About This Recipe
If you love the rich, nutty flavor of pecans and the soft, buttery texture of a perfectly baked treat, Sweet Alabama Pecan Bread is about to become your new favorite recipe. This Southern classic isn’t actually a bread—it’s more like a cross between a blondie, a cake, and a quick bread, with a dense yet tender crumb that melts in your mouth. One fun fact? Despite its name, this recipe doesn’t require yeast or kneading, making it as easy to whip up as your favorite batch of brownies. Whether you serve it warm with a drizzle of honey or enjoy it straight from the pan, this pecan-packed delight is pure comfort in every bite!
What is Sweet Alabama Pecan Bread?
Sweet Alabama Pecan Bread is a classic Southern treat that is sweet, soft, and full of crunchy pecans. No one knows exactly where it started, but people in Alabama and other Southern states have been making it for years. Pecans grow well in the South, and bakers often use them in pies, cakes, and breads. This recipe is simple and easy to make, similar to old-fashioned Southern nut cakes. It’s a popular treat for holidays, potlucks, and family gatherings because it’s moist, easy to slice, and great for sharing. Some even top it with caramel or ice cream for an extra sweet treat. No matter how you eat it, this bread is a Southern favorite that’s simple, delicious, and full of flavor.
All The “Why’s”
Sugar Choice (White + Brown)
This is Sweet Alabama Pecan Bread, after all. But the sugar isn’t just about a sweet flavor—it also helps trap moisture, air, and contributes to the Maillard reaction, which is responsible for making baked goods turn brown. Without sugar, a bread like this would be dry, dense, and not very tasty.
Specifically, the brown sugar adds a deeper flavor with hints of caramel and keeps the bread softer due to its molasses content. The white sugar gives a lighter sweetness and helps with structure. In this recipe, you could choose to use all of one or the other with this in mind.
Neutral Oil
The oil (I use avocado oil) keeps things moist, as well as helps create a more tender crumb and softer, slightly denser, texture. Oil has superior moisture-retention properties compared to butter, which, while flavorful, can produce a drier result. Plus, using oil is more convenient—you don’t have to soften or melt it like butter, making the process quicker and easier. Since this bread is a hybrid of a blondie, a cake, and a quick bread, a neutral oil offers the best balance of texture, moisture, and simplicity.
Eggs
Eggs play a key role in Sweet Alabama Pecan Bread, helping to balance the sturdy texture of a quick bread with the softer, more tender crumb of a cake. They provide structure, helping the bread rise properly and hold its shape while also adding richness and moisture. Since quick breads typically use two eggs and cakes often use four or more, this recipe finds the perfect middle ground—giving it a soft, slightly dense texture without becoming too airy like a cake. Without eggs, the bread would be crumbly, dry, and less cohesive.
Eggs are difficult to replace because their proteins coagulate when heated, which strengthens the bread and helps it maintain its shape. They also trap air during mixing and baking, which gives the bread a slight lift and a more delicate crumb. In addition to structure, eggs are a key source of moisture, helping bind the ingredients together and preventing dryness. Their combination of structure, moisture, and leavening makes them an essential part of this recipe.
Sourdough Discard
Sourdough discard enhances the bread’s flavor, adding a subtle tang and depth of flavor while also helping to hydrate the batter alongside the eggs. The natural acids in the discard can slightly tenderize the crumb, making the texture softer and more delicate.
Because this recipe still includes fresh flour and doesn’t rely entirely on sourdough discard for moisture or structure, you can use your starter at any stage. Whether it’s fresh and bubbly or older and more acidic, it will work just fine. You may notice small differences in flavor and texture depending on the discard’s age, but these changes are subtle and won’t affect the overall success of the bread.
All-Purpose Flour
Flour is essential in this recipe, providing the structure and stability needed to support the batter and keep the pecans evenly distributed. While I sometimes eliminate flour in discard-based recipes, this one relies on it to prevent the bread from becoming too moist or sinking in the center. Flour also ensures the batter is firm enough to hold the pecans in place, preventing them from sinking to the bottom.
Because flour is one of the most inaccurate ingredients when measured by volume, using too much can result in a dry, crumbly loaf. To avoid this, I highly recommend weighing your flour for accuracy. If measuring by volume, use the spoon-and-level method—fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it off without packing it down.
For the best texture, all-purpose flour is superior to bread flour in quick breads. The lower protein content limits gluten development, which helps keep the crumb soft and tender rather than chewy. This is also why it’s important to mix the batter only until just combined—overmixing activates gluten, leading to a dense, tough texture rather than the delicate, cake-like bite we want in this pecan bread.
Leavening
Sourdough discard is just that—discard. Because it hasn’t been regularly fed, its yeast activity is unpredictable, making it unreliable as a leavening agent. In most cases, the yeast is too weak to provide any significant rise.
That’s why baking powder is essential in this recipe. As a chemical leavening agent, it guarantees a light, tender texture by creating lift as the bread bakes. Unlike wild yeast, which requires time to ferment and develop strength, baking powder works immediately, making it perfect for quick breads like this one.
Salt
Salt brings out flavor. I use just a touch in this recipe to enhance all the flavors in this quick bread.
Vanilla
Vanilla adds a sweet, warm, and slightly floral note that balances the sugar and other flavors, making the bread taste richer and more complete.
Chopped Pecans
Well, this couldn’t possibly be pecan bread without pecans! But, if you really aren’t a fan, you can replace with walnuts or almonds, or fold in chocolate chips for sweetness.
📌 Quick Tip: Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.
Sweet Alabama Pecan Bread
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preheat an oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease a 9X13 baking dish.
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In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugars and the oil with a handheld mixer until the sugar is well-coated by the oil.
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Add the eggs. Mix well.
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Next, beat in the sourdough discard, and then the vanilla (one at a time), until incorporated.
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In a separate, small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
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Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
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Stir in the chopped pecans.
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Spread the mixture evenly into the greased baking pan.
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Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Cool completely before cutting.
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Nutrition Facts
Servings 12
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 417.15kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 25.6g40%
- Saturated Fat 2.36g12%
- Trans Fat 0.06g
- Cholesterol 46.5mg16%
- Sodium 176.26mg8%
- Potassium 122.54mg4%
- Total Carbohydrate 43.43g15%
- Dietary Fiber 1.96g8%
- Sugars 24.95g
- Protein 5.64g12%
- Vitamin A 20.4 IU
- Vitamin C 0.14 mg
- Calcium 67.6 mg
- Iron 1.86 mg
- Vitamin D 0.25 IU
- Vitamin E 2.86 IU
- Vitamin K 10.74 mcg
- Thiamin 0.29 mg
- Riboflavin 0.2 mg
- Niacin 1.62 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.07 mg
- Folate 20.01 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.11 mcg
- Phosphorus 132.85 mg
- Magnesium 26.55 mg
- Zinc 1.01 mg
* Nutrition values are auto-calculated and should be used as an approximation only.
Notes
- Storage: Store, covered, on the counter for three to five days.
- Try adding a bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice for warmth.
- Try substituting the pecans for walnuts or almonds, or folding in chocolate chips for sweetness.
