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Vegan Rye Bread with Caraway Seeds and molasses

Classic Vegan Rye Bread with Caraway Seeds and Molasses

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Rising Time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours
Course Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine German, Jewish, Russian, Scandinavian
Servings 1 large loaf (8–10 slices)

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl For combining ingredients and allowing the dough to rise.
  • Dutch Oven or Heavy Pot with Lid Essential for artisan-style crust. If you don’t have one, a baking sheet with an inverted bowl or foil dome can work.
  • Bench Scraper or Spatula Helps when shaping the sticky dough
  • Parchment paper Prevents sticking and makes transferring the dough easier.
  • Kitchen towel or plastic wrap For covering the dough during the rise.

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups rye flour preferably stone-ground
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour or bread flour
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast or one packet
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons caraway seeds
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander optional, but adds depth

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tablespoons blackstrap molasses
  • 1 ½ cups warm water about 105°F
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Optional Topping

  • Extra caraway seeds for sprinkling
  • Cornmeal for dusting the baking surface

Instructions
 

Mix the Dough

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together rye flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt, and caraway seeds. In a separate container, mix warm water with molasses and apple cider vinegar until combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky, shaggy dough forms.

First Rise

  1. Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap. Let it rest at room temperature for about 3 to 4 hours, or until doubled in size. The dough will be very sticky — this is normal for high-hydration, low-gluten breads like this one.

Shape the Dough

  1. Lightly flour your hands and a clean surface. Gently turn the dough out and fold it a few times to shape it into a ball. Don’t knead — just coax it into shape. Transfer to a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal and dust the top with a bit of rye flour.

Second Rise

  1. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for another 30–45 minutes while your oven preheats.

Preheat Oven

  1. Place your Dutch oven (with lid) inside your oven and preheat to 450°F for at least 30 minutes. This step helps create that crisp, chewy crust that’s characteristic of good artisan bread recipes.

Bake the Bread

  1. Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Lift the dough with the parchment paper and place it into the pot. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes to brown the top.

Cool

  1. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. The interior is still finishing its baking process during this time, so patience is key.