Sunflower Seed Bread (Bread Machine or Dough Cycle)

May 7, 2026

This soft Honey Oat Sunflower Seed Bread is hearty, soft, lightly sweet bread with oats and sunflower seeds. Designed for bread machine dough cycle + oven baking for better texture, but can also be made exclusively in the bread maker machine.

Sunflower Seed Bread

1 Lb Loaf

3/4 cup (180 g) milk
3 tbsp (63 g) honey
1 1/2 Tbs (21 g) melted butter

2 cups (240 g) bread flour
1/3 cup (27 g) oats (quick or old-fashioned)
1 tsp (6 g) salt
1 1/4 tsp (4 g) instant yeast

1/3 cup (45 g) raw sunflower seeds

1.5 Lb Loaf the size I made

1 cup (240 g) milk
1/4 cup (85 g) honey
2 Tbs (28 g) melted butter

3 cups (360 g) bread flour
1/2 cup (40 g) oats (quick or old-fashioned)
1 1/2 tsp (9 g) salt
2 tsp (6 g) instant yeast

1/2 cup (67 g) raw sunflower seeds

2 Lb Loaf

1 1/2 cups (360 g) milk
1/3 cup (113 g) honey
2 1/2 tbsp (35 g) melted butter

4 cups (480 g) bread flour
2/3 cup (55 g) oats (quick or old-fashioned)
2 tsp (12 g) salt
2 1/4 tsp (7 g) instant yeast

2/3 to 3/4 cup (90–100 g) raw sunflower seeds

Dough Cycle Instructions

You can also completely in the bread machine! Choose a Basic White Cycle or Course 1.

Add ingredients to bread machine in order listed (reserve sunflower seeds)
Select DOUGH cycle
After 5 minutes, do a dough check. It should be soft, smooth, slightly tacky.
If dry → add 1–2 tsp water
If sticky → add 1 tbsp flour
After 10-15 minutes, or when your machine signals to add additions, add the sunflower seeds. Your bread machine will work them into the dough.

2. Shape

Remove dough when cycle finishes (about 1 ½ hours)
Turn onto lightly floured surface
Shape into loaf

3. Second Rise

Place in greased loaf pan
Cover and let rise 25-45 minutes (better to base it on rise than time)
Ready when dough is slightly above the edge of the pan

4. Bake

Bake at 350°F (180°C)
30–35 minutes (loaf)
Internal temp: 190–200°F (88–93°C)

5. Cool

For extra softness, brush top with butter after baking and cover with a dry tea towel.
Let cool before slicing for best crumb and cleanest slices.
Store in a beeswax bread bag!

Printable Recipe!

*This is how I store my bread! If you're looking for an alternative to plastic bread bags, our beeswax bread bags are a healthy way to store your bread! They are reusable, made of 100% cotton, infused/soaked/saturated (not sprayed!) with organic beeswax, are naturally antibacterial to keep your bread from molding, and handmade by me and my daughters on our family farm! We'd love to send you one!