Easy Boston Brown Bread Recipes

This is my version of Boston brown bread — dense, slightly sweet, and comfortingly rustic, the kind that smells like molasses and Sunday mornings. It’s the steamed, loaf-shaped bread that’s been quietly holding down New England breakfasts for generations, and it’s perfect with butter, baked beans, or just a smear of cream cheese when you need something honest and filling.

My family will fight over the heel of this loaf. My husband pretends he’s not a breakfast person until this comes out of the oven (or steam), and then suddenly he’s “just having a little” which turns into half the loaf. It’s become our weekend ritual — I make a batch, he manhandles the butter, and the kiddo uses the crumbs to build tiny bread forts on the table. Once I accidentally doubled the molasses because I wasn’t paying attention; it was gloriously sticky and we declared it a feature, not a mistake.

Kitchen Talk

MORE EASY SIDE DISHES RECIPES...

SIDE DISHES

Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Recipe

SIDE DISHES

Southern Grits Dressing Recipes

SIDE DISHES

Cheesy Hasselback Potato Gratin

SIDE DISHES

Easy Parker House Rolls

This bread is gloriously human. The texture is dense and a little crumbly — that’s not a fail, that’s character. I’ve steamed it in a makeshift foil-wrapped can when I didn’t have a loaf pan wide enough, and I’ve baked it in a regular loaf pan with a water bath when I wanted a slightly firmer crust. Once I tried soaking the raisins in hot tea instead of water and oh my — tiny flavor upgrade, totally worth the extra step. Also: don’t stress about perfect shapes. The bread wants to be rustic.

Shopping Tips

– Baking Basics (Flour/Sugar/Leaveners): You’ll need whole wheat or rye and all-purpose flour for the right texture; don’t skip the baking soda — it’s doing the lift in here.
– Sweeteners: Molasses is the classic soul of this bread, but a bit of brown sugar or maple syrup can help if your molasses is very strong or aged.
– Fats & Oils: A touch of butter or oil keeps slices tender; unsalted butter lets you control saltiness better.
– Fruit: Raisins or currants are traditional; pick plump, plump ones or soak them briefly so they don’t steal moisture from the loaf.
– Specialty Item: If you can find mild molasses (not blackstrap) use it — strong molasses will make the bread bitter for some palates.

Prep Ahead Ideas

– Mix the dry ingredients the night before and store them in an airtight container so mornings are just add-wet-and-steam.
– Soak raisins or dried fruit in hot water, tea, or rum and keep them refrigerated in a small jar until you’re ready to stir them in.
– If you want to prep fully, you can mix the batter and refrigerate it overnight; it will need an extra bit of time to come up to room temp before steaming.

✔Time-Saving Tricks

– Steam multiple small loaves at once in mason jars or empty cans to feed more people without bigger equipment.
– Use a microwave to quickly warm molasses or melted butter so it mixes smoothly into the batter.
– Shortcut: if you’re short on time, bake instead of steam — you’ll lose the classic steamed crumb but gain speed and a quicker crust set.
– Don’t rush the cooling — the bread tightens up and slices cleaner if it rests at least 20 minutes.

✔Common Mistakes

– Too dry batter: I once forgot to measure the liquid and got a crumbly, sad loaf — salvage it by brushing slices with butter or serving with jam.
– Oversteaming: if the pan is too crowded, loaves can steam unevenly; give them breathing room or rotate halfway.
– Using blackstrap molasses by accident makes the loaf bitter — if that happens, slice thin and mask with honey-butter.
– Cutting too soon: it will fall apart if you hack into it hot — patience, friend, it’s worth it.

What to Serve It With

– Butter and hot coffee — the old reliable pairing.
– Baked beans for that true New England vibe.
– Cream cheese and smoked salmon for brunchy flair.
– A quick spinach salad dressed in lemon to freshen up a heavy slice.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t measure molasses by eye — it’s thick and sneaky; spoon it out or warm it first.
– If your loaf looks wet on top but cooked inside, give it a little extra steam time rather than cranking up heat.
– Salt late: add salt to the liquids so it distributes evenly.
– One-pan steam tip: line the bottom with a towel and a rack so the can/loaf isn’t sitting directly on the pan.

✔Storage Tips

Keep leftover slices wrapped tightly in plastic or a zipper bag on the counter for 2–3 days, or freeze slices for up to 3 months. It’s fine cold, but toasting brings back life — smear with butter and it’s practically a snack miracle. No shame in breaking out the toaster for breakfast; this bread loves crunchy edges.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Swap partial whole wheat for rye if you like a slightly tangier, robust loaf.
– Honey or maple syrup can soften the molasses edge, but reduce other sweeteners a touch.
– Omit dried fruit and add chopped walnuts or pecans for a nuttier version.
– Gluten-free: I haven’t nailed a perfect GF swap here — it’s possible with a blend that mimics whole grain density, but expect texture differences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Boston Brown Bread Recipes

Classic steamed Boston brown bread made simple in a loaf pan. Deep molasses flavor, tender crumb, and sweet raisins in every slice.

Rate This Yum Pin This Recipe For Later! Share The Yum On Facebook Print

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tbsp softened butter for greasing
• ▢ 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ▢ 0.75 cup rye flour
• ▢ 0.75 cup yellow cornmeal
• ▢ 1 tsp baking soda
• ▢ 0.5 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 0.75 tsp fine salt
• ▢ 1.25 cup buttermilk room temperature
• ▢ 0.67 cup unsulphured molasses
• ▢ 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
• ▢ 0.75 cup raisins lightly packed
• ▢ 6 cup hot water for the water bath; you may not use it all

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment.
• Bring a kettle of water to a boil for the water bath.
• Whisk whole wheat flour, rye flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
• Stir buttermilk, molasses, and brown sugar in a separate bowl until smooth.
• Pour wet ingredients into dry. Mix just until combined, then fold in raisins.
• Scrape batter into the pan and smooth the top. Cover tightly with foil.
• Set the pan in a roasting pan. Pour hot water around it to halfway up the sides.
• Bake-steam until a tester comes out clean, about 60 to 70 minutes.
• Remove foil and the pan from the bath. Cool 10 minutes, then turn out and cool 30 minutes.
• Slice warm or at room temperature. Serve with butter or cream cheese.

Notes

Variation: Swap half the raisins for dried cranberries and add 1 tsp orange zest for a brighter finish. Instant Pot option: Pour 1 cup water into the pot, set the covered loaf pan on a trivet, and cook on High Pressure for 55 minutes with a 15-minute natural release. Serve with baked beans for a classic pairing, or toast leftovers and spread with salted butter. Store wrapped at room temp for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 2 months.

This recipe is an original creation inspired by classic Easy Boston Brown Bread Recipes flavors. All ingredient ratios and instructions are independently developed.