Here is my beloved 95 year old grandma. She can beat you like the best of them at Rummikub and Skip-Bo and she bakes up some of the most delicious baked goods you’ll ever taste. In my eyes, she is one of the best bakers in the world. Today, I’m excited to share a recipe with you that she is known for – her crunchy walnut bread!
Friends, this is not your typical quick bread. The recipe contains no oil and crunches up in the oven like biscotti. The inside is slightly soft and sweet with crispy chunks of walnuts throughout. According to grandma, you always toast the bread after slicing it and you always serve it with butter. Believe me, grandma is an expert! For some thirty years, my grandma baked up hundreds of these scrumptious walnut breads and gave them to any blessed person who stopped by for a visit, helped her with a chore, or well, just lived nearby. She would make several batches at a time and freeze them so she’d be ready. I can’t even count the number of times we’d pull out of the driveway and get a call from her saying “I forgot to give you your walnut bread!” We’d turn around every time. This bread is that good!
Two years ago, grandma moved to an assisted living center with full meal service and sadly, could no longer bake her walnut bread. It finally dawned on me to start making it for my own friends and family. She had given me the recipe years ago and alas I rolled up my sleeves up and got to work. But oh, how smart you are grandma! With only 7 simple ingredients and no mixer required, this recipe couldn’t be easier. In five minutes, the bread was mixed and in another 50 minutes, I had hot, golden brown walnut bread sitting on my counter ready to be sliced, toasted, buttered and savored. We enjoy grandma’s walnut bread for breakfast, for a snack or as a side to soups or salads. I’ve started teaching my five year old daughter how to make it. Grandma, thanks to you, we will be enjoying this bread for years to come.
Are you ready to make grandma’s crunchy walnut bread with me?
Grandma’s walnut bread has 7 simple ingredients that you probably have on hand… Flour, egg, sugar, milk, walnuts, salt and baking powder. You’ll also need a standard size bread pan, bowl, whisk and measuring cups. That’s it!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour your bread or loaf pan. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups all purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Next, whisk together 1 cup milk (any kind) and 1 egg in a separate bowl or cup. Then stir your milk and egg mixture into your flour mixture until combined. The batter will be thick!
Coarsely chop shelled walnuts until you have 1 cup. You can also use pre-chopped walnuts here if you prefer.
Stir the walnuts into the batter and spread it into your prepared pan.
Bake it for 50 minutes – 1 hour or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. You will be amazed at how high the bread rises out of the pan. It is quite the hearty loaf! The outside will be crunchy and will have at least one crack at the top. Give it a couple minutes and then remove the bread to a cooling rack.
Once cooled (or slightly cooled :)) slice it up, toast it in the toaster and spread with real butter. You can also freeze the bread for later enjoyment or give it away the next time someone stops for a visit, helps with a chore or well, just lives nearby. Grandma, thanks for teaching me not only how to appreciate the art of great baking with great recipes, but also how delicious baked goods from our kitchen can be a blessing to others. I love you!
Enjoy!
Grandma’s Crunchy Walnut Bread
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 50
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Crunchy walnut bread recipe that’s a family favorite.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 T. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour a standard size bread pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups all purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- In a smaller bowl or cup, whisk together 1 cup milk (any kind) and 1 egg.
- Stir your milk and egg mixture into your flour mixture until combined.
- Coarsely chop shelled walnuts until you have 1 cup.
- Stir the walnuts into the batter and spread it into your prepared pan.
- Bake for 50 minutes – 1 hour or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes and then remove from pan and cool completely.
- When ready to serve, slice and toast. Spread with butter.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 242
- Sugar: 18.4
- Sodium: 233
- Fat: 12.5
- Carbohydrates: 29.5
- Protein: 4.9
- Cholesterol: 17.5
Keywords: nut bread
I MADE THE BREAD ACCORDING TO THE INGREDIENTS. THE BREAD IS ON THE HARD SIDE. NOT MOIST AT ALL. NOT TO MUCH OF A TASTE. TO THE BREAD. MAYBE I NEED TO ADD SOME CINNAMON AND VANILLA TO THE RECIPE. WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME.
I was searching for a basic nut bread recipe and was glad to find this. I like the crunchy texture and it can be adjusted for personal taste. I substituted 1 cup white whole wheat flour for all purpose, reduced the sugar, added extra nuts, plus cinnamon and vanilla. The end result was delicious! This is definitely a recipe I will make again. What a wonderful background story. There is something special about passing on family recipes. Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Thanks, Beth! All of your adaptations sound wonderful. So glad you enjoy the bread and grandma’s story as much as we do 🙂
I am so smitten with your story……I love family stories. Have not even made this bread yet, but can tell it is a winner. I had been looking for quick breads to make since I am bit slower than I use to be as a bread baker of all kinds. This looks just like what I want to have at breakfast or tea time with a smattering of cream cheese. Thank you so much for sharing. I am passing on my own family recipes to my youngest grandchildren and they will be so pleased to know that this came from another gramma. Keep sharing. I will keep looking for more recipes to try.
★★★★★
I am so glad you found this recipe. It is a special one for our family and we enjoy it so much! My grandma turned 100 this year! I treasure this recipe!
Hi there! I began making this bread only a few weeks ago because my neighbor provides me with bags of fresh walnuts from his trees. So far, I have made about six loaves and have made some for my neighbors, too. The same comment always comes back: “Delicious!” My entire family loves this bread. Now my 12-yr. old son is making it, too. And we eat it just as is recommended: toasted with butter.
I agree that the photo of your grandmother is precious. What sweet lifelong memories. Thank you for a very special recipe.
★★★★★
Aw, thank you Sarah! I’m so very glad you enjoy the recipe… that you’re sharing it with your neighbors and that your son is making it too. Warms my heart! I’ll have to tell my grandma. She’ll be 100 years old in November ❤️
What a nice comment, Sarah! Thank you! …and a great way to use your neighbors walnuts! I will share this with grandma…she turned 100 years old in November!! 🙂
I love this bread and especially the lovely picture of your Grandma! I love to toast the bread for a yummy breakfast treat! Thanks so much for sharing this delicious treat!!!
Hi Judee!
Thanks for the feedback! I’m so glad you like this bread! Every time we eat it, we think of grandma. She’ll be 100 years old in November! 🙂
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve been making these more often than any other bread recipe cos my mum loves it. I experimented few times, adding almonds and raisins (still keeping the toppings at 1 cup) and occasionally adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder. The aroma is wonderful especially after toasting.
★★★★★
Cocoa powder – how interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Delicious and so easy to whip up. I love the crunch of the crust. I think I like it better untoasted. This was supper tonight. 😀 yum!
★★★★★
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it!
So good, whips up in no time, and is also delicious fresh from the oven or toasted with a smear of cream cheese! Going to be baking this often, thank you & your Grandma!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed it! It’s a keeper!
This sound a lot like my mothers recipe so I am going to try it.
I had never toasted it, I will try it.
Thanks and God Bless you and your family
I ended up using pecans, since that’s what I had on hand. It was simple to make and very tasty — but definitely does need that butter when you eat it! 🙂
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I just made this bread and I’m letting it cool but it smells so good I’m tempted to cut into it right now! It’s cold outside so I decided to bake and this bread recipe called for all the ingredients I already have on hand! It was so easy! I will definitely bake this again!
★★★★★
Thanks for the 5 stars! I hope you enjoyed it toasted with butter like we do. A family favorite 🙂