This brown sugar bread recipe is full of sweet flavor and incredibly easy to make. It’s a no yeast quick bread recipe, made with staple ingredients and just five minutes hands-on time!
Brown sugar bread makes a delicious breakfast, snack or dessert. Serve it warm immediately after removing it from the oven or later in the week!
It’s a homemade treat that tastes and feels special.
I recently adapted my famous sweet bread recipe to make this brown sugar bread and it’s simply delicious!
Quick breads are one of my favorite things to bake – even above cookies. You can whip up a loaf in just a few minutes of effort.
As quick bread bakes, it fills your home with the most beautiful aroma, building excitement to remove it from the oven.
Brown Sugar Bread
The brown sugar makes bread extra moist because of molasses in it. It gives this bread a deeper color and flavor as well. It’s out of this world delicious alone or smothered with a little butter.
Why You’ll Love It
Ingredients and Substitutions
- All Purpose Flour – When combined with liquid (milk and vegetable oil), it provides the structure of quick bread. When baked, it expands, trapping the gases from the leavening agent (baking powder).
- Brown Sugar – Dark brown sugar is wonderful in this recipe, but you can also use light brown sugar. Learn about the Best Brown Sugar Substitutes here, and remember that brown sugar is always packed when measuring for baking.
- Baking Powder – Baking powder is a dry chemical leavening agent. It releases gas in the batter causing bubbles which create the rise.
- Salt – A touch of salt goes a long way in baking. It enhances the flavor of all ingredients and therefore is the only seasoning required in this delicious recipe.
- Milk – Milk adds to the moisture and activates the gluten. You can also use buttermilk if you prefer! Learn how to make buttermilk here. Dairy free? Use your favorite dairy substitute. You can use anything from skim milk to vitamin d!
- Oil – Liquid fat makes the bread moist. I use vegetable oil, but canola oil or melted butter also work well.
- Eggs – Eggs bind the ingredients and also help leaven the bread.
Variations
- Extracts – add a hint of vanilla, almond, banana or maple, the options are endless. Simply add 2 teaspoons of your favorite extract.
- Nuts – fold in walnuts, pecans or almonds or use them to garnish the bread just before placing it in the oven.
- Fruits – you can add in banana slices, apples or dried fruits, even raisins to your mixture as well.
- Spices – Blend in a tablespoon of cinnamon or combine cinnamon with 2/3 cups sugar and swirl it in.
- Chocolate – white or milk chocolate chips are also a delicious addition.
- Oats – fold them in and sprinkle on top for added texture.
- Glaze – add a cream cheese glaze, apple glaze or classic glaze.
Tools to Use
- Mixer (You can also mix by hand)
- Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
- Ceramic Mini Loaf Pans – 5.23″ x 3.54″ x 2.16″ size. Michael’s generally offers seasonal versions in their Celebrate It® line of baking products. I love these for their size and price point!
- Loaf Pans (Mini kraft paper)
- Or, try these Mini Ceramic Loaf Pans
How to Make
- Combine dry ingredients.
- Combine wet ingredients.
- Mix – Gradually incorporate dry into wet.
- Pour – Into a greased loaf pan.
- Bake – As directed and enjoy!
Tips
- Don’t Overfill Your Loaf Pan – Fill 2/3 full to compensate for rise.
- Use the Toothpick Test – Insert a toothpick in the center. When it comes out clean, it’s done.
- Use the Correct Loaf Pan – Learn more about Loaf Pan Sizes here.
Baking Alternatives
- Large Loaves – You can also make this in two separate one-pound loaf pans or cut the recipe in half for just one loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes.
- Make Muffins – If you prefer to make brown sugar muffins, just grease miniature muffin tins and fill each to 2/3 full. Bake 12 minutes.
- Make it Ornate – Alternatively, you can also bake it in an ornate loaf pan with the same minimal effort!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this recipe be made in a bread maker?
We haven’t tested this quick bread in a bread maker! It’s so quick and easy to put together and bake in the oven.
Can I make this brown sugar bread with gluten free flour?
While we haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour, many readers have tried it with great results! Be sure to choose a 1:1 gluten free flour intended for baking. We like Bob’s!
How to Store
- Room Temperature – Store no yeast bread in a sealed plastic bag or covered in saran wrap at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Refrigerate – Up to 1 week in an airtight container.
- Freeze – Wrap them tightly in heavy foil, saran wrap or place them in freezer bags (I like to do at least 2 to prevent freezer odors from seeping in), and freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature to serve.
More Quick Bread Inspiration
Brown Sugar No Yeast Bread
This brown sugar bread recipe is full of flavor and incredibly easy to make. A no yeast bread that takes just 5 minutes hands-on time and 40 to bake!
Ingredients
- 2 cups light brown sugar packed
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 6 miniature loaf pans.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat to combine eggs, milk and vegetable oil.
- Gradually blend dry mixture into the wet mixture until just combined
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pans filling an inch below the rim to compensate for rise. Optional: sprinkle sugar or chopped nuts on top.
- Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean.
Julie’s Tips
Substitutions
- Brown Sugar – You can substitute white granulated sugar if you’d prefer.
- Milk – Use whatever you have on hand from skim to Vitamin D. Make it dairy free using Almond Milk.
- Vegetable Oil – Substitute with canola oil or melted butter in a pinch.
Variations
- Nuts – fold in walnuts, pecans or almonds or use them to garnish the bread just before placing it in the oven.
- Fruits – you can add in banana slices, apples or dried fruits, even raisins to your mixture as well.
- Spices – Blend in a tablespoon of cinnamon or combine cinnamon with 2/3 cups sugar and swirl it in.
- Chocolate – white or milk chocolate chips are also a delicious addition.
- Oats – fold them in and sprinkle on top for added texture.
- Glaze – add a cream cheese glaze, apple glaze or classic glaze.
Baking Alternatives
- Large Loaves – You can also make this in 2 – 1 pound loaf pans or cut the recipe in half for just 1 loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes.
- Make Muffins – If you prefer to make brown sugar muffins, just grease miniature muffin tins and fill each to 2/3 full. Bake 12 minutes.
- Make it Ornate – Alternatively, you can also bake it in an ornate loaf pan with the same minimal effort!
Tips
- Don’t overfill your loaf pan. Allow room to compensate for rise.
- Use the toothpick test to ensure it’s ready. Bake time varies based on your loaf pan size and material, altitude and even oven temperatures can vary. Insert a toothpick into the center. When it comes out clean it is done.
To Store
- Room Temperature – Store no yeast bread in a sealed plastic bag or covered in saran wrap at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Refrigerate – Up to 1 week in an airtight container.
- Freeze – Wrap them tightly in heavy foil, saran wrap or place them in freezer bags (I like to do at least 2 to prevent freezer odors from seeping in), and freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature to serve.
Video
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”ZuLYbZGA” upload-date=”2020-03-18T00:00:00.000Z” name=”No Yeast Bread” description=”This brown sugar bread recipe is full of flavor and incredibly easy to make. A no yeast bread made with staple ingredients and just 5 minutes hands-on time!”]
Serving: 1g | Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 179mg | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1.2mg
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Make this all the time, both the white and brown sugar versions. It’s a staple for Sunday morning coffee with my mom and daughter. Also made the espresso bread this morning and I can’t wait for them to try it tomorrow morning. Thanks for the recipes!
Thanks, Terry! So glad you enjoy them all! Thank you for taking a moment to rate!
I just took my 1/2 loaf out of the oven and W O W! Super easy recipe, and even if you mess it up a little bit (read on) it’s still delicious.
What I did wrong:
I used whole wheat flour – I didn’t want to go out in the cold to get a bag of all-purpose.
I used questionably old baking powder – Still fizzed when tested it and my bread still rose so I call that a win.
I did not beat eggs/milk/oil together – My bread wound up very dense (not complaining)!
Even with my little mistakes in the process it is still delicious, more like a cake now though. Not complaining at all, thanks to the wheat flour and cakey texture I would highly recommend a little bit of butter or maple syrup spread or dip with it – delicious all the same. Has the consistency of a wheat pancake which is perfect for me.
I also have had to add 15 minutes of bake time – I live at sea level, my breads are basically very wheaty slightly sweet cakes. Absolutely delicious and a happy mistake! 🙂
Do you dip the measuring cup into the flour or do you spoon the flour into the cup?
I’m a lazy baker…spooning is the proper method, but you cannot mess this bread up…dig in if you’d like!
I made this and shared one loaf with my sister. She made veggie soup. It was great served with the soup. So quick and easy. I can’t wait to tweak it for different tastes.
Hi ! You mention molasses but I don’t see it in ingredients.
brown sugar offers a rich molasses flavor – brown sugar is 10% molasses