Bread Machine Multigrain Bread - Recipe & Video - Bread Dad (2024)

This easy bread machine multigrain bread recipe is a delicious way to add more fiber and nutrients into your family’s diet.Multigrain bread uses a wide range of chopped grains and seeds as the key ingredient. For example, in this recipe, I like to use a 10 grain hot cereal product that includes chopped-up wheat, rye, triticale, millet, brown rice, barley, corn, soy beans, oat bran and flaxseeds.

However, there are many varieties of multigrain cereal (i.e. 5 or 7 grain hot cereals) consisting of chopped grains (not large cereal flakes). However, be aware this is not a light & fluffy bread. It is a hearty bread with lots of crunchy grain.

Bread Machine Multigrain Bread

Recipe Sections

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Recipe Video
• Helpful Tips

This homemade bread makes for a great “crunchy” breakfast toast, a more flavorful lunch sandwich, etc. FYI – Multigrain bread is usually preferred by “back to nature” adults versus white bread loving kids!

Since this multigrain bread recipe is done in a bread machine, it is simple & easy to make. This recipe takes me about 5-10 minutes to prepare and then the bread machine does most of the hard work (i.e. mixing, kneading & baking). FYI – You will also find a printable and “pin-able” recipe at the bottom of this page.

Key Ingredient – Multigrain Cereal (Chopped Up Grains)

Ingredients – Bread Machine Multigrain Bread Recipe – 1.5 lb loaf

• 1 1/8 Cups – Milk (lukewarm) – 266 milliliters – 1 1/8 cups of milk is equivalent to 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of milk
• 3 Tablespoons – Unsalted Butter (softened) – 43 grams
• 2 1/4 Cups – Bread Flour – 270 grams
• 3/4 Cup – Multigrain Cereal – 120 grams – Do not pre-moisten & do not use large breakfast cereal flakes. Need to use cereal that consists of small chopped-up pieces of grains. See tips section for more info.
• 1/4 Cup –Light Brown Sugar (packed cup) – 54 grams – If you prefer non-sweet multigrain breads, you should use only 1 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
• 1 Teaspoon – Salt – 6 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Bread Machine Yeast – 3 grams

Ingredients – Bread Machine Multigrain Bread Recipe – 2 lb loaf

• 1 1/2 Cups – Milk (lukewarm) – 355 milliliters
• 4 Tablespoons – Unsalted Butter (softened) – 57 grams
• 3 Cups – Bread Flour – 360 grams
• 1 Cup – Multigrain Cereal – 160 grams – – Do not pre-moisten & do not use large breakfast cereal flakes. Need to use cereal that consists of small chopped-up pieces of grains. See tips section for more info.
• 1/3 Cup –Light Brown Sugar (packed cup) – 72 grams – If you prefer non-sweet multigrain breads, you should use only 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons – Salt – 9 grams
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons – Bread Machine Yeast – 4.5 grams

Servings – Roughly 12 slices

Equipment Needed – Measuring cup & spoons, silicone spatula, oven mitts, cooling rack and a bread machine.

Recipe Video – Watch How My Recipe Is Made

Instructions – Bread Machine Multigrain Bread Recipe

• Bread machine settings – 1.5 or 2 pound loaf, light color and “basic” bread setting.

• Soften the butter in your microwave.
• Unplug your bread machine.
• Remove the bread pan from the unplugged bread machine.
• Pour the milk into the bread pan and then add the other ingredients. Place the bread machine yeast in last and the yeast should not touch the liquid or salt (until the bread machine is turned on and the ingredients start to be mixed together). Some people like to make a small “divot” on top of the flour in order to hold the yeast in one spot before the machine starts.
• Put the bread pan (with all of the ingredients) back into the bread machine, close the bread machine lid and then plug in the bread machine.
• Enter the correct settings (i.e. 1.5 lb or 2 lb loaf, light color & basic bread setting) and press the “start” button.
• When the bread machine has finished baking the bread, unplug the bread machine. Remove the bread from the bread pan and place the bread on a cooling rack. Use oven mitts when removing the bread machine container (bread pan) as it will be very hot!
• After removing the bread, don’t forget to remove the mixing paddle if it is stuck in the bread. Use oven mitts as the mixing paddle will be very hot coming out of the bread machine. Or wait until the bread is completely cooled and then remove the mixing paddle.
• In our Sunbeam bread machine, the baking takes about 3 hours for a 2 pound bread loaf (and 2:53 hours for a 1.5 lb bread loaf) at the light color & basic bread settings. However, some machines can differ and you don’t want to be away from home when the bread machine “finished” alarm goes off! Your bread machine should show you the length of the baking time after you have entered the settings into the machine. This will allow you to know when to be in the kitchen in order to remove the bread.
• Before using your bread machine, you should read the bread machine manufacturer’s instructions in order to use the bread machine effectively and safely.
• Please read the tips section below for extra information on how to make this recipe successfully. You also can watch my recipe video to “see” how to perform each recipe step.

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Other Bread Dad Sections

• Bread Machine Cookbooks
• Bread Machines – My favorites!
• Bread Mixes – Buttermilk, rye, sourdough, French, etc.
• Bread Tools – Bread slicers, etc.

Delicious Multigrain Bread

Helpful Tips – Bread Machine Multigrain Bread Recipe

• The tips below are designed to help bread machine “novices” and those who haven’t touched their bread machine in years.
• Click on our “print recipe” link if you want to print out this recipe. It includes all of the recipe’s ingredients and instructions. However, the recipe print function does not include our tips section. Please read the tips section in order to avoid common recipe problems.
• If you would rather “see” how this recipe is made, please watch the step-by-step recipe video on this page. It is a short & simple video that shows you how to make this recipe.
• This recipe is part of Bread Dad’s series on easy Bread Machine Recipes such as buttery white bread, banana bread, French bread and even pizza!

• Optional – Try our oven-baked Multigrain Bread Recipe if you want to make the multigrain dough with your bread machine and finish it in your oven in order to achieve the classic bread loaf shape (vs the bread machine “block” shape) and avoid any bread machine mixing paddle holes in your loaf. It is the oven version of the recipe on this page.
• Do NOT confuse or mix up the 1.5 lb & 2 lb ingredient amounts and machine settings when making this bread machine recipe (i.e. accidentally using some of the 2 lb ingredient amounts when making the 1.5 lb version). Cough, cough… said in a small voice… I have done this before!
• This recipe is NOT for 1 lb capacity bread machines. Please check the capacity of your bread machine before making this recipe. This recipe helps you to create 1.5 lb and 2 lb bread loaves. If you have a small bread machine (i.e. a bread machine that has only a capacity for 1 lb breads), you will be unable to make this recipe. The loaf will be too large for your machine and overflow the bread pan (and the top is likely to collapse). An example of a bread machine with only a 1 lb capacity is the Zojirushi Home Bakery Mini Breadmaker (model BB-HAC10).
• For bread machines with a loaf capacity greater than 1 lb, consider making the 1.5 lb version first. Some bread machines with a supposed 2lb loaf capacity are smaller than advertised. See how the 1.5 lb version works in your bread machine before attempting the 2 lb version.

• The multigrain cereal used to make this bread should consist only of tiny chopped-up grains and seeds (such as wheat, rye, triticale, millet, brown rice, barley, corn, soy beans, etc.). See the picture higher up on this page for an example of this type of cereal.
• Do NOT use a cereal consisting of large multigrain flakes, etc. The multigrain cereal used in this recipe should not look like corn flakes. The use of cereal with large flakes can result in the dough being too dry (as the large flakes can absorb more moisture than chopped up hard pieces of grain) and/or the bread might have structural issues (i.e. trouble holding together properly).
• Make sure to use FRESH multigrain. Multigrain can spoil quickly because the hard protective shell of the grains has been broken. This leads to shelf life issues via oxidation, etc. FYI – Some people like to store their multigrain in airtight containers in their refrigerator or freezer in order to extend the shelf life of the multigrain.
• Do NOT pre-moisten the multigrain cereal or you will be adding too much liquid to the recipe. The multigrain cereal should be dry when added to the bread pan.
• For this bread recipe, I often like to use Bob’s Red Mill 10 Grain Hot Cereal product as the multigrain ingredient. This product consists of hard bits of chopped up grains & seeds. It adds a nice “crunch” to the bread. FYI – We are not sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. I just like their multigrain cereal products.
• You can find similar products made by their competitors online or in your supermarket. Look for products called multigrain hot cereal, 10 grain hot cereal, 7 grain hot cereal, etc.
• Just remember these multigrain products consist of chopped grain seeds (and NOT large cereal “flakes”).
• To make this bread look more “authentic”, I sprinkled some multigrain cereal on the top of the dough after the bread machine has finished its final kneading cycle. Or you can ignore this step if you want to hide the multigrain aspect from your kids! This step is optional because it is mainly for decorative purposes. For safety purposes – Do not put your hands in the bread machine & always wear oven mitts when dealing with a bread machine because it can get hot! Read your bread machine manual to see how & when this is done with your specific machine.
• Also remember this is NOT a soft white bread recipe! This recipe creates a hearty & slightly crunchy multigrain bread.

• This recipe uses bread machine yeast (instant yeast) and NOT active dry yeast.
• This recipe uses bread flour. Not whole wheat flour. If you use whole wheat flour, the bread is likely to have problems rising properly.
• Do not use all purpose flour (versus using the bread flour called for in this recipe). All purpose flour will result in a denser bread.
• Do not use cold milk. The main problem with using regular milk is that people tend to use cold refrigerated milk and this can slow the yeast growth. Try to use warm milk (or instant powdered milk mixed into warm water). However, you should also be aware that the milk/water should not be too hot because very hot milk/water can kill the yeast.
• Optional – If you don’t have any butter, you can use vegetable oil as a substitute. Thanks Tricia for pointing that out!
• Optional – If you want to turn this bread into a tasty breakfast bread, you can add 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, raisins or dried blueberries to the dough AFTER the first bread machine mixing and BEFORE the second/final mixing. Our thanks to Mary for this fruity tip!
• Optional – Or instead of dried fruit, you can add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or chopped pecans for a little extra crunch!
• If you like “crunchy” breads, you might like to try my Seed Bread Recipe. It is made with sunflower, flax and chia seeds.

• If you are looking for other “heartier” bread machine breads, you should try our recipes for High Fiber Bread, Oatmeal Bread, Oat Nut Bread, soft Whole Wheat Bread and 100% Whole Wheat Bread.
• If you have a problem with a bread machine recipe, please make sure that you are following the recipe exactly (i.e. using the correct bread machine settings), you are using the correct amount of an ingredient (i.e. don’t eyeball the measurements versus using a measuring cup or accidentally add a teaspoon when a tablespoon is called for), you are using the correct ingredients (i.e. bread machine yeast versus regular yeast or bread flour versus all purpose flour), etc. Please don’t “wing” things with recipes.
• If you start substituting ingredients (i.e. using different types of flour not called for in the recipe), you are experimenting and should not expect similar results to the recipe shown above. Experimenting can be fun. However, you should expect some successes but more potential disappointments when you start to experiment with recipes. For example, if you substitute whole wheat flour for bread flour, you will probably experience a problem (as whole wheat flour doesn’t rise nearly as well as bread flour). Moreover, whole wheat flour has a totally different flavor.
• Having trouble with bread collapses & misshapen bread tops? Make sure to read Bread Dad’s article on bread machine bread collapses. It has reasons and solutions to potential bread collapses.

• If your bread comes out too dense, it is likely due to one of the following reasons; You are using old or stale yeast, using a cold refrigerator temperature liquid (which slows yeast growth), baking in a cold winter temperature kitchen (yeast likes kitchen temps of 75-80 degree F), using all purpose flour (versus bread flour as called for in the recipe), placing salt on top of or next to the yeast (salt kills yeast so it must be placed away from the yeast in the bread pan), etc. For more reasons, you should visit Bread Dad’s Why Is My Bread Machine Bread So Dense? page.
• Kitchen humidity can impact a recipe. A winter kitchen tends to be drier due to your heating system drying out the air. In contrast, a kitchen in the summer can be much more humid. This change in humidity impacts baking as flour can soak up humidity from the air. Therefore, you might have to add 1-2 teaspoons of liquid in the winter if the dough is looking too dry. Or you might have to add 1-2 teaspoons of flour in the summer if the dough is looking too wet. If your kitchen is very dry or humid, you might have to add even a little more (but start with 1 teaspoon at a time until you achieve the right consistency). Of course, excessive kitchen humidity or dryness can impact a recipe at any time during the year (not just in the summer & winter)!
• This is one of the reasons that people should store flour in an airtight container if they have already opened the flour package. Flour can pick up extra moisture from the air while sitting in the pantry and this can throw off recipes (i.e. throw off the liquid-to-dry ingredient ratio), spoil flavor, degrade shelf life, etc.

• You can also use this homemade bread to make one of Bread Dad’s delicious & toasty panini recipes.
• If you haven’t used your bread machine in a long time, please buy some NEW bread machine yeast before making your bread. Old yeast can die or lose its potency and this will lead to bread that does not rise properly. Bread machine yeast is not likely to be viable if it has been sitting in your pantry for years.
• Be aware that some bread recipes may differ slightly between different types of bread machines. Therefore, please read your bread machine manufacturer’s instructions for basic bread recipes (i.e. white bread or whole wheat bread) as these are more likely to work on your individual bread machine.
• Always wear oven mitts/gloves when dealing with a bread machine. The bread pan and the rest of the bread machine can get very hot during the baking process. This means that the bread pan and bread machine is likely to be very hot when you attempt to remove a baked good from the bread machine and/or bread pan.
• For more easy bread machine recipes (i.e. white bread, whole wheat bread, banana bread, pizza dough & cornbread), please visit Bread Dad’s section onBread Machine Recipes.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment & 5 star rating below. It is ALWAYS great to hear from someone who has enjoyed my recipes! Jump to comment section

Highlighted Recipe

• High Fiber Bread Recipe – When you get a little older, some people (like me) need extra fiber in their diet. So check out this delicious & fiber-icious bread recipe.

Other Bread Dad Sections

• Bread Machines – My favorites!
• Bread Machine Cookbooks
• Bread Mixes – Ingredient kits for buttermilk bread, rye bread, sourdough bread, French bread, Italian country bread, etc.
• – Ingredient kits for homemade blondies, snickerdoodles, chocolate donuts, pecan brownies, etc.
• – Turn your homemade bread into delicious sandwiches or toasty paninis.

Common Questions & Answers

What is multigrain cereal?

Multigrain cereal consists typically of coarsely ground grains and seeds. It can contain a wide variety of grains & seeds such as wheat, rye, triticale, millet, brown rice, barley, corn, soy beans, oat bran, flaxseeds, etc. Multigrain cereal is used for hot breakfasts (i.e. as a porridge), as an ingredient in baked goods (i.e. to add fiber & “crunch” to the baked good), etc.

Where can I find multigrain cereal?

You can usually find multigrain cereal (i.e. 10 grain cereal) in the baking or breakfast sections of major supermarkets. You can also find it online at large retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, etc. It is often called multigrain hot cereal, 10 grain hot cereal, 7 grain hot cereal, etc.

FYI – The multigrain cereal used to make this bread recipe does NOT consist of large cereal flakes. Make sure you buy the right multigrain cereal (consisting of small chopped up grain seeds).

If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment & 5 star rating below. It is ALWAYS great to hear from someone who has enjoyed my recipes! Jump to comment section

Reference Sources

• Wikipedia, Bread Machine
• Wikipedia, Multigrain Bread

Related Recipes

• Bread Machine French Bread
• Bread Machine Oatmeal Bread
• Bread Machine White Bread
• Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread
• Oatmeal Bread (Instant Yeast) – Oven baked
• White Bread (Instant Yeast) – Oven baked

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