I’m sharing a Strawberry Quick Bread recipe that relies on one unexpected pantry ingredient to change how the loaf bakes and hides a little surprise you’ll want to uncover.

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I never meant to make something so stubbornly addictive, but this Strawberry Walnut Bread kept pulling me back to the oven. Using chopped fresh strawberries and chopped walnuts, toasted for a little kick, it somehow sits between simple and unexpectedly clever.

People ask if it’s a cousin to Pioneer Woman Leftover Fruit Bread or the classic Strawberry Quick Bread, and yeah there are echoes, but this loaf has a little twist that makes you pause and taste again. It’s not perfect, I forget things, I overfill pans sometimes, but when crumbs happen it’s seriously worth the mess.

Ingredients

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Strawberries: bright, juicy, sweet with slight tartness, adds vitamin C and fiber.
Walnuts: crunchy, toasty, offer healthy fats, some protein and earthy bitterness.
All purpose flour: gives structure, mostly carbs, low fiber, moderate amount of protein.
Sugar: makes it sweet, quick energy, empty calories, no real nutrients.
Eggs: bind, add richness, good protein, moisture, makes crumb tender.
Sour cream or yogurt: tangy, adds moisture and makes cake tender, some protein and fat.
Lemon zest: lifts flavors with bright citrus, tiny acid that balances sweetness.

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups all purpose flour (about 250 g)

1 tablespoon all purpose flour for tossing berries

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup granulated sugar (about 200 g)

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable oil (120 ml) or melted butter if you prefer

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (120 ml)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries (about 8 oz / 225 g), hulled

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (about 60 g)

Optional coarse sugar for sprinkling on top

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium 4 to 6 minutes or on a baking sheet 5 to 7 minutes until fragrant, chop and set aside. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and line with parchment if you like a easy lift out.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Put aside 1 tablespoon of that flour for the strawberries.

3. In a large bowl beat 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 large room temperature eggs until just combined, then stir in 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter), 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until smooth. Room temp eggs help the batter mix more evenly.

4. Add the dry mixture to the wet and fold with a spatula until just combined, a few streaks of flour are ok. Don’t overmix or the bread will get tough.

5. Hull and chop about 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, pat lightly with a paper towel if very juicy, then toss them in the reserved 1 tablespoon flour so they don’t sink. Fold the floured strawberries and the chopped toasted walnuts (about 1/2 cup) into the batter gently.

6. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle optional coarse sugar on top if you want a little crunch and sparkle.

7. Bake 50 to 65 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, check at 50 minutes. If the top is browning too fast tent loosely with foil.

8. Let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and cool another 30 to 45 minutes before slicing so it sets up and doesn’t crumble.

9. Slice and enjoy warm or at room temperature. Store wrapped at room temp for 2 days or refrigerated up to 4 days, and it warms up great in a toaster oven.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×5 inch loaf pan, greased and lined with parchment for an easy lift
2. Medium bowl and large mixing bowl (separate for dry and wet)
3. Whisk and a flexible spatula for folding (a hand mixer is optional)
4. Measuring cups and spoons (dry and liquid)
5. Dry skillet or baking sheet for toasting the walnuts
6. Knife and cutting board for hulled strawberries and chopping nuts
7. Paper towels for blotting very juicy berries
8. Wire cooling rack to cool the loaf properly
9. Oven mitts and a toothpick or cake tester to check doneness

FAQ

Q: Can I use frozen strawberries? A: Yes, you can. Thaw and drain them first so they dont make the batter watery, then toss with the tablespoon of flour to keep them from sinking. Expect the batter to go a little pink and you might need a minute or two extra bake time.

Q: How do I stop the bread from being soggy? A: Dont overmix the batter, fold gently until just combined. Toss berries in flour, use room temperature eggs and sour cream, and make sure you bake until a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs.

Q: Can I swap oil for butter or skip the nuts? A: Yep. Melted butter gives richer flavor and works in the same amount as the oil. Walnuts add texture and flavor but you can leave them out or use pecans or almonds instead.

Q: How can I tell the bread is done? A: Insert a toothpick in the center, it should come out with a few moist crumbs not raw batter. The top should be golden and spring back slightly, and edges may pull away from the pan.

Q: Can I make muffins instead of a loaf? A: Yes, spoon into a muffin tin lined with papers, fill about two thirds full, and bake at 350°F for roughly 18 to 22 minutes. Watch them closely since oven times vary.

Q: What is the best way to store or freeze it? A: Keep wrapped at room temperature for up to two days, or in the fridge up to five days. To freeze, slice and wrap pieces well, freeze up to three months, then thaw at room temp or warm briefly in the toaster oven.

Strawberry Walnut Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: try whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for a nuttier, slightly denser loaf, or use a 1:1 gluten free all-purpose blend that contains xanthan gum (expect a bit more crumbly texture). If you only have regular whole wheat, swap just half to avoid a heavy bread.
Granulated sugar: swap with 3/4 cup maple syrup or honey for 1 cup sugar, but reduce other liquids by about 3 tablespoons and lower oven temp 25°F because liquid sweeteners brown faster. Another simple swap is coconut sugar 1:1 for a deeper, caramel flavor.
Vegetable oil: use melted butter 1:1 for richer flavor, or replace half (or all) with unsweetened applesauce 1:1 to cut fat—applesauce makes the loaf more moist and a touch denser, but it still tastes great.
Sour cream: plain Greek yogurt is a straight 1:1 swap, same tang and texture. Or make quick buttermilk by stirring 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1/2 cup milk and letting it sit 5 minutes, then use in place of the sour cream.

Pro Tips

1) Warm your eggs and dairy first. Cold eggs and sour cream make the batter seize a bit and you get a denser loaf. If you’re short on time, put eggs in a bowl of warm tap water for 5 to 10 minutes, it helps a lot.

2) Fold gently and stop early. Mix until you still see a few streaks of flour, then quit. Overmixing gives you a tough, gummy loaf, so use a spatula not a mixer and be patient.

3) Keep the berries from sinking and bleeding. Pat very juicy strawberries dry, chill them briefly, and dust them lightly with flour or cornstarch before folding in. Also fold them in last, and use bigger chunks so they stay distributed instead of turning the batter pink.

4) Watch the bake and let it rest. Start checking at the earlier end of the time, tent with foil if the top gets too dark, and cool the loaf in the pan 10 to 15 minutes before removing. For cleaner slices and less crumbling, let it sit another 20 to 30 minutes or pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes before cutting.

Strawberry Walnut Bread Recipe

Recipe by Toni Baldesera

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing a Strawberry Quick Bread recipe that relies on one unexpected pantry ingredient to change how the loaf bakes and hides a little surprise you’ll want to uncover.

Servings

servings

Calories

290

kcal

Equipment: 1. 9×5 inch loaf pan, greased and lined with parchment for an easy lift
2. Medium bowl and large mixing bowl (separate for dry and wet)
3. Whisk and a flexible spatula for folding (a hand mixer is optional)
4. Measuring cups and spoons (dry and liquid)
5. Dry skillet or baking sheet for toasting the walnuts
6. Knife and cutting board for hulled strawberries and chopping nuts
7. Paper towels for blotting very juicy berries
8. Wire cooling rack to cool the loaf properly
9. Oven mitts and a toothpick or cake tester to check doneness

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour (about 250 g)
1 tablespoon all purpose flour for tossing berries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup granulated sugar (about 200 g)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil (120 ml) or melted butter if you prefer
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (120 ml)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries (about 8 oz / 225 g), hulled
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (about 60 g)
Optional coarse sugar for sprinkling on top

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium 4 to 6 minutes or on a baking sheet 5 to 7 minutes until fragrant, chop and set aside. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and line with parchment if you like a easy lift out.
In a medium bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Put aside 1 tablespoon of that flour for the strawberries.
In a large bowl beat 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 large room temperature eggs until just combined, then stir in 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter), 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until smooth. Room temp eggs help the batter mix more evenly.
Add the dry mixture to the wet and fold with a spatula until just combined, a few streaks of flour are ok. Don't overmix or the bread will get tough.
Hull and chop about 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, pat lightly with a paper towel if very juicy, then toss them in the reserved 1 tablespoon flour so they don't sink. Fold the floured strawberries and the chopped toasted walnuts (about 1/2 cup) into the batter gently.
Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle optional coarse sugar on top if you want a little crunch and sparkle.
Bake 50 to 65 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, check at 50 minutes. If the top is browning too fast tent loosely with foil.
Let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and cool another 30 to 45 minutes before slicing so it sets up and doesn't crumble.
Slice and enjoy warm or at room temperature. Store wrapped at room temp for 2 days or refrigerated up to 4 days, and it warms up great in a toaster oven.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.