This pumpernickel bread made with fresh milled flour has a deep, rich flavor and color thanks to the cocoa powder, molasses, and coffee. It is great with sweet or savory toppings and a favorite for a homemade reuben sandwich.
Pumpernickel bread is my husband’s favorite bread! Don’t ask why it has taken me 3 years into milling my own flour to try to make it for him. This was a fun variety of ingredients to combine and create a deep, rich flavor. To get that deep, rich color and flavor you use molasses, unsweetened cocoa powder, and a combination of water and coffee.
What You’ll Need To Make Pumpernickel Bread Made With Fresh Milled Flour
Fresh Milled Hard White Wheat Flour
Fresh Milled Rye Flour
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Coffee
Water
Molasses
Olive/Avocado Oil
Ground Caraway Seeds– I like the ground caraway seeds for the flavor profile they bring. If you prefer whole seeds or no seeds at all you can leave this out and it won’t affect the overall outcome of your bread.
Instant Yeast
Salt
What Is The Autolyse Method?
The autolyse method is resting your dough mixture for 20-60 minutes BEFORE adding the yeast and salt. This will help ensure that your flour is fully hydrated and make your dough more stretchy, resulting in a softer loaf of bread. If you want to read more on the Autolyse Method read this article.
Do I Have To Use Coffee?
I found the best flavor was a 1:1 ratio of water and coffee for the liquid. Water will give a lighter flavor and coffee will give a deeper, stronger flavor to the bread. I found using all coffee for the liquid drowned out the other flavors from the molasses and cocoa. If you don’t want to use coffee at all that will work, too and will give you a lighter flavor. Your bread will still be dark in color from the molasses and cocoa powder.
Toppings That Pair Well With Pumpernickel Bread
Reuben: The classic Reuben sandwich features corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut on pumpernickel bread.
Grilled Cheese
Smoked Salmon
Egg Salad
Butter and Jelly
Roasted Turkey or Chicken
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Pumpernickel Bread Made With Fresh Milled Flour
Ingredients
Method
- Add all of your ingredients, EXCEPT Yeast and Salt to your mixing bowl. Mix until combined and no dry flour is left. Cover and Let mixture rest for 20 minutes up to 1 hour. This is the Autolyse and will hydrate your flour and create a softer loaf.
- Next add in your instant yeast and salt and knead for 6-8 minutes, or until windowpane is reached. This will vary with mixers.
- Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise 45 minutes- 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Punch your dough down, divide, and shape loaves. One batch will give you approximately 3-1lb. loaves. Place in oiled or parchment lined loaf pans, cover, and let rise until doubled. (about 45min-1 hour.) I like to preheat my oven the last 15-20 minutes of the 2nd rise.
- Bake at 375℉ for 30 minutes. If using a thermometer the internal temperature should be 190℉.
- Let rest in loaf pan for 2-3 minutes and then remove from pan to a cooling rack. Slice when cool and enjoy!
Notes
See More Fresh Milled Flour Recipes
Oh my, oh my! So awesome! Made it last night, let it rise in the fridge and baked this AM. I made a loaf and a free standing loaf in a round roasting pan.
I would give this 10 stars if I could.
So, so good! Thank you!
So happy to hear you enjoyed it! <3
Was your overnight rise the first or second rise? Thank you!
Because you cold fermented overnight, did you decrease the yeast at all?
Sooooo good! It’s St Patrick’s Day and I needed some yummy pumpernickel for Rubens. This recipe is so delicious! I added 2 tablespoons of caraway seeds in error but it was fantastic anyway! Thanks for sharing!
MMMMM glad you enjoyed it!
Hello,
I haven’t made but will this weekend. I know this sounds silly but a cup of coffee. What is half water half coffee. It’s just a cup of coffee? I also want to know if you use regular table salt or kosher?
Thank you. I hope I hear back soon
Tish
I just use sea salt. Regarding the coffee: Water will give a lighter flavor and coffee will give a deeper, stronger flavor to the bread. I found using all coffee for the liquid drowned out the other flavors from the molasses and cocoa. If you don’t want to use coffee at all that will work too and give you a lighter flavor. Your bread will still be dark in color from the molasses and cocoa powder. I found the best flavor was a 1:1 ratio of water and coffee for the liquid.
If I don’t like the flavor of coffee and want to delete it, do I need to replace the cup of coffee with an additional cup of water?
Amy
Yes
I’ve made this bread several times now and everyone in our family loves it! It’s very hearty, very filling. I love a good bread that has substance to it and this one does! And, it’s fairly easy to make. I follow the recipe to a T and love the combination of flavors. We’ll make this again and again.
Glad to hear!
This bread is so easy to put together and just the dough so far smells lovely. If I wanted to add VWG do you think 6 T for these 3 one pound loaves would be appropriately enough? I have only ever made this bread once before (a Zojirushi bread machine recipe) and it had 5 T VWG and 4 T cornmeal for a two pound loaf. I don’t know what the corn heel did exactly but the bread was really lovely and soft.
Hmm I haven’t used it in this recipe before. Maybe try it and see how it turns out.
I weighed the ingredients and before adding the yeast and salt my dough seems a little dry. Is this normal or do you think I need to add water?
Thank you
If it seems too dry then add water slowly until it gets to the correct texture.
If I can ask, what kind of coffee do you use? Are you just adding coffee grounds to the water or are you actually brewing the coffee?
If I’m not using instant coffee I use brewed coffee made with Higher Grounds coffee from Costco.
Made this loaf with red white and rye. I added the juice of 1 lemon and a little extra water. Made one giant loaf!! Baked for 1/2 hour in Dutch oven then 10 minutes open bake at 350….could have gone another 5 minutes but its delicious and beautiful!! Thanks I’ll be trying this one again with sour dough
Thanks for sharing your variation!