Easy to make, gently sweet, soft and ideal for morning toast — this Icelandic brown bread is a must-try.
Have you tried Icelandic brown bread? If not, it’s worth baking. This straightforward recipe yields a slightly sweet, tender loaf that toasts beautifully and pairs perfectly with butter, jam or peanut butter.
My connection to this bread comes from family — my grandmother’s relatives were Icelandic, and this bread was a familiar favorite in our home. I don’t have a long list of traditional Icelandic dishes in my repertoire, but this brown bread is one I return to often. It originally came from my great-aunt and was designed for a bread machine, but I prefer the look and texture of pan-baked loaves.
I usually bake two smaller 8×4-inch loaves instead of one large machine loaf. The texture is soft and slightly tacky after kneading, which makes for a moist crumb and satisfying toast. If you prefer a bread machine, this recipe adapts well to the whole grain setting and will produce a single two-pound loaf.
Even if you didn’t grow up with this bread, its mild sweetness and tender crumb make it a crowd-pleaser. It’s simple to prepare and stores well sliced for quick breakfasts throughout the week.
Icelandic Brown Bread
Easy to make, slightly sweet, soft and perfect for your morning toast – this Icelandic brown bread is amazing. You need to try it!
20 minutes
1 hour
1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup (315mL) warm water
- 1/4 cup (57g) butter, melted and cooled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (6g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (105g) brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup (90g) molasses
- 2 teaspoons (12g) salt
- 2 cups (10oz, 280g) all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups (12.5oz, 350g) whole wheat flour (plus up to 1/2 cup (2.5oz, 70g) extra if needed)
- 1 tablespoon (11g) instant yeast
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl with the dough hook, or in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or dough whisk, combine the warm water, melted cooled butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and molasses.
- Add the salt, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour and instant yeast.
- Mix with the dough hook or stir until ingredients are combined.
- After a minute or so of mixing the dough should come together and clear the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- If the dough is too wet and sticky, add whole wheat flour one tablespoon at a time until it clears the bowl. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but not overly sticky.
- Knead the dough 8–10 minutes in a mixer (12–14 minutes by hand) until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
- Allow the dough to rise until almost doubled, about 2 hours.
- Punch the dough down and turn it onto a lightly oiled surface.
- Divide into two pieces. Press each piece into a thick rectangle, then roll from the long edge, sealing the seam as you go, to form loaves.
- Place each loaf seam-side down in an oiled 8×4 inch bread pan and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
- Let the loaves rise 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until almost doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake 50–60 minutes, until the loaves are browned and fully cooked.
- Turn the loaves out onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
Recommended Products
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8×4 inch Loaf Pans -
Measuring Cups/Spoons
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Canola Oil Cooking Spray
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Bosch Universal Plus Stand Mixer
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
32
Serving Size:
2 slices
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 68Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 146mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g
Nutrition information is an estimate based on ingredients used and may not be exact.