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Home » Recipes

Easy Overnight Danish Rye Bread (Rugbrød)

Published: Jul 28, 2021 · Modified: Jun 20, 2022 by Kristi · This post may contain affiliate links.

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Bursting with rye, whole grains and a variety of tasty seeds, Danish Rye Bread (rugbrød) is one of the most delicious and nutritious breads out there.

In the world of Nordic cuisine, this dense rye bread is an absolute essential. It serves as the base for smørrebrød (the FAMOUS Nordic open face sandwiches), and is an integral part of the Scandinavian diet, not just in Denmark but throughout the region.

Rugbrød can be difficult to find here in the United States. Unless you live near a good Scandinavian bakery, it's likely that the only rye bread available is something more like pumpernickel or a deli rye. If you want an authentic Danish rye bread, you are probably going to have to make it yourself. Fortunately, this recipe for rugbrød is simple, foolproof and made with easy-to-find ingredients. Ready to get started?

Sliced rye bread on a marble surface.

Why This Recipe Works

There are plenty of recipes for rugbrød out there that simply don't work. BELIEVE ME....I've tried several. This recipe succeeds every time because:

  • It uses an overnight method which relies on a minimal amount of yeast and no sourdough starter;
  • a mixture of bread and rye flour helps create a sturdy gluten structure which holds the bread aloft and keeps it from sinking in on itself (a common problem with rye breads); AND
  • the method of baking relies on a few different oven temperatures during the course of the baking time. This helps prevent a gummy texture in the final loaf.

The Ingredients

For the Soaker:

Labeled ingredients for soaker for Danish rye bread.
  • 7 grain cereal provides the hearty backdrop of the bread. Traditional rugbrød recipes call for rye chops which are just coarsely chopped pieces of rye grains. Because rye chops can be hard to find in the U.S., this recipe calls for a 7 grain cereal mix instead (feel free to use rye chops if you have access to them! They work just as well here). 7 grain cereal mix is simply a combination of several different coarsely chopped grains including wheat, rye, triticale, oats, oat bran, barley and/or brown rice. I often use the Bob's Red Mill brand, but have also had good luck with this mix from Nuts.com.
  • Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds and flax seed bring texture, flavor and nutrients to this hearty, substantial loaf.

For the Dough:

Labeled ingredients for Danish rye bread.
  • A combination of bread flour and rye flour is key to providing the gluten structure this bread needs to keep its shape.
  • Instant yeast serves as the leavener. Please note that instant or rapid rise yeast and active dry yeast are two different things. The essential difference between the two is that instant yeast can be mixed right in with the dry ingredients whereas active dry yeast is designed to be proofed in warm liquid prior to adding it to the recipe. Instant yeast is also more reliable, effective and fast-acting.
  • Molasses not only sweetens and flavors the dough, it also helps deepen the dark brown color of the final loaf.

The Equipment

You will need:

  • a sturdy stand mixer
  • a 13 x 4 inch pullman loaf pan with a lid

How To Make This Recipe

The Night Before

  • 8-12 hours before you plan to make the bread, begin mixing the dough: Combine the rye flour, bread flour, instant yeast and cold water together in a large bowl (I just use the bowl that goes with my stand mixer since that is where it will eventually go....one less bowl to wash). HOLD BACK ON THE MOLASSES AND SALT FOR NOW. Stir to combine as best you can (mixture will be thick), and then knead briefly with your hands until you have a cohesive mixture.  The dough will be very thick and clay-like in texture. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature.
Danish rye bread dough in a metal bowl.
  • At the same time, mix the soaker together: Combine all the ingredients for the soaker together in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature.
Seeds and water in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon.

The Morning of Baking

  • 8-12 hours later, finish mixing the dough: Grease a 13 x 4 inch pullman loaf pan with butter and dust with rye flour, including the lid.  Set aside. Combine the dough, molasses, salt and the soaker (THERE IS NO NEED TO DRAIN THE SOAKER.....go ahead and put in the water and the soaked seeds) in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally. Increase the speed to medium and continue to mix for another 2-3 minutes. The dough will be VERY STICKY at this point.
Greased and floured pullman loaf pan on a marble surface.
Danish rye bread dough in a metal bowl.
  • Scrape or spoon the dough into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Damp fingers or a moistened spatula can help with this if you are having a hard time getting the top smooth.
Danish rye bread dough in a loaf pan.
  • Dust the top of the loaf with a thin, even layer of rye flour and place the pullman lid cover on top of the pan. Let the dough rise for 1½ -3 hours at room temperature or until it is about ½ inch from the top of the pan.  The time that it takes for your dough to rise will largely depend on the temperature of the dough and your kitchen.
Unbaked Danish rye bread in a loaf pan.
Rye bread rising in a pullman pan.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Bake the loaf with the lid on for 15 minutes.  Reduce the temperature to 400 degrees and continue to bake, covered, for an additional 15 minutes.  Remove the pan from oven and carefully slide the lid off. Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and bake, uncovered, for an additional 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and immediately turn the loaf out onto a metal cooling rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.  Return the bread to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely before slicing, at least 3 hours or overnight if you can wait! Rye bread is even better a day after baking.  
Danish rye bread in a loaf pan.
Danish rye bread on a metal cooling rack.

Expert Tips

  • Wait a day before enjoying your bread! Unlike wheat breads which are best eaten shortly after cooling, both the texture and flavor of rye bread improves after a rest of 12-24 hours.  Once the bread has cooled completely, wrap it loosely in foil and cut into it the following day.
Sliced rye bread on a marble surface.

FAQs

What is rugbrød?

Rugbrød simply means "rye bread" in Danish. It is a sturdy, dense loaf that is comprised of rye flour, chopped rye grains and is often studded with sunflower, pumpkin and/or flax seeds. It is almost always baked in a 13 x 4 inch pullman pan with a lid. This helps the rye bread bake properly and gives it its characteristic square shape.

How do you pronounce "rugbrød"?

Check out this link to hear how "rugbrød" is pronounced by native speakers, both male and female. It might take a little practice if you don't speak Danish!

How is rugbrød different from other rye breads?

Rye breads, particularly those baked here in America, often have a variety of ingredients added to them to enhance their color (making them darker in appearance) and flavor. Common additions include caramel coloring (no thank you), stout beer, cocoa powder, espresso powder and molasses. Rugbrød, in contrast, has very little additional flavoring, perhaps just a little molasses for sweetening. It is meant to be a very straightforward bread so that it can serve as a neutral base for a variety of different sandwich toppings.
Sometimes I will come across a rugbrød recipe that calls for flavor enhancers such as caraway, fennel or anise seed in the dough, but this seems to be more of an exception than the rule. Again, simple is the name of the game here.

How is rugbrød served?

When it is served, Rugbrød is typically sliced thin (a little less than a quarter of an inch) and buttered liberally with salted butter. There is actually a word in Danish, tandsmør, which means "tooth butter". It refers to buttering your bread generously enough so that when you bite into it you can see your teeth marks in it. You butter lovers know what I'm talking about. It may be enjoyed as is, simply slathered with butter, or it can be piled with additional ingredients to form the base of smørrebrød, the famous Danish open sandwich.

How do I store rugbrød?

It can be stored loosely wrapped in foil at room temperature for about 5 days.

Can I freeze rugbrød?

Yes! Rugbrød freezes very well. Tightly wrap the bread (either a whole or partial loaf or slices) in plastic wrap and then either tightly wrap it in foil or place it inside of a freezer bag. It will keep for a couple of months.

Can I use a regular 9 x 5 loaf pan instead of a pullman pan with a lid?

I have had many readers tell me they have split the dough into two 9 x 5 loaf pans instead of using the pullman pan with excellent results. Use a heavy baking sheet as a "lid" for the covered portion of the baking and keep the baking times and temperatures the same.

Help! My mixer is on the small side and I can't fit all of the dough into the bowl! What should I do?

If you have a smaller mixer, it may be difficult to get all of the dough in the bowl at one time. If that is the case, simply mix half of the overnight dough, molasses, salt and the soaker and then mix the second half. Combine all of the dough together in the loaf pan for baking.

Related Recipes

If you keep a sourdough starter around, you might want to consider trying my recipe for Sourdough Danish Rye Bread (Rugbrød) which is also really delicious!

Once you have baked your own rugbrød, you are going to want to try making smørrebrød (Nordic open sandwiches) at home. If you need some inspiration, I have several recipes on the blog to get you started. Click the link below for dozens of delicious open sandwich ideas!

  • Smørrebrød

There you have it! GO FORTH and make rugbrød at home with confidence and ease. Don't be surprised if it becomes part of your regular baking rotation!

Sliced rye bread on a marble surface.

Easy Overnight Danish Rye Bread (Rugbrød)

An easy and foolproof recipe for traditional Danish rye bread known as rugbrød. Made with instant yeast (NO sourdough starter required), rye flour, whole grains and a variety of wholesome seeds, this dense rye bread is as nutritious as it is delicious. Perfect for smørrebrød, the famous Nordic open sandwiches served in Denmark!
5 from 21 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Danish, Nordic, Scandinavian
Keyword: easy rye bread, homemade rye bread, rugbrød, smørrebrød
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
rest: 9 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 11 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 26 slices (One 13 inch loaf)
Calories: 146kcal
Author: Kristi

Ingredients

For the Soaker:

  • 2 ½ cups (375 grams) 7 grain hot cereal mix such as Bob’s Red Mill brand or rye chops see note below
  • 1 cup (142 grams) sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup (152 grams) pumpkin seeds
  • ½ cup (71 grams) flax seeds
  • 2 ⅔ cups (613 grams) cold water

For the Dough:

  • 2 cups (248 grams) dark rye flour I use the Bob’s Red Mill brand, plus more for dusting the pan and loaf
  • 2 cups (295 grams) bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon (3 grams) instant dried yeast
  • 1 ½ cups (353 grams) cold water
  • 4 teaspoons (23 grams) salt
  • ¼ cup (80 grams) molasses
  • Butter for greasing the pan

Special Equipment Needed:

  • Stand mixer
  • 13 x 4 inch pullman loaf pan with lid

Instructions

  • For the Soaker:  Combine all the ingredients for the soaker in a medium bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature overnight, approximately 8-12 hours.
  • For the Dough:  Combine both flours, yeast and water in a separate bowl.  Stir to combine as best you can (mixture will be thick), and then knead briefly with your hands until you have a cohesive mixture.  Dough will be very thick and clay-like in texture. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature overnight, about 8-12 hours.
  • Grease a 13 x 4 inch pullman loaf pan with butter and dust with rye flour, including the lid.  Set aside. Combine the soaker, flour mixture, salt and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit mixer with paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes until everything is thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time.  Increase speed to medium and mix for an additional 2-3 minutes, stopping to occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mixture will be quite sticky.
  • Transfer the dough to the prepared pan.  Smooth out the top and sift a thin layer of rye flour over the surface of the dough.  Place lid on pan and let the dough rise for 1½ -3 hours at room temperature or until it is about ½ inch from the top of the pan.  The time that it takes for your dough to rise will largely depend on the temperature of the dough and your kitchen.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Bake the loaf with the lid on for 15 minutes.  Reduce the temperature to 400 degrees and continue to bake, covered, for an additional 15 minutes.  Remove the pan from oven and carefully slide the lid off. Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and bake, uncovered, for an additional 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and immediately turn the loaf out onto a metal cooling rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.  Return the bread to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely before slicing, at least 3 hours. Rye bread is even better a day after baking.  If you can wait until the following day, let the completely cooled bread sit at room temperature loosely wrapped in foil overnight before slicing.  The bread will keep at room temperature for 3-5 days loosely wrapped in foil. Freeze for longer storage.

Video

Notes

Rugbrød is traditionally made with rye chops, uniformly cut pieces of rye grain.  They are available through King Arthur Flour’s online store at www.kingarthurflour.com.  Because rye chops are difficult to find, I call for using a whole grain hot cereal mix such as Bob’s Red Mill’s 7 grain cereal mix or this one from www.nuts.com.  These mixes contained a variety of coarsely milled whole grains, including rye, and make a fine stand in for rye chops.
Adapted from The New Nordic by Simon Bajada

Nutrition

Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 192mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg

If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Easy Overnight Danish Rye Bread (Rugbrød) and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.

More Nordic/Scandinavian Recipes

  • Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cinnamon
  • White Swedish Glögg with Elderflower Liqueur (Mulled White Wine)
  • Homemade Pickled Mustard Seeds
  • Danish Apple Trifle

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bente Goyer

    October 21, 2019 at 12:51 pm

    Hello. Have been trying so many recipes and this one is the best. I just love how moist the bread was. Thank you so much. It is now my go to recipe.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      October 21, 2019 at 2:55 pm

      Thank you for your feedback! I'm so glad it worked out well for you. It's definitely my go-to recipe, too!

      Reply
  2. Judy

    January 19, 2020 at 5:53 pm

    I was looking for that brown bread found everywhere in Scandinavia at breakfast and the base for open-face sandwiches. This is it! The loaf needs to sit for a couple of days, and it tastes exactly right. So happy to have a fun recipe to keep my pantry stocked with this bread. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      January 21, 2020 at 9:37 am

      Thanks for the feedback, Judy! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  3. George Sevelle

    February 27, 2020 at 3:22 pm

    Have you tried this recipe using a Rye Sourdough Starter. If so what amount did you use and how much water did you remove from the yeast based recipe.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      February 28, 2020 at 8:02 am

      Hi George,

      I have not tried this particular recipe with a sourdough starter. I do have another recipe for sourdough rugbrød that is very good. I'm happy to share it with you if you are interested (it's not on the blog yet).

      Thanks,
      Kristi

      Reply
  4. George Sevelle

    February 28, 2020 at 8:22 am

    Yes I'd like to try the recipe using a sourdough starter instead of comercial yeast.

    Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      February 28, 2020 at 8:47 am

      George,

      I just sent the recipe to your e-mail address. Let me know if you have any questions!

      Thanks,
      Kristi

      Reply
      • Leanne

        August 15, 2020 at 9:11 pm

        Kristi,

        I, too, would love the sourdough rugbrod recipe! Thank you!

        Leanne

        Reply
        • Kristi

          August 16, 2020 at 4:29 pm

          Hi Leanne!

          Thanks for your request! Here is the link to the sourdough rugbrød recipe. Happy baking!

          Kristi

          Reply
  5. Holly

    March 31, 2020 at 6:34 pm

    Hi there, this looks like a great recipe for rugbrød. I am also wondering if you have a similar recipe that uses a rye sourdough starter instead of yeast? And also is manual mixing okay as I don’t have a stand mixer? Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      April 01, 2020 at 8:19 am

      Hi Holly! I do have a rugbrød sourdough recipe that is really good. I can e-mail it to you if you are interested. You certainly can mix the dough manually, it is just really sticky and difficult to work with. But I would definitely give it a try!

      Reply
      • Stephen

        April 08, 2022 at 10:07 am

        I would love your sourdough rugbrød recipe as well. My mom has fond memories of the time she spent in Denmark after college.

        Reply
        • Kristi

          April 08, 2022 at 10:15 am

          Hi Stephen!

          Here is the link to the sourdough version. Hope you enjoy it! https://true-north-kitchen.com/sourdough-danish-rye-bread-rugbrod/

          Kristi

          Reply
  6. Ann

    April 01, 2020 at 8:04 pm

    Hey Kristi, Can you share I have your sourdough recipe with me? I am trying to figure out the best way to create some good Rugbrod in the bread machine.....lots of fails but I am getting closer! If you have any ideas please share! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      April 02, 2020 at 9:03 am

      Hi Ann! I would be happy to! If you want to e-mail me directly at [email protected] I'll send it over.

      Kristi

      Reply
  7. cheryl graber

    April 03, 2020 at 8:14 am

    hi Kristi - i would love to try this recipe but at this time am unable to purchase the pan with lid that you recommend. can I use a traditional loaf pan or something else??

    thanks!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      April 03, 2020 at 8:22 am

      Hi Cheryl! I think you could try splitting the bread dough between 2 regular size loaf pans OR making a half recipe and use one regular loaf pan. For the lid, I have covered my loaf pan with a heavy cookie sheet before and that worked fine. Just make sure you grease and flour the part of the cookie sheet that will come into contact with the bread. I would leave the baking time the same. I hope this helps! Please report back if you give it a try! I made a loaf yesterday and am about to dive into it for breakfast!

      Reply
      • Cheryl

        May 03, 2020 at 6:44 pm

        Hi Kristi - I finally got around to making the bread and it was amazing! My husband spent lots of time in Copenhagen and has been looking for something like this. It was perfect and I will certainly make it again. Thanks so much!

        Reply
        • Kristi

          May 04, 2020 at 11:24 am

          Hi Cheryl! Thank you for taking the time to get back to me. I'm so glad you loved the bread and that it worked out to bake it in two pans. I will have to try that myself....it might be nice to bake one and freeze one. I'm curious....do you use yours for open sandwiches and do you have a favorite?

          Reply
          • cheryl

            May 05, 2020 at 7:00 am

            we like to add a New York twist - favorite is one slice toasted up crisp with cream cheese and lox topped with dill! I did freeze one loaf and it was just as delicious out of the freezer.Really enjoying your recipes, thanks again

          • Kristi

            May 05, 2020 at 8:25 am

            Oh yum! That sounds amazing. I will have to give it a try! I'm always looking for new sandwich ideas.

  8. Doug Weller

    April 21, 2020 at 8:58 am

    Fantastic! I was really afraid it would be too wet when I did the dough bit last night, it didn't seem clayey (how do you spell that?) enough, but it looked beautiful when I saw it at 6am! It was a beast to mix though, my Kenwood mixer is great but not super-sized. My Pullman pan is only 11 inches, and as I had 2kg of dough I put 1.5 kg in it and the rest in a fairly small loaf pan. That worked a treat, and the bread is a treat. I did wait 3 hours and then dove into the small loaf. I'll leave the big one out until tomorrow, then cut it up and freeze some. I struggle with my rye sourdough starter and am not sure if this bread could be improved with sourdough starter, but I'll try.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      April 21, 2020 at 9:45 am

      So glad to hear you enjoyed it! It is such a delicious loaf. I can't wait for you to try the sourdough version! It's up on the blog now. It's a little different than this one....more flour and less of the cereal mix/rye chops. A bit more refined I would say. For the record, I use a plain old bread flour sourdough starter for all my breads. So if you keep a rye starter and a wheat starter, feel free to use either in the rugbrød recipe.

      Reply
  9. Gigi

    May 02, 2020 at 7:26 pm

    I love this bread! The Norwegian bakery in Seattle makes it and I usually get my weekly loaf. In my old age I am lucky enough to have someone else make it for me.

    Reply
    • Alessandra

      August 22, 2020 at 2:58 pm

      Hi Gigi! I just stumbled across your comment and I’ve actually been looking for a place in Seattle that sells this type of bread! Would you mind sharing the bakery? Thanks 🙂

      Reply
  10. Kristi

    May 03, 2020 at 5:13 pm

    Hi Gigi! Yes, it's so delicious. How lucky that you live near a bakery that can make it for you! Thank you for your comment!

    Kristi

    Reply
  11. ryAn

    May 16, 2020 at 12:54 pm

    Is there a variation on this recipe that uses a rye starter rather than commercial yeast?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      May 16, 2020 at 1:16 pm

      Hi!

      I do have a recipe for sourdough rugbrød on the site here. It's not entirely the same but it is really delicious! I use a wheat starter in mine, but other readers have used a rye starter and reported excellent results. Happy baking!

      Kristi

      Reply
      • Nikolai

        March 10, 2022 at 12:18 pm

        Hey Kristi,

        I am thinking of trying this recipe. I do have some maltmel (malt flour) do you know how much I should use of this instead of the molasses?

        Thank you

        Reply
        • Kristi

          March 11, 2022 at 9:00 am

          Hi Nikolai,
          Thanks for your question! I've never tried this recipe with malt powder in place of the molasses so I'm not sure how it would work. You would definitely lose some sweetness as molasses is sweeter than malt.
          Kristi

          Reply
  12. Patricia Swanson

    June 14, 2020 at 9:55 pm

    My husband is 50% Norwegian and Danish. We have visited those countries many times and have always,loved the bread. I was so excited to,find your recipe. Luckily, ai was able to get a Pullman Pan the exact size. Last night and today I made the first loaf. Tomorrow, I will taste it. I got a bit worried when at 1hour of raising in the pan that it hadn’t moved much. So, I set the time for another 45 minutes. This time, it had changed. I decided to preheat the oven, which took 15 minutes. By then, it was 1/2” from the top of the pan. So, in she went. I did all the steps exactly. I am thrilled with my Pullman pan. The loaf released immediately with hardly a crumb left behind. It is beautiful. I cannot wait to taste it tomorrow. Thank you for a splendid recipe.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      June 16, 2020 at 5:00 pm

      Hi Patricia! I'm so glad you enjoyed the bread and that it reminds you of your travels to Scandinavia! Thank you for taking the time to let me know how it turned out. I really appreciate it. I hope you have a bunch of yummy open sandwiches planned!

      Kristi

      Reply
      • Patricia Swanson

        July 09, 2020 at 11:23 am

        Hello again. I have now baked this recipe four times, I end up sharing a lot of each loaf with friends. I even made a waxed cotton bag in which to keep it. One question, the very center of the loaf seems unbaked as compared to the top, sides, and bottom. I am doing everything exactly as directed. Should I bake it longer? At which stage? Thinking at the stage of the uncovered pan??j Because we usually toast each slice, that center spot goes away. But, just need your thoughts. Thank you so much.

        Reply
        • Kristi

          July 09, 2020 at 11:38 am

          Hi Patricia,

          I'm so glad you are enjoying the bread! I would tack on an extra 10 minutes of baking time at the very end after you have turned the loaf out onto the baking sheet. That should help it to continue to dry out in the low heat of the oven. Oven temps can vary so much from oven to oven, especially with this recipe where we are changing the oven temperature twice in the middle of the bake. And then just make sure to give it ample time at room temperature uncovered to cool before wrapping. I hope that helps. Let me know how it turns out!

          Thanks,
          Kristi

          Reply
  13. Lorrie

    July 02, 2020 at 9:51 am

    This recipe looks lovely and very authentic! I do have a rye sourdough starter and would appreciate getting the recipe that uses one! Really looking forward to trying it!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      July 02, 2020 at 12:58 pm

      Hi Lorrie,

      Thank you for your nice note! If you want to use your sourdough starter, give this recipe a try. It gets a lot of good feedback from readers. Let me know if you have any questions. Happy baking!

      Kristi

      Reply
  14. Lydia

    July 06, 2020 at 6:03 pm

    Delicious! I mixed by hand so I wondered if next time I could reserve two cups of flour to add the next day? It would make mixing easier but not sure if it would interfere with the rise?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      July 07, 2020 at 8:12 am

      Hi Lydia,

      Thank you for your comment. I'm so glad you enjoyed the bread! I am also impressed that you were able to mix the dough by hand. It's really thick and sticky! I'm not sure what would happen if you held back on some of the flour until the next day. I agree with you...it might affect the rise but I think only by slowing it down some. The recipe originally called for a small amount of instant yeast (1/2 teaspoon) to be added in the final mix. You could try that too just to give it a little extra help. Please report back if you give it a try!

      Kristi

      Reply
  15. Lucy

    July 26, 2020 at 1:50 pm

    Hi!

    I imagine this is a silly question but it's my first time making rye bread. Would it still work by just using completely rye flour instead of the mix with bread flour? Or would it completely change the texture?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      July 26, 2020 at 2:02 pm

      Hi Lucy!

      Thanks for your question! It's nice to have the help of bread flour here because it brings a little gluten structure to the loaf (rye is very low in gluten) and prevents it from getting gummy on the inside (a common problem with 100% rye flour breads). I definitely recommend using a combination of the two. Happy baking and please report back and let me know what you think!

      Kristi

      Reply
  16. Morten Jorgensen

    July 28, 2020 at 8:59 am

    Hi Kristi
    I finally found courage enough to test your RUGBRØD reciepe. Success in first try, but a few observations.
    Raw sunflower seeds were impossible to locate even thoug i tried several stores and a coop. I finally broke down an purchased some lightly roasted, but unsalted sunflower seeds. It works, except for the fact, that the bread tastes too much of sunflower. In fact, it tasts exactly a sunflower bread that I have purchased in Denmark. Do you thing that lightly toasted seeds give out a stronger taste than raw? In planning my next bread, which "milder tasting seeds" do you suggest I try, or should I just use less sunflower seeds and try to adjust the reciepe to that? I have tryed to perfect my rugbrød for a long time (missing my good danish stable) and usually found my bread that was "gummy"in the middle (you still eat it though, as I hate to see food wasted). Your reciebe have eliminated that "gummy" problem and I am eternaly grateful for that.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      July 28, 2020 at 12:53 pm

      Hi Morten,

      Thanks for your comment! I'm so glad the bread was a success and that you've eliminated the gummy problem. I've had that same problem myself with other recipes and it's so disappointing. Using toasted seeds rather than raw will definitely result in a stronger sunflower taste. The raw are much more subtle. I think I would try using half the sunflower seeds and see how that goes rather than subbing in a different seed altogether. You might add a little less water to the soaker but I'm not sure that it's going to make much of a difference as it is only 1/2 cup of seeds. Let me know how it turns out! Happy baking!

      Kristi

      Reply
  17. Mae

    August 12, 2020 at 2:12 pm

    Hello! This recipe sounds great as I have struggled to find good rye here in my city. As I’m only baking for myself- would it be possible to half this recipe and use a smaller bread pan?

    Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      August 12, 2020 at 2:19 pm

      Hi Mae,

      Thanks for your question! I’ve had other people tell me they have halved the recipe and it’s worked out just fine. If you don’t have a Pullman pan with a lid, simply set a baking sheet on top of your standard loaf pan during the part of the baking process where it is supposed to be covered. This bread also freezes nicely so it you make a full loaf or two smaller ones, you could always wrap one and tuck it away in the freezer for another day. Please report back and let me know how it goes! Happy baking!

      Kristi

      Reply
  18. Helle Evans

    October 10, 2020 at 6:04 am

    Made this yesterday _ turned our exactly like I have grown up with in Denmark, One question and a comment.
    The dough (rye flour, bread flour, yeast and water)- what is the reason for the COLD water? Normally with yeast I would use luke warm water, but I followed your recipe and the dough was not like clay, more like brick - I managed to get it somewhat to stick together but I was certain that I would be tossing it in the garbage the next morning.....it was not at all like the video you show where you knead it and my Kitchenaid was pushed to the limit when mixing next morning... I wonder if warm water would work better or maybe a bit more water. Have you ever run into this?
    For my comment, I don’t have a Pullman pan but I took a strip of parchment, brushed a tiny bit of olive oil on it, sprinkled a bit of rye flour to cover and put it on the top of the pan with foil on top, very loosely covered and the dough rose and baked with it on without anything sticking..
    I will make this many times now as I have never made from scratch....

    Reply
    • Kristi

      October 11, 2020 at 2:49 pm

      Hi Helle,

      I'm so glad the bread turned out well for you! I start with cold water because I want everything to rise slowly at room temperature over a 12 hour period. Warm water would definitely accelerate the process. Is it possible that you used active dry yeast rather than instant? They look the same and it's easy to get the two mixed up. That might be one reason the consistency didn't seem right. My only other thought would be to double check the amount of water next time. And thanks so much for the parchment paper and foil tip. Genius! Happy baking!

      Kristi

      Reply
  19. Salma

    October 16, 2020 at 3:15 am

    This was so delicious but it was completely gummy and raw inside despite a nice crust 🙁

    Reply
    • Kristi

      October 16, 2020 at 10:27 am

      Hi Salma,

      I'm sorry to hear that! This bread is definitely moist, but should not be gummy and raw. A few trouble shooting thoughts for you...did the bread rise normally? If the yeast failed for some reason or you used active dry rather than instant yeast, that could be a reason it didn't bake up properly. Did you cover the loaf during the first half hour of baking and follow all of the changes in temperature? The baking process is critical to the success of the final loaf. Finally, it could be your oven. Some ovens run hotter than others and if yours tends to run cool, it's possible that it needed more time. If you have a meat thermometer at home, you can always take the temperature of your loaf to make sure it is fully baked. The internal temperature of your loaf should be 205-210 degrees F when it is done. Hope this helps!

      Kristi

      Reply
  20. Yulla

    October 31, 2020 at 3:19 pm

    Hi,
    I would loooove to make this bread but I cannot find 7 grain hot cereal mix, Bob’s Red Mill. It's not available anywhere, not Amazon or brand itself ! can you PLEASE recommend something that can be used instead? Or if you know where to buy it in the US?
    Thank you!!!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      October 31, 2020 at 5:53 pm

      Hi Yulla,

      You are the second person who has mentioned this to me this week! It looks like they are currently "out of stock" at the company itself so I think it might be hard to find for awhile. There is an alternative available from http://www.nuts.com that is very affordable and appears to be in stock. It's called "7 Grain Mix" and it's almost the same thing as the Bob's Red Mill brand. It will work just fine as a stand-in. I hope you give the bread a try! It's really good.

      Kristi

      Reply
      • George Sevelle

        October 31, 2020 at 8:06 pm

        Yula/Kristi
        I use this Rye Chops that is available on amazon. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CXHVC4J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

        G.

        Reply
        • Kristi

          November 02, 2020 at 5:03 pm

          Thanks, George! That's super helpful to know!

          Kristi

          Reply
  21. Yulla

    October 31, 2020 at 6:34 pm

    Thank you, Kristi, I will definately try it!

    Reply
  22. Chad

    November 08, 2020 at 12:42 am

    The final product picture looks like a 3" loaf (rather than the 4" wide pan called for in the instructions. How can I find a pan that will give me the dimensions in the final product photos? Do I need to order from Denmark?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      November 09, 2020 at 9:34 am

      Hi Chad,

      The pan I used for the loaf in the photos is the USA brand pullman loaf pan (13 x 4). It works great and is available at Amazon.

      Thanks,
      Kristi

      Reply
  23. Yulla

    November 14, 2020 at 5:12 pm

    I made bread!!!! It was fantastic! A bit salty for my taste, so next time I will asjust amount of salt and try to add caraway seeds. Thank you, Kristi, I have been looking for easy Danish recipe and finaly found it!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      November 16, 2020 at 7:45 am

      Yay! I'm so happy you enjoyed it! I remember that you had trouble finding the Bob's Red Mill 7 Grain cereal. What did you end up using instead?

      Kristi

      Reply
  24. Yula

    November 16, 2020 at 9:42 am

    Hi Kristi, I got the mix that you recommended from nuts.com. I just made a second batch yesterday, my family loved it. Even my picky eater teenager complemented the taste and texture. Thank you!!!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      November 17, 2020 at 1:03 pm

      That's good to know! I will share that with anyone else who is having trouble finding the mix. Thanks so much for your feedback. It is greatly appreciated!

      Kristi

      Reply
  25. Frank

    December 05, 2020 at 9:48 am

    Kristi,
    I only have a 9" Pullman pan. How much room should I leave at the top of the pan? I don't want to overfill the pan.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 05, 2020 at 9:51 am

      Hi Frank, I would say about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
      • Frank Jankovsky

        December 31, 2020 at 6:59 pm

        Kristi,
        I adjusted the recipe to 5/8 of 100 percent. The loaf nearly touched the top of the pan. Is it supposed to rise against the lid or just close? We like the bread very much but I did have to bake it an additional 20 minutes on the rack to get the internal temp up to 200 degrees. All in all a great success for my first try. Thanks for the recipe. Happy New Year.

        Reply
        • Kristi

          January 06, 2021 at 10:30 am

          Hi Frank,

          So glad the bread worked out! Depending on the weather, etc. mine will sometimes touch the top of the pan (which is kind of nice because you get that nice square shape). Happy New Year to you!

          Kristi

          Reply
  26. Carole

    December 15, 2020 at 11:59 am

    When I made the bread last night , I was sceptical about the result , even though I do not possess a stand mixer , I mixed it by hand , turned out great , thank you for your lovely recipe

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 16, 2020 at 8:59 am

      Hi Carole,

      Thanks for your comment! I agree....the dough does not look promising at first. But I'm so glad you enjoyed the final result! Happy baking!

      Kristi

      Reply
  27. Travis Andersen

    December 16, 2020 at 11:08 am

    Hello, would you have any suggestions on adjusted baking times if I were to bake these in 3x6 mini loaf pans?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 17, 2020 at 8:32 am

      Hi Travis,

      I've never baked mini loaves but I think I would start by keeping the first two 15 minute baking periods as is and maybe reduce the time when the loaves bake at 325 degrees to 30 minutes. You can always check the interior temperature of the loaf with a meat thermometer to help determine doneness. The temp should be between 205 and 210 degrees F when it is fully baked. Hope this helps! Happy baking!

      Kristi

      Reply
  28. Kristina

    December 16, 2020 at 4:00 pm

    Hi Kristi,

    I inherited my father’s rugbrød pan of proper dimensions, but it doesn’t have a lid. He made bread in it all the time, but I didn’t pay attention to the baking details. The one on Amazon is backordered until 25 December, which is too late to make a loaf in time for jul bord. Any idea whether a baking sheet or aluminum as a lid would work, in a pinch?

    Many thanks,

    Kristina

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 16, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      Hi Kristina,
      A baking sheet works just fine. How cool that you can use your dad’s pan! Let me know how it goes.
      Kristi

      Reply
  29. Julie

    January 05, 2021 at 1:31 pm

    This bread really is perfect! So easy to make, it is delicious, and it keeps very well. I froze 1/3, gave 1/3 away to my Danish parents, and ate 1/3 over a couple days. The frozen piece was just as good as the piece we ate fresh. For others unable to acquire Bob's Red Mill 7 Grain cereal, I used Rogers Porridge Oats and Ancient Grains (available at my local Superstore in Ontario), and it turned out great. Worth the purchase of a pullman loaf pan! I will make regularly. Thanks for the recipe!!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      January 06, 2021 at 10:11 am

      Hi Julie,

      Thanks for your comment! I'm so glad you enjoyed the bread, and THANK YOU for the tip on the cereal. The Bob's Red Mill brand has been difficult to track down recently. Happy baking!

      Kristi

      Reply
  30. Cath

    January 19, 2021 at 5:24 pm

    5 stars
    Very good recipe! I appreciate a well-written recipe with good instructions. The bread was very good - just a little sweet for me but that is personal taste and not a reflection of the recipe at all. I made two loaves; we cut into one same-day once cooled and let the other sit overnight. I didn't notice much improvement - or really any difference - between the loaf we ate the day of baking and the one we ate the next day. Very tasty and nutritious bread.

    I would note that I think the calorie calculation for this recipe is incorrect - I ran it through two calorie calculators and based on 16 servings, it comes in at 317 calories / slice not 238. Wanted to note this as it does make a difference for those on calories restricted diets.

    I'm looking forward to trying some more of your recipes!

    Reply
  31. Kristi

    January 20, 2021 at 5:04 pm

    Hi Cath,
    Thanks for your comment! I'm so glad you enjoyed the bread. I am just now in the process of adding nutrition information to the recipes so I appreciate you letting me know that. Sometimes the automatic calculation isn't always correct for some reason. Please let me know what else you try!
    Kristi

    Reply
  32. Jane Thompson

    January 25, 2021 at 11:43 pm

    Has anyone had the chance to scale this recipe in grams? I am making it tomorrow. I have followed a different recipe for a very similar bread but it has no regular flour. I am a looking forward to trying this as I think the addition of the bread flour will add some loft due to the gluten structure. I am awaiting my Pullman loaf via Amazon and I am also wondering if anyone has had to “stall” this recipe time line at any point prior to getting it in the pan? Can if ferment/sit longer than the 12 hours if necessary? Can it be mixed together and sit in the bowl until it is put in the pan? I am also using a combination of millet and oat groats for the grain mix. I’ll post my results! So excited

    Reply
    • Kristi

      January 26, 2021 at 9:17 am

      HI Jane,

      I have not scaled this in grams, but I will look into it and add them to the recipe as I'm sure my European and Canadian readers would appreciate grams as well. Also, if you have a sourdough starter, I do have a sourdough version on the blog which is written in grams. You can find that recipe here: https://true-north-kitchen.com/sourdough-danish-rye-bread-rugbrod/

      I have let the dough and the soaker rise in the fridge for up to 24 hours and the bread turned out fine. I would say if you haven't yet received your pan and you are getting close to 12 hours at room temp, pop everything in the fridge until it arrives and go from there.

      I hope this helps! Please let me know how it goes!

      Reply
      • Karen Chalupa

        April 02, 2021 at 7:05 pm

        5 stars
        Have made your recipe several times. It is appreciated by many. Very much. I would also appreciate if you would post the recipe scaled to grams. Always feel I can be more accurate with my measuring if I weigh. Thanks in advance.

        Reply
        • Kristi

          April 06, 2021 at 10:48 am

          Hi Karen,

          I'm so glad you are enjoying the bread! And I will definitely be adding grams to the recipe as I have had the request several times now.

          Thanks for your feedback!
          Kristi

          Reply
  33. Christine Wood

    January 29, 2021 at 10:13 am

    5 stars
    Excellent I’ve been looking for this recipe in English. Great video! I don’t have a Pullman loaf pan yet but I’m going to get one.

    Reply
  34. Kristi

    February 01, 2021 at 4:36 pm

    Hi Christine,
    Thanks for your note! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Let me know how the bread turns out!
    Kristi

    Reply
  35. Alex

    February 07, 2021 at 1:31 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you very much for this. I'm happy I can make this myself from ingredients I can get here in Massachusetts. I've tried it all - rugbrød mixes and various recepies... Yours is the best. Easy to follow and works every time.
    Thank you again!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      February 08, 2021 at 11:06 am

      Thank you so much for your comment, Alex! I'm so glad you enjoy the bread. Happy baking to you!

      Kristi

      Reply
  36. Morten Jorgensen

    February 08, 2021 at 2:52 pm

    Hi Kristi.
    I finally managed to make, what I consider to be the perfect rye bread (RUGBRØD) following your recipe. Changing temperatures and giving the bake the extra 10 minutes out of the baking pans seems to do the trick. As it is nearly impossible to find sunflower seeds other than roasted seeds here in MN, I cut down on the amount of those seeds, and substituted with pearled barley seeds. The result is a slightly moist bread, easy to slice thin for "smørrebrød" (our daily lunch) and with a very good and well rounded taste. Furthermore, we give a slice to our old dog mixed in with canned dog food, to keep her stomach in order. She loves that bread, even though she is a stubborn and picky eater (my dogs in Denmark always were fed rugbrød with liverpaste). It seems to be good for their coats. I bake the breads without having pullman pans, by just placing another pan as cover while baking. It works well. So your recipe is absolute right on. Thanks.

    Reply
  37. Kristi

    February 11, 2021 at 8:08 am

    Hi Morten,
    Thanks so much for your comment! I'm so glad you enjoyed the bread. I love how you share it with your dogs! I will have to try that with mine. Thanks again for taking the time to share your feedback.

    Kristi

    Reply
  38. John V

    February 18, 2021 at 10:13 am

    Love your web site! Do you happen to have the weight equivalents for your easy Danish rye bread? Thanks!
    John

    Reply
    • Kristi

      February 19, 2021 at 10:58 am

      Hi John,
      Thanks for your nice note! I do not have the weight equivalents but have had a few requests so I probably should look into doing that the next time I make it myself. Happy Baking!
      Kristi

      Reply
  39. Pat

    May 07, 2021 at 3:45 pm

    Hi Kristi,
    When you say pumpkin seeds, do you mean the green pepitas?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      May 07, 2021 at 4:58 pm

      Hi Pat,
      Yes, green pepitas. I hope you enjoy the bread!
      Kristi

      Reply
  40. Dave Liddell

    May 27, 2021 at 3:46 pm

    5 stars
    I am a recent, pandemic recruit to bread baking. Getting a good danish rye loaf has been a challenge - until I tried your recipe! My sourdough loaf turned out beautifully and tastes great. Thank you for the great and easy to follow recipe!

    Dave

    Reply
    • Kristi

      May 31, 2021 at 4:09 pm

      Hi Dave,

      I'm so glad you enjoyed the bread! It's one of my all time favorite recipes. Happy baking!

      Kristi

      Reply
  41. gregory anderson

    June 26, 2021 at 1:26 am

    I tried to pin this recipe, after saving it, and I got a dead bird image after I made the attempt. I actually used the PIN symbol on the photo image itself. This is a real drag. I don't know if the recipe was saved. That's beyond my ability to determine at this point.

    I like the recipe. Having cooked Scandahovian foods for over 50 years, I've got a sense of recipes. I'm a happy camper with yours. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      June 27, 2021 at 11:22 am

      Hi Greg,
      Thanks for letting me know! I'll check with the company that puts out the "Pin It" plugin I use and see what's up. Glad you enjoyed the bread despite the pinning difficulties!
      Kristi

      Reply
  42. Jen

    July 03, 2021 at 11:48 am

    5 stars
    I can't thank you enough for this recipe. It turned out perfectly, tasting (and looking) very professional! It's true the recipe lacks the sour tang my Dad is used to but he loved it and my Mom and I actually prefer it your way! I'll be making some more as soon as we finish the current loaf. Mange tak!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      July 05, 2021 at 10:32 am

      Hi Jen,
      Thanks so much for your comment! I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed the bread. If you are feeling ambitious and want to try a version of this bread that is a little more sour, give my Sourdough Danish Rye Bread recipe a try. It's a little more of what your Dad is looking for, I suspect. But I agree with you....I like the fact that this one isn't as sour as a traditional rugbrød. Thanks again for taking the time to leave me a note! Have a great week.
      Kristi

      Reply
  43. Vicki

    August 16, 2021 at 7:43 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! Halved the recipe and made it in a larger “normal” bread pan covered with a cookie sheet (but nothing to weigh it down). Top was a little crusty when it came out of the oven (I think from not using the Pullman pan) so I let it cool about 30 minutes and then wrapped tightly in foil. The top softened nicely from the steam by the next morning. Dense but not heavy and very “nutty”. Perfect with gjeost for breakfast! Lots of hands off time, but really a pretty easy to make bread.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      August 17, 2021 at 10:46 am

      Hi Vicki,
      Thanks so much for your feedback! I'm glad you enjoyed the bread.
      Happy Baking!
      Kristi

      Reply
  44. Holly Whiteside

    August 27, 2021 at 5:57 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my GOSH! I have been baking bread for nearly 50 years, made all sorts of artisan breads, but never made bread with a "soaker." I made two changes from your recipe: I used rye sourdough starter (instructions here: https://practicalselfreliance.com/rye-sourdough-starter/) instead of packaged yeast, and I used honey instead of molasses (we keep bees). Aside from the dough being from a little more wet than optimum, no doubt because of the changes I made, it is one of the most amazing bread recipes I have ever made! The flavor is outstanding! The texture quite lovely and unusual for a rye bread. I had no trouble at all getting an excellent rise with sourdough starter, so it was not dense and heavy. Perfect for sandwich bread or on its own. Top rating! Thank you so much for posting this recipe!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      August 30, 2021 at 7:25 am

      Hi Holly,
      Thanks so much for your kind review! I'm so glad you enjoyed the bread and that you were able to use a rye sourdough starter in place of the yeast. Happy baking to you!
      Kristi

      Reply
  45. anna belle

    October 25, 2021 at 11:47 pm

    I made this just over a week ago and I love it. It turned out perfectly and I agree that it is wonderful how moist it is. I’ve just mixed up the two bowlfuls again for the second go tomorrow morning. A friend is making her first one right now.
    Lovely recipe and not difficult actually.

    Reply
  46. Kristi

    October 27, 2021 at 3:48 pm

    Hi Anna Belle,
    So glad you are enjoying the bread! Thanks for sharing your feedback!
    Kristi

    Reply
  47. sara

    December 13, 2021 at 10:36 am

    Hi Kristi,
    I would like to try your recipe but I leave in Europe. I'm not used to the cups measurement. I only use a scale when I bake breads. I tried to convert on google but doesn't seems accurate
    .. It gives different result when I convert to grams.
    please could you help ?
    Should I use your sourdough recipe that is in grams and add the extra flour and water from the levain+ instant yeast ?? I don't want to use a sourdough starter.

    Thanks a lot for your help

    Best
    Sara

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 14, 2021 at 6:18 pm

      Hi Sara,
      I can try and do the gram measurements for you! I've been meaning to add them but just haven't gotten around to it. I will try and get to it by the end of the week so please check back in!
      Kristi

      Reply
      • sara

        December 16, 2021 at 4:03 am

        Thank you very much. looking forward

        Reply
  48. Ray

    December 21, 2021 at 4:17 pm

    Hi. This recipe looks well worth trying. Question: Can you blend whole rye berries o make rye chops?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 21, 2021 at 6:22 pm

      Hi Ray,
      That's a good question! I had someone try using a food processor with limited success but I wonder it a high-powered blender might work? I think it would be worth trying! Please let me know if you give it a go.
      Kristi

      Reply
      • Monica

        March 25, 2022 at 1:07 pm

        I’ve used a coffee grinder to mill rye berries to chops. My grinder is adjustable. For rye flour, the chops get processed a second time. Works great.

        Reply
  49. Donna Dauphinais

    January 01, 2022 at 2:40 pm

    Hello! I am eager to try this recipe!

    Do you have a version of this recipe that converts volume to weight? (In grams.) I am used to cooking in more exact measurements.

    Thank you so much!

    Reply
  50. Donna Dauphinais

    January 01, 2022 at 7:18 pm

    I would also like to have a version of this recipe that uses weights in grams. Although I can find a conversion online, I don't know whether it would work for this recipe - or whether my "cups" would weigh the same as your "cups," which is why weights are more reliable in recipes.

    THANK YOU!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      January 02, 2022 at 3:05 pm

      Hi Donna,
      Yes! I've had several requests for gram measurements and plan to add them soon, hopefully within the week. I had hoped to get it done over the holidays but it didn't happen. Thanks for your interest!
      Kristi

      Reply
      • Dave from New Jersey

        March 08, 2022 at 4:13 pm

        5 stars
        Kristi - I would like to point out that when I went to print the recipe, there base recipe is for 26 slices but if you change the number of slices the only the volume measurements are changes - the gram weight stays the same.

        Wasn’t a problem for me but it might foul someone else up.

        Reply
        • Kristi

          March 09, 2022 at 9:19 am

          Thanks, Dave! I will get that fixed.

          Kristi

          Reply
  51. Donn

    January 14, 2022 at 8:21 am

    Thank you for adding gram measurements!

    I have now prepared this recipe four times, and my 'consumers' and I all love, LOVE the bread,,, It is beyond delicious! I am a traditional sourdough baker, but I feel NO NEED to sway from the instant yeast in this recipe.

    THANK YOU!!!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      January 14, 2022 at 9:52 am

      Hi Donn,
      So glad you are enjoying the bread! I had a lot of requests for grams so I am happy to have made that happen. I am also a sourdough baker but find myself coming back to this one just because I love it! I do have a sourdough version of rugbrød here on the blog should ever want to give it a try. Also delicious!
      Happy weekend to you!
      Kristi

      Reply
  52. Sarah

    January 17, 2022 at 8:51 am

    Hi
    We made this last night (did an 8 hour soak with rye chops that we can get locally throughout the day). Other than a little bit of over proofing (due to doing something else) everything seemed to be fine but when we removed the lid it stuck and about 1/4 of the top ripped off. I got a smaller pullmans pan and when looking at the label on it we noticed that it says that over 450 the nonstick coating doesnt work (yes I also dusted the top with flour as well. So does it have to be bake at the 500 for 15 min or is there something in the 450 range we can try?

    Otherwise we will be trying this again

    Reply
    • Kristi

      January 19, 2022 at 3:42 pm

      Hi Sarah,
      Sorry to hear that ! You could definitely try 450 for the first fifteen minutes rather than starting at 500 (maybe add an additional 5 minutes of baking time for good measure). And I would double down on the layer of rye flour that is sifted on top of the loaf before baking along with thoroughly greasing and flouring the lid. Hopefully that does the trick! Please let me know if it works out for you.
      Thanks,
      Kristi

      Reply
  53. Karen

    February 13, 2022 at 12:58 pm

    Hi Kristi
    I have 2 questions..... can I use cracked rye berries instead of rye chops? Also about yeast.... I'm having a problem with the weight ( I prefer to weigh over measure). When weghing yeast 1 tsp doesn't weigh 4 grams. I've come across this with some other recipes as well. so do I use the 3 gm or measure the tsp? In order to get 3 gm it is MUCH more than 1 tsp
    Thank for this recipe, I will be making it the very moment I receive your reply and I am so anxious. I grew up eating this bread and I can wait!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      February 14, 2022 at 11:40 am

      Hi Karen,
      Cracked rye berries should work! As long as they aren't whole rye berries and you are doing the overnight soak I think you'll be fine. Definitely just a teaspoon of yeast! I should probably remove the grams on that measurement in the recipe because sometimes those small amounts are difficult to get accurate. Please report back and let me know how it turns out!
      Kristi

      Reply
  54. Anissa

    March 03, 2022 at 8:27 pm

    I’m in the process of making the bread now. So excited to finally find rye chops after 3 years of searching. Wish I would’ve found your blog sooner to know that I could’ve substituted the 7 grain! I’ve had the biggest hankering for rugbrød since moving back to the states from Denmark and without a surdej ready I’m happy to have found your recipe for an overnight bread. I did have difficulty finding sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds that were unsalted and not roasted so I went ahead and bought them hoping they’ll work in a pinch until I can order some online. That being said, since they’re salted do you think I should omit the salt in the recipe, or perhaps cut back on it at the very least? Just wanted to make sure cutting it out wouldnt have any adverse effects on the baking process.

    Reply
  55. Kristi

    March 04, 2022 at 9:24 am

    Hi Anissa,
    I hope the bread baking is going well! I have never used salted seeds but would probably reduce the salt by half to start with. Hope this helps!
    Kristi

    Reply
  56. Dave from New Jersey

    March 08, 2022 at 6:26 am

    5 stars
    I made this yesterday and it was awesome for breakfast today!

    I scaled the recipe to fit my 8” pullman pan (reportedly a 1 pound pan) by multiplying the ingredients by 0.45. Next time I made go up to 0.5 or 0.55.

    I didn’t have flax seeds so I substituted flax meal. That soaked up a lot of water so I gradually added more water to the soaker until I had something moist. I ended up adding 130g water to the soaker and the resulting bread was delicious.

    I’ll be making this again!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      March 08, 2022 at 11:02 am

      Hi Dave,
      So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your feedback!
      Kristi

      Reply
  57. Becky

    March 16, 2022 at 7:15 am

    I need to make the soak and dough the night before and cannot complete the mix until later the next afternoon. Can the soak and dough sit for closer to 18-24 hrs with no problem? Thanks so much. I am making this for St Patricks Day in just a few days!
    Becky

    Reply
    • Kristi

      March 16, 2022 at 2:46 pm

      Hi Becky,
      Thanks for your question! I'm inclined to have you pop them both in the fridge in the morning and then take them out about an hour before you do the final mix. This will slow down the yeast production until you are able to return to it. Let me know how that goes!
      Kristi

      Reply
      • Becky

        March 16, 2022 at 2:51 pm

        Thank you for your suggestions! I will put the soak and dough in fridge on Thursday morning before work and will see what happens! I know it will take longer to rise in the pan due to the colder temp.

        Reply
  58. Monica

    March 25, 2022 at 1:20 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made a few different rugbrod loaves but this is my favorite. Moist, not gummy, filling, great plain or with toppings. I shared with friends and they all want the recipe. I don’t have a Pullman pan and used two 9x5 pans resulting in a rectangular slice of bread vs the square slice. I should have known better, since calculating the volume of each pan in square inches suggests the smaller loaf pans have the closest total volume compared to the Pullman pan.
    Pullman pan: 13 x 4=52 sq inches.
    8x4.5=36 which is 72 sq inches for 2 loaves.
    9x5=45, 90 sq inches for 2 loaves

    Reply
    • Kristi

      March 25, 2022 at 4:15 pm

      Thanks for your feedback, Monica! So glad you are enjoying the bread.

      Kristi

      Reply
  59. KJ

    April 11, 2022 at 9:41 am

    5 stars
    This bread is "to die for" delicious. The taste, heft and chewiness was perfectly on-point. If I closed my eyes while eating it, I was transported to Europe.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      April 11, 2022 at 10:22 am

      Thanks, KJ! So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  60. KJ

    April 16, 2022 at 3:54 pm

    5 stars
    I absolutely love this bread. People I've served it to can't say enough good things about it. Everyone wants the recipe! Thanks for making this so easy that even this novice baker can be successful.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      April 17, 2022 at 3:01 pm

      Hi KJ,
      SO glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for your feedback!
      Kristi

      Reply
  61. Quinn Simpson

    April 21, 2022 at 5:47 pm

    Kristi,

    I am so keen to make this recipe but I don't have the pan with a lid.

    Will it still work or no???

    Quinn

    Reply
    • Kristi

      April 22, 2022 at 8:14 am

      Hi Quinn,
      Yes, you definitely can make it. You can split the bread dough into two 9x13 pans and use a large baking sheet as a lid during the covered portion of the bake. I usually grease the part of the baking pan that might come into contact with the bread so that it doesn't stick. Leave the baking times the same.
      Hope this helps!
      Kristi

      Reply
  62. Maryann Erickson

    June 05, 2022 at 1:17 pm

    5 stars
    Love this bread! So nutritious and relatively easy to make. They sell a similar type bread at the Swedish bakery, Fabrique, which has a store in New York City.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      June 05, 2022 at 6:15 pm

      Hi Maryann,
      So glad you liked the bread! Thanks so much for your comment!
      Kristi

      Reply
  63. Lave Olson

    June 09, 2022 at 8:43 pm

    Is there any version of this recipe that does not require the lidded bread pan? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      June 10, 2022 at 8:04 am

      Hi Lave,
      You can bake it in two 9x5 loaf pans and use a baking sheet as a "lid" during the portion of the bake when it's supposed to be covered. Baking times remain the same. Hope this helps!
      Kristi

      Reply
  64. Dee

    June 14, 2022 at 6:58 pm

    5 stars
    Firstly, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for this amazing recipe. I have been on a quest for a few years to find the exact bread I was being served on our cruise in Norway. I incorrectly thought it was a Norwegian bread and finally after looking at your pictures thought maybe it was this danish rye bread. I finally made it yesterday and waited as mentioned an extra day to dig in. Oh my it was almost exactly like the one I had in Norway minus that brown cheese ( which I probably might take a 2nd trip to get use to). Next challenge will be to try the sour dough version.....but.....and here is the big "BUT" I am allergic to rice and after devouring my morning slice I found myself with my very violent coughing fits with the works. Bob Mills 7 grains has rice, I am looking into other brands as of now. Do you have any recommendations besides 7 grains cereal I could try ? I am also allergic to corn.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      June 15, 2022 at 4:11 pm

      Hi Dee,

      Thanks for you nice comment! I would just use rye chops (they are just chopped up pieces of rye grains that are used for baking). You can find them on Amazon (just search for rye chops) OR you can order them from King Arthur Flour. I hope this helps with your rice issue. So glad you enjoyed the bread though!

      Kristi

      Reply
  65. Cynthia

    July 14, 2022 at 3:38 pm

    Getting ready to make this bread for the first time. I usually bake all my bread in a cast iron Dutch oven. Will this recipe work in a Dutch oven?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      July 14, 2022 at 7:08 pm

      Hi Cynthia,
      I am also a fan of baking bread in cast iron! You definitely don't need it for this recipe, though. If you are using a pullman pan, the lid replicates that steamy environment that the cast iron gives you. Hope this helps! Enjoy the bread!
      Kristi

      Reply
      • Cynthia

        July 18, 2022 at 2:50 pm

        5 stars
        I didn't have a Pullman Pan and seriously thought about using my Dutch oven. I decided to go with the recommended two loaf pans with a cookie sheet on top instead. I was worried because the crust was super hard when I pulled it out of the oven - like you could club someone over the head hard! LOL! But I let it cool and then wrapped it loosely in aluminum foil for a day per your instructions. It was PERFECT!!! The crust softened but still retained a rustic quality. Also, I didn't have seven-grain hot cereal available so I picked up six-grain hot cereal in the bulk bin at my local store (Sprouts) and it still tasted exactly like the bread my husband and I had in the Faroe Islands. Thank you for this amazing recipe! - Will be investing in a Pullman Pan since I will definitely be making this again!

        Reply
        • Kristi

          July 19, 2022 at 12:34 pm

          Hi Cynthia,
          So glad you enjoyed the bread, and thanks so much for your feedback! It is much appreciated!
          Kristi

          Reply
  66. Patti

    July 30, 2022 at 3:20 pm

    I am so happy to have found this recipe. Can I use fresh yeast instead of the instant yeast?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      July 31, 2022 at 9:29 pm

      Hi Patti,
      You certainly can! Here is a link to a reliable yeast converter. Hope this helps!

      Kristi

      Reply
  67. Elizabeth

    October 11, 2022 at 7:06 pm

    Verry nice. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  68. Kris

    October 25, 2022 at 4:57 pm

    5 stars
    Omg yum!!! Bought the bread pan and followed directions exactly. Turned out great. Like you said "it's hard to mess this recipe up". I used roasted and salted pepitas and sunflower seeds, so only added 2 tsp salt as you suggested, that was just right.
    I have a question... would it hurt to add chia seeds? A couple tbs in place of 2 tbs of breakfast cereal? Thanks

    Reply
    • Kristi

      October 28, 2022 at 10:10 am

      Hi Kris,
      So glad it worked out and that you enjoyed the bread!
      Kristi

      Reply
  69. Ellen

    November 15, 2022 at 7:51 am

    5 stars
    I halved the recipe to accommodate a 8 inch pullman pan. I really liked the flavour. The second time I made it, I did cover it with a damp tea towel while it cooled to prevent the crust from hardening too much.

    Reply
  70. Evgeny

    November 16, 2022 at 3:30 am

    Good afternoon, I ate this bread once on a cruise. I want to repeat it, I live in Israel
    I have a question for you
    1. Why do you leave the dough for 8-12 hours? To make it acidic?

    Can I use sourdough instead of yeast and go through this long autolysis?
    If I have a good and strong sourdough starter, can I do without yeast with good acidity?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      November 18, 2022 at 11:02 am

      Hello!
      The overnight rise helps with flavor and makes it possible to use less yeast. I do have a sourdough version! Here is the link: https://true-north-kitchen.com/sourdough-danish-rye-bread-rugbrod/

      Hope this helps!
      Kristi

      Reply
  71. Behan

    November 27, 2022 at 1:05 pm

    Hello! Here in Mexico I have access to active dry yeast, but not instant yeast. Do you think if I use the water volume for the dough, warmed a bit, to proof the yeast before mixing in flour would make it OK to substitute active for instant? I'm missing this bread so much (after a trip to Denmark a couple of months ago) and hope to replicate it here.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 04, 2022 at 3:58 pm

      Hi Behan,
      Sorry for the late reply. I've been out of town for the past week. That will definitely work! Let me know how it turns out.
      Kristi

      Reply
  72. Dorte Rasmussen

    November 29, 2022 at 12:35 pm

    5 stars
    I have been trying a zillion different recipes, also including sourdough starter. This one has been the best and so convenient with the dried yeast. It is moist, not gummy, and full bodied flavor. My one issue, as always is when it cooled the middle area sunk down about a 1/2 inch. The internal temp was right on but it is annoying. I am thinking next time, not to allow it to rise more than 1 inch max from top. Help!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 04, 2022 at 3:57 pm

      Hi Dorte,
      So glad you enjoyed the bread! I'm not sure what to say about the sinking. Definitely give your idea about rising a try.
      Kristi

      Reply
  73. Denise Fischer

    December 14, 2022 at 12:39 pm

    5 stars
    I have made several loaves of the sourdough version of your Rugbrod recipe. I am in the process of cooking this loaf but was wondering if you had suggestions for the best spot in the oven to cook this. Should the oven rack be on lowest or middle shelf?

    Reply
  74. Kristi

    December 18, 2022 at 11:46 am

    Hi Denise!
    Sorry for the late response, I have been out of town. I have done both and had good results both ways. I hope this loaf turned out well for you!

    Kristi

    Reply
  75. Heidi Goff

    January 05, 2023 at 5:45 pm

    5 stars
    Hi. I love this bread. I made it four days ago and it is getting better daily. The family loves it, which is a good thing since that is a BIG loaf. I made mine completely organic! Really lovely.

    However, I can one problem which I need to solve, hope you can help. My dough rose VERY fast. I set the timer for 1.5 on the rise at room temp (72 degrees). It was already pressing against the top and oozing out the ends of the corners of the pan. I had to quick heat my oven and bake, it continue to rise and ooze out during baking leaving me with a very messy oven. However, I am not complaining, just trying to give you an idea of how active this one. I used 1 teaspoon Fleischmann's RapidRise Instant Yeast - Fast Acting. Do you know if this is different from the instant yeast you specified? Could something else be the cause. I used weight to measure all the ingredients except the yeast and the molasses. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kristi

      January 08, 2023 at 3:18 pm

      Hi Heidi,
      Thanks for your comment! Your yeast is the same thing as instant yeast so that is definitely not the issue. I am wondering how long your overnight rest was? I think that a longer overnight rest might lead to a faster second rise. Glad you enjoyed it nonetheless!

      Kristi

      Reply

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