I love Dave's Killer Bread for its good ingredients and how perfect it is for sandwiches, so I decided to see if I could make a copycat of Dave's Killer Bread recipe from scratch. It is surprisingly easy and tastes better than store-bought bread!
With my recipe, you can make two loaves of this multigrain seed bread for about half the price of store-bought bread, and if you're a bread machine user, don't worry- I've just updated the recipe to include a single loaf which is the right size for a standard bread machine.
You can also use this as a whole-grain dinner roll recipe, which is perfect for a healthy side dish for soup night! Keep reading to see what easy artisan baking techniques I use to get the softest whole-wheat bread you've ever tasted.
If you haven't heard of Dave's Killer Bread, then let me tell you why it's so great.
Dave's bread is a nutrition powerhouse. It's full of whole grains, protein, and fiber, while still tasting delicious! The 21 Seed Bread has a chewy texture and great flavor.
Dave's story
The story behind Dave's is interesting. He spent time in prison, got out and went to work for his family's bakery business, and developed a recipe for whole grain, organic, and non-GMO bread. He started selling his bread at a farmer's market and it was so popular that he eventually sold his company for millions! ( 275 million to be exact)
Why the copycat recipe?
You can buy the original product if you choose, but it's not available everywhere, and online the purchase price can be as high as $10 per loaf. If you're interested in making high-quality, nutritious bread at home, this recipe is for you!
To read more about the health benefits of Dave's Bread, check out this article. Recently my local grocery store was sold out of the organic whole grain seed bread that I like so I went to my kitchen and got to work developing a copycat recipe for Daves Killer Bread 21 Seed Bread.
Overview of my copycat Dave's Killer Bread Recipe
This isn't a hard recipe, but it does have many steps. Check out the overview of what this recipe involves so you can plan your baking day accordingly.
What to do the day before you want bread
The day before you need to soak the wheat flour for about 12 hours. I usually do this in the evening and leave it soaking overnight.
You'll also need to cook the wheat berries. They cook like rice and take about 30 minutes. I like to do this the night before so they are cooled when it's time to mix the dough.
What to do on the day you are ready to bake bread
The entire process takes about 3 hours, although your time may vary slightly depending on the temperature of your kitchen. I usually start in the morning and have fresh bread ready in the early afternoon. Here is how the time breaks down:
- Measure the ingredients- 20 minutes
- Mix - 20 minutes
- Proof- 30-45 minutes
- Shape- 15 minutes
- Proof -45 to 60 minutes
- Bake- 30-40 minutes
Supplies you'll need to make your own Dave's Killer bread:
You will need to buy a few supplies to get started. Don't be put off by the initial investment. While it's true that it is a little pricy to get all the ingredients, they will last a long time. So if you plan on making this bread regularly, then the real savings come over time.
A great bread like this requires ingredients that are of the highest quality
Click on the links to see the products that create the most authentic version of Dave's Killer Bread.
100% Whole White Wheat Flour- I like this Wheat Montana brand. Look for organic, non-GMO winter wheat. If you use stone-ground wheat it will not have the same texture as Dave's Killer Bread does. You need whole white wheat for this recipe.
Gerbs Raw Super 5 Seed Mix- This is a good price for a seed blend. When I was testing the recipe I bought each seed variety separately. That can get very expensive. While this variety doesn't have sesame seeds, it's a good alternative.
5 Grain Rolled Cereal- These look like rolled oats, but the blend has a good variety of grains. It is more cost-effective to buy the blend rather than each type individually.
Wheat Berries- Any brand of wheat berries will work. Look for organic, non-GMO wheat berries.
Vital Wheat Gluten Powder- Bob's Red Mill has the best price that I have been able to find.
Vitamin C 500 mg capsule- Any variety will work here. Just be sure to crush it before adding it to the dough.
Bread Pans- This batch makes two loaves and they fit perfectly into 9x5 loaf pans.
Stand Mixer- I use the Kitchen Aid Professional series fitted with the dough hook attachment
Bread Machine- If you prefer a bread machine, the Breville has customizable loaf size options.
Making a genuine copycat recipe for Daves Killer Bread requires some advanced techniques
To get the most authentic taste and texture from this loaf I've incorporated several artisan bread baker techniques. I'll explain each one and what it does for the bread dough.
Soaking the wheat flour with vinegar for 12 hours- Soaking the flour for at least 12 hours in an acidic medium activates phytase, which is a chemical present in wheat. The phytase releases vitamins present in whole wheat flour and makes them more accessible. It also helps make the wheat more digestible.
Improving the gluten strength with Vitamin C- Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid. It works as a natural dough conditioner to strengthen the gluten. This creates more volume in the loaf, and a fine and even crumb.
The addition of Vital Wheat gluten- Since this dough has so many nuts and seeds they can weaken the gluten strands. The vital wheat gluten helps to strengthen the gluten even more.
Let's bake this copycat Dave's Killer Bread recipe!
Ingredients
- 5 ½ cups White wheat flour 25 oz
- 2 cups Water 16 oz
- 2 ½ tablespoon Apple cider vinegar 0.70 oz
- 2 pkt Active dry yeast 4 ½ tsp
- ½ cup Water 4 oz
- 3 tablespoon Agave 2 oz
- ½ cup Cooked wheat berries 3 oz
- ⅓ cup Grain blend 2 oz ( save 2 tablespoon for topping)
- ¾ cup Seed blend 5 oz ( save ¼ cup for topping)
- 3 tablespoon Vegetable Oil 1.5 oz
- 2 ½ teaspoon Salt 0.5 oz
- 5 teaspoon Vital wheat gluten 0.5 oz
- 1 capsule Vitamin C Crushed (about 4 g)
Instructions
- The day before- soak 25 oz wheat flour, in 2 cups warm water and 2 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar. (Add more water if necessary to absorb all the dry flour.) Mix it thoroughly, using your hands to combine all the ingredients well. Cover and leave at room temperature for at least 12 hours.
- Precook ¼ cup wheat berries by placing them in a small saucepan with the 2 cups of cooking water. Bring to boil, then turn down heat and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Drain wheat berries and allow to cool.
- Mix the agave into the ½ cup water. Add the yeast and stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes to activate.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer place the soaked wheat dough, yeast mixture, vegetable oil, salt, vital wheat gluten, and a crushed vitamin C capsule.
- Mix on low speed for 3-5 minutes. Increase to medium speed and mix for 4 minutes. The dough should be smooth and well developed.
- Now add the cooked wheat berries, seed blend, and rolled grain blend. Mix on low speed for 4 minutes. ( Don't forget to reserve some grains and seeds for topping the bread)
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled container with a lid, or cover it with plastic wrap. Let rest until the dough has doubled. (This may take from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen)
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal-sized portions.
- Gently shape each dough portion into a rectangle and roll it up in a tight log. Pinch the seams together creating a loaf shape. Repeat for the other dough piece.
- To top each loaf with grain blend and seeds: To do this place the reserved seed blend onto a large plate. Dampen a clean kitchen towel. Pick up each loaf by the seam and roll it back and forth on the towel getting as much surface area damp as possible. Now put the loaf into the plate of seeds and roll back and forth to get the seeds to stick. Repeat with the other loaf.
- Place the seeded loaves into well-oiled pans.
- Preheat oven to 350 °
- Let the loaves proof for about 30-60 minutes. The actual time will depend on room temperature. When the loaf has crested above the loaf pan it's ready to bake.
- Bake for 40 minutes in the pan. If you have a baking stone, remove the bread from the pan and place it on the stone for the last 10 minutes.
- Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and place on a cooling rack to cool entirely.
- To freeze- allow to fully cool, then slice loaf, wrap in plastic wrap, and cover completely in foil. Freeze for up to 1 month in a regular freezer or 6 months in a deep freezer
Dave's Killer Bread makes great dinner rolls too!
If you're in the mood for something healthy to serve with soup or salad, just shape these into balls, and roll in the seed topping. I like to bake them on a pie plate, but you can also place them in an oiled muffin pan or on a cookie sheet.
Dave's Killer Seed Bread for Bread Machine
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making Daves Killer Seed Bread in a Bread Machine. You won't be able to top the loaf with the seed and grain blend, so all the good stuff gets added to the loaf instead.
- Follow the directions for the original recipe using the smaller batch ingredient amounts listed below.
- The day before baking, soak the wheat flour with vinegar and water. See the full recipe above for more details.
- Pre-cook the wheat berries and allow them to cool before beginning.
- Put all ingredients into the pan of the bread maker. Set the bread maker to a basic white bread setting or for whole wheat bread setting if your machine has that option.
- Remove the bread from the machine when it is done and allow it to cool.
Small Batch-Dave's Killer Seed Bread
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups White wheat flour 12.5 oz
- 1 cup Water Add more if needed so that all the flour the is absorbed
- 2 ¼ teaspoon Apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup Cooked wheat berries Boil ⅛ cup wheat berries in 1 cups water for 30 minutes. Drain and chill.
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 packet Active dry yeast
- 4 teaspoon Agave
- 4 ½ teaspoon Canola oil
- ⅓ cup Seed blend
- 2 ½ tablespoon Rolled grain blend
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 ½ teaspoon Vital wheat gluten
- 1 capsule Vitamin C- 500 mg crushed
Instructions
- To make this single loaf batch in a stand mixer, follow the directions for the original recipe using the smaller batch ingredient amounts.
- INSTRUCTIONS FOR BREAD MAKER: Follow the day before directions by soaking the wheat flour with vinegar and water, and pre-cooking the wheat berries. Put all ingredients from the recipe into the pan of the bread maker. Program for basic white bread setting or for whole wheat bread if your machine has that setting.
- Remove the bread from the machine when it is done and allow it to cool before slicing.
Enjoy this Dave's Killer Bread Copycat Recipe
Whether you make this as a double loaf batch, dinner rolls, a single loaf, or in your bread maker, you will love how soft this whole wheat bread is and the wonderful nutritious ingredients that will make you feel good about eating bread!
Please let me know in the comments how you like this recipe and your favorite way to eat this multigrain bread.
Dave's Killer Bread Recipe Video
Watch the video to see how easy it is to make Dave's Killer Seed Bread at home.
Kim Stebbins says
I can't wait to try this and have bookmarked it.I make often bread, and usually the only loaf I will purchase is Dave's Killer Bread. I like Good Seed the best. I have looked all over the internet and yours is the only recipe that uses weight measurements, so I pick you! I do have a couple of questions.: Can I used white whole wheat? I have a new, unopened bag and would love to use what I have due to space constraints. What size loaf pans do you use? I have 8.1/2 x 41/2 , 9 x 5, and 9 x 4 (x4 deep). I know pan size can affect outcome, so would like to use the correct size for this recipe. Thanks!
Better Baker says
Hi Kim, So glad you found my recipe and appreciate the weight measurements. I try to make my recipes accessible to everyone! You asked some great questions and I've updated the blog post to reflect the answers. The flour called for is actually a white wheat so the flour you have will be perfect. The loaf pans that I used for the recipe are 9x5 and the recipe makes two loaves. I'll be updating soon for a single ( bread machine-friendly loaf) as well. Happy baking and please update us with your results!
Ann Smith says
Hi, thanks for this recipe! I love DKB but can't always get it here (Canada). We just got a breadmaker so I'm new to this. We have a setting choice of 1, 1.5 or 2 lbs. I assume the difference would be rising and baking times ... which setting would I use for your bread machine recipe? Thank you.
Better Baker says
Hi Ann, you are correct! The different settings on your bread machine change the rising and baking times. I would recommend starting with the 1.5lb loaf size setting. If you find it too dense or underbaked you can go to the larger setting. Please let me know how it turns out!
Joan E Brunhoefer says
My loaves did not double in size or rise to top of loaf pans. It's 90° today and I let them proof in the 3 season porch. What might be the reason? Did I heat water too much when activating yeast? Idk. I'm a cook and a bread machine kinda gal, so idk! Ty for such great instructions. I enjoyed learning and working so hard on this. Gonna try bread machine recipe next. Ty!! Be blessed!
Joan E Brunhoefer says
One more question. But first, ty for this amazing recipe and the well done instructions! We're obsessed with this bread! My question is I would love to send this to a friend several states away. What is the shelf life and do you have any tips? Tyvm!!!!
Rosanna Baker says
I shop at a store that sells nuts seeds and grains in bulk(yes they were filling it up the other day when I was there-post covid-I was very glad to see). Anyways my question is what are the measurements for the individual nuts and grains so that I don't have to purchase the pre-mixed blends. The bulk bins let me buy smaller quantities. Thanks. Can't wait to try this.
Better Baker says
Hi Rosanna, I'm glad to hear you're able to buy the exact quantity that you need! Here's a few measurements for you: SEED BLEND FOR 1 DOUBLE LOAF BATCH= 1 oz sesame seed, 1 oz poppy seed, 1 oz flax seed, 1 oz small(Pepitas) unsalted/raw pumpkin seeds, 1 oz unsalted/raw sunflower seeds. GRAIN BLEND FOR 1 DOUBLE LOAF BATCH= 0.5 oz rolled oats, 0.5 oz rolled rye, 0.5 oz rolled triticale, barley, or wheat ( use whatever you can find)
Hope you love this bread recipe as much as I do! Keep us posted on your results.
Patricia says
Made the single loaf recipe. Has a very strong fermented flavor. Doesn't taste as "whole wheat" as the actual DKB. Any ideas what may have happened? Too much vinegar? Help. Thank you!
Better Baker says
Hi Patricia, I'm not sure why you experienced an overly fermented taste. Perhaps the wheat flour you used was off? (whole grain flour can get a rancid flavor it not kept refrigerated) I make this bread every week to sell at the Farmer's Markert and my customers always rave about it, so I don't think it's the vinegar. Perhaps try again with different wheat flour? Best of luck and keep us posted on your results!
Denise Parlett says
I made this and only substituted honey for agave. It was perfect! The ingredients were dispersed perfectly. I love it toasted.
Nancy says
Can I use Coconut Oil instead of Canola Oil? Canola Oil is not good oil for people with arthritis (causes inflammation of the joints). I use Olive Oil, Peanut Oil, and Coconut Oil when I cook. Which do you suggest?
Cheryl says
Can t get whole wheat white flour what can j use as a substitute
Better Baker says
Hi Cheryl, You can use traditional whole wheat flour and still get really good results!
Ruby says
Love the recipe! Just wondering if you have the nutrition facts for it? Thank you!
Pamela BH says
How do I print this recipe??
Mary says
Hello Allyson, thanks so much for troubleshooting this recipe. My family loves Dave's Killer Bread, and I would like to make my own version at home. If I wanted to use ascorbic acid powder instead of crushing a tablet, do you know how much I would add? Thank you! 🙂
Better Baker says
Hi Mary, my jar of vitamin C says 500mg per tablet. When crushed, its about 1/4 tsp. Hope that helps!
Better Baker says
Hi Matt,
The soaked wheat flour mixture should be pretty thick, so if it feels sticky something isn't right. I've made this with different whole wheat flour brands, so that shouldn't be the issue. Perhaps the water got mismeasured? Best of luck if you plan to attempt it again!
Better Baker says
Hi Debra,
Are you possibly using a quick rise yeast? That could be the problem.
Better Baker says
Hi Ruby, I don't have the nutritional facts for this bread yet, but I will try to add that when I update the recipe soon!
Marianne Turner says
All the information and the recipe looks wonderful. Is there a way I can print this whole page with the recipe ? I can not seem to find one. Thank you !
Marge B says
My husband strongly dislikes pumpkin and sunflower seeds in breads. Would you suggest increasing the amount of sesame, chia seeds, etc instead? If so, same amounts as larger seeds?
Sarah Fronick says
I’m trying to avoid oil, salt and sugar. Can I omit these from the recipe without changing the chemistry of the bread?
laura says
Can you use live yeast rather than active dry?
Keri Ohrt says
Hi, this is such a delicious bread! Thank you so much for the recipe! I did run into an issue when soaking the flour. When weighing the ingredients for the flour and water soak the mixture was very wet and not at all like the picture in the instructions. I made the bread the following day but had to add about 1.5c of additional flour to get the correct texture of dough and even then it was on the sticky side. I did purchase your recommended flour for the recipe as well. It ended up turning out lovely with a very soft texture and great flavor but I was confused by the water:flour ratio being off so much.
Briana K says
Do you have any suggestions/ substitutions for baking at high altitude? And can I use instant yeast?
Steve Drivon says
Hey Allyson!
So happy that you have come up with this recipe! The shopping List is MUCH appreciated. Just took the first two loaves out of the oven and they are looking good!
One point of clarification. In the double loaf recipe, the amount of flour is indicated as “ 20 oz White wheat flour (5 1/4 cups).” 5.25 cups by volume seems to be much more than 20oz and 5.25 cups by weight is 42oz of flour.
I used 20oz by weight and the dough was way to wet. I added bread flour until the dough formed up nicely.
Please advise.
Once again, thank you for doing this work.
Steve.
Wendy says
I am just heading to store for ingredients to make this (high altitude, bread machine) what is the purpose of the vit C please
Steve Drivon says
Wendy,
Quote from above article:
“ Improving the gluten strength with Vitamin C- Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid. It works as a natural dough conditioner to strengthen the gluten. This creates more volume in the loaf, and a fine and even crumb.”
I haven’t heard back from Allyson about my previous question about flour proportions. This week, I’m going to try 5.25 cups of flour by volume to start and add from there if still to wet.
Best of luck, Steve.
Sharon says
Hello Allyson, the recipes state 'white whole wheat' but in your response to Nancy on 10/13 you state 100% whole wheat. Which do you prefer? I look forward to baking this, I ran out of my homemade bread while on vacation and found Dave's on sale at the local Publix. Weight-wise it doesn't matter, might be a difference in texture? I'm going to use sprouted wheat flour. Thanks!
Sharon
KJ Hasler says
This recipe is delicious but his White Bread Done Right is my favorite and can be very hard to find in my area.
Any chance you have a recipe for it??
Thanks!!
Meenakshi says
Hello Nancy.
I want to bake this but before that please give your valuable time to answer my queries:
Is it whole wheat flour whch you have used?
Can I use regular synthetic vinegar?
My kitchen temperature is 17*C , is it fine to keep dough overnight at room temperature?
No idea about Vitamin C. Is it to get from chemist shop?
Hope yo hear soon from you.
Thankyou
Meenakshi says
Sorry by mistake I wrote 'Nancy'.
I am sorry Better Baker
Tina says
Can I replace using dry yeast with my bread starter, if so what is the ratio? I have used 1 cup for other bread recipes. I’m looking forward to making this bread. Thank you!
Sarah says
Is it possible to make this without Agave or Canola oil?
Lise Vail says
I used my bread machine to make this bread, substituting only honey for agave. The bread is great. My only problem was placing the rather solid white whole wheat, water, & apple cider vinegar dough…plus all other ingredients…into the machine’s pan. Unfortunately the paddle soon detached, due to getting stuck in the hard dough. So the second time I made the bread, I tried mixing the dough with the remaining ingredients (with my hands) just a bit in a separate bowl BEFORE putting all in the bread machine pan. I did it in the ingredient order you suggested in the initial recipe. That worked very well (no paddle detachment) because the additional moisture softened the dough enough for the paddle to work properly. Know your particular bread machine foibles! Now my only problem is liking to eat this bread a little too much! You might consider the value of making the 1-loaf bread machine recipe as detailed as the original. I ended up jumping back & forth often. Many thanks for this recipe.🌺
Innocent says
Absolutely loved this bread. I did replace the agave with molasses syrup which i tend to like with whole wheat recipes. The dough was very sticky and I did need to add about an additonal cup of flour to firm it up more. That did the trick. I am excited to take a loaf in to work, my co-workers will enjoy!!! Thank you for sharing.
Tim says
With the cost of Daves's bread so high, I've decided to buy a bread machine. I also found your recipe and want to try it in a bread machine. Would you please provide me instuctions for that approach?
Thanks for all your efforts
Laurie Higgins says
Right now, waiting for the “dough” to double in volume, what I really have is gassy batter, not dough. What now? More flour? Throw it out and start over?
Gayle says
Hi! I know this is a long shot, but have you tried doing this with sourdough starter instead of dry yeast? 😬
Karen Smith says
So far I also found that the amount of flour in cups is more correct for the recipe. The consumer grade of white whole wheat flour available may be of a different quality than what this recipe calls for in weight. I was only able to find white whole wheat flour at Wegmans. I am in Canada so that was the only place I could find it in the USA. We do t have it available in Canada at any stores! When I weighed 5.25 cups I got over 27 oz. My dough was initially too weight and not smooth. Once I started adding more flour it formed up. Then I just finished kneading by hand so I could feel the dough. It’s proofing now. I hope it works. It sounds like amazing recipe. Will report back!
Suz says
Nice recipe. Although I do wind up adding about 3/4 cup more whole wheat flour. I measure the ingredients by weight. Without the added flour, the dough is a batter.
It bakes up nicely and has a good shelf life. I usually slice it and freeze it. That way I can take out a couple of slices when I want to make a toasted sandwich.
My fave sandwich to make with it is from Katie Morford RD and appeared on The Oregonian’s web site.
https://recipes.oregonlive.com/recipes/peanut-butter-raspberry-waffle-iron-sandwich
Deryl says
Tasted great but for some reason did not rise like it should have 😢
Carol Field says
Love this recipe! Turns out great every time. I use the bread maker recipe and program it for dough only. Take it out and kneed for 5 min. Cover with the extra seeds and nuts. Then let it rise for 45min- one hour. Put in bread loaf pan and cook at 350* or until meat thermometer reaches 200* in center of loaf.
Carol Field says
@Carol Field, note: after I roll it in the seeds I put it in the loaf pan to let rise for 45- one hr. Then bake.
Better Baker says
@Joan E Brunhoefer, Sounds like a yeast problem. Either the water was too hot, or perhaps your yeast was bad. Better luck next time!
Better Baker says
The shelf life for this bread is about 4-5 days at room temperature. It will last a few days longer if you refrigerate it.
Better Baker says
Fantastic! So glad to hear that you enjoyed it!
Better Baker says
You can absolutely substitute coconut oil in this recipe!