This adaptable January-style quick bread is easy to make with just 6 ingredients.The finished loaf has a rustic look and a rugged sweetness. Spread a slice of Quick Whole Wheat Molasses Bread with peanut or almond butter then top with a few cocao nibs to add crunch. They will bring out a bittersweet edge and complement a satisfying finish.

A loaf of Quick Whole Wheat Molasses Bread on a wooden cutting board.

Out With the Old

Last year, after decluttering the house with many rounds of “Ten Things”, I was able to apply a new layer of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. My kitchen cabinets and workspaces felt clutter free. It was finally time to cast a critical eye on my kitchen pantry as well.

I started by tossing a few items that were out of date or past their prime. Next I shared spices and other ingredients I wasn’t likely to use up while they were in their prime. Then I challenged myself to cook through food I had purchased in moments of inspiration that faded shortly after I unpacked them at home.

By September both my pantry and my freezer were neat and spare. I enjoyed the newfound sense of space. I could create a shopping list with a minimum of sorting through what was on hand. I could find what I needed with a glance. Then came the holidays.

A loaf of Whole Wheat Molasses Bread is sliced open on a wooden cutting board.

Quick Molasses Bread

No regrets! I enjoyed stocking up and baking through the season. Now, though, it is time to deal with my pantry again. Luckily I learned a lot last year and have some great new recipes that use up the bits and pieces that tend to linger into the New Year.

Today I will be baking Whole Wheat Molasses Bread from a Mark Bittman recipe I discovered at Cookie + Kate. This recipe is super simple to put together. It requires a minimum of ingredients and measuring tools. It is also wonderfully adaptable: a recipe that works well with a variety of flours and sweeteners. It will use up the rest of that jar of molasses left on my shelf after trying a new recipe for Gingerbread Cookies. If I don’t have enough I’ll throw in some honey or maple syrup to round out the 1/2 cup measurement.

This recipe will also use up some miscellaneous flours left over from Christmas baking. I have all-purpose flour from baking Christmas cookies and whole wheat flour I used to bake an Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cake. I also have bread flour from holiday yeast breads and cornmeal I used in Borderland Cornbread. All-purpose flour, bread flour, whole wheat flour or a combination, all work well here. A little cornmeal adds texture if you have it in your pantry. If not, you can use a little more of another flour instead.

January Style

This is a January–style quick bread. It has a rugged sweetness, maybe even an acquired savor. My husband didn’t care for it. Even I didn’t love it at first bite. It wasn’t until I sliced it and stored it in the freezer that I came to fully appreciate it’s character. From the freezer, slice by slice, I happily munched through several loaves within a few weeks. For breakfast I toasted it, twice, to bring out its endearing rustic qualities.

Warm from the toaster, this bread is quick to invite a few more leftovers to the table. It is delicious topped with what you have on hand. Kate suggests almond butter, cream cheese or Homemade Citrus Curd. I will use the rest of the chunky peanut butter that I bought to make Aunt Hen’s Peanut Butter Fudge for Christmas, and top it with a few cocao nibs to add crunch, bring out a bittersweet edge and complement a satisfying finish.

Slice and enjoy!