A beautiful golden loaf of bread, chock-full of roasted peanuts and delectable bits of bacon – yes bacon! All swirled in a luscious peanut butter batter.
It seems our love affair with bacon has gone on for years. This is a fun and utterly delicious recipe I found while digging through my Mom’s collection. This unusual recipe dates back to the late ‘50s and includes many familiar ingredients in a traditional quick bread and some that are unique. Sugar blended with milk, an egg, a touch of shortening and a generous scoop of creamy peanut butter to gets things started. Stir in flour, a touch of kosher salt and baking powder for a fabulous lift. A splash of pure vanilla extract is followed by toasted peanuts and crumbled bacon.
It bakes into a gorgeous amber colored loaf with an array of flavors.
At first bite it reminds you of a peanut butter cookie, not overly sweet but definitely full of peanut butter flavor. Then the crunch of the peanuts and oh, that bacon making for a delightful loaf!
If you can’t find unsalted roasted peanuts – most on store shelves are salted – it’s easy to roast your own. Look for raw peanuts, preferably without their trademark red skins. Roasting your own peanuts only takes about 5 to 8 minutes and their nutty aroma will fill your kitchen in the most amazing way! You can roast a big batch and keep them in your freezer.
Then there’s the bacon! For this recipe you’ll need about 9 to 10 slices. I find the oven is the easiest and the least messy way to cook bacon. Spread the bacon out on a baking sheet lined with heavy-duty foil, bake at 425-degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until it’s crispy and crunchy through and through.
Roasted peanuts and crisp, crumbled bacon – hidden treasures inside this peanut butter bread! Perfect for a brunch or luncheon, snack or dessert – this rich savory, salty, lightly sweet bread will surprise and delight!
Peanut Butter Bacon Bread
1 cup milk
1 extra-large egg
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon melted shortening
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour, divided
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts
¾ cup crumbled crispy bacon
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease and flour a large loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving about 1″ overhang on the sides. Whisk together the milk and the egg.
Pour the sugar along with the shortening into a mixing bowl. Add the milk and egg and mix on medium-low until blended, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the peanut butter.
Continue mixing on medium speed for another 2 minutes then stir in the vanilla extract.
Reserve about 1-½ tablespoons of the 2 cups of flour to coat the nuts. Whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and kosher salt.
Add the flour mixture to the batter in two batches and blend in on low speed just until the flour disappears.
Toss the chopped peanuts with the 3 tablespoons of flour. Blend the peanuts and the bacon into the batter on low speed.
Scoop the batter into a large loaf pan (9” x 5” x 3”) that has been sprayed with a cooking spray. You can also line the pan with parchment paper and give it a light spray.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes then remove from the pan and finish cooling on the wire rack. Keep the bread refrigerated and warm to room temperature for serving.
Makes one large loaf.
To roast raw peanuts: Spread them out on a rimmed sheet and pop in a 400-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring once or twice while they roast.
To cook bacon in the oven: Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty foil. Set a wire baking rack over the top and lightly spray it with a cooking spray. Lay the strips of bacon out on the wire rack and cook in a 425-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the last 5 minutes. You want the bacon very crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to cool.
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Peanut Butter Bacon Bread
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet(s)
- Wire rack
- Large loaf pan, 9″ x 5″ x 3″
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1 extra-large egg
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted shortening
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour, divided
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts
- ¾ cup crumbled crispy bacon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease and flour a large loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving about 1″ overhang on the sides.
- Whisk together the milk and the egg.
- Pour the sugar along with the shortening into a mixing bowl. Add the milk and egg and mix on medium-low until blended, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the peanut butter and continue mixing on medium speed for another 2 minutes then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Reserve about 1-½ tablespoons of the 2 cups of flour to coat the nuts. Whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and kosher salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the batter in two batches and blend on low speed just until the flour disappears.
- Toss the chopped peanuts and the crumbled bacon with the 3 tablespoons of flour. Blend into the batter on low speed.
- Scoop the batter into a large loaf pan (9” x 5” x 3”) that has been greased, floured and preferably lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool the bread in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes then remove from the pan and finish cooling on the wire rack.
- Keep the bread refrigerated and warm to room temperature for serving.
- To roast raw peanuts: Spread them out on a rimmed sheet and pop in a 400-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring once or twice while they roast.
- To cook bacon in the oven: Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty foil. Lay the strips of bacon out in a single layer and cook in a 425-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the last 5 minutes. You want the bacon very crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to cool.
