Valerie's Very Own Rye Bread

If you’ve ever wanted rye bread that smells like a proper deli but requires roughly the same effort as making toast, this is your recipe.

Rye flour and all-purpose flour team up with molasses and a sneaky tablespoon of cocoa powder to give this loaf its dark, glossy crumb. Caraway seeds bring that unmistakable rye bite, and a touch of vital wheat gluten keeps the texture from going too dense.

Dump everything in the bread machine, press start, and walk away. Come back to a warm, fragrant loaf that’ll make your kitchen smell like a bakery on the Lower East Side.

Kitchen Tips

• Add ingredients in the order your bread machine manual recommends. Some machines want liquids first, others want dry ingredients on the bottom.
• The cocoa powder isn’t for chocolate flavor. It deepens the color and adds a subtle richness that mimics the look of pumpernickel.
• If your loaf comes out too dense, try adding an extra teaspoon of vital wheat gluten next time. Rye flour is low in gluten, so it needs the boost for a lighter crumb.