Watermelon Bread (Printable)
Colorful swirled bread mimicking watermelon with chocolate chip seeds and subtle fruity sweetness.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough Base
01 - 3 cups bread flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
04 - 1 tsp salt
05 - 1 cup warm milk (110°F)
06 - 1 large egg, room temperature
07 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
→ Color & Flavor Additions
08 - 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
09 - 1/2 tsp matcha powder or green food coloring
10 - 1/2 tsp red or pink gel food coloring
11 - 1 tsp watermelon extract
→ Mix-Ins
12 - 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
# How to Cook:
01 - Combine bread flour, granulated sugar, active dry yeast, and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer.
02 - Add warm milk, room temperature egg, and softened butter. Mix until a soft dough forms, then knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
03 - Split dough into three portions: 60% for red flesh, 25% for white rind, and 15% for green skin.
04 - Knead red or pink gel food coloring and watermelon extract into the largest portion until evenly distributed. Fold in mini chocolate chips as seeds.
05 - Keep the medium portion plain for the white rind layer.
06 - Mix matcha powder or green food coloring into the smallest portion until color is uniform.
07 - Shape each dough portion into balls, place in separate greased bowls, cover, and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
08 - Punch down each portion. Flatten red dough into a log the length of your loaf pan. Wrap white dough around the red log, then wrap green dough around both layers. Pinch seams to seal.
09 - Place loaf seam-side down in a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy.
10 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
11 - Bake for 30-35 minutes, tenting with foil if the top browns too quickly.
12 - Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely before slicing to reveal the watermelon pattern.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The moment you slice into this bread and reveal those watermelon layers, youll feel like a baking magician everyone will want to know your secret
- Its surprisingly not too sweet making it perfect for breakfast toast or an afternoon snack that still feels special
02 -
- Gel food coloring is absolutely worth the extra trip to the store, liquid coloring will make your dough too sticky and throw off the hydration balance
- Work quickly once you start assembling the layers, or the dough will warm up and become frustratingly soft to handle
03 -
- If your dough feels too sticky to work with during layering, chill the portions for 15 minutes to firm them up without affecting the final rise
- A lightly floured rolling pin helps flatten each portion evenly without sticking, which creates more uniform layers in your finished loaf