Brown Bread Recipe thatโs soft, slightly sweet, and perfectly tender. Serve it warm with butter and itโs so good youโll want to skip dinner and just eat the whole loaf!
Authorโs Notes
The Long Road to the Perfect Brown Bread
If you follow my weekly updates on Substack, you know this brown bread recipe has been a long time coming. I started testing it back in February (with eight batches in one week!) and now itโs a full-on staple at my house.
The Cheesecake Factoryโs brown bread is a slightly sweet, soft whole wheat and molasses bread with oats on top. Itโs served warm before meals and known for its rich flavor and dark color.
But honestly, itโs a loaf I could make a whole meal out of. I am always a sucker for the bread basket at restaurants. I tell myself Iโll pace it and save room for the rest of dinner, andโฆI never do. And this brown bread gets me every. single. time. Warm, soft, lightly sweet, slathered with butter. Itโs so good.
I tested and re-tested this recipe more times than I can count. I wouldnโt call it an exact copycat, but itโs the best little whole wheat baguette Iโve ever made.
Theyโre slightly sweet, soft and tender inside, with toasted oats on top and that lightly crisp cornmeal base. I love this recipe!
Just promise me youโll grab really good butter to go with it. Honestly, you wonโt even need the rest of dinner. ๐
Brown Bread Recipe Ingredients
| Ingredient | Tip |
|---|---|
| Warm water & yeast | Water should feel warm, not hot. Too hot can kill the yeast. Let it get foamy before moving on to make sure the yeast is live and well. |
| Honey, molasses & cocoa powder | Molasses gives that deep color and flavor. Dutch cocoa adds richness and more color without making it taste like chocolate. |
| Whole wheat flour & bread flour | Whole wheat adds flavor and color. Bread flour keeps the texture soft and chewy. Both flours are essential for the best possible texture. |
| Salt & melted butter | Salt balances the sweetness of this brown bread recipe. Melted butter makes the bread tender and rich. |
| Oats, cornmeal & butter for topping | The oats get toasted in the oven which adds a nice flavor and texture to the bread. Cornmeal adds a light crisp base and helps keep the bottom from over-browning. |
How To Make My Brown Bread Recipe
- Activate Yeast: Stir warm water with yeast and sugar; let sit until foamy.
- Mix Dough: Add remaining ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Knead: Knead until smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
- Shape: Divide, shape into small loaves, and place on a prepared baking sheet.
- Second Rise: Cover and let rise again until puffy.
- Bake: Bake until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
- Finish: Let cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm with softened butter.
My Top Bread Making Tips
- Check your yeast freshness: If it doesnโt foam in the first step, start over. Old or dead yeast is the #1 reason bread fails.
- Avoid over-flouring: The dough should be slightly tacky, not dry. Too much flour will make the loaves heavy and dense.
- Donโt rush the rises: If the dough hasnโt doubled, itโs not ready. Cooler kitchens take longer, warmer spots rise faster.
- Donโt Over-Bake: Remove once loaves sound hollow; over-baking will dry them out.
- Cool before slicing: Cutting too early releases steam and can make the texture gummy. Bread is still โbakingโ even out of the oven.
Chelseaโs Notes
Make It A Full Meal!
Serve this brown bread recipe alongside:
- Rotisserie chicken and roasted veggies for an easy weeknight dinner.
- A really good tomato-basil soup for dunking!
- A big chopped salad with baked chicken to balance the warm, soft bread.
- Pasta with Marinara or Alfredo because bread and pasta just belong together.
- A hearty chili that pairs perfectly with a slice slathered in butter.
Storage
How To Store Brown Bread
Room temp: Best same day! Let the bread cool completely, then store in an airtight bag or container at room temp for up to 3 days. Fridge: I donโt recommend it; it dries out the bread
Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp and warm in the oven or toast individual slices.
More Restaurant Copycat Recipes:
Salads With Meat
Grilled Steak Salad Recipe
Desserts
Best Crรจme Brรปlรฉe Recipe
Dinner
Chicken Scampi
Dinner
Chicken Marsala Recipe
Brown Bread Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Large sheet pan with parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water (110ยฐF)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (dry active yeast will also work)
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 cups bread flour plus extra if needed
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder dutch process if you have it on hand!
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, but not hot
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal for the base of bread
- 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- Butter for topping
Instructionsย
- In a stand mixer bowl, add warm water. Sprinkle yeast over top, then add sugar. Whisk briefly and let sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. If it does not become foamy you'll need to start again with new yeast (either yeast is too old or water was too warm).
- Using the paddle attachment, stir in honey, molasses, and whole wheat flour until just combined. Scrape down sides then let sit 10 minutes.
- Add 2 cups bread flour, cocoa powder, salt, and melted (but NOT hot) butter (scrape in every last bit). Mix on low until dough comes together, all gathering around the hook, about 2 to 3 minutes. If it is not gathering (too sticky), add flour 1 tablespoon at a time, up to about 1/4 cup extra.
- Put at speed 2 and knead 8-12 minutes, until dough looks smooth and elastic. When you press your finger into the dough it should bounce back.
- Lightly grease a bowl with olive oil. Shape dough into a ball, turn to coat in the oil at the base of the bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm environment until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Dump dough out of bowl onto a clean surface and use a scale to see how much it weighs. Divide it into 3 equal pieces. Working one piece at a time, roll and shape it into an even 8-inch baguette. Pinching the edges of the dough neatly underneath. Spread cornmeal on surface and press the bottoms of the baguettes into the cornmeal, then place on a parchment-paper lined sheet pan well spaced apart. Cover with a dish towel and let rise until doubled, about 30-60 mins.
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Right before baking, using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the bread lightly with water. Gently sprinkle the oats on top. Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove and let cool on pan for 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool at least 30 minutes before slicing (bread is still baking with carryover heat!). Slice with a sharp bread knife and serve warm with softened butter.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is spot on Chelsea! I ate at Cheesecake Factory only two weeks ago and youโve nailed the brown bread recipe. So happy to be able to make it at home. Thank you!
Iโm so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Paula!
So excited to try your recipe. We love the brown bread at Cheesecake Factory.
Have you any suggestions about making this with sourdough starter or discard?
I think I may try the recipe with some sourdough, along with a bit of instant yeast.
Hi! Iโm so glad youโre excited to try it! I havenโt tested this recipe with sourdough starter or discard, so I canโt say for sure how it would turn out. Your idea of using some sourdough along with a little instant yeast sounds like a good place to start though. If you give it a try, Iโd love to hear how it works out!
Hi Chelsea,
If i want to this recipe in a loaf pan, what would you recommend for temp and bake time? Do i put the whole recipe in 1 loaf pan?
Thank you!
Hi! I havenโt tested it in a loaf pan, but Iโd divide the dough between 3 small loaf pans or 2 standard loaf pans. I wouldnโt put the full batch into one pan. Keep the temp at 350ยฐF and start checking around 30 to 40 minutes. Itโs done when golden on top and sounds hollow when tapped. Hope that helps!