This amazing Apple Bread is the most delicious taste of fall. With the flavors and warmth of sweet baked apples and cinnamon, it will fill your home with fragrance as it bakes!
Have you been apple picking yet this year? If you’re like us, you have more apples than you know what to do with by mid-September.
I’m taking advantage of the flavors of fall and incorporating them into all of my recipes! This Apple Bread is fragrant, moist and delicious.
Even better, it’s SO easy and made with just a few simple ingredients you already have on hand!
I am a bit of a quick bread devotee, or a connoisseur if you will. I’ve shared countless quick bread recipes, including a classic sweet bread, apple cinnamon bread and brown sugar bread that have been baked over a million times. I’ve got a quick bread guide that will walk you through each and every recipe in my line-up, along with tips and tricks to enhance your baking experience!
Apple Bread is an incredibly moist quick bread, because the moisture from the apples bakes right into the loaf, creating a spongy texture you’ll crave! It’s swirled with delicious cinnamon and sugar for added fall flavor.
This apple cinnamon loaf is an easy made from scratch quick bread without yeast! It’s foolproof and takes just 10 minutes from mixer to oven – not to mention that it requires just pantry staple ingredients.
How is that for easy?
It yields six mini loaves (or 2 1 pound loaves), making it great for both indulging and gifting! It has a tender crumb and can be served for breakfast, snack or dessert! No judgement here!
It remains fresh for days making it perfect for entertaining as well. I love whipping up a few loaves before friends come to visit. It’s so amazing straight out of the oven but as I mentioned before, stays fresh for days!
It’s so good we don’t even talk about the calories in Apple Bread. As it bakes it fills your home with the most amazing around and doubles as potpourri.
It is so simple to throw together. It requires just a few minutes of hands-on time, and the only thing not in your pantry is those pretty seasonal apples!
You’ll notice it’s a no yeast quick bread which means all the flavor without the fuss!
*For full measurements of ingredients, be sure to head to the printable recipe at the bottom of this post!
Apple Bread Ingredients
- Sugar – Yes, this is a sweet bread! Classic, granulated white sugar is all you need.
- Flour – I use a traditional flour for baking, and I prefer bleached flour for a little finer grain. (Side note- do you know the difference between bleached and unbleached flour? Interesting!)
- Baking Powder – all baked goods need a leavening agent. Be sure to check the dates on your baking powder- a good rule of them is to replace every three months!
- Salt – adding a little salt to balance the sweet is essential for baking.
- Eggs – That moist, fluffy quality we love in quick breads is thanks to quality eggs. All of my recipes call for large eggs.
- Milk – milk helps to retain moisture in this quick bread. You can use any type of milk- we generally have 2% in the fridge and it works well!
- Vegetable Oil – I prefer a basic vegetable oil for my quick breads so as not to alter the flavor.
- Cinnamon – it’s the ultimate yin to the yang of apples! Don’t skimp on ground cinnamon in this recipe! Sure you could make apple bread without cinnamon, if you prefer.
- Diced Apple – Any apples will do, but Jonagold, Honey Crisp, Braeburn, and Pink Lady are all great for baking.
Variations
- Add a Glaze – Drizzle or cover in Basic Glaze, Cream Cheese Glaze or Apple Pie Glaze to turn this quick bread into the ultimate dessert! You can even drizzle it with a little Salted Caramel Sauce.
- Add Nuts – Candied Nuts, walnuts or pecans are a delicious addition.
- Mulling Spices – add a teaspoon of ground mulling spices to your bread for an extra dose of cozy flavor and fragrance.
- Add a Topping – Simply combine cinnamon, brown sugar, flour and butter until crumbly and add just before baking.
Make it Healthier
- Replace half the oil with unsweetened apple sauce.
- Eliminate the cinnamon sugar mixture on top.
You can find my full list of baking substitutions here.
How to Make Apple Bread
- Prep – Preheat oven and grease loaf pans.
- Combine Dry Ingredients
- Combine Wet Ingredients (in a separate mixing bowl)
- Combine – Incorporate dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined.
- Pour into greased loaf pans.
- Add Apple Mixture – Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping mixture onto the loaf to give your Sweet Bread that delicious, moist fall flavor.
- Bake! It’s SO easy!
No bread machine required! It’s as simple as mixing, baking and enjoying!
Tips
Alternative Baking Ideas
- Large Loaves – Don’t want 6 miniature loaves? You can also make this Sweet Bread recipe in 2 – 1 pound loaf pans or cut the recipe in half for just 1 loaf pan and bake 50 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.
- Make Muffins – If you prefer to make them into muffins, just grease miniature muffin tins and fill each to 2/3 full. Bake 12 minutes.
- Make it Ornate – Alternatively, you can also bake it in an ornate loaf pan with the same minimal effort!
To Store
- At Room Temperature – Store quick bread in a sealed plastic bag or covered in saran wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container refrigerated up to 5 days.
- Freeze – Freeze loaves or slices by wrapping them tightly in heavy foil or plastic wrap. Then place them in freezer bags (I like to do at least 2 to prevent freezer odors from seeping in), and freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature on a countertop or allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Slice and serve to enjoy. You can even warm it up to get that just out of the oven flavor!
Gifting
During the holidays, Michael’s offers miniature ceramic loaf pans for just $1. I always stock up on them in white to use throughout the year. They are more durable than paper loaf pans and make a beautiful gift.
To gift apple bread, you can use six miniature loaf pans when you make this apple cinnamon loaf.
This recipe yields six pretty little loaves, if you’re willing to share!
Once they cool, you can wrap with a ribbon or in cellophane.
For more presentation ideas you can get your copy of my 10 Easy Sweet Bread Ebook here.
Are you loving the fall flavor of apple everything as much as we are? You need to check out my detailed apple baking guide– it’s full of tips, tricks and the BEST apple treats!
What’s your family’s favorite way to enjoy apple season? If you try this delicious apple bread, apple loaf cake or whatever you’d like to call it, I’d love to hear from you! Please come back and leave a review.
Thanks so much for joining me for fall baking, I always love hearing from you!
Need help with baking conversions? Check out my Essential Measurement Conversion Chart.
Want more? Receive the best ideas directly to your inbox and connect on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
More Quick Bread Recipes
If you love this apple loaf cake recipe, you’ll love all my seasonal quick breads!
Apple Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large apple diced and peeled
Topping:
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Beat eggs, milk and oil until just combined.
- Gradually add dry mixture to wet until just moist.
- Add apple and cinnamon.
- Grease baking dishes and pour mixture an inch below to the top to compensate for rise.
- Combine cinnamon and sugar.
- Spoon topping onto each loaf and swirl in with a knife.
- Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean.
Video
Notes
Substitutions
- Milk – Whatever you have on hand from skim to whole milk, even almond milk to make it dairy free.
- Vegetable Oil – Canola oil or melted butter can be used in a pinch.
- Cinnamon – it’s the ultimate yin to the yang of apples! Don’t skimp on ground
- Apples – Jonagold, Braeburn
Variations
- Add a Glaze – Drizzle or cover in Basic Glaze, Cream Cheese Glaze or Apple Pie Glaze to turn this quick bread into the ultimate dessert! You can even drizzle it with a little Salted Caramel Sauce.
- Add Nuts – Candied Nuts, walnuts or pecans are a delicious addition.
- Add a Topping – Simply combine cinnamon, brown sugar, flour and butter until crumbly and add just before baking.
- Make it Healthier –Replace half the oil with unsweetened apple sauce and eliminate the cinnamon sugar mixture on top.
Alternative Baking Ideas
- Large Loaves – Don’t want 6 miniature loaves? You can also make this Sweet Bread recipe in 2 – 1 pound loaf pans or cut the recipe in half for just 1 loaf pan and bake 50 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.
- Make Muffins – If you prefer to make them into muffins, just grease miniature muffin tins and fill each to 2/3 full. Bake 12 minutes.
- Make it Ornate – Alternatively, you can also bake it in an ornate loaf pan with the same minimal effort!
To Store
- At Room Temperature – Store quick bread in a sealed plastic bag or covered in saran wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container refrigerated up to 5 days.
- Freeze – Freeze loaves or slices by wrapping them tightly in heavy foil or plastic wrap. Then place them in freezer bags (I like to do at least 2 to prevent freezer odors from seeping in), and freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature on a countertop or allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Slice and serve to enjoy. You can even warm it up to get that just out of the oven flavor!
Have you ever substituted the flour for GF? Any idea what the ration would be? Also, can stevia or maple syrup be substituted? Any idea how much each would require?
I haven’t tested it, but if you do, please let me know!
I will comment once I make this but they sound delicious and so very easy so am sure we will love this!
Great tasting bread, so worth making. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Wanda!
Cannot wait to make these! I will be checkout your blog!!! Love you already.
Hi! Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy!
I forgot to add the baking powder so it came out super dense, but the flavor is DELICIOUS. I will definitely make it a second time !
I posted a photo to show my 2 separate toppings. I just love that this makes 2 perfect loaves. My mom loves thin vanilla icing on warm bread to soak in. She has a real sweet tooth, while I prefer a thick cinnamon icing on a cooled cake that cuts the sweetness. I also use 1/3 unsweetened applesauce and 1/3 oil and add a few extra dashes cinnamon to the dry ingredients. This time I had tiny apples so I used 2… Turned out perfectly!! Thank you for a fabulous easy recipe!!
Thanks for sharing your variations!
Just wondering, I love the mini loaf pans you used, they’re super cute! Do you know where you got them from? Love your recipes btw! <3
Hi there!
I find these cute mini ceramic loaf pans at Michael’s craft stores on the end caps. They are great for gifting! You can also find various sets like these right here: https://amzn.to/3fQBgGl. Enjoy!
Julie
Can you use self rising flour?
Hi Mindy!
Thanks for your question. I do not recommend using self rising flour here just because I haven’t tried it. Self rising flour contains a ratio of baking powder already mixed in, which would change this recipe a lot. Good luck, I hope you enjoy the results!
Julie
Hi, I’m from Argentina, I found this page and I loved it, this recipe is incredible
Thank you SO very much! Welcome! I hope you enjoy all of my easy recipes.
If I usually only get small eggs where I live, do you recommend using two eggs instead to have the moist texture, or it will alter the flavour?
Hi Natalia! I actually have conversions for that! You can find and bookmark my baking substitutions and conversions here for reference. Have a beautiful day and enjoy!
Can you make this with strawberries?
Yes! I actually have a Strawberry Bread recipe you’ll love, too!
Muffins don’t taste as good but the loaf is AMAZING! I made with 1/3c of apple sauce and 1/3c of oil and the loaf was so moist and perfect!
The bread was amazing!
I’ll do it again tomorrow:)
Yay! Thanks Charlotte! I have 34 more to try!
How many loaves do you get from 1 batch?
2 large loaves or 6 miniature loaves. Enjoy!
This is the most amazing bread, my family could hardly wait for it to come out of the oven and cool long enough to put the glaze over it! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Cynthia! Hope you’ll try some my other 34 quick bread recipes!
I have two loaves in the oven and they smell AMAZING!!!! Can’t wait for them to be done! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Thank you, Kenzie!
Just wanted you to know that I love your recipes. I am an avid baker, have been for many years. My passion was to bake for the contest at the Florida State Fair every year for (25years). I had to retire when my husband became ill with cancer. And I do miss it, but, since I found your recipes I think you have awakened my passion again. Thank you Linda G
Thank you, Linda! That is the ultimate compliment. I’m so grateful you enjoy my recipes and took the time to share!
If making a standard size loaf, how many loaves does this recipe make?
1 1.5 pound loaf.
Made it today, turned out awesome. Thank You.
Thanks for sharing, Pat!
Does this recipe make one regular loaf?
2 1 pound loaves or 1 1.5 pound loaf (just dispose of excess batter.
I really like your recipes, presentation, family stories and you. I’d love to adopt you!!!
Oh gosh, you are too kind! Thank you for following along!
I made this apple bread today and was very happy with the way it turned out. I did add an extra apple to the batter and it was delicious. Definitely a great little gift in its own container.
Thank you for sharing! Happy Holidays, Loretta!
How big are the baking dishes supposed to be?
As for a standard loaf pan, there is no single standard. 8-inch or 9-inch?
2 1 pound loaf pans or a 1.5 pound loaf pan.
Can I incorporate apple butter in this instead of (or in addition to) the apples and cut some of the granulated sugar out? Not sure how it would turn out but just trying to think creatively with what i have 🙂
I haven’t tested it, sorry! You can just make it as cinnamon bread though if you prefer.
Your notes about the apple cinnamon mini loafs says to decrease the butter by half to make a healthier version. However, your recipe does not list butter as an ingredient. I planned to make this later today and want to make sure I have it correct. Thanks.
Oh gosh, my apologies. Oil. They’re interchangeable. I’ll correct immediately.
What if I grated the apple instead?
That works, too! Enjoy!
The best recipe! I’ve had many ladies at my book club tell me that it’s “fall in a bread”! It’s so moist, with a nice crusty top. Definitely a favorite in my house!!
Mmmm. Apple cinnamon in bread! Yum!
Do you put any of the apple and cinnamon in the batter or just on top? Thanks!
In the batter, enjoy!
We really enjoyed our bread!! Casey ate 90% and the rest of us were able to grab a bite to taste…so yummy! What a sweet little gift.