Pumpernickel Bread

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Cocoa powder, molasses, and dark brown sugar lend the classic deep brown color to this flavorful pumpernickel loaf.

Active Time:
35 mins
Total Time:
3 hrs
Yield:
1 (10-inch) loaf

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between American and German pumpernickel?

American-style pumpernickel bread is quite different from traditional German pumpernickel, but both types are delicious in their own right. Centuries-old German pumpernickel recipes are sourdough loaves made entirely from rye, typically coarsely ground rye berries. They're incredibly dense and derive their signature dark color from Maillard browning — the result of being baked at a low temperature for many hours. The loaves are baked in covered pans to keep the moisture inside, which prevents a discernible crust from forming.

For American pumpernickel bread, like this recipe, a combination of milled wheat and rye flour is used, as is commercial yeast, producing a springy loaf with a much more open crumb. Pumpernickel bread owes its deep color to the addition of molasses and cocoa powder; it's baked for only a short time in a much hotter oven, uncovered.

What do you eat with pumpernickel bread?

Pumpernickel makes for fantastic toast and sandwiches of all kinds, and it's especially wonderful paired with hearty soups and strong-flavored accompaniments such as sauerkraut, mustard, and sharp cheeses. Don't overthink it, though; pumpernickel bread is perfectly delicious simply toasted and smeared with butter or cream cheese.

Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Because it's a fairly moist, lightly sweet bread, pumpernickel has decent staying power. Soft-crusted loaves such as this one can be wrapped in plastic and foil and kept at room temperature for up to three days. Avoid the refrigerator, which will dry the bread out.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups bread flour

  • 1 1/3 cups dark rye flour

  • 1/2 cup cornmeal

  • 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

  • 2 cups milk, divided

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

  • 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk the bread flour with the rye flour, cornmeal, whole-wheat flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

  2. In a microwave-safe bowl, warm 3/4 cup of the milk at high until warm, about 45 seconds. Sprinkle the brown sugar into the warm milk along with the yeast. Let stand at room temperature until foamy, about 5 minutes.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast mixture with the molasses and the remaining 1 1/4 cups of milk. Mix at low speed until just combined. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and continue mixing at moderately low speed until the dough begins to clean the sides of the bowl, about 6 minutes. Add the softened butter and increase the mixer speed to medium; beat until the butter is incorporated and the dough is clinging to the hook, about 6 minutes more. (The dough will look greasy.) Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and it springs back to the touch, about 8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature until double in bulk, about 45 minutes.

  4. Lightly butter a 10- x 5-inch loaf pan. On a lightly floured work surface, pat the dough into a 10-inch square. Roll the dough into a cylinder and pinch the seams together. Place seam-side down in the prepared loaf pan and gently push the dough to the corners of the loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes more.

  5. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Discard the plastic wrap and bake the pumpernickel bread for 35 minutes, until the crust is dark brown. Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let stand for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the bread from the loaf pan and let cool completely, 1 hour longer.

Pumpernickel Bread
Abby Hocking / Food & Wine

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