Brown Sugar Bread

Moist and tender, this brown sugar bread makes for a tasty breakfast and snack. Each bite is packed with a sweet toffee aroma, soft texture, and hints of cinnamon. The no-knead bread recipe requires just 8 ingredients and 1 mixing bowl. Easy and delicious!

Brown sugar quick bread

Baking up a batch of homemade brown sugar bread will fill your home with the scent of brown sugar and cinnamon. It has a soft, melt-in-your-mouth crumb and tender texture.

The quick bread is ready in about an hour and can be made with common pantry ingredients and just a mixing bowl. If you have never made brown sugar quick bread before, you won’t believe how easy it is to make at home.

Brown sugar has molasses, which gives the bread a wonderfully rich toffee-like taste. It also keeps the bread extra soft and moist for days.

A slice of this sweet bread is perfect with a cup of coffee or tea any time of day. You’ll love it for a cozy breakfast or a tasty afternoon snack!

For more recipes with brown sugar, try our brown sugar pie and brown sugar muffins.

Ingredients

This easy brown sugar bread starts with 8 simple ingredients you likely have on hand. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

• Brown sugar: I recommend dark brown sugar for the richest taste. If you only have light brown sugar, use that, of course.
• All-purpose flour provides structure. Weigh the flour with a digital kitchen scale for the most accurate results. Otherwise, employ the spoon and level method, where you spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level off the excess with a knife.
• Baking powder is the leavener and gives the bread a rise and soft texture.
• Evaporated milk adds richness to the bread and highlights the brown sugar taste so well. Half-and-half or whole milk are good options too.
• Salted butter: I prefer to bake with salted butter. It’s also possible to prepare the recipe with unsalted butter, and in that case, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Vanilla extract adds a little flavor and helps to bring out that warm brown sugar aroma. For the best taste, use pure vanilla extract, not the imitation stuff.
• Eggs: You need 2 large eggs. Be sure to set them out on the counter to warm to room temperature, so they incorporate easily into the bread batter.
• Cinnamon sugar topping (optional): For a sweet, slightly crunchy crust, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top of the bread before baking.

Kitchen tools

• Large mixing bowl to combine the ingredients.
• Whisk for stirring the bread batter.
• Rubber spatula to transfer the batter from the bowl into the pan.
• Loaf pan: You need a 9 x 5 in loaf pan.
• Parchment paper: I like to line my pan with a parchment paper sling for easy removal. Nothing is worse than bread stuck to the pan.

How to make brown sugar bread

Ready in less than an hour, this one-bowl sweet bread will become a new favorite. Grab a mixing bowl, and let’s go. It’s so quick and delicious!

#1: Mix bread batter

• Combine dry ingredients. Place the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
• Add wet ingredients. Next, add the brown sugar, evaporated milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir for about 1 minute until everything is combined and you no longer see streaks of flour. The batter will be a bit lumpy, which is fine.

#2: Bake bread

• Fill loaf pan. Pour the batter into a parchment paper-lined loaf pan and spread it out evenly. If desired, sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake. Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
• Cool. Let the brown sugar bread cool in the pan. Then use the parchment paper sling to lift the bread out of the baking tin and cut it into slices. Enjoy!

Baking tips

Brown sugar bread is such an easy and delicious quick bread! The recipe isn’t hard, but there are a few tips and tricks to make your brown sugar quick bread a success every time.

• Pack the brown sugar into your measuring cup: To measure brown sugar accurately, scoop it into your measuring cup and then gently press down with the back of a spoon until compact.
• Avoid overmixing: Once the ingredients appear combined, stop stirring and move on to the next step. Over-mixing can cause the bread to be dense and heavy.
• Don’t let the batter stand: Once you’ve mixed the batter, transfer it into your prepared baking pan and bake right away. Allowing the batter to sit can sometimes cause the bread not to rise properly.
• Be careful not to underbake: Each oven has its own temperature settings, so check the bread with a toothpick at 40 minutes of baking. The bread is ready if it comes out clean with no liquid. If not, bake for another 5 minutes and check again.

Variations

Brown sugar bread is pretty versatile. Don’t be afraid to play with the ingredients or add your favorite add-ins to make it perfect for your own preferences.

• Chocolate chips: Fold 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips into the bread batter. White, milk, semisweet, or dark… try anything! You can’t go wrong with chocolate chip brown sugar bread.
• Nuts: Add 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts for a bit of crunch and nutty warmth. Walnuts, pecans, almonds, and hazelnuts would taste delicious.
• Dried fruit: Stir 1 cup raisins, golden raisins, dried cranberries, or Turkish apricots into the bread batter.
• Cinnamon swirl: Mix 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon with 1/3 cup sugar to make a cinnamon swirl. Pour half of the batter into the loaf pan, then sprinkle the cinnamon mixture on top. Add the remaining batter and bake. It is incredible!
• Spices: Season the batter with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or gingerbread spice.

Storage instructions

Store brown sugar bread

• Room temperature: Loosely cover your brown sugar bread and store it in a cool, dry place at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerator: Keep the loaf wrapped in plastic and tin foil in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Warm in the microwave or bring to room temperature before enjoying.
• Reheat: You can reheat in the microwave on medium-high power in 30-second bursts until warmed through, about 60 to 90 seconds.

Freeze brown sugar bread

• Freeze: Once cooled, wrap the whole loaf in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place in a zip-lock bag or freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 4 months. You can also wrap and freeze individual slices.
• Defrost: Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving or on the counter for several hours.

Want more sweet bread recipes?

Homemade quick breads are great! They come in any flavor you can imagine and taste absolutely scrumptious. Try some of our other tried-and-true recipes – they will be a hit with your family!

• Condensed Milk Banana Bread
• Pumpkin Bread
• Lemon Banana Bread
• Bisquick Banana Bread
• Apple Bread
• Nutella Bread
• Peanut Butter Bread