Peanut butter bread is super easy to make with pantry staple ingredients. This savory sweet quick bread is great for snacking on or toasting and slathering with jelly!
Why this recipe works
Tender, soft, and lightly sweet are a few ways to describe peanut butter bread. It’s made with very basic ingredients but what makes it so special, aside from the peanut butter, is that it doesn’t require yeast. Think banana bread but with salty-sweet peanut butter as the star of the show.
Peanut butter bread was popular during the Depression era mostly due to the fact that peanut butter provided necessary protein and bread was filling and fairly cheap to make. There are many different ways you can enjoy this nutty quick bread – sliced and toasted, slathered with jelly, used for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, as breakfast alongside coffee or tea, or simply scarfed down as-is.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
SUGAR – Brown sugar provides a slightly more caramelized taste to this bread while also adding extra moisture. However, if preferred, you can use 3/4 cup granulated white sugar in its place.
PEANUT BUTTER – I would recommend sticking to regular creamy peanut butter (such as Skippy or Jif). Natural nut butters tend to be too thin for this recipe.
How to Make Peanut Butter Bread
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the inside of an 8.5 by 4.5-inch loaf pan with butter or spray it with cooking spray.
- Add the peanut butter and brown sugar to a large bowl. Use a handheld electric mixer to beat until combined.
- Beat in the eggs, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat until incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, and then remove the loaf and let it finish cooling on a wire rack before slicing.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Yes! Transform this peanut butter bread into a chocolate PB bread by stirring in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter.
Store the cooled peanut butter bread in an air-tight container kept at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Yes, you can freeze this bread. To do so, wrap the loaf a few times in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Place the loaf in a large freezer-safe bag or air-tight container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the individual slices by flash-freezing them on a baking tray. Once solid, transfer them to a large zip-top bag and freeze. Thaw at room temperature. Flash-freezing them will help them not stick to each other, if preferred, you can wrap the individual slices in plastic wrap then store in a ziptop bag.
Yes, but do note that this recipe was tested and developed using an 8.5 by 4.5-inch metal loaf pan. If you’re using a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan or a glass loaf pan, your cooking time may vary slightly. This bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Serving Suggestions
Serve peanut butter bread as a quick grab-and-go snack for school lunches or busy afternoons, as breakfast with tea or coffee, as a slightly sweet dessert, or as a vehicle for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Many people like to toast their slices of peanut butter bread before enjoying, but it’s also delicious as-is!
More Quick Bread Recipes
- Apple Bread
- Peach Bread
- Pineapple Quick Bread
- Cantaloupe Quick Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Ice Cream Bread
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Peanut Butter Bread
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 cup creamy sweetened peanut butter such as Skippy
- â…” cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- You can use 3/4 cup granulated white sugar instead of brown sugar if desired.
- I would recommend sticking to regular creamy peanut butter (such as Skippy or Jif) for this recipe. Natural butters tend to be too thin.
- Transform this peanut butter bread into a chocolate PB bread by stirring in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter.
- Store the cooled peanut butter bread in an air-tight container kept at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- TO FREEZE – Wrap the loaf a few times in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Place the loaf in a large freezer-safe bag or air-tight container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the individual slices by flash-freezing them on a baking tray. Once solid, transfer them to a large zip-top bag and freeze. Thaw at room temperature. Flash-freezing them will help them not stick to each other, if preferred, you can wrap the individual slices in plastic wrap then store in a ziptop bag.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the inside of an 8.5 by 4.5-inch loaf pan with butter or spray it with cooking spray.
- Add the peanut butter and brown sugar to a large bowl. Use a handheld electric mixer to beat until combined. Beat in the eggs, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat until incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, and then remove the loaf and let it finish cooling on a wire rack before slicing.
Nutrition
Lindsay Formaro
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