Oat-Date Nut Bread (Regular Loaf)

This bread machine oat and date nut bread sits squarely between a savoury sandwich loaf and a sweet quick bread. It rises with yeast like a regular sandwich bread, but the rolled oats, chopped dates, chopped walnuts (or pecans), and a hint of cinnamon turn it into something far more interesting than a plain white loaf. It’s an honest morning toast bread, and it goes equally well alongside soup or topped with cream cheese for an afternoon snack.

The formula uses non-fat milk powder rather than fresh milk, which is the right choice for a bread machine: shelf-stable, doesn’t need to be warmed, and gives the crust a nicer brown.

Load the pan in the order your machine’s manual specifies. Most want liquid first, then dry ingredients with salt and sugar separated from the yeast, and the yeast last on top. The dates and nuts should be added with the dry ingredients unless your machine has a mix-in beep, in which case wait for that.

Pro Tips

• Snip the dates with kitchen shears into small pieces. Whole or large date chunks form sticky pockets in the loaf that don’t bake out evenly.
• Toast the walnuts or pecans in a dry pan before chopping them in. Toasting deepens the flavour and the bread tastes noticeably better.
• If the crust comes out too dark, switch to the light crust setting next time. The honey from the dates and sugar caramelises hard on a regular setting.
• Cool fully on a rack before slicing. Cutting a hot yeast loaf squashes the crumb and tears the slices.

Variations

• Swap the dates for chopped dried apricots or figs for a different dried-fruit profile.
• Add a quarter teaspoon of ground nutmeg or cardamom alongside the cinnamon for more depth.
• Use whole wheat flour for half the bread flour for a heartier, nuttier loaf. Add 2 extra tablespoons of water to compensate.