If you’re a fan of baked goods that are moist, flavorful, and bursting with the delicious essence of apples, then you’ll love this Incredible Apple Bread recipe. This yummy quick bread combines the sweetness of juicy apples with warm spices, resulting in a loaf that is both comforting and irresistible. Whether you’re looking for a scrumptious breakfast option or a delightful afternoon snack, this apple bread is sure to satisfy your cravings and leave you wanting more.
This simple recipe calls for ingredients you may already have on hand and is a treat that can be made any time of the year. I love to enjoy a few slices with my morning coffee, whereas my kids, love to enjoy theirs with some melted butter on top as a snack once home from school. Not only is this bread easy to make, but you can make it in a large loaf pan, mini loaf pans, or make into apple muffins. So many great options!
Ingredients needed for this Moist Apple Bread Recipe
See printable recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and step by step directions.
- Apples– peeled and cored, you can use any type desired, I use Honeycrisp, but Granny Smith are a great option too
- Granulated Sugar– you can decrease the amount by up to ½ if you are wanting a less sweet bread
- Oil– I use vegetable oil, canola oil works great too
- Eggs– large eggs at room temperature are best as they mix into the batter easier
- Vanilla Extract– try to use pure vanilla extract versus imitation as it adds much more flavor
- Flour– I use all purpose flour in this recipe
- Baking Soda/ Baking Powder/Salt– ensure your ingredients are fresh as this creates the rise and adds to the moist texture
- Cinnamon– this brings all the Fall flavor
- Nutmeg– this adds a warmth to the bread
Variations of Incredible Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Add ½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) to the batter
- You can add ½ cup raisins or dried fruit to the batter
- Sprinkle brown sugar on top for a tasty sweetness
- You can combine 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 3 tablespoon sugar in a small bowl and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of each loaf before it bakes or sprinkle it halfway into adding the batter to the loaf pans to make a cinnamon swirl addition to the bread.
How to make Incredible Apple Bread
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 1 large loaf pan, or 4-5 mini loaf pans (depending on how full you want them)
- Shred your apples using a grater.
- Place the grated apples and sugar into a mixing bowl and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Stir dry ingredients mixture into wet ingredients mixture and stir until just incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared pan(s).
- Place pan(s) in preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes if making mini loaves, or about 55 minutes for a large loaf.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool a few minutes before slicing and enjoying!
Pro Tips for making Incredible Apple Bread
- Be careful not to over-mix the batter as this will change the texture to tough and chewy. It will make the bread a bit more dense and not as moist and fluffy.
- Add room temperature eggs versus chilled as they incorporate into the batter easier.
- Don’t use an electric mixer for this recipe as a simple wooden spatula is good and will help avoid over-mixing.
- Give the bread a minimum of 10 minutes to cool on a wire rack before slicing as this will help the bread to set up and cause it to be less crumbly.
- All loaf pans cook at different times, so keep an eye on the bread starting at the halfway mark. Glass cooks differently than aluminum, sizes of loaf pans cook shorter or longer, etc.
How to store Fresh Apple Bread Recipe
- Room Temperature– allow to fully cool and place in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator– once cooled, place in an airtight container or bag up to 5 days.
- Freezer– fully cool and either wrap in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, or place in a freezer safe container up to 3 months. Allow to thaw before enjoying.
- Reheating– place slices of bread into microwave and heat in increments of 20-30 seconds, or until desired temperature is reached. Butter is the perfect addition to each slice when reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best apples to use when making apple bread?
You want to use firm apples that don’t get mushy when baking. My favorite are Honey Crisp, Fuji, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady.
Why is my Apple Bread dense?
This is most likely due to being over-mixed. Unfortunately, this changes the texture and makes it a bit more dense and dry. The bread is still good, just won’t have the same texture as intended. Stir batter until just combined.
Why does my Apple Bread fall apart when sliced?
If the bread hasn’t had time to fully cool, or was under baked, the bread tends to fall apart when sliced. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes, and toothpick test the center of the bread to test if its ready to be removed from the oven or not.
More Quick Bread Recipes to try
If you love quick breads, here are some family favorites:
Apple Fritter Bread– all the scrumptious flavors of an apple fritter in an easy quick bread! Made with fresh juicy apples, a super moist vanilla cake and layers of cinnamon sugar, this fall quick bread is a major crowd pleaser.
Blueberry Quick Bread– super easy and quick to make from scratch! This moist quick bread is loaded with fresh blueberries and topped with a sprinkle of sugar for some crunch.
Strawberry Bread– tastes like summer in a loaf pan! It's tender, moist, and chock-full of juicy berries. The cake-like crumb and creamy, dreamy vanilla icing make for a treat that's sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Cinnamon Crumble Banana Bread– classic banana bread made extraordinary with an incredible cinnamon crumble topping that is mouthwatering!
Southern Peach Bread– comes together using only ingredients you may already have on hand! Packed with flavor and no yeast required, this will be a new favorite!
The best Apple Bread recipe is a delightful and comforting treat that is perfect for any occasion. With its moist texture, warm spices, and sweet chunks of apple throughout, it is sure to please both kids and adults alike. Whether you enjoy it as a quick breakfast on the go or as a cozy afternoon snack with a cup of tea, this recipe will surely become a staple in your baking repertoire. So why not give it a try? Whip up a loaf of this delicious apple bread today and indulge in its delectable flavors! Also try my Apple Cheesecake Bars for another great apple recipe!
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Incredible Apple Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 apples, peeled/cored (you choose your desired apple)
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 1 large loaf pan, or 4-5 mini loaf pans (depending on how full you want them)
- Shred your apples using a grater.
- Place the grated apples and sugar into a mixing bowl and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Stir dry mixture into wet mixture and stir until just incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared pan(s).
- Place pan(s) in preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes if making mini loaves, or about 55 minutes for a large loaf.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool a few minutes before slicing and enjoying!
Nutrition
Gloria says
The Incredible Apple Bread was exactly that! The only change was I used 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup applesauce in place of 1/2 cup oil (and sprinkled the top with raw sugar). I was careful to spoon the flour into the cups. Thank you for this perfectly delicious recipe. It is truly a make again!
Kristin says
Yay!! Love hearing this!! Glad you enjoyed and great idea on the swap outs!!
Joyce Jacobsen says
I made this recipe as I had some Ambrosia and Gala apples that needed to be used. Consequently, I am not sure how much shredded apple I ended up with! Also, I added walnut crumbs to the batter. The baking time was increased to hour 10 minutes. Long story short, hands down the best apple bread recipe ever!! Tasty and moist and just plain delicious! I rarely comment on recipes but this time I just had to. BRAVO!!
Kristin says
Yay!! What a great comment to start my day off with!! So glad you enjoyed this bread!!
Dora says
Are the apples small or medium sized or about how many cups
Kristin says
I use medium apples, equals about 3 cups roughly! Enjoy!
Cam says
Can you sub butter for oil?
Kristin says
You can, however, it won’t be as moist and tender of a bread. Butter tends to make it a bit more dense. Still will have great flavor, just may not be as moist as originally intended.
Kathie Klinckman says
Can this recipe be adjusted to be sugar free and gluten free?
Kristin says
You can use gluten free flour and a sugar substitute as desired. Should work great!
Arlene says
The recipe says to pour the batter into the pans. My batter was pretty thick and I had to spoon it and press it down. Consequently, the tops when coming out of the oven is all bumpy, not smooth. What could I have done wrong. After baking, it seems to be a bit dry. I put in 2.5 cups of apples. Help
Kristin says
Hmmm, the only thing I can think of is that it was either mixed too much or too much flour was used. The batter can be a bit thick, but you still should be able to smooth it out once in the pan.
Sherry huron says
Can you use frozen apples
Kristin says
You can, however, you should thaw and pat dry to get most of the liquid out from them having been frozen! Enjoy!
Joanne Cawley says
I have 3 1/2 cups of apples. Is that too much?
Kristin says
It should be about 2 cups worth, maybe slightly over, so I would decrease your amount slightly! Enjoy!
Patty J Martin says
I added 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts to my bread and it was wonderful.
Kristin says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed! Great addition of the walnuts, yum!!
Ann Edgecombe says
2 apples = about how many cups? Apples vary so much in size!
Kristin says
I would say about 1 cup roughly! If you go over/under slightly, that is okay!
cindy says
Can you make a few and freeze them?
Kristin says
Absolutely! That works perfectly with this recipe!
Nell Murphy says
If you don’t have apples can you use a can of apple pie filling instead?
Kristin says
I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. Try to get most of the liquid out first. Maybe about 1 cup of the filling? Should be good!!
Terry Haines says
can i use applesauce instead of apples
Kristin says
The apples produce a lot of liquid in this recipe, so the applesauce should work fairly well. May not be AS moist or at least might change the texture slightly, but overall, I don’t see why that wouldn’t be an option that works good!! Enjoy!
Laura says
Is there an egg substitute? Would love to make this for my daughter who’s vegan.
Kristin says
You can use mashed banana in place of the egg as a substitute! Enjoy!
Maureen says
I used the hand grater and it worked fine. I added nuts to the mixture but otherwise made it as written. My question is there was so much juice I. The bottom of the bowl, I drained a lot of it off but should I have mixed it all in?
Kristin says
Yes, there ends up being a lot of liquid from the apples! You can add it into the bread and it keeps it nice and moist. If you drain some, that works too, just won’t be as moist of a bread!
As for the hand grater, it definitely works great, I just end up going too fast and before I know it, I sliced my finger, haha!
Lauren Lausier says
Looks delicious! Do you think I could use the grater attachment of my food processor? I am notorious for cutting myself using a hand held grater.
Kristin says
Definitely! That would work great! I struggle with my hand held grater too, I always cut myself, its awful!!