Homemade Rye Bread with Caraway Seeds
This homemade rye bread recipe combines bread flour and dark rye flour for a soft, sandwich-friendly loaf with that signature deli flavor. A touch of honey and molasses adds warmth and a deep golden brown color, while caraway seeds bring the bold, earthy taste that rye bread is known for.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment - Or a large mixing bowl for hand kneading
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- Kitchen scale - For accurate measuring
- Instant-read thermometer
- Bench scraper - For handling sticky dough
- Pastry brush - For the egg wash
- Plastic wrap - Or a clean kitchen towel for covering the dough
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups bread flour - 240g
- 1 1/2 cups dark rye flour - 180g
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast - 7g, one standard packet
- 1 1/4 cups warm water - 300ml, about 110°F (43°C)
- 2 tablespoons honey - 30ml
- 1 tablespoon molasses - 15ml
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - 28g, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt - 9g
- 2 tablespoons caraway seeds - 16g, plus extra for topping
- 1 large egg - beaten, for the egg wash
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal - for dusting the pan (optional)
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm water (110°F/43°C) with the honey and stir until dissolved. Sprinkle the instant yeast evenly over the surface and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, dark rye flour, fine sea salt, and caraway seeds until evenly distributed.
- Add the melted butter and molasses to the foamy yeast mixture and stir briefly. Pour in the flour mixture and mix on low speed with a dough hook, or stir by hand, until a rough, shaggy dough forms with no dry flour remaining.
- Increase mixer speed to medium and knead for 8-10 minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface. The dough will remain sticky but should become smoother and more elastic. Avoid adding extra flour; wet your hands with water if needed.
- Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or butter. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
- Lightly flour your work surface and turn out the risen dough. Gently press down to release some air. Fold into a rectangle, roll tightly from one short end to the other, pinch the seam closed, and tuck the ends under. Place seam side down into a lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pan dusted with cornmeal if using.
- Cover the loaf pan loosely and let rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the dough rises about an inch above the rim. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) about 20 minutes before the rise is finished.
- Gently brush the top of the risen loaf with beaten egg, sprinkle with extra caraway seeds, and make 1-2 shallow diagonal slashes across the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes until deep golden brown. The internal temperature should register 195-200°F (90-93°C).
- Remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, turn the loaf out onto the rack, and cool completely for at least 1 hour before slicing with a serrated bread knife.
Notes
- Measure accurately: Use a kitchen scale whenever possible, as flour measured by volume can vary significantly and rye flour is sensitive to extra moisture.
- Don't fear the stickiness: Resist adding more flour just because the dough feels sticky. Rye dough is naturally tackier than wheat dough and extra flour will make the loaf dense.
- Warm rising spot: Keep your dough in a warm, draft-free area since rye dough can be slower to rise than all-purpose flour doughs. An oven with the light on works perfectly.
- Check internal temperature: Always use an instant read thermometer rather than relying on color alone, since the molasses makes the crust dark before the interior is fully baked.
- Patience for slicing: Let the loaf cool completely before slicing to prevent a gummy crumb, even if the bread is fully baked. A serrated knife gives the cleanest cuts.
- Storage: Store cooled bread at room temperature in a bread bag or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 4 days. Keep away from direct sunlight or heat sources.
- Freezing: For longer storage, slice the loaf and freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or toast straight from frozen.
- Refreshing stale bread: To refresh a slightly stale loaf, wrap it in foil and warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 10 minutes.
- No caraway version: Simply omit the caraway seeds if you prefer a milder, more neutral flavored rye loaf.