Dark Chocolate Chunk Cherry Bread (gluten-free, dairy-free option, high altitude option)

Sweet, tart, and down right delicious, this Dark Chocolate Chunk Cherry Bread will surprisingly be your new favorite Summer breakfast!

Have you ever made a quick bread with fresh cherries in it before?

I’m talking fresh cherries like bing cherries – not maraschino.

Ya’ll this bread is GOOD. It’s SUCH a cool flavor combination!

Large dark chocolate chunks of bitter sweetness combine with fresh tart cherry flavor, with a hint of cinnamon, enveloped in moist, soft, gluten-free quick bread.

This bread is not your typical extra sweet quick bread that’s always well loved.

This bread is like that cool Sculpture you see that doesn’t quite make sense but you can’t stop looking at it. This Dark Chocolate Chunk Cherry Bread is fancy (yet simple), fresh, and unique. After all, not everyone likes dark chocolate,or cherries, yet somehow they’re completely divine together.

Perfect for a fancy Summer or Valentine’s Day breakfast, or for that ladies brunch where you wanna be fancy but want to make something with an easy recipe!

Ready to make some delicious, gluten-free bread?

To begin, preheat your oven to 350 and line a loaf pan with parchment paper, with two sides sticking out for easy removal of the bread after it’s baked.

In a small mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and stir them together (gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon). Baking in a high altitude? Omit your baking powder. This helps your quick bread to rise beautifully!

Now, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together your coconut oil, sugar and applesauce. Add your milk, vanilla and eggs and whisk them together again.

Concerned about your coconut oil solidifying again? You can lightly microwave your milk (to room temperature) before adding it to the other ingredients, so the cold milk doesn’t chill the coconut oil.

Now add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and stir them together till well combined.

It’s time to dice those cherries! You can either carefully cut around the pit of each cherry, and then dice it, or you can use a cherry pitter to remove the pits and then dice the cherries after.

I actually don’t own a cherry pitter, so I diced them myself. It does take extra time, but I don’t buy cherries often so I haven’t ever bought a cherry pitter! But hey, if you’re in the market for a new cherry pitter, then this is the recipe to buy one and use it for! 😉

Lastly, fold your diced cherries and dark chocolate chunks into the batter. I use these dark chocolate chips from King Soopers and love them. You can also try these if you’re looking for dairy-free chocolate chunks!

Can’t find dark chocolate chunks?

You can also use dark chocolate or semi-sweet chips instead. Milk chocolate would be good in these too, but I think a darker chocolate pairs best with the fresh cherries.

Finally, pour the batter into your loaf pan and bake your bread for about 60-70 minutes, or till the top of the bread is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let your bread cool entirely before slicing and then slice away and enjoy!! 🙂

I hope you love this easy recipe for this moist, gluten-free Dark Chocolate Chunk Cherry Bread that has totally stolen my taste buds! 🙂

Need more fun breakfast flavor bombs? Check out my Orange Carrot Oat Muffins, Peanut Butter Scones, or Chocolate Banana Breakfast Cookies (all gluten-free!).