Say hello to your new favorite breakfast and tea-time treat!
Seriously, one taste of this apple bread and you’ll fall in love.
This delicious quick bread recipe embodies everything to love about the autumn season.
It’s loaded with warm spices, apples, and a wonderfully cozy feeling.
Not to mention, as you bake, your house will smell better than a Yankee Candle store.
But do you wanna know the best part?
You can make apple bread with stuff you probably already have in your pantry. You can’t beat that!
Easy Homemade Apple Cinnamon Bread Recipe
I just can’t get enough of this fantastic apple bread.
And I think you’ll feel the same. Every bite is moist and tender and utterly mouthwatering.
Cinnamon runs through the bread like it’s running a marathon. And of course, there are plenty of juicy, tender apple chunks in every slice.
It’s wonderfully rich but light enough to justify having it for breakfast.
Plus, apples are good for you, so this must be too, right?
Also, this recipe is beginner-friendly, so anyone can make it.
Ingredients
- Flour- This recipe calls for all-purpose flour because it’s truly the best for all your baking needs. However, you can definitely use whole wheat flour if you prefer.
- Baking Soda- Not baking powder. Baking soda is a leavening agent that will help your bread rise. Especially since it has to overcome the moisture of the apples.
- Salt- All bakes need salt. Salt helps balance the sweetness of the bread and it enhances all the other flavors.
- Apples- Can you call it apple bread without apples? I think not. They add flavor, moisture, and a wonderful texture. They are the star of this bread!
- Be sure to choose apples that are good for baking. More on that later.
- Oil- Neutral oils are best for baking. They add fat, without adding flavor. This recipe uses vegetable oil, but a light (flavored) olive oil will work just as well.
- Sugars- This is a dessert bread, after all. This recipe uses both granulate (white) and brown sugars. This creates a depth of flavor you wouldn’t get using only one kind.
- Eggs- Eggs are super important for texture, leavening, and flavor. They help the bread from being way too dense.
- Ground Cinnamon- Cinnamon and apples are a match made in flavor heaven. You definitely shouldn’t leave it out because it adds a lovely warmth to the bread.
- Optional Ingredients– Walnuts, pecans, slivered almonds, raisins, citrus zest, or vanilla extract are fantastic extras.
- And so are additional spices. You could add cardamom, turmeric, ginger, nutmeg, apple pie spice, or combine them all.
How To Make Apple Bread
Step One- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, prepare two loaf pans (or one bundt pan) with a generous coating of cooking spray. Set aside.
Step Two- Prepare the batter. Start by mixing the flour, baking soda, salt, and apples together in a large bowl. If desired, add in some of the optional ingredients like nuts or raisins.
In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, sugars, eggs, and cinnamon together. Add in any citrus zest, vanilla extract, or additional spices.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the pan(s).
Step Three- Bake for approximately 90 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick, inserted into the center of the bread, comes out clean. Begin checking around the 75-minute mark.
Step Four- Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer the bread to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Step Five- Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Apple Bread and Variations
- Make apple muffins instead! Simply follow the recipe, but use a muffin tin instead of a loaf tin. Bake the muffins at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 60 minutes.
- The recipe calls for the use of cooking spray, which is great. But you could also use parchment paper to ensure easy removal.
- Your eggs should be at room temperature before preparing the batter. This will help them incorporate more fully into the batter.
- Don’t scoop out flour with the measuring cup. Spoon your flour into your measuring cups for more accurate measuring. Then, you can level it with a knife.
- Cut the sugar in half for a less sweet cake. Or you can use proportionate amounts of honey, maple syrup, or a sugar substitute. I like maple syrup best!
- You can use unsweetened applesauce instead of oil. It will yield a denser loaf, but it will also taste even more like apples!
- Double the recipe and freeze the extras! This way, you always have some delicious apple bread on-hand.
- Feel free to add any of the optional ingredients for fun variations on the original recipe. Personally, I would add cardamom, turmeric, and orange zest to the batter.
- And do you know what else tastes amazing with apples? Caramel. Add caramel chips or a caramel sauce for a super indulgent treat.
- You could also add a special topping like icing, a crumble, or a streusel.
Best Apples for Baking
There are thousands of apples out there, but only a few are really good for baking.
Overall, you’re looking for an apple with great taste and texture after cooking.
These are some of my favorites and what I would consider the most excellent choices.
- Honeycrisp– These are absolutely the cream of the crop of apples. They have a delightfully sweet and tart taste that still tastes like apples after they cook.
Plus, they hold their texture well when baked. They stay crisp and juicy. Honestly, their only con is that they’re a bit expensive.
- Pink Lady– Pink Lady apples have a wonderful sweet taste and they hold up well in the oven.
- Braeburn– Braeburn apples are wonderfully sweet. And that translates very nicely to your bakes. Plus, they keep their texture nicely when baked.
- Jonathan or Jonagold– These ones are sometimes hard to find, but they are fantastic options! They’re a little sweet and a little tart.
- Golden Delicious– These have a super strong apple flavor, perfect for baking. They will get softer than others, but they don’t get mushy.
Granny Smith apples will also do in a pinch.
They’re really great texture-wise, but they lose their already mild flavor as they bake.
Why people keep touting them for baking, I’ll never understand.
But if they are what you have on hand, they will work. Your bread will still taste pretty darn good!
How to Store
Luckily, this bread tastes even better on day two (or three), and storing it is easy-peasy.
Simply cover it in plastic wrap (two layers for extra protection) and leave it on the counter.
It will last up to 4 days at room temperature.
How to Freeze
Let your bread loaf/loaves cool completely. Wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil.
Put the loaf/loaves into a large freezer bag or airtight container.
It will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.
More Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Love
Lemon Blueberry Bread
Cream Cheese Banana Bread
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Strawberry Bread
Apple Bread (Easy Homemade Recipe)
16
servings20
minutes1
hour30
minutes377
kcalYou won’t be able to resist this recipe for apple bread! Learn how to make this tasty treat, plus, get tips and tricks for the very best bread.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
3 cups apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated (white) sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pans (or one bundt pan) with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a whisk to mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in the walnuts (if using) and apples. Mix it all together. These are your dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and cinnamon together. These are your wet ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to gently mix until a batter forms. Do not overmix, but there should be no streaks of flour.
- Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans evenly. (Or add everything into the prepared bundt pan.) Leave approximately an inch of space at the top of the pan, for rising.
- Bake it in the preheated oven for approximately 90 minutes. Time will depend on your oven and your altitude. Begin checking around the 75-minute mark. You can check doneness by inserting a toothpick or a knife into the center of the pan. If it comes out clean, it’s done. (I actually prefer just a few crumbs on my toothpick or knife to ensure there is no overbaking. The residual heat will finish it off when you take it out to cool.)
- Let the apple bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, remove from the pan and let the bread cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy!
