Ultimate Guide To Baking Quick Bread Recipes

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These no yeast quick bread recipes are comforting and delicious – and yes require NO yeast! I love baking bread, but if you can’t find yeast right now then these no yeast breads are perfect to make right now with your family. So this Ultimate Guide To Baking Quick Bread Recipes will cover everything you need – recipes, tips, tools, techniques.

I don’t know about you but finding a packet of yeast in the stores is downright impossible. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to bake up some delicious bread. 

So I assume I’m not alone. I thought I’d round up some quick bread recipes that require no yeast and create this ultimate guide to baking quick breads.

Basically so we can still enjoy all the carbs.

What Makes A Quick Bread A Quick Bread?

So a no yeast bread recipe is also known as a quick bread. A quick bread is called a quick bread because it can be mixed up and baked right away. A quick bread relies on a chemical leavener, like baking powder and baking soda, so it’s ready to bake immediately. Unlike a yeast bread which takes time to rise before you can bake it a quick bread can go in the oven immediately. 

Basically. Bread. Now.

What Are The Different Types Of Quick Breads?

biscuit making and cutting out

A quick bread is either made with the biscuit method (quick breads made with a dough) such as biscuits, scones or Irish Soda bread.

Or it’s made with the muffin method (a batter) such as breads made in a loaf such as banana bread, muffins, pancakes and waffles. 

peach muffin batter in a bowl with a whisk

Ingredients To Make Quick Breads

The ingredient list for quick breads is usually pretty simple, which is why I think I love them so much. Here is usually what they have:

  • Flour  – I generally use regular all purpose flour, but you can definitely use alternate flours. Try using half whole wheat flour for some added nutrition!
  • Fat – Usually oil or butter is needed. Batter quick breads (muffin method) usually contain oil. And dough quick breads (aka using biscuit method) use butter.
  • Sweetener – Usually granulated sugar, but I’ve used honey to sweeten as well.
  • Eggs – For the muffin method quick bread recipes, and some scone recipes usually contain eggs.
  • Chemical Leavener– Of course quick bread wouldn’t be quick without baking powder or baking soda.
  • Salt – Of course all baking needs a little salt. Salt plays a major role in all baking.

How Do You Make Quick Breads?

So in order to make bread without yeast we are going to need to rely on another form of leavening agent. Basically baking powder and baking soda. 

Baking powder and baking soda are not the same so make sure you read those labels. You can read more here about Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda.

It’s always important to make sure your leavening agent hasn’t expired yet. If it’s expire then it won’t create bubbles (aka make your bread rise). 

baking powder can and a box of baking soda

To test for baking powder: Add a 1/2 teaspoon to about 1/4 cup of hot water. If it bubbles, then it’s still good to use. If it doesn’t then time to throw it out and buy new!

To test for baking soda: Add a 1/2 teaspoon to about 1/4 cup of an acid (such as lemon juice or vinegar). If it bubbles, then it’s still good to use. If it doesn’t then time to throw it out and buy new!

No Yeast Bread Recipes

So just because you can’t find yeast doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a slice of toast. These no yeast bread are a bit denser and crumblier than a traditional yeast bread loaf but they are buttery, delicious and ready to bake in minutes. 

  • Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread Recipe- This Irish soda bread comes together quickly. I added raisins and orange zest, but you can also keep it plain or add some cheese. 
  • No Yeast Bread– This 7-ingredient bread is based on the whole wheat Irish soda bread recipe, but it uses 100% all purpose flour and is sweetened with honey. 

Tips for making these no yeast bread recipes

  • Soften your butter. Make sure your butter is softened so that it can be easily incorporated into the dough. You can let the butter sit on the counter for 3o minutes to an hour, cubed, for it to soften quickly. Here are 3 more ways to soften your butter quickly.
  • Careful Measuring. Be sure to measure your flour correctly. Too much flour will result in a dense bread. I recommend first by stirring the flour before you start to measure. Then scoop the flour into your cup with a spoon and level off with a flat edge.
  • Do not overmix. Because this is essentially a quick bread, meaning it’s leavened with baking soda and baking powder too much mixing can result in too much gluten being formed. And too much gluten will result in an overly chewy bread.

To Make These No Yeast Quick Breads:

Loaf Pan Recipes

slices of blueberry bread stacked on a plate

So loaf pan breads are simple to bake. I recommend baking your loaf breads in a 9×5 loaf or 8×4 loaf pan. You can spray your pan or line with parchment paper. 

  • Flour Bakery’s Famous Banana Bread- This banana bread recipe is from the Flour Bakery in Boston. It’s so darn moist. And my favorite banana bread recipe. 
  • Whole Wheat Banana Bread- This version of banana bread makes me feel a little less guilty because it’s made with 100% whole wheat flour. The key to creating a whole wheat quick bread that moist, light, and fluffy is using white whole wheat flour. 
  • Healthy Banana Bread Recipe- This banana bread version is made with whole wheat flour, sweetened with honey, greek yogurt, and applesauce. 
  • Blueberry Banana Bread- This banana bread recipe is bursting with fresh blueberries. But you could also use chocolate chips instead!
  • Quick Jalapeno Cheddar Bread- This savory quick bread is made with shredded cheddar cheese and spicy jalapenos. It’s perfect to serve for dinner with chilis and soups.
  • Blueberry Muffin Bread- Forget baking muffins, bake a blueberry muffin bread instead. So much faster than scooping muffins! 
  • Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread – This spiced pumpkin quick bread recipe has a surprise sweet cream cheese layer in the middle. 
  • The BEST Homemade Lemon Bread- Ok now this may be a cake technically? But if I bake it in a loaf pan, I’m calling it a bread. And I think you’ll be ok with it. 
  • Lemon Raspberry Bread- This lemon bread version gets a sweet addition of raspberries. Lemon + raspberry = yes please.

Tools Needed To Make Loaf Pan Breads:

  • Loaf Pan
  • Kitchen-aid mixer – you could use a hand mixer but a stand mixer will  make quicker work of this bread, and save you the arm workout.
  • Sifter–  Sifting your dry ingredients is key in making this banana bread light and fluffy.

Tips For Making Loaf Pan Breads:

  • Measure your flour accurately. I use the spoon and level method. You can learn how to measure your flour in this post.
  • Careful to not over mix. I like to use a spatula and fold in the dry ingredients by hand. You want to stop mixing once they have been incorporated. Too much mixing = too much gluten forming. Gluten is what will give a bread its chew, but for a banana bread you want less gluten to form. So we can accomplish that by making sure we don’t overmix!
  • Line Your Pan – You can use non-stick cooking spray but I like to line with parchment paper for easy removal.

Muffin Recipes

two strawberry muffins stacked

Muffins are super simple and quick to make. I love my Wilton muffin pans and using muffin liners. You can always make muffins without but I highly recommend using them for ease of cleanup.

Tips for making muffins:

  • Mix your add-ins (like blueberries) with one tablespoon of flour. In a separate bowl measure our your blueberries (or chocolate chips, or whatever you are adding) and add one tablespoon of flour. This ensures that the blueberries (or chips or whatever you’re getting your muffin on with) don’t sink like the Titanic in your batter. 
  • Do NOT thaw those berries! If you are using berries try using fresh if you can but if you can’t then no worries. If you are using frozen, then be sure not to thaw them unless you want your muffins all blue!
  • Mix 10-12 times only. Once you have added your dry ingredients, count your stirs then stop. Yes there will be lumps left. Think of them as pancakes, where lumps in your batter are also. Over-mixing your muffin will result in what is called tunneling, basically giant holes in your muffin. Now that tunneling is all well and good in a baguette, but this isn’t bread. So count to 10, then stop.
  • Use an ice-cream scoop to portion out your batter into your muffin pan. By using an ice-cream scoop you can make sure you scoop all your muffins the same size. If they are all the same size then they will all bake evenly.

To Make Muffins You Will Need:

Biscuit Recipes

biscuit brushed with butter by a green silicone brush

Making biscuits utilize the biscuit method, which means you will cut cold butter into the flour. Cold butter is one secret of 9 secrets to fluffy biscuits that you can check out.

Tips For Making These Biscuits:

  • Make sure your butter is COLD! You want cold butter so it doesn’t get incorporated into the flour leaving pockets of butter that will melt in the oven and create flaky layers.
  • Be careful to not overknead. I knead a total of about 3 times to bring the dough together and help create layers.
  • Do not twist the cutter. To cut the biscuits you want to push the biscuit cutter straight down and pick straight up. This will create lopsided biscuits.
  • Handle the dough as little as possible. Do not handle the dough too much, especially when using the scraps.
  • Place the biscuits close together.  For tall fluffy homemade biscuits, place the biscuits together touching on the baking sheet. For crispier edges, then place them a couple inches apart.

Tools to make biscuits:

  • Pastry blender (or you can use your fingertips and work the butter in)
  • Pastry mat– You could just dust your countertop, but I love this mat for making biscuits, scones, pie dough, bread. You name it.
  • Biscuit cutter (again in a pinch you could use the top of a mason jar)

Scone Recipes

lavender white chocolate scones with glaze on parchment

I just love scones. I baked them ALL the time when I worked at a bakery. And you probably can tell how deep the love goes when you see the extensive list of scones I have for you. 

You can cut them into wedges, which I prefer, or you can use a cookie cutter and cut them out instead into rounds. 

Tips For Making Scones:

  • Be sure to measure your flour. You want to scoop it with a spoon, and then level it off with a knife. Here is a tutorial on how to measure flour correctly. For best accuracy, it’s best to use a kitchen scale.
  • Make sure to use cold butter for the scones. You want butter that doesn’t get incorporated into the flour so that it steams in the oven and creates wonderful flakiness.
  • And cold cream! You want the cream to be cold as well so it doesn’t warm up the butter. So COLD, COLD, COLD. Got it? Good. Moving on…
  • Knead the dough. You want to knead the dough together a few times to bring the dough together. But then stop kneading. Overkneading can cause a tough textured scone. 
  • Add a bit more cream. If your dough is not coming together and seems dry, add a teaspoon of heavy cream to the dough. 

Tools Needed To Make These Scones

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