Apple Cinnamon Bread
This homemade Apple Cinnamon Bread is a delightful fall treat. It’s perfectly light and fluffy, mouthwateringly moist, and seasoned with the best blend of warm spices.
Amazing Apple Bread Recipe
With the heat of summer behind us, it’s time to welcome our festive fall favorites! Rivaled only by pumpkin and cranberries, apples are the quintessential flavor of fall.
And what better way to welcome fall than this apple cinnamon bread?!
This perfect fall treat is a go-to! It’s made with basic ingredients and takes only 15 minutes to prepare before it goes in the oven.
Each slice of this loaf of apple cinnamon bread is packed full of juicy apple pieces and warming flavors such as vanilla, nutmeg, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
It’s finished perfectly with a drizzle of homemade glaze to add the perfect layer of sweetness. Enjoy with a steaming mug of apple cider for ultimate autumnal bliss!
What is Apple Bread Made Of?
You need just a few pantry staples to put together this easy apple bread recipe!
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives the bread structure.
- Baking Powder: Maintains a light and fluffy texture.
- Cinnamon and Salt: Salt amplifies the flavors in the bread while cinnamon adds a warm, autumn flavor.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness.
- Oil: You’ll need a neutral tasting oil such as canola to add moisture to the bread.
- Eggs: Eggs bind everything together so the loaf can hold its shape.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor depth and warmth.
- Milk: A little bit of milk adds richness and creates a deliciously moist texture.
- Apple Mix: Our apple swirl mixture is made with diced apple coated in light brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Glaze: We’re finishing off our apple loaf with a sweet glaze made with powdered sugar and milk. This is optional, but definitely recommended!
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Bread
This delicious quick bread recipe is as simple as it gets! Here’s a rundown of the recipe.
Scroll to the recipe card below for the ingredient amounts and instructions!
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Use an electric mixer to beat together the sugar and oil. Add in the eggs and vanilla.
- With the mixer on low, alternate between adding the dry ingredients and milk to the wet ingredients. Mix between each addition.
- In a small bowl, toss together the prepared apples, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon.
- Pour half of the batter into a prepared loaf pan, then layer on half of the apple mixture. Top with the remaining batter, then finish with the rest of the apple. Use a knife to swirl the batter to mix.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF until a skewer or knife comes out of the center clean. Once the bread is fully baked, cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Tips and Notes
- Peel the apple. I highly recommend removing the peel from the apple before dicing it and adding it to the bread. When cooked, apple peel can take on an unpleasant, slightly chewy texture.
- Don’t over-mix. Over-mixing the batter can result in a dense, dry texture.
- Grease the pan. A light layer of cooking spray should do it! This makes it super easy to get the loaf out of the pan once it’s cooked.
- To check for doneness, insert a knife, skewer, or toothpick into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean, then it’s good to go. If it still has moist crumbs on it, then it needs a little bit more time.
- Cool before slicing. I recommend cooling for 10 minutes in the pan, then transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. If you slice into it too soon, you’ll interrupt the baking that continues inside the bread after it’s removed from the oven.
- For clean cuts, slice the bread with a serrated knife.
Variations
- Make pear cinnamon bread. Simply swap the apple out for pear!
- Add ginger. Add a little kick of flavor by mixing some fresh grated ginger into the batter.
- Spice it up. Try using apple pie spice in place of the cinnamon for an extra layer of flavor.
Serving Suggestions
I love to enjoy a slice of this apple cinnamon bread with a mug of apple cider or a cup of coffee in the morning. It’s delicious on its own, but can absolutely be served with a breakfast or brunch spread.
Here are some additional breakfast recipes that would make great pairings!
Storage
Room Temperature: Leftover apple cinnamon swirl bread can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. I recommend storing it in a brown paper bag.
Refrigerator: For slightly longer storage, store your bread in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Please note that refrigeration can cause the top of the loaf to gather moisture and it might become a little bit sticky on top!
Freezer: To freeze your apple loaf, let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil or place it into a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
Reheating: Leftover bread can be enjoyed at room temperature or microwaved for 10 seconds to warm!
What Kind of Apples Are Good for Bread?
In general, the best apples for apple bread are the firmer varieties. That includes Granny Smith apples, Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, Gala, etc.
Softer varieties such as Red Delicious or McIntosh don’t hold up as well in the oven.
Why is My Apple Bread So Dense?
Is your quick-bread too dense? There could be a couple of different reasons:
- Too much flour. The best way to measure flour is spoon it into the measuring cup, then gently level it off. This prevents it from getting too packed in, which can cause a dry, dense texture.
- Expired baking powder. If the baking powder is too old, it won’t give the bread that lift that it’s intended for. Make sure your baking powder is fresh!
- Over-mixing. Mixing too much can over-develop the gluten in the flour, which makes the texture of the bread dense. Mix only until just combined!
More Sweet Bread Recipes You’ll Love
Ingredients
For the Bread Batter:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup oil, neutral tasting
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
Apple Mix
- 1 apple, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces (about 1 ½ cups)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Glaze (optional):
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 teaspoons milk
Instructions
To Make the Bread Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour2 tablespoons baking powder2 teaspoons ground cinnamon½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Using an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and oil. Add the eggs and vanilla.½ cup granulated sugar½ cup oil2 large eggs1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and milk, mixing between each addition. Stop mixing as soon the dry steaks disappear. Don’t over mix.½ cup milk
To Make the Apple Mix:
- In a small bowl, toss together the diced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon.1 apple¼ cup light brown sugar¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Scoop half the batter into the prepared loaf pan followed by the half the diced apple mixture. Spoon the remaining batter over the apples, and place the last of the apple mixture on the top of the batter.
- Use a knife to swirl the batter, so the apples are better mixed. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a skewer or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. An instant read thermometer should read 205°F to 210°F.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.
To Make the Glaze:
- While the bread cools, make the glaze by combining powdered sugar and milk in a bowl. Add additional milk to reach the desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread.½ cup powdered sugar2 to 3 teaspoons milk
- See post for tips, variations, FAQs, and storage options.
Can Butter be used instead of oil
Good Morning Kenn, that’s a good question. You can try using butter instead of oil. However, the bread might not be as moist. Thank you for asking and have a good day!
This came out perfect and yummy. Followed recipe, but I did double it. Good thing I doubled as it was the perfect amount for one Bundt cake.
Thanks so much for the comment, Lisa! We’re so glad you enjoyed the bread and that it turned out great using a bundt pan. Thank you for that information. It will help our other readers. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 🙂
This bread was easy to make and oh, so delicious! One thing I wondered is that nutmeg is listed for the apple mix, but you say cinnamon in the directions. No biggie, I just used a little of both with my apples. Yum! Thank you so much for sharing!
Good morning Sharon, thank you for commenting. You are correct, there was a typo in the post. I have corrected it. Thank you for bringing that our attention. Have a lovely day!
We can’t get over how good this bread is! My husband ate half the loaf in one sitting – not kidding. Have made it twice this week. Will be a staple for us in the coming years. Thank you!
Thank you, Sarah! Kim and I are glad everyone enjoyed the bread. Have a lovely day 🙂