Use the fresh blossoms of spring for an easy and lightly sweet loaf of dandelion bread made in the bread machine for a super simple and delicious foraged loaf.
This fluffy loaf is studded with bits of golden and light green specks from the dandelion flowers making it a beautiful loaf that folks will enjoy whether or not they know the dandelions are inside.
Sweetened with a bit of honey to further accentuate the honey-like flavor of the dandelion blossoms, this loaf is great for easy sandwiches, toast, and even a simple side dish.
Why Make This in the Bread Machine
The bread machine is a perfect fit for this recipe. Once you’ve gathered and prepped your dandelion petals, the machine does the rest. No kneading, no watching the oven, no fussing. You add the ingredients, press start, and come back to a finished loaf. That makes it especially worthwhile on a spring day when you’d rather be outside than standing over a mixer
When to Pick Dandelions
Dandelion season runs roughly from early April through May in most parts of the country, though timing varies by region and elevation. Pick flowers that are fully open and bright yellow. Avoid flowers that have started to go to seed or have browning petals.
Stick to dandelions from unsprayed yards, fields, and roadsides well away from traffic. If you’re not sure whether a yard has been treated, skip it. The flowers should smell faintly sweet and look clean.
Basic Ingredients
Beyond the dandelion blossoms there’s nothing fancy or special here. You already likely have everything you need right in your pantry.
Dandelion Petals
You’ll need 1/3 cup of dandelion petals for this recipe. To get the petals, you need to snip the petals from the flower heads. Some of the green is okay, but you want to focus on getting the petals cut from the head. The bits in the head tend to be more bitter and might not be likely be the most tasty in your bread.
Yeast Choices
I use instant yeast for ease in every bread machine recipe I test. If you want to use active dry yeast or bread machine yeast, simply follow your manufacturer’s instructions but I can’t say for certainty in what amount.
About My Bread Machine
I recently upgraded. If you’re used to my older recipes using a second-hand Welbilt machine, know that things have changed.
This recipe was tested in a Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Bread Machine.
Because I’ve tested and read many other bread machine recipes, I believe this recipe will work in any machine that can make a 2 pound loaf. Do follow your manufacturer’s instructions if they vary from anything I’ve written.
Substitution Ideas
This is a pretty basic recipe but there are a few options for changes if you’d like.
Use milk instead of water either in part or whole for the liquid.
Honey is a great sweetener here because it compliments the dandelion blossom flavor, however; maple syrup could be used instead.
I haven’t tested it yet but I don’t see why any edible flower petals couldn’t be used instead of dandelion. Rose petals, lilac petals, etc.
Troubleshooting
The loaf didn’t rise well. Check your yeast first. Instant yeast should be stored in a cool, dry place and used before the expiration date. Also make sure your water isn’t too hot when it goes into the pan. Very hot liquid can kill yeast before it has a chance to work. Aim for lukewarm, around 70 to 80 degrees.
The bread is dense. This can happen if the flour was packed too tightly when measured. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag. A little too much flour goes a long way toward a heavy loaf.
The loaf collapsed in the center. Too much liquid or too much yeast are the usual culprits. Measure carefully, and make sure you’re using the 2-pound loaf setting on your machine.
I can’t see the dandelion petals in the finished loaf. The petals do fade during baking. You’ll see faint flecks of color in the crumb, but the bright yellow you started with won’t survive the oven. The flavor is still there. If you want more visible color, add a few extra petals.
The petals taste bitter. This usually means some of the green base of the flower head made it into the petals. Next time focus on snipping just the yellow petals away from the head, leaving the green parts behind.
Don’t have a bread machine? Check out my dandelion bread recipe that can be made in the oven.
How to Serve
This a fairly basic and simple everyday kind of loaf. Use it for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, breakfast toast, serve as a side dish to soup and salads, etc.
How to Store
Keep any leftover bread in an airtight container, where it should stay fresh for up to 4 days at room temperature.
For longer term storage, put bread into plastic bags and freeze. Use up any frozen bread within 6 months for best flavor. Let the bread thaw on the counter prior to serving.
Dandelion Bread Machine Recipe with Fresh Flowers
Fresh dandelion petals and a drizzle of honey make this bread machine loaf a simple springtime treat. Beautiful, lightly sweet, and easy enough for any skill level.
Ingredients
- 1/3 Cup Dandelion Petals
- 1 1/4 Cups Water
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 4 Cups Bread Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Instant Yeast
Instructions
- Place ingredients in the machine bread pan in the order written (or as directed by your machine's instructions). Usually liquid ingredients are followed by salt and the dry ingredients with the yeast being added last on top of the flour, but again follow your bread machine manual for best results.
- Put the bread machine pan in the bread maker and close the lid.
- Select the basic / white dough cycle. Select medium crust (or desired crust color). Use a 2-pound loaf setting.
- Press Start.
- Let the machine finish the baking process.
- When done, remove the loaf pan from the machine, run a butter knife around the sides of the loaf pan. Using oven mitts, turn pan upside down and gently shake to remove bread from pan and let bread cool to room temperature on a wire rack before slicing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 129Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 123mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 4g
I try but cannot guarantee this nutritional information is 100% accurate.
Leave a Reply