Healthy Strawberry Bread
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Healthy strawberry bread is packed with fresh strawberries and made a bit healthier with gluten free almond and oat flours, sweetened with maple syrup (refined sugar free) and moist using yogurt (regular or plant based). A high protein breakfast or snack!
You are going to love and be so surprised at how moist and delicious this strawberry bread is! I love it when I find a classic recipe, that is healthier, refined sugar free and gluten free!
We love strawberries in this house and our readers do too, here are some of our favorites: Strawberry Rhubarb Salad, Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars (also Gluten Free), or this delicious Strawberry Cocktail.
I have been adapting more recipes to be gluten, dairy and sugar free. Not only is it better for us in many ways, but we have some dear friends who’s daughter is battling cancer and I love being able to bring them something they feel good about eating, but tastes delicious for everyone. Like this dreamy Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana bread!
Best Easy Quick Bread Recipes
Quick breads are the best, also called soda breads, because you mix them up typically in one bowl and pop them in the oven and in about an hour you will have a delicious hot, quick bread. Try this easy Rhubarb Bread recipe, Nutella Banana Bread, Amazing Banana Nut Bread.
Ingredients
Takes 15 minutes to assemble this delicious strawberry bread for baking. The full ingredient list is in the recipe card (you can always use the JUMP TO button at the top of the post, but I hope you will browse through the easy steps and pictures!)
- EGGS | I use large eggs in my baking, these provide lift, texture and moisture!
- PURE MAPLE SYRUP | Make sure you are using real pure maple syrup, this adds a touch of sweetness. You may also swap in honey or agave in this recipe.
- YOGURT | Use plant based or regular, a higher protein yogurt will add to the protein in the bread.
- COCONUT OIL | Just a little bit! I melt it before I start collecting all of my ingredients so that it can cool.
- ALMOND FLOUR | Fine blanched almond flour is best in this recipe, this is the one I used.
- OAT FLOUR | I love oat flour, it has a wonderful chewy, oat-y taste that it brings to baked goods.
- FRESH STRAWBERRIES | Fresh is best for this recipe, but you can chop up frozen if that is all you have.
Strawberry Bread Step-by-Step
Step 1
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a loaf pan (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches) with parchment paper, then spray with spray oil (make sure it doesn’t have flour in it!)
- Mix together eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, yogurt and coconut oil in large mixing bowl with whisk until smooth.
Step 2
- Reserve 1 tablespoon oat flour to coat the strawberries. Add the following ingredients to the wet ingredients; oat flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt, mix with a spatula or spoon until well combined.
- Toss chopped strawberries in reserved oat flour, then gently fold into the strawberry bread batter.
Step 3
- If desired, slice a strawberry into thin slices (from the top down, creating little “hearts) and place on top of batter.
- Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 35-45 minutes until tester comes out clean, if browning too quickly, lay a piece of parchment or foil over the top.
- Cool bread in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cool completely for easier slicing.
TIPS for the best Healthy Strawberry Bread
- When baking with gluten free flours in my opinion it is much better to under cook as opposed to overcook baked goods, start checking at the lower time limits.
- Toothpick or tester should come out clean when it is done, for quick breads I like using a toothpick or skewer vs. a metal tester.
- Do not overwork the batter, mix just until combined.
- Bake the day ahead, cool completely, wrap well and slice the next day, the flavors blend so nicely and it slices a bit easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! If you are vegan, you know the best substitutes for eggs, I hear flax eggs work well in baking, or use a vegan egg replacement. And like I did, use a plant based yogurt instead of regular yogurt.
This bread is delicious by itself and since I didn’t want to use any refined sugar, I chose not to glaze. If you glaze, make sure the bread is completely cooled, place 3-4 chopped strawberries in baggie and roll with rolling pin, in small bowl dump strawberries and add a 1-3 teaspoons lemon juice and 1/3 cup powdered sugar. Add more or less lemon juice depending on desired consistency.
Yes! It will make about 10 regular sized muffins, use a liner for easier removal, or spray well with baking oil. Fill muffin holes to about 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until tester comes out clean.
Absolutely! Though this will not be as high in protein.
Yes! Wrap well in plastic wrap, freeze 3-4 months if tightly wrapped.
Substitutions for Strawberry Bread
I get it, sometimes you want to do something slightly different! That is what I love and encourage, after all our tagline is “Make it Yours!” So make it your way! Experience and play with the ingredients if you wish.
- OTHER BERRIES | Swap cup for cup blueberries for strawberries, do not chop. Frozen may also be used, the same goes for raspberries, cherries, blackberries or even chopped peaches, apricots and nectarines.
- STRAWBERRY LEMON BREAD | Strawberries and lemon go hand in hand, add the zest of 1 lemon and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, reducing maple syrup by 1 tablespoon. I would also suggest using lemon yogurt.
- SWAP FOR MAPLE SYRUP | Use the same amount of agave nectar or honey, I would use raw local honey if you could! If vegan, do not use honey.
- ADD MORE PROTEIN | Add a scoops (or two) of a good vanilla protein powder or vanilla collagen protein. *Make sure not whey based if making dairy free.
- ADD NUTS | This would also be delicious with chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts in it, add 1/2 cup to the batter with the strawberries.
This recipe lightly adapted from Ambitious Kitchen.
This fresh strawberry bread will last 3-4 days well sealed on the counter, but better in the fridge, up to 7 days, freeze up to 3-4 months.
More great berry recipes!
- How to Make Strawberry Syrup
- Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake
- Easy Chocolate Shortcake
- DIY Strawberry Lip Scrub
- DIY Sugar Scrub
- Fresh Strawberry Buttermilk Scones
- Healthy 3-Ingredient Raspberry Glazed Salmon
- Glazed Raspberry Blueberry Scones
- Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake
- Red, White and Blueberry Yogurt Parfaits
Like this recipe?
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 eggs I use large eggs
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup | or swap honey or agave nectar if desired
- 1 container 5.3 oz high protein yogurt (regular or plant based, Noosa or siggi’s are great!) use strawberry or vanilla yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil melted and cooled (may use avocado oil or butter)
- 1 1/2 cups packed fine blanched almond flour
- 1 cup oat flour gluten free if important to you, reserve 1 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a loaf pan (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches) with parchment paper, then spray with spray oil (make sure it doesn’t have flour in it!)
- Mix together eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, yogurt and coconut oil in large mixing bowl with whisk until smooth.
- Reserve 1 tablespoon oat flour to coat the strawberries. Add the following ingredients to the wet ingredients; oat flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt, mix with a spatula or spoon until well combined.
- Toss chopped strawberries in reserved oat flour, then gently fold into the strawberry bread batter.If desired, slice a strawberry into thin slices (from the top down, creating little "hearts) and place on top of batter.
- Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 35-45 minutes until tester comes out clean, if browning too quickly, lay a piece of parchment or foil over the top. Cool bread in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cool completely for easier slicing. If glaze is desired, see notes below.
Fresh Tips
is completely cooled, place 3-4 chopped strawberries in baggie and roll with rolling pin, in small bowl dump strawberries and add a 1-3 teaspoons lemon juice and 1/3 cup powdered sugar. Add more or less lemon juice depending on desired consistency. STRAWBERRY MUFFINS | Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners or spray well, fill well’s 2/3 full (about 10 muffins) and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Once you take them out of the oven, sprinkle with a little monk fruit sugar for a little non-sugar crunch. SEE POST FOR OTHER MIX-IN, SUBSTITUTION OPTIONS
I made this with frozen strawberries instead of Fresh since I already had them. The bread itself was tasty enough but it didn’t really work with frozen strawberries. These berries “disappeared” during baking, and made the bread too moist. My cooking time was about 65 minutes. Also I used honey rather than maple syrup. Using 1/3c honey was not enough for me. If I tried this again, I’d use 1/2c.
Hi Ed, the bread is very moist and I bet the frozen berries made it even more moist. Did you thaw them by chance when using them? It’s not supposed to be a really sweet bread, just sweet enough, but if you were to try it again, I would try using fresh berries and sure give it a try using a little more honey, though that will change it all slightly again, you might want to add a few more tablespoons of flour if you add more honey the next time.
Do you have any notes for high altitude?
Hi Becky, I did not make any changes for high altitude for this bread. The only caution is make sure you cook it long enough, but not overcook it, just until the toothpick comes out clean or just a few crumbs. Are you above 5000 feet? If so, you might want to try baking at 375 versus 350 degrees and possibly take it out a little earlier.
The amount of strawberries in this loaf of bread makes me so happy! We baked this last weekend, and we could NOT stop eating it. So clearly, we’ll be making another loaf this weekend.
It made me happy too! So glad you enjoyed it!
We made this last weekend after we went strawberry picking. This bread was utterly delicious, and we all loved it!
It’s such a beautiful loaf and the fresh strawberry flavor is wonderful! Love the idea of decorating with sliced strawberries on top!
Thanks Amy! We loved it too!
The only thing better than the way this bread tastes is how it smells when it’s baking!! OH MY!! Just amazing!
Thanks so much Michaela!!
I bought some oat flour and wasn’t quite sure how to use it. This strawberry bread is perfect. I have a loaf baking now and I have to say my house smells amazing!
YAY! Hope you loved how it tasted too!
This quick bread is always popular and gets rave reviews! I like to keep a loaf in the freezer for last minute sharing, too!
This was perfect for breakfast. The nice strawberry flavor was a good change from our normal stuff.