Tender apple bread starts with a cinnamon and nutmeg spiced batter that’s dotted with chopped apples and walnuts and ends with a sweet cinnamon glaze on top. This quick bread is perfect for all your fall baking!
Why this recipe works
This apple bread screams autumn with loads of chopped apples and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Adding walnuts to this quick bread gives even more texture and flavor while the apples help keep the bread moist and tender with a delicate crumb.
It’s always fun to switch up the apple recipes when you have a bounty of fresh picked apples from the orchard, or even from the grocery store! Between crockpot cinnamon apples, air fryer apple fries, apple nachos, and this apple bread, there’s a plethora of fun apple recipes to choose from this fall.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
APPLE – I would suggest Granny Smith, Braeburn, and Jonagold for the tart variety. Honey Crisp or Gala apples work well for the sweet apple variety. We are using chopped apples, however, you can shred the apple instead if desired.
GLAZE – Our glaze is thin as we just want it to accent the bread, not overpower it. However, you can thicken it by simply cutting back the amount of milk that you use.
How to Make Apple Bread
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray or grease a 9×5 loaf pan and line with parchment paper, making sure that some extra parchment paper hangs over the sides.
EXPERT TIP – Lining your loaf pan with parchment paper will help keep the edges of your quick bread from getting too crunchy. It also provides handles that allow you to lift the bread easily from the pan. - In a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and both sugars.
- Add eggs and vanilla and mix together. Scrape down bowl and mix again until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Add half of the flour mixture and half of the orange juice to the mixer. Mix together, scraping down the bowl, until incorporated.
- Add in remaining flour mixture and remaining orange juice and mix until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl if needed.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in chopped apples and walnuts.
- Turn batter into prepared 9×5 loaf pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. When cooled, use parchment paper handles to remove the bread from the pan.
EXPERT TIP – Be sure to let your quick bread cool, as cutting into the bread when it’s still hot will cause it to crumble. - Mix together glaze ingredients and drizzle over bread.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Yes, you can omit the walnuts if desired without compromising the recipe.
Store the baked and fully cooled apple bread in an air-tight container or in a large ziptop bag at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Yes, you can freeze this apple bread. To do so, wrap the fully cooled loaf in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil, and place it inside a large ziptop bag or air-tight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you can’t fit your loaf into a container or ziptop bag, simply give it a few extra wraps of plastic wrap and aluminum foil to shield it against freezer burn. Some prefer to slice the bread, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a Ziplock bag for freezing so it’s easy to take a piece out when you want one. Thaw at room temperature.Â
Serving Suggestions
Though the glaze on this apple bread is totally optional, I highly recommend you serve it drizzled on top for a touch of added sweetness. This bread is great as breakfast, lunch, or as a snack but can of course pass as a dessert as well. Make a double batch and freeze it for later or gift it to your family members or neighbor. Enjoy!
More Quick Bread Recipes
- Banana Bread
- Pineapple Quick Bread
- Cantaloupe Quick Bread
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Pumpkin Bread with Maple Glaze
- Peanut Butter Bread
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Apple Bread
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- â…“ cup orange juice
- 1 cup apple unpeeled, chopped, about 1 small apple
- â…“ cup walnuts chopped
Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar gently packed
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon milk or less for a thicker glaze
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- I would suggest Granny Smith, Braeburn, and Jonagold for the tart variety. Honey Crisp or Gala apples work well for the sweet apple variety. Basically, any variety of baking apple will work here. We are using chopped apples, however, you can shred the apple instead if desired.Â
- Lining your loaf pan with parchment paper will help keep the edges of your quick bread from getting too crunchy. It also provides handles that allow you to lift the bread easily from the pan.
- Be sure to let your quick bread cool, as cutting into the bread when it’s still hot will cause it to crumble.
- Our glaze is thin as we just want it to accent the bread, not overpower it. However, you can thicken it by simply cutting back the amount of milk that you use.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray or grease a 9×5 loaf pan and line with parchment paper, making sure that some extra parchment paper hangs over the sides.
- In mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter and both sugars.
- Add eggs and vanilla and mix together. Scrape down bowl and mix again until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Add half of the flour mixture and half of the orange juice to the mixer. Mix together, scraping down the bowl, until incorporated.
- Add in remaining flour mixture and remaining orange juice and mix until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl if needed.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in chopped apples and walnuts.
- Turn batter into prepared 9×5 loaf pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. When cooled, use parchment paper handles to remove the bread from the pan.
- Mix together glaze ingredients and drizzle over bread.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Ellen says
This is fantastic.please try it.