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Chocolate Chip Cashew Bread

This Chocolate Chip Cashew Bread is flecked with chocolate chips and chopped cashews, then finished with a drizzle of dark chocolate for a quick bread worthy of a special occasion!

Stack of three chocolate chip cashew bread slices

Simple Quick Bread With Chocolate Chips + Cashews

A few years ago I made this Chocolate Chip Cashew Bread to add to holiday gift boxes full of fresh baked goods and the loaves were such a hit that I’ve made the recipe again and again. 

While quick bread is always good for gifting, the chocolate drizzle on this one makes it look a little more special than a standard loaf of banana bread! And once you slice into the loaf, there’s no doubt that you’re in for a treat—it’s studded with chocolate chips and chopped cashews, which both add lots of flavor and texture. I recommend enjoying this warm, so the chocolate chips are melty and perfect—a scoop of ice cream on top isn’t a bad idea either!

Overhead view of chocolate chip cashew bread ingredients

What You’ll Need

Apart from the cashews, the ingredients for this bread are pretty standard!

  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Egg – Let the egg sit on the counter a bit so it comes to room temperature.
  • Milk – The milk should be room temperature, too. I recommend using whole milk or reduced-fat (2%).
  • Cooking oil – Vegetable oil, canola oil, or another neutral-flavored oil.
  • Semisweet chocolate chips
  • Chopped cashews – You can toast them first to bring out their flavor. I recommend doing it in a skillet set over medium-low heat so you can keep a close eye on them to prevent burning!

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cashew Bread

As with most quick bread recipes, this one is a cinch to make. Here’s what you’ll need to do.

Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8.5″ x 4.5″ x2″ loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray.

Overhead view of dry ingredients in glass mixing bowl

Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 

Mix the wet ingredients. In another bowl, beat the egg with a fork, then stir in the milk and oil.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until just moistened, then fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips and the cashews.

Overhead view of bread batter with chocolate chips

Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to spread it evenly. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a little bit of melted chocolate is okay).

Overhead view of chocolate chip cashew bread before drizzling with chocolate

Cool. Let the bread cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and let it finish cooling directly on the rack.

Overhead view of cashew bread after drizzling with melted chocolate

Decorate. Once the bread is cool, melt the remaining chocolate chips and drizzle over the top of the bread with a spoon.

Tips for Success

Here are some tips for making perfect Chocolate Chip Cashew Bread.

  • Don’t over-mix. You only need to stir the batter until just combined. Any more than this and you’ll end up with an unpleasant texture.
  • Checking for doneness. In addition to the toothpick test, you can press your finger (lightly!) into the center of the bread to see if it’s done. It should spring back when pressed.
  • Make it your own. Toasted coconut is a great addition to this recipe, or try other mix-ins. Just keep the bread recipe the same and use roughly the same proportions of add-ins.
Chocolate chip cashew bread loaf with two pieces sliced off

How to Store

Wrap the bread in plastic wrap and store for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. You can refrigerate for up to a week, but room temperature is always best.

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

You can freeze this bread for up to 3 months. Wrap it in a layer of plastic, followed by a layer of foil (or place the bread in a freezer bag, if it fits). Let the bread thaw at room temperature before serving. 

Slice of chocolate chip cashew bread on marble slab

Chocolate Cashew Bread

Yield 10 to 12 servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

This Chocolate Cashew Bread is flecked with chocolate chips and chopped cashews, then finished with a drizzle of dark chocolate for a quick bread worthy of a special occasion!

Chocolate cashew bread loaf with two pieces sliced off

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup (177ml) milk
  • 1/2 cup (118ml) cooking oil
  • 1 & 1/3 cups (226g) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup (150g) chopped cashews

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray/grease the bottom and sides of an 8.5″ x4.5″ x2″ loaf pan.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with a fork. Stir in the milk and oil.
  4. Create a well in the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients all at once. Stir just until moistened. Do not over-mix. Add 1 cup of chocolate chips and the cashews.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 50 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, remove from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.
  7. Melt the remaining 1/3 cup of chocolate chips and drizzle over the top of the bread.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens.

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    20 Comments on “Chocolate Chip Cashew Bread”

  1. Glad to see you back.

    All of my cookie recipes were posted after Christmas! So no worries by me.

  2. That looks so cute and delicious! I love to get, and give, food presents for the holidays. When you can eat your present, and it tastes good too, it’s always a delicious thing!

  3. Jennifer,

    We should thank you for posting so many delicious recipes. I made your cinnamon swirl cookies and they were wonderful – my husband took some to work and people almost killed each other for more… lol

    I want to try more of your recipes and this quick bread goes now to my to do list.

    Tks for sharing!

  4. Cashews are my favourite and I don’t see people baking with them nearly enough, looks great!

  5. Welcome back! Hey… you have a life outside of blogging? You deserve a break, but I’m glad you are back!

  6. Oh my god – my hips say no but my mouth says YES!!

  7. Welcome back – don’t worry about posting holiday treats – these deserve to be showcased year round!
    I love the mini loaves!

  8. Jennifer, Jennifer, Jennifer. Please don’t ever apologize for posting something so yummy! Welcome back, you were missed!

  9. This looks so good! This is my first time on your blog and it definitely will not be my last!

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  11. I made this bread last night, in mini loaves and it came out really good. I used a leftover tin of roasted, salted cashews and left off the chocolate drizzle on the top (it would have been good, but I was being lazy). It made four mini loaves and they took around 25 minutes to cook.

  12. What lucky folks who received this bread as holiday gifts!

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  16. Trying this today! Thanks!

  17. Jennifer! Was wondering if the chocolate cashew bread could be made w/o the eggs & oil, and use 1 cup of plain yogurt and a cup of water instead…

    • Hi, Jae. Using yogurt usually works well, but it’s generally tough to replace eggs. I don’t have much experience replacing eggs in baked goods. If you have success with the substitutions, please let me know.

  18. This is a spectacular loaf! I just cut myself a slice, and the chocolate was still a bit melty, just the way I like it. It’s true; cashews don’t often get much attention in baking. They work perfectly here!

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