Make the popular bread at home! This Outback Steakhouse Copycat Honey Wheat Bread recipe is an easy way to have the famous bread – no restaurant required!
We don’t go to sit-down restaurants very often, but when we do, it’s all about which restaurant has the best bread.
My husband, though, would probably tell you it’s about which place has the best steak. Boo! Bread wins out every time for me.
This recipe is nearly an exact copycat of one of my favorite breads. So, now I can eat all of the yummy bread I want without any of that steak business getting in the way (Kidding! I love the steak, too!).
Caramel color substitute
I’ve gotten quite a few questions about substitutions for the caramel color. I have tried using molasses, and it works well.
You can also use honey in place of the caramel color for a slightly sweeter bread.
How to store honey wheat bread
How to store honey wheat breadStore in a resealabe container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
More bread recipes!
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Outback Steakhouse Copycat Honey Wheat Bread
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups warm water (100°-110°F)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons caramel color¹
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder²
- 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 cups bread flour
- rolled oats (for dusting loaves)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with a dough hook, stir together water, oil, caramel color, and honey until mixed well.
- Add wheat flour to water mixture.
- Add cocoa, yeast, and salt, and stir until blended.
- Allow mixture sit for 10 minutes.
- Stir in bread flour, one cup at a time, until dough clings to hook and almost clears the sides of mixer, about 3-4 minutes.
- Cover bowl with greased plastic wrap.
- Allow dough to rise in the bowl until doubled, about 30-60 minutes.
- Divide into 2 pieces.
- Cover each piece with greased plastic wrap, and let dough rest for 5 minutes.
- Shape pieces into loaves, and sprinkle with oats.
- Place each loaf in a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.
- Let dough rise until doubled, about 30-60 minutes.
- Toward the end of the rising time, preheat oven to 350 F.
- Bake at for 30-40 minutes.
Notes
- Check out notes above the recipe for substitutions.
- Using Dutch-processed cocoa powder will give you a darker loaf.
- Recipe makes two loaves.
- Nutrition facts are estimates.
Nutrition Information
adapted from Frieda Loves Bread
Audrey says
Can these be shaped by hand, Like artisan bread, or does the dough need to be rolled out rolled to shape?
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried to do free form loaves with this bread. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Mark says
What “exactly” did you use for the Caramel color
since you used honey also
Kate says
I used caramel color. It’s a food coloring used in foods like brown sodas. If you don’t want to use caramel color, I have a section in the post that gives other options.
Kathie says
Caramel color can be easily found in most supermarkets by looking for a product called “Kitchen Bouquet” or “Gravy Master” in the area where they have gravy making stuff, mixes, etc.
Kate says
Thanks! I’ve seen that in the stores but hadn’t ever taken a close look at it.
Tricia says
Love this bread and so did my family. Easy to make too. Worth a try!
Kate says
Thank you! So glad that you liked it. =)
Gypsy says
I liked it with butter but it was just too bitter and didn’t really taste like outback bread to me maybe adding 2 tablespoons of sugar next time would help
Kate says
I think Outback has changed their bread to make it sweeter (or at least it seemed sweeter to me the last time I had it). Yes! If you would like a sweeter loaf, feel free to add a bit of sugar.
Rubydasch says
This bread was very good! I used home-milled hard white whole wheat and all-purpose flour. Then I replaced the caramel color with molasses and added vital wheat gluten and dough enhancer. Shaped it into loaves on a cookie sheet instead of loaf pans. It make two HUGE loaves. Next time I think I will divide into 4 smaller loaves, but the bread was very soft and wonderful sliced with butter. Thanks!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad that you enjoyed the bread! =)
p Topasna says
Hi, can’t wait to make this later today. I am going to be making it in small and large pans, is the coming time the same for both sizes? Thank you
Kate says
Hi! I’m not sure without more information. Usually, larger and smaller pans will have different bake times, but it would help to know the sizes so that I could give you a better answer.
Viola says
How do u keep the oats stay on the bread
Kate says
I just sprinkle them on. It’s really just for looks. =)
Michelle says
Is this supposed be a sticky dough? I’ve made it and tastes great but still sticky and hard to shape after it has risen the first time . Just wondering if I should be adding more flour than recipe calls for. Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe!
Kate says
It shouldn’t be that sticky. If you find that the dough is hard to work with, please feel free to add more flour as needed. I find that the amount of flour that I need when I bake can vary from one time to the next depending on a number of factors, including the weather. Hope that helps, and please let me know if you have any other questions! =)
Randy says
Would you make any adjustments if you were to “half” this recipe other than the obvious half of the ingredients? We tend to not finish two loaves before they go bad.
Kate says
My family easily eats both loaves, so I haven’t tried to halve this recipe. So, unfortunately, I don’t have any tips specific to adjusting this recipe.
Steve Willis says
This bread should freeze well so I would just make the recipe for both and freeze one in a zipper bag.
I would guess it to last two months in the freezer.
Kate says
Thank you! I appreciate the info! =)
Debra says
I make our bread every week, I have been using my grandmother’s recipe but the bread always seemed very crumbly. So, I thought I would try something different. My husband really liked this bread, it has good texture and is not as crumbly.
I made a few adjustments, I used left over morning coffee for the water and 1/4c honey and 1/4c molasses. I also added 1/4 cup ground flax seed for added nutrition. It is not as dark as your picture shows or sweet but it holds together when sliced.
Thanks for sharing.
Kate says
I’m glad you liked it! Also, it’s always great to be able to change up a recipe to suit your tastes. Glad it worked out! =)
Heather B says
I just made this recipe. I looked all over for the Caramel Color – Amazon was sold out! Found it at Smart and Final. Our only issue was that it wasn’t quite as sweet. Otherwise…it was perfect.
Kate says
I’m glad that you found the caramel color and liked the bread! Adjusting the sweetness should be an easy fix. =)
Kat says
I agree. Bread is not as sweet. What do you mean exactly by an easy fix? What can be done differently? I used the molasses instead of caramel color. Thanks!
Kate says
Since honey is so sweet, using honey in place of the molasses would be an easy way to add a little extra sweetness to the bread. You would lose the hint of molasses and the color it gives the bread, but it would make the bread sweeter.
Brianna Wallace says
Hello! I was thrown off by the caramel color. Ive never made my own bread, but I have heard its hard to find this ingredient, and would prefer to do without. Also, I would like to do without the molasses, as I want the sweetness. I want tot use honey instead of both of these. Would I use the same amount? 2 Tablespoons of honey?
Kate says
Caramel color can be difficult to find. I haven’t tried honey in place of the caramel color, but I would guess that it would be ok. It would just add that much more sweetness to the bread.
Megan says
Do you think I could make this recipe by adding all the ingredients into a bread maker to mix the dough? My machine has a “dough” setting, to kneed the dough and let it rise several times, about 1.5 hr process. Then put it in pans to bake?? I’m new to bread making! I’ve only made white bread so far. Thanks!
Kate says
I am not sure! I haven’t tried this recipe that way, so I would hate to steer you wrong. If you decide to try it as written, I’m happy to answer any questions you might have! =)
David says
I have tried it in a breadmaker. I baked it in loaf pans instead of machine baking it. It was great!
Kate says
Fantastic! Glad to hear that! =)