A (vegan) buttery yeasted bread rich with walnuts, raisins, and dried apricots, this irresistible recipe by Carol Becker is from William Greenberg Desserts Bakes Vegan.
Carol Becker writes, “I was walking around a little beach town in Portugal and spotted a fruit and nut bread in a bakery that I wanted to try … When I got home from the trip, I instantly got to work creating my own version of the bread. It’s crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, overflowing with dried fruit and nuts. You will want to eat the whole thing fresh out of the oven.”
Recipe is from William Greenberg Desserts Bakes Vegan: Plant-Based Recipes from an Iconic New York Bakery by Carol Becker, ©2025. Published by Skyhorse Publishing, reprinted by permission. Photographed by Quentin Bacon.
William Greenberg Desserts has been recognized in Food & Wine Magazine‘s 2025 Global Tastemakers issue, cementing its status as more than just a neighborhood bakery. William Greenberg Desserts Bakes Vegan represents both an evolution and a homecoming for the brand – honoring founder William Greenberg’s original kosher vision while expanding it to welcome an entirely new generation of dessert lovers.
See more about William Greenberg Desserts Bakes Vegan following the recipe box.
William Greenberg Desserts Bakes Vegan
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More from this book: Vegan Ginger Cookies
About William Greenberg Desserts
Founded in 1946, William Greenberg Desserts has been a beloved fixture on Manhattan’s Upper East Side for 79 years. Located on Madison Avenue, the independent bakery is famous for its iconic Black & White Cookies and has been featured in publications including Gothamist and Town & Country. Under Carol Becker’s ownership since 2010, the bakery has maintained its community-focused heritage while expanding its reach through philanthropy and innovation.
About the Author
Carol Becker is the owner of William Greenberg Desserts and author of the bakery’s first cookbook. A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education, she previously worked as a marketing executive and ran her own baking business, Bread & Batter. Becker has fond childhood memories of William Greenberg Desserts and views herself as a steward of the bakery’s legacy while ensuring its continued evolution. She resides in New York City.
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Fruit and Nut Bread (with walnuts, raisins & dried apricots)
A (vegan) buttery yeasted bread rich with walnuts, raisins, and dried apricots, this irresistible recipe by Carol Becker from William Greenberg Desserts Bakes Vegan makes 2 medium loaves.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup plant-based butter, melted
- 2½ cups white whole wheat bread flour
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon walnut oil
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup dried apricots, chopped
Instructions
- In a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine all the ingredients except the walnuts, raisins, and apricots. Work the dough till all ingredients are combined and dough is smooth, about 7–10 minutes.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap, and let rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size.
- Tip dough onto a floured surface and knead in the walnuts, raisins, and apricots.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with flour. Dust the tops of the dough with flour, cover with a clean tea towel, and let rise for 90 more minutes. When the rising time is nearly done, preheat oven to 425°F.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 425°F and then lower the temperature to 375°F. Bake another 30 minutes until golden brown on the outside and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool completely on a rack before slicing.
More about William Greenberg Desserts Bakes Vegan
When Carol Becker first took over William Greenberg Desserts fifteen years ago, she never imagined she’d one day be introducing plant-based recipes into the Upper East Side institution’s offerings. But in October, Manhattan’s beloved bakery released William Greenberg Desserts Bakes Vegan: Plant-Based Recipes from an Iconic New York Bakery, proving that innovation and tradition can beautifully coexist.
Throughout, Becker illustrates how plant-based ingredients can work together to transform beloved classics into indulgent vegan masterpieces. Among the standouts is Becker’s Apricot Cheesecake where she combines plant-based dairy products with a homemade apricot compote, imparting a beautiful orange color and exceptional flavor. Her vegan Cinnamon Rolls achieve the bakery’s signature soft, gooey texture while her Iced Sugar Cookies deliver the rich, buttery flavor and addictive sugar frosting that made the originals famous.
The cookbook also ventures beyond sweets with savory offerings like Olive Breadsticks and Skillet Cornbread. Each recipe reflects Becker’s philosophy that whether parve or vegan, plant-based desserts should never feel like compromises.
Photographed by acclaimed food photographer Quentin Bacon, the cookbook captures the sophisticated possibilities of modern plant-based baking. Recipes include cookies, bars, cakes, tarts, breads, halva, and savory snacks, all made without dairy or eggs while maintaining the full flavor and indulgent textures that have made William Greenberg Desserts a New York City institution for nearly eight decades.
Explore more breads & savory baked goods.
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