This slightly sweet Old Fashioned Oatmeal Bread with Molasses is a simple bread recipe that anyone can make. This bread is perfect for sandwiches, toasting for breakfast or tastes great on its own as a snack. Baking this bread doesn't require too much skill, but it sure tastes like it does!
This homemade bread recipe was one of my grandma's and the original recipe had very minimal instructions. I rewrote this one with more detail and a few minor adjustments. This old fashioned oatmeal bread recipe has been around for many years and is a family favorite!
We think this brown bread is most delicious freshly baked and still warm from the oven. Of course we love it slathered in butter but it's also great toasted with peanut butter!
If you are looking for more oatmeal recipes, try: Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars with Dark Chocolate Chips, Dark Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans, or Baked Oats for One.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- It is cozy. There is something so cozy about a warm piece of freshly baked bread from scratch. Especially when it's topped with plenty of butter! My favorite snack, for sure!
- Approachable. There are several steps to this recipe, but anyone can make it. It does not require any special skills. It's a great recipe for new bread bakers!
- Delicious. The sweetness from the molasses combined with the hearty oats, really helps to give this loaf of bread so much flavor. It's just slightly sweet, making it perfect in so many ways!
Ingredients Needed
Here are notes about some of the ingredients to make this oatmeal molasses bread. To see the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Oatmeal-Old fashioned oats are going to work and look best for this recipe.
- Molasses-I always have Grandma's Original Molasses on hand and I think this is the best.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best for baking so you have more control over the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Salt
- Yeast-You will need to use quick rise yeast.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is used in this recipe.
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare the Oats
STEP 1: In the bowl of your mixer, add the oatmeal, molasses, butter and salt.
STEP 2: Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the oatmeal mixture and stir it well to combine. Let the mixture cool, about 30-40 minutes.
STEP 3: Once the mixture is cool, add 2 cups of the flour to the bowl. With your dough hook attachment, set your mixer to medium and mix until the flour is mixed in. You will need to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to get all the flour incorporated.
STEP 4: To activate the yeast, add the yeast to ⅓ cup of hot water. You will want the temperature of this water to be about 110°-115°F. Let the water and yeast mixture sit for 5 minutes before adding it to the oatmeal mixture.
STEP 5: Add the yeast mixture to the oats mixture along with the rest of the flour. Mix for five minutes on medium speed, scraping the sides again to be sure all the flour is combined. The dough will be very sticky!
STEP 6: Cover the bread with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise for two hours in a warm place.
Prepare Pans
STEP 1: Prepare two loaf pans by spraying them with cooking spray. Cover the bottom of the loaf pan with oatmeal and shake the excess along the bottom and sides of the pan, coating the entire inside with a layer of oats.
STEP 2: Punch dough down and then divide the dough between the two loaf pans. This is a bit of a messy task because the dough is very sticky. I just use a large spoon and my hands to transfer the dough. It's not pretty, but it works!
STEP 3: Cover the two pans with your clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise again for about an hour and half.
STEP 4: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Place the loaf pans in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
STEP 5: Once the bread is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then remove from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Expert Tips
- Plan accordingly. There are several steps that require some resting time, so be sure to make this on a day when you will be around the house to tend to the dough!
- Be careful not to kill the yeast with water that is too hot! This will cause your bread to not rise. I usually just let my kitchen tap run until it is as hot as it will get and then measure out my water.
- Use a thermometer to test the temperature of the water before adding yeast to be sure it isn't too hot.
- To evenly divide the dough between two loaf pans, use a kitchen scale.
FAQ
No, you could use quick-cooking or rolled oats if that is what you have. The old fashioned oats provide a heartier texture and they look nice on the outside of the bread.
The problem here may be that the yeast is old or the water was too hot and it killed the yeast. If your yeast does not get bubbly and foamy when you mix it with the hot (110°-115°F) water, then your yeast is either old or the water is too hot. Get you some new yeast or cooler water!
Well, all bread is best freshly baked and warm. But this bread is just as good toasted in the toaster. I like to slather it with butter, peanut butter and/or jam.
Storing and Freezing
Store cooled bread tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in a zip top bag at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Store cooled bread tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in a zip top bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw at room temperature for several hours before serving.
Other Recipes to Try
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Recipe
Old Fashioned Oatmeal Bread with Molasses
Ingredients
- 1 cup oatmeal
- ½ cup molasses
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 5 ½ cups flour, divided
- 2 ¼ teaspoons quick rise yeast
Instructions
- In the bowl of your mixer, combine the oatmeal, molasses, butter, and salt. Add 2 cups boiling water. Stir and then let cool. About 30-40 minutes.1 cup oatmeal, ½ cup molasses, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, 2 teaspoons salt
- Once cool, add 2 cups flour. Using the bread hook attachment on your mixer, mix on low until combined. Scrape sides with spatula if needed.5 ½ cups flour, divided
- Combine ⅓ cup hot water (110°F-115°F) and yeast in a measuring cup and let stand 5 minutes. Add to oatmeal mixture. Add remaining 3 ½ cups flour and mix on medium for 5 minutes, scraping sides with rubber spatula as needed.2 ¼ teaspoons quick rise yeast
- Cover bowl with clean kitchen towel and let bread rise for 2 hours.
- Spray two loaf pans with cooking spray. Sprinkle oatmeal in bottom of loaf pans and shake to coat bottoms and sides. Divide dough evenly between pans. Cover with towel and let rest for 90 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes in pan then remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.
Nutrition Information
Please note that these nutrition facts are approximations and may not be entirely precise.
Amy says
We made this and brought it to a church function today. It was gone before the cookies and brownies! Everyone loved it and many asked for the recipe. We will definitely be making this again!
Ashlyn Meredith says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Amy!