Apple Cinnamon Bread
Apple Cinnamon Bread is quick and easy to make from scratch and makes your house smell amazing! Swirled with delicious spiced apples and topped with cinnamon sugar, this quick bread recipe is sure to be a fall favorite.
This apple cinnamon quick bread has a nice crumb and is not overly sweet – a perfect fall breakfast, snack or dessert! The chopped apple inside that’s mixed with brown sugar and fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg makes this bread super moist without it being doughy and keeps it fresh for days.
This cinnamon apple loaf cake tastes great warm out of the oven but I love it even more after a day or two! The flavor of the cinnamon apples come through even more when the bread has rested. Perfect for busy days when you don’t have time to bake on the same day!
What I also love about baking this cake is that the house smells amazing afterward! No need for fall candles, this easy recipe comes with your favorite fall scents included!
How to make Apple Cinnamon Bread
- I always make this bread in a 9×5 heavy-gauge steel loaf pan that has a non-stick coating. If you are using a glass pan or a dark metal pan baking time can vary so check the bread after 30 minutes and from then every 5-10 minutes until a skewer comes out clean with only a few crumbs attached.
- I like to line my pans with parchment paper. A parchment paper sling makes it super easy to lift the cake out of the pan and makes cleaning easier!
- You can use any apple you like. I have used Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, and Gala apples and the bread tastes great each time.
I’m on an apple kick lately! Ever since September started and the temperature has finally dropped I have been busy in the kitchen baking and most of my latest recipes are apple recipes. I love apple recipes all year round but somehow many people think apples are like pumpkins and baking with them is a seasonal thing. What about you? Luckily it’s technically autumn so making this apple cinnamon bread is totally ok!
To assemble this quick bread spread half of the batter into the pan and top it with half of the brown sugar apple mixture. The batter will be thick so the apple chunks won’t think to the bottom.
Top with the remaining batter and the other half of the apples. Try to distribute them evenly then use a knife to swirl them into the dough a little bit. Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top and bake for about 50 minutes.
When the bread is done take the pan out of the oven and let it cool down for a few minutes in the pan before transferring it to a cooling rack.
How to make this apple quick bread healthier
To make this bread a bit healthier you can switch out half of the butter and replace it with unsweetened applesauce instead. This gives the bread an extra apple kick and lowers the calories. The crumb might be not as light but still tasty.
I wouldn’t recommend replacing all the butter with applesauce because the butter adds flavor and richness. Using only applesauce might result in a rubbery texture.
You can also make this apple loaf cake healthier by reducing the brown sugar in the apple mixture. Especially if you use really sweet apples you probably won’t notice a difference. I would not recommend reducing the granulated sugar that’s needed for the cake batter because creaming the sugar and butter together gives this bread it’s volume and texture. Reducing the sugar will result in a drier more dense texture.
How to store apple bread
This bread keeps fresh covered at room temperature for up to 4 days. I think it tastes even better on the next day but most of the time it is already gone on the first.
Can I freeze apple bread?
Yes, you can! Bake it, cool it, wrap it up in aluminum foil and freeze the bread as a whole. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before slicing and serving. Freezes well for up to 3 months.
Looking for more easy apple recipes to make this fall?
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Apple Cake Recipe with Cinnamon Butter
- Covered German Apple Cake Recipe
- German Apple Streusel Sheet Cake
- Puff Pastry Walnut Apple Strudel
I hope you love this apple bread recipe as much as we do! Please, let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Watch how easy it is to make this recipe!
Tools used for making this cinnamon apple bread:
Loaf Pan:
I really like this loaf pan because it has a non-stick coating that really works and it is easy to clean.
Stand Mixer
: My most used kitchen appliance and it’s so pretty it can sit on the counter as decoration!
Cinnamon:
I go through so much cinnamon this time of the year so I bought this one to always have it on hand!
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Apple Cinnamon Bread
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (190g)
- 1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (115g)
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar, (100g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk, (120ml)
For the Apple Mixture:
- 1 large apple, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, (50g)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
- 1 tbsp granulated white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
- In a small bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Then add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- With the mixer running on low, add about one-third of the flour mixture and mix until almost combined, then add half the milk and mix until just combined. Repeat with another third of flour mixture and then the last half of the milk, ending with the last third of the flour. Beat until just incorporated. Don't overmix!
- In a bowl combine chopped apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Spread half of the batter into the loaf pan, top with half of the apple mixture, followed by the remaining batter and the remaining apple mixture. Use a knife to swirl through the batter then combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it on top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few moist crumbs attached. Baking times vary so keep an eye on yours.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
- Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Hey how is this recipe different from cinnamon swirl bread besides apples?
The recipe was easy and delicious! I followed the exact recipe
Question: how best would you recommend I incorporate oats? Just on top? I into the batter? Or swirled with the apple mix? Thanks!
wowza! I made this with gluten free flour (bob’s red mill), coconut milk (i’m gluten and dairy free), AND I was out of white sugar so used dark brown for sugar throughout the recipe. I wasn’t expecting much after so many substitutions, but this bread turned out fabulously and was loved by everyone. will be a staple for sure.
Made today. Since borderline diabetic, just used half cup dark brown sugar, and half cup white sugar, creamed with stick of butter.Don’t care for nuts, used 1 cup apple juice, 3 large Granny Smith apples, cinnamon, and freshly grated nutmeg. No topping, cooked for hour and a half, house still smells wonderful .Bread is delicious, moist, apple in every bite.Thanks so very much, needs 10 stars.
This recipe only called for 1/2 C white sugar creamed with butter (plus a tbsp for the top) and 1/4 C brown sugar mixed with the apples– did you add more sugar or is that a typo?
This was just delicious! I added a whole grated apple (with the water squeezed out) into the batter as well as having the chopped apple in the middle and on top, and it turned out great both times I made it. Definitely a go-to easy bread/cake.
I doubled the recipe for 2 loaves. I tried cutting the butter in half with applesauce and swapped a third of the flour for whole wheat. The result is edible but a bit too dry. Definitely tasty recipe but maybe better off as dessert!
All those changes you made to the original recipe will definitely change the texture and moisture of the bread!
This was AMAZING! I substituted cows milk with coconut milk and added some ginger with the nutmeg and the cinnamon and I used organic sugar vs. pure white sugar. Came out ridiculously amazing.
I feel like I could sell this bread :)
Thank you for this fantastic recipe.
easy
This is an incredible recipe, especially for someone who is always on the go in the mornings. I make one loaf on every Sunday morning and take a slice with me to work every day throughout the week. It pairs great with coffee too. Not to mention, it makes my house smell HEAVENLY while it’s baking. 5 STARS ALL AROUND! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Easily made with the help of my 3 year old. Even with a brief glance at recipe and we had success. I used olive spread instead of butter as I didn’t have any. Raisins were also added. It was lovely and everyone really liked it. Give it a go!
I tried it at home. Used granulated brown sugar instead of white.
Tasted lovely. Very good recipe & well explained!
After reading the comments I had to try this apple loaf as I type its baking in the oven
Looking forward to having it with my coffee
Thank you for sharing.
It was easy to make and ingredients are listed in grams
Which is useful in the UK
Julia, thank you for this wonderful recipe! For years I have been baking banana nut bread for Christmas giveaways but this year your Cinnamon Apple Bread will be top of the list. I did add 1/4 C of chopped walnuts and as the topping, used brown sugar and chopped walnuts. Also, I used salted butter and didn’t reduce your salt ingredient. It was fine. I baked it less than an hour ago and already have had three slices.
Question: Have you ever made this with raisins as well as the apples?
So happy to hear that, Margaret! I’ve never tried it with raisins but I’m a big fan of the Apple Raisin combo so I would say go for it, I think it will be delicious. You could soak the raisins in some hot apple juice so they get plump before adding them.
I doubled the recipe and baked it in a bundle pan. I was afraid the apple mixture might burn if it were on the bottom of the pan &/or it wouldn’t come out of the pan well, so I put 1/4 of the batter in first, then 1/2 the apple mixture, then 1/2 the remaining batter, rest of the apples, rest of the batter. I omitted the cinnamon sugar topping. It turned so well! I made a little caramel glaze and drizzled that over the top when the cake had cooled. Everyone st work loved it! Thanks for a keeper recipe!
This is our new favorite treat! Everyone that tastes it loves it and asks for the recipe. How do you think it would bake if I double the recipe for two loaf pans? I read where someone made them consecutively, but I’d like the ease of doubling, as long as I don’t ruin this perfect cake! Thanks
So happy you like it, Elaine! I think doubling the recipe would work well! No need to alter anything.
I followed the recipe exactly as listed – except I subbed half of the butter with apple sauce. So I used 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup of applesauce. One large honey crisp apple worked out great. The bread is the perfect dense-fluffy texture and the crust has a nice buttery chew that gives it a richness that I wasn’t expecting. My 5×7 loaf pan worked great and I baked it for exactly 50 minutes. Thanks for a great recipe!
I was hoping to make this using mini loaf pans. Any idea how to adjust the timing for that?
I would bake for about 25 minutes, then check with a toothpick every five minutes after that. I think the mini loafs will take about 30 mins to bake but it depends on your pan size. When a toothpick comes out clean, they’re done. Hope that helps! – Julia
Do you think I could use an Empire apple?
Yes, sure! This recipe works well with most apple varieties.
Apple Cinnamon Bread I would like to try this but can I use Gluten Free flour?
I don’t have experience with using gluten-free flour, so sadly I can’t really help. But I often read that people use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour in baking recipes with great results.
Love this! It will now be my new all year round bread! Thank you for sharing!
I made this yesterday and it turned out well. I used a 9×13 cake pan so the bread came out a bit thinner/flatter than shown. Next time I’ll be sure to scale up the batter so I have a bit more to work with.
I like lots of bold spice flavor in my breads, so I added about 8 cloves, 6 green cardamom pods, (without the husks) and 2 star anise to the apple chunks along with the cinnamon. I fresh-ground all that with my mortar and pestle right before I needed it for maximum flavor/freshness.
Excuse me for maybe being a bit thick but if you are using all purpose flour (isn’t that self raising) why is there a need for baking powder.
Hi Lin, all-purpose flour is different from self-raising flour. All-purpose flour doesn’t contain baking powder or salt but self-raising flour does. – Julia
This is now my family’s favourite treat .So simple so yummy
Thank you for sharing xxx
Thank you so very much for this recipe. My husband loves it. I have made six loafs in the last week and am making two more right now for his co-workers.
I have done some alterations: I use only cinnamon not the nutmeg, I use two cups of apples and mix 1/2 cup of them into the batter, I use salted butter and did notice I need to cut salt in half or bread does not rise correctly, and I use egg whites only. I do have to cook it for an hour checking every ten minutes past 50.
I am hoping you might have altered it for a larger/taller bread? Have not tried making a double batch because I worry it won’t cook right.
Thank you! Merry Christmas!
For anyone who has not tried this recipe it is absolutely delicious, just make sure you actually bake it until knife pulls out clean and let it fully cool in pan or it will be gooey.
What if you don’t have unsalted butter?
I haven’t tried making this recipe with salted butter but if all you have is salted butter, I would cut the instructed salt amount in half or not add additional salt. I hope this helps! – Julia
We went apple picking today. Went to Pinterest and saw this recipe and wanted to make this! I have it in my oven right now, and the house smells amazing! I’ve never been able to get my batter this thick before. The instructions in this recipe are really easy to follow. I’m excited to taste it!
Ok..so i actually made this “apple bread” yesterday. Is really more like a coffee cake to me. I made 2, consecuitive, as i did not double the recipe. It is a very good recipe, moist, flavorful too. I followed the recipe exactly. I used 1 large “apple crisp” type apple for each cake n worked out perfect. I do recomend you make this bread/cake as my family n co worker all liked it. Next time i will try adding some walnuts. Thanks for a real good keeper recipe
Want to try this but I can’t pin to Pinterest. Says you do not allow. Is this true?
Oh no, I’m so sorry, Linda! I think I found the problem and pinning should be possible again. Thank you for the heads up!! I hope you like the Apple Cinnamon Bread, please let me know what you think. Have a great week! – Julia
This sounds wonderfulL Cinnamon and apples are the best together!
This sounds sooooo good! I love a quick bread, especially in the fall! Happy cooking!
Thank you, Mrs Major Hoff!