by 
Pumpkin and Sunflower Seed Bread is a hearty homemade yeast bread made with white whole wheat flour and plenty of crunchy seeds. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are mixed into the dough and sprinkled over the top of each loaf.
The bread has a soft texture with a slightly nutty flavor and is delicious sliced for sandwiches or toasted and topped with butter and honey.
Jump to:
Homemade seeded bread
I’ve been baking homemade bread for years, and I love adding different grains, seeds, and flours to change the texture and flavor. This loaf combines white whole wheat flour with pumpkin and sunflower seeds for a hearty bread that still has a soft texture.
The seeds are mixed right into the dough, with more sprinkled over the top before baking. I especially like this bread toasted with butter and honey, but it also makes a great sandwich bread.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
I’ve been baking all our bread recently and this is by far the best recipe. It is delicious! It freezes perfectly, and stays fresh and soft for a week. Love it! ~ Sharon
Key ingredients
- White whole wheat flour is made from white wheat and has a milder flavor than traditional whole wheat flour. It adds whole-grain flavor and texture without making the bread overly heavy.
- All-purpose flour helps give the bread a softer, lighter texture. Some is used when activating the yeast, with the remainder added to the dough.
- Pumpkin and sunflower seeds add crunch and a slightly nutty flavor. Use raw, unsalted seeds so you can control the salt in the bread.
- Honey adds a touch of sweetness and complements the whole wheat flour and seeds.
I also use white whole wheat flour in my honey oat bread and in my whole wheat bread.
Step by step directions
- Combine the warm water, yeast, and ¼ cup of the all-purpose flour. Let rest for 5–10 minutes until bubbly.
- Add the oil, honey, salt, and remaining 1¾ cups all-purpose flour. Mix to combine.
- Stir in the pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
- Add 2 cups of white whole wheat flour and mix. Continue adding more white whole wheat flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough forms a ball and isn't too sticky.
- Knead the dough for 5–8 minutes, then place it in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
- Remove wrap and gently punch dough down so it is deflated.
- Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a loaf. Place in two greased 9 × 5-inch loaf pans.
To shape loaves, flatten round into a rectangle. Roll up jelly roll style and pinch seam.
- Tuck in ends and pinch ends together.
- Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes, until the tops are smooth, rounded, and noticeably puffy. Gently press the side of the dough with your knuckle. It's ready when it slowly springs back and leaves a shallow indentation.
- Brush the loaves with beaten egg and sprinkle with additional pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes.
- Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Bread making tips
- Watch the flour. The exact amount of white whole wheat flour can vary. Add it gradually and stop when the dough forms a ball and is slightly tacky but not overly sticky.
- Let the dough determine the rise time. A warm kitchen will speed up the rise, while a cooler kitchen may take longer. Look for the dough to double during the first rise rather than relying on the clock.
- Use the poke test for the second rise. Gently press the side of the loaf with a knuckle. If it slowly springs back and leaves a shallow indentation, it's ready to bake.
- Check for doneness. The loaves should be nicely browned on top and sound hollow when tapped. For an additional check, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of a loaf. It should register about 190–200°F.
- Let the bread cool before slicing. Cooling gives the interior time to set and makes the bread easier to slice.
Storage and freezing
Once completely cool, store the bread in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature.
This recipe makes two loaves, so I often freeze one for later. Wrap the cooled loaf well and place it in a freezer-safe bag. You can freeze the loaf whole or slice it first so you can remove individual slices as needed.
Thaw a whole loaf at room temperature while still wrapped. Individual slices can be thawed at room temperature or warmed in the toaster.
Recipe FAQs
The water should be between 105 and 110 degrees. Any warmer and you can kill the yeast.
Any cooler and the yeast might not become active. The best way to determine the temperature of the water is to measure it with a thermometer.
Warm tap water usually falls between this range. Practice testing the temperature with a thermometer until you are used to what it feels like.
Flour absorbs moisture differently depending on the brand, humidity, and how it is measured. Start with the amount directed in the recipe and add additional white whole wheat flour gradually. The finished dough should be slightly tacky but not overly sticky.
Serving suggestions
I love this bread toasted with butter and honey or spread with a batch of my honey butter.
It's also perfect served alongside a bowl of clam chowder or potato soup, or with a plate of chicken pasta.
More bread recipes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
If you loved this recipe, you'll LOVE all the others in this category. Check out all my bread recipes here!
Pumpkin and Sunflower Seed Bread
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- 2 9 x 5 -inch Bread Pans
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups water
- 4 ½ teaspoons yeast (active dry yeast, 2 packages of yeast)
- ¼ cup oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ - 3 cups white whole wheat flour
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds (raw)
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds (raw)
Topping
- 1 egg white
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds
- 2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds
Instructions
Dough
- Combine water, yeast and ¼ cup of the all-purpose flour together2 cups water, 4 ½ teaspoons yeast
- Let mixture set for 5-10 minutes until bubbly
- Add oil, honey, salt, and the remaining 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour. Mix to combine.¼ cup oil, ¼ cup honey, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Add seeds and combine½ cup pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- Add 2 cups of white whole wheat flour and mix to combine. Continue adding white whole wheat flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough forms a ball and is slightly tacky but not overly sticky.2 ½ - 3 cups white whole wheat flour
- Knead dough in mixer for 5-8 minutes
- Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough sit until doubled in size.
- Remove wrap and gently punch dough down so it is deflated.
- Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan.
- Cover the loaves and let rise for about 30 minutes, until the tops are smooth, rounded, and noticeably puffy. To check, gently press the side of the dough with a knuckle. The dough is ready when it slowly springs back and leaves a shallow indentation.
Topping
- Make an egg wash by combining egg white and water1 egg white, 1 Tablespoon water
- Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with seeds2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds, 2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds
- Bake for 45 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven
- Allow bread to cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pans. Continue cooling on a baking rack until fully cooled.
Notes
- Watch the flour. The exact amount of white whole wheat flour can vary. Add it gradually and stop when the dough forms a ball and is slightly tacky but not overly sticky.
- Let the dough determine the rise time. A warm kitchen will speed up the rise, while a cooler kitchen may take longer. Look for the dough to double during the first rise rather than relying on the clock.
- Use the poke test for the second rise. Gently press the side of the loaf with a floured knuckle. If it slowly springs back and leaves a shallow indentation, it's ready to bake.
- Check for doneness. The loaves should be nicely browned on top and sound hollow when tapped. For an additional check, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of a loaf. It should register about 190–200°F.
- Let the bread cool before slicing. Cooling gives the interior time to set and makes the bread easier to slice.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Rachael says
This is the best Bread recipe I have ever used, everybody loves it. It freezes perfectly and is just as good defrosted. Thank you for sharing!!
Kathy Berget says
Thanks so much!
Amanda Harrison says
Made this, absolutely delicious and much much better than stor bought 😋
Kathy Berget says
Thank you! 🙂
Irene Guidry says
This is one of the best bread recipes I've found! We haven't purchased bread since finding it. I freeze one loaf and it thaws perfectly just as if it's fresh.
Wonderful
Kathy says
Wow!!! Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoy it.
Kathy 🙂
Pauline Wan says
Baked this over the weekend. Ran out of olive oil and used pumpkin seed oil instead. I didn’t add honey and bread still taste good. The texture is good and the next time I bake this, I would cut down the oil to lower the fat content. Thanks for the recipe.
Kathy says
Thank you
Bakerlife says
I'm just a bit confused - in the ingredients it says 2 cups of all purpose flour. Then it says to add 2 cups of all purpose flour in step 3 and then again in step 5. is this just an error? Or is there 4 cups of all purpose flour?
Kathy says
Goodness! You're correct! You'll need a total of 2 cups of all purpose flour. And then you'll need white wheat flour. Thanks for pointing out the error. I've made the adjustments in the recipe. 🙂
Lynda says
It still says to add 2 cups of all purpose flour in step 5. Your changes must not have been saved. Glad I double checked! Looking forward to tasting this when it's done!
Kathy Berget says
Thank you! Hopefully I've got it fixed this time. 🙂
Barb says
I've been making this bread for about 2 years now, and it is my absolute favorite bread of all time. It doesn't taste sweet (even though there is honey in it), and the white whole wheat is delicious and gives you all the nutrition of regular whole wheat but doesn't have the heavy whole wheat taste. And I love the seeds in it. I toast it for breakfast every morning and spread it with tahini. The bread is also great to munch on for a snack.
Kathy says
Oh wow!!! Thanks so much! 🙂
Rick Marinelli says
I generally don't care for the sweetness of typical whole wheat breads, as they all seem to call for some kind of sweetener. I'm wondering if the honey can be omitted.
Kathy says
Yes, you can leave out the honey. It is used just to add flavor, but the structure of the bread will be fine without it.
Enjoy! 🙂
JANE says
Can I use roasted seeds in this recipe?
Kathy says
Yes! Roasted seeds will work fine.
Enjoy 🙂
Ila says
I am so anxious to try this bread! It looks so delicious- could you please tell me what size pans you recommend? Thank you.
Kathy says
Any 9x5 sized loaf pan will work.
Sherri says
Can you make these dinner rolls instead of loaves? If so, would any of the process change? Also, can you use bread flour in place of the all purpose flour?
Kathy says
Yes, these can be made into dinner rolls. The only difference will be the amount of time the rolls are baked. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of your rolls. And yes, bread flour can be used.
Enjoy,
Kathy 🙂