What Is Wheat germ and How Can I Use It?

Wheat germ is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 293 recipes to get you started.

What is wheat germ?

Wheat germ is the heart of the wheat kernel, the tiny embryo that would have grown into a new plant. Milling strips it out to make white flour shelf-stable, then sells it back to you in a jar as a nutty, golden meal.

It tastes faintly sweet and toasted, a little like wheat and a little like nuts. A spoonful adds crunch and an earthy flavor along with a real nutritional punch: it is dense in fiber, protein, vitamin E, and B vitamins.

You buy it toasted or raw. Toasted is the common jarred kind, with a deeper flavor and longer shelf life; raw is more perishable and milder.

Ways to Use It

Think of wheat germ as a booster, not a base. You stir small amounts in to add nutrition and a nutty bite without changing a recipe much.

The easiest use is a topping. Sprinkle it over yogurt or oatmeal, or blend a spoonful into a smoothie like the Blueberry Passion Fruit Smoothie.

In baking, swap it for a fraction of the flour. Replacing up to about a quarter of the flour with wheat germ adds flavor and fiber, as in Dr. Baker's Fiber Muffins and Healthy Banana Bread. Go much past that and loaves bake dense and heavy.

It also works as a coating or a filler. Use it like breadcrumbs on chicken or fish, or fold a handful into meatloaf and burgers. Toasting it first in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes wakes up the flavor.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Wheat germ leans sweet and nutty, so it flatters honey, maple, bananas, berries, cinnamon, and oats. It slips into granola and whole-grain breads without a fight.

The big mistake is treating it as a one-for-one flour replacement. Wheat germ has little gluten, so too much robs a dough of the structure that makes bread rise and hold.

The other mistake is heat. Its oils scorch fast, so when you toast it, keep the heat moderate and stir constantly. Walk away and it turns bitter in seconds.

Substitutes

Ground flaxseed is the closest stand-in for nutrition and nutty flavor, and it brings fiber and omega-3s too. Use it one for one as a topping or a small flour swap.

For crunch and a toasted note, wheat bran or oat bran works, as do rolled oats pulsed fine, though bran is more about fiber than flavor. Almond meal or finely chopped toasted nuts cover the nutty side in toppings and coatings.

If a recipe leans on wheat germ for a whole-grain flavor, a little whole wheat flour gets you partway, but none of these match its specific sweet, toasty character exactly.

Buying and Storing

This is where wheat germ trips people up. That oil and vitamin E that make it healthy also make it go rancid fast, faster than almost anything else in the pantry.

Buy it from a store with steady turnover and check the date. An unopened jar keeps a few months in the cupboard, but once you open it, the clock speeds up.

Once opened, keep it tightly sealed in the refrigerator and use it within a few months. The freezer stretches that to around a year.

Smell it before each use. Fresh wheat germ smells sweet and toasty.

Rancid wheat germ smells sharp and oily, like old paint. A bitter taste confirms it.

When in doubt, throw it out. Rancid wheat germ tastes bad and undoes the whole reason you bought it.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find wheat germ: Wheat germ is usually found in the baking supplies section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Wheat germ is a member of the Cereal Grains and Pasta US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

小麦胚芽

British (UK) term

Wheat germ

en français

germe de blé

en español

germen de trigo

How much does wheat germ weigh?

Related

Cereal Grains and Pasta

Recipes using wheat germ

There are 293 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Pumpkin Biscuits (Lacto)

Savory pumpkin biscuits with whole wheat, wheat germ, bran, and a clever clove of garlic to balance the sweetness. Drop biscuits with a spoonbread interior, no butter or eggs needed.

Yummy Whole Wheat Waffles

Whole wheat buttermilk waffles with wheat germ for extra nuttiness. Six simple ingredients, crisp outside and tender inside, perfect for fresh fruit and maple syrup.

Mark's Eggless Pancakes

Egg-free, dairy-free pancakes from a whole wheat and white flour blend with wheat germ. Vegan-friendly, fast, and budget-friendly breakfast that needs nothing but water.

Breakfast Apple Pancakes

Quite easy to make, and I liked these apple pancakes especially served with maple syrup. Yum!

Homemade White Bread, from bread mix

Homemade white bread made from a 4-ingredient pantry bread mix plus yeast, oil, water, and an egg. Bread machine ready, with optional onion soup, brown sugar, and wheat germ variations.

Golden Wheat Pancakes

Golden wheat pancakes are vegan, egg-free, dairy-free flapjacks built on whole wheat pastry flour, oat flour, and wheat germ. Sweetened with brown rice syrup, topped with fresh fruit and maple.

Golden Breakfast Orange Pancakes

Whole wheat orange pancakes use fresh orange juice and zest in a half-whole-wheat batter boosted with wheat germ. Bright, fluffy and high-fiber. Ready in 20 minutes for a healthy weekend breakfast.

Elizebeth's Cheese Biscuits

Three-cheese biscuits made with sharp cheddar, mozzarella, and Swiss Emmentaler folded into a flaky butter dough. Wheat germ and powdered milk add nutty depth. Ready in 35 minutes.

Very Yummy Granola

Homemade granola with rolled oats, sliced almonds, shredded coconut, wheat germ, and cinnamon, lightly bound with maple syrup and oil. Bakes in 10 minutes flat. Toss in golden raisins or dried cranberries after toasting.

Apple Pancakes or Waffles

Apple cinnamon buttermilk pancakes with grated Granny Smith apple and wheat germ folded into the batter. A fall breakfast favorite that doubles as waffles and freezes well.

Double Berry Muffins

Double berry muffins layer blueberry batter around a hidden teaspoon of raspberry jam, lightened with wheat germ and orange juice. Low-fat breakfast bake.

Pancakes, Ny

These scrumptious pancakes are made with rolled oats, cornmeal and buttermilk.

Granola Bars Bw

Homemade granola bars sweetened with molasses and orange juice concentrate, packed with oats, raisins, apricots, sunflower seeds, wheat germ and sesame. Dense, cakey, and naturally fruit-sweetened.

Hearty Whole Grain Biscuits

Hearty whole grain biscuits use silken tofu and apple juice instead of butter, blended into whole wheat, rye, and wheat germ for a dairy-free, high-fiber breakfast biscuit. Vegan friendly.

Dan's Best Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies upgraded with wheat germ, walnuts, coconut, and a butter-shortening combo for the chewiest centers and crispiest edges. A loaded everything-cookie that hides nutrition behind chocolate.

Country Whole Wheat Bread

Hearty country whole wheat bread enriched with beer, wheat germ, honey, and molasses. Two dense, malty-sweet loaves with a tender crumb. Slice thick for sandwiches or toast with butter.

Mom's Granola

Homemade granola with rolled oats, wheat germ, honey, and raisins. A simple, low-sugar breakfast batch that beats anything in the cereal aisle.

Skier's Pancakes

Skier's pancakes blend cottage cheese, eggs, and wheat germ in a blender for high-protein flapjacks that fuel a day on the slopes. Tender, custardy, and ready in 10 minutes.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

A sweet and tasty bread that can be served plain or toasted with your favorite jam.

Whole Wheat Batter Bread

A hearty no-knead whole wheat batter bread, beaten rather than kneaded and boosted with wheat germ and soy flour for extra fiber and protein. Honey and molasses give it a deep, faintly sweet, nutty crumb.

Crunchy Granola

Homemade crunchy granola with rolled oats, coconut, almonds, sesame, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ, baked low and slow with honey and vanilla. Raisins stirred in after cooling.

Desperately Healthy Pancakes

High-fiber pancakes packed with soy flour, whole wheat, wheat germ, and bran, lifted with whipped egg whites and brightened with orange juice. A wholesome breakfast that doesn't taste like cardboard.

Banana Orange Raisin Bread

A bright, citrusy banana bread with orange juice, orange zest, wheat germ, and raisins. Made with egg whites and minimal oil for a lighter loaf. 17 reviews and a 4.5 average rating.

Apple Walnut Crumb Muffins

Apple walnut crumb muffins with grated apple, toasted wheat germ, cinnamon, and a buttery oat crumb topping. A hearty whole-grain-friendly breakfast muffin.

Delicious Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread

Hearty whole wheat bread loaded with oats, wheat germ, and cornmeal. Honey-sweetened dough yields 4 high-fiber loaves with nutty flavor and tender crumb.

Granola Mix

Homemade granola mix bakes ten cups of rolled oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, sesame, and nuts in a honey-molasses syrup. Big-batch breakfast that stores six months.

Apple Butter-Streusel Muffins

Apple butter streusel muffins fold smooth apple butter into a wheat germ batter, topped with a cinnamon-sugar streusel for crunch. A low-fat breakfast or snack muffin in 25 minutes.

Apple Butter-Streusel Muffins

Apple butter streusel muffins fold smooth apple butter into a wheat germ batter, topped with a cinnamon-sugar streusel for crunch. A low-fat breakfast or snack muffin in 25 minutes.

High-Protien Blueberry Muffins

Power breakfast blueberry muffins that have a protein and fiber boost.

Carrot-Raisin Muffins

Diabetic-friendly carrot raisin muffins with shredded carrots, plump raisins, wheat germ, and warm spices. Sweetened with sugar substitute, no refined sugar.

Low Fat Banana Muffins

An amazing recipe to make your breakfast more entertaining and scrumptious!

Peanut Butter Apple Muffins

Peanut butter apple muffins are high-fiber whole wheat muffins with chunky peanut butter, applesauce, oats, and wheat germ. Hearty breakfast or after-school snack with protein and fiber in every bite.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Whole wheat blueberry muffins blend pastry flour, wheat germ, and brown sugar with juicy berries. Vegan-friendly with applesauce, soy milk, and egg substitute. A hearty breakfast bake.

Maple Cranberry-Bran Muffins

Cranberry bran muffin recipe with maple syrup and wheat germ.

Buttermilk Whole Wheat & Wheat Germ Pancakes

Light, moist whole wheat buttermilk pancakes boosted with nutty wheat germ. Buttermilk and baking soda keep these whole-grain flapjacks fluffy, not dense. A wholesome, high-fiber weekend breakfast.

Whole Wheat Sunflower Bread

Whole wheat sunflower bread machine loaf with toasty rolled oats, sunflower seeds and a hint of orange zest. High-fiber, hearty crumb, perfect for morning toast or sandwiches.

Chewy Granola Bars

Chewy granola bars packed with crisp cereal, wheat germ, coconut, almonds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and dried figs. A high-fibre snack bound by a brown sugar and honey syrup, ready in 45 minutes.

Whole Grain Pumpkin Bread

Whole grain pumpkin bread loaded with whole wheat flour, bran, and wheat germ for serious fiber, sweetened with brown sugar and molasses. Spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for cozy fall flavor in every slice.

Eating Well's Granola

This granola is filling and loaded with energy filling ingredients. Great with tons of blueberry's and vanilla yogurt as pictured.

Cranberry Muesli

This is a different way for enjoying canola, you will find how different it is.

Best Sourdough Whole Wheat Bread

Sourdough whole wheat bread blends an active starter with stone-ground wheat flour, wheat germ and molasses for a hearty, high-fiber sandwich loaf. Tangy, nutty and bakes in a standard loaf pan.

Applesauce Whole Wheat Peachy Pecan Muffins

Applesauce and butter together made these muffins super moist and tasty. Used 1 cup whole wheat flour and half cup white flour, and the muffins came out very fluffy. Love pecan topping that added some nutty crunch. Had a few for breakfast, and afternoon snack.

Double Oat Granola

Double oat granola bakes rolled oats, oat bran, and wheat germ with pecans and dried fruit, sweetened with honey and applesauce instead of heavy oil. A crunchy, high-fiber, low-fat breakfast you can make ahead.

Basic Whole Wheat & Wheat Germ Pancakes

Whole wheat fluffy pancakes with wheat germ to boost the fiber and nutrition.

Moist Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread

Fiber-rich bread machine loaf with whole wheat flour, oats, and wheat germ. Moist crumb from applesauce and egg substitute for guilt-free sandwich bread.

Buttermilk Whole Wheat Pancakes with Maple Nut Topping

These delicious and hearty pancakes are ideal for breakfast. Enjoy the delicious flavor while give all the good energies you need to start up your day.

Orange Pumpkin-Bran Muffins

Orange pumpkin bran muffins with raisins and a wheat germ topping. Healthy, lightly sweetened breakfast or snack muffins ready in 25 minutes, made in one bowl.

Amazing Wholesome Brownies

Wholesome oat brownies with rolled oats, wheat germ, and walnuts swapped in for most of the flour. A flourless-style brownie with extra protein, fiber, and chew alongside the chocolate.

Healthy Whole Wheat Bread (Bread Machine)

Healthy whole wheat bread for the bread machine, layered with rolled oats, wheat germ, bran, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of molasses for deep flavor. Multi-grain texture and a tender, sliceable crumb. Set it and forget it.

Apple & Black Currant Scones

Apple and black currant scones with dried apple chunks, tart currants, and a hearty whole wheat plus wheat germ base. High-fiber, lower-fat scones with deep flavor and a crisp golden top.

All 293 recipes