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Fresh Milled Pullman Loaf Recipe (Perfect for High Humidity Baking)

This soft and hearty fresh milled sandwich bread is made with a blend of hard white and hard red wheat berries and has been carefully adjusted for high-humidity baking. After lots of testing and tweaking, this version creates a tall, soft loaf with a tender crumb that slices beautifully for sandwiches and toast.

Course Breakfast, Main Course
Keyword Fresh Milled Bread Recipe
Author Sunup to Sundown

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups freshly milled hard white wheat flour
  • 2 3/4 cups freshly milled hard red wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups warm whole milk
  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 4 tbsp honey
  • 3 tsp yeast
  • 4 tbsp instant potato flakes
  • 3 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp softened butter
  • 4 tbsp olive or avocado oil

Instructions

Mix & Autolyse

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine: fresh milled flour, warm milk, warm water, honey, oil, and potato flakes.

  2. Mix just until all flour is hydrated and no dry spots remain.

  3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 25–30 minutes. This autolyse step helps the fresh milled flour absorb moisture and improves the final texture of the bread.

Add Remaining Ingredients

  1. Add yeast, salt and softened butter.

  2. Mix until incorporated.

Knead the Dough

  1. Knead the dough for about 6 minutes or until the dough comes together and everything is well incorporated.

  2. The dough should feel: soft, slightly tacky, stretchy, smooth but not stiff.

  3. If the dough feels too dry or tears easily, add additional water 1 teaspoon at a time. If it is extremely wet after kneading, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

First Rise

  1. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover

  2. Let rise until about 70% larger, not fully doubled. In a warm or humid kitchen this usually takes 60–90 minutes.

Shape & Second Rise

  1. Shape the dough into a loaf and place into a greased 13-inch Pullman pan.

  2. Cover with the lid and let rise until the dough reaches about ½–¾ inch below the lid.

  3. Do not overproof.

Bake

  1. Bake at 350°F: 40 minutes with lid on and 10 minutes with lid off.

  2. The loaf should be golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 195–200°F.

Finish

  1. Remove bread from pan immediately after baking.

  2. Brush top with butter if desired.

  3. Allow bread to cool completely before slicing for the best texture.

Recipe Notes

Tips for Success

  • Fresh milled flour absorbs liquid slowly, so avoid adding extra flour too quickly.
  • High humidity changes dough hydration, so small liquid adjustments may be needed seasonally.
  • Hard white wheat keeps the loaf lighter while hard red wheat adds rich whole wheat flavor.
  • This bread freezes beautifully and stays soft for sandwiches throughout the week.