Honey Oatmeal Bread

I love oatmeal. My kids love oatmeal. It is one of those comforting foods that reminds me of childhood. When I was little, my grandma used to make giant pots of oatmeal on the stove, which she called “mush.” I remember picking fresh raspberries to add to my “mush” from her raspberry bushes. My mom, also an oatmeal lover, would serve our oatmeal with a bowl of brown sugar and a miniature pitcher of fresh, heavy cream. What little kid wouldn’t want to put mounds of brown sugar and cream on oats with a few raspberries thrown in? It was heaven!

I am sorry to say that when I became a mom my kids did not have the same access to the mounds of brown sugar and heavy cream that I did as a child (eeek!). Instead I love mixing their oatmeal with applesauce, fresh berries and a small teaspoon of brown sugar on the top. My kids still love it and I can rest a little easier knowing it is healthier than what I was served as a child! All this to say that we love anything oats around our house…and this honey oat bread is no exception.

I love the texture the oats bring to this bread and the subtle sweetness from the honey (or brown sugar if you choose). I pulse the oats in a blender before adding them to this recipe, which breaks them down a bit and lends to a more tender crumb. This bread is so delicious straight out of the oven, or even a few days later if you slice and freeze it. It is soft, tender but still sturdy enough for sandwiches. I think it’s almost as good as a bowl of hot oatmeal with some cream and sugar. I hope you enjoy it too.

Yield: 2 loaves of bread

Time: 10 minute mix, 2-3 hours rise, 35-40 minute bake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of old fashioned (rolled) oats
• 2 ½ cups warm water
• 6 Tablespoons honey (or brown sugar)
• 1 Tablespoon instant yeast
• ¼ cup of vegetable oil
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 4 to 4 ½ cups bread flour

Directions:

1. Pour your oats into a blender and pulse a couple of times. You want to break down the oats just a little bit. You will still have some bigger oats but most of them will be fairly small.
2. Mix the warm water, instant yeast and sugar in a stand mixer and let sit for a minute. If you are using dry active yeast, allow this mixture to sit for 5 minutes until the yeast has fully activated. 
3. With the dough hook running on the mixer, add the vegetable oil, salt, lightly ground oats and flour a cup at a time. As the dough comes together, continue adding flour until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. I tend to add flour based on feel instead of measurement. The dough should be a little sticky but easy to work with. 
4. After kneading for 5 minutes, pull off a small chunk of dough and roll it into a ball. If it rolls into a ball with a little residue left on your fingers, you don’t need to add anymore flour.
5. Put a drop of oil in a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel (or plastic wrap) and let rise in a warm place. To encourage rising I will sometimes turn the light on in my oven (don’t turn the oven on) and place my covered dough inside the oven (not directly under the light). This acts as a “proofing” box and will keep the temperature warm for a quicker rise.
6. After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and turn the dough out onto the counter. Cut the dough in half (this recipe makes two loaves of bread) and working with the first half, shape into a rectangle. You will be rolling the dough into a cylinder shape. Starting at the edge closest to you, roll up the dough. Take care to press in the dough at the seam after each roll and pinch the seam closed at the end.
7. Transfer the dough, seam side-down to a bread pan. I use an 8.5 by 4.5 bread pan. Repeat with the second loaf of bread. Cover and let rise again, about an hour in a warm place. The dough should just rise a little bit over the top of the bread pan (it will rise more in the oven). 
8. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread for 35-40 minutes until golden brown on top. Top with melted butter if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes: If you’d like to add some nuts, seeds or dried fruit to this recipe, I think they would work well here. Add them in after the first rise when you deflate the dough, shape it and put it in the pans to rise. You can also egg wash the top of the bread loaves and add some oats to the top if you wish.

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