipe would consist of white or whole wheat flour, whole grain cereal, nuts or seeds, a sweetener, as well as yeast, to make the bread rise.

If you have a good multigrain cereal blend on hand that you love, use that! Or create your own by starting with whole or quick oats and adding in additional mix-ins like sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, chia seeds, and/or hazelnuts. These extra mix-ins ensure that every bite has texture and interesting flavor.

Multigrain Bread Ingredients

• Multigrain cereal: You can use any multigrain hot cereal mix, whether you pick one up at the store or order online. Bob's Red Mill makes an 8-grain, 7-grain and a 5-grain cereal, and King Arthur has a 6-grain cereal mix that all would work great. Or just use whole or quick oats and add additional seeds, grains, and nuts. Even if you start with a multigrain mix, you might find yourself adding mix-ins to make your bread just the way you like (hazelnuts are my favorite addition!).
• Boiling water: This will be added to the hot cereal to get it nice and soft before using, preventing hard crunchy grains throughout the bread.
• Flours: We will need both all-purpose or bread flour as well as whole wheat flour for the perfect moisture ratio in this bread. I don't recommend using all whole wheat flour for this loaf.
• Salt: This is a flavor enhancer and helps to bring out the natural flavors in this recipe so we don't end up with a bland loaf.
• Honey: Instead of using sugars, we use honey as a natural sweetener. Agave could also be used.
• Melted butter: Adds a rich flavor and a little fat into the bread.
• Yeast: We want active dry yeast to make this bread rise. If it doesn’t foam during the proofing, toss it out and buy fresh. If you buy yeast in bulk, be sure to store it in the fridge.
• Seeds & nuts: Any or all of these are optional beyond the multigrain cereal, but I like to add shelled sunflower seeds, flax seeds, poppy seeds, chia seeds, and hazelnuts to my multigrain bread for even more health benefits, texture, and flavor. Often I just go through my cupboard to see what I have leftover from making oatmeal, granola bars, and energy bites.
• Dried cranberries: Totally option, but adding these helps add a burst of sweet tart flavor to the bread in a way that’s truly fantastic without overwhelming the loaf.
• Oats: You can use either old-fashioned oats or quick oats. These are really for decoration on top.

How to make multigrain bread

If you have never made bread before, it's easier than you might think. There are just a few stages: mixing, kneading, resting (the rise period), shaping, resting again, then the final bake. It might sound like a lot, but each stage only has a few minutes of work. Most of the time is hands off.

1. Prep: Start by soaking the multigrain cereal mix in boiling water for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. I do this in the same bowl that I plan to make my bread in so I don't have to dirty another one.
2. Proof the yeast: Add the honey, butter, and yeast to the bowl of soaked cereal and stir to combine. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes so the yeast can proof before stirring in the salt.
3. Add remaining ingredients: Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, along with mix-ins like seeds or nuts with the last of the flour. Mix between each addition until the dough starts to come together to form a ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.

4. Knead: Remove plastic wrap and knead the dough with the mixer for 3-4 minutes until it starts to come away from the sides of the bowl. If it doesn’t pull away, add another 2 tablespoons of additional all-purpose flour at a time until it does. Knead for another 4-5 minutes on medium speed for a total of around 7-9 minutes of kneading.
5. Rise: Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour or until it’s doubled in size.

7. Prep for the bake: Prepare two 9x5 bread loaf pans with a light spray of nonstick cooking spray or oil.
8. Shape: Divide the risen dough in half, then pat out one half of the dough into a 9x6 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough up into a cylinder, and place seam side down into a loaf pan. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Sprinkle the top of each loaf with a handful of oats.

9. Second rise: Cover the bread loaves loosely with a piece of plastic wrap and let them rise again at room temperature for another 30-45 minutes until nearly doubled in size.
10. Preheat the oven: Turn your oven on to 375 degrees F about 20 minutes before you are ready to bake so it is ready to go.
11. Bake: Bake the loaves in the oven for 35-40 minutes until browned on top. The inside of the bread should register 195 to 200 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
12. Cool completely, then slice: Let the loaves cool for at least five minutes in the pan before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice with a serrated knife.

Is multigrain bread healthy?

Compared to other bread recipes out there this is one of the healthier options that you could go for. There is low sugar, whole wheat, and a ton of added nuts, seeds, and berries that help to boost the great health benefits. You can also adjust the nuts, seeds, ad berries to your preference so if you want more of a specific vitamin, flavor, or more fiber you can do so! 

Is multigrain bread gluten free?

I have not tested a gluten free version of this recipe yet. But I have had good success with 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flours in the past when substituting in other recipes. You would need to carefully read labels on the multigrain cereal you choose as well to be sure that is gluten-free as it can sometimes have sneaky ingredients thrown in that can be problematic for people who have gluten sensitivities.

Does this bread freeze well?

Yes, you can freeze these loaves of bread. Just let them cool all the way first and wrap an unsliced loaf in plastic wrap before sticking it in the freezer. They will stay fresh for about 2-3 months this way. Thaw the loaf on the counter at room temperature before slicing and serving.

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Print Pin Rate

Multigrain Bread

4.50 from 2 votes

Amy Nash

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Additional Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Servings 2 loaves

There is something so satisfying about a loaf of Homemade Multigrain Bread that manages to be soft and tender while still being packed with flavor and texture. This makes a fantastic and hearty sliced sandwich bread, but it's also delicious toasted with butter, apple butter, or jam!

Ingredients

  

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• ▢ 1 ¼ cups multigrain cereal mix or rolled oats plus extra for sprinkling on top of loaves
• ▢ 2 ½ cups boiling water
• ▢ 3 to 3 ½ cups bread flour
• ▢ 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon salt
• ▢ ¼ cup honey
• ▢ ¼ cup melted butter
• ▢ 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• ▢ Optional: ½ to ¾ cup of unsalted sunflower seeds, flax seeds, poppy seeds, chia seeds, dried cranberries, chopped hazelnuts or walnuts, or other mix-ins

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Instructions

 

• Place cereal mix in he bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment and add the boiling water, stirring to combine. Let stand for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until cooled to 100-105 degrees F.
• Add honey, butter, and yeast to the cereal mixture and stir to combine. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the salt.
• Add both the bread and whole wheat flours, 1 cup at a time, along with any additional seeds or nuts with the last cup of flour. Knead just until the dough starts to come together in a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes.
• Remove plastic wrap and knead for 3-4 minutes until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is not clearing the sides of the bowl, continue to add 2 tablespoons of additional all-purpose flour until it does. Knead another 5 minutes on medium speed.
• Shape into a ball and transfer to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
• Prepare two 9x5-inch loaf pans by lightly greasing them with cooking spray or oil.
• Divide dough in half and pat one half into a 9x6-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough up into a cylinder, then place seam-side down in one of the loaf pans. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
• Spray the loaves with cooking spray, then sprinkle with extra multigrain cereal or oats. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, around 30-45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bake the loaves for 35-40 minutes until browned on top. You can test the inside of the loaves with a digital thermometer to see if it registers 195 to 200 degrees F in the middle to know if the bread is done.
• Cool the loaves in the bread pans for 5 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Notes

• Multigrain Cereal: Any hot cereal mixture will work, whether it's a 7-grain, 6-grain, etc. or even just rolled or quick oats.
• Seeds & Nuts: If using small seeds like flax, chia, or poppy, you will want to use a lesser amount like 2-3 tablespoons rather than ½ cup.

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 310mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

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Adapted from Cook's Country by way of Our Best Bites.