This Strawberry Bread Recipe is a sweet and moist family favorite. There’s something about homemade strawberry bread that instantly takes me back to slow mornings and sunlit kitchens. It’s one of those recipes I reach for when I want to bake something simple but meaningful. It is something that fills the house with warmth and the scent of fresh berries.
I love to mix up a delicious quick bread when I want to make a morning just a little more special, like my english muffins bread or my peanut butter bread recipe.
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Why this Strawberry Bread Recipe is a Keeper
I love this strawberry shortcake bread because it’s super easy to make. Without using any yeast, you can have your own homemade strawberry loaf.
- Moist and Tender Crumb: The hallmark of great quick bread. It should be soft, not dry or crumbly, often due to a good balance of wet and dry ingredients and sometimes the inclusion of sour cream, buttermilk, or oil.
- Intense Strawberry Flavor: It should taste distinctly of fresh strawberries, not just vaguely sweet. This often comes from using a good quantity of fresh, ripe berries, and sometimes a touch of extract or zest to enhance the fruitiness.
- Beautiful Visual Appeal: Often boasts a lovely golden-brown crust and vibrant specks of red from the strawberries throughout the loaf. A streusel topping or simple glaze can also add to its charm.
- Easy to Make: A truly great quick bread recipe should be straightforward, requiring minimal special equipment or complex techniques, making it accessible even for novice bakers.
- Versatility: It can be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or a snack, and often pairs well with coffee, tea, or even a scoop of ice cream.
- Freezer-Friendly: A bonus point! If it freezes well, you can make it ahead and enjoy it later, which is always a sign of a practical and reliable recipe.
Why Did my Strawberries Sink to the Bottom?
The best way to prevent strawberries from settling to the bottom is to coat the berries in flour. It also helps to make sure they’re in smaller pieces so they’re not heavy enough to sink.
What Reader’s Are Saying…
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“First time baking a sweet bread. Needed to use up some strawberries. Wow, very good recipe. Thanks so much!
I think you’ve started me in a new direction.”
~ Gordon
Ingredient Notes to Make Strawberry Bread
All of the required ingredients are easy to find at the store, but some of the ingredients may be around the kitchen already.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Strawberries: I love using fresh berries, but you can also use frozen strawberries. I let mine thaw so I can dice them, but if you leave them frozen you may want to add a couple minutes to the cook time.
- Milk: I used whole milk for this recipe, you use whatever type of milk you would like.
- Oil: For this recipe, regular vegetable oil or canola oil will work.
Variations and Glaze for Strawberry Quick Bread
Quick strawberry bread recipes are super easy to customize. I like to take it to the next level by using different ingredients or trying different flavors.
- Flavor Boosters: Try adding different flavors to compliment the strawberry.
- Citrus Zest: Lemon zest pairs beautifully with strawberries. Orange zest can also be lovely.
- Vanilla Extract: Always a good idea. Almond extract can also complement strawberries nicely.
- Spices: A pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom can add warmth.
- Chocolate Chips: White chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips are a popular addition.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds can add crunch.
- Coconut Flakes: Shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) can add a tropical note.
- Glaze/Topping: Add toppings to the top of the bread.
- Icing Recipe: Make the glaze with powdered sugar mixed with a little milk or heavy cream, lemon juice or orange juice.
- Cream Cheese Glaze: Mix powdered sugar, softened cream cheese, milk/cream vanilla.
- Streusel Topping: A mix of flour, sugar, butter, and sometimes cinnamon.
How to Make Fresh Strawberry Bread Recipe
This fresh strawberry bread recipe comes together in just 4 quick and easy steps. This easy quick bread is so good, I make this at the end of strawberry season.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Preheat Oven and Prep Pan: Preheat the oven and grease your loaf pan with non-stick spray.
- Make the Bread Batter: In a large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar and oil. In a medium bowl, mix the baking powder, flour and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Add the Strawberries: In a small bowl, mix the diced strawberries with a little flour. Gently fold in the strawberries into the batter.
- Bake the Bread: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until golden brown. Let cool and use a knife to help remove the bread from the pan.
Prep Ahead Suggestions to Make this Strawberry Bread Recipe
To streamline your baking process, there are some ways you can prep this delicious strawberry bread in advance:
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Mix together the dry ingredients and store in an air tight container or a bag.
- Dice Strawberries: Slice the strawberries a couple days in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Alternate Cooking Methods to Make this Recipe
If you don’t have a bread pan, or it’s dirty, try making this great recipe into muffins.
- Make Strawberry Muffins: Make this moist strawberry bread into muffins using a muffin pan or two.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftover Berry Bread
- Storing: Let the bread cool completely. Store strawberry bread well wrapped at room temp for 3–4 days. You can also freeze individual slices. Wrap in foil and thaw gently before enjoying.
- Reheating: No need to reheat, but if you’d like you can microwave for a few seconds at a time.
- Using Leftovers: Enjoy leftovers with more fresh strawberries or a luscious strawberry glaze on top.
Common Questions to Love this Recipe
If your bread comes out crumbly, you may not have enough liquid. You may also have baked for too long.
Overmixing will lead to a tough bread.
Strawberry bread will last for 3-4 days on the counter, or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Expert Tips for Making this Bread with Fresh Strawberries
- Don’t Overmix: This is the golden rule for quick breads. Mix wet and dry ingredients just until combined. A few lumps are fine.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: This helps ingredients emulsify better, creating a smoother batter and a more even crumb. Set out the milk and eggs a while before you’re ready to make the bread.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge. Don’t scoop directly from the bag, as this compacts the flour and you’ll end up with too much.
- Don’t Overfill the Pan: Fill loaf pans no more than two-thirds full. Overfilling can lead to overflow, undercooked centers, and a dense texture.
- Cool Properly: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents it from steaming and getting soggy. Slicing warm bread can also cause it to crumble.
- Quality Ingredients: While simple, the quality of your strawberries truly makes a difference. Use ripe, sweet, and flavorful berries for the Strawberry Bread Recipe .
- Preheat Oven Fully: Ensure your oven is fully preheated to the correct temperature before putting the bread in. An accurate oven temperature is key for proper rise and even baking.
- Tent if Browning Too Quickly: If the top is browning too much before the inside is cooked, loosely tent the loaf with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time.
- Doneness: The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Serve With: Serve with Strawberry Pineapple Spritzer and my Breakfast Couscous.
More Recipes You Might Like
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Strawberry Quick Bread with Fresh Berries
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup Sugar
- ½ cup Milk
- ½ cup Oil
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 ½ cups Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ cups Diced strawberries
- 2 Tablespoons All purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray or oil.
- Combine the sugar, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir together until just combined. You don’t want to over mix the batter.
- Stir strawberries with 2 tablespoons of flour and carefully fold into batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 55 – 60 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center of the bread comes out clean.
- Remove from oven. Place bread in pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, loosen edges of bread with a knife and carefully turn out bread. Allow bread to continue cooling until completely cooled.
Christina’s Notes
- Use Fresh or Frozen Berries: Fresh gives the best texture, but frozen can work if thawed and dried properly.
- Avoid Overmixing: Stir just until combined to keep the loaf soft and tender.
- Test for Doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center—if it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, it’s done.
- Let It Cool: Allow to cool completely before slicing to avoid a gummy center.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Only 2 Tablespoons flour???
Helen the flour to make the loaf is listed earlier in the recipe card, the 2 tablespoons is for coating the pan.
thank you, I missed it!!! Off to make some bread:)
The recipe says “Stir strawberries with 2 tablespoons of flour and carefully fold into batter.”
Maybe I missed it but how long do I cook smaller versions of this. I want to give gifts of smaller loaf pans
Bake mini dessert breads for about 20–30 minutes at the same temperature as the full loaf, checking for doneness early. In general, you’ll want to reduce the baking time by 20–25% compared to a standard loaf recipe.
First time baking a sweet bread. Needed to use up some strawberries. Wow, very good recipe. Thanks so much!
I think you’ve started me in a new direction.
I am so glad that you enjoyed it. Thanks for the feedback.
I would like to make this bread would it be good to put a or could I put a crumble topping on the bread
Of course. A crumble or drizzle would be wonderful
Can I make this with melted butter ?
Absolutely.
Has anyone tried this recipe using Beauty Berries?
easy! love making sweet bread. I pass it on to my grandson, who loves my bread. I do sometime make white bread, my grandson, and I are bread lovers.
Made this with honey instead of sugar and it was sooooo good! Then I used the same recipe with apples, carrots and cinnamon. Also turned out very good! Slightly sweet bread is my new favorite treat!
Sounds great!
fast and easy to make. I made with strawberries will try same recipe with blueberries. Highly recommend this recipe. Super delicious not too sweet perfect
Delicious! Great way to use fresh strawberries 🍓
I lost my favorite strawberry bread recipe. This sounded ideal. I doubled the recipe. Followed the instructions exactly. Was not sure how small to dice the strawberries. I diced small, but not too small. Baked according to the directions and toothpick inserted came out clean. Golden brown on top. After slicing the bread, there were some wet spots of strawberries. (This probably should not be the outcome, not sure.) I didn’t think it was sweet enough, and I’m not a sweetaholic. Cinnamon would be a nice addition for more flavor.
Mine came out mushy. It said to whisk which I did and blended in dry ingredients as directions said, not to over mix. The top was brown and toothpick came out correctly. The bottom stuck to the pan and I sprayed it heavily with Pam. Not sure why it turned out like this and I made two batches. Why would it be mushy inside?
If it is soggy, it is probably due to the moisture in the berries. Especially if you are using frozen.
Delicious, Easy! Hard to keep it in the house! Will make again
Can I freeze the bread?
Yes, it is a great recipe to freeze.
This was really moist and delicious. I cook for only me and this was super easy to cut in half due to the two eggs originally called for. I divided this evenly into two prepared mini loaf pans. Baked them for 55 minutes and they came out perfect. I definitely will be making this again.
Can you use frozen strawberries
I think you could, I have never tried it. I would be a little worried about the consistency. But give it a try!
This bread is so good! I served it over coffee with friends and it was such a hit.
I enjoyed this moist and yummy strawberry bread! My family loves it too. I’m excited to make this again. Thanks Christina for sharing this wonderful recipe!
It’s super delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Super highly recommended! Thanks a lot for this amazing and super easy to make recipe! It’s really tasty and very flavorful!