Apple Bread – Cozy, comforting fall spices fuse with a melt-in-your-mouth quick bread to entice your tastebuds. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and butter join apples for an exquisite flavor experience. And the crunchy streusel topping perfectly complements the fantabulously soft and moist bread.
My auntie had an apple tree when I was little, and we loved visiting and picking them fresh off the tree. What a blessing! And my aunt was the best baker I know, so of course, we made all sorts of delectable apple desserts.
Apple bread is one of my favorites among her creations because you can enjoy it for breakfast. Oh yes! Imagine my delight as a kid. It’s light, tasty, and nourishing, energizing you all day. So if your kids are not breakfast people, this simple quick bread will surely change their minds. 😉
What Makes Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread Special?
Apple bread is like a shortcut for an apple pie but in the bread version because it has all the flavors of the apple pie minus the crust. Amazing, huh? And instead of taking time to thicken the apple pie filling, these apples are diced and mixed right into the batter. Everything in one bowl, quick and easy. 😉
Recipe Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients – Flour and baking powder give bread its substance and a soft and fluffy texture. You can use paleo or gluten-free flour if that is your preference.
- Sugar and Spice – And everything nice! The sweetness and cozy flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice are truly phenomenal.
- Wet Ingredients – Milk, butter, and eggs moisten the apple bread while adding a rich and creamy taste.
- Apples – Firm apples such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, and Gala are perfect because they hold their shape well in baking.
- Streusel Crumb Topping – More butter, flour, sugar, and spices make an ideal topping for your apple bread. And you can add walnuts, pecans, or almonds for even great satisfaction.
How to Make Apple Bread
Make the Batter
- Dry Ingredients – Whisk all the dry ingredients in a small bowl: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Set aside. (Photos 1-2)
- Wet Ingredients – In a large bowl, mix butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth; set aside. (Photos 3-4)
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures – Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Pour in milk and continue mixing. (Photos 5-8)
Assemble and Bake
- Add Apples – Peel and dice the apples. Add them to the batter, and scrape down the sides. (Photos 9-13)
- Add Half of the Batter – Spoon half the batter into the pan. (Photo 17)
- Streusel Crumb Topping – Mix flour, pecans or walnuts (optional), salt, spices, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a small mixing bowl.
- Layer With Streusel – Sprinkle half of the streusel over the first half of the bread batter. Add the remaining batter, then sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top. (Photo 18)
- Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool – Let the apple bread remain in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing it, then turn it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Variations
- Cheesecake Surprise – Level up this amazing apple bread with a cheesecake center for a delightful surprise. Oh yes! And it’s so easy to make with cream cheese, egg, and sugar. 😉
- More Textures and Flavors – Go nuts with the nutty apple bread loaded with your favorite nuts, like cashew, almond, pecan, and walnut. Or swap the nuts with dried raisins, cranberries, or dates. And if you’re feeling lucky, why not a combination of both? 😉
- Saucy Sweet – You can also go for generous drizzles of vanilla glaze, caramel sauce, or rum glaze instead of streusel crumb for more luscious flavor options.
- Boozy Bread Dessert – Make it sassier with a splash of spice rum or bourbon whiskey for a more sophisticated finish. Yum!
- Muffins – Use the same batter and bake them in a muffin pan for 12 minutes to enjoy apple bread in handheld form.
Tips and Tricks
- If you don’t like chunky apple slices on your bread, you may opt to shred the apples with a grater instead.
- Coat the apple slices with flour before adding them to the batter, so they won’t sink at the bottom. You may sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the flour to deepen the flavors.
- Have your ingredients at room temperature (except for streusel) before starting to make your batter.
- Don’t overmix. As long as there are no more visible white streaks of flour, it’s good to go. Small lumps are okay.
Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
To make ahead, simply bake the apple bread as instructed. You can wrap it tightly with a cling wrap once cooled. It’s even better the next day.
It will stay fresh for 3 days at room temperature, a week in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer.
Enjoy it cold, room temperature, toasted, or reheated in a 350℉/177℃ oven for 5-10 minutes. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge.
FAQs
Apples with a firmer texture, such as Granny Smith, Jonathan, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Pink Lady, are the best choices for making apple bread. They can handle high temperatures without turning into mush, keeping their texture and flavor intact.
A sudden drop in oven temperature before the bread is cooked sufficiently can cause it to fall. So try not to open the oven door too soon. Another reason could be the ratio of flour to baking powder may be off, or your baking powder may have expired. Underbaking can also make your bread fall.
Overmixing the batter, insufficient flour, low oven temperature, or expired baking powder can result in dense apple bread. Baking is more art than science, so if your batter is a little too runny, try adding a tablespoon of flour.
What to Serve with Old-Fashioned Apple Bread
What is a snack or dessert without a refreshing beverage to pair it with? Below are some of my refreshment suggestions to enjoy eating apple bread more.
More Flavorful Fall Desserts to Try
Conclusion
Since the holidays are right around the corner, this mouthwatering apple bread is the perfect snack or giveaway for your loved ones. Would you like more awesome bread recipes? Then tune in to my newsletter for more recipe ideas for the coming holiday. ❤️
Watch How to Make It
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Apple Bread
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Ingredients
Apple Bread
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups apple, peeled and diced
Streusel Crumb Topping
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
- ½ cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
Apple Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/177℃. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth; set aside.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Pour in milk and continue mixing.
- Peel and dice the apples, then add them to the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Spoon half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Streusel Crumb Topping
- Mix the flour, pecan or walnuts (optional), spices, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a small mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle half the streusel crumbs over the first half of the batter; add the remaining batter and sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the apple bread remain in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing it, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips & Notes:
- If you don’t like chunky apple slices on your bread, you may opt to shred the apples with a grater instead.
- Coat the apple slices with flour before adding them to the batter, so they won’t sink at the bottom. You may sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the flour to deepen the flavors.
- Have your ingredients at room temperature (except for streusel) before starting to make your batter.
- Don’t overmix. As long as there are no more visible white streaks of flour, it’s good to go. Small lumps are okay.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
CATHY C TARR says
Could I sub raisins for the nuts? Would it work? Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
I haven’t tried this recipe with raisins. But I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Let me know how it turns out for you 🙂 !
Bryan French says
Hi Imma – this recipe looks fantastic, can’t wait to make it. I do have questions on the Streusel Crumb Topping. In the instructions on #1, it calls for salt. The ingredients list does not list salt or how much to use. And the ingredients list butter but the instructions do not list when or how to add the butter. Just from watching the video, wish I had smell-a-vision lol. 5 stars for sure. Thanks
Imma says
Thanks so much. And thanks for catching that. The streusel does not have salt.