Dried Fruit Bread (No Added Sugar, 10-Min Prep)
This Dried Fruit Bread is a wonderfully simple treat—no added sugar, no eggs, and no dairy—yet it’s bursting with sweet, dense goodness from a mix of dried fruits. It’s packed with fiber, vitamins, and nutrients, so you’re giving your family a wholesome slice with every bite.
Scroll down for the full recipe, but be sure to check out all my helpful tips below—including handy ingredient swaps, baking pointers, and handy step-by-step images to guide you through every part of the process!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Gather just a handful of simple ingredients, and you’re set. Here’s how to choose and swap them to fit your pantry and taste.
- Self-Rising Flour – This flour has baking powder already mixed in, which helps the bread rise without extra fuss. Don’t have it? No problem! Mix all-purpose flour with baking powder as I mentioned in the notes. Just a heads-up: almond or oat flours won’t work here. If you need gluten-free options, check my gluten-free guide linked in the notes.
- Cinnamon – Gives your bread a warm, cozy vibe. If you like, swap it out for pumpkin pie spice or a blend of your favorite warm spices.
- Almond Milk – This plant milk keeps the bread moist but light. Soy, oat, or any other favorite plant milk works well too.
- Light Olive Oil – Adds a touch of richness and moisture. You can also use canola, sunflower, or another mild oil you love.
- Orange Juice – Brings a fresh citrus kick that brightens the sweetness of the dried fruit. If citrus isn’t your thing, swap it with more almond milk or even mandarin juice.
- Vanilla Extract – Just a splash amps up the flavors with warm, sweet notes.
For the dried fruits, you can mix and match whatever you have or prefer, but here’s what I suggest for the best balance of sweetness and chew.
- Medjool Dates – Natural sweetness with a soft, chewy texture. Don’t forget to pit and chop them before measuring. If you want, swap with figs or apricots.
- Dried Prunes – These add moisture, sweetness, and density. Chop these after pitting as well.
- Dried Cranberries – They offer a slightly tart, bright bite to balance the bread’s sweetness. You could swap for sultanas, dried strawberries, or similar small fruits.
- Dried Raisins – Another favorite for natural sweetness and chew.
How to Make Dried Fruit Bread
This recipe is quick and easy to bring together. Here’s a peek at each step through some helpful photos.
First, chop your dried fruits into small pieces so they mix evenly throughout the bread.
Next up, combine the base ingredients in a bowl—flour, milk, oil, juice, and spices.
Then fold in all those lovely chopped dried fruits until evenly mixed in.
Shape your dough into that low, long loaf on your baking sheet, then bake away at 400°F (200°C) for 12 minutes.
Carine’s Baking Tips
I’m excited to share some extra tips to get this bread just right every time.
- Shape is key. Don’t bake this bread in a loaf pan. Because it’s dense, shaping it into a roughly 8 x 2-inch log on a baking sheet gives it the best chance to cook evenly without soggy spots or an undercooked center.
- Chop and pack your dried fruit. Cutting bigger fruits like dates and prunes before measuring helps you get the right amount and avoid big uneven chunks in the bread.
- Use fresh dried fruits whenever possible. If your dried fruit is tough or hard, soak it in hot water for about 10 minutes, then drain and pat completely dry before adding it to the dough. This avoids too much extra moisture that can mess with your bread’s texture.
- Don’t shy away from stickiness. The dough is naturally sticky and heavy—that’s perfectly normal. Oil your hands so it’s easier to handle, and gently knead it into a ball. You’ll get the hang of it!
- Mix up the dried fruit combos. Have fun trying different mixes like mangoes, figs, apricots, sultanas, or dried strawberries to create your own signature flavor profile.
- Mind the bake temps. Starting with a hot oven helps set the bread’s structure, then lowering the heat lets it cook all the way through without over-browning on top.
- Stick to the flour type. This recipe really needs self-rising flour or the homemade version with all-purpose flour and baking powder. Almond, oat, or gluten-free flours won’t behave the same.
- Spice things up. Feel free to switch cinnamon for pumpkin pie spices or your favorite warm blend to change the flavor vibe.
A wholesome, no added sugar, egg-free, and dairy-free dried fruit bread packed with nutrient-rich dried fruits for fiber and vitamin boost.
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 10 slices 1x
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups Self-Rising Flour (or substitute with 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour + 4 teaspoons baking powder)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
- ½ cup Almond Milk (or any plant-based milk like soy or oat milk)
- 2 tablespoons Mild-Flavor Olive Oil (or canola, sunflower oil)
- ⅓ cup Orange Juice (from 1 small orange)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Medjool Dates (pitted and chopped)
- ½ cup Dried Prunes (pitted and chopped)
- ⅓ cup Dried Cranberries
- ⅓ cup Dried Raisins
- Optional: 1-2 teaspoons Orange Zest
- Optional: ½ cup Walnuts (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil it to prevent sticking.
- Chop pitted dates and prunes into small chunks and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine self-rising flour and cinnamon. Add almond milk, orange juice, olive oil, and vanilla extract.
- Add the chopped dried fruits including dates, prunes, dried raisins, and cranberries to the mixture.
- If using, add chopped walnuts and orange zest to the bowl.
- Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula until dense and sticky. Then, oil your hands and knead the dough gently until it forms a sticky but workable dough ball. If too wet, sprinkle a little more flour.
- Transfer the dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Lightly oil your hands again and shape the dough into a loaf about 8 inches long and 2 inches tall (20 cm by 5 cm). Avoid using a loaf pan.
- Bake the bread on the middle oven rack at 400°F (200°C) for 12 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake for another 12-15 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack for about 3 hours before slicing.
Notes
If you don’t have self-rising flour, make your own by mixing 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour with 4 teaspoons baking powder. Almond or oat flours are not suitable substitutes., Use mild-flavored olive oil; canola or sunflower oil are good alternatives., Orange juice can be substituted with more almond milk or mandarin juice if preferred., Cinnamon can be replaced with pumpkin pie spice or your favorite warm spice blend., Choose fresh, soft dried fruits like Medjool dates and prunes for best texture. If dried fruits are tough, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, drain, and dry thoroughly before use., Store bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days to maintain freshness., The bread is baked in fan-forced (convection) oven mode; if using a conventional oven, increase temperature by 25°F (15°C) and watch for doneness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Cuisine: American, French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 168.2 kcal
