Saskatoon berries are the star of the show in this Saskatoon Berry Loaf with Brown Butter Glaze, but the creamy brown butter glaze will leave you begging for more....Easy to whip up with fresh or frozen Saskatoons, coconut, and pecans, this bread is a great way to celebrate summer's Saskatoon berry bounty!
Whether you're using fresh berries from a local u-pick or frozen ones from your stash, this easy "The Lazy Way" recipe is the perfect summer quick bread. It's a "no-yeast" win that feels like a decadent cake but is simple enough for a busy weekday morning! Try it with a cup of coffee or a steaming mug of Homemade Chai Tea!
Recipe Overview: Saskatoon Berry Loaf
- Ready In: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Serves: 12 servings (1-inch slices)
- Calories: 280 kcal per serving
- Main Ingredients: Saskatoon berries (Juneberries), whole wheat flour, vanilla Greek yogurt, pecans, and brown butter.
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian.
- Weight Watchers Points: 9 WW points (Standard) or 4 WW points (Lightened).
- Difficulty: Easy.
- Why You'll Love It: It's a sophisticated quick bread that balances the earthy, almond-like flavor of Saskatoons with a rich, caramel-like glaze. It's high-protein thanks to the Greek yogurt and stays fresh for days!
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- Recipe Overview: Saskatoon Berry Loaf
- Summarize and Save this Content on:
- 🥘Ingredient Notes
- 📖 Variations and Substitutions
- 🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Juneberry Loaf
- Expert Recipe Tips
- 🥗 What to Serve with Saskatoon Berry Bread
- How to Substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour
- 🌡️ Storage
- 👪 Serving Size
- 🔢WW Points
- ❔Recipe FAQs
- Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
- More Saskatoon Berry Recipes
- 📋Saskatoon Berry Loaf with Brown Butter Glaze Recipe
Saskatoon berries have a short season, but they don't have to be fresh to make this loaf or any Saskatoon berry recipe. They can be frozen and used in pretty much any recipe that calls for Saskatoons or blueberries. And if you can't pick them yourself, they can also be found frozen at Farmer's Markets and some grocery stores.
I actually used frozen Saskatoon berries for this recipe. Saskatoon berry loaf is a great way to use Saskatoons, especially if they are frozen. They plump up enough to get juicy, but stay intact so you don't end up with a purple bread.
🥘Ingredient Notes
- Saskatoon Berries: You can use fresh or frozen. If using frozen, do not thaw them first! This ensures they stay intact and don't turn your entire loaf purple.
- Vanilla Greek Yogurt: This is my favorite secret for moisture. It replaces the bulk of the oil and adds a massive protein boost.
- Brown Butter: This is the secret to the glaze. By simmering the butter until the milk solids turn golden brown, you get a deep, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the berries.
- Whole Wheat & Cake Flour: Using a blend of these two flours gives you the nutritional benefits of whole grains while maintaining a light, tender "pastry" crumb.
- Lite Coconut Milk: This adds a subtle tropical undertone that highlights the natural sweetness of the fruit.
📖 Variations and Substitutions
- Berries: If you're among the lucky, you were able to get your hands on some Saskatoon berries (aka Juneberries or Serviceberries) this summer. But if you didn't, no need to worry because although this loaf is ideal with Saskatoon berries, you could substitute blueberries.
- The Yogurt Swap: If you only have plain Greek yogurt, use ¾ cup and increase the brown sugar to ⅔ cup, then add an extra ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Nut Options: If you don't have pecans, walnuts or slivered almonds provide a spectacular crunch. For a nut-free version, simply omit them or add 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds.
Fate kept us closer to home this year so the stars finally aligned and after about 20 ish years of missing Saskatoon berry season, I finally got to pick Saskatoon berries this summer! And did I ever pick - 4 huge buckets!
I had a lot of berries to prep and freeze, but it was sooo worth it! If you want to learn how to freeze Saskatoon berries, check out this post!
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Juneberry Loaf
PREP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/176 degrees C. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with non- stick spray.
- Step 1: Combine flours, cinnamon, brown sugar, baking soda, coconut, and baking powder. Set aside
- Step 2: In a large bowl, beat egg with an electric mixer till fluffy.
- Step 3: Beat in oil, Greek yogurt, vanilla, lime juice, and coconut milk.
- Step 4: Add flour mixture and stir until combined.
- Step 5: Fold in chopped pecans and Saskatoon berries.
- Step 6: Pour into prepared pan.
- Step 7: Bake at 350 F/176 C for 50-75 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely. *Check it at 50 minutes, then 1 hour, and if it's browning too fast, put a piece of aluminum foil over the top. Just be sure to spray the side that's touching the bread with non-stick cooking spray. Mine was a little darker than typical because I didn't check it soon enough.
- Step 8: Glaze: Beat cream cheese and icing sugar together until smooth.
- Step 9: Brown butter in pot on stove top (Video: How to make brown butter) and whisk into cream cheese mixture along with the milk.
- Step 10: Pour glaze over loaf and let set in fridge for 10 minutes (you can put the loaf back into the pan to do this or put it on a plate or serving platter. Garnish with Saskatoon berries on top, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Recipe Tips
- The "High Rise" Mystery: If your loaf rises 2-3 inches higher than expected, check your baking powder! Fresh leavening and dark non-stick pans can cause a spectacular rise. If you're using a dark pan, I recommend checking the loaf 5-10 minutes early to prevent the edges from drying out. And if it's browning too fast on the top but not yet done in the middle, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil (just make sure you spray the side touching the bread with non-stick cooking spray).
- Don't Overmix: To keep the texture light and airy, stir the dry ingredients into the wet until the flour just disappears. Over-mixing will result in a tough, dense loaf.
- The "Serrated" Secret: Always use a serrated bread knife to slice this loaf once it is completely cold. This prevents the berries from squishing and ensures you get those professional, clean slices.
- Glaze Timing: Wait until the loaf is fully cooled before pouring the glaze. If the bread is still warm, the glaze will melt and run off rather than setting into that beautiful, thick layer.
🥗 What to Serve with Saskatoon Berry Bread
Saskatoon bread is great for taking along to a breakfast potluck or serving alongside a breakfast as a 'breakfast dessert'. It goes well with Air Fryer Turkey Sausages, Old Fashioned Fruit Salad (with Honey Lime Dressing) and Mexican Sheet Pan Baked Eggs (shown).
How to Substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour
Converting from all-purpose flour to cake flour:
Take one cup of all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled. Remove two tablespoons, and then add two tablespoons of cornstarch to the all-purpose flour. Sift together before using.
1 cup AP flour - 2 tablespoon AP flour + 2 tablespoon cornstarch = 1 cup cake flour
🌡️ Storage
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I recommend covering the sliced edge with plastic wrap to keep it moist.
- Freezer: This loaf freezes beautifully! Wrap the un-glazed loaf (or individual slices) tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: A 15-second zap in the microwave makes a cold slice taste like it's fresh from the oven!
👪 Serving Size
This recipe makes one large 9x5 loaf. I recommend cutting it into 12 one-inch slices for the most accurate nutritional and Weight Watchers info. If you're feeding a crowd, you can easily double the recipe and bake two loaves at once!
🔢WW Points
Because this loaf is packed with wholesome ingredients like Greek yogurt and whole wheat flour, it fits perfectly into a healthy lifestyle. Based on the 280-calorie count per slice (when cut into 12):
- Standard Version: 9 WW points per slice.
- The "Lazy Way" Lightenen-Up: You can bring this loaf down to 4 WW points per slice!
- Swap the brown sugar for a Brown Monk Fruit (but only use half the amount) substitute.
- Use a Powdered Monk Fruit (but only use half the amount) for the icing sugar in the glaze.
- Replace the butter in the glaze with a light buttery spread.
- Skip the pecans to save an additional 1-2 points per slice.
- You could also skip the glaze altogether!
❔Recipe FAQs
If your glaze is running off the loaf, it likely needs more structure. Whisk in an extra tablespoon of icing sugar at a time until it reaches a thick, pourable consistency. Also, ensure your brown butter has cooled slightly before mixing it with the cream cheese.
Absolutely! While the flavor will be slightly less nutty, blueberries are a great 1:1 substitute.
Yes! This batter makes spectacular muffins. Simply line a muffin tin and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes. It's the perfect portable version for an on-the-go breakfast!
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This Saskatoon Berry bread is considered a quick bread, and I'm a huge fan of quick breads because, well, they are quick, of course! Oh, and you don't need yeast for them to rise. Which, if you'll recall, was a challenging thing to find earlier this year. Baking soda or baking powder take care of the rising part. And there is so much variety in quick breads, the sky is the limit as far as flavors go. If you love quick breads too, then check out my Rhubarb Bread, my Classic Lemon Loaf and my Old Fashioned Date Nut Loaf.
This Saskatoon Berry Loaf is proof that quick breads can be just as elegant as a layered cake. It's a "Decade of Deliciousness" staple that I look forward to every single summer. The combination of the jammy berries and that rich brown butter glaze is truly spectacular!
Give this Prairie gem a try while the berries are in season! If your family loves it as much as mine does, please leave a star rating and a comment below-it's the best way to support my kitchen meanderings!
So grab those Saskatoon berries and whip up this easy and delicious Saskatoon Berry Loaf!
More Saskatoon Berry Recipes
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📋Saskatoon Berry Loaf with Brown Butter Glaze Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Loaf
- 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup cake and pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup medium shredded coconut * I use unsweetened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup vanilla greek yogurt * you can substitute plain Greek yogurt but increase brown sugar to ⅔ cup and add an additional ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lime juice from concentrate
- ⅔ cup lite coconut milk
- ⅔ cup chopped pecans
- 2 cup Saskatoon berries
Glaze
- 3 tablespoons brown butter * See Video in NOTES on how to brown butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons light or regular cream cheese softened
- ½ cup icing sugar/powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/176 degrees C. Spray loaf pan with non- stick spray.
- Combine flours, cinnamon, brown sugar, baking soda, coconut and baking powder. Set aside1 ½ cup whole wheat flour, ¾ cup cake and pastry flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ cup medium shredded coconut, ½ cup brown sugar
- In a large bowl beat egg till fluffy, beat in oil. Mix in greek yogurt, vanilla, lime juice, and coconut milk.¾ cup vanilla greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons cooking oil, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon lime juice, ⅔ cup lite coconut milk
- Add flour mixture and stir until combined. Fold in chopped pecans and Saskatoon berries. Pour into prepared pan.⅔ cup chopped pecans, 2 cup Saskatoon berries
- Bake at 350 F/176 C for 50-75 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely. *Check it at 50 minutes, then 1 hour, and if it's browning too fast, put a piece of aluminum foil over the top. Just be sure to spray the side that's touching the bread with non-stick cooking spray
- Glaze: beat cream cheese and icing sugar together until smooth.1 ½ tablespoons light or regular cream cheese, ½ cup icing sugar/powdered sugar
- Brown butter in a pot on the stove top. Video: How to make brown butter3 tablespoons brown butter
- Whisk into cream cheese mixture along with the milk.1 ½ tablespoons milk, 1 ½ tablespoons light or regular cream cheese
- Pour glaze over loaf and let set in fridge for 10 minutes. * You can put the loaf back in the pan to do this or put it on a serving platter/plate.
- Garnish with Saskatoon berries, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The "High Rise" Mystery: If your loaf rises 2-3 inches higher than expected, check your baking powder! Fresh leavening and dark non-stick pans can cause a spectacular rise. If you're using a dark pan, I recommend checking the loaf 5-10 minutes early to prevent the edges from drying out. And if it's browning too fast on the top but not yet done in the middle, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil (just make sure you spray the side touching the bread with non-stick cooking spray).
- Don't Overmix: To keep the texture light and airy, stir the dry ingredients into the wet until the flour just disappears. Over-mixing will result in a tough, dense loaf.
- The "Serrated" Secret: Always use a serrated bread knife to slice this loaf once it is completely cold. This prevents the berries from squishing and ensures you get those professional, clean slices.
- Glaze Timing: Wait until the loaf is fully cooled before pouring the glaze. If the bread is still warm, the glaze will melt and run off rather than setting into that beautiful, thick layer.
-
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I recommend covering the sliced edge with plastic wrap to keep it moist.
- Freezer: This loaf freezes beautifully! Wrap the un-glazed loaf (or individual slices) tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: A 15-second zap in the microwave makes a cold slice taste like it's fresh from the oven!
Dottie says
Haven't tried yet no but plan too don't know if can find these berries may have to sub blueberries
Terri Gilson says
Blueberries will work too! Enjoy!
AmyG says
I've heard about saskatoon berries but never knew what to do with them. I love that you included tips from when you pick them to offering the best tips and substitutions. Definitely pinning for later when I can get my hands on some
In the meantime, could I substitute raspberries instead to make this loaf?
Terri Gilson says
Hi Amy,
I think blueberries would be a better substitution, as raspberries tend to bake up a bit mushier. However, you could try it! Enjoy....
Colleen says
I have Saskatoons in my freezer and this recipe will be a perfect way to use them. The brown butter glaze looks so good, too!
Terri Gilson says
Thanks, Colleen - hope you enjoy!!
Laura says
Looks delicious and moist, and that brown butter icing, wow!!
Terri Gilson says
Yes, the brown butter icing is to die for! My kids begged me to put more on the loaf the next time I made it 🙂
Shelby @Fitasamamabear says
I'm drooling just reading hahah The berries with the sugar glaze is utter perfection- perfect for summer!
Terri Gilson says
haha - that's the response I was going for, Shelby! Hope you enjoy it!
Bernice says
I haven't seen any Saskatoons this year yet but I have a lot of blueberries in the fridge. They would be great in this recipe!
Terri Gilson says
Hey Bernice! They just announced they were ready for picking early this year at the Saskatoon Farm near Okotoks (that was July 15/21). But they also sell them frozen!