How to Make Ancient Grain Bread With Spelt and Khorasan

If you want to bake bread with ancient grains, you do not need to completely reinvent the way you bake. Spelt and Khorasan can both be used in familiar bread recipes, and they can also be combined to create a loaf with a different flavor and texture.

Idaho Ancient Grains uses a versatile whole wheat bread formula that can be made with spelt, Khorasan, hard white wheat, hard red wheat, or a combination of grains. The farm particularly likes a blend of spelt, Khorasan and hard white wheat.

This guide explains how to approach an ancient grain loaf, what to watch for while mixing, and how to avoid some of the common mistakes that can make ancient grain bread too dense.

Can You Make Bread With Spelt and Khorasan?

Yes. Both spelt and Khorasan can be used for bread. Idaho Ancient Grains' recipe collection includes a whole wheat bread recipe specifically designed to work with spelt, Khorasan, or both.

The recipe is intentionally flexible. You can use one grain or combine several grains depending on the flavor and texture you want.

Why Mix Spelt and Khorasan?

Blending grains gives you more control over the final loaf.

Idaho Ancient Grains says its favorite bread is made by mixing Khorasan with spelt and hard white wheat. The farm notes that adding Khorasan to spelt can help lighten the texture compared with using spelt alone.

That makes a blend a useful starting point if you like spelt but want to experiment with a lighter loaf.

A Simple Ancient Grain Bread Formula

The Idaho Ancient Grains whole wheat bread recipe starts with a small amount of warm water, instant yeast, oil, honey and whole-grain flour.

The flour can be a mixture of spelt, Khorasan, hard white wheat and hard red wheat, or simply one grain.

The original recipe also lists optional dough enhancer, mashed potato flakes, cracked seven-grain cereal and ground flax seed.

Ingredients

1 cup very warm water

2 teaspoons SAF instant yeast

1 teaspoon dough enhancer

1 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon raw honey

2 tablespoons instant mashed potato flakes, optional

2 tablespoons 7-grain cracked cereal mix, optional

2 tablespoons ground flax seed, optional

1½ cups whole-grain flour, using spelt, Khorasan, hard white wheat, hard red wheat, or a blend

1 teaspoon salt

About ⅔ to 1 additional cup of whole-grain flour or white bread flour, as needed

Step 1: Start the Dough

Add the warm water, instant yeast, dough enhancer, oil, honey and any optional ingredients you are using to a stand mixer or mixing bowl.

Add the first 1½ cups of whole-grain flour and place the salt on top of the flour.

Mix the ingredients for a few minutes. At this stage, the mixture may look more like a thick soup than a traditional bread dough.

Step 2: Add More Flour Gradually

This is one of the most important parts of the recipe.

Add additional flour gradually until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Do not automatically add the entire amount. Ancient grain dough can behave differently depending on the grain, how finely it was milled and how much water the flour absorbs.

Add only as much flour as the dough needs.

Step 3: Do Not Overmix

Idaho Ancient Grains specifically recommends not overmixing when using ancient grains.

Once the dough has developed enough structure and is pulling away from the bowl, move on to the next step rather than continuing to mix indefinitely.

Learning when to stop mixing is one of the easiest ways to improve consistency when baking with ancient grains.

Step 4: Shape the Loaf

Lightly oil or grease your hands and your work surface.

Turn the dough onto the prepared surface, knead and shape it into a loaf.

Place the shaped dough into your bread pan.

Step 5: Let the Dough Rise

Cover the dough with a clean, lint-free towel and allow it to rise until it has doubled in size.

The exact time can vary depending on room temperature, yeast activity and the dough itself, so use the dough's appearance as your guide rather than relying only on a timer.

Step 6: Bake

Bake the loaf at 350°F for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, or until it is golden.

Remove the bread from the pan and allow it to cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Why Is My Spelt Bread Dense?

Spelt can sometimes produce a heavier or denser loaf when used by itself. Idaho Ancient Grains specifically notes that spelt can be more heavy and dense in bread and cookies.

One approach is to experiment with grain blends.

Try adding Khorasan to spelt.

Use a blend of spelt and hard white wheat.

Avoid overmixing the dough.

Add flour gradually rather than automatically adding the maximum amount.

Allow the dough to rise fully before baking.

Does Khorasan Make Good Bread?

Yes. Idaho Ancient Grains says Khorasan makes great bread and even baguettes when used by itself.

It can also be combined with spelt and hard white wheat, which is the blend the farm says it particularly enjoys.

Can You Use Ancient Grain Flour for Sourdough Instead?

Yes. Both spelt and Khorasan can be used in sourdough.

Idaho Ancient Grains has a dedicated sourdough resource covering starter feeding, ancient-grain ratios and techniques for making sourdough with spelt and Khorasan.

If you are switching from commercial bread flour to ancient grains, start with a tested formula and change one variable at a time.

Can This Dough Be Used for More Than Bread?

Yes. Idaho Ancient Grains describes this dough as highly versatile.

The same basic dough can be used for pizza crust, fry bread, rolls or cinnamon rolls.

That makes the recipe useful when you want one basic ancient grain dough that can become several different foods.

Spelt vs. Khorasan for Bread

Spelt can make a flavorful loaf but may be heavier when used alone.

Khorasan can be used by itself for bread and baguettes.

A blend of Khorasan and spelt can produce a different texture than either grain alone.

Hard white wheat can also be included in a blend.

There is no single required grain ratio; experimentation is part of the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make bread with only Khorasan flour?

Yes. Idaho Ancient Grains says Khorasan can make bread and baguettes when used by itself.

Can I make bread with only spelt?

Yes. Spelt can be used by itself in bread recipes, although the farm notes that it can sometimes produce a heavier or denser loaf.

Is Khorasan good for sourdough?

Yes. Khorasan can be used to feed a sourdough starter and to make sourdough bread.

Why should I mix spelt with Khorasan?

Blending the grains gives you another way to adjust the texture and flavor. Idaho Ancient Grains particularly likes Khorasan, spelt and hard white wheat together.

How do I know when ancient grain bread is done rising?

Use the dough's volume as your main guide. The Idaho Ancient Grains recipe calls for allowing the dough to rise until it has doubled in size.

Can I use this dough for pizza?

Yes. Idaho Ancient Grains says the versatile dough can also be used for pizza crust, fry bread, rolls and cinnamon rolls.

The Bottom Line

Ancient grain bread does not have to be complicated.

Start with a flexible recipe, choose spelt, Khorasan or a blend, add flour gradually, avoid overmixing and give the dough enough time to rise.

Once you understand how the dough behaves, you can begin experimenting with different grain combinations and turn the same basic dough into bread, rolls, pizza crust or other baked goods.

For a first loaf, the combination of spelt, Khorasan and hard white wheat recommended by Idaho Ancient Grains is a practical place to start.