The Best Easy Peanut Butter Bread Recipe

4.58 from 21 votes
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The best easy peanut butter bread recipe – delicious peanut butter bread that is great for a snack or dessert and always a huge hit with kids!

This is a simple, easy treat we love anytime of year – my kids love it toasted with butter or nutella for breakfast.

bread sliced with ice cream and chocolate sauce on it

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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

bread on a wire rack, sliced

Depression Era Peanut Butter Bread

Ever since this depression era bread took over the internet in a reddit thread, I’ve been wanting to try this amazingly easy, ingredient friendly bread out – it is salty, sweet, and SO easy – you will love it!

The reddit bread omitted eggs for a recipe perfect to omake it through the depression – but we’re adding a bit more sugar and some eggs to give this bread a lighter, more pound-cake like flavor that is a little more sweet – like a peanut butter cookie.

Yes, we’re really over here making peanut butter cookie bread… and you won’t believe the amazing flavor!

My kids beg for this bread- and it is so easy, it is an indulgence I am quick to whip up for them!

stack of sliced bread and peanut butter on a knife

How To Make Peanut Butter Bread

This bread is one of our new favorites because it is so incredibly easy to make – in just one or two bowls – you don’t need a mixer, to wait to proof yeast, or many ingredients to make this bread.

To make this recipe we will need the following ingredients:

  • All-purpose flour (2 cups): The base of the bread, providing structure. Its proteins develop gluten when mixed, giving the bread its form and chew.
  • Baking powder (3 teaspoons): A leavening agent that helps the bread rise, creating a light and fluffy texture.
  • Salt (½ teaspoon): Enhances the overall flavor and balances the sweetness, while also highlighting the nuttiness of the peanut butter.
  • Granulated sugar (½ cup): Adds sweetness and moisture to the bread, complementing the peanut butter flavor.
  • Creamy peanut butter (½ cup + 1 tbsp): The star ingredient, contributing rich flavor, fat, and moisture to the bread.
  • Eggs (2 large): Bind the ingredients together, provide structure, and add richness and moisture to the loaf.
  • Whole milk (1 cup): Adds liquid to the batter, helping to combine the ingredients and creating a tender crumb.
Peanut butter dessert bread recipe ingredients.

Prep the Pan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 8×4-inch bread pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

A bowl of peanut butter batter with a red spatula in it, ready to be baked into a delicious peanut butter bread dessert.

Combine Mixture

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and peanut butter together until light and fluffy. Add in the dry ingredients alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mix until smooth.

A baking pan containing a delicious batch of freshly baked peanut butter bread.

Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes back clean.

Tips and Tricks To Perfect Peanut Butter Bread

If you find yourself running into any problems, check out our top tips to make this bread more easy:

Add More Peanut Butter. The original reddit recipe calls for only 1/2 cup peanut butter – but I found there was more flavor I really loved with an additional one to two tablespoons.

Use Two Bowls. While this recipe is a one-bowl wonder, we found it was easier to mix the milk and peanut butter separately before adding it to the rest oof the ingredients, especially if your peanut butter is very thick. It can be hard to stir everything in nicely without a mixer if adding all to one bowl.

Cool before slicing. This bread has a great crumb if you let it set – but slicing bread before it is fully cool does tend to make it crumble too much.

How to Store Peanut Butter Bread. Store peanut butter bread in a bread bag, plastic bag, bread box, or covered with a cloth in a cool, dry place for up to four days.

How to Freeze Peanut Butter Bread. You can freeze peanut butter bread (so you can make a big batch) and store in the freezer for up to four months. Let thaw naturally on the counter overnight from frozen.

bread on a wire rack, sliced

FAQs

What type of peanut butter should I use?

Use creamy peanut butter for a smooth texture, or crunchy if you want added texture and peanut bits.

Can I use natural peanut butter?

Yes, but make sure it’s well-stirred and not too oily or dry, as it can affect the bread’s texture and moisture.

Can I make it gluten-free?

Yes, substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, but expect a slightly different texture.

Can I add mix-ins like chocolate chips or bananas?

Absolutely! Chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or mashed bananas are great additions for flavor and moisture.

How do I know when it’s done baking?

Insert a toothpick in the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs when done.

How should I store peanut butter bread?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.

Can I freeze peanut butter bread?

Yes, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Why is my bread dry?

Overbaking or not enough liquid ingredients can cause dryness; check your bake time and ingredient ratios.

What can I use instead of milk?

You can use non-dairy milk like almond, oat, or soy milk without issues in most recipes.

bread sliced with ice cream and chocolate sauce on it

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Easy peanut butter bread with ice cream.

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4.58 from 21 votes

The Best Easy Peanut Butter Bread

By: Courtney O’Dell
Servings: 8 slices
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
A slice of peanut butter dessert bread topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate syrup on a white plate.
An easy quick bread recipe that became super popular during the last couple of months during quarantine due to a reddit thread! This recipe is adapted from the original for a more pound cake-like texture and a slightly sweeter flavor.

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 8×4-inch bread pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
  • Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat the sugar, peanut butter, and eggs together until light and fluffy. Add in the dry ingredients alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mix until smooth. Do not overmix.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes back clean.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 197kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 6gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.004gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 175mgPotassium: 246mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 109IUCalcium: 114mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @sweetcsdesigns or tag #sweetcsdesigns!

About Courtney

Courtney loves to share great wine, good food, and loves to explore far flung places- all while masting an everyday elegant and easy style at lifestyle blog Sweet Cโ€™s Designs. Sweet C's devoted to finding the best food and drinks you'll want to make or find, around the world!

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4.58 from 21 votes (21 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. Angie says:

    In the instructions you don’t mention the eggs…should I add them at the sugar and peanut butter stage…?

    1. Katherine says:

      Thank you for pointing that out, I fixed the recipe card, your instincts do you credit, you add the egg at the same stage as the peanut butter and sugar.