sandwich bread

Pumpkin Yeast Bread

Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a fluffy, simple, sandwich yeast bread seasoned with cinnamon, pumpkin puree, and seeds. Perfect for the holidays, thanksgiving and christmas leftovers, this bread is excellent for toast and snacking and makes and excellent idea for hostess host gift. Find the recipe and more info on how to make bread without a bread machine maker on thewoodandspoon.com

In America, we’re on the verge of Thanksgiving. In just two days, we will roll up our sleeves to stir and boil, grate and grease our way to a table filled with the faces of people we love (and love to irritate). While everyone has their own traditions, must-eat dishes, and turkey day activities, there are a few universal truths that should be closely followed to ensure the best possible holiday. I’ve arranged them in list form for your convenience.

Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a fluffy, simple, sandwich yeast bread seasoned with cinnamon, pumpkin puree, and seeds. Perfect for the holidays, thanksgiving and christmas leftovers, this bread is excellent for toast and snacking and makes and excellent idea for hostess host gift. Find the recipe and more info on how to make bread without a bread machine maker on thewoodandspoon.com

The Universal Truths of Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving is not the time to diet.

This is well-pondered, sound advice coming from your friendly neighborhood dietitian. Am I suggesting that you should require 12 sticks of butter in your creamed corn? No. Do I think it would be wise to drink straight from the gravy boat? Sweet mercy, absolutely not. If you are established in a diet regimen already, I encourage you to stick as close as possible to the path of righteousness, but if not, just know that Thanksgiving is not the time to start cutting carbs. Your cabbage soup cleanse can wait until Friday.

Don’t be that guy.

Don’t be the guy who tells the taboo story at the dinner table. And don’t be the jerk who makes Nana cry. And certainly don’t make off-color comments or bring up touchy family subjects. Just don’t be a Thanksgiving turd, okay?

Show up on time.

There is a time to be fashionably late. For example, if it’s your birthday, you are expected to show up to your surprise party late. If you’re a Kardashian, you are welcome to walk the red carpet as late as you darn well please. But let me say this- if I spend 12+ hours basting and sweating over a giant bird in the oven, you had better make sure your sorry behind is there to help carve it. I will not wait for you to start dinner, and no one will feel sorry for you when all that’s left to eat is the congealed salad.

Be grateful.

How about we thank the crap out of this Thanksgiving? What if we opened our heart and poured sincere, intentional gratitude on everyone around the table? If saying thank you or expressing love is hard for you, consider Thanksgiving your invitation to be unabashedly and enthusiastically thankful about the good things in your life.

Two words: cornbread dressing.

Listen, I grew up in a Yankee household and have all the love in the world for the classic seasoned “stuffing.” But if 12 years in Alabama have taught me anything, it’s that cornbread dressing is the bomb.com, and if you’re not making it, you’re just plain sorry. My mother-in-law gave me a terrifically delicious recipe, and yes, I am starving just thinking about it.

Help the host.

I mean it. Text them right now and say, “What can I do to be helpful at the Thanksgiving meal?” Ask if you can pick up ice or bring a few extra bottles of wine. Offer to set the table or write out place cards. This post from Williams-Sonoma showcases a few other ways to be a great Thanksgiving dinner guest.

THAW. THE. TURKEY.

This will take longer than you think. If it’s not out of the freezer already, Godspeed, my friend.

Share a dessert!

Dessert is a great way to contribute a make-ahead dish to a Thanksgiving feast. Might I suggest a few of my favorites? How about chocolate chess pie, brown sugar cheesecake, caramel apple pie, or pumpkin cheesecake tartlets.

Bring a gift to share with your host.

Serving up a spectacle like Thanksgiving dinner requires a ton of time, money, and planning. Thank your generous host by bringing a happy parting gift that says, “YOU ROCK!” For a homerun gift, you should try…

PUMPKIN YEAST BREAD.

What better way to serve up leftover turkey and cranberry sauce than adorning it on a piece of fluffy, slightly sweet, and seasoned pumpkin yeast bread. This is the gift to beat. YA WELCOME.

Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a fluffy, simple, sandwich yeast bread seasoned with cinnamon, pumpkin puree, and seeds. Perfect for the holidays, thanksgiving and christmas leftovers, this bread is excellent for toast and snacking and makes and excellent idea for hostess host gift. Find the recipe and more info on how to make bread without a bread machine maker on thewoodandspoon.com

This pumpkin yeast bread is the perfect thing for the season. Honey, all-purpose flour and pumpkin puree are combined with a few other ingredients to make the fluffiest autumnal bread that your Thanksgiving leftovers have ever seen. Sturdy enough for thick slices of turkey, but soft enough for a spread of cinnamon butter, this pumpkin yeast bread is a diverse treat that practically begs to be made this time of year.

Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a fluffy, simple, sandwich yeast bread seasoned with cinnamon, pumpkin puree, and seeds. Perfect for the holidays, thanksgiving and christmas leftovers, this bread is excellent for toast and snacking and makes and excellent idea for hostess host gift. Find the recipe and more info on how to make bread without a bread machine maker on thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Bread

To make the pumpkin yeast bread, we start in the bowl of a stand mixer. First, dissolve some active dry yeast in some warm water. Next, add a bit of milk, oil, and honey, stirring to combine. Finally add the pumpkin puree. A single cup gets stirred into the wet ingredients and is followed up by all-purpose flour and the remaining dry ingredients. Knead the dough in your stand mixer (or by hand if you’re skilled like that!) and then allow it to rise in a warm spot in the kitchen.

Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a fluffy, simple, sandwich yeast bread seasoned with cinnamon, pumpkin puree, and seeds. Perfect for the holidays, thanksgiving and christmas leftovers, this bread is excellent for toast and snacking and makes and excellent idea for hostess host gift. Find the recipe and more info on how to make bread without a bread machine maker on thewoodandspoon.com

Shaping the Loaves

Once doubled in size, divide the dough in two and form into loaves. Check out this video on shaping loaves if you’re unfamiliar. Allow the dough to rise again, this time until the loaves dome just an inch over the top of your bread pan. Brush each loaf with an egg wash and sprinkle with tiny pepitas for some added pumpkin flair.

Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a fluffy, simple, sandwich yeast bread seasoned with cinnamon, pumpkin puree, and seeds. Perfect for the holidays, thanksgiving and christmas leftovers, this bread is excellent for toast and snacking and makes and excellent idea for hostess host gift. Find the recipe and more info on how to make bread without a bread machine maker on thewoodandspoon.com

These loaves bake up tall, fluffy, and outrageously delicious. Pumpkin yeast bread, while a far cry from your run-of-the-mill sandwich bread, is the delightfully familiar and cozy baked good you’ll want to share with your friends and family all season long. Give this recipe a try and have a terrific Thanksgiving holiday. I’m incredibly grateful for these pumpkin yeast bread loaves and YOU.

Pumpkin Yeast Bread Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a fluffy, simple, sandwich yeast bread seasoned with cinnamon, pumpkin puree, and seeds. Perfect for the holidays, thanksgiving and christmas leftovers, this bread is excellent for toast and snacking and makes and excellent idea for hostess host gift. Find the recipe and more info on how to make bread without a bread machine maker on thewoodandspoon.com

If you like this pumpkin yeast bread, be sure to check out:

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Honey Oat Bread

Flaxseed Bread

Raisin Swirl Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

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Pumpkin Yeast Bread

This recipe makes two loaves of fluffy, lightly sweetened and seasons pumpkin yeast bread, perfect for making sandwiches or cinnamon toast!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 165
  • Yield: 2

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (120 mL) warm (not hot) water
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • ¾ cup (180 mL) milk, room temperature (I use whole)
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) honey
  • 2 tablespoons oil (I use canola)
  • 1 cup (225 gm) pumpkin puree
  • 41/2-5 cups (595650 gm) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 21/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup raw pepitas

Instructions

  1. Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast over top of it. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk, honey, and oil. Add the pumpkin puree and stir to combine. Add two cups of flour, the salt, and the pumpkin pie spice to the wet ingredients and stir until well integrated. Add an additional 2-1/2 cups of flour and, using the dough hook, knead the bread on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until the bread starts to become stretchy. Add additional flour to the bowl during the kneading process to get the dough the right texture. You are looking for a wet dough that pulls away slightly from the sides of the bowl.
  2. Grease a large bowl and place the dough in it, covered with a piece of plastic wrap, to rise until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours. If the dough seems to have a hard time rising, move the bowl to a slightly warmer area of the kitchen. I like to let mine rise next to a warm oven.
  3. Once doubled in size, dump the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into two equal pieces. Gently pat each piece of dough into a loaf-pan shaped rectangle and fold the two long edges to meet in the center of the dough. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat. Fold the dough once more and gently form it into a loaf-shaped log. Place the dough into a greased loaf pan (8.5″ X 4.5″ X 2.75″) and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Allow each loaf to rise a second time for about 45 minutes until the dough has domed an inch above the top of the pan.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush a thin layer of this egg wash over top of each loaf and sprinkle with the pepitas. Place dough pans in the oven and immediately decrease the heat to 375 degrees. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top of each loaf is golden brown and sounds a bit hollow when tapped. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for ten minutes and then remove each loaf from the pan to continue cooling on their own. Once cooled completely, wrap in a bread bag or a large sheet of aluminum foil to keep fresh! Loaves can be frozen after baking if desired.

Notes

  • Beware of using a small pan. This recipe requires a large enough pan to accommodate the dough.
  • If your bread is not rising well, place loaves in a slightly warmer spot in your kitchen. I let my bread rise next to a warm oven.
  • Allow bread to cool completely prior to slicing.
  • Bread will keep on the counter for several days but will keep best in the refrigerator for up to 6-7 days. There’s no preservatives in this stuff so it won’t last as long as your supermarket bread- eat fast!
  • Wrapped securely in aluminum foil, bread will keep in a freezer for up to four months.

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Flaxseed Bread

Flaxseed Bread Recipe by thewoodandspoon.com . 100% whole grain wheat sandwich bread with added fiber from flax seed meal. Moist, fluffy, easy yeast bread recipe that makes two loaves. No bread maker required. The Wood and Spoon Blog.

There’s things they don’t tell you. No, I’m not referencing the government or our mothers or even this flaxseed bread, although we’ll get to that later. I’m talking about having a baby.

When preparing for a new baby, we like to spend a lot of time dwelling on the details. Nursery colors, eating schedules, carseat safety ratings- the usual. We worry about the baby’s growth, the baby’s movements, passing our blood sugar tests, and whether or not we’ve gained the right amount of weight. When you sign up for parenthood (because that’s where babies come from, obviously), we spend so much time minding those basic fears and needs that we often overlook the aftermath- the anatomical apocalypse that typically ensues after labor and delivery.

Flaxseed Bread Recipe by thewoodandspoon.com . 100% whole grain wheat sandwich bread with added fiber from flax seed meal. Moist, fluffy, easy yeast bread recipe that makes two loaves. No bread maker required. The Wood and Spoon Blog.

Body Changes

I was faced with a reminder of my pregnancies this past weekend. About a month ago, I quit nursing George, but it was just last Saturday that I put on one of my favorite bras for the first time in over a year. I’m not going to sugar coat it- it wasn’t even close to being the right size. Where the bra was once flush to my flesh, there were now gaping, fist-sized pockets of space. I tightened the snap, cinched the straps, and readjusted “the girls”, but it was no use. My children, quite literally, sucked the life out of my breasts, and no amount of underwire or Kleenex stuffing was enough to make that bra work.

Obviously this is trivial in the grand scheme of things. HELLO, MY BODY NURTURED AND GREW A HUMAN- it’s the greatest miracle of my life! But mercy, I wish gravity and hormones would cut my lady parts some slack. Haven’t they been through enough trauma? Given that my chest gets smaller with each pregnancy, I project that Aimee and I will be sharing training bras within the next few years. At the very least, I’ll have the option of shopping for swimwear in the junior’s department again.

The Things They Don’t Tell You

Tiny, fried-egg-on-a-stick post-nursing boobs are just the itty bitty tip of the iceberg. No one tells you about hot flashes, swollen feet, hair loss, or hormones. Or the, ahem, sanitary items you get sent home from the hospital with or the giant, granny panties that you’re forced to wear them with. No one tells you that the few ounces of flesh that used to sit perky in your bra are now going to be hanging low in the saddlebags of your nightmares. Why on earth would the universe leave us to discover these things in the privacy of our own mirrors at home? Why does no one tell us these things?

Flaxseed Bread Recipe by thewoodandspoon.com . 100% whole grain wheat sandwich bread with added fiber from flax seed meal. Moist, fluffy, easy yeast bread recipe that makes two loaves. No bread maker required. The Wood and Spoon Blog.

Flaxseed Bread Recipe by thewoodandspoon.com . 100% whole grain wheat sandwich bread with added fiber from flax seed meal. Moist, fluffy, easy yeast bread recipe that makes two loaves. No bread maker required. The Wood and Spoon Blog.

I say we band together. Let’s talk about the weird stuff that happens so that we’re not forced to deal with it alone. Let’s dust off all of the taboo things that the old fashioned think aren’t ladylike enough to talk about. And let’s just talk the facts. No one should have to discover new stretch marks on their own. No one should have to face those unspoken realities without a friend.

Flaxseed Bread

There’s things you don’t have to tell people about this flaxseed bread. You can just toast it, butter it, stack it in a sandwich, or make croutons for all I care. All I know is that people will love this flaxseed bread and they never have a clue that it’s healthy. It’s a 100% whole wheat bread packed with loads of fiber-rich ground flaxseeds, naturally sweetened with honey, and flavored with only enough salt to make the flavor just right. This is the soft, flavorful sandwich bread you can enjoy and feel good about eating.

This recipe for flaxseed bread is a modified version of my 100% whole wheat sandwich bread. To pack in extra flavor and fiber, we simply substitute some of the whole wheat flour for ground flaxseeds. It’s important to use ground flaxseeds (better known as flaxseed meal) and not whole seeds. Using the milled form of the seeds ensures that our bodies get the fullest benefit from the nutrients they have to offer, and remember, our bodies need all the help they can get, right?

Flaxseed Bread Recipe by thewoodandspoon.com . 100% whole grain wheat sandwich bread with added fiber from flax seed meal. Moist, fluffy, easy yeast bread recipe that makes two loaves. No bread maker required. The Wood and Spoon Blog.

Making the Bread

We start by activating some active dry yeast in a bowl. Once dissolved, the honey, oil, and a bit of milk make an appearance to moisten all that whole grain goodness that we’re about to add. A pinch of salt, some flaxseed meal, whole wheat flour, and a little bit of vital wheat gluten rounds out the rest of the ingredients contained within the bread. After a couple of rises, the loaves are ready for a sprinkling more of seed and then the oven.

Once baked, these loaves are golden and nutty with a moist and tender crumb- the perfect vehicle for your morning toast, afternoon sandwich, or midnight schmear of peanut butter. I prefer to pair this bread with savory toppings, but it’s bread- you can literally use it for anything. The good news is that this recipe will make two loaves- one for you and one to hide from your kids and eat yourself one to share with a friend! If desired, you can wrap the extra loaf in foil and save in the freezer as I like to do from time to time.

I hope you give this flaxseed bread a try and that we can continue to talk about the nitty gritty. Because it’s only Monday and I want to hang out with y’all at least once more this week, stay tuned later this week for a bonus recipe. HINT: it’s sweet and breakfasty and just the thing you need to make this weekend’s brunch extra awesome. I think you’ll love it. Happy Monday to you and cheers!

If  you like the flaxseed bread, you may also like:

Honey Oat Bread

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Blueberry Cornbread

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Flaxseed Bread

This recipe makes two loaves of moist and nutty flaxseed bread- 100% whole grain and 100% delicious.

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 120
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (240 mL) warm water
  • 2 teaspoons (7 gm) active dy yeast
  • 11/4 cup (300 mL) milk (I use 2%), room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) honey
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) light oil (canola, vegetable, or extra light olive oil)
  • 33/4 cups (450 gm) of whole wheat flour
  • ¾ cup (75 gm) flaxseed meal
  • 2 tablespoons (20 gm) of vital wheat gluten
  • 1 tablespoon (20 gm) salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons of mixed seeds (I prefer flax, poppy, sesame, or chia, but any combination will suffice)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over the water and allow to dissolve, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the milk, honey and oil. Add 1-1/4 cups of the flour, flaxseed meal, gluten, and salt, stirring just until combined. Add the remaining flour and stir until dough is a fairly uniform, shaggy dough.
  3. Allow the dough to rest 30 minutes.
  4. In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment (or by hand, if preferred) knead dough until dough is smooth and only slightly tacky, about 7-8 minutes. If dough is too sticky, add up to 1/2 cup of additional whole wheat flour.
  5. Spray a large bowl lightly with baking spray and place dough inside, covering tightly with a sheet of Saran wrap. Allow to rest in a warm spot for about 1-1/2 hours, or until dough has risen and has approximately doubled in size.
  6. Once risen, remove dough from bowl and separate in to two equal pieces, handling the dough as little as possible. Gently form the dough balls in to small loaf shapes.
  7. Place dough in to two separate loaf pans (8.5″ X 4.5″ X 2.75″) that have been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with Saran wrap and allow to rise again for about 45 minutes, or until the dough has just barely risen over the top of the pan. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  8. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water to create the egg wash. Once the loaves have risen, brush the tops of each with a thin coat of the egg wash and sprinkle with the seeds. Place loaves in the oven and immediately decrease the heat to 375 degrees. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until loaves have browned and sound hollow when tapped on the top.
  9. Allow to cool in pan for ten minutes and then remove to finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Notes

  • It is vital that bread rises well prior to being baked. If your bread is not rising well, place loaves in a slightly warmer spot in your kitchen. I let my bread rise next to a warm oven.
  • Allow bread to cool completely prior to slicing.
  • Bread will keep on the counter for several days but will keep best in the refrigerator for up to 6-7 days. There’s no preservatives in this stuff so it won’t last as long as your supermarket bread- eat fast!
  • Wrapped securely in aluminum foil, bread will keep in a freezer for up to four months.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!