Oat Bread, Quick

No yeast, no kneading, no waiting around for dough to rise. This quick oat bread uses baking soda and buttermilk as the leavening team, so you go from mixing bowl to oven in about 10 minutes. The result is a dense, hearty loaf with a nutty chew from the rolled oats and whole wheat flour.

The two-temperature bake is what makes this loaf work. Starting at a higher temperature sets the crust and gets the initial rise from the baking soda. Then dropping the heat lets the interior cook through without burning the outside. Fifty minutes total and you’ve got bread.

Stir the batter by hand and don’t overwork it. Buttermilk and baking soda start reacting the moment they meet, so the longer you fuss with the batter, the more lift you lose. A few lumps are fine. Get it in the pan and into the oven quickly.

Pro Tips

• Use regular rolled oats, not quick oats or steel-cut. Quick oats dissolve into the batter and you lose the texture. Steel-cut stay too hard.
• Spray and wipe the loaf pan rather than greasing heavily. Too much oil on the pan makes the crust greasy instead of crisp.
• The loaf is done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the top sounds hollow when tapped.
• Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Slicing too early and the crumb tears instead of holding together.

Variations

• Add a handful of raisins or dried cranberries for a touch of sweetness.
• Stir in a tablespoon of flaxseed or sunflower seeds for extra crunch and nutrition.
• Replace the sesame seeds on top with poppy seeds or everything bagel seasoning for a different look and flavor.