Maple Pecan Yogurt Bread

Delicious Maple Pecan Yogurt Bread with a cinnamon sugar swirl and a yogurt glaze topping, this bread is the perfect fall breakfast bread! Gather your friends and family around the table for this delicious breakfast or snack!

Today I am sharing a recap of fall in Vermont and learning about organic farming. During my trip to Burlington, Vermont I was able to visit the Stonyfield Organic farm. It was a short trip but an informative one! Thank you so much to Stonyfield for inviting me to learn more about organic farming and for sponsoring this post.

Last month, I had the opportunity to travel to Burlington, Vermont with the Stonyfield crew and a group of other bloggers to learn about and visit two direct supply organic dairy farms. To be totally honest, before I went I did not know much about the organic dairy farming practices and all of the hard work and dedication that these farmers put into not only running their farms (hello 5am wake-up every single day 365 days a year) but also the amount of love and care given to the cows.

One thing that tickled me was how at both farms, each farmer and family knew every single cow by name, and most of them just by looking at them. It was impressive, but it also just goes to show just how much these farmers care about their animals and their well-being.

I came home inspired by the farmers and the dedication to producing organic milk. I also came home a massive Stonyfield Organic fan; it is truly inspiring to see the way that this company treats their farmers and their suppliers. To name just one of the many things that Stonyfield does to help support their farmers, they offer a technical assistance program that allows for farmers to help make certain upgrades on their farms that they might not have had the funds to do on their own, all benefiting their long term sustainability. Talk about caring about your farms!

Why Organic Dairy?

For background, organic refers to a way of producing and processing food. Organic farmers don’t use toxic persistent pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, GMOs, artificial growth hormones, or antibiotics. This means that right down to the cows, there are never any antibiotics used.

Livestock is fed only organic feed, hay, and pasture and they maintain the conditions that support the health and natural behavior of the animals. We literally took a hayride right into the pasture to greet the cows as they were munching and grazing during their free pasture time. It was so incredible to see the lush green and nutrient rich soil that the cows were able to feed off of, and it was so relieving to see the amount of space they had to roam and explore.

Organic practices increase pollinator health, encouraging bees healthy diet. There have been up to 161 pesticides that have been found in bees’ pollen and honey, so organic farming helps to prevent that. Organic farming can also help to mitigate climate change by regenerating soil health and sequestering carbon.

One of the most important things to me personally is the animal welfare. Growing up, I was always an advocate for protecting and ensuring that our farm animals were given the proper treatment and care. Stonyfield and their several organic dairy farms treat these animals with the most respect, understanding that happy, healthy cows = lots of healthy, delicious milk.

The organic dairy farms that Stonyfield supports create natural, pasture-based environments for cows to live in. This increases their expected lifespans and reduces risk for disease.

Overall, the trip was an eye-opening experience and hands on learning into the process of Organic dairy farming. Stonyfield has been a leader and innovator in environmentally responsible business practices and I got to see that first hand!

All recipes by Erin Morrissey and Photos by Sierra Ainn

This maple pecan loaf is the perfect recipe for fall

After my trip, I started dreaming up the many fall recipes that can be made with yogurt. First up? This delicious maple pecan yogurt bread that’s made complete with Stonyfield Organic Vanilla Yogurt. The vanilla flavor subtly adds to the bread and mixes deliciously with the maple syrup, cinnamon, and chopped pecans. Let’s get started!

Ingredients in maple pecan yogurt bread

To make this bread, you will need a handful of baking ingredients (think flour, baking powder, and everything you’d expect in bread), followed by a cinnamon sugar mixture, and finally, a yogurt-based glazed.

Bread

• White whole wheat flour: The base of the bread begins with flour. Use 2 cups of any white whole wheat brand.
• Baking powder: Next, use 1 tsp of baking powder to help the bread bake properly.
• Baking soda: Add 1/2 tsp of baking soda to help the bread achieve the correct texture.
• Salt: 1/2 tsp of salt makes a huge difference in the final flavor!
• Cinnamon: Add 1 tsp of cinnamon to help achieve a mouth-watering fall flavor!
• Eggs: 2 eggs will help all of these dry ingredients bind together.
• Stonyfield Organic Vanilla Yogurt: Now for the yogurt! Use 1 cup of Stonyfield Organic Vanilla Yogurt. This amount creates the best texture and flavor!
• Coconut oil: Next up is the oil. Use 1/2 cup of melted coconut oil. To avoid a coconut flavor, use a refined oil.
• Maple syrup: Add sweet flavor with 1/2 cup of maple syrup.
• Vanilla: Finish off the batter with 1 tsp of vanilla.
• Chopped pecans: Last but not least, mix in some crunchiness with 1 cup of chopped pecans.

Swirl

• Cinnamon: The cinnamon sugar swirl is made with just that: cinnamon and sugar! Start with 2 tsp of cinnamon.
• Coconut sugar: Follow that with 1/4 cup of coconut sugar.

Glaze

• Stonyfield Organic Vanilla Yogurt: Use 1/4 cup of Stonyfield Organic Vanilla Yogurt as the base for the glaze.
• Powdered sugar: Then, thicken it up a bit with 1 tbsp of powdered sugar.
• Water: Last but not least, 1 tbsp of water will help achieve the proper consistency.

Tools needed to make this organic yogurt bread

You will need a few kitchen tools to make this bread. Here’s a full list to help you prepare!

• Nonstick spray or oil to grease the pan
• Two large mixing bowls
• Stirring utensil
• Whisk
• Cutting board and chopping knife to chop the pecans
• Measuring cups: 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, 1 cup

How to make maple pecan yogurt bread

This recipe begins by creating the bread batter, followed by the cinnamon sugar and then the glaze. The entire process (including baking time) should take just over an hour.

To begin, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×4 inch loaf pan.

Use a large mixing bowl to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set the mixture aside.

Use a second mixing bowl to whisk the eggs. Then, mix in the yogurt, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Whisk until all of these ingredients are combined.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until everything is well incorporated. Once mixed, stir in the chopped pecans.

Next, prepare the swirl mixture by combining the cinnamon and sugar.

Pour half of the batter into the loaf pan, and then sprinkle the batter with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Then, pour the remaining batter on top and top with the rest of the cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Once fully cooked, remove from the oven and let cool. Meanwhile, combine the glaze ingredients. Once the bread is completely cooled, cover in the glaze and optionally top with more pecans.

How this bread is healthier

Thanks to some simple ingredient swaps, I was able to take this bread up a notch! I snuck in extra nutrients and ditched some of the not-so-great additives and chemicals. Here’s how!

White whole wheat flour
When it comes to flour, using a white whole wheat version sneaks some extra nutrients into the recipe.

Organic yogurt
Whenever yogurt is involved, it’s always best to go with an organic brand like Stonyfield. Because the yogurt is organic, it is made without toxic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, GMOs, artificial growth hormones, or antibiotics. That is huge!

Coconut oil
Coconut oil makes a healthier baking oil than vegetable or canola oil. I always use it in my baked goods because you can’t tell the difference taste-wise! Win-win.

Maple syrup
Maple syrup makes a wonderful substitute for granulated sugar. And in this recipe, the maple taste helps those fall flavors peek through!

Coconut sugar
Last but not least, coconut sugar is a foolproof way to achieve a sweet flavor without the use of white granulated sugar. It makes this recipe that much healthier!

Store maple pecan yogurt bread in one of two ways.

If you plan to enjoy your leftovers soon, simply place your bread in an airtight container and store at room temperate. It will stay delicious for about 3 days.

To freeze for later, simply wrap the bread in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months! If you know ahead of time that you’ll be freezing it, I recommend omitting the glaze and adding it prior to serving.

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

Loved this maple pecan bread and dying to try another recipe with yogurt? Try one of these! Yogurt is especially delicious in baked goods, and it also makes a wonderful addition to smoothies!

• Orange Poppyseed Cake Loaf
• Blueberry Overnight Oats
• Ranch Chicken Salad
• Key Lime Smoothie