Tender and perfectly spiced, this cinnamon apple bread recipe is a wonderful way to make use of autumn’s abundance of fresh apples! Using pantry staples and fresh apples, stir together the batter to make a moist, quick bread in about 10 minutes that you can enjoy for breakfast or as a snack.
This apple cinnamon quick bread freezes very well, so you can even double the recipe and freeze the extra loaf to enjoy later! I like freezing individual slices so I can defrost only what I need at a time. If you would like more apple recipes, then try my apple pancakes recipe, apple galette recipe, or fried apples recipe.
Ingredients
Apple — peel and core one large baking apple (see the best apples to use just a bit further down).
Flour — all-purpose flour is perfect for this apple cinnamon bread, but you can also swap half of the flour for whole wheat flour. If doing so, add a tablespoon of water to the wet ingredients.
Sugar — you need granulated sugar and light brown sugar for the best apple bread recipe. Brown sugar also helps keep the quick bread moist for days.
Spices — cinnamon and nutmeg make for a flavorful, fragrant loaf, but feel free to use your favorite baking spices.
Leavening — baking soda and baking powder help the apple bread rise in the oven for a fluffy, tender bread.
Eggs — beat 2 large room-temperature eggs before adding them to the batter.
Butter — use melted unsalted butter so the quick bread recipe does not turn out salty. Butter adds richness and moisture.
Nuts — while optional, chopped walnuts or pecans add a lovely crunchy element.
How to Make Apple Bread
1. Use the largest holes on a box grater to grate the apple. Or chop it into small pieces (about ¼-inch cubes). Set aside for now.
2. In a medium bowl or large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
3. Add the beaten eggs and melted butter to the dry ingredients.
4. Stir in the wet ingredients until fully combined and a thick batter forms.
5. Add the shredded/cubed apple and nuts (if using).
6. Stir just until evenly distributed.
7. Grease an 8×4-inch metal loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, allowing excess to hang over the sides of the pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
8. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with additional granulated sugar, if desired. Bake at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Let the apple cinnamon quick bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool for about 30 minutes more. Slice and serve warm.
What Are The Best Apples To Use For Baking?
My favorite apples to use in apple bread are sweet and tart Honeycrisp or tart Granny Smith apples. Pink Lady, Cortland, Fuji, Gala, and Braeburn apples are also good options, as they hold up when baked. Some other varieties, like Macintosh or Golden Delicious, can turn mushy or grainy in the oven and are not ideal for this recipe. This bread is loaded with apple flavor, so ultimately, choose an apple you love!
Recipe Variations
- Sprinkle the top of the apple bread with cinnamon sugar.
- Add a buttery streusel topping before baking.
- Add up to ½ cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips, caramel chips, or golden raisins to the batter and fold until just distributed.
- Use pears instead of apples for a twist.
- Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract for a mouthwatering aroma.
Can I Make This Recipe As Muffins?
Yes! Line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill them three-quarter full with batter. Follow the baking instructions in my apple muffins recipe.
How To Store Apple Bread
Any leftovers should be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days. You can warm a slice in the microwave or toaster oven if desired.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Weigh the flour. Use a scale to measure your flour so you don’t use too much and end up with dry, crumbly apple bread. If you don’t have a scale, fluff your flour with a spoon in its container and then spoon it into your measuring cup before leveling it off with a knife. This method prevents overpacking the measuring cup.
- Use room temperature eggs. Room temperature eggs incorporate evenly and quickly into the batter. If you forgot to set the eggs out in advance, put the cold eggs in a large bowl and cover them with warm tap water. Soak for 5 minutes.
- Line the loaf pan with parchment paper and allow the excess to hang over the sides. The parchment paper helps prevent the bread from sticking, and the overhang makes it easier to lift the loaf out of the pan.
- If you have a 9×5-inch loaf pan: The loaf will bake up a bit shorter and faster, so check for doneness after 45 minutes.
- The sugar topping is optional but adds an additional sweet element and a slight crispness to the top.
- Different loaf pans conduct heat differently. I do not suggest swapping the metal pan for a ceramic or glass pan. If you do, you’ll have to keep an eye on the loaf and adjust the cooking time.
- Tent the loaf with aluminum foil during baking if the top of the bread starts to brown too quickly.
- Do not remove the apple bread from the pan too early. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan so it can set up properly. If you do not let the bread cool and slice into it too soon, it will crumble.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can freeze apple bread once it has cooled completely. To freeze the entire loaf, wrap it well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store it in a large freezer bag. My preference, however, is to freeze individual slices so that I can grab a couple at a time as I need them. To do this, wrap each slice tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store it in a freezer bag.
Allow the loaf to defrost overnight in the fridge and individual slices to thaw for a few hours at room temperature. To reheat, pop the quick bread into the oven or microwave.
Avoid overmixing the batter, as it’ll make the loaf tough, chewy, and dense. Stir until everything is just combined. To also help prevent overmixing, use a spatula to combine the ingredients instead of an electric hand mixer.
Yes, since the nuts are optional, you can simply leave them out if you would prefer a nut-free apple bread. You can release them with the same amount of chocolate chips or chopped dried fruit if desired.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this easy apple bread recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Apple Bread Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 8×4″ Loaf pan
- Cheese grater (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 large apple peeled and cored (such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling (100g)
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar (110g)
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted (120ml)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional (60g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper allowing excess to hang over the sides of the pan.
- Using the largest holes on a cheese grater, grate the apple. Or, chop the apple into small pieces. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Stir in the eggs and melted butter until fully combined. (Batter will be thick.)
- Stir the apple and nuts (if using) into the batter until evenly combined. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle with additional granulated sugar, if desired.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool for about 30 minutes more. Slice and serve warm. Any leftovers should be tightly wrapped and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Weigh the flour. Use a scale to measure your flour so you don’t use too much and end up with dry, crumbly apple bread. If you don’t have a scale, fluff your flour with a spoon in its container and then spoon it into your measuring cup before leveling it off with a knife. This method prevents overpacking the measuring cup.
- Use room temperature eggs. Room temperature eggs incorporate evenly and quickly into the batter. If you forgot to set the eggs out in advance, put the cold eggs in a large bowl and cover them with warm tap water. Soak for 5 minutes.
- Line the loaf pan with parchment paper and allow the excess to hang over the sides. The parchment paper helps prevent the bread from sticking, and the overhang makes it easier to lift the loaf out of the pan.
- If you have a 9×5-inch loaf pan: The loaf will bake up a bit shorter and faster, so check for doneness after 45 minutes.
- The sugar topping is optional but adds an additional sweet element and a slight crispness to the top.
- Different loaf pans conduct heat differently. I do not suggest swapping the metal pan for a ceramic or glass pan. If you do, you’ll have to keep an eye on the loaf and adjust the cooking time.
- Tent the loaf with aluminum foil during baking if the top of the bread starts to brown too quickly.
- Do not remove the apple bread from the pan too early. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan so it can set up properly. If you do not let the bread cool and slice into it too soon, it will crumble.
