The Roots of Unleavened Bread in Communion

Unleavened bread, also called matzah, plays an important role in Passover; which makes it the bread of the first communion. In the biblical context, “leaven” (Hebrew: chametz) referred broadly to any fermenting agent, including leftover starter dough or naturally occurring fermentation, which is why unleavened bread was made quickly, without giving any time for rising or souring. It also symbolizes purity because it does not contain leaven (typically yeast, but also baking powder or soda), which would cause bread to rise and change when it comes into contact with a liquid.

During Passover, unleavened bread reminds us of the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt. They did not have time to let their bread rise, so they baked it quickly without yeast. This tradition helps us remember their journey and God’s deliverance. In Jewish culture it is still made quickly so natural yeast in the environment doesn’t have time to incorporate with the ingredients.

In Communion, bread represents the body of Jesus. It connects us to the Last Supper, where Jesus shared bread at a Passover meal with his disciples before his death. While unleavened bread is not a requirement for communion, this unleavened bread is a simple reminder, helping us focus on the meaning behind the event.

The use unleavened bread in both traditions links us to history and faith, keeping the focus on what really matters: God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is our Savior, and infinitely more.

How to Make Simple Communion Bread Without Yeast

Got 20 minutes? It takes about 10 minutes to make and about the same to bake.

We can make communion bread at home with just a few simple ingredients. This recipe makes round little unleavened breads with cracker vibes.

Taking time in our busy schedules to bake and reflect on what Jesus has done for us can be a meaningful activity, especially when we include others, giving us a chance to share stories of Jesus’ love.

This makes unleavened bread that is thin, crisp, and simple to prepare for communion.

Basic ingredients we need:

1 cup of all-purpose four – Most flour types would work. If you are sticking with the unleavened plan, remember that self-rising flour contains leaven.
1/3 cup of cold water
1/8 teaspoon of salt
5 tablespoons of olive oil – Vegetable or other oils would also work adding nuance to the flavor
Additional 1 teaspoon of flour for tools

Making Communion Bread At Home

We start by heating the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit a cookie sheet.

Mix flour, oil, and salt together in a large bowl.

Add water and mix with a pastry cutter or two forks until dough is soft.

After that, we knead the dough on the floured surface quickly and firmly for up to one minute until it feels smooth.

We divide the dough into six to eight equal parts, depending on how big you want your bread to be. Smaller ones will obviously cook faster.

Next, we lightly dust our workspace and rolling pin with the one teaspoon of flour. This helps prevent the dough from sticking to everything. If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can use a clean and sturdy bottle, glass, or other cylinder. Stretching and patting with your hands, like pizza dough is also fine, if you’re okay with an uneven surface.

Flatten each ball into a circle, until it’s about 7 inches across (about the size of an open adult hand) and very thin. We can do this on the parchment paper before it gets too thin, then carefully move the whole sheet to the baking pan.

To stop the bread from rising, we prick each round about a dozen times with a fork. (A pizza docking tool works great for this.)

We bake the bread on the top oven rack until it’s lightly browned and crisp, check it at 7 minutes then periodically up to 10 minutes.

When finished, we remove the bread from the paper to a wire rack to cool. This allows the steam to escape so they stay crispy.

Optional, non-traditional: While still warm, lightly brush the bread with more olive oil and sprinkle salt or herbs on top. This makes a softer bread with more flavor. Try it on half a batch so there are some for communion and some for snacks. Jesus understands multi-tasking.

If there are some left over, we would store them in a cool, dry place. They could last a few weeks, but they don’t have preservatives other than the salt so it depends on the environment. You can tell if they have gone bad by seeing mold in a damp place, or the taste goes stale over time a long time when they stay dry.

Enjoy Communion Bread at Home

This hands-on task helps us to slow down from our hectic modern world and feel connected to the past while building new experiences and diving deeper into our faith. While making the unleavened communion bread, we can talk our friends and family about the Last Supper and Jesus’ sacrifice.