This peanut butter bread from great depression era in the 1930's is an old recipe perfect for all times. As the name suggests this bread is packed with crunch and creaminess of peanut butter. With a few simple ingredients and an easy method to follow you can put it together in one hour. This fresh bread out of the oven will be your new favorite.
During the Covid days (thank god they are behind us now) I was busy baking like crazy like the rest of the country. It was during this time that I got my hands on this 1932's recipe shared on Reddit. I found it to be worthy of all the praise. Let's be honest - who doesn’t like peanut butter? And what better way than to infuse it into a quick bread.
I love incorporating peanut butter in my bakes just like this Peanut Butter Cookies and Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies. Do you like quick breads? Try my Brownie Bread, Banana Bread without Baking Soda, 4-Ingredient Banana Bread and Praline Apple Bread as well.
Table of Contents
why this recipe works?
- Few Ingredients: You require only a few simple pantry staple ingredients.
- Quick, Easy & Simple: This delicious peanut butter bread is a simple bake and you need only one hour to bake it.
- Better Next Day: This bread is even better the next day as the flavor of the peanut butter is more infused.
traditional breads vs. quick breads
Quick breads are essentially a cross between a pound cake and a bread.
The main difference between traditional breads and quick breads is this that the breads are made with yeast and need proofing while the quick breads are usually made using leavening agents.
Another main difference between the two is that breads are usually made with a dough but on the other hand quick breads are made with batter.
As there is a difference in baking method it is evident there is a difference between texture and crumb of breads and quick breads.
ingredients for peanut butter bread
Pro Tip # 1
Always use room temperature ingredients for baking (unless otherwise specified) as they incorporate better and give perfect baked treats.
- All-purpose flour: gives structure to this quick bread.
- Baking powder + Baking soda: leavening agent in this bake.
- Salt: balances the sugar and enhances the flavor.
- Butter: use unsalted butter for this recipe.
- Castor sugar: for sweetness.
- Peanut butter (chunky): the hero of this recipe.
- Vanilla extract: adds aroma to this quick bread.
- Egg: binding agent in this bread.
- Peanuts: to sprinkle on the bake.
- Sour cream: use full fat sour cream for best results.
Pro Tip # 2
Always use a digital scale to measure all-purpose flour and other dry ingredients for perfect results. Scooping it out directly using cups may result in uneven amount of dry ingredients and dense bakes.
substitutions & variations
- Chocolate Chips: Feel free to add ½ cup of chocolate chips to the batter.
- Nuts: Add ½ cup walnuts or pecans in the batter to make the bread crunchier with nuts.
- Bananas: Make this bread with bananas. Simply add 2 mashed medium-sized ripe bananas in the mixture and you will get a banana peanut butter bread.
- Raisins: Add ½ cup of raisins in the batter if you are a fan of raisins.
how to make peanut butter bread
These are basic process shots for this recipe. For detailed instructions refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together.
2. Using an electric beater beat together butter and peanut butter until creamy.
3. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat again.
4. Add in the sour cream.
5. Beat until the mixture is creamy.
6. Add the dry ingredients and gently mix.
7. Pour the batter into the greased pan. Know that the batter will be thick. Sprinkle peanuts and press them using a spatula.
8. Bake at 350 F for about 50 - 55 minutes until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
pro tips
Peanut Butter: It is important to use full fat peanut butter for this recipe. Use chunky peanut butter or creamy one as per your choice.
Thick Batter: Know that the batter will be thick than usual. Do not worry about it, it will be fine in the oven and will give you perfect results.
Avoid Browning During Baking: Check the bread around 40 minutes and if the top is getting a dark brown color, cover it loosely with foil to continue baking without the top getting too brown. Be sure to cover loosely otherwise the foil may make contact with the top and stick to the foil.
common questions
Yes, absolutely. I use my heavy-duty blender frequently to make the peanut butter bread. It always works like a charm.
I have not tried doing so but I believe you can replace the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour in 1:1 ratio. If you try making it with the gluten free flour then do let me know in the comments.
Spray the measuring cup with baking spray or nonstick spray before adding peanut butter to it. Easy method to slide out the peanut butter without any effort or messing up the utensil.
how to store
- The peanut butter bread will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 4 days. I store the breads in an air-tight bread container.
- This peanut butter loaf will stay fresh in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze the bread by wrapping each piece in plastic wrap and further add a layer of aluminum foil to it. Place the slices in a ziplock bag or an airtight container.
Note:
This recipe was first published on Dec 10, 2021. I have updated with a little tweak in the recipe, fresh pictures and with step by step instructions along with pictures for your ease.
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Recipe
Peanut Butter Bread
Equipment
- 1 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
- Parchment paper or wax/butter paper.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Digital Scale
- Large bowls.
- Rubber spatulas
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
- ¼ cup butter (57 g) room temperature
- ¾ cup castor sugar (170 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (10 g)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (1.25 g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sour cream (123 g) room temperature
- 1 cup chunky peanut butter (250 g) room temperature
- 1 egg (large)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 g)
- ¼ cup peanuts (roasted) (32 g) for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray the baking nonstick spray to a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper in the bottom.
- In a large bowl sift together all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk and set aside.
- In another large bowl using an electric mixer beat the butter with peanut butter, egg and vanilla until fluffy and creamy.
- Add in the sour cream and mix until combined.
- Add the flour mixture and fold until mixed together.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Sprinkle the peanuts on the top before putting the pan in the middle rack of the oven.
- Bake for an hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs.
- Let the peanut butter loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack.
