Now you can skip the steakhouse and make this Copycat Outback Bread at home with pantry ingredients! This Honey Wheat Bushman Bread recipe makes 4 loaves, serves 24, and costs just $3.18 to make.
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Outback Bread
Earlier on my website, I shared my version of Outback Steakhouse’s Walkabout Soup. Now you know I couldn’t share Outback’s soup recipe without sharing their famous Honey Wheat Bushman Bread!
There may have been a time or two (maybe more, I will not admit to how many times) while eating at Outback where I have been too full from the bread I ate before my meal came. It is just so good.
My version of Outback bread tastes just like Outback’s, but the texture is a little different. My version is a bit heartier and more filling…both are things I love in a good loaf of bread, so it’s a win for me!
Recipe FAQ’s
What is Outback bread made of?
Outback Steakhouse bread is most well known for its dark brown color, right? So how do they get it to be that color? It has cocoa powder, molasses, and brown food coloring. Who knew! The bread also calls for honey, whole-wheat flour, salt, vegetable oil, yeast and water, and bread water.
Does Outback have bread?
Oh ya, it does! If you have never experienced it, I would highly recommend it. It is so yummy when they bring it out warm with a little cup of butter. But since we can’t go out to eat every day, this Copycat recipe is perfect!
Is Outback Steakhouse bread vegan?
Outback Steakhouse is not a vegan restaurant, but it does offer a few vegan options. The bread is not vegan because of the honey used in the recipe.
What kind of bread does Outback serve?
They serve a dark honey wheat bread that is made sweet by the addition of honey and molasses. The iconic dark color of the loaf comes from 3 ingredients: cocoa powder, molasses, and caramel or brown food coloring.
How do you make the Honey Wheat Bushman Bread recipe?
- First, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- Next, mix the water, oil, food coloring, honey, and molasses until combined.
- Then, add in the wheat flour, cocoa powder, and salt to the water mixture and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Next, loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for 20 minutes.
- Then, while leaving the mixer running on low, mix in the yeast and add the flour one cup at a time. Increase the speed to medium and mix for about 3-4 minutes.
- Next, cover the bowl with pre-greased plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about 45-60 minutes. After the dough has risen, divide the dough into four pieces and shape it into 4 logs and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
- Then cover the dough with greased plastic wrap and let it rise for another 45-60 minutes. Dust the risen dough with cornmeal.
- Finally, bake the bread for 40 minutes at 350 degrees rotating the pans halfway through baking.
Cook’s Note:
- This recipe makes 4, 10-inch loaves. These loaves are bigger and heartier than Outback’s, so you have a couple of options:
- Cut the recipe in half and make just two loaves.
- Make the entire recipe and freeze what you don’t use (this is what I do).
- The bread will keep in the freezer for up to 4 months. Here’s how I store mine: Wrap a loaf in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Then place the bread in a freezer-safe plastic bag.
- To serve the bread once frozen: thaw at room temperature for about 90 minutes (or overnight in the refrigerator). Then unwrap the bread and warm it in a 325-degree F oven for 10 minutes.
- To get that deep, rich brown color, you need to use some brown food coloring. If food coloring isn’t your thing, then just leave it out!
Cook’s Tools:
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
- stand mixer
- brown food coloring
- wire rack
How much will this recipe cost?
RECIPE COST: $3.18
COST PER LOAF: $0.78
PER SERVING COST: $0.13
NOTE: I calculate the recipe prices by using name brand grocery prices on grocery store websites.
- 2 ½ cup water – $0.00
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil – $0.12
- 1/2 teaspoon brown gel food coloring – $0.15
- 1/2 cup honey – $0.66
- 2 Tablespoons molasses – $0.28
- 3 ½ cups whole-wheat flour – $1.20
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder – $0.20
- 1 teaspoon salt – $0.01
- 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast – $0.18
- 2.5 cups bread flour – $0.38
More Bread:
- Garlic Cheese Breadsticks
- Garlic Knots
- Bread Bowls
- Green Chile Cornbread
- Multigrain Bread
- Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes
- Potato Rolls
- Blueberry Scones
- Copycat Cheddar Biscuits
- Shortcake Biscuit
- Chocolate Babka Bread
- Yorkshire Pudding
- Pumpkin Bread
- Zucchini Bread
- Crescent Rolls
- Sour Cream Cornbread
More From Food Folks and Fun
Honey Wheat Bushman Bread Recipe – an Outback Steakhouse Copycat!
Equipment
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
- stand mixer
- brown food coloring
- wire rack
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cup warm water 100°-110°F
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon brown gel food coloring optional
- ½ cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons molasses
- 3 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
- 2-3 cups bread flour
- cornmeal for dusting loaves
Instructions
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix together the water, oil, coloring, honey, and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Add the wheat flour, cocoa powder, and salt to the water mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let the mixture sit for 20 minutes (this will give the flour time to absorb the liquid).
- With the mixer running on low, mix in the yeast, and add the bread flour, one cup at a time. Once the flour is absorbed, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough clings to the hook and almost clears the sides of the bowl, about 3-4 minutes.
- Cover the bowl with greased plastic wrap, and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.
- Divide the dough into four pieces. Shape the dough into 4 logs (divide the dough into eight pieces and form it into 8 logs if you want smaller loaves like Outback). Place the loaves on the prepared baking sheets.
- Loosely cover the dough with greased plastic wrap, and let the dough rise until doubled, about 45-60 minutes. While the dough rises, move the oven rack to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Dust the risen dough with cornmeal. Bake, the bread for 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F, rotating the pans halfway through baking (if you're making eight smaller loaves, then you will bake for about 20 minutes).
- Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool at least 1 hour before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Don’t forget the soup!
Check out my Outback Steakhouse Walkabout Soup Copycat Recipe!
This Outback Bread recipe first appeared on FFF on January 9, 2015. I have since updated the recipe and post. An original picture is below.
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Looks like the steakhouse bread I had the other night.
Does the brown gel add anything to the recipe other than color? I want to make this now, but don’t have it.
Not at all. It only adds color.
Can the Bushman Bread be done in a Bread Maker? If so, can you revise it?
Hi Betty, I do not have a bread maker, and have only used one once in my life. I wouldn’t know where to start with instructions. Sorry!
i love a good copy cat and that’s one I am willing to try
We Love this bread!! I am going to have to try this at home! This looks delicious!
I love outback so much!! I also love this bread(: I will have to try this recipe and see how similar it tastes!(: Thanks for sharing.
I have HORRIBLE luck with bread (high altitude issues) & made this with FABULOUS results! I don’t have a stand mixer, so I did it in a bowl with a wooden spoon. It was a bit runny (and sticky), so I used loaf pans for the shape (DO line with parchment – you will be glad you did). I also didn’t use any food coloring. It was so good (and easy), I tried it again with Dr. Pepper in place of the water & food coloring, and with Spelt flour in place of the Whole Wheat. It was just as good, but it had much better color. This is a keeper all around!
I am SO glad this recipe worked for you. Bread dough is one of those funny things where flour amounts vary based on altitude, humidity levels, etc. Thanks for your tips!
Thank you for sharing! I am a crazy person when it comes to fresh baked bread with lots of butter!
Me, too! Nothing beats freshly baked bread and butter!
We love the bread at Outback so I’m thrilled to now be able to make it at home. This is quite a treat. Thanks for the recipe!!
You’re so welcome!
Have to try this amazing and tasty looking bread. Its unique and love the healthy ingredients used.
That bread looks so golden and delicious. I really need to start making my own bread more often.
We don’t have Outback steakhouses here in Italy but that bread looks delicious. Nothing like homemade bread! Def want to give this recipe a try! Thanks for sharing!
This bread sounds absoutely delicious! I bet it’s amazing hot from the oven with some butter melting on top…
This looks like the perfect loaf of bread to dunk in a big bowl of soup!
Exactly, it’s my favorite bread to make when soup is on the menu!
Is this as soft as Outbacks? Thanks!
Yes, it is!
Hello. Are they baked in loaf pans ?
Hi Carol, they are not baked in loaf pans, but baking sheets.
YUM! The best bread!
What is the best way to mix ingredients if you don’t have a stand mixer?
Hi Shannon,
If you have a handheld mixer with a hook attachment that will work. OR you can use the old fashioned wooden spoon method. You will need to knead the dough for 10-15 minutes before you let it rise.
Made this recipe for the first time tonight. I omitted the cocoa powder and added more flour (probably closer to 4 cups instead of 2 or 3) but it came out amazing. Loaves rose well, lovely sweet, nutty flavor. Thank you for the recipe.
I only have instant yeast. I read that this cuts the rise time in half “so if there are 2 rise steps, you can omit one”. Which rise do you think I could omit; in the mixer or after they’re formed into loaves? I can’t wait to try this!
I’d omit the second rise.