Apple Bread
With a hint of spice and everything nice (including juicy apple bits), this easy and quick apple bread recipe is moist with a tender-crisp crust on top.
My family has always loved quick bread recipes (hello, pumpkin bread and banana bread). They make a delicious snack, a simple dessert, or a great quick bite for breakfast as you head out the door. This is the best apple bread recipe as it has a taste very much like my apple spice muffins and greets your family with a heavenly aroma as soon as they walk in the door. It bakes up moist and tender, studded with juicy bits of chopped apple, with a decadent soft crisp crust on top. It’s great on its own or spread with a smear of butter or apple butter.
Like my apple spice muffins, this is a recipe you can use any kind of apple you want in, even apples that are going a little soft. What other ingredients do you need? Just a bunch of kitchen staples you probably already have on hand, like sugar, flour, vegetable oil, milk, vanilla extract, eggs, allspice, and cinnamon.
If the ingredients aren’t simple enough, the instructions are just as simple! All you need to do is mix the ingredients together, pop the batter in a loaf pan, and wait for it to bake. I mean, they don’t call it apple quick bread for nothing, right? But I guess we could also call it easy apple bread as well, right?
In the interest of being neighborly, I also like to double this so I have one loaf to keep and one to give away as a nice surprise to someone who would enjoy a little pick me up. Who’s ready to get baking?
Recipe Ingredients
- Apples
- Sugar
- Self-rising flour (see my FAQs for how to make homemade self-rising flour).
- Vegetable oil
- Milk
- Vanilla
- Eggs
- Allspice
- Cinnamon
How to Make Quick Apple Bread
Peel and dice your fresh apples, then place them in a large bowl.
Then add in the wet ingredients, including the eggs…
Oil…
Milk…
And vanilla.
Give that a stir before adding the sugar.
Mix ingredients together until well combined like above.
Now we’re going to dump in the remaining dry ingredients, including flour…
Ground cinnamon…
And allspice.
Stir until well combined and there are no dry spots.
Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread batter into the prepared bread pan.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the apple bread to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before turning out.
Look at all of those juicy chopped apple pieces!
Enjoy!
Storage
- Store the bread loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- You can also freeze apple bread slices for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Now, I’m just using granulated sugar for this quick bread recipe, but you can use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar if you like.
- Any neutral oil will work for this recipe, including vegetable oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or lightly flavored olive oil.
- To make self-rising flour according to my recipe, you’ll need all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Instead of allspice, you can use a combination of ground ginger and ground nutmeg or just ground nutmeg.
- Another option is to use apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice instead.
- If you like, fold in a cup of chopped nuts before placing the batter into the pan. Pecans and walnuts are always good options.
- Alternatively, fold in a cup of raisins, craisins, or chopped dates.
- Instead of diced apple, you can use shredded apple.
- Don’t overmix the batter!
- Add a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on top of the bread before baking for added sweetness and crunch.
- Speaking of added sweetness, you can also top the cooled bread with a dusting of or a simple vanilla glaze.
- For a healthier cinnamon apple bread recipe, substitute all or a quarter of the oil for apple sauce. This has the bonus of adding more apple flavor.
Recipe FAQs
How do you serve apple bread?
Simply serve your homemade apple bread warm with a spread of butter or apple butter. For dessert, turn it into caramel apple bread with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. YUM.
What are the best apples for baking?
Granny Smith apples are the most popular baking apple. But other good apple varieties include Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Braeburn, , Fuji, Pink Lady, and Jazz apples.
You may also like these appetizing apple recipes:
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium apples, peeled and diced about two cups
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
- Peel and dice apples, then place them in a large bowl. Add eggs, oil, milk, vanilla, and sugar. Stir with a large spoon until well blended.3-4 medium apples, peeled and diced, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups sugar
- Add flour, cinnamon, and allspice. Stir again by hand until well combined.2 cups self-rising flour, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- Grease a loaf pan with cooking spray and spoon batter into the pan.
- Bake at 350 for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow it to cool in the loaf pan for five minutes, then turn out.
Video
Nutrition
I have made this bread twice recently and it falls apart instead of staying together enough to cut a slice. Both times I followed the recipe, only reducing the sugar by less than 1/4 cup. It’s so crumbly I have to spoon it out of the pan. The top is nice and crunchy but after cutting through the crunchy top it’s a disaster. What causes this?
I love the recipes and the thorough instructions, and comments!
Thanks!
Try a little less flour next time and if still an issue add a little more milk or a little water. I find that its usually too much flour or not enough liquid that causes my breads to fall apart. Let me know how it goes!
Yes Good morning Christy
I was getting ready to make your amazing apple bread and was wondering if you could add walnuts to the bread. Thank you and stay healthy and God bless you all
I have not added walnuts but I don’t see why you couldn’t. Let me know how it goes. I hope you enjoy.
I made this bread, but could not get the inside to fully cook. I even put it back in the oven for another 30mins. My husband and son are enjoying it anyway. Wonder where I went wrong?
It’s hard to say without being there, but it could have been the oven didn’t preheat all the way or possibly the flour measurement was a bit off. I would have thought that putting it back in the oven would have fixed it. Glad they enjoyed it anyway. It is pretty darn tasty!
I made this apple bread yesterday with some apples that were going to turn soon. I actually had to double the recipe because I had so many apples, I left out the allspice (kids hate it) and just went with cinnamon and nutmeg instead. I also halved the sugar in the batter. Then I made an extra crunchy topping with 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, half a stick of softened butter a tablespoon of flour and two packets of quakers cinnamon spice instant oatmeal. I baked one in a loaf pan and one in an 8×8 for an hour and 15 minutes. It came out fantastic. Loved it. Will definitely make again.
This recipe is AMAAAZING! Made some substitutions, but I am OBSESSED!
I made this bread for my husband this morning. He loved it! Thank you for sharing.
I am so glad to hear it was a hit!! Thank you for giving it a try Dee!!