Description
Celebrate the holiday season with this festive and moist Christmas Sprinkle Buttermilk Bread. Bursting with cheerful sprinkles and a hint of warm spices, this quick bread is perfect for holiday breakfasts, snacks, or gifting. Made with simple pantry ingredients and a tender crumb, it’s a delightful treat that adds joy to your holiday baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- Optional: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1/2 cup Melted Unsalted Butter or Vegetable Oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Optional: Zest from 1 orange
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon non-alcoholic rum or brandy extract
Add-ins
- 1 cup Christmas Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. If you choose to use the optional spices (cinnamon and nutmeg), add them here as well and whisk to combine evenly.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the room temperature eggs, buttermilk, melted butter or vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and homogenous. Add orange zest and rum or brandy extract at this stage if using for extra flavor depth.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredient bowl and gently mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the bread tender and soft.
- Fold in Sprinkles: Gently fold in about two-thirds of the Christmas sprinkles into the batter, stirring minimally to distribute them evenly without causing the colors to bleed excessively.
- Fill Pan and Add Remaining Sprinkles: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the remaining one-third of the sprinkles over the top of the batter for a festive look once baked.
- Bake the Bread: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer or toothpick into the center – it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool in Pan: Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes to set before handling.
- Cool Completely and Serve: Use the parchment paper overhangs to carefully lift the bread out of the pan. Place it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing to maintain its moist texture.
Notes
- For best results, use room temperature eggs to help the batter blend smoothly.
- Be gentle when folding in the sprinkles to avoid pastel coloring of the batter.
- You can substitute the buttermilk with a mixture of milk and lemon juice if you don’t have buttermilk on hand.
- This bread freezes well; slice and freeze for a quick festive snack any time.
- Adjust baking time slightly if using a different size or type of pan.
