Food and Recipes Bread Quick Breads Our 52 Best Quick Bread Recipes—No Long Rise Required By Marissa Wu Marissa Wu Marissa Wu is a writer with a love for home, food, travel, and art stories. She holds a journalism degree from Boston University. When not editing and producing articles or updating the homepage, she's trying new recipes, jolting along in her manual transmission car, Fitz; hammering out a manuscript on her 1930s Royal Aristocrat typewriter, Georgie; and making film photographs with her Rolleiflex, Cecil. She's currently an Associate SEO Editor for PureWow. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 3, 2023 Close Photo: Christopher Testani, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Quick breads can encompass everything from crowd-favorite banana bread to treats like muffins, scones, and biscuits. The only qualifier (besides not being cake) is that they are chemically leavened, as opposed to using baker's yeast. In other words, there's no long rise required. We can attest that these quick bread recipes are downright delicious. Bake up a loaf of Zucchini Bread or a batch of Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins to add some pizazz to breakfast. (They're also great on the go as the kids are running for the school bus.) Peach scones are a delightful summer afternoon treat, and we'd never forget the cornbread, a staple at every Southern table. The next time you find yourself in a pinch, whip up one of these simple bread recipes, and you're guaranteed a winner. 01 of 52 Zucchini Bread Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Zucchini is available year-round, but when it's ripening by the bucket at the end of summer, this quick bread is a go-to baking recipe for using them up easily. Get the Recipe 02 of 52 One-Bowl Banana Bread Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Perhaps our easiest banana bread ever. It's made to be whipped up in a hurry, before your craving for a warm slice of banana bread fades. Get the Recipe 03 of 52 Hummingbird Bread Jessica Furniss With all the flavors of our much-loved hummingbird cake—pineapple, bananas, coconut, and pecans—this is a faster and easier way to enjoy that favorite. Get the Recipe 04 of 52 Banana Nut Bread Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Classic banana bread gets a crunchy, nutty update with pecans (or walnuts, if you prefer). Get the Recipe 05 of 52 Ginger Loaf Cake Christopher Testani, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Don't let the name fool you—this is a quick bread-style loaf. And the warm, tingly flavor of ginger infuses the whole loaf for a special breakfast or dessert. Get the Recipe 06 of 52 Seeded Pumpkin Bread Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely This recipe maximizes flavor and minimizes effort. With just 10 minutes of hands-on time and a few fridge and pantry staple ingredients, this beautiful loaf is ready in no time. While the classic recipe really doesn't need a topping, we're all about this seedy crunch. Get the Recipe 07 of 52 Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox We've yet to find anything that chocolate doesn't make better, and that's certainly the case for this delicious, chocolatey banana bread. Don't forget to sprinkle a few chips on top as well! Get the Recipe 08 of 52 Cranberry-Orange Bread Alison Miksch; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle This loaf is peppered with frozen cranberries, orange zest, and orange juice for a flavorful bread that is an ideal balance of tart and sweet. Serve it alongside coffee and tea or for a light dessert with a dollop of whipped cream. Get the Recipe 09 of 52 Chocolate Zucchini Bread Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox The beauty of this quick bread? It's good pretty much any way you serve it. Throw in some pecans, toast with butter, and eat it at breakfast or as a snack. Get the Recipe 10 of 52 Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox When cravings for the flavors of fall hit, don't overlook this easy, one-bowl pumpkin bread with chocolate chips. The crunchy topping is optional, but it elevates this simple quick bread to company-worthy. Get the Recipe 11 of 52 Blueberry Banana Bread Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox While we're a glutton for a slice of classic banana bread, it's always fun to add a twist. Here, juicy blueberries and just-ripe bananas make for the perfect loaf for your next gathering. Get the Recipe 12 of 52 Pumpkin Banana Bread Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Banana bread is a year-round favorite, but in the fall, we love adding in pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices for a cozy, comforting loaf. Get the Recipe 13 of 52 Pumpkin-Honey-Beer Bread Alison Miksch; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell Pumpkin pie spice, mellow honey, and some bubbly beer make a deliciously soft loaf. Don't fret if you spy a few lumps in your batter: That's normal and you'll want to avoid over-mixing to avoid toughness. Get the Recipe 14 of 52 Nana's Banana Bread Robbie Caponetto Banana chunks and a hint of lime juice bring out a wonderfully fresh, fruity taste in this pillowy-soft quick bread. Get the Recipe 15 of 52 Carrot Cake Quick Bread Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis The drizzle of icing adds a sweet note to the spicy, dense bread. A generous handful of pecans ensures a little crunch. Get the Recipe 16 of 52 Banana Bread Southern Living The best solution for those overripe bananas sitting on your counter? Banana bread, of course. It's a go-to quick bread that never fails to please. Get the Recipe 17 of 52 Piña Colada Quick Bread Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Fans of the drink and pineapple upside-down cake will say cheers to this pineapple-packed bread. Get the Recipe 18 of 52 Apple Butter-Pecan Quick Bread Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall A favorite fall spread works its way into a nutty quick bread. Cut generous slices, toast, and serve with an exuberant swipe of butter as an afternoon snack. Get the Recipe 19 of 52 Apple Bread Micah A. Leal With a generous sprinkling of cinnamon, cubes of Granny Smith apples, and a soft crumb, this is the quick bread you'll want every morning along with your coffee. Get the Recipe 20 of 52 Cranberry Eggnog Bread Photo: Jen Causey Get in the holiday spirit with the festive flavors of this bread, which is studded with dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, eggnog, and orange zest. For a bonus flavor, add rum to the glaze on top. Get the Recipe 21 of 52 Fig Bread Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Erin Merhar Dotted with dried figs, this recipe is ready to be made all year long. A hint of orange zest adds to the bread's uniquely delicious flavor. Get the Recipe 22 of 52 Jamaican Easter Spice Bun Gabriela Herman Filled with warm spices and dried fruit, this unique and aromatic bread is most popular during the Lenten season, but it can easily be enjoyed year round. Get the Recipe 23 of 52 Ham and Cheese Cake Salé Quick Bread Sheri Castle A sweet quick bread may be familiar, but have you tried a savory version? Ours is loaded with Gruyère, smoked ham, and olives for a delightfully homey, crumbly creation. Get the Recipe 24 of 52 Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Spice up your side of cornbread with this jalapeño and Cheddar version. You can make it spicier by adding pepper flakes or more jalapeño, or cut the amount to make it only mildly spicy. Get the Recipe 25 of 52 Cranberry Orange Muffins Molly Bolton In fall, cranberry and orange a superstar pair. With warming spices ginger and cinnamon, this is a special fall breakfast. But if you crave it in the middle of spring, when fresh cranberries are nowhere to be found, you can use frozen. Get the Recipe 26 of 52 Cracklin' Cornbread Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster Pork cracklings are meaty little morsels of leftover pork fat. When they're added to cornbread, they turn this quick bread into a real Southern classic. Serve with vegetable soup or chili. People will really only want the cornbread, however. Get the Recipe 27 of 52 Cinnamon Swirl Puff Pastry Muffins Dotdash Meredit Make your morning a little bit sweeter with these sugar and spice puff pastries. With only six ingredients, these mini breads are feasible for even the novice baker. Get the Recipe 28 of 52 Sweet Potato Biscuits Micah A. Leal Just slightly earthy, our sweet potato biscuits are light, fluffy, and begging to be served with a slab of butter and drizzle of honey. Get the Recipe 29 of 52 Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls Alison Miksch If you don't have time to let the dough rise, this quick bread promises cinnamon rolls in a jiffy—20 minutes of hands-on time, to be exact. Get the Recipe 30 of 52 Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer These tender and moist muffins are full of pumpkin spice flavor, making them the perfect sweet treat to start your morning or serve as an afternoon pick-me-up. Get the Recipe 31 of 52 Cream Cheese-Banana-Nut Bread Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas This recipe is a hosting home run, as it makes two loaves—just the right amount for feeding your holiday crowd. Get the Recipe 32 of 52 Buttermilk Cornbread Photographer: Isaac Nunn, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn Whether you are Team Sugar in the Cornbread or not, there's no denying that it's a dinnertime staple side. Get the Recipe 33 of 52 Buttermilk Drop Biscuits Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos We packed this quick bread with whole-grain mustard, garlic powder, fresh chives, and Parmesan for a super-savory biscuit that will fly right off the dinner table. Get the Recipe 34 of 52 Carrot Cake Muffins Micah A. Leal These are the classic cake in muffin form, packed with coconut, golden raisins, and carrots, of course. A drizzle of molasses adds a rich flavor profile. Get the Recipe 35 of 52 Peach Scones Micah A. Leal Serve these tender, peach-laden scones at a summer brunch or breakfast and watch the compliments roll in. Get the Recipe 36 of 52 Applesauce Muffins Micah A. Leal The addition of applesauce yields a fluffy, soft crumb. Cinnamon, ginger, and cloves add warmth and spice. If you fancy them, golden raisins are also a sweet addition to this quick bread. Get the Recipe 37 of 52 Best-Ever Scones Micah A. Leal Hosting an afternoon tea? Put these simple scones on your menu and serve with homemade jam. The buttery layers are easily customizable with savory and sweet variations so you'll never tire of this recipe. Get the Recipe 38 of 52 Blackberry-Lime Drop Biscuits Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner The beauty of these biscuits is in the name. No shaping, just drop them on the pan. Now that's one of the easiest quick breads we ever did see. Get the Recipe 39 of 52 Buttermilk Breakfast Scones Southern Living Crisp, sugared tops, plump currents, and that zing of orange zest make these Buttermilk Breakfast Scones a hit at the morning meal. Get the Recipe 40 of 52 Bacon Cheddar Scones Joy Howard We love a good savory scone, especially when bacon and Cheddar are the winning combination. Get the Recipe 41 of 52 Pumpkin-Buttermilk Biscuits with Crispy Ham and Honey Butter Victor Protasio; Propr Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox When fall rolls around, we're looking for an excuse to add pumpkin into our favorite dishes, and these light and flaky biscuits are the perfect combination. Get the Recipe 42 of 52 Mini Bananas Foster Sticky Buns Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos From at home brunches to on-the-go treats, these bite-sized New Orleans' inspired sticky bunds won't disappoint. Made with store-bought crescent roll dough, they're a cinch to whip up. Get the Recipe 43 of 52 Our Favorite Buttermilk Biscuit Will Dickey There's a reason you'll find buttermilk biscuits on any diner menu across the South. The classic, Southern staple is just that good. While many families have their own passed-down recipes, our no-fail biscuit recipe is our favorite for a reason. Get the Recipe 44 of 52 Sausage Bread Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner This stuffed bread is not short on flavor thanks to the herbs, garlic, gooey cheese, and sausage. And thanks to prepared pizza dough, it only takes minutes to have it ready to go in the oven. The savory dish is easily enjoyed with breakfast or as a side to accompany dinner. Get the Recipe 45 of 52 Gluten-Free Cornbread Micah A. Leal Some cornbread recipes use flour for added softness, but not everyone can eat flour. So offer this gluten-free version up at meals or holidays. Get the Recipe 46 of 52 Apple-Spice Muffins With Oat Streusel Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis Apple pie-spiced muffins are topped with a crunchy streusel. The drizzle of glaze finishes it off for a special muffin. Get the Recipe 47 of 52 Emeril's Maple-Butter Corn Muffins FOOD PHOTOGRAPH: ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL; PROP STYLING: CHRISTINA BROCKMAN A delicately sweet corn muffin, this is great on its own as a snack, served alongside dinner, or with a bowl of soup or chili. Get the Recipe 48 of 52 Pimiento Cheese Flatbread Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Instead of making your own flatbread, use store-bought pizza dough to make this snack faster and easier. Get the Recipe 49 of 52 Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Muffins Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely You wait through the long, hot summer for fall flavors. Start here with these quick-mix muffins. Get the Recipe 50 of 52 Sugar-And-Pumpkin Spice Muffins Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Christina Daley The crispy sugary topping on these pumpkin muffins will make you quickly reach for a second (or third). Get the Recipe 51 of 52 Blueberry Muffins Hannah Zimmerman / Southern Living These are a classic for a reason: There's never a wrong time to make them. Make these for a tea or shower, or whip up a batch for a weekday grab-and-go breakfast. They freeze well, too. Get the Recipe 52 of 52 Butter Pecan Scones Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Buttery, toasty pecans are spread throughout the dough for these scones. And for extra good measure, they're sprinkled on top with a drizzle of powdered sugar and maple syrup. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit