Sourdough Pumpernickel Bread

Why I Love This Recipe

As I mentioned in my Rye Bread post, I grew up in New Jersey, just outside of New York City. Being near to New York meant having access to wonderful delis and bakeries, so it was easy to find a good deli sandwich on fresh bread.

One of my absolute favorite deli-style breads is a deep, dark loaf of sourdough pumpernickel bread. This version captures the flavor and character I remember—bold, hearty, and perfect for sandwiches.

If you don’t have one, check out my post to learn How to Make a Sourdough Starter. Then check out my system to Feed and Maintain Sourdough Starter.

Rye Bread vs Pumpernickel Bread

Rye bread and pumpernickel bread are closely related, but they differ in both ingredients and technique.

Rye bread is made with some proportion of rye flour, often blended with wheat flour for structure and lift.

Pumpernickel bread recipes use additional ingredients to deepen color and flavor—often making use of what bakers had on hand.

In my research, I found old recipes that use leftover bits of bread as the basis for a new loaf. Waste not, want not, right? I could see that toasted bread crumbs would add interesting texture and deep flavor to pumpernickel bread.

I settled on a combination of coffee, barley malt syrup, cocoa, and toasted bread crumbs to deepen the color of the loaf. These ingredients contribute a balanced bitter-sweet note rather than sweetness.

Sourdough pumpernickel bread recipes range from just a hint of rye flour to all-rye loaves, with every combination in between.

Without gluten from wheat flour, the loaf would be too dense. There are traditional European all-rye pumpernickel loaves that are super concentrated and very, very dense. They’re interesting in their own right, but that’s not the style I was aiming for here.

This recipe uses equal parts rye and wheat flour. A small amount of whole wheat contributes flavor, while bread flour provides enough elasticity for a good rise.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Sourdough Starter: The recipe was developed using unfed 100% hydration starter. Feeding the starter with rye flour creates a rye-based levain that complements the flavor of the finished loaf.
• Rye Flour does not have the gluten-forming properties of wheat flour. Use any type of rye flour in this recipe, light, medium or whole grain.
• Bread Flour is a wheat flour with a high protein content. Higher protein means better gluten development.
• Whole Wheat Flour adds flavor and texture to the loaf.
• Toasted Bread Crumbs are a traditional addition to pumpernickel bread. Use homemade or commercial bread crumbs, toasted.
• Coffee primarily contributes color and bitterness. You can substitute water, but the finished loaf will be slightly lighter in color and less complex in flavor.
• Cocoa is used for color and subtle bitterness, not chocolate flavor. In small amounts, it deepens the dark brown color of the loaf and balances the natural sweetness of rye and malt without being detectable in the finished bread.
• Barley Malt Syrup: You can substitute honey, or a combination of honey and molasses, though barley malt syrup provides the most traditional pumpernickel flavor.

Process Photos

Here’s what the recipe process looks like at each stage. Refer to the recipe card below for measurements and exact instructions.

• Combine unfed starter with rye flour and water. Several hours later the rye starter is active and ready to use.
• Add the coffee, barley malt syrup, cocoa powder, salt, rye flour, toasted bread crumbs and whole wheat flour. Mix to combine.

• With the mixer running, add the bread flour.
• The dough will start out quite sticky.
• After 5 minutes of kneading the dough should cling to the hook and clear the sides of the bowl. The dough will feel sticky even when properly mixed—avoid adding extra flour.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and set aside for 3-5 hours of fermentation.

• To shape the loaf, pat the dough to a 9″ oval.
• Roll the dough to a cigar shape with tapered ends.
• Pinch the seam closed.
• Flip the dough and set it seam side down onto a sheet pan or wooden peel.

• The loaf is ready to bake when it has doubled in volume and the dough springs back slowly when lightly pressed.
• Brush the loaf with egg white. Optionally you can sprinkle with caraway seeds. Make one long slash or 3-4 diagonal slashes.

Mixing & Baking Timeline

• Feed the starter with rye flour the night before or early in the morning of the day you want to make the dough.
• Mix the dough in the afternoon and set it aside for 3-5 hours of fermentation. Refrigerate the dough in the evening before going to bed.
• Take the dough out first thing in the morning and shape the loaf.
• Leave the loaf at room temperature to rise for 2-3 hours.
• To make and bake the bread in the same day, start the dough early in the morning. Allow a full bulk fermentation at room temperature, then skip the cold retard and proceed directly to shaping and baking.

Storage

Sourdough Pumpernickel Bread stays fresh at room temperature for 2-3 days. For longer storage, freeze the sliced loaf in a heavy-duty freezer bag.

More Sourdough Bread Recipes

• Sourdough Marble Rye Bread
• Sourdough Rye Bread
• Sourdough Bagels
• Sourdough Multigrain Bread