Hearty German brown bread called Vollkornbrot tastes great with butter and jam for breakfast, or with meat and cheese for lunch. It's dense & chewy like German rye bread, but it's more filling since it's made from 100% dark rye flour with a little sourdough for a more rustic flavor.
What is Vollkornbrot?
Vollkornbrot is a traditional German brown bread that's super easy to make, and is packed with nutrition. And the word "Vollkornbrot" translates to "whole grain bread" since this bread is made with 100% whole rye flour. I absolutely love its dense and hearty texture, slightly nutty flavor, and rich brown color.
Traditionally, German brown bread is made with a sourdough starter rather than dry yeast. However, I add instant yeast to the dough to help it become a little lighter. Rye flour makes really dense dough, and without that instant yeast, one slice could feel like a heavy brick sitting in your stomach. But don't worry, the classic tangy flavor is still in each bite, by fermenting a little sourdough starter overnight before adding it to the rest of the dough.
Growing up in Germany, Vollkornbrot was a staple at breakfast & lunch. For more delicious sliceable German sandwich loaves, try my sunflower seed bread, filling black bread, rustic farmer's bread, and spelt bread called Dinkelbrot.
Types of Rye Flour
Vollkornbrot is traditionally made from whole rye flour, which includes the bran, germ, and endosperm of the rye kernel.
- Dark rye flour is usually made from the whole rye kernel, but it can vary based on which brand you get. Pumpernickel flour is always made from whole rye grains & it has the richest flavor.
- Medium rye flour usually has the germ and some of the bran removed so it won't make quite as hearty bread as dark rye flour.
- White rye flour, also called light rye flour, has had the rye bran and germ removed so it's the lightest in color and flavor.
Notes on this Bread's Ingredients
- Sourdough starter - Use an active, bubbly sourdough starter that's been recently fed.
- Warm water - Warm water from the tap between 75°F to 85°F is the ideal temperature.
- Dark rye flour - Make sure your dark rye flour is whole rye flour, or use pumpernickel flour.
- Steel cut oats - Add a chewy, hearty texture & nutty flavor. Soaking them prevents the bread from being too dry.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of bread and helps regulate the yeast's activity.
- Instant yeast - Helps the bread rise without needing to rely solely on sourdough.
- Sunflower seeds - Use hulled sunflower seeds called sunflower kernels to add a crunchy texture and nutty flavor.
Let's Bake German Brown Bread!
1. Dissolve the sourdough in water. Mix in rye flour. Cover and soak at room temp for 8 to 12 hours.
3. Mix the sourdough, soaked oats, remaining rye flour, salt, instant yeast, and seeds in a mixing bowl.
5. Shape the dough into a log and press it into a loaf pan.
7. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the loaf is dark brown.
2. Mix the steel cut oats and water. Cover and soak at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours.
4. Knead the dough for a few minutes, until you can shape it into a dense ball and it's no longer crumbly.
6. Cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let it rest for 1 hour.
8. Cool completely for a few hours before slicing.
Carissa's Bread Baking Tip
A soaker is a mixture of whole grains soaked in water before being mixed into bread dough. The purpose is to hydrate and soften the grains, which helps them taste better and release more of their nutrients.
Essential Bread Tips
- Allow the bread to cool completely. If you try to slice it while it's still warm, the bread will be crumbly, gummy, and difficult to cut.
- For a deeper flavor, wrap the cooled loaf in a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rest for another 24 hours before slicing it.
- The sourdough & dough should be fermented at "room temperature" which is usually around 70°F to 75°F. During the winter when my kitchen is colder than that, I leave my dough in the oven (turned off) with the oven light on for a warm, draft-free spot.
Delicious Flavor Variations
- Instead of steel cut oats for the soaker, you can substitute cracked rye kernels, which are also called cracked rye berries.
- Instead of sunflower seeds, you can substitute hulled pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, or caraway seeds for a different texture and flavor.
German Brown Bread (Vollkornbrot)
developed & tested by:
Ingredients
Starter
- 2 tablespoon active, bubbly sourdough starter
- 2½ cups warm water
- 3½ cups dark rye flour (or pumpernickel flour)
Soaker
- 2 cups steel cut oats
- 1½ cups warm water
Dough
- 2 cups dark rye flour (or pumpernickel flour)
- 1 tablespoon salt (use non-iodized table salt or fine sea salt)
- 2¼ teaspoon instant yeast (one envelope)
- ½ cup hulled sunflower seeds
Instructions
Prepare the Starter
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the active sourdough and warm water until the sourdough is dissolved. Add the rye flour and mix with a large spoon. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rest at room temperature overnight for 8 to 12 hours.
Prepare the Soaker
- Combine the steel cut oats and warm water in a small bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rest at room temperature overnight for 8 to 12 hours.
Prepare the Dough
- Grease a 5-inch by 9-inch (or 8x4) loaf pan with olive oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the starter, soaker, and the remaining rye flour, salt, instant yeast, and sunflower seeds. Mix it with your hands or a large spoon to combine everything.
- Knead the dough in the bowl by hand or with a stand mixer for a few minutes, until you can shape it into a dense ball and it's no longer crumbly. (This dough is not like other bread doughs, since it's not elastic. To knead, just smash it with your hands, since it can't be stretched).
- Shape the dough into a log and place it in the prepared loaf pan. Gently press the loaf down into the pan. It should nearly completely fill the loaf pan, since it won't rise much. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel at room temperature for 1 hour.
Bake the Bread
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the loaf is dark brown, and sounds hollow when the loaf is tapped with your finger. Remove the loaf from the loaf pan and let cool completely to room temperature on a cooling rack for at least a couple hours. Slice and enjoy!!
Notes
- Rye Flour: Make sure your dark rye flour is made from the whole rye grain. If not, use pumpernickel flour.
- Kneading: This dough is not like other bread doughs, since it's not very elastic. To knead it, just squeeze and mash the dough with your hands, since it can't be stretched. Keep kneading it until you can form it into a ball and there's no pockets of dry flour.
- Without Sourdough: If you don't have sourdough, combine the rye flour with water and let it soak at room temperature for about 30 minutes before mixing in the rest of the dough ingredients.
- Storing: Allow the loaf to cool completely, then wrap it in a paper bag. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. This bread also freezes great for up to 3 months, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap then aluminum foil.
Cordelia Scheuermann says
I am looking for a recipe for a homemade version of the Mestemacher type breads such as Fitness Brot or their Sunflower Seed breads. Any suggestions? Also-I see some recipes for Rogbrod that look like they have more seeds than flour, a LOT of liquid and REALLY long baking times. Is that right?? It looks like a totally different kind of technique/expectations might be needed. Thanks for any advice you may have
Carissa Erzen says
Hi Cordelia, I love those! This one and my Schwarzbrot recipe are most similar to the hearty, dense texture of Mestemacher loaves. I also have a Danish rye bread recipe which is packed with seeds & cracked rye that also tastes similar. They're not quite the same, but loaded with a lot of familiar flavors (:
Rachel says
I have not made this recipe, but I would like to try it. Do you think it would still work with the salt content reduced to 1 or 1.5 teaspoons?
Carissa Erzen says
Hi Rachel! Reducing the salt amount in bread dough can make your bread rise more quickly, so keep an eye on it. The bread doesn't taste salty, but the salt helps regulate the yeast and enhance its overall flavor. Let me know how your loaf turns out!
Lindsey says
I started making the recipe and realized I only had rolled oats, but it still turned out delicious! I added the sunflower seeds too. I love this nutty dense bread with avocado— it's the perfect millennial breakfast for me!!
Carissa Erzen says
Ooooh I love avocado + toast! And I'm glad the rolled oats still worked in this loaf!
Kschulen says
Reminds me of my grandmas
Carissa Erzen says
Aww that warms my heart to read! 🙂