Dock, a common plant often found along roadsides and fields, is most often foraged for its tart leaves in the early spring. Its stalk and root are edible as well. Most commonly harvested are Rumex crispus (Curly dock), and R. obtusifolius (Bitter or broadleaf dock). Curly dock is biennial, while broadleaf dock is a perennial.
The seed is edible, and easy to harvest, but many people avoid collecting it because it can be difficult to process. I thought that too, until I learned a trick which makes it super easy. More about that later.
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Harvesting Dock Seed
Dock flowers mid-summer, and goes to seed late summer or early fall producing thousands of seeds on each plant. To gather, simply grab a stalk with one hand while gently pulling the seeds off with the other hand. It is quick work to gather cupfuls of seed.
And take all you want; dock is invasive and with the thousands of seeds on each plant, there’s no fear of over-harvesting.
Making Dock Seed Flour
Traditionally, the husks are removed from the seed either by rubbing them between your hands, or putting them through a sieve that allows the seed to fall through. A tedious task either way.
I’m so thankful to the website Gather for both inspiration to create something using chocolate with my dock seeds, and for a tip that takes all the work out of making dock seed flour. The secret? Simply use both the seed and the husks to make your flour. Your final product will be high in fiber because you’ve included the husks.
So, once home after gathering my seeds, I placed seeds, with husks, on a cookie sheet and placed this outside in the sun for an hour or so, so that any little critters would take their leave.
Then, taking my cue again from Gather’s recipe for Double Chocolate Dock Seed Cake I roasted my seeds at 350°F for 4 – 5 minutes giving the seeds a nutty flavor. This also helps to achieve a finer grind.
After cooling, the next step is to grind the seed. I used my Nutri-Bullet Blender, but a coffee grinder would work as well.
The first time I tried making brownies, I did not grind the flour quite fine enough and the brownies were a little gritty. Give the grinding process a little extra time to get the flour nice and powdery.
I found that 5 cups of seed and husks made about 1 cup of roasted and ground flour.
Tips on Making the Dock Seed Brownies
Tip #1. As I mentioned above, be sure to grind your dock seed flour fine. It will make a big difference in the texture of the brownies.
Tip #2. Use room temperature eggs. The whites and yolks will combine more easily and a lighter texture will result. The recipe results in a chewy brownie, but the heavier dock flour can stand to lighten up a little. Placing the eggs in a bowl of warm water will quickly bring them to room temperature.
Tip #3. Beat those eggs. Yes, for 5 minutes. This, again, will compensate for the heaviness of the dock flour.
More Than Weeds
 A Foraging eCourse for Beginners
Are you interested in foraging, but a bit hesitant because you don’t trust your own abilities? I created a mini eCourse just for you. In More Than Weeds: 5 Common Plants to Forage for Food and Medicine you’ll learn that identifying plants is all in the details.
Using common plants with which may be someone familiar you’ll learn beginner botany skills that you will be able to use as you move forward. You’ll gain confidence to use these plants for your family in food and safe, home remedies. Get started now!
More Fall Foraging Posts You’ll Love
The Forager’s Guide to Plant Identification
How to Harvest and Crack Black Walnuts
Hunter’s Pie with Jerusalem Artichoke
Make Your Own Lacto-Fermented Grape Juice from Wild Grapes
Make Your Own Apple Sugar from Wild Apples
Dock Seed Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup dock seed flour *
- 1/4 cup flour of your choice or use all dock seed flour
- 3/4 cups cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3/4 cups chopped nuts optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Grease the bottom of an 8 x 8, or 9 x 9 baking pan.
- Cream butter, maple syrup, coconut sugar and vanilla extract.
- Add eggs and beat on high speed for 5 minutes. (Don't skip this important step).
- Combine flour, cocoa, and salt. Add to egg mixture and beat on low until just blended. Do not over blend.
- Stir in nuts, if using.
- Spread the batter into the greased pan.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool before cutting into squares.
Notes
Thank you for visiting Learning And Yearning. May "the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Num 6:24-26
Joy M says
What a fun recipe. I’m quite sure we have a good bit of this seed. This is those overly pesky seeds that stick to your clothing, gloves, mosquito body suit and anything else they can be anywhere near, right? It would be wonderful to find a good use for them!! This recipe is definitely going in my file! 😉
May I be very kind and point out a typo in the article? Not to be picky but because this will be out there for… perhaps years. In Tip #2 just above the recipe block it says to place the eggs in warm warm. I suspect you meant warm water. Sooo easy to mistype and not see when rereading.
Susan Vinskofski says
I love that you corrected my error; I need all the help I can get! Be sure to be careful when identifying the plant – it sounds like you may be referring to burdock, not dock. 🙂
Ava says
You have done lots of striving to prepare this brownie. And I must say this dock seed brownie is looking absolutely wonderful, from preparation to presentation.
Shirley Vick says
I am so thrilled that you shared this recipe because dock is all over the place here where I live. I have wanted to use the seeds but I never knew how…until now. I am thrilled…thrilled I tell you!
Susan Vinskofski says
I’m thrilled that you’re thrilled! <3 Enjoy!!!
Alex says
Do you have to have coconut sugar? I want to make this for my mom but she is allergic to coconut.
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Alex, you may substitute regular white sugar or brown sugar if you desire.
Peg says
I am so going to try this! I made flour from plantain seeds and found out that it helps form gluten in baked goods–a real plus, if you’re not gluten-intolerant. Can hardly wait to find some dock seeds and go to it. Thanks! One question–no rising agent in these brownies? No baking powder or soda?
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Peg, I think you’ll really enjoy these brownies. That’s correct, no leavening agent in brownies. 🙂
A. Family says
Delicious! Family hit! We used regular brown sugar instead of coconut sugar, otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Comments: “great tooth”, “very satisfying and hearty”. “the [roasted] dock smells like chocolate even before you add the chocolate”. “even better with gramma’s lemon icing”. We will experiment with other dock recipes from here, but glad for this positive chocolaty intro.
Susan Vinskofski says
So glad your family enjoyed it!!!
Sandi says
I made some this evening and used Buckwheat flour for the additional flour,
Vanilla Coconut Sugar and Vanilla Maple syrup along with all the other ingredients
They are so yummy, I sat and enjoyed a slice with a hot cuppa Turkey Tail Tea by Teachino
Thank you for the recipe
Best, Sandi
Susan Vinskofski says
Fantastic!!!
Kirstie says
I loved this recipe, didn’t add any extra flour just dock! Delicious, we used monk fruit sweetener instead of sugar and it was great!
Susan Vinskofski says
Fantastic; that toasted dock seed is really amazing!
Kirstie says
I loved this recipe, didn’t add any extra flour just dock! Delicious, we used monk fruit sweetener instead of sugar and it was great! Thank you
Ray says
I collected a paper shopping bag half full of dock seeds, rubbed them on an old window screen to separate as much of the seed as possible, then ground the seeds fine in a small coffee grinder, this took quite a while.
Now for the brownies, I followed your recipe using honey & white sugar. I cooked them 40 min @350. They came out very nice. Topped with homemade whipped cream is the ultimate. The brownie was a bit sweet for me.
Next time no white sugar & all dock flour. I wonder if 1/2 c. of butter would be enough?
Thank You, Ray.
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Ray, I’m not surprised that they were too sweet since white sugar is more sweet than the coconut sugar I used. I’m not sure how they would turn out with less butter; you’ll have to experiment. 🙂