better homes and gardens quick bread recipes

This is one of our base recipes. Is there anything better than a loaf of warm, spicy, and fluffy bread? We don't think so! This whole wheat quick bread base recipe teaches you the correct ratios of ingredients, then allows you to adjust the ingredients to YOUR taste! Packed with fresh and dried fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts, and a touch of spice, this basic quick bread recipe is going to quickly become a staple in your house!

Three Must Know Cooking Skills

For recipe success, learn how to:

Culinary Tips for this Simple Quick Bread Recipe

Measure the flour properly to prevent dense bread. Fluff, spoon, and level; don't scoop and pack!

Whisking the dry ingredients together mimics sifting and evenly distributes the ingredients, so don't substitute another utensil.

Add the dried fruit, nuts, seeds, or chocolate chips after whisking the dry ingredients to ensure even distribution.

Add shredded or pureed fruits or vegetables with the liquid ingredients.

Don't overmix the batter! Watch our muffin method culinary technique video to learn how to mix the batter just enough so that you end up with light and fluffy quick bread.

When measuring brown sugar, pack it in the cup. If you are trying to reduce your sugar consumption or prefer less sweet bread, reduce the sugar to ⅓ cup; the recipe will still come out great!

If your oven runs hot, check the bread for doneness after 45 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the middle of the loaf. If it comes out clean, it's done! If it's not done but the top of the loaf is getting too dark, loosely cover with a piece of foil and return to the oven.

The type of loaf pan will impact cook time. Dark metal pans will cook bread faster than ceramic pans.

Ingredient Substitutions

White Whole Wheat Flour: substitute whole wheat pastry flour or spelt flour for a similar taste, color, and texture. You can also substitute 1 cup whole wheat flour and ½ cup all-purpose flour. We don't recommend subbing all regular whole wheat flour, as the bread will come out dense and grainy.
Spices: use cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, or a combination. Some spices, like cloves, are stronger than others, so adjust quantities as appropriate; 1 teaspoon of pure cloves would be too much!
Mix-ins: use any combination of dried fruit, nuts, seeds, or other fun additions like dark chocolate chips. Dried fruit options include raisins, cranberries, cherries, dates, apricots, prunes, or figs. Dice into bite size pieces if needed. Walnuts, almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, or flax seeds provide great texture and nutrition. Toast nuts before adding for even better flavor.
Shredded or Pureed Fruits or Vegetables: use any combination of shredded or pureed fruits and vegetables. Shredded zucchini, shredded carrots, unsweetened applesauce, mashed ripe bananas, canned pumpkin, or pureed butternut squash are all great options.
Buttermilk: substitute plain yogurt, Greek yogurt, kefir, or sour cream. You can also make your own buttermilk by mixing ½ cup milk or milk alternative with ½ Tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice.
Brown Sugar: substitute cane sugar, but note that the flavor will be slightly different.
Eggs: to make a vegan quick bread recipe, substitute the eggs with flax eggs. To make one flax egg, mix 1 Tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with 3 Tablespoons of water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Eggs help leaven the bread, so a vegan version might not be quite as fluffy.
Canola Oil: substitute avocado oil. Do not substitute olive oil, as this has a strong flavor. Do not substitute vegetable oil, as this is not a heart-healthy oil.
Vanilla Extract: substitute almond, coconut, or lemon extract.

Recipe Variations

Remember that this is a base recipe, so the goal is for you to customize it to your taste!

To make a chocolate quick bread, add 1-2 Tablespoons cocoa powder in with the dry ingredients.

Add 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest for a bright flavor.

Want to make mini whole wheat loaves? Prepare mini loaf pans with parchment paper or non-stick spray and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

This batter works for whole wheat muffins too! To make muffins, prepare a 12-cup muffin pan with liners or non-stick spray. Use a portion scoop to divide out the batter. Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Need some whole wheat quick bread recipe inspiration?

Check out these variations, then have fun exploring other flavors, ingredients, and textures!

cranberry zucchini bread sliced on a plate

banana chocolate chip walnut bread on a wooden board with chopped walnuts and banana in the background

Equipment Recommendations

You just need a few pieces of equipment for this simple quick bread:

Measuring cups and spoons
Nested mixing bowls
Whisk
Tovolo scoop spatula
Dark bread loaf pan
Parchment paper (optional)

Is this a Healthy Quick Bread Recipe?

The key ingredients that make this quick bread recipe healthier than store bought varieties are whole wheat flour, fruits and/or vegetables, and less sugar than leading brands.

Whole Wheat Flour

Whole wheat flour is a good source of fiber, B vitamins, Vitamin E, trace minerals, and phytochemicals. Replacing refined grains (i.e. white flour) with whole grains (i.e. whole wheat flour) may reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. (1)

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Consuming a variety of natural colors is ideal. Incorporating vegetables into a breakfast, snack, or dessert recipe is an easy way to help you meet your daily vegetable needs! (2)

Less Added Sugar

High sugar consumption is not good for health, and in general, most Americans eat way too much. Men should aim to consume less than 9 teaspoons (~36 grams) of sugar per day, and women should aim to consume less than 6 teaspoons (~24 grams) of sugar per day. (3) Each slice of bread in this recipe has ~2 teaspoons (~8 grams) of added sugar.

Serving Suggestions for Quick Bread

We doubt you'll be able to resist slicing a warm piece of this whole wheat bread when it's fresh out of the oven! Enjoy on its own for a satisfying snack or dessert, topped with almond butter for a balanced breakfast, or as a tasty treat after lunch.

Storage Tips for Homemade Quick Bread

Because this is a moist bread, it will spoil more quickly at room temperature. Store the bread in a bag or container at room temperature for a couple of days or in the refrigerator for up to one week. Make sure the bread is entirely cool before storing.

Want to make a batch of this whole wheat bread recipe for later? This bread is great for the freezer! Once cooked, cool completely, wrap, then store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze individual slices for quick single-serve options. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator or warm individual servings in the toaster or microwave.

Want more healthy whole grain recipes?

Try out these favorites, and as always, adjust to YOUR taste!

Overnight Oats Base Recipe

Whole Grain Pancakes Base Recipe

Baked Oatmeal Cups Base Recipe

whole wheat quick bread in a ceramic pan on hot pads with pumpkin seeds and craisins

Whole Wheat Quick Bread Base Recipe

Is there anything better than a loaf of warm, spicy, and fluffy bread? We don't think so! This whole wheat quick bread base recipe teaches you the correct ratios of ingredients, then allows you to adjust the ingredients to YOUR taste!

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 50 mins

Total Time 1 hr

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
1-2 teaspoons spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½-1 cup mix-ins (dried fruit, toasted chopped or sliced nuts, unsweetened coconut, chocolate chips)
1 ½ cups shredded or pureed fruits or vegetables
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare a 9×5 bread loaf pan with nonstick spray or parchment paper.
In a large bowl, gently whisk flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add mix-ins to flour mixture. Toss to evenly coat.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together fruit/vegetable puree or shreds, buttermilk, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture. Using a spatula, fold ingredients just until moistened. Do not overmix.
Pour batter into the prepared bread loaf pan. Bake 50-55 minutes or until slightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Enjoy!

Notes

*Substitute 1 cup whole wheat flour and ½ cup all purpose flour.

If your oven runs hot, check the bread for doneness after 45 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the middle of the loaf. If it comes out clean, it's done! If it's not done but the top of the loaf is getting too dark, loosely cover with a piece of foil and return to the oven.

Keyword Whole Wheat Quick Bread