Oat bread: recipe for moist loaves with rolled oats

Homemade bread and a Vokshus bread bag on the worktop

Oats give bread a mild flavour and a moist crumb. The trick is to soak them first, so they hold water and don't steal moisture from the dough. The recipe makes two loaves.

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Short answer: Soak 100 g rolled oats in 300 ml boiling water. Mix with 400 ml water, 25 g yeast, 3 tsp salt, 300 g wholemeal flour and 600 g plain flour. Let it rise twice and bake at 200 °C for 40 minutes.

Ingredients for two loaves

  • 100 g rolled oats
  • 300 ml boiling water
  • 400 ml cold water
  • 25 g fresh yeast
  • 3 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 300 g wholemeal flour
  • 600 g plain flour
  • A few oats to decorate

How to bake oat bread

  1. 1
    Soak the oats

    Pour the boiling water over the oats and leave for 30 minutes. Add the cold water: the mixture should now be lukewarm.

  2. 2
    Knead the dough

    Stir the yeast into the mixture, and add salt, oil and flour. Knead for 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and a little sticky. Let it rise for about 1 hour.

  3. 3
    Shape and rise again

    Divide the dough in two, shape the loaves and put them in greased tins. Brush with water, sprinkle with oats and let them rise for 30 minutes.

  4. 4
    Bake

    Bake at 200 °C for about 40 minutes. Take the loaves out of the tins and cool them on a rack.

Storing oat bread

Oat bread is moist, and in a plastic bag it soon gets a soft crust. Let the bread cool, put it in a bread bag that breathes, and keep the bag in the fridge. Whatever you won't eat in time, freeze in the same bag. Here is how to thaw it again: frozen bread straight into the oven.

Frequently asked questions

Do the oats have to be soaked?
Yes, ideally. Dry oats draw water from the dough during baking, and the bread ends up drier.
Which oats work best?
Both quick oats and large rolled oats work well. Quick oats give a more even crumb, large oats more bite.
Why did the bread turn out dense?
Usually the dough has not risen for long enough. Wait until it has doubled in size, even if that takes longer than the recipe says.

For your bread

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Cotton and linen with beeswax on the inside. Measures 30.5 × 43 cm and holds a large loaf. Goes in fridge and freezer, and on the counter the bread stays fresh for 7 to 10 days.

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