You only need 3 ingredients to make this delicious homemade vegan root beer float bread that tastes like summer and is delightfully sweet and scrumptious. 

Summer means bbqs, swimming, sunshine, and flying kites. It means the sun is out for longer, the days are hotter, and the time just seems to move slower.

There are a few flavors that really encompass this season for me. S’mores, watermelon, lemonade, burgers, just to name a few. Those flavors just take me back to summers growing up playing in the sprinkler and watching the fireflies. 

Another flavor that always takes me back is an icy root beer float. 

Classic Root Beer Float

A classic root beer float is made with vanilla ice cream and root beer. Simply add a  scoop or two of vanilla ice cream to a tall glass and pour root beer slowly over the top. Let the foam recede and then add more root beer. The exact ratios are hotly debated, but it all down to preference. For myself, I like to get the ice cream really melty so that it mixes well into the root beer. Then I add more root beer to my float as I drink it down so that it shifts overtime from mostly ice cream to mostly root beer. 

To make a vegan version, you simply make sure you use a vegan ice cream and root beer. Simple enough. 

A Twist on a Classic

As a believer that generally every good flavor combination can be made into a pastry, I had to put this theory to the test with a root beer float. 

Cookies would be good, but that’s been done before. Cakes and cupcakes too, no doubt. However, I’m still social distancing and in isolation here, so I thought I’d take another stab at the making my own bread (like I did with this pizza beer bread).

Root Beer Float Bread

When I first had this idea for a bread flavored with soda, I wasn’t sure it could be done, so I did a little internet research. Here’s what I found.

You want your soda to be bubbly. The carbonation from the root beer is what makes this bread so light and fluffy. I would not recommend just using root beer extract and another liquid to make this bread because then you won’t have the effect of the carbon dioxide that helps the bread to rise. 

You also want to aim for an ice cream that is higher in fat for this recipe. You want the ice cream to be heavy on the cream factor. 

The syrup on this bread is optional. If you want a sweeter, more dessert-y kind of root beer float bread, I recommend adding the syrup. If you want just a subtle hint of root beer and vanilla ice cream flavors, skip the syrup. 

Lastly, make sure you are using self-rising flour and not just all purpose or any other type of flour. Your bread will fail to rise without this crucial ingredient and you’ll be left with some dense dough. 

Follow these guidelines and steps and you’ll be sure to have a delicious homemade vegan root beer float bread loaf in no time! 

Root Beer Float Bread

You only need 3 ingredients to make this delicious homemade vegan root beer float bread that tastes like summer and is delightfully sweet and scrumptious. 

Ingredients

Root Beer Float Bread

  • 3 cups SELF RISING flour
  • 1 pint ice cream set out 30 minutes to an hour before making bread so it is softened
  • 12 oz Root Beer *

Optional Root Beer Syrup

  • 1/4 cup vegan butter
  • 2/3 cup Root Beer
  • 1 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350*F and grease a 9"x5" loaf pan with nonstick spray or butter
  • Combine the 3 Root Beer bread ingredients into a large mixing bowl, slowly adding the root beer so it doesn't fizz too much, and mix until well combined and no lumps remain throughout
  • Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
  • If making the optional syrup, while the bread bakes, add the vegan butter and root beer to a sauce pan and heat on medium until butter is melted and the mixture begins to bubble.
  • Once the mixture is gently boiling, slowly add the powdered sugar 1/3 of a cup or so at a time and mixing carefully to make sure the sugar dissolves and nothing stays at the bottom of the pot long enough to burn.
  • After all of the sugar has been added, continue boiling for 10 minutes stirring constantly so that the sugar begins to caramelize.
  • Turn heat off and leave the saucepan to sit on hot burner for 5 minutes until the mixture has thickened. You may still need to stir to make sure there is no burning.
  • Top the bread with desired amount of root beer syrup drizzle if using
  • Enjoy

Notes

* I used A&W brand in my testing

As always, I love to see you guys take these recipes and make them your own. If you use this recipe as is or use it for inspiration, I’d love to see your creation. Tag me @holefoodbakery and/or use the hashtag #holefoodbakery so I don’t miss it. 


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