Celebrate strawberry season with a vegan strawberry chocolate chip bread that's completely plant-based and a delicious balance of ripe strawberries with rich vegan chocolate chips.
vegan • dairy free • egg free • low waste tips
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Jump to:
- ❤️ what you'll love about this vegan strawberry chocolate chip bread
- 🥣 ingredient notes
- 🔪 equipment notes
- 👩🏽🍳 instruction notes
- 🧊 storage
- ✅ acceptable substitutions and customizations
- 🥰 tips for the best strawberry chocolate chip bread
- Recipe
- ♻️ sustainability profile
- ❓ frequently asked questions
- 🍓 more favorite strawberry recipes
- 🕰️ the latest...
This bread is like a strawberry shortcake met a chocolate-covered strawberry. The subtle sweetness of the strawberries underscore the pops of decadence from vegan chocolate chips for a real treat!
So what exactly makes this recipe unique? All of the ingredients are vegan, dairy free, and egg free, creating a much more universal strawberry chocolate chip sweet bread.
❤️ what you'll love about this vegan strawberry chocolate chip bread
Summer flavor in each bite. When strawberries are in season, you just can't beat their juiciness and the ripe flavor. Each bite with a piece of strawberry is like taking a bite out of summer.
Completely vegan for a delicious bread without dairy or eggs. Not only does making a vegan bread mean it's more sustainable for the environment, but the finished product is compatible with a wider range of diets. This makes it a great option for entertaining!
The flavor may be big, but texture is light. The combination of strawberry-chocolate is a classic (and packed into each bite of this bread), but you'll love the fact the texture is light. Why does this matter? When you take a bite, you'll get a beautiful combination of light crumb balanced by bursts of ripe strawberry and chocolate. The textures just complement each other so well.
🥣 ingredient notes
dry ingredients
Flour. I prefer to use unbleached all-purpose flour. If you have access to organic, that's even better!
Baking powder. Our primary leavening agent.
Baking soda. This will interact with our plant-based buttermilk (acid) to help with leavening.
Salt. Kosher salt is a universal recommendation for recipes. I've also made this with Pink Himalayan salt without issue.
wet ingredients and mix-ins
Strawberries. Strawberries are frequently listed on the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen list, so choose organic berries if possible. Bonus points for growing your own!
Note: Save your strawberry tops when chopping! More details below the recipe in our sustainability section.
Chocolate chips. Of course, select vegan chocolate chips to keep this recipe vegan-friendly. I rotate between Nestle Toll House Plant-Based Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and Enjoy Life Morsels.
Plant-based milk. You can choose your own here, but soy milk will curdle the best when mixed with lemon juice, creating our plant-based buttermilk.
Organic cane sugar. In the U.S., organic sugar is vegan. If you can opt for a brand that practices regenerative farming as well, you get even more bonus points!
Coconut oil. Refined coconut oil is my recommendation, which means it won't infuse the bread with a coconut flavor. You can use either refined or unrefined, just be prepared for a taste difference.
Flax meal and water (flax egg). The flax meal serves as our binding agent and replaces chicken eggs in traditional sweet breads. It works best when you let it sit for a few minutes in the refrigerator to thicken.
Lemon juice. I would highly recommend fresh lemon juice, if possible. We use this to combine with the plant-based milk for a vegan buttermilk. This is also an acid that will interact with our leavening agents to give the bread rise, and even more flavor!
Note: Save your lemon seeds! More details below the recipe in our sustainability section.
Pure vanilla extract. Adds depth of flavor that just can't be beat.
🔪 equipment notes
Primary.
Loaf pan. I use a ceramic loaf pan that is traditionally non-stick; though, with this batter I do suggest using parchment paper.
Parchment paper. This will help you remove the bread from the pan and transfer it to the wire cooling rack. I use the If You Care brand.
Note: Choose compostable parchment paper! More details below the recipe in our sustainability section.
Medium and large mixing bowls. You will mix your dry ingredients separate from the wet ingredients before merging them. Use the larger bowl for your wet ingredients.
Measuring cups and spoons for liquid and dry ingredients.
Whisk. I use a small, stiff whisk for this, but a traditional balloon whisk will work as well.
Wire cooling rack. You don't want the bread to cool completely in the pan or it will become soggy. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to help maintain its texture.
Secondary.
Lemon juicer. I squeeze my lemons by hand, but if a juicer would make it easier for you, it's worth using!
Spatula. This is optional, but I like to use the spatula to fold in the strawberries and chocolate chips. Once you get to the point of adding mix-ins, you want to be careful not to overmix the batter.
Small bowl for flax meal egg. This is also optional because you can combine the flax meal and water in the large bowl designated for wet ingredients (before adding the rest of the wet ingredients). However, I like using a small bowl to easily place it in the refrigerator to thicken while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
👩🏽🍳 instruction notes
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare your flax meal egg, plant-based buttermilk, and coconut oil. Stir together your flax egg and water, add lemon juice to your plant-based milk, and melt the coconut oil in a double broiler.
Note: Allow the coconut oil to cool slightly before adding to the wet ingredients.
Whisk together dry ingredients.
Whisk together wet ingredients. The wet ingredients should be combined separate from the dry.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet. Whisk as you merge the ingredients, being careful not to overmix.
Fold in your mix-ins. Do this gently to prevent overmixing, but thoroughly enough to distribute the strawberry pieces and chocolate chips throughout.
Bake and cool. Bake for 50-60 minutes and test with a skewer before removing from the oven. Cool for a few minutes in the loaf pan before transferring to the rack.
🧊 storage
For all storage types, please wait for the bread to cool completely first.
Immediate use. Place in an airtight container and store for up to 3 days. I wait to slice (when possible) to prevent drying.
Long-term storage. In an airtight container, the bread can last up to 3 months when frozen. Slice before freezing if you want the freedom to thaw a few slices at a time.
Note: A glass container can be used to store bread in the freezer without the use of plastics. Additional storage ideas are available via this article by Zero Waste Memoirs.
✅ acceptable substitutions and customizations
Whipped aquafaba in place of flax meal. Keep in mind that the texture will likely be a little lighter, which can make the finished product slightly more crumbly.
Apple cider vinegar in place of lemon juice for plant-based buttermilk. This recipe was only tested with lemon juice, so be prepared for a slight variation in taste.
Vegan chocolate chunks in place of chocolate chips. The chunks can replace the chocolate chips in at a 1:1 ratio.
Frozen strawberries or different berries in place of fresh strawberries. Fresh is likely best unless you have pre-chopped strawberries in the freezer. Don't allow to thaw before folding into the batter. Customize by choosing a different berry, if you'd like!
Nuts as a mix-in. Experiment with some chopped, lightly-toasted nuts if you'd like a little extra crunch.
🥰 tips for the best strawberry chocolate chip bread
Allow the melted coconut oil to cool a little before incorporating into the other wet ingredients so it doesn't seize into hard pieces.
Resist the temptation to overmix so you don't end up with a hard loaf.
Bake in the center rack of your oven and move to a lower rack if it begins to brown too much on top.
Recipe
Strawberry Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 loaf pan
- 1 whisk
- measuring cups and spoons
- spatula optional, for folding mix-ins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 266g, unbleached, use spoon method
- 2 teaspoon baking powder 8g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 5g
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt 3g
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup soy milk 253g, use unsweetened plant-based milk
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 141g, organic cane sugar preferred
- ¼ cup coconut oil 54g, melted
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice 31 g, approximately 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon flax meal 15g
- 6 tablespoon water 83g, for making flax meal egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3g
Mix-ins
- 1 cup strawberries 176g, roughly chopped with one sliced for topping (optional)
- ⅔ cup vegan chocolate chips 112g, optional to sprinkle more on top of loaf before baking
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Stir together flax meal and water in small bowl to create your flax meal egg. Place in the refrigerator while preparing the rest of the recipe.2 tablespoon flax meal, 6 tablespoon water
- Add lemon juice to your plant-based milk and stir to combine. You should see the milk lightly curdle.2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 cup soy milk
- In a small saucepan, heat a small amount of water (about an inch high) and place a glass bowl with coconut oil on top, ensuring the oil melts. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.¼ cup coconut oil
Batter
- Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In your larger bowl, combine wet ingredients (sugar, flax egg, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and plant-based buttermilk).1 cup soy milk, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup coconut oil, 2 tablespoon flax meal, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 6 tablespoon water
- Gently and slowly stir the dry ingredients into the bowl with wet ingredients until evenly combined. A few small lumps may remain.
- Fold in chopped strawberries followed by chocolate chips.1 cup strawberries, ⅔ cup vegan chocolate chips
- Pour batter into a parchment lined baking sheet. Top with sliced strawberry and a few additional chocolate chips, if desired.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean (if inserted through a chocolate chip, melted chocolate will appear on the skewer).
- Allow to cool in the loaf pan before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
♻️ sustainability profile
overview
Vegan ingredients free us from the reliance on dairy, which helps lower the environmental impact of this recipe. Here are a few tips to make it even more sustainable:
Choose brands that use sustainable practices. For example, look for organic and regenerative farming details on packaging. The links in the recipe (affiliate links) offer brand options that are engaged in sustainability.
low waste
Save your strawberry tops! These are great when added to smoothies, but our favorite idea is a strawberry top simple syrup. Worst case scenario? Toss them in your home compost. I keep my strawberry tops in a small glass mason jar placed in the refrigerator.
Compost your parchment paper, as long as you purchased from a compostable brand. My go-to is If You Care (affiliate link), which can be tossed in a home compost after use. Be sure to remove (wipe or gently rinse) any excess oils and food from the paper so you don't attract unwanted visitors. Nom, nom. 😉
Don't forget the lemon! You can zest your lemon prior to juicing and freeze for long-term storage, or use in my vegan lemon poppy seed pancake recipe for an extra burst of flavor. Save the seeds and add them to your next quick jam recipe to help thicken the consistency.
❓ frequently asked questions
Can you add fruit to bread?
Absolutely! Fruit is a wonderful addition to bread, and can take the form of a mix-in where fruit is incorporated into the dough, or infused in a glaze traditionally used with sweet breads. When mixing into the dough itself, fruit can be frozen, dried, or fresh. Avoid pieces that are too large to prevent an inconsistent texture. Some favorite fruit and bread pairings include raisins (dried grapes), strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, bananas, currants, cherries, and cranberries...just to name a few!
How do you make fruit not sink in bread?
Pieces of fruit are more dense and heavier than the surrounding dough, so commonly fall to the bottom during baking. Coating the pieces in flour to suspend them in the dough is a myth, unfortunately. A few options include adding some dough (without your mix-ins incorporated) into the bottom of your baking dish first, creating a dough layer without fruit. The second option (from Julia Child), is to allow the baking dish to sit on your stovetop over low to medium heat with one quarter of the dough in the pan to create a skin that will hold the fruit in the remaining dough.
Are baking morsels the same as chocolate chips?
There are a few distinctions to be made between baking morsels and chocolate chips. Morsels and chocolate chips are the same thing, and only differentiated by the brand. Baking chocolate, on the other hand, is usually less sweet than chocolate chips and is really intended to be used for a consistent melting texture. While baking chocolate can be interchanged with chocolate chips in many recipes, it is important to note the flavor and texture will vary.
🍓 more favorite strawberry recipes
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