Bread Machine Fruit Bread: Soft, Sweet, and Packed with Flavor
Sneak Preview: This Bread Machine Fruit Bread with dried fruit is a great way to start your day. Mix and knead this recipe in a bread machine, then shape and bake it in your oven. This bread works well for breakfast toast, bread pudding, or French toast. The golden color is a sign of the richness provided by eggs. Bonus: It’s dairy-free.
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Are you looking for a soft, sweet, and eggy bread recipe for chicken salad, ham salad, or turkey panini sandwiches? Or maybe you need bread for toast and jelly in the morning or for making French toast. How about a memorable peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch?
Reasons to Enjoy This Bread
- Soft, slightly sweet, and full of dried fruit for a delicious flavor in every bite.
- Bakes up beautifully for toast, sandwiches, or even bread pudding.
- Easy to customize—use your favorite dried fruit.
- Bread flour helps keep it from falling apart in addition to shaping by hand.
- Can be mixed and kneaded by hand or with an electric mixer if preferred (see recipe notes).
Happy Bakers Speak Up
“I made this bread yesterday and LOVED it! Thanks for putting this recipe up!” — WENDY
Ingredients and Substitutions
- WATER:
- Tap water works, but de-chlorinated or spring water is ideal.
- For a richer loaf, swap with milk. It doesn’t need to be warmed.
- EGGS:
- Large eggs are best.
- Adjust water if using a different size.
- OIL:
- Olive oil adds a slight fruity note.
- Butter works if you don’t mind dairy.
- SUGAR:
- Adjust to taste—more for a sweeter loaf, less for a milder one.
- Honey or brown sugar can be substituted; may need moisture adjustment
- SALT:
- Essential for flavor and yeast control.
- If using Kosher salt, increase slightly.
- FLOUR:
- Bread flour provides structure.
- If using all-purpose, you may need to add Vital Wheat Gluten to support the fruit.
- YEAST:
- DRIED FRUIT: Cranberries, cherries, raisins, dates, blueberries, or a mix all work well.
📌 Bread Maker Tip: Add dried fruit at the end of the kneading cycle to prevent it from breaking down. Most bread machines beep when it’s time!
How To Mix and Knead Bread Machine Fruit Bread
- Load the Ingredients – Add all ingredients (except dried fruit) to your bread machine pan in the order listed.
- Check the Dough – After a minute, open the lid to ensure the dough is clumping together properly.
- Adjust if Needed – 15 minutes into kneading, check If the dough is too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time. If too wet, add flour gradually. Add dried fruit in last 5 minutes of kneading phase. Read more about this surprising way to make better bread with a bread machine.
- First Rise – Allow the dough to rise in the bread machine until doubled in size.
Shaping the Dough
- Shape the Dough – Remove from the machine onto a lightly floured surface.
- Lightly Knead: Compress the bubbles with light kneading and shape into a smooth ball.
- Roll into a Rectangle – Use your hands or a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangular shape. Take care to press out the bubbles on the edges.
- Shape Dough -Roll dough into a cylinder.
- Pinch Seams – Use fingers to pinch the seam. Turn the ends under and pinch.
- Into the Pan – Place into a greased 9×5 or 10×5-inch loaf pan.
- Second Rise – Cover and let it rise until it just peeks over the pan’s edge.
- Bake – Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and the internal temperature reaches 190-195°F (88-91°C).
FAQs
- Do I need an egg wash?
- No, but brushing the top with milk or water before baking can add color.
- How is this different from challah or brioche?
- Challah and brioche contain more eggs and fat, giving them a richer texture. This bread is slightly lighter but still soft and flavorful.
- Can I freeze it?
- Yes! Wrap tightly and freeze for up to three months. Slice before freezing for easy access.
This recipe is adapted from “One Hundred Years of Bread”(paid link) by Sidney Brockman Carlisle. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Final Thoughts: If you like fruity flavors in bread, don’t miss these recipes for Orange Sweet Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing, Artisan Rosemary Yeast Bread with Dried Cranberries and Pecans, or Fresh Blueberry Yeast Bread from a Bread Machine.
Need help troubleshooting? Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com—photos welcome!
Bread Machine Fruit Bread: Soft, Sweet, and Packed with Flavor
This bread machine fruit bread has a soft, egg-enriched crumb with bursts of dried fruit. The dough is mixed and kneaded in the bread machine, then shaped and baked in the oven for the best texture. Ideal for toast, French toast, or even bread pudding!
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Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (151 g) water
- 2 large (100 g) eggs
- ⅓ cup (72 g) vegetable oil (I prefer olive oil)
- 3 tablespoons (36 g) granulated sugar
- 1¼ teaspoons table or sea salt
- 3⅓ to 3½ cups (400 g) unbleached bread flour (Start with 3⅓ cups of flour and add more if necessary.)
- 2 teaspoons instant or bread machine yeast
- ¾ cup (91 g) dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried apricots, chopped dates, raisins, or a combination
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Load the Ingredients: Place ⅔ cup (151 g) water, 2 large (100 g) eggs, ⅓ cup (72 g) vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons (36 g) granulated sugar, 1¼ teaspoons table or sea salt, 3⅓ to 3½ cups (400 g) unbleached bread flour, and 2 teaspoons instant or bread machine yeast in the bread machine pan in the order listed. Select the DOUGH cycle and press START.
- First Check – After a minute, ensure the paddles are engaged and the dough starts clumping together.
- Adjust if Needed – After 15 minutes, check consistency. If too dry, add liquid 1 tablespoon at a time. If too sticky, add flour gradually. Read more about this surprising secret to success with a bread machine here.
- Add Dried Fruit – In the last 5 minutes of kneading, add ¾ cup (91 g) dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried apricots, chopped dates, raisins, or a combination when the add-in beep signals or about 5 minutes before the kneading phase ends. Mix the fruit in by hand while shaping the dough if you forget
- First Rise – Let the dough rise in the machine until doubled in size. If it needs more time, leave it in the pan until ready.
Shaping the dough:
- Remove the dough from the bread maker onto a lightly floured surface.
- Knead the dough slightly to press the air out of the dough. Press with your hands or use a rolling pin to shape the dough into a rectangle, with the shortest side slightly longer than your pan.
- Starting with the short side nearest you, use your hands to roll the dough into a cylinder shape. Tuck ends under and carefully place the roll into a loaf pan (10 x 5-inches or 9 x 5-inches). It should fill the pan about halfway.
- Second Rise – Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place until nearly doubled.. This rise may take as long as an hour or more, but don’t watch the clock. The dough appearance is your only true guide.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190-195°F (88-91°C). Check with a quick-read digital thermometer. Cover with foil if it browns too quickly.
- Cool – Let the baked loaf cool in the pan on the counter for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a cooling rack. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing, or you risk squashing it as you slice. (Sometimes, eating warm bread is worth the risk of crushing it. 🤔)
Notes
Alternative Methods
Stand Mixer Instructions:
- Add ingredients to a stand mixer bowl in the same order.
- Mix on LOW until moistened, then knead with a dough hook on medium speed (2 or 3) for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Cover and let rise until doubled, then shape and bake as directed.
- Mix ingredients in a bowl to form a shaggy dough.
- Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10-20 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled. Shape and bake as directed.
Equipment
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 305mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 46IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
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Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.