Sweet Bread Recipe
I love a great sweet bread. It’s easy to eat for breakfast, a snack or dessert. It’s just as easy to make as it is to enjoy. Sweet bread takes just 5 minutes hands on time and requires just staple ingredients.
I often make it when we’re having last minute guests for a playdate or as a quick hostess gift. You can adapt this simple sweet bread recipe with your favorite fruits, but it’s perfection on it’s own as well. I love to slather a little butter on it for good measure.
This time of year, Michael’s offers miniature ceramic loaf pans for just $1. I always stock up on them in white to use throughout the year. They are more durable than paper loaf pans and make a beautiful gift. This recipe yields 6 pretty little loaves, if you’re willing to share!
What is sweet bread?
Sweet bread is an easy quick bread that doesn’t use yeast! Cinnamon Sweet Bread and Orange Sweet Bread are traditional around Christmas.
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 minutes.
I hope this recipe makes your holiday entertaining and gifting a little easier. You can find all of my bread recipes here, including beer bread {which I highly recommend smothering with honey butter}. Let’s keep in touch! You can get more easy recipes, effortless gift ideas and home decor inspiration here.
If you try this recipe, please come back to share using my 5 star rating in the comments below! Not only do I appreciate it, but I know readers do, too!
How to make sweet bread from scratch:
Sweet Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 c sugar
- 4 c flour
- 2 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 c milk
- 2/3 c vegetable oil
Directions
- Grease 6 mini loaf pans and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt.
- Beat eggs, milk and oil.
- Gradually add dry mixture to wet until just moist.
- Pour batter into pans an inch below to compensate for rise. Optional: sprinkle sugar on top.
- Bake 40 minutes.
Recipe Notes
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.
LET’S CONNECT!
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I am new to your blog and love it! How long do you bake the 6 mini loaves for the sweet bread?
Welcome! It’s nice to have you! 40 minutes, enjoy!
I have not been able to find the ceramic pans for less than $5.00. They are not available at Michael’s or Hobby Lobby. Any suggestions?
What size are your pans – in inches?
Thanks
They’re usually in holiday at Michael’s on end caps. List price is $1.99 and they’re 50% off. I actually just picked up a few more yesterday. Maybe call?
Thank you for your reply. I double checked Michael’s online and they do list them under holiday, available in stores only. There is not a store close but a drive may be worth the effort.
Diane
Oh no! Maybe someone who will be in the area can shop for you 😉 I hope you enjoy a beautiful holiday season, Diane!
They just had some of these at Michaels for 89 cents! Not sure how long the sale was/is!
Even better! Thanks for sharing!
The Dollar Tree…Dollar Store…..etc
Thanks, Paula!
I love those napkins. Where are they from? Thanks… lovely cake!!!
Thank you! They’re from Pottery Barn.
Hi,
If I don’t have mini loaf pans, would the full amount of batter fit into a regular 9×5 loaf pan?
Thanks.
Of course, just bake it 5-10 minutes longer. Enjoy!
I just baked this in a 9×5 inch loaf pan and it overflowed. Do not put it in a 9×5!
Please tell me what kind of flour to use.
All purpose. Enjoy!
350 degrees? There are a mistake, I think.
Yes, I bake them at 350 degrees fahrenheit. Enjoy!
hi
my bread collapsed. I can’t figure out why. I mixed the wet and dry ingredients just till moist .
can you give some helpful tips. This happened to me for the first time .
Thanks.
The most likely reason would be if you overfilled your loaf pans, second if you omitted baking powder.
Just made these tonight. Didn’t have loaf pans so I made them into cupcakes and they turned out delicious!
Thanks for taking the time to share! I’m so glad you enjoyed them as well. Have a great week!
Hi,
If I make it in a regular size loaf pan, will it make one or two?
1
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Have a beautiful Valentine’s Day!
Can you use butter instead of oil?
You should be able to, but I have not tried it. Let me know if you do!
if i wanted to add fruits or nuts to the batter, how much should i put in? also if i wanted to flavor the bread like orange or lemon, how much liquid can i add to it without the texture being dense?
I would do a half cup of fruit or nuts or 1/4 of each. If you want it flavored like orange bread, I’d substitute orange extract (vs vanilla)
Baking right now…I read this comment and panicked because I thought I missed the vanilla. There is no vanilla in this recipe, right?
Jen
Correct, you can always put a teaspoon in, but don’t have to!
Would putting less sugar in the batter affect the result of the bread?
It won’t effect the rise if that’s what you’re asking, but obviously will be a less sweet, sweet bread. Enjoy!
This was so delicious! I used the nonstick spray on the pan and it left a slightly crunchy crust which made it scrumptious. I was lazy and didn’t even sift the flour or accurately measure the sugar or flour and it still turned out amazing. I have a Wolf oven and used a regular sized loaf pan and it required 60 minutes total at 350 degrees. My go-to recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing such a simple recipe that is no non-sense and easy to make frequently!
Honestly, I tend to be lazy as well. You should try mixing in fruits or extracts to mix it up – there are so many delicious ways to enjoy this recipe. I hope you had a beautiful weekend, Jennie!
I baked these day before yesterday to go with a Navy Bean soup I made and they were delicious!!! Thanks for sharing
What a delicious pairing! So glad you enjoyed it.
The loaf in your photo appears to have sugar sprinkled on top but it’s not mentioned in your recipe. Did you do that?
Linda
You caught me! I almost always sprinkle sugar or salt onto baked goods for a little crunch and color. I just added it as an optional step. Thanks for keeping me on my toes!
Julie, there are so many blogs today that some are sadly but easily skipped over. Wanted to tell you I love yours!!! Xoxo
My blog launches soon and I’d love to mention you sometimes if that’s okay:)
Thank you, Mindy! Ah, you’re so sweet. I would love that. Have a beautiful holiday weekend.
How sweet does this bread taste?
It’s a subtle, not-too-sweet, but still a treat!
Hi! Would you say these are more like Hawaiian sweet rolls or more like a muffin/cake type of bread?
Thanks so much for the recipe!
More of a muffin/cake style
Wow, I love the idea of giving these as gifts! Those loaf pans will make such a wonderful presentation!!! Thanks, Julie.
boring the recipe is so short
Most of my recipes are simple and sweet as both my readers and I enjoy them that way. You can always add nuts, fruits, or chocolates to the sweet bread to make it more interesting if you’d prefer.
I like short and sweet 🙂
Enjoy!
please am happy with you.but i have never tried to make bread though now am in need to make it.how should i go about
This is an easy recipe to start with! Just follow the recipe at the end of the post and enjoy!
So I’m going to go deep into left field with your recipe. I’ve actually have been using it for several months now and have tweaked it to my families taste buds. But tonight I’m going to add eggs sausage and cheese for my kids lunches. Hopefully it turns out great. I’m going to switch to a bunt pan which should give it a very good crust. If you have any cool pointers then just let me know but I’ll post my results for you with the tweaks in case it comes out good and you’d like to try it out.
1. How easily does it release from the pan if you want to gift the loaf in parchment/cellophane without the pan?
2. How well does it slice? I notice you didn’t include pics of it out of the pan and sliced.
3. Can chocolate chips and candy cane chips be added, or would they sink to mush?
4. Can the loaf be topped with chocolate chips and candy cane chips? If so, at what stage to make them stick but not burn?
Easily if you use nice bakeware {I use Williams Sonoma gold} or non-stick cooking spray.
It slices beautifully, I was just gifting this particular batch.
Absolutely! Keep in mind that candy cane might adhere a little more to your baking dish though.
Sure, but chocolate chips might not look as pretty as you would hope on top. I would add candy cane in the last 20 minutes.
Cara Julie,
They look so yummy and stylish as well! I had never thought of getting mini ceramic moulds in white… they are lovely!
Just made your recipe with frozen mixed berries.
Thank you for this great idea!
Best regards from rainy Milan, Italy
I’m so glad you enjoyed it as well! Have a beautiful day!
Looking forward to making this! Should I beat/mix with my hand mixer or just use a whisk (don’t have a stand mixer)? Thanks for the recipe!
I would use a hand mixer if you have one, but a whisk will do, it will just take a little more effort. Enjoy!
Hi Julie!
First, thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
Now, for the dumb question of the day…I have everything I need but the milk! Could I use eggnog instead? I have plenty of that!
I don’t see why that wouldn’t work! If you try it, let me know! It sounds like a fun and yummy twist to the recipe!
Wow! Thank you so much for your quick response!
As soon as I try this out I’ll post the results! Fingers crossed!
I try ????
Instead of using vegetable oil, could canola or olive oil be substituted?
I would substitute butter instead, I don’t think you’ll appreciate the flavor of olive oil in a sweet bread. Enjoy!
Most of the different flavorings were just a stir in, what if I want to add pumpkin? How much could I add and would I need to increase the flour?
I would have to test pumpkin as it would change the consistency. I recommend just using stir ins. Enjoy!
WOW! I made this using eggnog instead of milk and it was fantastic! Thank you so much for this recipe! How can something so simple taste so wonderful?! My daughter said she had only one complaint…I should have made her a larger loaf! I will be making another batch sometime today!
PS: I drizzled the top with a little eggnog icing…yum!
Oooh! I can’t wait to try it for New Year’s! Thanks for sharing!
Hi, I just logged on to print this recipe and make it this evening and the recipe is not showing up anymore. I’ve logged out and back in several times. Could you repost it please? It sounds delicious!
Thank you!
YIKES! Thank you SO much for letting me know. Have a beautiful New Year.
Hi, I’m a novice baker, and tried this recipe for my wife of six months, and myself. She loves it, at least the parts I didn’t burn. I used a Calphalon muffin pan and the small loaf pan for my remaining batter. Should I have lessened the bake time because of the baking dishes? Also, I used salted butter to grease the pans, not sure if that makes a difference. Any help/advise you can me will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Yikes! This recipe is intended for smaller baking dishes. Is your oven heating properly? You may want an inexpensive thermometer to see or just reduce the baking time next time. I’m sorry! We make it time and time again, but always with the same mini loaf pans. Glad you were still able to enjoy some!
I’m not sure about the oven, it may be running hotter. I’ll use my thermometer and bake it with less time when I try this recipe again. Once I get this right, I’ll do again with blueberries. Yum. Thanks Julie.
Oh yum! Have a beautiful day!
Thank very much for this wonderful recipe. Since I don’t have a loaf pan I used a standard 12 muffin pan. The first batch I baked it at 20 minutes but after it cool down the outside is a bit hard/crunchy so for the second batch I baked it for 15 mins and it turned out great. Made 2 and a half dozen.
My new go to for a quick bread, so simple and delicious! Instead of all oil, I used 1/2 butter – 1/2 oil and swirled (or marbled) in some blueberry preserves~ Thank you very much for a great recipe!
What a great idea! I’ve never swirled in preserves, but I plan to this weekend thanks to your recommendation. Have a beautiful day!
I am sitting right now eating the 5min sweet bread.i put some of the batter in a custard cup.it is still warm.it smells great.a the taste it out of this world..today is the first day I found you.i hope you will alway be there an have great recipes.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it. Have a beautiful weekend!
Great recipe and so quick! I made last night added raisins and cranberries to the dry before adding wet ingredients and sprinkled top with almond slivers, dessicated coconut and a little brown sugar. Baked in a 9 x 13 glass dish for 50 mins. I just love how we can all put our own spins on it and it comes out so good. This morning I’m going to try making a savory version and check out some of your other recipes. Thanks! Wish I could post a pic! ????
I wish you could, too! I am hoping to add that capability with my site redesign in June. I love how you’re mixing it up! Enjoy!
Would love to try this..was thinking of marbling it. Sny syuggestions how to do this?
You can swirl in just about anything, but cinnamon sugar always makes a beautiful marble. Enjoy!
Can I made it without milk??
I haven’t tested it without milk, but that’s what makes it moist.
Just found this recipe for use with Michaels’ mini-loaf pans so it was a great fit! Needed something with simple ingredients that would still be special. Giving 4 as teacher gifts; we had two extras for us and they are so good! Thank you!
So glad you love it, too!
Hi Julie, I tried your recipe and it is awesome. pretty simple to make and tastes great, I did so some substitutions, for milk, I used condensed milk and for oil, I used olive oil. I have made it like uncountable times now.
So glad you enjoy it as well! Thanks for taking the time to return to share!
Thanks, Rah! Do you mind clicking on the star rating to help other readers? I’d really appreciate it. Hope you have a great week!
is this recipe only used if you’re making 6 loafs? Or, can it be used if you’re making 1/2 loafs of bread?
It’s for 6 mini loaves, but you can add baking time to make 2 1.5 lb loaves.
Delicious I halfed the recipe and used self-rising flour because I ran out of regular flour. My family loved it. He had 4 huge slices. Great recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to share. Have a beautiful week!
Thanks, Karen! Do you mind clicking on the star rating to help other readers? I’d really appreciate it. Hope you have a great week!
Hi, soooo delicious!!! Thanks so much for this simple but tasty recipe. I can’t wait to make another batch with raisins or fruits.
Thanks, Ilana! Do you mind clicking on the star rating to help other readers? I’d really appreciate it. Hope you have a great week!
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Hello. I am new here and very interested in making this recipe. I have several tin loaf pans I am planning to use and the pan size is 8 in. x 3 3/4 in. x 2 1/2 in. How long would you recommend to bake?
Tin bakes faster – not sure on those measurements but I’d watch time and use the toothpick trick (when it comes out clean, it’s done). Enjoy!
Loved it,made it 3x already,thank you
Yay! Hope you had a Merry Christmas!
omg!!! I got a new mixer for christmas and thought I would try this recipe! Sweet Lordy, my husband and daughter are stuffing their face with the first loaf. I made 2 loafs and it came out absolutely perfect. This will be my go to recipe! Thank you so much and god bless you!!!
Congratulations! Having a mixer is so fun! You’ll have to whip up one of my cookie cakes next. Enjoy!
Thanks, Lucy! Do you mind clicking on the star rating to help other readers? I’d really appreciate it. Hope you have a great week!
Just finished baking mine with a glass pan on a sand oven…whoop! Whoop! It’s so tasty, I don’t know whether it’s a bread or cake all the Same it’s yummy. Thanks Julian. I added vanilla flavor.
Thanks for sharing, Jennifer! Do you mind clicking on the star rating to help other readers? I’d really appreciate it. Hope you have a great week!
Question: what sizes are the 6 mini-loaf pans? I will not have time to order online & no Michael’s is nearby. (Want to make it this weekend yet for something Monday.) thank you!
You can also use 2 standard loaf pans or half the recipe for one – just careful to not overfill and increase baking time. Enjoy!
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My family LOVES this bread! We eat it with a little butter.
This is the best bread – I received it as a gift over Christmas and my friend led me to your site. We just made it over the weekend and devoured it!
Is the dough thick enough to pad out, add almond paste mixture, roll and cut for buns?
It is not – it can be made into muffins though
Thank you for another easy recipe! It’s a new favorite!
5 minutes! This is amazing!
I made the bread and it was delish, but I wanted less mess (in terms of cutting it because of crumbs and whatnot) and to be able to take it in my lunch easier. So I tried making them into muffins, and trying not to brag, but it was an awesome idea. It eliminates the issue of end pieces (my family hates end pieces) and they are the perfect size with less mess. If you follow the same recipe, fill each cup halfway and bake for 20-35 minutes. Keep an eye on them because (this happened for me) some of the batches cooked at different rates. I had an outcome of just over 2 1/2 dozen muffins. I hope people enjoy the bread as muffins as much as me and my family!
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Thank you for the recipe for easy sweet bread. I wanted something a little different to have with tea, cheese and fruit and this was a perfect alternative to crackers. I did not have enough milk on hand so I used vanilla almond ‘milk’ and it produced a dense and delicious bread. I find that the vanilla and almond flavours are mild in this milk; I did not add sugar to the top of the loaf in case the vanilla almond milk would add too much sweetness but I found it just right.I will have this bread with soup, scrambled eggs or simply with a little butter or preserves as a snack.The recipe yield was one loaf (9.25 x 5.25 x 2.75 inch pan) plus 6 ‘robust’ muffins.Thanks for the warning to leave an inch between the top of the batter to the rim of the baking pan as the bread rises beautifully.
Thanks for sharing your variation! So glad you enjoyed it. I’m sharing carrot cake bread next week! Have a beautiful weekend!
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Thank you for this recipe! It tastes wonderful without any changes! It is also quick, with minimal ingredients but has SO much potential for additions too. 🙂 Staple in my book now!
So glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer and really appreciate you returning to share! Have a beautiful week!