Category Archives: Bread and Muffins

Double Chocolate Quick Bread

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sliced loaf of double chocolate quick bread

We have a lot of chocolate fans in our house, so this double chocolate quick bread was a winner!

Quick breads are typically used as a breakfast item. A very indulgent one, in this case. (Though donuts are also considered breakfast, so this can’t be much worse! Perfect for an occasional treat.)

This bread is yummy enough that we have also enjoyed it for dessert after supper in the evening.

Lots of cocoa powder and a decent amount of chocolate chips will make this double chocolate quick bread a frequently requested recipe.

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dry ingredients for double chocolate quick bread

Double Chocolate Quick Bread Ingredients

  • Flour
  • Brown sugar
  • Salt
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Cocoa powder
  • Buttermilk
  • Oil
  • Butter
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla
  • Chocolate chips

It might seem like a long list, but they are almost all things you have at home in your pantry already!

Buttermilk might be the only ingredient you don’t have on hand, but trust me it’s worth it! Buttermilk makes yummy dinner rolls, the best pancakes, and also a great quick bread!

double chocolate quick bread batter in pans

Chocolate Chocolate Quick Bread Instructions

The first thing you need to do is measure your buttermilk and set it and the eggs out on the counter to come to room temperature.

This is important because you don’t want to cause the melted butter and coconut oil (if that’s what you choose to use) to harden from the milk and eggs being cold.

Next, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

(I learned this tip from Andrea Dekker – always preheat your oven to 25 degrees hotter than what you are going to bake it at and turn down after putting the baked goods in.)

Now combine your dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt, baking powder & soda, and cocoa powder. Be sure to stir well so there are no streaks of flour or cocoa powder remaining. Stir in the chocolate chips. (Reserving a few for the top)

Note: The amount of chocolate chips is up to you! I recommend between 1 and 2 cups. Obviously, more chocolate is always better but I totally get using less to stretch the bag. Do what you want.

Melt the butter and coconut oil. Let cool until warm, not hot. Add the room temperature buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla and whisk until combined.

Pour wet ingredients over the dry and fold mixture until combined. Don’t over mix but you don’t want clumps of flour either.

Grease your baking pans well! Pour mixture in. Press remaining chocolate chips into the top of the dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. (Check at 30 minutes.)

Let cool in pans for 10 minutes and remove to cooling rack.

Let’s talk pans!

I use my set of mini USA Pans. You’ve heard me talk about these before. My favorite brand of muffin tin as well. These pans measure 5.25 x 3 x 2.25 and the batter will fill 3 of them. Of course you may use a different pan, or even one large pan – just know you will need to adjust the baking time so watch carefully!

This recipe would also work great as double chocolate muffins!

close up of double chocolate quick bread

If you are want a little healthier muffin, be sure to check out these 3 recipes:

Oat Flour Pumpkin Muffins with Cranberries and Chocolate Chips
Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Dairy Free Oat Flour Banana Muffins

Double Chocolate Quick Bread Recipe

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Double Chocolate Quick Bread Recipe
Author: 
Recipe type: Bread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3 loaves
 
This double chocolate quick bread makes a delicious breakfast bread or you can even enjoy it as dessert. Loaded with cocoa powder and chocolate chips, it's the chocolate lover's dream!
Ingredients
  • 1¾ cups flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 1⅓ cup buttermilk (room temperature)
  • ¼ cup oil (coconut oil melted or oil of choice)
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • 2 eggs (room temperature)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1-2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Measure the buttermilk. Put buttermilk and eggs on counter to come to room temperature. (Very important!)
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter well 3 mini loaf pans (5.25 x 3 x 2.25). (You may use a large loaf pan, you will need to adjust baking time.)
  3. In a mixing bowl combine flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Be sure to mix until no streaks of flour or clumps remain. Add desired amount of chocolate chips, reserving a few to sprinkle on top of the bread.
  4. In a small bowl place (room temperature) buttermilk, eggs, liquid oil, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
  5. Pour wet ingredients into dry and fold to combine. Don't over mix but you also don't want streaks of dry ingredients remaining.
  6. Pour batter into the 3 prepared pans. Press remaining chocolate chips over the top of the batter.
  7. Place in oven. Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
  9. Let cool for 10 minutes in pans. Carefully remove from pans and cool completely on rack.

 

Homemade Naan Recipe

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Homemade naan recipe stacked on a plate

We love this delicious, simple homemade naan recipe! My kids frequently request it (and butter chicken).

Now, let’s get one thing straight. I’m not naive enough to think this is like what you’d get living in India or at an Indian restaurant but it’s still absolutely amazing and beats anything you can buy at the grocery store. (I’ve tried the premade kind from a large supermarket grocery store and was not impressed 😉 )

plate of cooked homemade naan

I love breads. Naan might top the list for me. I’ve been known on multiple occasion to go to an Indian restaurant and only order naan. On vacation one year, I saw in Indian option in a mall food court. Of course, I had to order naan. I don’t think the poor man could handle the thought of us sitting there eating plain naan and sent out a bowl of chicken curry as well. I didn’t complain about that all!

If you enjoy naan or even if you just enjoy bread, I hope that you’ll make this recipe! It’s perfect with butter chicken or a curry dish. It would also make a great wrap for sandwiches (check out this recipe for an Indian themed chicken sandwich), naan pizza, or even to snack on plain.

homemade naan dough balls resting on a plate

After kneading the dough together, you let it double in size and then divide into balls. Cover with a towel and again let them double in size.

homemade naan rolled out

After that second resting period, get your grill or skillet heating up and start rolling out your naan into circular or oblong shapes! Then then you are able to cook and enjoy this homemade naan recipe!

Garlic also makes a fantastic addition to naan! If garlic is your thing, be sure to turn this into a garlic naan recipe by microplaning or finely mincing some fresh garlic and kneading it into the dough. You can also infuse the butter you brush on top of the naan with garlic – perfection!

 

close up shot of a stack of homemade naan

Homemade Naan Recipe

4.7 from 3 reviews
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Homemade Naan Recipe
Serves: 16 pieces
 
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 3½ cups flour
  • Optional - 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
  • 2-4 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit until frothy.
  2. Add milk, baking soda, egg (poke the yoke several times after you add it to the bowl), salt, sugar, and 1 cup of flour.
  3. Add enough of the reminder of the flour to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic.
  4. Cover bowl and let rise until double in size. (Around 1 hour)
  5. If adding garlic, knead into the dough now. (Can also add to just part of the dough)
  6. Divide dough into 16 balls, cover with a towel and allow to double in size. (Around 30 minutes)
  7. Roll each ball into a fairly thin circle.
  8. Preheat grill or skillet (stainless steel or cast iron) to medium high. Make sure it's good and hot.
  9. Before cooking, turn heat to medium low.
  10. To cook, brush one side of naan with butter. Put buttered side down onto grill or skillet. It should bubble up right away. Brush top side with butter. One side will be done in a minute or two.
  11. Watch carefully - you don't want to over cook. When the bottom is golden brown in spots, flip and cook the other side.
  12. When finished, remove and stack on a plate. Cover with a towel to keep warm until all the naan in finished.

stack of simple and delicious homemade naan!

 

 

Easy and delicious naan. One of my favorite breads. You can make it in on the grill or a skillet.

Here it is after being cooked on the grill.

Easy and delicious naan. One of my favorite breads. You can make it in on the grill or a skillet.

This is when it’s cooked in a skillet.

Originally published March 12, 2014

Easy English Muffin Bread Recipe

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Row of sliced english muffin bread

Do yourself a favor and add this English muffin bread recipe to your repertoire! Bake up a few loaves, slice, toast, butter and enjoy! We love having this with soups and for breakfast. You can turn it into breakfast sandwiches, serve along side eggs, or simply enjoy spread with your choice of toppings.

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I’ve made traditional English muffins before and they are delicious but I’m all about saving steps and therefore saving time! Those minutes add up when we are taking care of our kiddos and trying to get all the things done. That’s where this bread comes it. English muffins without the shaping, griddling, flipping and all that.

Side note, have you ever wondered where English muffins came from? I was curious so I Googled. Wikipedia says that there were references to English muffins as early as 1850. But English muffins were “officially” invented in New York by a man who moved there from England and started his own bakery! This man was Samuel Bath Thomas. Ever heard of Thomas English muffins? Yep, that’s him!

Now, back to this English muffin bread recipe!

This recipe has ingredients you should have on hand. Flour, yeast, sugar, salt, milk, water, and baking soda (to help with the holes in the bread).

This dough is very sticky, it will not be like a traditional bread dough, so don’t add too much flour! You dump it into the pans and spread the dough out.

English muffin bread batter in the pans

See the stickiness of that dough?!

You will need to make sure you have prepared your pans properly, besides you need cornmeal for the traditional English muffin look! I used my USA pans (this set of 4 mini pans), spread with a little butter and sprinkled the bottom and sides with cornmeal. If you want, you could also sprinkle a little on the top before baking.

I like making this in 4 small loaf pans, but you could also do it in 2 regular sized ones. If you don’t use USA pans be sure you butter and cornmeal really well!
A great thing about this English muffin bread is that it comes together quickly! Hooray! I pull out my stand mixer and use the paddle attachment but the dough is soft enough that you can easily make it in a large mixing bowl using a wooden spoon.

Let’s get to the recipe! I hope you enjoy this as much as we do. Be sure to check out this recipe for Homemade French Bread as well – you will love it!

Sliced English muffin bread on a cutting board

English Muffin Bread

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English Muffin Bread Recipe
 
Ingredients
  • 5½ cups flour
  • 2 pkgs. yeast (1½ tablespoons)
  • 1 T. sugar
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • 2 c. milk
  • ½ c. water
Instructions
  1. Measure 3 c. of flour, yeast, salt, sugar, soda into large bowl or stand mixer and mix. Have 2½ additional cups of flour ready.
  2. Heat liquids in pan on stove to 120-125 degrees.
  3. Add hot liquids to yeast/flour mixture. Beat vigorously with wooden spoon until mixture is very smooth, elastic, about 5 minutes or in the mixer using the paddle attachment for 3 minutes.
  4. Add remaining flour, continue beating until smooth. Divide into equal parts.
  5. Grease 2 pans and sprinkle with cornmeal. Put dough in pans. Pat top of loaves smooth with floured hands as well as you can. Let rise 45 minutes. (Covering with a tea towel - no plastic wrap because this dough is sticky!)
  6. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
  7. You can divide the dough into 4 parts and bake in 4 smaller pans - what I like to do, or use 2 regular sized bread pans.

Slice english muffin bread and a partial loaf sitting on a cutting board

 

Best Basic Pizza Dough Recipe

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Almost every Friday night, you’ll find an oven blazing with a round baking stone heating up inside. Homemade pizzas were made weekly when I was growing up and we’ve continued the tradition.  Try this basic pizza dough recipe and join in the tradition!

Last week I shared some ways to make homemade pizza frugally so that even if you are on a budget you’ll still be able to enjoy pizza night and my sauce recipe is here. Today I have my basic pizza crust recipe and baking instructions for you!

two lumps of pizza dough. The best basic pizza dough recipe and tips for making a perfect pizza. This is amazing and so easy. You need this for your pizza night tradition!

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My number one tip for a successful homemade pizza: A baking stone! We have a 15 inch round stone from Pampered Chef. It has become well seasoned over the years and is well worth the investment. 

My second tip: Don’t roll all of the air bubbles out of the dough. I use a combination of stretching, tossing, and rolling. I like to use my mini pizza and pastry roller (one similar to this).

My third tip: Preheat the oven and the stone. Give it longer than when your oven says it’s ready. You want the stone good and hot.

My fourth tip: Use a high temperature. I turn the oven to 475 degrees.

I know crust thickness is somewhat a personal preference. This crust recipe fits a 15 inch stone. in a hand tossed/New York Style type of thickness. If you like super thin and crispy, cut the flour back. If you like your crust thicker, increase it to 2 3/4-3 cups. Don’t forget, this means the water amounts will change as well. Gradually add the water to the flour until you come up with the right dough consistency. The first time you make this, it will be a little bit of a guessing game. Simply tweak it the next time to your family’s preference.

I prefer to let this dough rise for several hours but when I’ve been in a rush I’ve made and used it after a short 15-30 minute resting period and it was still good.

We’ve also used part whole wheat flour and all whole wheat flour. This will change the texture slightly and you’ll end up using more water.

Now that we are a family of 5, I always double this basic pizza dough recipe. Use a full tablespoon of yeast in a double recipe.
Picture of a lump of pizza dough and a yummy cooked pizza. The best basic pizza dough recipe and tips for making a perfect pizza. This is amazing and so easy. You need this for your pizza night tradition!

Basic Pizza Dough Recipe

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Homemade Pizza Crust
Author: 
Recipe type: Main Dish
 
An easy and delicious pizza crust recipe that your family will love!
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar (optional, I no longer use)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¾ cup warm water
  • Scant tablespoon yeast
Instructions
Dough
  1. Place flour in mixer bowl.
  2. Top with salt, sugar, and yeast.
  3. Add water and oil. Should make a soft dough that isn't sticky at all.
  4. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic.
  5. Cover mixing bowl and let dough rise until at least doubled - a couple of hours. It's okay if it goes longer.
Preheat
  1. Thirty to sixty minutes before you are going to bake your pizza, preheat the oven and stone to 475 degrees.
Rolling the Dough
  1. Gently put the dough on a lightly floured surface.
  2. Next roll, stretch, and toss your dough into a 15 inch circle. When rolling, do it gently so not to deflate all of the air bubbles. I prefer to use my mini roller.
Topping
  1. Remove the stone from the oven and carefully carry and place the crust onto it.
  2. Spread with sauce of choice.
  3. Top with meats, vegetables, and cheese.
Bake
  1. Bake for 8-15 minutes.
  2. Cut and serve
Notes
I always double this recipe and simply use a full tablespoon of yeast.

 

a lump of easy pizza dough! The best basic pizza dough recipe and tips for making a perfect pizza. This is amazing and so easy. You need this for your pizza night tradition!

Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Muffins

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Chocolate banana oatmeal muffins. Don’t those just sound yummy?! But I suppose it’s hard to go wrong with a recipe that calls for cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Even better when it’s not horrible for you. 🙂

chocolate banana oatmeal muffins in tin and on a plate.

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We don’t always eat gluten free (<—- click there for a great list of gluten free recipes) but we have needed to on a few occasions. These muffins are a yummy treat the kids and I both enjoy (whether or not we are gluten free 🙂 ).

I don’t put much sweetener in my muffins and quick breads, but if your family is used to things pretty sweet just increase the sweetener a touch.


Because these chocolate banana oatmeal muffins are made with oat flour and rolled oats, the texture isn’t quite the same as traditional muffin. It is a cross between a muffin and baked oatmeal but they are quickly gobbled up by everyone in my house. They are great for breakfast or snack. Don’t tell my kids how healthy they are because they’ve even made an appearance for dessert.

They are also perfect freezer food. Cool completely after baking and freeze in a zipped storage bag. Thaw a short time and reheat slightly before eating. Yum!

baked chocolate banana oatmeal muffins in tin and a muffin split in half

I don’t like my muffins super big, (small size is slightly more kid friendly) so I make 12 regular muffins and 12 mini muffins. Use the longer baking times if you are making larger muffins.

Speaking of muffins, I have to share with you my favorite muffin pan. I discovered these last year and have fallen in love. Get this, I don’t need to grease the pans and everything has come out easily. I have the standard size and the mini pan.

Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Muffins

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5.0 from 2 reviews
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Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Muffins
 
Ingredients
  • ¼ C. honey (or use ¼-3/4 C. sugar)
  • 1 C. milk
  • 2 T. coconut oil or butter, melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 t. vanilla
  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 2 C. old fashioned rolled oats blended to oat flour
  • 1 C. old fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 t. baking powder
  • ¾ t. salt
  • ½ c. cocoa powder
  • ½ c. chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 (325 if dark coated pans)
  2. Combine honey/sugar, milk, fat, eggs, vanilla, and bananas.
  3. Mix well.
  4. Mix in oats, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.
  5. Stir in chocolate chips.
  6. Bake for 15-18 minutes for regular muffins or 10-11 minutes for mini muffins.

 

If you like this recipe, you might also be interested in these Gluten Free Oat Flour Banana Muffins that are also dairy free!

close up of chocolate banana oatmeal muffins in tin and on platechocolate banana oatmeal muffins stacked on napkin and in tin

Recipe adapted from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures