Soft German Rye Bread without Sourdough | Roggenbrot

Authentic Spiced German Rye Bread

Traditional German rye bread often contains a blend of spices called Brotgewürz made with whole caraway seeds, coriander seeds, and fennel seeds. Because the seeds are so small, it doesn't really affect the texture of the bread, but it adds a really unique punch of flavor! I included the individual (optional) spices in this recipe for you, since a bread spice blend can be difficult to find outside Germany.

If you prefer your rye bread without spices and 100% rye flour, definitely check out my no-knead Danish rye bread with cracked rye.

The Art of Baking with Rye Flour

My biggest tip after baking dozens and dozens of homemade rye bread loaves is to hydrate your rye flour. That's why I mix the rye flour with water and let it sit for 20 minutes before adding the rest of the dry ingredients.

And listen, traditional Roggenbrot is made with 100% rye flour, which gives it a signature earthy, nutty flavor and dark brown color. But after testing this loaf multiple ways, I found that adding some all purpose flour to the dough makes it way less sticky and much easier to knead.
When I exclusively use rye flour in bread dough like my German brown bread, it's much wetter and not elastic, so it needs to be baked in a loaf pan.

I also add a little whole wheat flour to help strengthen the structure of the bread and prevent it from being too dense and heavy.

As a final note, I recommend using medium or dark rye flour for Roggenbrot. It'll add a wonderful flavor and color, but it won't be too heavy. And if you still want more tips for baking with rye flour, check out my full post!

Ingredients and Notes

• Rye flour - Rye flour is essential in German rye bread. It gives the bread its characteristic tangy, earthy flavor, dark color, and chewy texture.
• Instant yeast - Instant yeast (unlike active dry yeast) does not need to be activated before you can use it. Instant yeast also requires less time to proof, which means you can enjoy your bread sooner!
• Molasses - Adds moisture, a rich caramel-like flavor, and deepens the color of the bread. You could substitute honey, and the bread color will be lighter in color and a little sweeter.
• Lukewarm water - Try to use water between 95°F to 105°F. The warm water will enhance the activity of the yeast. Water that's cold will slow down the yeast, and water that's too hot could kill the yeast.
• All purpose flour - Creates a lighter, airy bread.
• Whole wheat flour - Helps the bread rise and create a strong structure.
• Salt - Salt not only adds flavor, but it also strengthens the structure of the dough, which is important in rye bread.
• Seeds - The optional addition of caraway, coriander, and fennel seeds adds a unique flavor to this authentic German rye bread. I recommend using whole seeds instead of ground seeds, which release their flavor into the bread as its baked.

Let's Bake a Loaf of Rustic Rye Bread!

Below are the general steps to make this delicious Roggenbrot. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Mix together the rye flour, yeast, molasses, and water until it forms a really wet, loose mixture. Set aside for 20 minutes.

3. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic.

5. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until it about doubles in size, after about 1 hour.

7. Cover the dough with a towel & proof for 1 hour, until it puffs up. It may or may not fully double in size.

2. Add the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, and optional seeds. Mix the dough for a few minutes until it forms a wet dough.

4. Place the kneaded dough ball into the oiled mixing bowl.

6. On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into a round or oval shape & create tension on top.

8. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the loaf has a crispy crust and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Recipe Variations

• Rye Rolls: To make small rye bread rolls (called Roggenbrotchen) shape them into small even rounds after the first rise. Allow them to proof on a baking sheet, then bake them for about 18 to 22 minutes.
• Toppings: For added crunch, you can top your brush your proofed loaf with olive oil and sprinkle seeds on top, similar to my pumpkin seed bread and sunflower seed bread.
• Sourdough: After testing this recipe multiple ways, I prefer to leave sourdough out of my rye bread, so the dough doesn't become too sticky. Bonus: the total time to get your loaf hot + fresh out of the oven is quicker!

Storing

Store your cooled loaf of German rye bread in a paper bag or clean kitchen towel at room temperature for up to 4 days. I've found that this helps air circulate around the bread, so the crust stays nice and crisp.

I used to store my bread wrapping in plastic wrap, but that can trap moisture on the bread, softening the crust and making your bread soggy or even moldy - yikes!

Troubleshooting Your Hearty Baked Bread

Why did my dough not rise at all?

When I was first testing this recipe, my dough didn't rise because the dough was too dry, so it didn't expand well. I've tinkered with the recipe to get the wet-to-dry ratios juuust right.

Other reasons your dough may not rise could be due to over-kneading or under-kneading your dough, with affect the dough's ability to trap gas and rise.
Or if you use cold or boiling water, that can greatly affect the yeast's activity.

Do I need a proofing basket to make rye bread?

If your dough only contains rye flour, you probably need a proofing basket to help the bread dough hold it's shape as it proofs, or bake it in a loaf pan.
However, the all purpose flour and wheat flour that I add to this Roggenbrot dough strengthen its structure, so you don't need a proofing basket.

Why is the inside of my bread gummy and undercooked?

You gotta cool it! Seriously, when baked bread is pulled out of the oven, the inside still bakes for a little while. Therefore, let it cool on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes (I usually try to wait an hour) before slicing it.