Chew bread is a Southern favorite sweet bread with shredded coconut, pecans and raisins. It's chewy with a crusty edge and great for a sweet treat anytime of day!
Have you ever heard of chew bread?
It's an old recipe from coastal North Carolina. I got it from my aunt who lives on the coast. She got it years ago from a friend from Harker's Island and it's known as a special local treat from there.
The recipe is tied to the Gullah Geechee, a community and culture of African Americans in the low country coastal regions of the Carolinas as well as Georgia and Florida. It's a beautiful and vibrant culture and language with unique arts, crafts and foodways. Read more here.
Chew bread is a simple sweet bread that feels more like a blondie or dessert bar of sorts. And it smells so wonderful as it bakes!
It's chewy with the flavor of the shredded coconut and the bits of pecans and raisins throughout. It has a gloriously crusty edge on top and on the sides.
They are not gonna win in the beauty department and I'll caution you that they can be a little crumbly. I wouldn't pack one of these to try and eat in the car.
But chew bread is hearty and filling. And while we tend to have them for an afternoon snack or a dessert, they'd pair wonderfully with a cup of coffee in the morning.
OK, let's get baking.
Recipe Notes:
Brown sugar: Yes, you need an entire 1-pound box of brown sugar for this recipe. It adds the sweetness of course, as well as a rich background flavor and the crusty edges and chewy texture.
Pecans: These are classic cause they're so widely grown and available in the South, but you could swap in walnuts if needed.
Yield: We either cut these in half lengthwise in the pan and then into thin slivers to get 20 long bars or cut them into square like bars, as seen in these photos.
Storage: Chew bread can be stored at room temperature for up to a week. I just cover the pan in plastic wrap and leave them on the counter like that.
Simple ingredients and a truly unique little sweet treat.
I hope you give these a try and love them as much as we do.
Happy baking and enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Chew Bread
Ingredients
- 1 (1 lb.) box of light brown sugar
- 1 stick of butter (½ cup), melted
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Coat a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, melted butter, eggs and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt and stir well to combine. Add the coconut, pecans and raisins and stir until well incorporated.
- Spread the mixture in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. (It's a little sticky. It can help to lightly wet your hands with water to press it evenly across the pan.)
- Bake at 300 for 45 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Let cool completely then cut into finger-sized cookies. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 5-7 days.
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Nutrition
You might also love healthier lemon bars or classic soft molasses cookies, both of which are other family favorite recipes passed down to me.
And for more snack bar vibes, try these peanut butter chocolate chip snack bars and my grandmother's chocolate chip brownies that are just 4 ingredients!
Or check out these healthier no bake cookie bars that are a kid favorite!
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