Apple Bread Recipe

This apple bread recipe is cozy and sweet, with a tender crumb and brown sugar cinnamon swirl. A great baking project for apple season!

Here’s a cozy, fun quick bread to make any time of the year: try this Apple Bread recipe! It’s got a moist, tender crumb, and is bursting with tangy fruit, warm spices, and a brown sugar cinnamon swirl. It’s a total crowd pleaser! Everyone loves this spiced bread, and it makes the kitchen smell incredible. We couldn’t stop sneaking bites!

Ingredients in this apple bread recipe

This apple bread was inspired by a trip to the apple orchard for picking, but since apples are readily available you can make it any time of the year! The cinnamon and nutmeg are ideal for fall and winter baking, but it’s seasonal any time of the year. The magic ingredient is buttermilk, which makes an incredible fluffy tender crumb. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon and nutmeg
• Apples
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Kosher salt
• Granulated sugar
• Buttermilk
• Butter
• Neutral oil
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract

Best types of apples for bread

What variety of apple is best for baking into a bread recipe? First off, avoid those bright red delicious apples at the store. The ideal variety for apple bread is a firm, crisp tart apple. Crisp tart apples cook well and the tangy tartness accents the sweetness of baked goods. Here are some of the best apples for baking and cooking:

• Pink Lady
• Jonathon or Jonagold
• Granny Smith
• Fuji

Of course, apple bread will taste great with most types of apples! But if you use a sweeter variety, you won’t get the delightful pop of sweet tart that a crisp tart apple brings.

Secrets to a light and fluffy apple bread

Quick breads can be notoriously dense, dry, or filled with air pockets. But this apple bread recipe has the perfect velvety, soft crumb. Here are a few keys to the texture in this recipe:

• Use real buttermilk (no substitutes!). Buttermilk is crucial to making a fluffy quick bread with a tender crumb. Don’t be tempted to use even a buttermilk substitute here! It’s got to be the real thing.
• Use both butter and oil. Butter and oil work uniquely in baked goods. Often we use oil in our quick breads and muffins, but we love the richness in flavor and texture that butter adds.

Tips for baking this apple bread recipe

Apple bread is simple to whip up, but there are a few tricks to getting the best end result. Here’s what to know:

• Use an aluminum pan (9 x 5 inch). The key to an even bake is in the pan. The best results for a quick bread are with an aluminum pan.
• For the swirl, insert a butter knife straight down into the dough. Then make a few S shapes across the length of the pan. This swirls the brown sugar cinnamon mixture into the bread, and makes an interesting texture to the top of the bread.

Storage info

How to store it? This apple bread recipe tastes best the day it’s baked, but it holds up well over time!

• Refrigerator: This bread stores well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week! Let the slices stand at room temperature for a few minutes before eating: it’s not quite as tasty cold.
• Freeze: Freeze in a sealable container and store up to 3 months.

More apple recipes

This apple bread recipe is one of our top ways to bake with this tasty fruit! Here are a few more apple recipes to try, from breakfast to dessert:

• Try Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal or Apple Cinnamon Muffins
• Go for Crisp Apple Salad
• Make Apple Cobbler, Apple Dumplings, or Apple Cookies
• Bake Classic Baked Apples or Perfect Apple Crumble

01

Apple Cobbler Recipe

02

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

03

Apple Cookies

04

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

This apple bread recipe is…

Vegetarian.

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