Communion Bread Recipe

This recipe was adapted by Bill Stroop from the Communion Bread recipe used by Seabury-Western Episcopal Seminary which they received from the Abbot of the Benedictine of St. Gregory at Three Rivers, Michigan. Bill Stroop received the original Seabury-Western recipe from Fr. Bill Martin, currently the Canon to the Ordinary for the Diocese of Colorado. This bread was served at the Epsicopal and Lutheran Eucharistic services at the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, TX during 2001 and 2002, occasionally at St. Margaret's Little Rock, AR between 1999 and 2003, St. Paul's, Fayetteville, AR from 2002-2004, St. George's, Roseburg, OR from 2004-2006 and is currently served at Trinity, Hattiesburg. The recipe will make about 2 loaves of bread each about 6 inches in diameter (and one roll for the baker’s dinner). Each loaf will communicate about 100-150 people (or more) when each communicant is served a piece that is about one cubic centimeter.

  • 7/8 cup lukewarm water (although milk can be substituted here, I do not recommend it. Loaves baked from dough made with milk occasionally scortch on the bottom. But most importantly, people with a lactose intolerance cannot eat bread made from milk/milk products.)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (plus a wee bit more)
  • 3 Tbs honey
  • 1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 2/3 cup of unbleached white flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (I prefer finely ground flour such as Pillsbury's whole wheat flour)
  • 1 tsp malted barley (included for sweetness and for theological reasons; see Jn 6:9-13. Can also substitute 1 tsp barley flour)
  • 1 1/2 tsp of dry yeast (use Fleishmann's bread maker yeast if you use a bread maker)

Bread Maker Recipe:

Add all ingredients into pan in the order indicated. Set machine for dough only. When starting the machine, check the consistency of the dough and add flour or water if necessary to obtain proper elastic texture. When raised, remove the dough from the pan. Proceed with "making loaves" below.

Conventional Recipe:

Dissolve yeast in water and add honey, oil, and salt. Stirring the mixture, add flour and malt gradually. Turn out and knead for five minutes until elastic or until dough springs back into place when poked with a finger. Place dough in a greased bowl, turn and set in a warm place covered with a damp cloth. Allow to double (about one hour). Proceed with "making loaves" below.

Making Loaves:

Punch/press the dough down and press or roll into a 1/2 inch thickness on a floured board. Cut into 6 inch round loaves with a knife or with a circular dough cutter, and put them on a greased cookie sheet (a 6 inch round, 1/2 inch think loaf will, when baked, puff up to be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches high at the center). Using a serrated knife, score the shape of a cross on the top of each loaf (make the cross extend to the edges of each loaf). "Tidy" the edges of the loaves with the side of the knife or "swirl" the loaf inside the circular dough cutter. Let rise under a moist paper towel (or plastic wrap) for 10 min or longer (depending on the "fluffiness" of the loaves desired). Bake at 350° F for 13-15 minutes or until loaves begin to become golden brown. The extra roll made can be opened to assess doneness of the other loaves. Cool the loaves on a rack and then place in a plastic "zip lock" bag to keep them fresh. I recommend making the bread only about 12-24 hours in advance of use, and storing it at room temperature (not in the refrigerator) until consecrated and consumed. Although some have frozen the bread for later use, I personally do not like the consistency of thawed loaves, and find them unacceptably "crumbly" for administration.

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