Sweet fruits and aromatic vanilla lend their flavors to this incredible bread! Savory goat cheese adds delicious creaminess, sliced almonds add the perfect amount of crunch, and candy-like dates are spread throughout every slice. Whole-grain and naturally sweetened this unique loaf only TASTES rich and indulgent!
Where do I even begin with this recipe?
I don’t consider myself a master baker or anything like that, but I certainly like think I have some natural ability when it comes to making up recipes from scratch. Over the years I’ve learned what foods and flavors pair well together, and I try to use these principles whenever I attempt a new creation.
With that said, even I question my ideas sometimes! Yes, I certainly have an affinity for pairing uncommon ingredients together, but my strange idea the other day to bake a bread that was both sweet and savory came out of nowhere.
I love appetizer platters that have sweet and savory foods like cheese, olives, and crackers but also dried fruit, fresh fruits, preserves. So it makes sense to me that such ingredients could be placed together in a bread loaf as well.
I thought about savory foods that pair well with sweet things like fruit and it finally hit me…one of my favorite combos. Cheese and fruit!
I’ve always enjoyed my grilled cheeses spread with jam or with a few slices of fresh pear or apple…and who doesn’t love cheese and fruit in salad together? So why not bread!?
I wrote out a recipe, said a prayer to the bread gods (they exist right? 😉 ), and hoped for the best! This was my first time baking bread with crumbled cheese, so I wasn’t sure how things would turn out.
Well, see for yourself… 😉
PrintVanilla Almond Bread with Dates & Goat Cheese
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or oat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup crumbled soft goat cheese
1/4 cup coconut sugar or granulated sweetener of choice
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 egg whites
¾ cup plant milk
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup of pitted Medjool dates, finely chopped
½ cup sliced almonds
extra goat cheese and sliced almonds for topping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray (spray well) or line with parchment paper.
Combine vanilla, sweetener, egg whites, applesauce, olive oil, and milk in a small bowl. Set aside.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Gently fold the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in the chopped dates and almonds. Stir. Then, gently stir in the goat cheese until just combined.
Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly throughout.
Top with sliced almonds and more goat cheese, if desired.
Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until knife comes out cleanly from the center (this can change depending on your oven). Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool further. Serve warm with a light spread of butter!
Hearty, whole grain, and naturally sweetened…you can’t ask for a more wholesome or tasty bread! And it truly is perfect for the holidays with its well-balanced mix of sweet and savory flavors.
The texture is something special too. Doughy and dense, with bites of creaminess, crunch, and chewiness throughout. I didn’t think it was possible to combine so many flavors and textures into one recipe…but this loaf definitely proves it!
So whether you make this bread for a homemade holiday gift, a decadent (but HEALTHY!) addition to your next meal, or just to warm and serve at breakfast time, you’ll fall in love with its deliciousness.
After making this, I feel like a world of new possibilities has opened up for me! First off, I now know it’s possible to make high quality breads without yeast (hello quick breads!) and there are so many other sweet n’ savory combos I want to experiment with. Do you have any favorites? I’d love to get some of your suggestions as well!
What’s your favorite type of bread to bake?
Do you like fruit and cheese paired together?
What’s your favorite baking ingredient as of late?
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I adore quick breads and I love the sweet-savory combo here! Great idea to put cheese and fruit together in a bread. I will definitely be eating this ALL day long 🙂
Thank you so much!! Hope you try it!!
I love fruit and cheese but will confess to never ever ever tried goat cheese!!
OMG YOU MUST!!! Some people love it, some people hate it…but if you end up liking it you’ll be obsessed!!!
this bread is loaded with all of the good stuff! I think i’d be able to eat the whole loaf myself 🙂
Oh girl I feel ya! That’s exactly what I was thinking when it came out of the oven!
ooh love the goat cheese and almonds in there! Thanks for linking up today
No problem! Hope you try it!
OH BOY! This looks delicious!!!
Thank you so much!
Sounds delicious, love the fruit and cheese combo!
One of my favorite food combos!!
This looks amazing… I love goat cheese anything, especially in baked goods!
Yes!!! This was my first time baking with it and I am SOLD!
OK I’m loving this! I’m going to hope mine comes out this good. It just looks so yummy. xo
Thanks for stopping by! Hope you LOVE IT!
Oh wow! What a fun recipe!! 🙂 So unique! Thanks for sharing!
Hope you try it!
omg, this looks amazing! I don’t usually use goat cheese with sweet things but I’ll have to try.
Oh it is a life changing combo!! You’ll love it!!!
This looks and sounds amazing! I’ve never heard of the honey crystals so will have to keep an eye out for them.
If you can’t find them, feel free to use 1/4 cup liquid honey!
Yum! Visiting from the Pin Junkie Pin Party and this looks sooooo good! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much! And I am so happy you stopped by!
Wow, this sounds so yummy! Thanks for sharing at My Flagstaff Home!
Jennifer
So welcome!
That looks delicious. Thanks for linking up to #brilliantblogposts
Hi Kaila,
This bread sounds delicious and filled with such healthy ingredients – would be great for the holidays. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & twitted.
Yes perfect for the holidays!
Oh this sounds so yummy! Just perfect for the holidays 🙂 Thanks for sharing on Full Plate Thursday!
No problem! Thanks for stopping by!
What and interesting and delicious sounding bread recipe. Look forward to trying it. I love baking all types of breads.
So happy to hear that! Let me know how you like it!
Thanks for linking up at Bloggers Spotlight Link and Pin-It Party! Your post was pinned to our group board.
I love goat cheese! Never really eaten dates though so I have to try this.
You will love it!
[…] breads and cookies to pies and fudge! I just can’t stop sharing delicious, sweet treats with you […]
[…] Honey Vanilla Almond Bread with Dates & Goat Cheese from Healthy Helper […]
I just love this combination for your awesome bread. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great day.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
It’s such a delicious taste sensation!
Wow, sounds delicious! I love dates and the goat cheese. Thanks for sharing this with us at Savoring Saturdays linky party! Hope you come back and join us this week.
I’ll be there bright and early!
This had me at “hello”!!! I love dates and goat cheese, add honey and baked into a bread? I’m in! Well, almost, I’m going to attempt to make this with gluten free baking mix, then I’ll be all in! I made a dessert once layers of pears sauteed with cinnamon, chopped dates and honey. Layered with an almond cereal and goat cheese mixed with cream cheese. It was so good, I gorged myself silly. This would be the same with a bit of pear preserves, and take a lot less time!!! Pinning!
OMG that layered dessert sounds amazing!! I LOOOOVE pears with goat cheese!
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You had me at goat cheese! This breads looks so yummy. What great combinations. Pinning and making.
Wake Up Wednesday,
Bev
Thank you so much Beverly! Let me know how you like it!!
Oh my goodness this looks so delicious and savory – I’ve never made a bread with goat cheese in it, gotta try it! Thanks for sharing!
Let me know if you do!
YUMM!!! xo C
Thanks, Court!! <3
Another good one, friend!
I’m pinning for you!!! 🙂
Thanks for linking up #BestofBlogs and Happy New Year!
Thank you so much!
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This looks so delicious and I’ll bet it’s amazing fresh and warm from the oven. Pinned!
Yes so so so good! And perfect for the holidays!!!
[…] Honey Vanilla Almond Bread with Dates & Goat Cheese […]