Skip to main content

Pumpernickel Bread

Published: Updated:
On trend

5 Reviews

Total Time
1h 30m
Prep Time
30m
Bake Time
1h
Serves 15
Serves 15
easy
Easy

How to make pumpernickel bread

What is pumpernickel bread?

Pumpernickel is a type of rye bread, that is dense and sweet. It can also be made using a sourdough starter. Our pumpernickel bread recipe uses a combination of rye flour and Allinson's wholemeal bread flour to give it a good lift.

Is pumpernickel bread healthy?

Pumpernickel is healthier than most breads, as it contains lots of nutrients. How healthy it is will depend on how it's made. If made with wholemeal flour and if it's fermented, the bread will be healthier.

Why is pumpernickel bread so dark?

Pumpernickel is dark, due to a process called Maillard browning. This is the result of the bread being cooked at a low temperature for a few hours, which makes the natural sugars in the dough caramelise.

Does pumpernickel bread keep?

Our Pumpernickel bread can be wrapped in plastic and foil and kept at room temperature for 3 days.

If you enjoyed making this pumpernickel bread recipe, you'll also enjoy our wholemeal soda bread.

10 ingredients6 steps
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan Recipes

Method

  1. Step 1

    Start by mixing together the wholemeal bread flour, rye flour, cornmeal, salt, yeast, cocoa and light muscovado sugar in a large bowl.

  2. Step 2

    In the centre of the mixture, add the milk, oil and molasses sugar. As you mix this together, you'll need to use your hands at the point where the mixture starts to form a dough.

  3. Step 3

    Knead for 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth and stretchy.

  4. Step 4

    Lightly oil a large bowl and place your dough in it. The oil will prevent the dough from sticking to the sides as it rises. Leave for 30 minutes. 

  5. Step 5

    Knock back the dough (knead it again punching the air out), and then shape the dough into an oval large bun shape. Place this on a baking tray and cover with a damp teatowel. Allow to prove for about an hour.

    During this time, preheat your oven to 190ºc/180ºc fan.

  6. Step 6

    Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, covering top with aluminum foil last 10 minutes to prevent it from going too brown. 

Ingredients

  • For the Dough

    • 470mlWarm milk (or nut milk if vegan) 
    • 400gAllinson's very strong wholemeal bread flour 
    • 150gRye flour 
    • 60gBillington's molasses sugar 
    • 60gCornmeal 
    • 40gBillington's light muscovado sugar 
    • 30mlVegetable oil 
    • 1 tspSalt 
    • SachetAllinson's easy bake yeast or time saver yeast 
    • 60gUnsweetened cocoa powder 

Nutritional information per 77g serving

  • Energy 214cal
  • Fat 4.2g
  • of which Saturates 1.1g
  • Carbohydrates 34g
  • of which Sugars 8.4g
  • Protein 7.4g
  • Salt 0.38g

5 Baker Ratings

I followed the recipe and used a breadmaker on the dough setting. At it was slightly too sticky to form into a loaf so a liberal amount of flour on the work surface. A quick knead and shape. Allowed to do a final rise and baked. Came out lovely. Would use this recipe again.

Love this?

This recipe did not turn out to be as expected for pumpernickel bread. It is too cake like, too chocolatey and too sweet.

Love this?

Let us know how you rate our bake?

Baking Recipes and Baking Ideas

Great recipes and more at BakingMad.com

Exclusive gifts and kits to take your baking to the next level Competitions and baker of the month prizes More than 1,000 recipes to try.