How to Make Easy Oatmeal Bread

Moist and rich with a velvety texture, this easy oat bread makes a wonderfully comforting loaf of homemade bread that is sure to delight!

Simple ingredients combine to create a great recipe that is soft, fluffy, and flavorful.

But don’t let the fluffy texture fool you, this is a hearty oatmeal bread that will leave you feeling full and satisfied no matter how it is served.

Lightly Sweetened

Molasses is the sweetener in this bread and it also adds a lovely dark color to the final loaves. The molasses flavor is light and sweet, it is not overpowering by any means.

If molasses isn’t your thing or isn’t available easily in the pantry, you could substitute honey. It will be slightly different in flavor and color but still delicious.

You can also check out my honey oatmeal bread recipe specifically written for honey.

Maple syrup might also work, but I have not tested it personally. 

Soaking the Oats

It can be tempting to skip the soaking of the oats and just add them to the bread dough – don’t. It is that soaking of the oats that gives the bread it’s amazing texture.

Plan ahead slightly for the boiling, soaking, and cooling of the oats before moving on with the rest of the bread dough.

Old-fashioned oats or rolled oats will provide the best results for texture but quick oats can also be used. 

Optional Oat Topping

To give the bread a slight decorative topping, brush some melted butter or an egg white wash over the top of the loaf and sprinkle with some oats during their second rise.

It will give a little extra crunch to the bread as well as a pretty look.

Flour Choices

For ease, I went with all-purpose flour in the recipe testing. White bread flour could easily be substituted in an equal amount and turn out quite wonderfully.

If you wanted even more whole grain, substitute some of the white flour with whole wheat flour. The texture will likely be different and add the flour slowly as it absorbs water differently and you may need less but it should still turn out fine loaves. 

Difficulty Level: Beginner

This is a great loaf for beginners to tackle after getting a little kneading experience under their belts. Nothing about this bread is especially difficult or different from a basic loaf beyond just soaking the oats. 

How to Serve

The bread is a bit sweet but not overpoweringly so in my opinion. Still, I prefer to use it for things like toast or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches over something lke a savory sandwich.

It is great served alongside soups and salads to balance out a meal. 

How to Store

Keep any leftover bread in a bread box or airtight container where it should stay fresh up to a week at room temperature.

For longer term storage, wrap in plastic wrap or place leftovers in a freezer bag and freeze.

Let frozen bread thaw on the counter prior to serving. Use up any frozen bread within 6 months for best flavor.