Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bread

I started taking my ballet teacher baked treats on the days I have ballet class and the tradition has really stuck. Now, it may seem really bizarre to take goodies to ballet, but we work hard and can afford to eat something decadent from time to time. We’re a bunch of adults who have regular lives who also love to dance. It’s a very positive atmosphere. One time when I was gone on vacation, one of the other dancers brought cookies for the instructor. We do really like her a lot.

Sometimes I have to think of something to bake so that I won’t show up empty handed! That affords me the opportunity to bake something that I will serve right away, so I can try some different things. I often want to bake scones to take to work, but those need to be baked and served the same day. I leave for work at 6:30 am so there’s no way I’m getting up even earlier to make something in the morning. This bread certainly could be made and served the next day, but I think it is better served soon after coming out of the oven.

This bread combines all the flavors of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I didn’t think it tasted like cookies but all those flavors are there. I put coarse sugar on top of the loaf which made this look like a show-stopper when it came out of the oven. My house smelled amazing when this was baking! It’s a challenge to let it cool enough before you slice it, but do that or it will just be all crumbly. But crumbles taste good, too.

1 3/4 cup flour

1 cup oats

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup of butter, softened

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup chocolate chunks

coarse sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9”x5”loaf pan with cooking spray.

 In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter until creamy then add the brown sugar. Beat on high speed until fluffy. Add in egg and mix until fully combined, then add in vanilla and stir to combine.

With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients. Once combined, add the buttermilk, then the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until completely incorporated. Fold in chocolate chunks. 

Pour batter into the buttered pan and sprinkle with coarse sugar (if desired). Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Allow to cool for 15 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Recipe from How Sweet It Is