Cracked Wheat Bread is another one of my fabulous Black and Decker Breadmaker recipes. I had to look all over creation to find cracked wheat though! I wasn’t looking in the right places. Sprouts and other wholefoods markets sell it on the aisle with hot cereals by Bob’s Red Mill.

For this loaf of wheat bread I used 4 teaspoons of vital wheat gluten (which is what the product says you should put in each bread loaf) and WOW!!! Cracked Wheat Bread came out so light and fluffy – not dense and hard like most heavy wheat breads turn out. I was MORE than pleased with the results!

This simple recipe is just layered in your breadmaker canister and baked a little over four hours in your breadmaker oven. The vital wheat gluten makes this bread turn out perfect. I will admit to being a little bit of a chicken when adding four teaspoons of vital wheat gluten rather than the two I tried with my Buttermilk Wheat Bread a couple of weeks ago.

But the bread turned out so much better with four teaspoonfuls of vital wheat gluten versus two that I’m a believer! For those of you with gluten allergies and intolerance this recipe isn’t going to help you, but this is an excellent bread that you can make even healthier by substituting canola or olive oil for the shortening in the recipe.

If you’re looking for healthy substitutes to store bought whole wheat bread that are still filled with preservatives, MSG, and other fillers that are harmful here is a good recipe to try. By all means, pick up a box of vital wheat gluten at Wal-Mart or other grocery stores–it will be well worth it to have your wheat breads turn out so wonderfully.

Cracked Wheat Bread is a delicious accompaniment to any meal.

This close up shows the texture of the bread. Cracked Wheat Bread is a great tasting bread and so easy to make because you just layer ingredients in the breadmaker!

When I cut this bread down it was so soft and fluffy as a result of adding the vital wheat gluten. It made all the difference. Cracked Wheat Bread is great with soups, stews, and chowders. I made mine to go along with Herbed Beef Stew the other night.

Here’s what I did.

Measure hot water and place in bread canister, add powdered milk, Crisco shortening or canola oil, honey, salt, whole wheat flour, and bread flour. Use bread flour NOT regular all-purpose flour because it has more gluten so the particles of flour will adhere to each other better than regular flour. If you use all purpose flour the bread can turn out crumbly. Add cracked wheat, bread machine yeast and four teaspoonfuls of vital wheat gluten. This is crucial to having a light, fluffy bread, rather than an Ellie Mae Clampett “Beverly Hillbillies” style brick-type bread. Set the breadmaker on the whole wheat bread setting. Mine takes four hours and ten minutes.

Allow bread to cool about 15 minutes. Butter bread on tops and sides to prevent hardening of the crust. Cool another 15 minutes before slicing. Slice bread in half with an electric knife. Slice down bread. This recipe provides about 20 half slices.

We love the taste of Cracked Wheat Bread. It has just a hint of honey.

Cracked Wheat Bread is also great to serve for breakfast. Just toast the bread and slather it with apple butter. Yummy!

Cracked Wheat Bread is a great accompaniment to any meal. This bread turned out so wonderfully. I love a light, fluffy-textured bread.

Here’s the recipe.

CRACKED WHEAT BREAD

(Recipe adapted from Black and Decker bread maker recipes)

Print Recipe

Cracked Wheat Bread Yum

Delicious homemade breadmaker bread using whole wheat flour and cracked wheat for extra fiber and whole grain goodness.

Course

Breads, Rolls and Muffins

Cuisine

American

Prep Time

8 minutes

Cook Time

4 hours 10 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 2 tbsp. powdered milk
• 2 tbsp. Crisco shortening or canola oil
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 1/4 cups bread flour not regular all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cracked wheat
• 1 1/4 tsp. bread machine yeast
• 4 tsp. vital wheat gluten

Course Breads, Rolls and Muffins Cuisine American Prep Time 8 minutes Cook Time 4 hours 10 minutes Servings Ingredients 1 1/2 cups hot water 2 tbsp. powdered milk 2 tbsp. Crisco shortening or canola oil 2 tbsp. honey 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt 1 cup whole wheat flour 2 1/4 cups bread flour not regular all-purpose flour 3/4 cup cracked wheat 1 1/4 tsp. bread machine yeast 4 tsp. vital wheat gluten

Instructions

1. Measure ingredients into bread canister in order given.
2. Bake on whole wheat setting. Mine takes 4 hours and 10 minutes.
3. Allow to cool about 15 minutes before removing loaf from canister.
4. Butter sides and top of bread with butter to prevent the crust from hardening.
5. Slice down and serve.
6. About 20 half slices.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Homemade bread has no preservatives and must be refrigerated after 2 days.

Recipe adapted from Black and Decker.

Doesn’t Cracked Wheat Bread look wonderful? Come on over and grab a slice. 

Cracked Wheat Bread slices up really nicely. You can use it for sandwiches, too.

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Seven Grain Cereal Bread

Ten Grain Nut Bread

Red River Cereal Bread