Healthy Peanut Butter and Jelly Streusel Bread
This twist on the classic PB&J features a whole grain peanut butter quick bread, swirls of berry jam, and a crunchy peanut streusel.
Recipe Highlights
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Servings: 1 8×4-inch loaf, about 9 slices
- Difficulty: easy, beginner
- Equipment: oven, loaf pan, mixing bowls, mixing spoons, silicone spatula, kitchen scale, parchment paper
- Nutrition: 4g fiber, 6g protein per slice
- Diet: vegan, egg-free, dairy-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.
- Peanut Butter ⟶ I use homemade peanut butter made from just peanuts.
- Substitute: For a peanut-free option, use almond butter. For a nut-free option, try sunflower seed butter.
- Jam/Jelly ⟶ Use any kind of jam or jelly that you like! If using homemade jam, make sure it’s thick enough and not watery, or it can make the bread too moist.
- Banana or Applesauce ⟶ Adds natural sweetness and moisture. If using bananas, make sure you use very ripe, spotty bananas.
- Brown Sugar ⟶ Granulated sugar will also work, but brown sugar adds a deeper, molasses-y flavor that complements the peanut butter nicely.
- Rolled Oats ⟶ Just a little for a heartier texture and some extra nutrition 🙂
- Almond Flour ⟶ To keep the bread tender and moist.
- Whole Wheat Flour ⟶ I love baking breads with whole wheat flour for extra fiber and nutrients. However, if you don’t like the flavor of whole wheat flour, you can use all purpose flour. Or try white whole wheat flour if you can find it – it offers similar nutritional benefits while being milder in flavor and color compared to whole wheat flour.
- Ground Flaxseed ⟶ Omit if desired, but it helps the bread be less crumbly.
How to Make
Step-by-step photos and additional tips to help you get the best results!
Combine soy milk, apple cider vinegar, banana/applesauce, brown sugar, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and miso or salt. 
Add oats, almond flour, and ground flaxseed and mix until well combined. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes to soak. This results in a softer, taller loaf. 
Meanwhile, make the streusel by combining oat flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Break up any large clumps of sugar. 
Add peanut butter and melted vegan butter and stir with a fork until the mixture starts to clump together. Add a splash of non-dairy milk or water if it’s too dry. 
To the bowl with the soaked oats, sift in whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no dry flour is left. 
Transfer half the batter to the lined loaf pan. Spread jam on top. Leave about a 1/2-inch margin around the jam so the bread stays together. 
Cover with remaining batter and sprinkle the streusel all over. Gently press the streusel into the batter to help it stick. 
Bake for about 1 hour until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Serving Suggestions
This peanut butter and jelly streusel bread is delicious as an afternoon snack with coffee or tea, or for breakfast with some high protein yogurt or a tofu scramble on the side for extra protein. And if it’s not peanut butter-y enough for you, feel free to spread some extra peanut butter on it!
How to Store PB&J Streusel Bread
Because this bread contains a thick layer of moist jam, I recommend storing it in the fridge or freezer, not at room temperature. Whichever method you use, make sure to wrap the bread tightly in aluminum foil, cling wrap, or a freezer-safe bag (with the air removed).
- Refrigerator: Store for up to 5 days. Eat cold from the fridge or briefly warm in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.
- Freezer: Store for up to 3 months. Wrap individual slices if you don’t want to thaw the whole loaf at once. Thaw overnight in the fridge, at room temperature for an hour or two, or in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Additional Tips for Success
Make sure ingredients are at room temperature ⟶ Any ingredients that are stored in the fridge should be brought to room temperature about an hour before baking. Cold ingredients are harder to mix evenly.
Use your favorite jam, store-bought or homemade ⟶ In the photos I used this No Sugar Added Blackcurrant Jam*, but I also like to use my homemade chia jam.
Gently press streusel into batter ⟶ Since this streusel isn’t as sugar or butter heavy like traditional streusel, it’s a bit more crumbly and doesn’t really melt into the batter. So after sprinkling the streusel on top, gently press it down into the batter a little to help it stick.
Cool completely ⟶ As the bread cools, the texture and flavor will improve and it will taste sweeter. The streusel will be very crumbly at first, but after placing in the fridge overnight, it will soften a little and hold together better.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Bread FAQ
More Delicious Healthy Quick Breads
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!
Healthy Peanut Butter and Jelly Streusel Bread
Ingredients
- 120 ml (½ cup) unsweetened soy milk
- 1½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- 180 grams (¾ cup) applesauce or mashed banana
- 48 grams (¼ cup) brown sugar
- 45 grams (3 tbsp) peanut butter1
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp miso or ⅛ tsp salt
- 40 grams (½ cup) rolled oats
- 28 grams (¼ cup)
almond flour* - 1 tbsp
ground flaxseed* - 120 grams (1 cup) whole wheat flour use
white whole wheat flour* for milder flavor - 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ⅓-½ cup jam of choice
Streusel
- 30 grams (¼ cup)
oat flour* - 20 grams (1½ tbsp) brown sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 30 grams (2 tbsp) peanut butter1
- 7 grams (½ tbsp)
vegan butter* melted - ½ tbsp unsweetened soy milk or water as needed
Instructions
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together soy milk, apple cider vinegar, applesauce, brown sugar, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and miso or salt.
- Soak: Add oats, almond flour, and ground flaxseed and mix until well combined. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Make streusel: In a small bowl, combine oat flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Break up any large clumps of sugar. Add peanut butter and melted vegan butter and stir with a fork until the mixture starts to clump together. If it's too dry, add soy milk or water a little at a time just until the mixture holds together. Place in the fridge until ready to bake.
- Add dry ingredients: Once the oats have soaked for 30 minutes, sift in whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no dry flour is left.
- Assemble: Transfer half the batter to the lined loaf pan. Spread jam on top and cover with remaining batter. Sprinkle the streusel all over and gently press the streusel into the batter to help it stick.
- Bake: Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Place the loaf pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use the parchment paper to help lift the bread out of the pan, then place the bread directly on the wire rack to finish cooling. Cool completely before slicing.
Notes
*Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, but the price remains the same to you. Thank you for supporting Ellie Likes Cooking!
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