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Justine Doiron

just real good food

Baking + Sweet, Bread, Recipes · March 19, 2022

Whole Wheat Pull Apart Bread

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finished Whole Wheat Pull Apart Bread

This Whole Wheat Pull Apart Bread is my perfect hybrid of a French brioche, a Japanese milk bread and a whole wheat dough. It’s so soft, so satisfying and one of my favorite things. Plus, it’s just fun to make. It always comes out looking a little ridiculous, but that’s part of the charm! One of the reasons I love bread baking is you can really shape it and make it your own, even with this whole wheat loaf, and it just so fun to play around in the kitchen.

Table of contents

  • But first, let’s talk about enriched dough
  • Ingredients you will need for this whole wheat pull-apart bread
  • How to make this pull-apart bread
  • Looking for similar bread recipes?
  • Why is this pull-apart bread recipe in grams?
whole wheat dough

But first, let’s talk about enriched dough

Ah, enriched doughs are one of my favorite bread types. They are soft, fluffy and slightly sweet. Think brioche or milk bread.

Enriched dough just means the dough contains either milk, eggs or butter, or sometimes all three. Unlike other breads, which just contain water, salt, flour and yeast, enriched doughs go that extra step with just a few extra ingredients.
These ingredients add a richer texture and flavor to the dough, which is why you see enriched doughs used for things like cinnamon rolls, pastries and thick, fluffy loaves. As much as I love all kinds of bread (and if you know me, you really know) there’s always been a special place in my heart for enriched doughs.

dough on a floured surface

Ingredients you will need for this whole wheat pull-apart bread

I love how with all breads, you can get an amazing result with minimal ingredients. Here’s everything you need for this brioche-milk-bread-hybrid:

  • 240 mL milk or plant-based milk (1 cup at 100-115°F)
  • 120 mL water (1/2 cup at 100-115°F)
  • 56 grams melted butter of choice (1/4 cup)
  • 55 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
  • 8 grams active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon or one packet)
  • 290 grams whole wheat flour (about 2 cups)
  • 290 grams all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or egg wash)
dough disks, separated

How to make this pull-apart bread

The process for this bread is relatively simple. It all comes down to the waiting time and the proofing time, after that, the shaping and baking is pretty easy!

You can knead this recipe by hand, but I’ve designed it for a stand mixer (to save your arms!)

Below is a step-by-step breakdown of the full recipe for this whole wheat bread:

  • In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the milk, water, butter and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the top and stir to combine. Let this sit for 5 minutes or until foamy.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flours and salt and mix.
  • When the yeast mixture is foamy, pour the liquid in with the flour.
  • Use the paddle attachment on low to mix together the dough until the flour is fully saturated. Then switch the mixer to medium-high and mix the dough for 10-15 minutes.
  • The dough is ready when it can pass the gluten window-pane test. This is where you pull a golf ball-sized piece of dough and stretch it out, if it gets thin enough to see through like a window pane without breaking, you have developed enough gluten.
  • Move the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let it rise in a warm place for one hour or until doubled in size.
  • When the dough has risen, punch it down and move it onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 16 pieces and shape them into small “discs.”
  • Layer the disks in an 8″x 5″ loaf pan. See photos for reference.
  • Cover the loaf pan and let rise for another 45 minutes to an hour, or until the dough has risen to over the top of the loaf pan.
  • While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • When the dough is ready, brush it lightly with maple syrup to give it some color.
  • Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes or until golden. Let cool for a few minutes and then eat!
dough disks added to baking tin

Looking for similar bread recipes?

I have a few enriched doughs (some vegan, some buttery!) on the blog. Here are my current favorites:

Chive Butter Bread (Vegan)
This soft, fluffy, butter-stuffed bread is the epitome of comfort baking. It's the easiest dough recipe and can be made in either a stand mixer or by hand, and it comes out perfect every time. It's the best accompaniment to any meal.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Brioche Loaf
It is no secret that I am HOPELESSLY addicted to the Great British Baking Show (this season is adorable and has already made me cry once…or twice) but if I were to ever be on the show, this would 1000% be my recipe during bread week. It has never failed me, it always turns out so perfect and the kneading process is so therapeutic. If you’re a yeasted bread newbie, highly recommend starting with this one!
Check out this recipe
Genoa-Style Focaccia
I used to only make focaccia that was big and fluffy, but Genovese-style focaccia changed everything for me. It's light, crispy on the edges but soft in the middle, and perfect for sandwiches, stews, sides and toasts.
Check out this recipe
finished Whole Wheat Pull Apart Bread

Why is this pull-apart bread recipe in grams?

Baking, and bread especially, is a very finicky and exact science. The only way to ensure complete accuracy is through measuring by weight, and not volume. As much as I wish I could give you multiple ways to measure ingredients, in this recipe measuring by cups might cause some volatility and miss-matched results. I want to ensure you get the best results with this recipe (and I want to keep this recipe fool-proof!) so I highly recommend getting a small affordable kitchen scale if you want to move forward with this bread recipe.

And that’s everything for this Whole Wheat Pull Apart Bread!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Whole Wheat Pull Apart Bread

5 from 1 vote
This bread is a hybrid version of a Japanese milk bread and a classic brioche. It's simple, fun to make and easily made vegan (I only bake the plant-based version) and it's done in about 2-3 hours, rest time included!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:15 minutes mins
Cook Time:30 minutes mins
Rising Time:2 hours hrs
Course: baking
Cuisine: American, French, Fusion, Japanese
Keyword: bread, pull apart bread, whole wheat
Servings: 16 servings

Ingredients

  • 240 mL milk or plant based milk 1 cup at 100-115°F
  • 120 mL water 1/2 cup at 100-115°F
  • 56 grams melted butter of choice 1/4 cup
  • 55 grams granulated sugar 1/4 cup
  • 8 grams active dry yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons or one packet
  • 290 grams whole wheat flour about 2 cups
  • 290 grams all-purpose flour about 2 cups
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or egg wash

Instructions

  • In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the milk, water, butter and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the top and stir to combine. Let this sit for 5 minutes or until foamy.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flours and salt and mix.
  • When the yeast mixture is foamy, pour the liquid in with the flour.
  • Use the paddle attachment on low to mix together the dough until the flour is fully saturated. Then switch the mixer to medium-high and mix the dough for 10-15 minutes.
  • The dough is ready when it can pass the gluten window-pane test. This is where you pull a golf ball-size piece of dough and stretch it out, if it gets thin enough to see through like a window pane without breaking, you have developed enough gluten.
  • Move the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let it rise in a warm place for one hour or until doubled in size.
  • When the dough has risen, punch it down and move it onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 16 pieces and shape them into small "discs."
  • Layer the disks in an 8"x 5" loaf pan. See photos for reference.
  • Cover the loaf pan and let rise for another 45 minutes to an hour, or until the dough has risen to over the top of the loaf pan.
  • While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • When the dough is ready, brush it lightly with maple syrup to give it some color.
  • Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes or until golden. Let cool for a few minutes and then eat!

Posted In: Baking + Sweet, Bread, Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Searchingforsangha says

    March 19, 2022 at 1:56 pm

    Hello, thank you for sharing all the delicious recipes, you inspire me to feed myself only the foods that make my heart sing 🥰
    I don’t have any whole wheat flour, can I just use all white? Or Will I need to make adjustments to hydration if I use all white flour?

    • Justine says

      March 20, 2022 at 11:19 pm

      I have not personally tested it with only all-purpose flour, but my Chive Butter bread is a very similar recipe that is 100% all-purpose flour if you are interested in referencing that one!

  2. Lucy says

    March 25, 2022 at 8:12 pm

    Hello, love your content! Could I make the dough the night before and let it rise in the tin before baking it in the morning?

    • Justine says

      March 25, 2022 at 9:38 pm

      You can do an overnight proof in the fridge! Just don’t do it at room temperature, then the dough will overproof. Happy baking 🙂

  3. Liz says

    April 2, 2022 at 12:26 pm

    5 stars
    My kitchen aid broke halfway through kneading this (RIP), but the bread still turned out AMAZING. Very easy (especially with a stand mixer) and delicious.

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Hey! I'm Justine. A recipe developer, highly dedicated eater, and bread enthusiast with an archive of both savory and sweet. This is where I store all my recipes, feel free to take a look around!
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