There’s something especially satisfying about baking your own bread, and this Homemade Pumpernickel Bread is no exception. With its deep color, hearty texture, and rich flavor from rye flour, molasses, and caraway seeds, this loaf brings a little old-world comfort straight to your kitchen.
To Make This Recipe You Will Need:
- rye flour
- warm water
- extra virgin olive oil
- molasses
- bread flour
- salt
- instant yeast
- caraway seeds
- egg white
- electric mixer with dough hook
- large bowl
- pastry brush
- small whisk
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- sharp knife
- cooling rack(s)
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Pumpernickel is wonderful sliced thick for sandwiches, toasted with butter, or served alongside a warm bowl of soup. And the best part is, making it from scratch is much easier than you might think.
Now I use my Bosch mixer with dough hook to make this dough. You are welcome to combine the ingredients and knead it by hand if you prefer. But I am all about keeping it simple.
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Once the dough is prepared, the dough rests in an oiled bowl, covered with a tea towel and set to rise in a warm location.
Rising the Dough
Not sure where to let the dough rise?
Turn the light on inside your oven and set the bowl inside. The bulb puts off enough heat to create a very happy place for the dough to rise in a draft-free location.
This only works though if it is a traditional bulb. LED lights do not produce the heat.
Another option is to heat a kettle of water. Place a shallow pan in the bottom rack of your oven and pour boiling water into the pan. Place the dough on the top shelf and keep the oven door closed. This will also create a nice, warm environment for the dough to rise.
After the first rise, the dough is split and shaped into 2 loaves and placed on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. I use a baking stone, but you could you a metal baking sheet if that is what you have.
Pumpernickel bread is a dense bread with a wonderful chewy texture.
My absolutely favorite way to enjoy pumpernickel bread is to spread two slices with cream cheese and blackberry jelly. It is an amazing flavor combination and great snack or simple lunch.
A loaf of this lovely bread paired with a jar of homemade jelly makes a wonderful gift from your kitchen that anyone would love, too!
Make a batch of this and enjoy it today!
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Homemade Pumpernickel Bread
Ingredients
- 3 c rye flour, I use freshly miled
- 2 c warm water, 120 degrees
- 2 Tb extra virgin olive oil
- ½ c molasses
- 2 Tb molasses
- 4 c bread flour, divided
- 1 Tb salt
- 4 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 Tb caraway seeds
- 1 egg white
Instructions
- To begin, combine the rye flour, oil, molasses, salt, yeast, caraway seeds, water, and 2 cups of the bread flour in the bowl of your stand mixer.
- Turn on your mixer (fitted with the dough hook) and while it mixes, gradually add in the remaining 2 cups of bread flour. Let the mixer run for 6 minutes.
- Take the dough out, form it into a ball, and then place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough to coat the top with oil. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and place it in a warm location to rise for about an hour, or until the dough has dobled in size. (See the note in the post about rising the dough.)
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough in half.
- Pat one half of the dough out into a rectangle that is about 7×14 inches. Starting on a long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Place the loaves on a baking stone or baking sheet tucking the ends underneath. The baking sheet/stone should be lined with parchment paper or lightly greased. Repeat with the other dough portion.
- Cover with the tea towel again and place it back in its warm location to rise again.
- After about 30 minutes, if you touch the dough a light indentation should remain. Set your sheet out on the counter and begin heating your oven to 400°(F).
- Use a very sharp knife, bread lame or razor blade cut three or 4 slashes on the top of the loaves at an angle.
- In a small dish, whisk an egg white until frothy. Brush the egg white over the loaves.
- When your oven is fully heated, bake the bread for 30-35 minutes or until they sound hollow when tapped.
- Remove the loaves to a rack and cool.
- Enjoy!
Equipment Used
- sharp knife
Nutrition
If nutritional values are provided for this recipe, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands of ingredients you use. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste or for serving. If nutritional values are very important to you, I suggest using your favorite nutritional calculating tool with the brands you use.
Unit Conversions:
Unit Conversion for measurements (if displayed), going from US to Metric is an auto-generated conversion. If you are using the metric measurements, please double-check to confirm that these are accurate with your favorite preferred conversion tool.
I love homemade bread so much! Yours looks so amazing – even just from pictures I can tell how light and fluffy it must be. :)
Who doesn’t love fresh bread! This is the perfect gift for a Holiday dinner.
I love to mill my own flour too! I am definitely a by hand dough kneader!
Thank goodness I’ve got my molasses all prepped and ready! I rarely get the chance to bake with it and this bread looks like just the ticket! Thanks for a wonderful share, and wishing you an awesome holiday!
This bread looks so good, I bake bread all of the time and have never made pumpernickel before. Looks like it’s time to start.
My mom and I are HUGE fans of pumpernickel, this would be awesome!
What a gorgeous bread basket! Looks like your family & friends will be having a yummy holiday season!
Oh, my gosh, I’d be thrilled with a gift of freshly baked bread! Your pumpernickel looks to die for, Constance!!!
Homemade bread is the best! Pumpernickel sounds like an extra special treat!
Nothing beats homemade bread! I have yet to try pumpernickle. This is such a great idea!
This is a perfect gift in my book! I love homemade bread and have never tried to make pumpernickel. I can’t wait to try your recipe.
Homemade bread is the best! This a perfect gift!
I wasn’t hungry until I saw your gorgeous loaf of bread!! What a thoughtful and amazing gift this would make!!
I may have a hard time giving away such a wonderful bread. I supposed I’d have to make a few batches.
Looks like your friends and family are in for pumpernickel perfection! The bread is one of my favorites and have saved your recipe. I trust the process is similar in a bread maker. I’ll just take the dough out before the bake cycle. Fingers crossed, I see loaves as lovely as yours, Constance =)