Icelandic Brown Bread Recipe - from Bake.Eat.Repeat. (2024)

Jump to Recipe

Easy to make, slightly sweet, soft and perfect for your morning toast – this Icelandic brown bread is amazing. You need to try it!

Icelandic Brown Bread Recipe - from Bake.Eat.Repeat. (1)

So, anyone out there ever had Icelandic brown bread? Yeah….didn’t think so.

This maybe isn’t a recipe that the masses are clamouring for. But you know what? They should be. It’s a fantastic, easy to make, brown bread that is a bit sweet, super soft, and just perfect for your morning toast.

So why Icelandic brown bread? Well, because I’m part Icelandic and so I had it fairly often growing up. My grandma’s family is from Iceland, although I’ll be honest, I haven’t really had a ton of Icelandic food. There were the few things that we would have at my Grandma’s house whenever we were visiting, but that’s about it. And occasionally my dad would bring home some dried fish and he and I would happily inhale it (being the only two in the house that actually liked it! As a side note, I haven’t had that in years – I wonder where I can find it?).

Icelandic Brown Bread Recipe - from Bake.Eat.Repeat. (2)

I have a couple of Icelandic recipes from my Grandma, although I haven’t yet attempted to make my favourite of all, a cake that she made every Christmas. It’s so good though, andI might need to try making it this year, just so that I can share it with you!

The one I make on a regular basis is this one – Icelandic brown bread. This recipe was from my great Aunt, and was originally meant to be made in a bread machine. But I never did really care for the strange square shaped loaves that you get out of a bread machine and so I haven’t used one in years. If you prefer to use one though, this recipe works well on the whole grain setting – it will make one large, 2 pound loaf.

I like it as two smaller 8×4 inch loaves, made in bread pans. Either way, it’s the perfect bread for toast. We love it toasted for breakfast with peanut butter or jam.

Even if you haven’t grown up with Icelandic brown bread – you will love it. It’s fantastic!

Icelandic Brown Bread Recipe - from Bake.Eat.Repeat. (3)

Yield: 2 - 8x4 inch loaves

Icelandic Brown Bread

Icelandic Brown Bread Recipe - from Bake.Eat.Repeat. (4)

Easy to make, slightly sweet, soft and perfect for your morning toast - this Icelandic brown bread is amazing. You need to try it!

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time1 hour

Total Time1 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

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, or in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or dough whisk, combine the water, butter, sugar, brown sugar and molasses.
  2. Add the salt, all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 cups (350g) whole wheat flour and the yeast.
  3. Mix with the dough hook until everything is combined.
  4. After mixing for a minute or so, the dough should come together and clear the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  5. If it is too wet and sticky to clear the bottom of the bowl, sprinkle in a little more whole wheat flour, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough clears the bottom of the bowl. It should be soft and slightly tacky to the touch, but not overly sticky.
  6. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes (12-14 by hand) until it is smooth and elastic.
  7. Remove the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to coat, and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
  8. Allow it to rise until almost doubled, about 2 hours.
  9. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly oiled surface.
  10. Divide it into two pieces and shape each into a loaf by pressing it into a thick rectangle and then roll it up from the long edge, pressing the seam as you do so.
  11. Place each loaf seam side down into an oiled 8x4 inch bread pan and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
  12. Allow the loaves to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they have almost doubled.
  13. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  14. Bake the loaves for 50-60 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.
  15. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Recommended Products

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases.

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 estimated based on ingredients used and may not be exact.

Icelandic Brown Bread Recipe - from Bake.Eat.Repeat. (2024)

FAQs

What is the famous bread in Iceland? ›

The first and foremost of Icelandic loaves of bread is rú*gbrauð, or sweet, dark rye bread. Nowadays, there are several ways to make rú*gbrauð, but it was traditionally baked in a pot or steamed.

Why is bread in Iceland so good? ›

Additionally, Icelandic rye bread is slow-baked, and the prolonged cooking time in the natural geothermal heat of the earth plays a role in enhancing the sweetness of the bread.

How do you make the top of bread Brown? ›

What are the best techniques for creating dark color and shine on bread crusts? To create dark, burnished crusts on their loaves, professional bakers brush milk, egg, or water onto the surface of the risen dough before baking.

What is the most eaten food in Iceland? ›

Langoustine, cod and haddock are the most common options. Fish is best enjoyed with a side of potatoes and classic Icelandic rye bread with butter.

What is the national dish in Iceland? ›

1. Hákarl (Fermented Shark) Iceland's national dish is Hákarl, a fermented shark dish. The sharks are usually Greenland sharks, and their meat is poisonous unless it's been fermented.

Why is Iceland food so expensive? ›

A. Iceland is relatively expensive compared to many other countries but on the other hand, the average salary is higher than in most other countries. There are several reasons for Iceland's high prices, including a small market, oligopoly, high reliance on imports, geographical isolation and high import taxes and tolls ...

How much is a loaf of bread in Iceland? ›

Sample prices by item
ItemISK (average)Price in GBP (approx)
Imported beer (330ml)1,000£5.90
Milk (1 litre)206£1.20
Bread (loaf)445£2.65
Eggs (dozen)754£4.45
12 more rows

Which country has the best bread in the world? ›

Top best bread of the world (Ranked by TasteAtlas)
  1. Roti canai, Malaysia.
  2. Pan de bono, Colombia.
  3. Butter garlic naan, India.
  4. Nan-e barbari, Iran.
  5. Pão de queijo, Brazil.
  6. Baguette, France.
  7. Naan (collectively), India.
  8. Piadina Romagnola, Italy.
Oct 10, 2023

What do Icelanders eat for breakfast? ›

The main components of a typical Icelandic breakfast include eggs, bacon, sausages, and skyr. Skyr is a traditional Icelandic yogurt that is high in protein and low in fat. It is often served with brown sugar, berries, or cream. Another popular dish is oatmeal or hafragrautur, which is made with rolled oats and milk.

What is the most popular dessert in Iceland? ›

Undoubtedly the most famous Icelandic dessert product is Skyr which can be found in supermarkets worldwide and is most likened to a yoghurt.

Why is Icelandic food so good? ›

Like in most of Scandinavia, the cuisine is entirely inspired by the ingredients Icelanders have around them, from the free-roaming sheep to the cod, herring, and Arctic char that splash around the cold waters. Beyond its freshness, Iceland's food is pure—with less of a focus on GMOs and artificial ingredients.

Why is my brown bread not brown? ›

Are you baking your loaf at the right temperature? It sounds obvious, but bread generally needs to be baked at a high temperature. A golden-brown, glossy crust is achieved when sugars and amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) in the dough react together at high temperatures in the oven.

Why do you put water in the oven when baking bread? ›

Moisture in the dough is trapped under the cloche. It turns to steam, which keeps the bread dough moist during baking. The dough expands, swelling into a plump loaf of bread. Once all of the moisture evaporates, the bread begins to brown.

Why won't my brown bread rise much? ›

To fix dough that won't rise, try placing the dough on the lowest rack in your oven along with a baking pan filled with boiling water. Close the oven door and let the dough rise. Increasing the temperature and moisture can help activate the yeast in the dough so it rises. You can also try adding more yeast.

Why is rye bread so popular in Iceland? ›

The reason for its popularity is because rye grains were cheap and readily available, and it was made using sourdough which was the only raising agent available. Before it was trendy, sourdough was the traditional method of fermentation and was used to make the next loaf.

What bread is cooked in sand in Iceland? ›

To make the bread, he combines rye flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then blends in cow's milk. Though that may sound simple, it's the temperature, depth, and time that the bread spends cooking in the hot-springs sand that imparts its cakey sweetness. Steam hisses around Lake Laugarvatn.

What is the underground bread in Iceland? ›

Locals call it rugbraud, but it's also referred to as 'thunder bread' or 'hot spring bread'. It is made of a simple recipe of rye flour, white flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and sometimes milk and golden syrup, but it is the geothermal energy that makes this cooking method possible.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Allyn Kozey

Last Updated:

Views: 5945

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (63 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Allyn Kozey

Birthday: 1993-12-21

Address: Suite 454 40343 Larson Union, Port Melia, TX 16164

Phone: +2456904400762

Job: Investor Administrator

Hobby: Sketching, Puzzles, Pet, Mountaineering, Skydiving, Dowsing, Sports

Introduction: My name is Allyn Kozey, I am a outstanding, colorful, adventurous, encouraging, zealous, tender, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.