Make a hearty and yet light loaf of homemade bread easily in your bread machine with this oat bread recipe.
Full of filling oats with just a hint of sweetness, this loaf is perfect for simple toast and sandwiches in an everyday way.
Using the bread maker means this hearty oatmeal bread recipe can easily be made while you’re doing other things and still have homemade bread on the table or in the lunchbox.
Basic Ingredients
Nothing fancy here, all of the simple ingredients are likely already in your pantry. No reason to make things too complicated.
If you’re looking for a simpler everyday bread machine loaf without the oats, my white bread machine loaf is a reliable classic.
Milk
I used whole milk in the testing of this recipe but there’s no reason you couldn’t use plant milk of some kind, if desired.
Skip the milk and use all water instead, if desired. The final loaf will have a different flavor and texture but it will turn out a nice bread.
Oats
Rolled oats / old-fashioned oats were tested in the original recipe as that is what I always keep in my pantry. I believe quick oats could be used but haven’t tested it myself.
If you love oats in your baking, these oatmeal rolls are a great companion to this loaf — same hearty flavor in a handheld size.
Yeast Choices
I use instant yeast for ease in every bread machine recipe I test. If you want to use active dry yeast or bread machine yeast, simply follow your manufacturer’s instructions but I can’t say for certainty in what amount.
To Prevent Sticking
I had multiple loaves become hopelessly stuck to my bread pan and had to learn a trick or two to prevent it. Here’s what I do, if you’d like to try it:
After the final kneading cycle (for my machine there’s a 2 second third cycle of punching down), I remove the bread dough quickly from the machine, remove the kneading paddle and then spray the pan with some non-stick spray. Then I put the dough back in, close the lid and let the machine finish rising and baking.
I use needle nose pliers to remove the paddle.
This very simple step has stopped bread from sticking to the paddle hopelessly and coming out of the pan a broken mess.
My bread machine instructions do not tell me that this is necessary – meaning the bread could be baked with the paddle attached but I found it much easier to remove the paddle.
About My Bread Machine
This recipe was tested on a Welbilt Bread Machine. I bought it at a thrift store for $6.50. It makes great bread but every machine is different. Please follow any specific instructions provided with your machine if they differ from how this recipe is written.
Troubleshooting
My loaf is dense. Oats absorb liquid during the bake and can make the loaf heavier than a plain white bread — some density is normal and part of the character of this bread. If it’s denser than you’d like, try reducing the oats by a couple of tablespoons next time or increasing the bread flour slightly.
Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats? Quick oats haven’t been tested in this recipe but should work — they absorb liquid faster and more completely than rolled oats, so the texture may be slightly different. The loaf may be a little softer and less chewy. Stick with rolled oats if you want the tested result.
My loaf didn’t rise well. Check that your yeast is fresh and that your liquids were at room temperature or slightly warm before adding them to the machine. Cold milk straight from the fridge can slow yeast activity. Also make sure you’re using the wheat cycle rather than a rapid bake cycle — oat breads need the full rise time.
The loaf collapsed in the center. A sunken top usually means too much liquid or the dough over-proofed. Make sure your measurements are accurate and that your yeast measurement is level. If your kitchen is very warm, the dough may proof faster than the machine expects.
The crust is very thick. Try the light crust setting on your machine. Oat breads can develop a thicker crust than plain white loaves, especially on the medium or dark setting.
How to Serve
This truly is an everyday kind of bread. Use it as your basic bread for breakfast toast, simple sandwiches, or as a side dish for soup and salad meals.
Use leftovers to make french toast or bread pudding.
Prefer to make your oatmeal bread by hand? This oatmeal bread recipe uses soaked oats and molasses for a moist, rich loaf with incredible texture.
If you love this as an everyday loaf, my honey wheat bread machine recipe is another pantry-staple favorite with a similar lightly sweet flavor.
How to Store
Keep any leftover bread in an airtight container, where it should stay fresh for up to 4 days at room temperature.
For longer term storage, put bread into plastic bags and freeze. Use up any frozen bread within 6 months for best flavor. Let the bread thaw on the counter prior to serving.
Oatmeal Bread Recipe for the Bread Machine
Make a hearty loaf of bread with this simple and flavorful oatmeal bread recipe designed specifically for your bread machine and busy life.
Ingredients
- 3/4 Cup Milk
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 2 Tablespoons Salted Butter, softened
- 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 ⅓ Cup Rolled Oats
- 3 1/3 Cups Bread Flour
- 2 teaspoons Instant Yeast
Instructions
- Place ingredients in the machine bread pan in the order written (or as directed by your machine's instructions). Usually liquid ingredients are followed by salt and the dry ingredients with the yeast being added last on top of the flour, but again follow your bread machine manual for best results.
- Put the bread machine pan in the bread maker and close the lid.
- Select the wheat bread cycle. Select medium crust (or desired crust color). Use a 2-pound loaf setting.
- Press Start.
- Let the machine finish the baking process.
- When done, remove the loaf pan from the machine, run a butter knife around the sides of the loaf pan. Using oven mitts, turn pan upside down and gently shake to remove bread from pan and let bread cool to room temperature on a wire rack before slicing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 142Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 134mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 4g
I try but cannot guarantee this nutritional information is 100% accurate.
Leave a Reply