Oatmeal Molasses Bread
Oatmeal molasses bread is a Nova Scotia classic, a recipe that has been in my collection for years. Soft and slightly sweet, it’s the kind of bread you find at breakfast tables across the province, spread with butter or toasted. It pairs beautifully with hearty soups like Nova Scotia seafood chowder or Maritime fish chowder.
Molasses has deep roots in Atlantic Canada’s food history, a staple ingredient dating back to early trade routes. Crosby’s molasses, my preferred brand, has been a household name in the region for generations and gives this bread its signature rich flavor. The deep caramel notes of this bread make it a perfect companion to molasses baked beans, another Maritime favorite that has stood the test of time. Whether eaten fresh, toasted, or slathered with butter, this bread is a true taste of Nova Scotia.
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Ingredients For Oatmeal Molasses Bread
Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the bread, giving it a soft but sturdy crumb.
- Butter: Adds moisture and richness to the dough while also enhancing flavor and brushing melted butter on top before baking creates a golden, tender crust.
- Fancy Molasses: Adds deep, rich sweetness and a hint of bitterness, giving the bread its signature flavor. It also helps keep the loaf soft and moist.
- Rolled Oats: Soaking them in hot water helps break them down, making the final bread softer and more uniform rather than having chewy, dry oat bits throughout.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors in the bread and helps control yeast activity.
- Sugar: Feeds the yeast to help activate it.
- Water: I use hot tap water to soften the oats and warm water with sugar to activate the yeast.
- Yeast: I prefer active dry yeast over rapid rise because it rises slower, giving more time for flavor development. Longer fermentation produces bread with a richer, more complex taste.
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavor may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
- All-Purpose Flour: Swap an equal amount of bread flour.
- Butter: You can replace butter with vegetable oil in the dough; do not brush oil on the crust before baking. Use a lightly beaten egg or milk instead.
- Salt: Use fine sea salt or kosher salt as a substitute. If using kosher, increase the amount slightly due to its larger grain.
- Yeast: Swap with an equal amount of rapid rise yeast, sometimes called instant, but reduce the rise time slightly.
Recipe Variations
Try any of the following for a twist on this oatmeal molasses bread recipe:
- Apples: Fold in ½ cup of grated apple.
- Cinnamon: Stir 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon into the flour.
- Cranberries: Fold in ½ cup of dried cranberries.
- Flaxseeds: Stir in ¼ cup of ground or whole flaxseeds.
- Ginger: Stir in 1 ½ teaspoons of ground ginger.
- Milk: Replace warm water with ¼ cup of warm milk.
- Nutmeg: Stir ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg into the flour.
- Orange Zest: Stir in the zest of one orange.
- Pecans: Stir in ½ cup of chopped pecans.
- Pumpkin Seeds: Stir in ¼ cup of pumpkin seeds.
- Raisins: Fold in ½ cup of raisins.
- Sesame Seeds: Stir in 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds.
- Sunflower Seeds: Add ¼ cup of sunflower seeds with the oats.
- Walnuts: Stir in ½ cup of chopped walnuts.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How To Make Oatmeal Molasses Bread
STEP 1: Combine the oats and hot water; let sit for 10 minutes. Mix the warm water, yeast, and sugar; let stand for 10 minutes. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, molasses, and salt to the oats.
STEP 2: Stir until the softened oats are evenly distributed.
STEP 3: Add the flour and stir until a shaggy dough forms, ensuring all dry bits of flour are incorporated.
STEP 4: Knead the dough for 10 minutes, then shape it into a ball. Place it back in the mixing bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour until doubled.
STEP 5: Gently punch down the dough, then divide it into two portions. Shape each into a ball, pinching the seams to seal.
STEP 6: Place the dough balls at each end of a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes or until 1 inch (3 cm) above the rim.
STEP 7: Preheat the oven, melt the remaining butter, and brush it over the dough. Place a second loaf tin upside down over the top of the pan to create a cover (see recipe notes).
STEP 8: Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the top tin and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
Expert Tips
1. Expired yeast can prevent your dough from rising. Check the date on the package, and store yeast in the fridge or freezer to keep it fresh longer.
2. I use reusable shower caps from the dollar store to cover my dough. They keep moisture in and draft out.
3. Try kneading your dough to Taylor Swift’s 10-minute version of All Too Well—by the time it ends, your dough will be smooth and elastic.
Recipe Notes
- Use a large mixing bowl to soak the oats, as all other ingredients will be added to this bowl later.
- The dough will be sticky at first but should become smooth and elastic after kneading; avoid adding too much flour, or the bread may be dry.
- Dough rising times can vary, so don’t rely only on the clock—look for the dough to double in size during the first rise and rise 1 inch (3 cm) above the pan in the second. If it hasn’t, give it more time.
- Shaping the dough into two balls yields more uniform slices than one single loaf.
- I use small binder clips to secure my parchment paper to my tin. If using clips, remove them before baking.
- The trapped steam under the second loaf tin helps create a softer crust and even baking. If you don’t have a second loaf tin for covering, use a tented foil to trap steam.
Storage For Oatmeal Molasses Bread
- Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
- For longer storage, slice the cooled loaf and freeze in a sealed bag for up to two months.
- To thaw, let slices sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or toast straight from the freezer.
Serve Oatmeal Molasses Bread With These Recipes
Did you make this oatmeal molasses bread? Please rate the recipe and tell me how it went in the comments below. Also, stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more Nova Scotia recipes and simple comfort food.
Printable Recipe Card
Oatmeal Molasses Bread
Special Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowls
- Danish dough whisk or sturdy spoon
- Two 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf tins (see recipe notes)
- Pastry brush
- Parchment paper
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats, not quick oats
- 1 cup hot water, 120°F to 140°F (49°C to 60°C)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- ¼ cup warm water, 100°F to 110°F (38°C to 43°C)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, not rapid rise
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup molasses, fancy, not blackstrap
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus up to ¼ cup (38 g) more for kneading
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats and hot water. Let sit for 10 minutes to soften the oats.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and set it aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes until the yeast is expanded and frothy.
- Add the yeast mixture, 1 tablespoon of melted butter, molasses, and salt to the oat mixture. Stir until well combined.
- Add the flour and stir until a shaggy dough forms, ensuring all dry bits of flour are incorporated.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour whenever it sticks to the work surface or your hands. The dough should be smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky.
- Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it back in the mixing bowl, seam side down. Cover the bowl with a shower cap or damp tea towel, and let rise in a draft-free place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Line a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) standard loaf pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Gently punch down the dough and divide it into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball, pinching the seams at the bottom to seal.
- Place the two dough balls on each end of the prepared loaf pan. Cover the pan and let the dough rise for another 45 minutes, or until it rises about 1 inch (3 cm) above the pan’s rim.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and brush it over the dough. Place the second loaf tin upside down over the top of the pan to create a cover.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the top tin and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes. The loaf is done when the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove the loaf from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.
Recipe Notes
- Use a large mixing bowl to soak the oats, as all other ingredients will be added to this bowl later.
- The dough will be sticky at first but should become smooth and elastic after kneading; avoid adding too much flour, or the bread may be dry.
- Dough rising times can vary, so don’t rely only on the clock—look for the dough to double in size during the first rise and rise 1 inch (3 cm) above the pan in the second. If it hasn’t, give it more time.
- Shaping the dough into two balls yields more uniform slices than one single loaf.
- I use small binder clips to secure my parchment paper to my tin. If using clips, remove them before baking.
- The trapped steam under the second loaf tin helps create a softer crust and even baking. If you don’t have a second loaf tin for covering, use a tented foil to trap steam.
Storage
- Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
- For longer storage, slice the cooled loaf and freeze in a sealed bag for up to two months.
- To thaw, let slices sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or toast straight from the freezer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided as a courtesy. For precise nutritional data, please calculate it independently using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Hi, I’m Kelly Neil. I’m a food photographer, recipe developer, and the creator of kellyneil.com, where I share Nova Scotia-inspired recipes and simple comfort food. I’ve worked with brands such as Loblaws, Lee Valley, Cavendish Farms, Canada Beef, and many more. Subscribe to my email newsletter for new recipes and inspiration!
