Date-Sweetened Blueberry Oat Bread
A healthy and delicious blueberry bread sweetened only with fruit, studded with rolled oats, and completely dairy-free and egg-free!
Recipe Highlights
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Servings: one loaf (9 slices)
- Difficulty: beginnger
- Equipment: blender, mixing bowls, oven, 8×4-inch loaf pan, parchment paper
- Nutrition: 5g fiber, 6g protein per slice
- Diet: vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, no added sugar, refined sugar-free
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Below is a brief look into the main ingredients and why they work in this recipe, plus any possible substitutions. See the recipe card at the bottom for the full ingredients list and quantities.
- Medjool Dates ⟶ This blueberry bread is completely fruit-sweetened, using the natural sweetness of dates and applesauce. Choose dates that are very soft and sweet, such as Medjool dates.
- Applesauce ⟶ Adds natural sweetness and moisture, makes the bread more tender, and helps with binding.
- Rolled Oats ⟶ Create a heartier, chewy texture in the bread while adding extra fiber and nutrients.
- Whole Wheat Flour ⟶ Makes the bread a little more hearty and dense while adding fiber and a slightly nutty flavor.
- White whole wheat flour is a good option (if you can find it) for people who are skeptical of whole wheat flour. It has a lighter flavor and texture while offering similar nutritional value. You can also use half whole wheat flour and half all purpose flour.
- Almond Flour ⟶ Makes the bread more tender, cutting some of the denseness of the whole wheat flour and oats.
- Walnut Butter ⟶ I love baking with walnut butter because it adds a delicious, almost buttery richness to baked goods. It has a higher fat content than peanut butter so is especially effective in oil-free baking. See my homemade walnut butter recipe – it’s super easy to make!
- Substitutes: If you don’t have walnuts, you can use another nut or seed butter like almond butter, peanut butter, or tahini. Just be aware that this can impact the flavor, so use a nut/seed butter you like the taste of.
- Lemon or Orange Juice and Zest ⟶ The acidity of the juice interacts with baking soda to help the bread rise, and the zest adds a nice citrus note that pairs deliciously with the blueberries.
- Blueberries ⟶ Fresh or frozen! If using frozen, don’t thaw, just add them from frozen.
How to Make
Step-by-step photos and additional tips to help you get the best results!
Blend dates, applesauce, and soy milk first. Then add walnut butter, lemon/orange juice, and vanilla extract and blend again. 
Mix blended mixture with citrus zest and rolled oats. Cover and rest for 20 minutes – this gives the oats time to soften, resulting in a softer texture and taller loaf. 
Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl. 
Add dry ingredients to wet and fold until just combined, then add blueberries and fold again a couple times to distribute. Batter will be thick. 
Transfer batter to lined loaf pan. Pack the batter down well to prevent large air bubbles. 
Bake for 60-70 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Tent the pan with foil if the top is getting too dark.
Serving Suggestions
This blueberry oat bread is delicious on its own as a snack, but for a more filling meal, serve it with some high protein yogurt, nut butter, or a tofu scramble on the side.
Storage & Meal Prep
Store blueberry oat bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze individual slices for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or just microwave from frozen. I like to toast them a bit too for a slightly crisper texture.
Additional Notes
This is a very dense bread due to all the fruit and whole grains, so the bread won’t be as tall as one made with regular sugar and all purpose flour. But it is very tasty with a tender texture! Perfect as a hearty breakfast bread or snack.
Date-Sweetened Blueberry Oat Bread FAQ
More Healthy Quick Breads
- Date-Sweetened Oatmeal Banana Bread
- Date-Sweetened Carrot Bread
- Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Bread
- Carrot Cornmeal Banana Bread
- Japanese Sweet Potato Bread
- Blueberry Lemon Okara Bread
- Vegan Zucchini Bread
If you try out this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
Date-Sweetened Blueberry Oat Bread
Ingredients
- 160 grams pitted Medjool dates
- 120 grams applesauce
- 160 ml soy milk
- 60 grams walnut butter
- 1 tbsp lemon or orange juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon or orange zest
- 80 grams rolled oats
- 120 grams whole wheat flour
- 28 grams almond flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Add dates, applesauce, and soy milk to a blender and blend until well combined and dates are broken down.160 grams pitted Medjool dates, 120 grams applesauce, 160 ml soy milk
- Add walnut butter, lemon/orange juice, and vanilla extract and blend again until well combined.60 grams walnut butter, 1 tbsp lemon or orange juice, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add lemon/orange zest and rolled oats to a large mixing bowl. Transfer the blended mixture to the bowl and mix well. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.1 tsp lemon or orange zest, 80 grams rolled oats
- In a separate bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.120 grams whole wheat flour, 28 grams almond flour, 1½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, pinch of salt
- Add dry ingredients to wet and fold together until just combined. Add blueberries and fold a few more times to distribute.1 cup blueberries
- Transfer batter to lined loaf pan, packing down well to prevent large air bubbles. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment paper to carefully remove the bread from the pan. Place the bread directly on a wire rack to cool.
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