Dark Seeded Rye Bread: A Hearty Sandwich Loaf With a Crackly Top and a Deep, Earthy Flavor

Ingredients for Dark Seeded Rye Bread

This recipe makes one 9×5-inch loaf, about 16 slices.

For the dough

• 2 cups dark rye flour: sometimes labeled pumpernickel flour. This is where the deep flavor comes from.
• 1 ½ cups bread flour: gives the loaf enough structure to rise. All-purpose flour works in a pinch.
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast: one standard packet.
• 1 ½ cups warm water: about 105°F to 110°F, warm like a baby's bath.
• 3 tablespoons molasses: for color, moisture and a gentle sweetness.
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder: you will not taste chocolate, only a richer, darker crumb.
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter: keeps the bread soft inside.
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt: essential for flavor.
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds: optional, for the classic deli rye taste.

For the seeds and topping

• ½ cup raw sunflower seeds: mixed into the dough for crunch.
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds or flaxseeds: optional, for extra texture.
• 1 tablespoon rye flour: to dust the top before baking for that rustic cracked look.

Choosing Your Flour and Seeds

Rye flour is the star. Most large US grocery stores carry it in the baking aisle or the natural foods section, often as "dark rye" or "whole grain rye." Light rye flour also works, but the bread will be paler and milder.

Rye has very little gluten, so it cannot rise like wheat on its own. That is why we add bread flour. If you want an even heartier loaf, swap ½ cup of the bread flour for whole wheat flour.

Do not skip the salt and do not use hot water. Water that is too hot can kill the yeast, and then your loaf will stay flat and heavy. If you do not have molasses, dark corn syrup or honey will work, although the color will be a little lighter.