A quick and easy spelt bread, also known as Dinkelbrot in German, is made with 100% wholegrain spelt flour for maximum flavor and health benefits of this ancient grain. This delicious, nutty bread works in a bread maker and yes, it contains gluten!
Because this delicious, flavorsome bread is so easy to make, it is a firm staple in my family and our everyday bread.
If you like this recipe, make sure to check out my soft whey bread, spelt pretzels, and Easter brioche recipes as well.
What is spelt flour?
Spelt is a type of wheat (Triticum spelta), and wholegrain spelt flour is a type of whole wheat flour made from the whole grain including bran, endosperm, and germ.
Is spelt flour gluten free?
While spelt flour contains gluten, it is considered a health food due to its high level of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Therefore the ancient grain is an excellent substitute for all-purpose and whole-grain wheat flour.
Spelt flour also carries health benefits for diabetics and is popular with people following a low FODMAP diet.
Ingredients
This 100% whole grain spelt bread includes only eight ingredients.
- Whole grain spelt flour – I started to mill spelt berries for maximum freshness but you can also buy wholegrain spelt flour at specialist retailers. Make sure it has recently been milled as the whole grain flour doesn’t have a long shelf-life and can get easily rancid. The wholegrain spelt flour can also be fully substituted with all-purpose spelt flour.
- Yeast – Active dried yeast as well as fresh yeast work well for this recipe.
- Sugar – Castor sugar activates the yeast nicely but you can also use honey or maple syrup.
- Water – Chlorine in tap water can slow down the yeast. Filtered, lukewarm water however nicely activates it.
- Salt – I use sea salt for bread making but you can also opt for table salt if needed.
- Nuts and seeds – Walnut pieces, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds not only add great texture to this spelt bread, they also boost this sandwich loaf with extra nutrients. The nuts and seeds can easily be omitted or substituted to suit dietary requirements.
Tips
- Make sure the yeast is fully activated before you add it to the remaining ingredients.
- Don’t knead the dough too long as spelt flour has a weaker gluten structure than wheat.
- Check out this video by the San Diego Artisan Bread School on how to shape the dough for a sandwich loaf tin.
FAQ
How do you store whole-grain bread?
This wholemeal bread will easily store in a bread bin for up to 3 days. Store it in a sealed container in the fridge if the temperature is very high in your kitchen. Sliced or as a whole loaf, the spelt bread stores up to 3 months in a container or freezer-proof bag in the freezer.
Can you make this spelt bread in a bread maker?
Yes, you can. Simply activate the yeast as per the instructions and add all ingredients to the bowl. Place it in the bread maker and select a 3 hour program that doesn’t include a lot of kneading.
I select program 5 and loaf size L on my Panasonic Automatic Bread Maker SD-2501 for a rapid 3 hour loaf or program 4 and the timer to have delicious, warm bread in the morning.
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Simple Spelt Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole-grain spelt flour
- 1 1/2 tsp active dried yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm filtered water
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup walnut pieces
Instructions
- To activate the yeast, add sugar and yeast to the lukewarm water. Mix well until the yeast is dissolved and bubbles are starting to form.1 1/2 tsp active dried yeast, 1 tsp sugar, 1 1/2 cups warm
- In a large bowl, mix whole-grain spelt flour, salt, walnuts, and seeds. Add the activated yeast and roughly combine everything.4 cups whole-grain spelt flour, 2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, 1/4 cup walnut pieces
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 3 minutes by hand. Add it back to the bowl and cover it with a damp tea towel. Let it rise for 2 hours in a warm place.
- Preheat the oven to 356F/180C. Line a loaf pan with baking paper.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a loaf. Add the shaped loaf to the loaf tin and bake it for 30 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it fully cool on a rack before slicing. Enjoy!