Life's Little Sweets

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Oatmeal Cherry Quick Bread

Oatmeal Cherry Quick Bread: I wanted the quick bread to have healthy ingredients like organic whole oats (iron and fiber), ground flaxseed (fiber, Omega-3s), coconut oil (kills hunger, multiple health benefits), and fresh cherries (fiber, wards off cancer, inflammation reduction, low glycemic index) that I keep bumping into at the grocery store lately.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Oatmeal Cherry Bread

Oatmeal Cherry Quick Bread

Table of contents

Hi Everyone, I was hankering for some kind of healthy, energy-giving, quick bread that I could visit and revisit throughout the day while chasing my 14 1/2-month-old toddler who is into everything these days.

I wanted the quick bread to have healthy ingredients like organic whole oats (iron and fiber), ground flaxseed (fiber, Omega-3s), coconut oil (kills hunger, multiple health benefits), and fresh cherries (fiber, wards off cancer, inflammation reduction, low glycemic index) that I keep bumping into at the grocery store lately.

This recipe is lactating-mom friendly, meaning it has ingredients like oatmeal and flaxseed which supports the nutritional needs of a lactating mother.

But really, anyone can eat and enjoy it.

My husband, Eric (the lactose-intolerant member of the family), liked it and my toddler, Margo (the bread lover), enjoyed it as well.

She normally doesn’t eat raw cherries but she went for them when they are baked into bread!

For the ground flaxseed, I used Hodgson Mill Ground Flaxseed. For the coconut milk, I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk.

For the coconut sugar, I used Madhava Coconut Sugar.

Though Oatmeal Cherry Quick Bread has 1/2 a cup coconut sugar (the original recipe calls for 1 cup regular refined sugar), it’s not a super sweet bread and doesn’t leave an overly sugary taste in your mouth.

There are large chunks of cherries that add a lightly sweet and tart flavor.

This bread is moist almost like how banana bread can be but not mushy in any way.

The color is golden and it’s so pretty with those bright red cherries peeking through.

Eating this bread is like eating cake without any guilt and made better by biting into juicy and delicious cherries.

Oatmeal Cherry Bread Sliced

View my tutorial on how to prepare a Flaxseed “Egg” here.

Oatmeal Cherry Quick Bread Wrapped

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup organic whole oats
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup room temperature coconut oil
  • 1-1/2 cups hand pitted, ripped in half fresh cherries, washed and dry of excess water *see notes below for tips on pitting the cherries

Kitchen Tools

  • cherry pitter, not required but it’s helpful
  • 2-cup wet measure
  • measuring spoons and cups
  • mixing bowl(s)
  • baking spatula
  • standard loaf pan
  • toothpick(s) for testing for doneness

Web Story

Oatmeal Cherry Quick bread Story

Recipe Notes

  • If you have a different size quick bread pan other than the one noted in the recipe, make sure to adjust for baking times.
  • If you don’t have coconut oil, you can substitute canola oil instead.
  • If you want the bread to be sweeter, perhaps more of dessert bread, you can do up to 1 cup of sugar vs. the 1/2 cup that I specify.
  • Kosher or regular salt can be substituted for sea salt. I like the more complex taste of sea salt, so that’s why I use it but it’s really a background flavor in this particular recipe.
  • Make sure to get all the pits out when you pit the cherries. Pitting them by hand keeps more of the flesh than cutting them (I’ve tried both methods). Use your thumbs at the top of the cherry, split them in half, take the pit out and shred the flesh slightly with your fingers. Messy but worth it.
  • Brewer’s yeast would also help make this bread even more of a lactating mom-friendly recipe;  I haven’t tried using it with this recipe but I do have some on the order that I will test out.
  • Random fact: National Cherry Day is July 16th in the United Kingdom.

Recipe Attribution

Adapted from “Nut Bread,” p.131 in “Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, Celebrating the Promise, Limited Edition”

Latest Recipes and Posts

sliced Oatmeal Cherry Quick Bread in white tray

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Oatmeal Cherry Quick Bread

Oatmeal Cherry Quick Bread

Yield: 14 slices
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Oatmeal Cherry Quick Bread is dairy-free, lactating mom-friendly, loaded with healthy ingredients, and great for breakfast and snacks - no electric mixer required!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan with coconut oil and set aside. Using a large bowl, mix flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, ground flaxseed, sea salt, and cinnamon until combined. Using your hands' mix in coconut oil until the mixture is crumbly.
  2. In a small-medium bowl, mix egg, coconut milk, and then add the pitted ripped in half cherries. Add egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
  3. Using a baking spatula, scrape the batter into the loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. To test for doneness, use a wooden toothpick, insert it into the center and if it comes out clean then it's done. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then take the loaf out of the pan (be careful, bread may still be hot) and cool on a wire rack completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • If you have a different size quick bread pan other than the one noted in the recipe, make sure to adjust for baking times.
  • If you don't have coconut oil, you can substitute canola oil instead.
  • If you want the bread to be sweeter, perhaps more of dessert bread, you can do up to 1 cup of sugar vs. the 1/2 cup that I specify.
  • Kosher or regular salt can be substituted for sea salt.  I like the more complex taste of sea salt, so that's why I use it but it's really a background flavor in this particular recipe.
  • Make sure to get all the pits out when you pit the cherries.  Pitting them by hand keeps more of the flesh than cutting them (I've tried both methods).  Use your thumbs at the top of the cherry, split them in half, take the pit out and shred the flesh slightly with your fingers.  Messy but worth it.

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    Nutrition Information:
    Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 154Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 150mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 3g

    Please note that the Calculated Nutrition is an estimate at best.

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    Did you make this recipe? If you share it on social media tag us @lifeslittlesweets and hashtag it #lifeslittlesweets - Thank you in advance!

    © Sara Maniez
    Cuisine: Dairy-Free / Category: Quick Breads

    Sara Maniez
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah says

      I love fruity quick breads – it’s like healthier cake that I can have for breakfast! I bet this smells fantastic fresh out of the oven

      Reply

    3. Platter Talk says

      Looks great; we love how you can take this recipe and make it your own by adding whatever fruit is in season or on hand. Nicely done!!

      Reply

      • Sara says

        Thanks for stopping by! Yes, I all about being able to customize depending on what’s available and what food lifestyle people have, I try to be as inclusive as possible! I just checked out your blog as well and I love your collection of recipes! You have a nice range of delicious recipes, I will be stopping back there again for sure! I’m now following you on FB 🙂

        Reply

    4. Sam @ PancakeWarriors says

      This makes me so happy! I just recently discovered my love for cherries and have been putting them in everything. Haven’t tried a sweet bread though, thanks for an awesome idea!

      Reply

      • Sara says

        Hi Renee! Thank you for stopping by! I checked out your website, I like your recipes and your food photography!

        Reply

    7. Molly Kumar says

      Oatmeal breads are so healthy and yum – the combination of cherries will surely make them even more delicious. Great recipe.

      Reply

    12. Ciao florentina says

      I so wish i could make this. Cherries are with us for such a sort little time , so unfair just like peaches. This looks scrumptious !

      Reply

    15. Hillary Reeves says

      FINALLY got me a loaf pan and I definitely want to let it flex its muscles beyond my typical banana bread loaf. This looks like a perfect next step!!

      Reply

      • Sara says

        Hi Hillary! Thank you for stopping by, it’s nice to see you outside of your Chicory e-mail updates! I stopped by your blog yesterday and had a look around, I LOVE your food BTW.

        Reply

    19. Diane says

      This is my kind of recipe! I love that you cook with coconut oil. Also the coconut milk looks great in this with those yummy fresh cherries. I want to eat this bread!

      Reply

    20. Marye says

      This looks like the perfect breakfast! I love the nutty flavor of oatmeal and I imagine it would be perfect with the cherries.

      Reply

    24. LydiaF says

      I use a paperclip to pit my cherries, but if you’re going to cut them in half anyway, using your bare hands is fun! This loaf would be awesome with so many different fruits. Thanks for sharing a vegan version.

      Reply

      • Sara says

        Hey J, I just stopped by your blog after I saw this comment, I love your blogs design, recipes and your photos! Thank you for stopping by!

        Reply

    32. Tina Marie says

      This sounds amazing! I’m a big coconut oil fan and I love the idea of the flax as an egg replacement. I’ve printed this recipe out for future reference. Thanks.

      Reply

      • Sara says

        Hi Tina! Isn’t coconut oil the best? I love cooking/baking with it and I only started a under 2 years ago. It’s just so versatile. Thank you for visiting!

        Reply

      • Sara says

        I know aren’t they so great? When I eat cherries I am thinking about how many vitamins are in them besides how great they taste!

        Reply

    34. Sabrina @ Dinner, then Dessert says

      This sounds like such a great combination of flavors and so easy to make! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply

    35. Michelle@healthiersteps says

      I love quick breads especially when they are healthy as yours. Love flax seeds and use them as egg replacer.

      Reply

      • Sara says

        Hi Michelle, yes I hope this idea really catches on, I am trying to spread the word! Thank you for stopping by!

        Reply

    37. Sandra @ A Dash of Sanity says

      Cherries in baked goods, especially bread, is a favorite! It pairs so well. This recipe sounds truly incredibly!

      Reply

    38. Lalaine says

      This quick bread sure looks inviting, would love a piece with my morning coffee. It sounds easy enough to make, too. Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply

    39. Lauren @ Create Bake Make says

      This sounds really yummy, my sister is expecting a baby in the next couple of months and this would make the perfect snck for her and her 2 year old. Thanks for linking up with us for Fabulous Foodie Fridays, I hope you have a great weekend 🙂

      Reply

      • Sara says

        Hi Lauren, I plan to be sharing more lactation-friendly recipes like this which would be good for new moms & busy moms that need healthy snacks. I feel like recipes like this are becoming more my “niche.” Filling that sort of need is definitely close to my heart as a mom! Thank you for your kind comment and visiting my blog!

        Reply

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