How To Make Cracked Wheat Berry Bread with a Bread Machine

Name: Cracked Wheat Berry Bread -- A Bread Machine Recipe
Prep time: 4 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: 16 slices (2 loaves)
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup whole grain wheat berries; 2-1/2 cups bread flour, divided (300 grams); 1 cup warm milk or whey drained from yogurt; 1-1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon sugar; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened; 2 teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast

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Cracked Wheat Berry Bread is a nubby, crunchy, and earthy-tasting white bread starring cracked whole wheat berries. The addition of whole grains significantly increases the fiber and protein content while also making the taste and texture more appealing.

Wheat berries are inexpensive and well worth the trouble. They contribute extraordinary texture, flavor, and nutrition. You’ll enjoy eating this loaf out of hand with butter or slice and toast it for sandwiches.

THE LOW-DOWN ON CRACKED WHEAT:

What is cracked wheat?

Cracked wheat describes an unprocessed wheat berry that has been chopped to make smaller pieces.

What is a wheat berry?

A wheat berry is the original unprocessed whole grain form of wheat. A single wheat berry includes the bran, the germ, and the endosperm.

unprocessed wheat berries — Unprocessed wheat berries

Are cracked wheat and bulgur interchangeable?

Cracked wheat is technically uncooked. According to the NY Times, bulgur is steamed and cooked before packaging. It requires less cooking time. This recipe specifies raw wheat berries.

wheat berry kernels and bulgur wheat in bulk bin.

How do I store wheat berries?

Wheat berries can be stored in a cool and dry pantry for up to 6 months. Bob’s Red Mill claims you can keep wheat berries up to 2 years if you refrigerate or keep them frozen.

Are wheat berries good for you?

Whole wheat grains provide not only fiber, but more B vitamins, antioxidants, and protein than refined grains.

Where can I obtain wheat berries?

Look for a supermarket with a bulk bin aisle. I get mine at our local Sprouts for .89/lb. Maybe try the organic food aisle or Amazon? Finally, if you know a wheat farmer, ask him for a bag. Of course, you will need to clean the berries. You may have to pick out a bug or a few husks, but that’s a small price to pay for fresh wheat.

Purchase the hard red wheat berries as opposed to the soft wheat berries. They are better for making bread.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

Is this bread-machine recipe considered a whole grain bread?

Yes, it is a whole grain bread because it contains some whole grains. However, it is not 100% whole grain. The flour specified in the recipe is white bread flour. The result is a loaf with a softer but firm texture with less bitter-tasting undertones than whole wheat flour.

When it comes to bread, I’m generally a white-bread-lovin’ baby boomer. I know. We’re supposed to be eating whole grains. Consequently, this bread is the perfect compromise in my book.

Why use a bread machine?

If you are new to my website, I’ve written a lot about my non-traditional bread-machine technique. In a nutshell, using a bread machine to mix and knead the dough is the way for me to get the best quality bread every single time.

adding ingredients to a bread machine pan

Do I have to use a bread machine?

No. You can make Cracked Wheat Berry Bread using a stand mixer or make it by hand. See the recipe notes for specific instructions.

How do I prepare wheat berries to use in this bread machine recipe?

You have several choices, but I favor the last one because it’s the fastest.

Soak wheat berries overnight to soften them.
Cook wheat berries on top of the stove for 20 minutes using a 2 to 1 ratio of water to grain.
Cook wheat berries in the microwave on HIGH for 10 minutes using the same ratio of 2 to 1 for water to grain.

The goal is to soften the berries not cook them to the consistency of your breakfast dish of oatmeal. You want them to have some chew (and tooth-friendly crunch in the crust.)

What does this bread taste like?

The taste is heartier and more interesting than white bread but still mild without the bitter undertones of a 100% whole wheat loaf. The wheat berries inside this loaf are soft and slightly chewy. However, the exterior is somewhat crunchy due to the cracked wheat berries that bake up crispy in the crust.

HOW TO MAKE THE DOUGH USING A BREAD MACHINE:

adding wheat berries to water to soften them — Combine 1/2 cup of wheat berries with 1 cup of water. Cook in a microwave on HIGH for 10 minutes.

Cooling wheat berries with ice after cooking — Allow wheat to cool. Add ice cubes if you want to expedite the process. Drain off water.

draining cooked grain — Drain berries well and add to a food processor along with 1 cup of bread flour.

"cracking" wheat berries in a food processor — Pulse flour and seeds to “crack” them into small pieces. This can also be done in a blender, but it’s a lot more trouble, and you have to keep scraping the sides.

adding ingredients to a bread machine — Add all ingredients to bread machine pan in the order listed.

selecting the dough cycle on the machine — Select the dough cycle and press start.

checking dough after machine has started — After 10 or 15 minutes, open the lid and check the dough. If too wet, add additional flour one tablespoon at a time. If too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time. (If you’re not sure, watch the video with this recipe.)

dough after rising — At the end of the dough cycle, the dough should be doubled in size. If not, allow the dough to continue rising in the pan until it is double the original size.

HOW TO SHAPE AND BAKE LOAVES:

dough in bread machine — After the dough cycle on your bread machine completes, prepare a floured surface. I like to use a silicone baking sheet (paid link) because you can run it through the dishwasher.

dumping bread dough out of bread machine pan — Dump the dough out of the pan.

Dividing dough into 2 portions — Divide the dough into two equal portions.

shaping loaves — Pull the edges together and pinch. (This will make the underside smooth.) Turn over and shape to make an oblong loaf.

glazing loaves — Brush loaves with egg-white glaze if you like a shiny crust.

how to make slits in loaves with a razor blade — Use a new single edge razor blade or a serrated knife to cut slits across the top of the loaves. Be careful so as not to deflate the loaf. Place in a preheated oven.

baked loaves on parchment-covered baking sheet — Pull loaves out of the oven when evenly browned and cooked through. If necessary, use a quick-read thermometer to check. The interior temperature should be 190 degrees F.

Cracked Wheat Berry Bread is well worth the calories and effort, although calling any bread made in the bread machine an “effort” is arguable.

If you are new to making bread in your bread machine, I have published several tutorials and lots of bread-machine tips on this blog you might find helpful. Start here.

If you make this recipe and enjoy it, consider helping other readers and me by returning to this post. Leave a rating on the recipe card itself underneath the picture. Although always appreciated, comments aren’t required. Thank you for visiting! Paula

Cracked Wheat Berry Bread -- A Bread Machine Recipe

Yield: 16 slices (2 loaves)

Prep Time: 4 hours

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

A nubby, crunchy loaf starring cracked wheat berries that you can easily make in your bread machine

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole grain wheat berries
2-1/2 cups bread flour, divided (300 grams)
1 cup warm milk or whey drained from yogurt
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast

Instructions

Boil wheat berries in 1 cup of water for 20 minutes. Allow to cool (quicker if you add ice cubes) and drain. Alternatively, soak wheat berries in water for 12 hours or overnight. (Softened and drained wheat berries will keep in the fridge up to a week.)
Add prepared wheat berries to a blender or food processor along with 1 cup of bread flour (120 grams). Process until wheat berries are finely chopped. You will likely need to stop several times to push the flour and wheat berries from the sides of the chopping container back to the middle.
Combine milk or whey, salt, sugar, butter, remaining flour (180 grams), the ground-wheat-berries-and-flour mixture, and the yeast.
Select the dough cycle and start. Check dough after 10 minutes to make sure dough sticks to the side of the pan and then pulls away cleanly. If too wet, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If too dry, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time.
When dough cycle completes, check to make sure the dough has doubled in size. If not, leave in pan until it does.
When doubled, remove dough from pan to floured surface and divide into two equal portions. Shape each portion into an oblong shape by pulling dough from the top to the bottom until dough is smooth; then pinch closed. Place seam side down on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicone mat that has been sprinkled with a bit of cornmeal.
Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise until almost doubled. Preheat oven to 425 degrees about 20 minutes before you expect the loaf to be ready to bake.
Brush risen loaves with glaze of 1 egg white whipped together with 1 tablespoon water. (This is optional.)
Make 2-3 diagonal slashes in each loaf with very sharp serrated knife or razor blade, being careful not to deflate dough.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until interior temperature reaches 190 degrees F, or until bottom is brown and sounds hollow.
Allow loaves to cool on rack for an hour before slicing.

Notes

To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer, add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on low to mix all ingredients until moistened. Using dough hook, turn speed to 2 or 3 and continue kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic--about 5-10 minutes. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
If making by hand, combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead with your hands until it becomes smooth and elastic, a process that will likely take 10-20 minutes depending on your experience. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
Please note: If you substitute regular yeast for instant or bread machine yeast, you must dissolve it first before adding to the dry ingredients. Stir it into about 1/4 cup of the warm liquid called for in the recipe. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Add to other wet ingredients and then add dry ingredients. Proceed as directed to knead and shape the dough.
Originally, this recipe called for 1 cup water and 1/4 cup dry milk solids. I have changed it to reflect my current recipe since I don't buy dry milk. I can detect no discernible difference in the final product.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 119 Total Fat: 2g Saturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 5mg Sodium: 217mg Carbohydrates: 19g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 2g Protein: 6g