Apple Cinnamon Bread

Every year I go apple picking and I love finding new ways to bake up treats with all the apples I pick, like this moist apple cinnamon bread with a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping.  With chunks of apples, warm cinnamon swirl this is the one bread you need to make in the Fall!

I’ve been making this apple cinnamon bread this time of year and it’s always a hit. The combination of the moist bread, the tart apples, and the sweet cinnamon is just unbeatable. I love the way the brown sugar gives the bread a slightly crunchy crust, and the way the cinnamon apples add a touch of warmth.

And nothing beats a good loaf bread! Like my mango bread and zucchini chocolate chip bread in the summertime, my chocolate bread around the holidays, my pumpkin chocolate chip bread in the Fall and my sour cream banana bread basically any day of the week!

Types Of Apples To Use

I usually use Granny Smith apples for this recipe, because they have a nice tartness that complements the sweetness of the bread. Another great apple I like to use is a Honey Crisp apple.

I don’t recommend a MacIntosh apple which can get mushy, or a Red Delicious apple which doesn’t have a lot of sweetness.

You can also try adding a few tablespoons of chopped toasted walnuts or toasted pecans to the batter for some extra crunch.

I love how this recipe is so versatile. I can change up the type of apples I use, or add in other ingredients like nuts or dried fruit.

Ingredients Needed

For the apple bread:

• All-Purpose Flour– Be sure to measure your flour correctly by spooning the flour into your measuring cups so you don’t end up with too much flour which can make for a dry bread.
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• White Sugar – You could also swap the sugar for light brown sugar.
• Eggs– Use room temperature eggs so your bread rises tall.
• Butter– I prefer unsalted butter.  You could also use a neutral-tasting oil such as vegetable oil or canola oil.
• Sour Cream – You can also use Greek yogurt if you run out of sour cream.
• Vanilla extract
• Apples– You will want to use 2-3 apples that are chopped and tossed in flour. I recommend a tart apple that will hold up during baking such as a Granny Smith or a Honeycrisp apple.

For the Swirl: 

• Brown Sugar– Brown sugar is used in the swirl and helps add extra flavor to this apple bread recipe.
• Cinnamon– Cinnamon is also used in the swirl for this apple bread and adds that fresh, Fall flavor.

For the glaze:

• Powdered sugar – Or confectioners sugar. If you don’t have any you can make your own powdered sugar in your food processor!
• Vanilla extract – To flavor the glaze.
• Milk – I use regular milk but you can use any milk, like almond milk or soy milk.

How to Make Apple Bread

Preheat and prepare pan. 

Preheat oven to 350^oF (177^oC). Spray a 9×5” loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray, grease with butter and flour, or line with parchment paper for easy removal and set aside.

Prepare topping. 

In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Combine dry ingredients. 

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.   

Be sure to measure your flour correctly by spooning the flour into your measuring cups so you don’t end up with too much flour which can make for a dry bread. Or use a kitchen scale for best accuracy.

Combine wet ingredients.

 In a second mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract.  

Combine wet and dry ingredients. 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together with a spatula until just combined.

Don’t overmix the batter. Stirring the apple bread batter too much will make your quick bread tough and chewy. Mixing develops gluten and makes bread dense. When you combined your wet and dry ingredients, mix only until they are just combined.

Stir in chopped apples.

Assemble bread.

Pour ½ of the  batter into prepared loaf pan.

Sprinkle on ½  the cinnamon sugar topping over the bread.

Top with remaining batter.

Sprinkle on remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake

Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely in the pan set on a wire cooling rack.

Before removing the apple cinnamon bread from the oven, check it for doneness. Use the toothpick method. When the toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs, your cinnamon apple bread is done. If there’s wet batter sticking to the toothpick, it needs more time in the oven. Remember, ovens run at different temperatures. To check your oven temperature, use an oven thermometer.

Make the glaze

In a small bowl whisk together the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the cooled bread.

You can store leftover apple bread at room temperature for up to 4 days. Just place it in an airtight container. For longer storage, place apple loaf in the refrigerator and store it for up to 1 week. Make sure your apple bread has cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.

You can freeze this cinnamon apple bread for up to 3 months. Wrap the completely cool apple bread with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place inside freezer bags or freezer-safe containers. Freeze.

More Recipes To Try

If you’re craving more apple desserts, then be sure to try my caramel apple cheesecake bars drizzled with caramel sauce. I also love baking up my apple cider cookies when it’s apple cider season. They have real chunks of apple and have cider in the cookie and glaze!

Or my crave-worthy apple cider donuts! They’re baked not fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar.

Apple Cinnamon Bread

Every year I go apple picking and I love finding new ways to bake up treats with all the apples I pick, like this moist apple quick bread with a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping. With chunks of apples, warm cinnamon spice, and crunchy pecans this is the one bread you need to make in the Fall.

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: bread

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 49 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 4 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 354kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

For the swirl

• ▢ ½ cup (107 g) packed light brown sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

For the bread:

• ▢ 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour *spooned and leveled
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter melted
• ▢ ⅔ cup (151 g) sour cream
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 cups (113 g) chopped apples (about 2-3 apples)- tossed in 1 tablespoon flour

For the glaze

• ▢ 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
• ▢ 2-3 tablespoons milk
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat and prepare pan. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 9×5” loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter and flour, or line with parchment paper and set aside.
• Prepare topping. In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. ½ cup (107 g) packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• Combine dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Combine wet ingredients. In a second mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla extract. 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar 2 large eggs ½ cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter ⅔ cup (151 g) sour cream 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together with a spatula until just combined. Stir in chopped apples. 2 cups (113 g) chopped apples
• Assemble bread. Pour ½ of the batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle on ½ the cinnamon sugar topping over the bread. Top with remaining batter and use a knife to swirl the cinnamon sugar mixture throughout the bread and sprinkle on remaining topping.
• Bake the bread Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely in the pan set on a wire cooling rack. Store the bread, and any leftovers, covered at room temperature for 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Make the glaze. Whisk together the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the cooled bread. 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar 2-3 tablespoons milk ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Notes

• Storage: You can store leftover apple bread at room temperature for up to 4 days. Just place it in an airtight container. For longer storage, place apple loaf in the refrigerator and store it for up to 1 week. Make sure your apple bread has cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.
• Freezing: You can freeze this cinnamon apple bread for up to 3 months. Wrap the completely cool apple bread with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place inside freezer bags or freezer-safe containers. Freeze. To thaw the frozen apple loaf, place it at room temperature or directly heat it in the oven or microwave.
• Butter: You can also swap and use oil.
• Apples: I prefer to use Granny Smith, or Honey Crisp.
• Sour cream: Instead you can also use plain Greek yogurt. I like to use full fat for best texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 373IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 1mg

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