I love overnight bread. It’s much easier to make than normal homemade bread, without any kneading necessary – you just mix everything together in a bowl, let it sit overnight, and then bake it in the morning.
The usual problem is that it’s usually baked in a dutch oven or lidded ceramic dish and involves some dough folding and sitting in a tea towel in the morning after it’s risen overnight, which I find detracts a bit from the simplicity of the method.
The dough rises a second time in the pan you bake it in, so you don’t need to worry about proper folding technique or anything like that. All you have to do is mix it the night before, dump it in a loaf pan, and bake it. No kneading, no folding, no special equipment.
Despite the lack of work that goes into this bread, the crust is surprisingly crispy, and the inside of the loaf is soft and tender. It also lasts longer than other homemade breads, and it keeps for at least a week sitting on the counter, wrapped well.
If you like the idea of rye bread but don’t want to go all the way to a dark rye, try this overnight spelt rye bread instead.
Please note that the darker photos are made with regular cocoa powder and yeast, and the lighter bread is made with sourdough starter and natural cacao. The step-by-step photos are sourdough, so if you want to see the steps for the yeast method, please watch the recipe video.
Scroll to the bottom of the post or click “skip to recipe” above to see the recipe card with full ingredient measurements and instructions.
Ingredients
- Whole grain spelt flour
- Rye flour (sometimes called dark rye flour)
- Rolled oats
- Cocoa powder (not drink powder)
- Sea salt
- Yeast (dry or fresh) or active sourdough starter
- Water
- Maple syrup or honey
Method
Add the water, maple syrup, and active starter to a large bowl. Whisk to combine. This goes for fresh yeast as well – if you’re using dry yeast, that’s mixed in with the dry ingredients instead (so this step should just be water and maple syrup in that case).
Add the spelt and rye flour, oats, cocoa powder, salt, (and dry yeast if not making sourdough) to the bowl and use a wooden spoon to mix until a shaggy dough forms. There shouldn’t be any visible streaks of flour and the dough will be sticky.
Cover the bowl with a plate, board, or tea towel, and set it into a room temperature, draft free place for 12-15 hours. I usually keep my dough in the oven with the door closed. You may need slightly less time if your starter is very active. The dough is finished the bulk proof when it’s approximately doubled in size.
Once the dough as risen, place it into a well greased or parchment lined bread tin. It will lose volume here, that’s perfectly normal. Cover the loaf with a tea towel and set it into a draft-free place to rise again for a couple of hours. The dough should be expanded but not quite doubled after this time.
Preheat the oven, then bake the loaf for about 45 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when it’s tapped. The colour is harder to gauge because the loaf is so dark, but the outer crust should be quite hard and crisp (it’s difficult to over-bake this bread).
Cool the bread completely – at least six hours, preferably overnight – before slicing and serving. It keeps well, wrapped in a tea towel, for about a week.
Tips and Notes
Like most darker whole grain breads and sourdough loaves, this one needs to rest for a significant amount of time before slicing. The recipe states to let it cool completely – that may mean several hours or even overnight. If you want really nice clean slices I recommend letting the baked loaf sit overnight in a tea towel before slicing the following day.
If you want to make this into a boule, you’ll have to introduce some stretches and folds. I recommend 4 rounds, starting directly after mixing. After the dough has risen overnight, shape it as you usually would and place it into a banneton. Bake in a dutch oven 30 minutes covered and 15-20 uncovered, at 230C (450F).
The dark colour and traditional dark rye flavour here come from the whole grain flours and cocoa powder. It’s not quite a German black bread, which I grew up with, but this style of rye bread is also very common in northern Germany (where I lived) and Scandinavia. If you feel that the cocoa will make it too bitter – though that is kind of the point – you can leave it out, no problem.
And as usual, make sure you’re using 100% cocoa powder, not hot cocoa drink powder. There shouldn’t be anything like sugar or milk powder in it, that’d make for a very strange tasting bread.
Substitutions
See the recipe card notes for instructions on how to make this into a sourdough loaf. The step-by-step photos show the sourdough method because the video shows it made with yeast, so in the interest of maximum information, I wanted to include both.
If you don’t have spelt flour, all-purpose makes an excellent substitution. Whole wheat flour can be used as well, but you’ll have to reduce the flour slightly or increase the water a bit to make up for the greater absorption.
Dried fruit, seeds, and nuts can be added to the dough as well. I recommend mixing it in after the bulk rise (overnight) before placing the dough into the tin to rise a second time. Raisins, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds are my favourite additions.
The oats can be left out if you prefer – I often omit them – though it is better to increase the amount of flour used by a couple spoonfuls in this case as the oats do absorb a fair amount of water. You can also top the loaf with seeds, which makes for a very pretty gift.
More Wholesome Bread Recipes
No Knead Honey and Oat Sourdough
Spelt Naan
Saffron Wreath Bread
Simple Spelt Bread
Multigrain Bread
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Easy Overnight Dark Rye Bread
This overnight rye bread is an easier version of a northern European classic, made with whole grain spelt and rye flour, cocoa, and oats. This dense bread is not at all dry and makes a nice alternative to light loaves, with a stronger flavour and slightly chewy texture.
Ingredients
- 500ml (2 cups) room temperature water
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- 450 grams (3 cups) whole spelt flour
- 150 grams (1 cup) rye flour
- 60 grams (1/2 cup) rolled oats
- 25 grams (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dry yeast** or 100g active starter, see notes
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the water, maple syrup, and active starter or fresh yeast if using that option.
- Add the spelt, rye, oats, cocoa, and salt to the bowl. Add the dry yeast to the dry ingredients as well if that's what you're using. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine, mixing until no visible streaks remain.
- Cover the bowl with a lid, cutting board, or tea towel and let it sit for 12-15 hours at room temperature. It will at least double in size during this time.
- In the morning, grease* a 30 cm / 12 inch bread pan or line it with paper. Scrape the dough into the pan, and then press it down evenly (wet hands work well).
- Cover the dough with a clean dish towel. Let it rest again for 1-2 hours at room temperature.
- Heat the oven to 200C (400F). Once the oven is hot, place the bread on a middle rack and bake for 40-45 minutes. The crust will be hard and sound hollow when tapped once the bread is done baking.
- Remove it from the oven and place the pan on a metal rack to cool for 20-30 minutes before removing it from the pan to cool completely. The loaf will keep well for a week at room temperature, best stored in a cloth bag.
Notes
• To make this bread with a sourdough starter, simply stir in 100 grams (1/2 cup) of your active starter into the water to replace the commercial yeast. Follow the other directions as written. This is my standard now when making this bread and the results are virtually identical. You will get a more sour flavour and a more noticeable oven spring using a starter. Do not use both yeast and starter, it's one or the other.
* If you grease the pan, it might seem like your bread is stuck to it. Don't worry, it's likely that just the very top of the loaf is sticking slightly to the very top of the pan (where it might not have been greased) and all you have to do is gently lift with your fingers or a butterknife. The bread should pop out of the pan easily if you pull the sides slightly and tap on the bottom.
** If you'd like to use fresh yeast, you'll need a piece about the size of a pea.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 195Total Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 270mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 7gSugar: 5gProtein: 8g
This data is provided by a calculator and is a rough estimation of the nutritional information in this recipe.
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This post was originally shared in October 2016. It has been updated with additional step by step photos and improvements to the text as of August 2020.
Samantha @mykitchenlove says
This bread looks fantastic and your photos are stunning as always! I'm not too sure exactly where you're living currently, but it sounds like a fantastic experience and I love that you're sharing inspiring food from there.
Alexandra Daum says
Thank you, Samantha! We're in Germany now 🙂 it's lovely being in a different food landscape.
Markus Mueller says
My parents being German, I (naturally) grew up on lots of homemade bread. From sourdough to dark rye bread. I love a good hearty bread and still dislike what passes for bread here in Canada. If you can sandwich the bread thinner then a piece of paper it should not be considered bread!
Leslie Rossi - A Life Well Consumed says
looks amazing! my fiance's favourite bread if rye so he will love this.
Sofia | From the Land we Live on says
Oh yes! That loaf looks delicious. Do you taste the chocolate at all? I've been trying to make sourdough starter and failing hard. An easy bread is in order 🙂
Alexandra Daum says
Exactly, Markus! Haha I was always appalled by squishy white bread!
LYNNE JORGENSEN says
What is the best substitute for spelt flour? Can I use bread flour or use more rye flour
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Best would be white (bread flour or all-purpose) or another wheat flour. You can use all rye, especially if it’s a higher gluten content rye.
Deborah Heider says
I’d like to make this bread in an iron skillet on top of the stove. I have a deep iron skillet that my great grandmother used to fry chicken. It’s the cutest skillet about 10” in diameter and 4 inches deep. I live and work out of my travel trailer and I prefer not using my oven because it uses so much propane. I love rye bread!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
If you try it on the stove, please let me know how it goes! I’m sorry I can’t give any advice on this as I’ve never tried but I think it’d work well.
Kymberli H says
I used red wheat flour as a substitution for spelt, and yeast – which at 1/4 t dry seemed live a very small amount – instead of sourdough starter. The dough that is a few hours into its overnight rise seems Very Dense. Have I ruined it? And If so, how do I save it?
Alexandra Daum says
Hi Kymberli, 1/4 teaspoon yeast is due to the long overnight rise, and is a typical amount for overnight bread. It takes at least eight hours to rise, so don’t be concerned if it’s not rising so quickly within a couple hours of mixing.
Alexandra Daum says
Thanks, Leslie! Hooray!
Alexandra Daum says
Thank you, Sofia! No, I don't think the chocolate is really noticeable – it just adds a little dimension and makes it a bit more rye-tasting. Ugh it took me three weeks of babying to get my sourdough starter going! The guidelines I followed said it would take three days, ha.
lanchi nguyen says
Hi Alexandra! I discovered your blog through Food52, the cleaned up coconut bread recipe (which is fantastic). I've made this bread today, replacing whole spelt flour with whole wheat one since I didn't have any on hand. The loaf is not sour at all, I let it sit for 14h, and room temp is around 20C. Do you have any idea how I can increase the sourness?
Joan Picone says
Try using some pickle juice in place of the water, and slightly less salt!
Alexandra Daum says
Goodness, I'm so surprised! I'm happy to hear that you like the coconut bread recipe. Hmm, well this bread definitely doesn't taste as sour as a true sourdough – the goal is more to make the bread easier to digest so that you can absorb more of the nutrients without having to worry about a sourdough. That being said, I have made this bread several times as a true sourdough and it's excellent. To make it really sour, replace the dry yeast with 1/2 cup sourdough starter. Let the bread sit out at room temperature overnight, and then refrigerate it for a day and another night. The following morning (36 hours later) push the dough down into a loaf pan and let it sit for a couple of hours to come to room temperature. Bake at 475F, reducing to 425F 15 minutes in, and bake until it sounds hollow when tapped (sorry I haven't written the exact time down). It should rise really nicely and have a good strong sour flavour. I hope that helps!
Unknown says
Wow! This recipe is amazing! :))))) I was in need of a SIMPLE, everyday recipe for a healthy bread without the struggle of sourdough! You did it! Thanks so much! I tried it yesterday and although the dough did not really rise overnight it came out perfectly! Crunchy on the outside, moist on the inside and the density is perfect for our taste! Thank you SO much! Love from Austria! 🙂 Julia
Karen says
Super amazing! So absorbed in the flavor of rye flour, definitely going to try it this weekend!
Miss Flame says
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!! I baked this at the weekend and me & my boyfriend loved it – so easy and it looks really impressive too!
Alexandra Daum says
Thanks Karen!
Alexandra Daum says
So glad you liked it! It's a staple in our house, I make one every couple of days now.
Alexandra Daum says
So happy to hear it! It definitely doesn't rise as significantly before baking as a regular white bread does, but it's meant to be a dense and hearty loaf 🙂 I'm thrilled that you liked it, especially as an Austrian who's used to dark rye!
Lynda Lorenz says
I can't wait to try this after reading the instruction and even more so after reading all the comments. I love to bake breads, but have never tried rye. I have some rye flour and whole wheat, will try it that way as one other said she did until I get some spelt flour. I belong to a food coop and I know they carry it; now I know what I will be ordering next month. Thanks, this sounds delicious.
John Kilbourne says
Do you have a scaled (weight) version to share? The bread looks delicious!
Jason says
This recipe has been so great! Nice been making it for myself and weekly for the past several weeks. I’ve been doing half rye and half whole wheat and adding a couple tablespoons of caraway and molasses instead of honey. I’ve not baked with spelt flour before though.. what do you think would be the difference switching from half wheat to half spelt? Thanks for the recipe!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
I’m so happy to hear that you’re enjoying the bread, Jason! There isn’t a real difference between whole wheat and spelt – just that whole wheat has a slightly higher gluten content and, if anything, will make the dough easier to work with. For this recipe the flavour difference wouldn’t really be noticeable. I prefer spelt because it’s a bit easier on the stomach but, again, because of the longer fermentation time, probably doesn’t make much of a difference!
Ania says
I think after being afraid too long of baking any breads, I’ve come to the conclusion that I simply must give it a try. Never baked any breads in my life before, but hearing how many people are doing that with amazing results is just what I need to hear. Heading to the store to buy rye flour and will be making it over the weekend. Hope it will be a win. I’m more than tired of flavorless soft Canadian breads…
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
I get you with the bad Canadian breads! Just give this one enough time to rise before baking and you’ll be good : )
Alexandra Daum says
Hi John! I'll be mixing another batch tomorrow morning, so I'll update the recipe then with the necessary weights. Thanks for your kind words and I hope you like it!
John Kilbourne says
Thank you, I look forward to trying it.
John Kilbourne says
Thanks for the recipe in weights. I made it yesterday and had some for breakfast today… Wonderful!
It reminds me a little of the rye recipe in "In Search of the Perfect Loaf", which is my favorite bread, and which I always try to keep on hand. I may alternate with this bread now.
I used a 9 inch pullman pan with no top, and it fit nicely. I wish I had docked the loaf before baking because it split along the tip/side. I used 100g sourdough instead of yeast, and followed the recipe closely. The oven spring was amazing; I cooked it in a Breville toaster oven and the bread pretty much maxed out the available headroom.
The flavor is complex and lingering. I like it with warm cream cheese and chopped scallion and jalapeno (a few slices of which were breakfast today).
Thank you again!
kujawianka says
Even though the flavours were great mine came out reLly doughy and wet inside. ….. any idea why ?
Alexandra Daum says
Hi Jon! Thank you for such a thoughtful comment and I'm so happy to hear that you liked the bread.
Alexandra Daum says
There are a couple of issues that might result in a wet bread – most likely it's undercooked. Ovens vary greatly in temperature so a knock to see how the bread sounds is usually a reliable test to see if it's fully baked (it should sound hollow). If you're sure that you followed the recipe exactly, it could also be due to humidity levels, but I think the most likely answer is under baking. This is a bread that can handle a looong bake time so if you think your oven might run a little cold, feel free to bake for an additional 10-20 minutes. I once forget about a loaf and left it in the oven for 2 hours, and it was still edible, just with a thicker crust!
Anonymous says
I hate rye bread in America, but that might be due to the seeds the add to it which are very bitter and just gross IMO. Is this bread similar to the kind I've tried? Can you describe the flavor profile?
Alexandra Daum says
I wouldn't compare this to North American rye bread. It's Scandinavian, vaguely molasses like perhaps? Not at all bitter but certainly a little sour from the fermentation process. It ends up being a touch sweet in my opinion but quite deep in flavour – I don't think it's bitter but it's no babka. I'm not sure if you're thinking of American rye bread that's light, though, what's called rye in Canada? They're very different than northern European rye. If you've ever had German black bread this is a bit more like that, but more on the bread side of things with a greater rise.
Anonymous says
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! Another question, if I don't have the or spelt flour can I use whole wheat? I know the taste wont be the same bit will the recipe still work? And can I make it without the oats too?
Alexandra Daum says
It might not have as nice of a texture with regular whole wheat flour, but it'll certainly work. And you can certainly leave out the oats, I do that all the time 🙂
Becky Spain says
I had the most amazing dark rye in Estonia, and I've been craving it ever since. Haven't found any to buy in Australia, so I was thinking I'd try making some. This recipe looks perfect for just that! Easy, and so many happy commenters!
Jolene says
I too love the Estonian black bread and this looks similar texture. Other recipes were more like German black bread which is very dense. I think sometimes a small amount of coriander seed is added to the bread in Estonia based on the flavour and small bits of seed I’ve seen
Skye Graham says
This was the first time for me to make bread! It is delicious! I was very hesitant when I had initially mixed the ingredients together, looking so ‘glunky’ and all. After 15hours it had doubled in size, looked better – but then once transferred to the pan for another couple of hours I was amazed at how much more it doubled in size! It didn’t rise much in the oven, is it possibly because of the pan I used wasn’t deep enough? Regardless, it is a dense bread – soft on the inside with a nice crusty outside. Will make again! Yum!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
I’m so pleased to hear that, Skye! It generally doesn’t rise too much in the oven, it’s meant to be pretty dense in the end. I’m happy you liked it 🙂 and thank you for your note!
Jane says
I’d love to give this try! Have you tried including dried fruit and seeds? I’m keen to find a low-fuss fruit loaf that keeps well.
Thanks for your great recipes and blog posts!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Jane! Yes, I often add sunflower seeds and sometimes raisins or chopped dates. It works well : )
Mita says
Hi Alexandra,
Can white whole wheat flour be substituted for spelt flour?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
I think that would work! I haven’t tried it, but it should be fine as they have about the same level of gluten.
catherine williamson says
Thank you so much for this beautiful recipe, I made it the other day and it was amazing! I cook in a romertopf which helps keep the outer crust super crusty. Your site is as beautiful as it is full of delicious recipes and I look forward to sharing more of these with friends and family!
Margo Hutchison says
Alexandra,
Thanks for posting this recipe. I am in the pursuit of recreating a bread I buy when in Michigan.
The bread is a spelt bread. Similar recipe except calls for yukon potato and no cocoa.
Any ideas on how to tweak the recipe in that way?
Thanks
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hmm, I’m not sure – but this is something I’ll work on this week and let you know (maybe a new recipe).
Jim says
Do you mean the Dinkelbrot made by Zingerman’s bakery in Ann Arbor? The recipe is in their book.
CHLOE HOBSON says
Hi I have made this bread with wholemeal flour instead of spelt but found I had to add about half a cup more water as I couldn’t mix it all together without it. It turned out a nice bread but quite soft. Do you knead the dough when you mix it?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Chloe, I think the bread turned out softer because of the added water. It’s a stiff dough and needs a strong arm when mixing! No kneading is required for this recipe.
Sophie says
Hi Alexandra! a question about overnight rising – you leave your’s on the counter but at what temperature? I’m in southern Spain and it’s 26C in our kitchen at night! Less rising time perhaps? or should I try it in the fridge as I do for a ciabatta recipe I regularly use which requires an 8 hour overnight rise. Thanks so much for the recipe – can’t wait to try it despite the heat!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
When it’s that hot, I do a shorter rising time or refrigerate. Essentially, you want it to double in size, so however you get to that point! I think an overnight rise in the fridge followed by the second rise on the counter will result in a nice loaf in those temperatures. I hope it works out and that you love the bread!
Sophie says
Thanks Alexandra! My dough had about 8 hours overnight and had risen so much it stuck to the plate cover! Have just got the baked loaf out of the oven… if it tastes as good as it looks, then this recipe is definitely for keeps. Thanks so much.
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
So happy to hear that, thanks Sophie!
Hank Goldsmith says
Just finished baking the bread. I used regular whole wheat flour and a half cup of my ten year old starter. I let the dough rest for about 20 hours; then kneaded slightly (less than a minute). I formed a loaf, placed it on flour dusted parchment paper and placed it in a 12 inch fry pan and cover it with plastic for two hours. Then I lifted it up and baked it like the famous “no knead” bread”…in a dutch oven. It was fantastic!! Thank you.
Carrie says
Hi there,
Have you ever tried the overnight rise inside of a dutch oven? If so, can you please let me know if that worked for you. I would like to achieve a round boule loaf rather than one in a rectangular loaf pan.
Thanks, Carrie
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Carrie,
I haven’t tried that – it’s quite a sticky, soft dough, and needs to be constrained as it rises or it becomes a pancake. If you want a round loaf, it wouldn’t be a boule so much as simply round. What I’d recommend trying is doing a few stretches and folds after mixing and then doing a second shaping after the overnight rise to try to get a round loaf. Then let it rise in a bread basket or bowl (with parchment, or it will stick) and then baking in a hot dutch oven. I have done that and it works all right, but this recipe doesn’t lend itself as well as this one, for example, to a nice boule shape. As the overnight rise is done in a bowl before switching over to the baking form in any case, I don’t think you’ll get the results you want by having it do the bulk ferment in the dutch oven and then baking it in there without any shaping or preheating of the vessel.
That was a bit long winded but I hope it helps, good luck!
Hank says
Carrie,
I now let my dough rise for an hour in a lightly floured smaller boule basket, then tip over on parchment and drop in hot dutch oven to bake. Works very well.
Hank
Lisa says
Wow. What a fabulous recipe. I followed the sourdough version, with my rye starter and the flavour and texture is incredible. I love that it is moist and not too heavy with a rich rye flavour. I’m now looking forward to making the other loaves on your site…which I’m finding is a real treasure trove. Thanks so much for the recipe. It will be a staple. 🙂 Also, just wondering is your loaf pan 30 inch by 10 inch?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
I’m so happy to hear that you like the recipe, Lisa! The pan I use is 30cm or 12 inches, in length. A standard loaf pan will work well : )
Cynthia Husten says
Can whole wheat flour be used instead of spelt? Thanks!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Sure can!
Claudia Silva says
Dear Alexandra, I enjoy your recipes very much. This time I decided to try a version of this loaf, I like to make my own version of almost everything, special when I am confortable with the ingredients. I like dense breads and I like intense flavors, your recipe is so good and so easy to follow, thank you so much for sharing and for inspiring me.
Anna says
Hi, can I bake it in Dutch oven?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
You can! Just be sure to use parchment, and you can follow the general instructions from this recipe on how to bake it.
Susana says
Hi Alexandra,
I am a bit sad…the dough did not raise. I check the dry yeast -just in case-, it is OK. I followed the receipt as you stated. The only details was that I added sunflowers…but I do not think it should be the issue for not raising the dough….
Could you let me know your opinion?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Sunflower seeds shouldn’t make a difference here – the only thing I can suggest is letting the dough rise longer for both rises to give it more time, then once it’s doubled each time, bake. I’m sorry not to be more help, I’ve never had a reader with the same problem.
Natalia says
hi! can i use ONLY rye flour?
thanks ; )
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Natalia! I haven’t tried with all rye, but it should work, especially if you have a finely milled rye. If you try, please let me know how it turns out!
Kath says
Is the yeast measurement really just 1/4 tsp? That seems way too little. Thanks
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Yes, 1/4 teaspoon is correct. It’s an overnight bread and requires much less yeast due to the long rising time.
Suzanne Nelson says
We’re in the middle of a Covid-pocalypse here in NY, and I can’t stop baking. I wanted something to bring me back to Munich. Dark German sour rye? Okay. That’ll do.
I couldn’t possibly have prepared this recipe any more wrong (well, not wrong – but certainly not as written). I weighed all the ingredients out yesterday afternoon – I used my very young (listen – I didn’t know I needed to be an obsessive sourdough baking kinda girl until all of a sudden I was one, ok?) AP sourdough starter as the yeast with dark rye and light rye flours. I had no whole spelt. All rye it was. Whatever fancy Whole Foods cocoa powder and organic oats I had in the cabinet would do. I turned my oven on 200 and set it all inside a huge bowl to hang out overnight.
I have to be honest. It smelled like chocolate death. It didn’t smell good. I figured I’d ruined 600-ish grams of decent flour. The idea of a chocolate sour rye didn’t really entice me. But I stuck with it.
This morning, it hadn’t risen even a little bit. I decided to add some yeast, water, and subsequently more unmeasured rye flour in the stand mixer. Totally unorthodox, but whatever. It was like wallpaper paste, and trying to get it in a greased bowl to rise made me look like I just had to change a particularly bad diaper. It still smelled dreadful. God-awful. I cannot stress this enough. Did it ever rise? It absolutely did NOT. At this point, I had a vendetta against this weird dough. I was baking it no matter what.
I went the cast iron Dutch oven route, even though you called for a loaf pan. There was SO much dough. It wasn’t fitting in any loaf pan I own. Preheated the oven with my pot, floured the bottom, dumped in the dough, and prayed. It ended up in the oven for about 50 minutes till hollow.
Magically, it no longer smelled like a rotting heap of long-forgotten Cadbury eggs. It smelled like bread. It LOOKED like fancy bread. Instagram-worthy. It’s beautiful. I waited for it to cool (at least long enough to not blister the inside of my mouth), and BY GOD IT TASTED LIKE FANCY BREAD!
It’s so good. It is not chocolatey like the dough aroma might suggest. The loaf is over 2.5 lbs, and my husband and I have killed nearly half of it already. It was SO good with Miyoko’s cashew cheddar flavor pub “cheese.”
I see this being amazing with sauerkraut. Or jam. Or pretty much anything.
Moral of the story: trust the bread. Bread will never, ever betray you. Just keep baking. Everything will be fine.
I’ll make it again. Maybe I’ll even make it properly next time. I haven’t been feeling well this week (stomach issues – nothing COVID-related!) and haven’t been running while recovering. After discovering this recipe, I better up my mileage!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
This comment made me lol. Happy you ended up liking the bread after all that! (Chocolate death, hilarious!)
Thea La O says
Want to try this recipe so badly! Although I can’t find any spelt flour at the moment… is there any way this can be done through rye flour alone?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Could do! If you have any other flour like whole wheat or all-purpose, they can be used instead of spelt too! I have heard from readers who’ve made this with all rye and it’s worked, just the texture will be a bit different and it might not rise as much.
Claire says
I’ve made this loaf twice now; it’s so easy and delicious. I just use bread flour instead of spelt, and it works out perfectly. There’s no taste of any chocolate, it’s just dark and rich. I made a couple of extra bread rolls because my loaf tin was too small, which only took ~30mins to bake
Andi Herman says
I’ve just made this bread (with a few adjustments) and it’s absolutely delicious!!
Here are the adjustments I made:
– I only had 300gm spelt flour so I substituted with a further 100gm all purpose flour
– I used the weight measurements rather than the volume measurements. I found the resulting dough quite dry and firm so I added in a bit of extra water (about 75mls) until it looked “shaggy” and wet
– I don’t have a bread loaf/tin so I baked in a pre-heated enamelware pot. 20 mins with the lid on and 20 with the lid off.
The result is amazing! Thanks so much for this recipe Alexandra 🙂
Esther Kamkar says
Greetings,
Doesn’t cocoa powder make this bread bitter?
The recipe does not require sweetened cocoa powder.
Best,
Esther
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
A dark rye is meant to be very slightly bitter and this is in keeping with that – cocoa is a traditional ingredient in this type of bread. Please don’t use sweetened cocoa powder (hot chocolate powder) as it will not suit the recipe. You can choose to leave the cocoa out if you prefer.
Amanda Flood says
Thanks for a firm favourite recipe. I make this regularly and the whole family loves it. I passed it on to my parents and it’s entered their weekly repertoire as well.
We have abandoned the cocoa. Reading the comments, you say it can be made with all rye as well – will definitely give that a go!
Christie says
I totally flubbed this whole recipe. And yet it turned out beautifully! I wish I could show you the pictures. I used whole wheat Instead of spelt. I left out the cocoa and replaced it with all purpose flour. I accidentally used my wheat sourdough starter instead of my rye sourdough starter, so I just added the rye sourdough starter in addition. This morning the dough was so runny it looked like pancake batter. So I worked in about 3/4 cups of all purpose flour, put it in the pan and hope for the best. It just came out of the oven and it’s beautiful! Thanks for this versatile and easy recipe.
E says
I’m using a sourdough starter instead of yeast – my dough looks like it’s pretty much doubled in size after 9h, do you think I should still wait the 24h? Thanks
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
No, I’d go ahead to the next step and shape/rise/bake instead of waiting if you’re seeing that fast of a rise with a strong starter.
Jesse says
I have been baking this single bread recipe for my family for two years now. I will bake a few loaves at a time and share with others. I just received a thank you for our most recent batch shared. I wanted to share the thanks directly with you because I thought it might lift your spirits as it has mine.
“Your bread gift has created a change in me that will last the rest of my life. I realize this is a powerful statement, but it is true.
The back story: the first time I tried rye bread, I absolutely hated it. I tried it maybe one or two other times in my life with the same result.
But when you presented me with that beautiful loaf of rye bread, I knew that I would try rye once again –with a very open mind to match your generosity of this gift.
I was shocked beyond belief when I loved it. It is so flavorful, so moist, & obviously full of good ingredients. I have now eaten it 3 days in a row and I love it every single time.
Thank you for this gift. I am humbled to recognize that I may be closed minded about other food that I decided I didn’t like many years ago. So my mind has opened and my food choices will grow broader & richer due to you.”
* I like to press in sunflower seeds, pepitas, and oats on the top before sprinkling flour prior to the second rise time (once in the bread pan) – makes for a nice seedy crust and artisan look. I also often add 1 tbsp of caraway for that classic rye bread flavor.
I even gift this bread for birthdays and it always much appreciated. So hearty, healthy and delicious on its own when warm. THANK YOU!
Emily says
Hi! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
I did it two times! First one, I followed all of your instructions and it came out really good! Second time, since I didn’t have a spelt flour, I replace it with a whole wheat flour. However, it didn’t come out well. It didn’t rise up well so the height of bread was low and the texture was not soft. How can I use whole wheat flour instead of the spelt flour? Thank you!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Emily, I’m afraid I haven’t tried it with whole wheat flour so I can’t give specific instructions on it. I’d suggest reducing the quantity slightly (by 3-4 tablespoons maybe) as whole wheat does tend to absorb more moisture than spelt. If your whole wheat flour has a very coarse grind, that would also make a big difference in terms of softness and rise. But I’d try reducing quantity a bit and go from there.
Cathy says
This recipe looks amazing….and even better than that, it looks easy! Right up my alley! Quick question, can I replace rye flour with ‘dark’ rye flour (Bob’s Red Mill)? Would this affect whether or not I use cocoa? Thank you!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
You absolutely can, I encourage it! I usually use a home-milled rye for this recipe so it’s just the same as Bob’s, with all the germ included. Yes, please still add the cocoa if you want a loaf that’ll taste like a proper, slightly bitter dark rye. Dark rye flour means it’s 100% whole grain, but the cocoa is an integral part of the recipe : )
Rob says
This is a great recipe, Alexandra. Since I didn’t have a loaf pan, I wound up baking it in a pyrex cake pan. It looked like a German chocolate cake and tasted like a great German rye bread. Though I oiled the pan, it stuck to the sides. But who cares. It was delicious.
Siobhan Maria says
I tried this for the first time and using bread flour, found that I needed more water in the mix. Baked it in a roasting dish and came out great. Tasting wise though I found it too salty and maybe too much cocoa powder but the texture and taste otherwise is wonderful. I did have the thought that perhaps I could throw some chopped plump prunes into this and it would make an excellent fruit loaf.
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Siobhan! Yes, with bread flour you’d need a little more water as it absorbs more liquid. It’s always a good idea to adjust things – like the salt and cocoa – to your taste and I’m glad you like the bread otherwise : )
Caren Kelly says
I was wondering if I could bake this in my bread machine on the bake only cycle? It bakes for 1 hr.
Alexandra says
I’ve never tried in a bread machine but I think it might work. It might be a bit less crusty, but I’m sure it’d bake through!
Rei says
You had me at “easy”. The bread is SOOOOO good!!!
I followed recipe to a “t” and was not at all “shaggy” but a dry lump. Being anal, I have already read through ALL the comments, in case there are tips and tricks and saw someone mentioned having same issue and added some water. Did that and still a big lump that I had to use my hand, but smelt gorgeous as I use cacao, not cocoa.
A dry, somewhat hard skin formed after the first rise and it didn’t rise much. Folded the dry skin into the lump, try to mix it around a bit and continued as per instructions.
Came out DELISH!!!!! Had it plain so not to mar the taste. There’s a faint sweetness and somehow conjured a taste that got me thinking of my next loaf…..will add dates and walnuts, reminiscent of the coffee, date and walnut bread I once had. Ooo, just salivating thinking about it now. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Alexandra says
Hi Rei! I’m glad you made some alterations and continued with the bread – flours differ so much between regions that it’s always a good idea to use your intuition with the amount of liquid you need. Re: the skin forming on the rise, try using a damp tea towel plus a plate to cover the bowl and it should prevent that. Both of these might also be related to the relative humidity in your home so it’s a good idea to consider that as well. I’m so happy that you liked the end result and walnut date sounds excellent!
Rei says
You’re a gem, Alexandra! This is not just a case of different flours of different regions….I’m baking in Sydney, Australia….g’day. Totally taking your suggestion to use a damp towel.
I now know why too…the lump…as I said…following your instructions to a “t”…well so started out with the liquid then dump the flours/dry stuff on top…what a dill (Aussie slang not the pickle)!
Take care, stay safe and keep on baking.
Alexandra says
Aha some bigger differences then! I think some little changes will make for an easier to work with dough then : ) Thanks so much, and you too!
Patricia Swanson says
Hello. I have been “studying” this recipe for a while today. Before I make it for the first time, I have a few questions. I use a really high quality Pullman pan that is 13” by 4”. I have been baking a very seedy sourdough rye in it using the lid for the first 30 minutes, The starting temp is 500F for 15 minutes, then, 450F for 15, then lid off at 325 for 45 minutes. The pan is buttered and floured ahead. The loaf comes out easily and cleanly. Would you think that this recipe would do well using that same process? I do plan to add dried fruit pieces and pecans to the dough before the final rise time. Thank you in advance for your help.
Alexandra says
Hi Patricia! I would suggest, yes, using the same process that you describe if using a Pullman pan. You may not need the full 45 minutes at the end, but if you are adding additional fruit/nuts it may indeed be required. You should get a great oven spring with that method.
Marianne says
Just waiting for my second rise now … I have a question about oven temp. I am assuming the 200C is fan forced oven setting? Thanks
Alexandra says
Sorry Marianne, I think I’m a bit late responding. Modern ovens don’t have the same issue with the 10C or so temperature difference between forced and regular – I do fan forced but I have a separate temperature gauge in my oven to make sure it’s actually at the temperature listed in the recipe. Hope that helps!
annie says
I just read all your wonderful questions and Replies!! Thank you!!
I have a very mundane question that is holding me up!!
Could you please say If i can use ,,,,Instant Yeast ,,,,,,in this recipe!!
If so, How Much ⁉️
I don’t know what you mean by “ Fresh Yeast” ,or ,,,,,,,,if Instant Yeast would qualify???
I’m 82 and Covid has sent me back to Baking after many years of avoiding this delight.😉
Alexandra says
Hello Annie, how lovely to hear from you! It’s wonderful that you’ve started to bake again, such a nice hobby. You can certainly use instant yeast in this recipe, in the same amount as regular (traditional) yeast. Since you’re not ‘activating’ the yeast as you might with a normal loaf – the resting for 15 minutes with warm water and a little sugar – you may use either traditional or instant here. I hope that helps!
Fresh yeast is what’s more common in Germany and some other parts of Europe and what’s often used in bakeries in North America, but it’s hard to get in the store (at least in Canada!) and is just cubes instead of little granules.
Please let me know how this recipe goes for you, good luck!
4waystoyummy says
I am making this rye bread tonight. I wondered if I could sub cocoa for cacao? Wish me luck.
Alexandra says
Hi there – you can with no real difference to the bread. I use cocoa because it’s cheaper than cacao.
Buj says
I made this bread twice. And so far so good for being new to this. I followed your directions to keep it in a tea towel. I don’t see how that is possible. The bread becomes as hard as a rock after a few days. I tried doubling up the tea towels. Same issue. The air is not too dry here, even though it’s winter. Maybe I’m doing something wrong?
Alexandra Daum says
Hi there – you can store the bread in other ways, too, if you find that it’s getting too hard. Wrap it in a bag, use beeswax wrap, keep it in the oven or another enclosed space. Just find something that works for you : )
Donna says
Made this once before and it came out divine! Thank you! Making one now for the morning can’t wait to eat!
Esther Howieson says
Hi ,
Thanks so much for this awesome recipe
When you say whole spelt flour which one do you use ?
I have a wholemeal spelt and a white spelt I used half of the amount each
But I was just wondering what you ment?
Love the oats in it
Happy baker happy baking
Cheer
Esther, Sydney Australia 🇦🇺
Alexandra Daum says
Hi Esther! Whole spelt is wholemeal, but white (light) spelt can always be used in its place : ) I think I am a bit inconsistent because I say whole, wholemeal, and whole grain all interchangeably! I’m very happy you like the bread!
Monica says
The color looks great and it seems very easy to make it. Can’t wait to try a bread with rye flour, which its not very common where I live.
Alexandra Daum says
Hope you like it, Monica!
Melissa says
I’m trying to eat better and i wanted to make breakfasts with rye bread, supermarket had none so I decided to try and make it! Luckily both flours were available and made it that day. I have to say came out delicious, and yes a slight bitter aftertaste but great and filling!
Mine didn’t rise as well as yours but still tasted great, soft inside and crusty on outside!
Thanks!
Cathy says
I am going to make this bread later this week. Question – have you tried increasing the hydration a bit?
Alexandra Daum says
Hi Cathy, I haven’t tried increasing the hydration – are you looking for a greater oven spring?
Bharati says
Hello and thank you for your recipe. We don’t get spelt flour in India which is where I live, so could I substitute it with wheat or bread flour? Or rye flour?
I have normal yeast and also have a dehydrated sour dough starter with instructions to add it to the flour as easily as normal yeast. I’ve done that with plain flour several times and it certainly doesn’t resemble sour dough at all.
Would appreciate your response.
Alexandra Daum says
Hi Bharati, you can substitute with regular wheat flour (see the substitutions section for more on this). It is possible to use all rye flour but will make a heavy loaf.
I find that the dehydrated starter works fine in terms of causing the loaf to rise, but doesn’t add a sourdough flavour. You will get a stronger sour flavour with this loaf even when using yeast due to the long ferment time and the natural sourness of rye flour. Hope this helps.
Brenda says
Hello I’m in the process of making the bread but I noticed this morning when I was getting ready to put dough in baking pan it was not firm to roll but sticky like I needed to add more flour. I moved on and scrapped into baking tin and let it rise for 2 hrs ,it firmed up but didn’t rise much. Should I take it out add more flour and let rise again or just bake It? HELP waiting patiently. THANKS
Alexandra Daum says
Hi Brenda, this is normal. It’s a sticky dough, that’s why you put it right into the tin and don’t try to shape it. Just bake it – there should be a pretty good oven spring, but keep in mind it’s a whole grain rye bread, and meant to be dense.
Brenda says
I love it such a quick, response! I have continued to let the bread rise in oven with light on and it is rising!! Sooo shall I let it rise til it reached top of tin or just bake?.thanks
Alexandra Daum says
Hi Brenda, I didn’t see your second comment here in time, but there is a lot of guidance within the post. Hope your bread turned out!
Jessica Duffin says
This looks beautiful! I’m just wondering if the oven temp is for fan or without fan? Thank you!
Alexandra Daum says
Hi Jessica, the oven temps on OE are done with an internal oven thermometer, so they’re exact – you know your oven best, so if your fan setting doesn’t automatically adjust, please set it to whatever would actually be 200C.
Jessica Duffin says
Thank you so much! 🙂