If yeast bread baking makes you shake in your boots, today is a good day for you!

I know I already posted a recipe for whole wheat bread, but this recipe is different because it requires no yeast. It’s a quick bread (a bread leavened with baking powder and baking soda instead of yeast), which means there’s no kneading and no rising.

All you have to do is:

• mix the dry ingredients
• mix the wet ingredients
• put them together
• pour the batter into the pan
• bake

I much prefer yeast bread, both for its texture and flavor, but this is a good recipe when you’re in a pinch and don’t have time for the whole kneading-rising-shaping-rising-baking bit.

And it would also be a good recipe for those of you who are scared silly at the thought of kneading bread dough.

This bread is baked in a normal loaf pan, so it can be sliced and used much like yeast bread. And while it’s not as flexible and sturdy as yeast bread, it’s a pretty good imitation.

Here’s how to make the bread (printable down below!)

First, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients except the brown sugar together in a bowl. I like to use a wire whisk for this purpose.

Next, mix the egg, milk, and brown sugar together. I do this right in the measuring cup to save a dish.

Incidentally, the recipe calls for the brown sugar to be added to the dry ingredients, but I find that it’s much easier to get rid of brown sugar lumps if you mix it with the wet ingredients instead.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix gently. I cannot overemphasize this.

If you mix non-yeast batters too much, you will end up with a tough, chewy product.

Mix just until everything is combined, and do not feel that you must remove every single lump. Lumps are good (in this sort of bread, at least).

Scrape the batter into a greased 4×8 inch baking pan. I don’t grease mine, since I’m the happy owner of one pound Gold Touch bread pan. 🙂

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

This will be fairly difficult to slice neatly while it’s hot, so let it cool for at least 15-30 minutes first.

No-Yeast Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

No yeast means no kneading; a perfect bread for beginner bakers!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon finely shredded orange peel (I've never added this, but it might be tasty for a breakfast bread)
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk or sour milk (or a combo of yogurt and buttermilk)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients (except the brown sugar) together in a bowl.

2. Mix the egg, milk, and brown sugar together. I do this right in the measuring cup.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix gently. I cannot overemphasize this. If you mix non-yeast batters too much, you will end up with a tough, chewy product. Mix just until everything is combined, and do not feel that you must remove every single lump.

4. Scrape the batter into a greased 4x8 inch baking pan.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

My baking powder ALWAYS has lumps. If yours does too, just sift it when adding it to the dry ingredients.

Nutrition Information

Yield 12 Serving Size 1 slice
Amount Per Serving Calories 142Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 19mgSodium 352mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 2gSugar 6gProtein 6g